Thiruvalla Thiruvalla, () also spelled Tiruvalla, is a Municipalities of Kerala, municipality in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. The town is spread over an area of and has a population of 52,883 people, down from 56,837 in 2001. It is also the H ...

Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta (), is a municipality, city in southern Kerala, India, spread over an area of . It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37,538 (as of 2011 census). The Hindu pilgrim centre Sab ...

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Manimala Manimala is a small town and a village in Kottayam district in the Indian state of Kerala, situated about from the nearest town Kanjirappally. It was declared a folklore village in 2011 by the central government to promote folklore. Geograp ...

Niranam Niranam is a village in Thiruvalla, Kerala, India. It was a port in ancient Kerala, on the confluence of the Manimala River, Manimala and Pamba River. It is almost 7 km from Tiruvalla in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala, lies to the wester ...

Alappuzha Alappuzha (, आलप्पुळ) or Alleppey is a municipality and town on the Laccadive Sea in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It is the district headquarters of the district, and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvana ...

Thalavady Thalavady is an Upper Kuttanadu village and Panchayat located in Kuttanadu Taluk, Alappuzha district, Kerala, India. The village was ruled by King of Chembakassery Kingdom. Its geography is dominated by its vast lush green paddy field, unique ...

Manimala Manimala is a small town and a village in Kottayam district in the Indian state of Kerala, situated about from the nearest town Kanjirappally. It was declared a folklore village in 2011 by the central government to promote folklore. Geograp ...

Pampa The Pampas (; from Quechuan languages, Quechua 'plain'), also known as the Pampas Plain, are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than and include the Argentina, Argentine Provinces of Argentina, provinces of Buenos Aires Pro ...

Manimala Manimala is a small town and a village in Kottayam district in the Indian state of Kerala, situated about from the nearest town Kanjirappally. It was declared a folklore village in 2011 by the central government to promote folklore. Geograp ...

Parumala Parumala is a village and island on the Pampa River in Thiruvalla Taluk, Pathanamthitta district in Kerala, India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by ar ...

Pandanad Pandanadu (also known as Pandavar Nadu) is a village in Chengannur taluk in Alappuzha district, in Kerala, India.Ennakkad and

Mannar Mannar may refer to the following places: India * Mannar, Alappuzha, a town in Chengannur Taluk, Kerala Sri Lanka * Mannar District, one of 25 districts in Sri Lanka ** Mannar Island, an island within the district ** Mannar Bridge, a bridge conne ...

towards its southeast. After merging, the splits flows westard sharing a border with Kurattissery towards the south of the village and Veeyapuram towards its southwest. The village has a total area of and as per the 2011 census data, it has a total population of 23,502 of which 10,810 are males and 12,692 are females. The average

sex ratio A sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. However, many species deviate from an even sex ratio, ei ...

is 1174 which is higher than Kerala state average of 1084. The literacy rate stands at 96.94 percentage. The State Highway 6 forms the skeleton of transportation through the village which enters through ''Pulikeezhu'' bridge across the

Manimala Manimala is a small town and a village in Kottayam district in the Indian state of Kerala, situated about from the nearest town Kanjirappally. It was declared a folklore village in 2011 by the central government to promote folklore. Geograp ...

river from Nedumpuram, passing north–south and exits through ''Parumala'' bridge across

Pampa The Pampas (; from Quechuan languages, Quechua 'plain'), also known as the Pampas Plain, are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than and include the Argentina, Argentine Provinces of Argentina, provinces of Buenos Aires Pro ...

river towards

Mannar Mannar may refer to the following places: India * Mannar, Alappuzha, a town in Chengannur Taluk, Kerala Sri Lanka * Mannar District, one of 25 districts in Sri Lanka ** Mannar Island, an island within the district ** Mannar Bridge, a bridge conne ...

