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Kottayam is the land of letters,latex,lakes.This
historical town derives it's name from the malayalam word "kottayakam"
- meaning "Within the fort". 12 km west of Kottayam, on the
banks of the Vembanad Lake, lies a small village - Kumarakom, a
captivating bird sanctuary known for it's local varieties like the
water fowl,cuckoo and migratory birds like the Siberian Stork.
Kottayam is also an important commercial centre thanks to it's
plantations of rubber, tea, coffee and pepper. The district Area is
about 2203 sqkm. History says that the present district of Kottayam
was previously a part of erstwhile princely state of Travancore.
Earlier, the Travancore state consisted of two revenue divisions
viz., the Southern and the Northern division, under the
administrative control of Divan Peshkar for each. Later, in 1868,
two more divisions, Quilon and Kottayam, were constituted. The fifth
division - Devikulam, came next but for a short period, which in
course of time, was added to Kottayam.
Kottayam is proof of the cultural and religious plurality of Kerala.
It serves as the headquarters of several ecclestiastical heads of
christian churches like those of the Syrian Christian Community. It
houses several ancient churces like Puthenpally, Valiapally-(1550
A.D), Cheriapally(1579 A.D) and St.Mary's Church, Manarcad (1585).
Bharananganam is another important christian pilgrimage centre. It
houses the mortal remains of Sister Alphonsa (1916-1946). Situated
in the heart of Kottayam town is the picturesque Thirunakkara
Mahadeva Siva Temple.Ettumanoor,13 km away is famous for it's
legendary 16th century Shiva Temple.Agriculture forms the livelihood
of the majority in the district. It is also the main factor
influencing the economy. Food crops as well as cash crops are
cultivated here. Rubber is the major cash crop. It is grown
in 1.07 lakh hectares; the largest area under Rubber cultivation in
the state and its production is going up gradually. It was the first
town in Kerala to achieve total literacy in India. |
Kottayam Facts |
Top |
District Area |
2024Sq.km. |
Population |
18,28,271 (1996 census) |
Altitude |
935 to
2817 m above Sea level |
Annual
Mean Rainfall |
346
cms |
Clothing |
It
is advisable to wear cloths made of natural fibres as
synthetic fibres do not quite agree with climates of
Kottayam |
Tourist Season |
September to March |
Temperature [ in
Degrees Celsius ]
Summer |
Mean Max. 35 |
Mean Min. 22.5 |
Winter |
Mean Max. 32 |
Mean Min 22 |
|
Language |
The
principal language of Kerala is Malayalam. Besides
Malayalam, English is also spoken and understood by the
majority of the population. Hindi and Tamil are also
spoken and understood. |
Religion |
Hindus, Christians, Muslims |
Calendar |
Western, Malayalam & Arabic |
Time |
Indian Standard time (IST) is 5.5 hrs ahead to Greenwich
Mean Time (GMT) and 4.5 hrs ahead of Central European time |
Food |
South
Indian, North Indian, Tandoori, Chinese and Continental
cuisine |
Alcohol |
There is no prohibition in Kerala, different brands of
liquor are available. Toddy produced from fermented
coconut sap is the popular local drink |
Credit
cards |
Visa cards, Can Card, Andhra card, Bob Card, Central Card,
American Express, Master Card, Diners Club etc. |
Airport |
The
International / Domestic Airports are situated at
Nedumbassery near Ernakulam 80 km away from the city. |
Road
Transport |
Bus
services starts from K.S.R.T.C Bus stand Kottayam |
Rail
Transport |
Trains to various places are accessible from Kottayam
Railway Station |
Traveling within Kottayam |
There are 3 options you can either hire a car preferably
from a government-approved agency or take a taxi or if you
prefer a cheaper mode of transport hire an auto rickshaw. |
Shopping hours |
9.30am
– 8 p.m |
Restaurant & bars |
8 a.m
to 11 p.m |
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