Kollam district, earlier known as Quilon district, is one among the 14 districts of Kerala state, India. The district is representative of all the natural attributes of Kerala and is endowed with a long coastal region, a major sea port on the Arabian Sea inland in Astamudi lake and was called Tarsish.Plains, mountains, lakes, lagoons and Kerala Backwaters, forests, farm land and rivers. The area had mercantile relationship with Phoenicians and the Romans About thirty percent of this district is covered by the Ashtamudi Lake, thereby making it a gateway to the Kerala Backwaters. Thevalakara and Thekkumbagam panchyaths together had made the very ancient Korekini (sea pointed inland) Kollam port of Tarsish even in 1500 BC.