. Buses of the state transport corporation and private ownership connecting

Thiruvalla Thiruvalla, () also spelled Tiruvalla, is a Municipalities of Kerala, municipality in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. The town is spread over an area of and has a population of 52,883 people, down from 56,837 in 2001. It is also the H ...

with

Kayamkulam Kayamkulam () is a municipality in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. It is located south of the district headquarters in Alappuzha and about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Kayamkulam has ...

via

Mavelikkara Mavelikkara () is a municipality in the Onattukara Region of Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. It is located south of the district headquarters in Alappuzha and about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 ...

passes through this segment of road. The ''Eramallikkara'' bridge directly connect the village with Thiruvanvandoor and ''Illimala'' bridge directly connect its island of

Parumala Parumala is a village and island on the Pampa River in Thiruvalla Taluk, Pathanamthitta district in Kerala, India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by ar ...

with

Pandanad Pandanadu (also known as Pandavar Nadu) is a village in Chengannur taluk in Alappuzha district, in Kerala, India. The Travancore Sugars and Chemicals Limited (TSCL) is a state government company which was incorporated in 1937 with registered office and factory in ''Valanjavattom'' and commenced commercial production in 1948. The company then owned by M/s Parry & Co. had three divisions; Sugar division, Distillery division and Blending-Bottling division.

Government of Kerala The Government of Kerala (abbreviated as GoK), also known as the Kerala Government, is the administrative body responsible for governing the Indian States and territories of India, state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who ...

overtook the company in 1974 and the sugar division was closed in 1998 due to the non-availability of

sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...

, which was used to be cultivated in large scale in the village at the time of its establishment. The company is currently engaged in the manufacturing of

Indian Made Foreign Liquor Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) is the official term used by Government of India, governments, businesses and media in India to refer to all types of liquor manufactured in the country other than Desi liquor, indigenous alcoholic beverages such a ...

(IMFL) only and is sold through Kerala State Beverages Corporation (KSBC), a company owned by Government of Kerala. It also produces and sells

rectified spirit Rectified spirit, also known as neutral spirits, rectified alcohol or ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin, is highly concentrated ethanol that has been purified by means of repeated distillation in a process called rectification. In some countr ...

,

methylated spirit Denatured alcohol, also known as methylated spirits, metho, or meths in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, and as denatured rectified spirit, is ethanol that has additives to make it poisonous, bad-tasting, f ...

and Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) to various establishments including medical colleges, hospitals, research institutions,

Indian Space Research Organisation The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO ) is India's national List of government space agencies, space agency, headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It serves as the principal research and development arm of the Department of Space (DoS), ...

(ISRO) and

Regional Cancer Centre Regional Cancer Centres (RCCs) are cancer care hospitals and research institutes operating in India under the joint control and funding of the Government of India and the respective state governments. The name 'regional' because each of these insti ...

(RCC).

St. Peter's and St. Paul's Church, Parumala

In 1872, the then Metropolitan of Malankara, Joseph Mar Dionysius established a seminary in the island of

Parumala Parumala is a village and island on the Pampa River in Thiruvalla Taluk, Pathanamthitta district in Kerala, India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by ar ...

to train the students of Malankara church. The metropolitan and the students used to live in an old building called ''Azhipura'' which is still conserved. The land also had a church built by the ''Arikupurathu'' family of its owner, Mathen Karnavar. Mar Dionysius invited the

Chorbishop A chorbishop is a rank of Christian clergy below bishop. The name chorepiscope or chorepiscopus (plural chorepiscopi) is taken from the Greek and means "rural bishop". History Chorepiscopi are first mentioned by Eusebius as existing in the se ...

of Vettickal St. Thomas Dayara,

Geevarghese Mar Gregorios Geevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala (15 June 1848 – 2 November 1902), also known as Parumala Thirumeni, was a Metropolitan of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church. Parumala Thirumeni became the first person of Indian origin to be canonised ...

to Parumala and given him the title of Ramban (monk-priest). Geevarghese later succeeded as the Metropolitan of Malankara and inherited the existing old church and the land after the death of Mathen Karnavar. He renovated the church as a result of his long term effort. He was canonized by the church after his death and the Parumala church became one of the prominent pilgrimage centers in Kerala. At the end of the last century, the church was extensively renovated to accommodate the large number of pilgrims and the present church at Parumala was designed by renowned architect

Charles Correa Charles Mark Correa (1 September 1930 – 16 June 2015) was an Indian architect and urban planner based in Mumbai, India. Credited with the creation of modern architecture in post-Independent India, he was celebrated for his sensitivity to the ...

.

