Old Boothathankettu

 ancient, place with historical importance

A myth connected with the origin of this place says that this natural fortification of forests and hills was built by Bhoothams (spirit/ghosts) overnight.

Hence the name Bhoothathankettu (fort of the spirits). The Boothams(ghosts) wanted to submerge in water a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva near to thsi place. So they started to build a dam across the periyar so that the temple would be submerged in water. The ghosts as being nocturnal in habbit, started the work at sunset and wanted to finish the dam before dawn.Lord Shiva came to know this and outsmarted the ghosts by appearing in the form of a rooster and crowing at midnight. The ghosts hearing this thought that it is already dawn and left their work unfinished.
The dam was never completed and stay as it is there at the old Boothathankettu making a gorge at the incompleted portion of the dam. By nature, due to scouring etc, the particular location resembles this story and hence the name to the place "Boothathankettu".