Jadayuppara

Jadayuppara is a huge rock in Chadayamangalam, Kollam, Kerala where 'Jatayu' the mythical vulture involved in Ramayana was believed to be fallen. I'm not aware of any ancient puranas, but after reading about Jatayu and all it felt really interesting and it even urged me to buy a copy of Ramayana and Mahabharatha! Just kidding, didn't bought yet..:P
So if you want to read about it here it is (wikipedia):

Jatayu
In the Indian epic Ramayana, Jatayu is the youngest son of Aruna. His brother, Sampaati, is a demi-god who has the form of a Vulture and was an old friend of Dasharatha.
 Jatayu tries to rescue Sita from Ravana when Ravana is on his way to Lanka after kidnapping Sita. Jatayu fought valiantly with Ravana, but as Jatayu was very old Ravana soon got the better of him. As Rama and Lakshmana chanced upon the stricken and dying Jatayu in their search for Sita, he informs them of the fight between him and Ravana and tells them that he had gone south.

Jatayu and his brother Sampaati, when young, used to compete as to who could fly higher. On one such instance Jatayu flew so high that he was about to get seared by the sun's flames. Sampati saved his brother by spreading his own wings and thus shielding Jatayu from the hot flames. In the process, Sampati himself got injured and lost his wings. As a result, Sampati lived wingless for the rest of his life.

Ravana fighting with Jatayu (image taken from wikipedia)

While Jatayu was wounded and lying on the ground when Lord Rama arrived, Lord Rama sensed the end result and decided that Jatayu get moksha. Lord Rama then slammed an arrow into the ground so as to call all seven sacred rivers, called teertha. Six rivers' waters arrived, one river water failing to obey Lord Rama's call. Since Lord Rama was himself an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, He forced the Gaya teertha to arrive at the spot.

Ravana cuts Jatayu's wings, painting by Ravi Varma

According to legend, Lepakshi in Andhra Pradesh, India is the place where Jatayu fell after being wounded by Ravana, and Ramarkal Mettu (Ramakkalmedu) is the place where the last rites were performed. Rama is said to have commanded the bird to rise Le Pakshi, hence the name for that town.

Veerabhadra temple, Lepakshi (image taken from wikipedia)

But according to local legends Jatayu fell on this rock and hence the rock is called jadayuppara and the place is called Chadayamangalam (jadayumangalam). Well all these are stories and folk tales and hardly any substance in it.
This rock is a huge one with several layers, offering some good panoramic views of the surrounding places. A small temple with a big idol of Rama is at the top of the rock.

Temple with idol of  Rama

Now a museum in the form of Jatayu is under construction at the top. Once it opens to the public, the museum will clear all our doubts and teach us about the incidents related to the Rama-Sita-Ravana-Jatayu and all.

This is the museum which is under construction

Another view

There are markings on the rock where the Jatayu hit on the rock while falling. There's a foot marking of Rama as well here, they say!

Place on the rock where Jatayu hit while falling

Marking where Sree Rama's foot

There are two-three paths by which one can climb to the top and it's not difficult to climb.

The way, it's not difficult to climb up and down

Views are good, especially in the evening

Evening time is advised otherwise sun will be hard on us!

Its a calm and peaceful place worth a short stop of your jouney. Those who are travelling on mc road to thiruvananthapuram can easily access it, the rock with the museum can be seen from the road itself.
Location:
It is situated beside mc road, in Chadayamangalam.
It is 50 km from Thiruvananthapuram : Tvm-Vembayam-Kilimanoor-Chadayamangalam
It is 40 km from Kollam: Kollam-Parippally-Pallikkal-Poredam-Chadayamangalam