Meenachil was a principality under the local chieftains, the Karthas before Marthanda Varma annexed it to Travancore in the sixteenth century. The name of the place comes from Goddess Meenakshi of Madurai, the deity of the Karthas. The southern bank of the river was the kingdom of Thekkumkoor with capital at Changanassery and the northern bank, that of Vadakkumkoor, with its capital at Kaduthuruthy. The Poonjar royal family also held sway over significant areas of the district towards the east.
The river Meenachil, also known as Kavanar, originates in the Western Ghats of Kerala, flows westward through Erattupetta, Palai, Kidangoor, Ettumanur and Kottayam. Near Kottayam it splits into a number of branches before emptying into the Vembanad Lake. Kumarakom, the bird sanctuary and tourist resort is on one such branch.