Manarkadu

Manarkadu is a small village located 5 km from Kottayam town.

Vocation of the village is agriculture. Multi-pronged crops are produced here.

The population consists of Hindus, Christians and Muslims. In numerical strength Hindus, Christians and Muslims are in first, second and third position respectively.

Christian shrine St Mary’s Syrian Jacobite Church is very famous. This church meets most of educational and healthcare needs of the village. It runs a hospital and educational institutions like Schools, ITI, Nursing School etc.

Manarkad Sree Bhagawathy Temple is a famous pilgrim centre of Hindus. The temple cherishes a colourful legend. An old aged Brahmin of Thanniyil Illam, located at Elambanakkad, was an ardent devotee of Kodungalloor Amma (located in Thrissur district). He used to visit the shrine of Amma once in every month. During his last pilgrimage he prayed and pleaded to Amma that his ill-health and old age prevents him coming to the shrine again and that please help and find a solution. The same day night he had a dream to the effect that he will find an Ola Kuda (palm-leaf umbrella) near to him and that he may go home with the Ola Kuda so that he will never need to come to Kodungalloor for worship. When he woke up he noticed an Ola Kuda as dreamt. He returned with it and when he reached Elambanakkad he rested there placing the umbrella on the ground. He prepared to restart the journey after some time and tried to lift the umbrella. To his utter surprise, the umbrella was unmovable. He narrated the event to the local ruler who immediately called in an Astrologer to find out a solution. The Astrologer found that the umbrella is none other than Kodungalloor Amma and it requires a permanent abode at the nearby Choorakadu (bamboo forest) where Nagaraja (snake god) has an abode. Following this finding, a Bhagawathy Temple was built there. This was at the time Elambi, a Yakshi (female demon) creating miseries in the area. Amma soon killed theYakshi and thrown southward the bell Yakshi wore. The southward place was thereafter known as Maniyerkadu (the forest created by throwing the Mani (bell)). With the pass of time Maniyerkadu came to be pronounced as Manarkad for the sake of convenience.

Villages in Kottayam District

• Alapra
• Ayamkudy
• Bharananganam
• Changanassery
• Chempu
• Erattupetta
• Eravinalloor
• Ettumanoor
• Ithipuzha
• Kadathuruthy
• Kaipuzha
• Kallara
• Kangazha
• Karukachal
• Kidangoor
• Koorapada
• Koottickal
• Kothanalloor
• Kudamaloor
• Kummanam
• Manarkadu
• Monipally
• Moscow
• Paika
• Pallom
• Puthupally
• Ramapuram
• Teekoy
• Thalayolaprambu
• Vandanpathal
• Vennimala