Manarcad (pronounced Ma - nar- cad) is a small town in

Kottayam Kottayam () is a city in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is the district headquarters of the district and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Kottayam has a population of ...

district of

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 ...

state,

South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...

. It is known for the Manarcad Perunnal, the annual feast at the St. Mary's Church, which is usually held from September 1–8 (during the 8-Day Lent). It is located about 9 km from the town of

and is on the way to the tourist town of

Thekkady Thekkady () in Idukki district is a town near Periyar National Park, an important tourist attraction in the Kerala States and territories of India, state of India. The name Thekkady is derived from the word "thekku" which means teak and "adi ...

People

The majority of the population depend on agriculture, but recently there is not much agricultural land. Manarcad has now become a suburb of the

town, and a good residential area. Manarcad is one of the most densely populated villages in

. The ''Rasa'' (a type of religious procession) during the feast of the St. Mary's Church here, which is held in September of every year is known as one of the biggest ''Rasas'' in Asia. Manarcad Temple festival is in the month of January and April (Pathamudayam) every year.

Culture

Manarcad church St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral, Manarcad, is cathedral located in Manarcad, about 9 km from the town of Kottayam in Kerala, India. It is a destination for people on annual pilgrimages for the uncanonical 8 Day Lent of the Virgin ...

has been declared as a pilgrimage center of the

Syriac Orthodox Church The Syriac Orthodox Church (), also informally known as the Jacobite Church, is an Oriental Orthodox Christian denomination, denomination that originates from the Church of Antioch. The church currently has around 4-5 million followers. The ch ...

. Majority of its population is Christian, belonging to the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox, Malankara Orthodox, Marthoma,

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a movement within the broader Evangelical wing of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes direct personal experience of God in Christianity, God through Baptism with the Holy Spirit#Cl ...

and Brethren communities. Main Churches are Manarcad St.Mary's Jacobite Church, Vadakamanoor Orthodox Church, Church of God Gilgal Maalam and Brethren Assembly Maalam.

Economy

Nowadays, NRIs (Non Resident Indians) act as the financial backbone for this small urban village.

Agriculture

Rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Types of polyisoprene ...

pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a Tropical vegetation, tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been culti ...

pepper Pepper(s) may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plants ** Black pepper ** Long pepper ** Kampot pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanacea ...

and

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (biology), family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, ...

plantation Plantations are farms specializing in cash crops, usually mainly planting a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. Plantations, centered on a plantation house, grow crops including cotton, cannabis, tob ...

s contribute to the agricultural income. A few paddy fields remain unaltered.

Media

''Kolo Suryoyo''''Kolo Suryoyo''
is a publication by St Mary's youth association, Manarcad. It is a popular Christian Magazine. ''Margadeepthi'' magazine is also published from Manarcad. Hospital Ministry of India Manarcadu Cell published ''Neeravu''.

Main attractions

Manarcad St. Mary's Church, Manarcad Devi Temple, Vijayapuram Srikrishna Temple Vennimala, ''Paalamuri'' bridge and ''Nalumanikatu'' (a roadside recreational park near Manarcaud).

Festivals

Main festivals in this area are Manarcad palli perunnal (the Ettu Nombu at

). Pathamudayam (a ten-day festivity at Bhagavathi temple), Nadathurakkal (

), Pattukalam Koodicha (a 41-day festival at Bhagavathi temple), Kumbha Bharani (a one-day festival at Bhagavathi temple) and Meena Bharani (a one-day festival at bhagavathi temple), procession during Sreekrishna Jayanthi at vijayapuram sreekrishna swamy temple. The bhagavathi temple is believed to be older than 2000 years. People from all religions take part in church and temple events with harmony. Other attractions is a procession (''Rasa'') in the Manarcad St. Mary's church, which is considered to be one of the longest and heavily packed ''Rasas'' in Asia. On the seventh day of the feast, a very old icon of the

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

is unveiled in a ceremony known as ''Nadathurakkal.'' Masayogam held in Church Of God Gilgal Bhavan Maalam is a festival of Pentecost communities. Another attraction in this town is 'Naalumanikaatu' on the Manarcadu-Ettumanoor Bypass. The word 'Naalumanikaatu' means evening breeze. In the evening, many people in this town spend some time at this place. ''Ammaveedu'' (literally, "Mother's house") a charitable organisation very near St. Mary's church, is an organization for aged and sick people who are lonely in life.

Schools

* St. Mary's English Medium School * St Mary's Higher Secondary school * St. Mary's College, Manarcad * St Mary's I T C * St Mary's Hospital * St Mary's School Of nursing * Infant Jesus Bethany Academy * Govt. UPS Manarcad * Govt. UPS Maalam

Transportation

Buses provide the main public transportation and are available 24/7. The nearest railway station is the

Kottayam railway station Kottayam railway station (station code: KTYM) is an NSG–3 category Indian railway station in Thiruvananthapuram railway division of Southern Railway zone. It is located in Kottayam, Kerala state, India. Kottayam lies on the busy rail route ...

(about 8 km away). More than 200 other buses operate in this route.

Getting there

Nearby places

Nearby places include Maalam, Oravackal, Areeparambu, Ayarkunnam, Pampady, Puthuppally, Panikkamattom, 6th Mile, Palamuri, Kuzhippurayidom, Vadavathoor, Thiruvanchoor, and Amayannor.

Sports and games

Manarcad has its own sports history. There is a variety of football Naadan panthukali in which they use a small leather ball the size of a cricket ball. This game has five innings, and normally it will take three hours to get finished.

References

External links

{{commons category, Manarcaud
Manarcad St. Mary's Church official website

Manarcad Church

Manarcad Sri Bhagavathy Temple
Cities and towns in Kottayam district