Wednesday, January 7, 2009

KOTTAYAM - MY DISTRICT.

KOTTAYAM is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located in central Kerala and is also the administrative capital of Kottayam district. The city is an important trading center of spices and commercial crops, especially rubber but now all the farmers in Kottayam are crying due to the drastic decrese of Rubber prices. Major Kerala print media such as Malayala Manorama group, Mangalam and Deepika are headquartered in the city. Also a pioneering centre of modern education in Kerala, the city became India's first city to achieve over 90% literacy in 1989 and the district became the first tobacco free district in India. The city of Kottayam is also called as "Akshara Nagari" which means the "city of letters" considering it's contribution to print media and literature.
It is said that the name Kottayam originated from the Malayalam words 'Kotta' meaning fort and 'akam' meaning 'inside', giving the word meaning 'interior of the fort'.Kottayam has its place of honour in the cultural map of Kerala. The culture of Kottayam is influenced mainly by the large presence of the Syrian Christian community. The Syrian Christians of Kottayam are popularly known as Achayans. The cuisine of Kottayam is Keralite Cuisine, characterised by the use of parboiled rice as the staple food and the presence of coconut and spices in abundance.
As per the religious make-up of the population, a large number of Hindu temples and Christian churches dot the townscape. Notable among them are Thirunakkara Mahadeva temple and two churches known as Valiya Palli and Cheriya Palli and Thazhathangadi Juma Masjid).
Thazhathangady Juma Masjid, situated in the banks of river Meenachil, is one of the oldest mosques in India and is more than 1000 years old, famous for its architectural beauty, and richness in wood carvings. This mosque was constructed by the followers of the Islamic prophet Muhammad during one of their first voyages to Kerala. Thirunakkara Mahadeva temple, at the heart of the town, is a Shiva temple built in the Kerala style of temple architecture, with interior murals depicting themes from the Hindu epics. It was built at the beginning of the 16th century by the then Raja of Thekkumkur. The annual temple festival that culminates in a ceremony called the Aaraattu, attracts large number of devotees
Kottayam is a major center of Syrian Christians of Kerala. St. Mary's Church, the Valia Palli (the Big Church), built in 1550 by Knanaya Syrian Jacobite Christians who immigrated from West Asia, is considered as the first Christian church in Kottayam townAnother St. Mary's Church known as Cheria Palli (the Little Church), belonging to the Malankara Orthodox Church was built in 1579 by the Raja of Thekkumkur for his Christian subjectsThe Syro-Malabar rite of the Roman Catholic Church has an archeparchy based in Kottayam. Some of the important Catholic churches in Kottayam include Lourdes Forane Church, Good Shepherd Church, Vimalagiri Cathedral and Christhuraja Cathedral. Pope John Paul II visited Kottayam, during his visit to India in 1986. He announced the beatification of Father Kuriakose of Chavara and Sister Alphonsa, who hails from Kottayam district, at Kottayam.

The Old Seminary of the Malankara Orthodox Church was the first institution to start English education in Southern India. C.M.S High School, (now Church Missionary Society College High School), was founded by the British missionary, Benjamin Bailey of the Church Mission Society of London. C.M.S College, the first college in Kerala, was started in Kottayam in 1817 by the Church Missionary Society. The Baker Memorial Girls High School in Kottayam, founded by Amalia Dorothea Baker in 1820, is one of the oldest girls' schools in India.The leading institution of higher education in Kottayam is Mahatma Gandhi University, one of six universities in Kerala. Medical College, Kottayam also includes a Dental College and a Nursing College. There are also a number of Arts & Science Colleges, including famous C.M.S. College Kottayam (The first college in Kerala was started in 1817), BCM College etc. A couple of engineering and polytechnic colleges, and several nursing schools are located in and around the town. There are also several popular schools like Girideepam School, Pallikkudam and Baker Memorial School.Apart from Arts and Science colleges, there are around 8 enggineering colleges also in the district. One Govt. funded and & 7 private funded they are : Govt. Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Amal Jyothi College of Engineering, College of Engineering, Kidangoor South, Mangalam College of Engineering, Mar Gregorious College of Engineering & Technology, Saintgits College of Engineering, College Of Enggineering Poonjar & St.Joseph's College Of Enggineering. And more being planned for the years ahead.

The district has 10 Assembly constituencies - Kanjirappally, Uzhavoor, Changanassery, Kottayam, Ettumanoor, Puthuppally, Poonjar, Pala, Kaduthuruthy and Vaikom.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

KERALA - GOD'S OWN COUNTRY.

KERALA, "GOD'S OWN COUNTRY " is a union state located in the southwestern part of India. With an Arabian sea coastline on the west, it is bordered on the north by Karnataka and by Tamil Nadu on the south and east. Major cities of KERALA are Thiruvananthapuram (the capital), Kochi, and Kozhikode. The principal spoken language is Malayalam but many other languages are also spoken. For administrative purpose, the state of Kerala is divided into fourteen districts.

1) Thiruvananthapuram
2) Kollam
3) Alappuzha
4) Pathanamthitta
5) Kottayam
6) Idukki
7) Ernakulam
8) Thrissur
9) Palakkad
10) Malappuram
11) Wayanad
12) Kozhikode
13) Kannur
14) Kasaragod