An important centre
of the Syrian Christian community in Kerala, Kottayam is
located between the palm-fringed backwaters on the west and
the Western Ghats to the east. Also called the Rome of the
East, the city is renowned for its churches and houses built
in the colonial style.
Kottayam shot into limelight when it was declared the first
fully literate municipal town of India. The town is also the
birthplace of the state/’s publishing industry and home
to a number of globally renowned newspapers and magazines.
Kottayam is derived from two Malayalam words —kotta
and akkam— which, when combined, mean the interior
of a fort. In 9th century AD Kottayam was a part of the Kulashekara
Empire (AD 1090–1102) and was referred to as
Vempolinad (the logical root of the Vembanad Lake). By about
1102, the empire split into the kingdoms of Thekkumkur and
Vadakkumkur. Both these kingdoms were annexed by Marthanda
Varma of Travancore between 1748 and 1754. During Marthanda
Varma/’s reign, Kottayam received a prominent place among
the princely states of the South.
Kottayam has been the centre of various social and political
movements that started in the state. The town played a major
role in the Malayali Memorial agitation. During 1924–25,
Kottayam became the breeding ground for the Vaikom Satyagraha,
a movement started for eradication of untouchability in the
state .
The Syrian Christian community has a special place in the history
of Kottayam. The community traces its origin to Saint Thomas
who visited the region in AD 53. Seven churches were established
by Saint Thomas on the Malabar Coast. However, the arrival
of the Portuguese in the 16th century saw many of the Syrian
Christians forcibly converted into Roman Catholicism.
Kottayam has a moderate and pleasant climate. The temperature
here reaches up to 34.33°C during summers. The winter months
are more suited for a visit to this place.
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