Kollam is an ancient port town known to seafaring Romans, Chaldeans, Phoenicians, Chinese, Arabs, and others, with a history stretching far beyond the dawn of the Christian era. Mahatma Gandhi Park is an open park near Kollam Beach in the town of Kollam, Kerala, India. It is about 2 km from Chinnakada, the city center of the ‘Cashew Capital of the World’. It is one of the major places for recreational activities in Kollam city.
Ashtamudi is best known as the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala. Located in Kolam, Ashtamudi Lake is the most visited backwater lake in Kerala. It has been included in the list of Wetlands of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention. The name Ashtamudi is derived from the Malayalam word ” eight braids”, indicating how the network of canals that begins at the lake cuts through Kollam and forms the landscape of Kerala’s famous backwaters.