Pathanamthitta District

Area: 2731 sq. km Population: 1,231,577 Altitude: 500 - 1000 mt above sea level

The district touches Western Ghats in the east, Alappuzha in the west, Kottyam and Idukki on the north and Kollam on the south. Famous for Vasthu Vidya.

St John’s Cathedral: In Pathanamthitta town.

Sabarimala: 191 km from Thiruvananthapuram and 210 km from Kochi and 50 km from Pathanamthitta. Lord Ayyappa Temple. Famous Pilgrim Center. Over 3 million pilgrims with black robes as a custom get blessings of the Lord every year, particularly during December/January.

Manjarikkara: Few km from Pathanamthitta. Manjarikkara Church. Annual feast in February. The holy patriot of Anthiod, Mar Ignatius III’s mortals preserved here.

Chengannur: 10 km south of Pathanamthitta town. Mahadeva Temple. Famous.

Aranmula: 10 km from Chengannur.

(1) Famed Sree Krishna Temple. Aranmula boat race during the temple festival in August/September.

(2) Famed Aranmula Kannadi (mirror).

(3) Vasthu Vidya Gurukulam. Imparts training in Vasthu Vidya (traditional Kerala architecture) to architecture graduates.

(4) Vijana Kala Vedi. An institution founded and run by a European lady, Louba Schild. Imparts training in Kerala’s own art forms such as Kathakali, Mohiniattam, Bharathanatyam etc.

Idayaranmula: Near Aranmula. M S Namboodiri (Astrologer).

Thiruvalla: 18 km from Aranmula.

(1) Sree Vallabh Temple. 4000 years old magnificent temple. Kathakali performed daily at night as an offering.

(2) Madolil Ayurveda Hospital & Panchakarma Centre.

(3) Shantinikethan Arya Vaidyalayam

(4) Ashwathibhavan Chikitsalayam (Ayurveda).

(5) Arunkumar (Astrologer).

(6) Radhakrishnan Namboodiri (Astrologer).

(7) Kuzhikkat Mana.

Kaviyoor: 5 km from Thiruvalla.

(1) Kaviyoor Temple. On the banks of Manimala River. Rock-cut temple.

(2) Another rock-cut temple located 1.5 km from Kaviyoor Temple.

Niranam: 7 km from Thiruvalla. St Mary’s Orthodox Church. St Thomas built in 54 AD.

The First Church, Parumala: 3 km ahead of Niranam.

Adoor: 20 km south-east of Pathanamthitta. Famous Parthasarathy Temple and Gajamela (elephant pageant).

Kozhenchery: 13 km from Pathanamthitta, on the banks of Pampa River. Maramon Convention. The biggest religious gathering of Christians in Asia.

Melevettippuram: Distance from Pathanamthitta. A S Aiyer (Astrologer).

Panthalam: Distance from Patahanamthitta. Swamy Tapasyananda (Astrologer).

Perunthenaruvi: 36 km from Pathanamthitta. Perunthenaruvi Waterfalls. Silver colour water furiously dances down to a rocky bed 100 ft below.