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Kottayam Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/kottayam page 1 in India to achieve 100 per cent each house of worship mixes and literacy as matches customs and rituals Kottayam associated with another. Known for being India's first 100% far back as 1989. It’s also home to literate city, Kottayam is a feather one of India’s largest selling Most tourists visit Kottayam for in the hat of the beautiful Kerala. A newspapers, Malayala its backwaters and houseboats. But quiet city amongst weathered hills Manorama. Way before such the town’s heritage structures are and backwaters, this place holds milestones dotted Kottayam, the land also a must-see. Like in many the promise of instantly soothing was ruled by Kulasekharas (1090- Indian cities, the town mushroomed the city worn traveller into a calm Famous For : City 1102) and was part of around a temple; in this case, the and tranquil state. their Vempolinad Kingdom. Around sprawling Thirunakkara Mahadeva Located in God's Own Country, Kottayam is 1100, the territory was split into Temple. It is hailed as the archetype a beautiful town of clear blue skies and Thekkumkur and Vadakkumkur. Spice of traditional Kerala green hills. Welcome to this land of surreal trade between these kingdoms, the temple architecture. The temple was beauty which is replete with palm fronds Portuguese and the Dutch flourished built by one of the Thekkumkur rajas and backwaters typical to Kerala. Take a in the 15th century, until both were and is more than 500 years old. The walk through the sprawling campus of the reduced to subordinate allies of the main entrance to the temple is via a CMS College, the oldest one in India and Raj. set of steep steps at the eastern admire the magnificent architecture of the gopuram, just next to a rustling imposing building. By the mid-18th banyan tree. century, Thekkumkur and One could also undertake an excursion to Vadakkumkur were annexed by The small entrance door does not the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary when here, Marthanda Varma and became part betray the beauty and the grace of or trek to the Aruvikkuzhi Waterfalls while of Travancore. Today, the many the temple beyond the threshold. enjoying spending quiet time in the lap of churches of the town stand testimony Look for the Shivalingam ensconced nature. As Kottayam is an important center to the erstwhile Dutch and within the inner praharam straight in of Coffee and Spice trading in Kerala, make Portuguese presence. line with the door as you step in. The sure you sample the exotic goodies this Kottayam’s heritage is unique, for it’s Ganesha and Ayappa shrines are place has to offer. a true melting pot of varied cultural further ahead. Take note of the and religious influences. It helped scores of lamps lining the walls of the that almost all the churches, mosques inner praharam. To the left, the deity This Pdf and its contents are copyright © and temples here were built under of Lord Muruga blesses the 2013,ixigo.com, all rights reserved. ixigo logo, the character and all other marks displayed herein are registered and/or common law trademarks of royal patronage. What you see now is faithful. Not very far from the temple ixigo.com and/or third parties. Kottayam’s a commercial centre, with many rubber and its splendid culmination: a lovely stands the ancient St Mary’s Knanaya spice plantations. It was the first town amalgamation of religions, where Church, known as Valiapally. It was Kottayam Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/kottayam page 2 built in 1550 by Syrian Knanaya huge hanging lamp in the hall and traditional bathing area and Bakery Junction is a good place to buy Christians. the granite pillars are reminiscent latticed windows. some Syrian Christian of temples in Kerala, while the specialities such as churuttu (a sweet The church has two granite Persian vegetable dye paintings on the altar In the same vicinity, don’t miss savoury) and kozhalappams (fried crosses, each carved out of a single walls and ceiling depicting the life of a beautiful double-storeyed items made of rice flour). A slab of stone dating back to the 4th Christ are typically Portuguese. Sadly, traditional structure made of teak, half-hour drive up the and 7th centuries CE. Both bear the paintings on the lower half of the the Thazathangadi Juma Masjid, one Mannanam hillock, north of inscriptions in Pahalavi altar wall have been ruthlessly of the oldest mosques in India. Kottayam, is worth the effort just for whitewashed. Believed to be more than 1,000 years a breathtaking view of the town, its old, the mosque has a square inner coconut palms, soaring church spires language, once the official language courtyard typical of a nalukettu (four- and silver lagoons. of the Sassanian dynasty of Persia. sided mansion with an inner The crosses were apparently brought courtyard), carved wooden here from an older church in gabled roof, a traditional bathing area Besides being associated with Cranganore. The porch, with granite pillars and and latticed windows. Clothes the Blessed Father Chavara, carved wooden ceilings, the tiled roof, and jewellery are the chief draws in Mannanam is the seat of the first the baptism basin hewn out of a Kottayam. KK Road buzzes with multi- seminary of the Malabar Church The wooden altar and ceiling single stone and the bay windows tiered jewellery shops and sari (1833), the first Catholic Sanskrit are beautifully carved and decorated add to the uniqueness of the church. showrooms. If you are looking School in Kerala (1846), the first with vegetable dye paintings The grass carpeted courtyard houses for Travancore saris and dress printing press in Kerala (the CMS depicting scenes from the Bible. Look an annexe, which functions as the material, try Kasavukada in Arafa Press, 1846), the first Catholic English for the church’s office. Don’t miss the Towers, west of Thirunakkara Temple. School (1846), and the first inscriptions in Syriac on its daily newspaper in Malayalam, the walls. In the same vicinity, don’t miss Another place to visit is Seemati on Deepika (1887). In Mannanam, ask for baptismal font built within the a beautiful double-storeyed MG Road, which has a special the 19th century St Joseph Church. It width of the thick church walls, more traditional structure made of teak, showroom called Temple of Silks; retains its original altar, adorned with than a metre in diameter. the Thazathangadi Juma Masjid, one Narmada and Parthas on MG Road gold filigree work. The most brilliant of the oldest mosques in India. are also excellent places to pick up repertory of church history is Just a short distance from the Believed to be saris. If you are a collector of antique preserved at the Chavara Art Valiapally is the Cheriapally or the items, head for a small shop tucked Museum nearby. Also to the north of small church, which is neither small away on the highway in Kodimatha. Kottayam is the ancient Shiva Temple nor typically church like. A more than 1,000 years old, the Its modest setting hides a wealth of at Ettumanur, the most important of synchronous blend of temple and mosque has a square inner courtyard artefacts from all over Kerala. For the Shiva temples situated here and Portuguese architecture, St Mary’s typical of a nalukettu (four-sided souvenirs, you can pick up old lamps, in Kadathurthy and Vaikom. Orthodox Church was built mansion with an inner courtyard), gramophones, Chinese pickle jars and and consecrated by the Portuguese in carved wooden gabled roof, a lamp shades. Anne’s Bakery on The main gopuram fronts a mural, 1579. The large brick outer walls, the Kottayam Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/kottayam page 3 most of which is hidden under layers Temple venerates Goddess Kali and is believed to have been Max: Min: Rain: 32.79999923 25.70000076 103.699996948242 of whitewash. Look for the big brass welcomes the annual procession born. The Poonjar Palace complex, to 706055°C 2939453°C 19mm lamp facing the shrine. North of from the Pazhayapalli Mosque and the east of Kottayam, has a nalukettu May Mananam is Athirumpuzha, where St the Easter procession from St Mary’s and ettukettu (a mansion with two Pleasant weather. Carry Light woollen, Mary’s Forane Church is located. The Metropolitan inner courtyards). The royalty’s umbrella. church dates to 835 CE. The lovingly collection of antiques housed inside Max: Min: Rain: 32.20000076 25.60000038 270.799987792968 preserved St Sebastian’s statue in the the palace includes wooden utensils, 293945°C 1469727°C 75mm church was brought by a Cathedral.