Agastya Mala

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Agastya Mala
A view of Agastyaarkoodam from the base
Highest point
Elevation	1,869 m (6,132 ft)
Prominence	1,510 m (4,950 ft)[1]
Listing	Ultra, Ribu
Coordinates	8°36′58.64″N 77°14′44.62″E / 8.6162889°N 77.2457278°E / 8.6162889; 77.2457278
Geography
Agastya Mala Tamilnadu, India
Parent range	Western Ghats

Agastya Mala (or Agasthyamalai or Agastyarkoodam) is one of the peaks of the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve in the Western Ghats that lies between the districts of Tirunelveli District of Tamilnadu and Thiruvananthapuram District district of Kerala, India.^[2] This peak is specifically located in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, near the Tamil Nadu border. It is 1,868-metres (6,129 ft) tall.^{[citation needed]}. The perennial Thamirabarani River originates from the eastern side of the range and flows into the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. The rivers flowing westwards through the district of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala are the Karamana River and the Neyyar river.

Agastyaarkoodam is a major trekking spot in the southern end of the Western Ghats. It is also considered as a pilgrimage spot for devotees of the Hindu sage Agastya, who is considered to be one of the seven rishis (Saptarishi) of Hindu Puranas. In Tamil traditions, Agastya is considered as the father of the Tamil language and the compiler of the first Tamil grammar called Agattiyam or Akattiyam.^[3] There is a small stone statue of Agathiyar at the top of the peak where one can offer flowers as offerings to the mystical sage considered as a “Chiranjeevi” which means immortal.

Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve is among 20 new sites added by UNESCO to its World Network of Biosphere Reserves in March 2016. The International Co-ordinating Council added the new sites during a two-day meeting on 19 March 2016 in Lima, bringing the total number of biosphere reserves to 669 sites in 120 countries, including 16 transboundary sites. The biosphere reserve includes close to 300 rare bird species and more than 200 medicinal plants endemic to this region.^[4]