Perunthakary House , Illikal, Kerala

Perched on the banks of the Meenachil River, surrounded by thickly growing lush bamboo woods is the beautiful Perunthakary Bungalow. The building is situated at Illikal, a suburb of Kottayam on the way to Kumarakom. The Meenachil river renowned through the Book ‘ God of Small Things' by the Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy, flows pacifically by the eastern side of Bungalow. The Meenachil River was once the main artery of the commercial town of Kottayam.The ‘ Kettuvallams ‘ ( house boats ) carrying loads of coconut, rice and spices used to come for trade all the way from Alleppey and Kollam to ‘ Tazhathangdi ‘ the lower market of Kottayam, through this river. In near past, as road transportation becomes faster and easier the river transportation lost its prominence and slowly the Kettuvallams too lost their ‘job'. Meenachil river, which was once a thriving waterway of boats and vallams become an over-polluted, insignificant river with a nostalgic past.

The Bungalow is a two storied building, painted in soft colours and built in modern style. The thick bamboo grove and other shady trees standing all around gives the place a cool atmosphere. In the front of the house is a beautiful porch with cylindrical pillars holding up the tiled roof. The interiors are richly furnished with high quality furnishing materials and wooden furniture. The bedrooms are well maintained and equipped with all modern amenities and the larges windows, which when opened lets in lots of sunlight, are neatly curtained. The dining room is decorated with large wooden furniture and the wooden shelf holds many antiques and curiosities made in crystal.