Kottayam

Kottayam, a premier commercial town, with palm fringed backwaters of Vembanad Lake and vast paddy fields of Kuttanad to the west and to its east the scenic part of Western Ghats with rubber, tea, coffee, pepper and cardamom plantation. Kottayam is an important centre of education, having led the country in achieving total literacy.

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PLACES OF INTEREST

Bharananganam: An important Christian Pilgrim Centre associated with Sister Alphonsa;

Jamma Masjid at Thazhathangadi;

Mannanam (8 Km.): This is an important centre for Syrian Christians;

St. Mary’s Church at Cheriapalli;

St. Mary’s Church at Valiapalli:Built in 1550 AD, this church belongs to the Knanaya Orthodox Syrian Community. The Persian Cross brought by St. Thomas and the Pahlavi inscriptions of this church are famous and Thirunakkara Shiva Temple.

 

EXCURSIONS

Aruvithira Church (11Km.): Believed to be the one of the seven churches established by the apostle St. Thomas;

Kumarakom (12 Km.): Kumarakom, one of the lovliest villages in Kerala is on the eastern side of the vast lagoon,

Vembanad Lake. Kumarakom is an ideal place for backwater cruises. A bird sanctuary here, attracts local birds and migratory birds such as Siberian Storks. Accom: Water Scapes (KTDC), Tel: 525861/4, Fax: 525862 (Tariff: Rs. 2000-3500/-), House Boat Holidays (KTDC), Tel: 525861 (Tariff: 5200-7500/-), *Taj Garden Retreat****, Tel: Tel: (0481)524377, Fax: 524371 (Tariff: Sgl. Rs. 1750-1990/- & Dbl. Rs. 3300-3900/-), *Coconut Lagoon (Heritage), Tel: 524491, Fax: 524495 (Tariff: Rs. 6500-9000/-); Golden Waters, Tel: 525826, Fax: 525638 (Tariff: Rs. 3900/-);

Ettumanoor (13 Km.): Ettumanoor is famous for its temple dedicated to Lord Shiva (Mahadevar Temple);

Pala (30 Km.) & Kanjirapalli (39 Km.): are the important centers of Rubber Plantation in Kerala;

Vaikom (40 Km.): A shaivites' pilgrim center. Accom: Motel Aaram (KTDC), Tel: 0482-625789 (Tariff: Rs. 150-300/-);

Peermade (85 Km.): It is a small hill station on the way to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Accom (STD Code: 0486) : Yatri Nivas (KTDC), Tel: 333250 (Tariff: Rs. 200-500/-), Misty Mountain Plantation Resort, Tel: 332065 (Tariff: Room Rs. 500-700/- & Suite/Cottage Rs. 1000-2000/-);

Thekkady (114 Km.): Thekkady is known for the famous Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary;

Idukki (130 Km.): Idukki is known for its hydro electric power project and a diverse tourist attractions;

Sabarimala (135 Km.): The temple here is, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa which attracts a large number of pilgrims every year during Mandala Pooja (November/December) and for Makara Vilaku (January). The temple is opened for darshan for 41 days during Nov.& Dec. and for 18 days in January every year. The temple is also open for the first five days of every month of the Malayalam calender. The road route for the temple is Kottayam-Erumeli (35Km.)-Chalakkayam (100 Km.)Pamba (5 Km.). From Pamba travel on foot for 4 hours through the jungle to reach the temple.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Area : 15.54 Sq.Km. Altitude : Sea Level.

Temperature : Summer Max: 35 Deg.C. Min: 22.5 Deg.C.

Winter Max: 32 Deg.C. Min: 22.0 Deg.C.

Rainfall : 176 Cm. Season : October to March. STD Code : 0481.

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION

Air : Nearest airport is at Nedumbassery near Kochi (76 Km.) which is connected by Indian Airlines and private airlines with major cities in India.

Rail : Kottayam is connected by rail with major cities and towns in the country.