Parumala Valiya Panayannarkavu Devi Temple

Parumala Valiya Panayannarkavu Devi Temple is an ancient

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, also known as Mandir, Devasthanam, Pura, or Kovil, is a sacred place where Hindus worship and show their devotion to Hindu deities, deities through worship, sacrifice, and prayers. It is considered the house of the god to who ...

dedicated to Sri Badrakali and

Lord Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hinduism. Shiva is known as ''The Destroyer' ...

, situated on the banks of the Pampa river at

Parumala Parumala is a village and island on the Pampa River in Thiruvalla Taluk, Pathanamthitta district in Kerala, India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by ar ...

. The Panaynararkavu Temple is one of the three most important Bhadrakali temples in Kerala along with

Thirumandhamkunnu Temple Thirumandhamkunnu Temple is a historically significant Hindu temple in Angadipuram, which was the capital of Valluvanad Rajavamsham, in Malappuram district, Kerala state, South India. The temple deity, ''Thirumandhamkunnil amma'', was the para ...

in Malabar and Kodungallur Temple in

Cochin Kochi ( , ), formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. The city is also commonly referred to as Ernaku ...

. The collection of

mural A mural is any piece of Graphic arts, graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' ...

paintings of the temple is very famous in India that the murals are precision and suitable color combinations for linear accuracy. The age of these paintings are hard to find. However it is believed that these crystal structure happened in two stages where

fresco Fresco ( or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting become ...

es surrounding the rectangular main shrine were early paintings and paintings on the square sanctum sanctorum were completed later. It is believed that temple murals were completed in the period of the last king of the

Odanad Odanad (Malayalam: '' ōṭānāṭŭ'', also known as Onattukara,Kayamkulam, Onad, Kallikoilon and Chirava Svaroopam) was a feudal state in late medieval Kerala. It was established in the 11th century, and disestablished in 1746 when it becam ...

Royal House. During this period, the

Vaishnava Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, '' Mahavishnu''. It is one of the major Hindu denominations along wit ...

customs and the practice of pure worship were made in a more colorful, ceremonial way.

Thomathukadavu and Thomas the Apostle

According to local tradition, around AD 52,

Thomas the Apostle Thomas the Apostle (; , meaning 'the Twin'), also known as Didymus ( 'twin'), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Thomas is commonly known as "doubting Thomas" because he initially doubted the resurrection of ...

arrived in

Niranam Niranam is a village in Thiruvalla, Kerala, India. It was a port in ancient Kerala, on the confluence of the Manimala River, Manimala and Pamba River. It is almost 7 km from Tiruvalla in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala, lies to the wester ...

through ''Kottachal'' an ancient and important water way of early days and landed at ''Thomathukadavu,'' which is now located on northwestern part of Kadapra village. Through the ministry of the word and miraculous deeds, he brought many high class

hindus Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

to Christian faith. He

baptized Baptism (from ) is a Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by sprinkling or pouring water on the head, or by immersing in water either partially or completely, traditionally three ...

them at ''Nerkadavu'' located adjacent to the Niranam Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church. The first Christians of

Niranam Niranam is a village in Thiruvalla, Kerala, India. It was a port in ancient Kerala, on the confluence of the Manimala River, Manimala and Pamba River. It is almost 7 km from Tiruvalla in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala, lies to the wester ...

were from four families; ''Pattamukku'', ''Thayyil'', ''Maankki'' and ''Madathilan''.

Overview

On Grama Panchayat level, it includes 15 wards and is listed below according to their ward number.

India Post The Department of Posts, d/b/a India Post, is an Indian Public Sector Undertakings in India, public sector postal system statutory body headquartered in New Delhi, India. It is an organisation under the Ministry of Communications (India), Minist ...

offices within the village and their

Postal Index Number A Postal Index Number (PIN; sometimes redundantly a PIN code) refers to a six-digit code in the Indian postal code system used by India Post. On 15 August 2022, the PIN system celebrated its 50th anniversary. History The PIN system was introd ...

is listed below.

Notable sites

References

{{Pathanamthitta district Villages in Pathanamthitta district Cities and towns in Pathanamthitta district

St. Peter's and St. Paul's Church, Parumala

Parumala Valiya Panayannarkavu Devi Temple

Thomathukadavu and Thomas the Apostle

Overview

Notable sites

See also

References