Agastyakūṭa (Agastyakuta) is the name of a sacred mountain peak in South India. It is also known by the names Agastya Parvata, Agastamala Hills and Pothiyar Hills.

  • Sugrīva (Sugriva) had sent his monkey scouts and warriors to the south to look for Sītā (Sita). Before seeing them off, he had asked them to meet sage Agastya on top of Malaya Parvata.
  • Balarāma (Balarama) once met sage Agastya on Agastyakūṭa. 
  • In this context it has to be mentioned that this range of hills presently separates Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
  • Scholars are of the opinion that because sage Agastya performed tapasyā (tapasya) on the peak of Malaya Parvata, this peak came to be known as Agastyakūṭa (literally meaning ‘Agastya peak’). Agastyakūṭa is the source of the river Tāmraparṇī (Tamraparni). [See Agastya-ashrama – 12]