Fare: Mumbai-Kottayam II A/c. Rs.1943/- & II Class: Rs.

Road : Kottayam is well connected by good motorable roads with Alappuzha 50 Km., Aluwa (Alwaye) 91 Km., Changannassery 18 Km., Guruvayur 169 Km., Idukki 130 Km., Kaladi 85 Km., Kanniyakumari 248 Km., Kochi 76 Km., Kollam 106 Km., Kozhikode 265 Km., Munnar 142 Km., Palakkad 214 km., Periyar (Thekkady) 114 Km., Sabarimala 135 Km., Thrissur 138 Km. and Thiruvananthapuram 160 Km.

ACCOMMODATION

(* Hotels approved by the Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of India)

Hotel                         Single               Double

*Anjali Hotel *** A/c. Rs. 950/- Rs.1250-1800/-

K.K. Road, Tel: 563661-8. Fax: 563669.

*The Windsor Castle*** Dlx. Rs. 1950/- Rs. 2300-3000/-

Kodimatha, Tel: 303622/23. Fax: 303624.

*Hotel Aida ** A/c. Rs. 450/- Rs. 750/-

M.C. Road, Tel:568391. Fax:568399.Non A/c. Rs. 300/- Rs. 600/-

*Vembanadu Lake Resort** Rs. 654-750/-

Kodimatha, Tel: 361633. Telefax:360866.

The Lake Village Heritage Resort Cottage -- US$ 100/-

Kodimatha, Tel: 303622/23. Fax: 303624.

Other Hotels

The tariff of the following hotels ranges from Rs. 200-500/- for a single room and Rs. 350-800/- for a double room.

*Hotel Sakthi*, Baker Junction, Tel: 563161/81, Fax: 563151; Hotel Floral Park, Gandhinagar, Tel: 597108; Hotel Green Park, Kurian Uthup Road,Tel: 56331. Fax: 563312; Homestead Hotel,Tel: 560467, 562346. Fax: 560740; Kaycee Residency, YMCA Road, Tel: 563691-97; Nellimoottil Guest House, Tel: 560714, Fax: 300443; Hotel Nisha Continental, Sastri Road, Tel: 563984; Hotel Nithya, Gandhinagar, Tel: 597849, 598531/32; Hotel Prince, Muttambalam,P.O.,Tel: 578809. Fax: 573138; The Ambassador Hotel, K.K. Road, Tel: 563293/94. Telefax: 563755; Yamuna Tourist Home, Baker Junction, Tel: 566806.

Other Accommodation

Govt. Guest House, Tel: 562219, (Tariff: Rs. 150-500);PWD Rest House, Tel: 568147, PWD Rest House, VIP Room, Kottayam, Tel: 563024, YMCA, Tel: 560541, YWCA, Tel: 560188.

For reservation of KTDC accommodation, contact:-

Central Resvn, Kerala Tourism Dev. Corpn. Ltd. , Mascot Square, Thiruvananthapuram, Tel: 0471-316736. Fax: 314406. E-mail: ktdc@vsnl.com Website: www.ktdc.com

 

TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES

District Tourism Promotion Council near Boat Jetty, Alappuzha, Tel: 253308.

Tourist Reception Centre (DTPC), Near KSRTC Bus Stn., Alappuzha, Tel: 251796.

DTPC Tourist Information Centre, KSRTC Bus Stand, Kollam, Tel: 745625.

DTPC Tourist Office, Guest House Complex, Ashramom, Kollam, Tel: 742558.

District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), Kottayam, Tel: 562315.

Department of Tourism, Kottayam, Tel: 584303.

KTDC, C/o. Kairali Emporium, Nirmal Bldg., Nariman Point, Mumbai.

