Though originally conceived about two decades ago, it is only now that more people are discovering it.

“The Onam season has seen an increase in footfall. We have been having groups book our convention hall for private celebrations,” says forest officer Vinod K K.

Indeed, the joyful chorus of ‘Arppo irro irro…’ echoing from the convention hall makes it clear this park is finally getting its moment in the sun. And, as soom as Vinod mentions that a 100-member Thiruvathira performance is scheduled for the evening, women decked up in Kerala sari trickle in through the thicket.  

Now, a quick flashback: the story of this green escape goes back to 1999, when the forest department handed Cochin International Airport Ltd a 1.98-hectare (five-acre) land parcel inside the Thattekad Bird Sanctuary to set up its radar system.

In return, as part of a land swap agreement, the forest department received a four-hectare (10-acre) plot in Nedumbassery from CIAL.
Suvarnodyanam, meaning ‘Golden Garden’, opened its gates in 2006 to mark the 50th anniversary of Kerala’s formation. But the park has had a chequered history — open, shut, reopen, repeat.