Hence, Aymanam means "five forests", which, according to tradition, were Vattakkadu, Thuruthikkadu, Vallyakadu, Moolakkadu and Mekkadu.

Lake Vembanad lies to the west of the village, near Kumarakom, with the Meenachil River providing its water supply, which often floods from June to August due to regular monsoons.

Aymanam (also spelled in her novel "Ayemenem") is the setting for the 1997 novel, The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, the village where she grew up.

The former house was described in the novel as "with its steep gabled roof pulled over its ears like a low hat".

The latter house has European interior designed by the ex-wife of Roy's uncle, both of them are modelled as "Chacko" and "Margaret" in the novel.