 

More Information

Bordered by the lofty and mighty Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west, Kottayam is a land of unique characteristics.
Panoramic backwater stretches, lush paddy fields, highlands, hills and hillocks, extensive rubber plantations, places associated with many legends and a totally literate people have given Kottayam District the enviable title: The land of letters, legends, latex and lakes. Kottayam Town is the first town in India to have achieved 100% literacy (a remarkable feat achieved as early as in 1989).
English education in South India did actually start at the Old Seminary here at Kottayam in 1813. The first printing press in Kerala was established (CMS Press) here in 1821 by Rev.Benjamin Baily. The first college in the State (CMS College) was also started here at Kottayam in 1840. Maiden printed Malayalam-English and English-Malayalam Dictionaries were published from Kottayam in 1846 and 1847 respectively. The first and only Cooperative Society of writers, authors and publishers (SPCS), for publishing books and periodicals was set up here in 1945. Kottayam is the hometown of a vast number of books and periodicals and is the center of publishing business in the State. Kottayam is the first town in India selected by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India to be transformed as an Eco City.
The Sri K R Narayanan, the former President of India hails from Kottayam District.
Kottayam is the ideal take off point for visits to Peermade, Munnar, Thekkady, Ernakulam and the temple city, Madurai. It is also a gateway to the pilgrim centers of Sabarimala, Mannanam, Vaikom, Ettumanoor, Bharananganam, Erumeli, Manarcaud, and so on.
Kottayam is an important commercial centre of Kerala, India, thanks to its strength as a producer of cash crops. Most of India’s natural rubber originates from the acres of well-kept plantations of Kottayam, also home to the Rubber Board, One of the country’s primary commodities board. Kottayam, among the state’s more mountainous districts, provides some of Kerala’s finest natural scenes sandwiched as it is between serene palm-fringed backwaters on the west and the Western ghats on the east.
History
Kottayam literally means the interior of a fort - Kotta + Akam. Rulers of Munjanad and Thekkumkur had their headquarters at Thazhathangadi in the present Kottayam town. Marthanda Varma of Travancore attacked Thekkumkur and destroyed the palace and the Thaliyil fort. The remnants of the palaces and forts are still seen here.
The present Kottayam district was previously a part of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore. Earlier, the Travancore state consisted of two revenue divisions viz. the southern and northern divisions, under the administrative control of a ‘Diwan Peshkar’ for each. Later in 1868 two more divisions Quilon (Kollam) and Kottayam were constituted. The fifth division Devikulam came next but only for a short period, which in course of time, was added to Kottayam. At the time of the integration of the State of Travancore and Cochin (Kochi) in 1949, these revenue divisions were renamed as districts and the Diwan peshkars gave way to District Collectors, paving the way for the birth of the Kottayam District in July 1949.
Kottayam has played its role in all the political agitations of modern times. The ‘Malayali Memorial ‘ agitation may be said to have had its origin in Kottayam. The Malayali Memorial sought to secure better representation for educated Travancoreans in the Travancore civil service against persons from outside. The Memorial, which was presented to the Maharaja Sri Moolam Thirunal (1891) was drafted at a public meeting held in the Kottayam Public Library. The event marked the beginning of the modern political movement in the State.
It was here that the famous Vaikom Satyagraha (1924-25), an epic struggle for eradication of untouchability, took place. Scheduled castes and other backward classes in Travancore were denied not only entry into temples, but also access to temple roads. Vaikom, the seat of a celebrated Siva Temple, was the venue of the symbolic satyagraha. It is of immense historic significance that national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, C. Rajagopalachari, Acharya Vinoba Bhave and E.V. Ramswami Naykar, associated with this struggle.
The ‘ Nivarthana ‘ agitation of the early thirties, to secure adequate representation for the non-caste Hindus, Christians and Muslims in the State Legislature, enjoyed considerable support from this district.
The district was also a centre of the agitation led by the State Congress for responsible Government in Travancore. The agitation had a triumphant end, with the overthrow of Sir. C.P. Ramaswami Iyer, the then Dewan of Travancore.