Palai
Home | Palai
Thekkady Hills View
Palai, is a municipal town in the eastern hilly areas of Kottayam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is situated on the banks of the Meenachil River and is the headquarters of the Meenachil Taluk and the Pala Revenue Division. It is the main gateway to the southern high ranges. Located at 9.7° N 76.7° E, Pala is 56.7 meters above MSL. Nearby towns are Ponkunnam, Erattupetta, Thodupuzha, Ramapuram,Valavoor,Ettumanoor and Kottayam. Pala is on the Main Eastern Highway ( Muvattupuzha - Pathanamthitta- Punalur Road / SH - 08 ) .
History
There are various versions regarding the origin of the place name. According to one, Pala gets its name from Palazhi (Ksheera Sagara), the mythological ocean of milk from which nectar was churned out. Another view is that the name was derived from Palathu Chettiyar families, the prominent early settlers of the region.
Pala was ruled by Meenachil Karthas (Hindu Local Chieftains) for a long time. The first royal Kartha families were known as Njavakattu Karthas.They had a title called "Damodara Simhar" and they were rulers of a small kingdom called "Meenachil" which is today's Palai (Kottayam district). They originally were Rajputs who migrated to Madurai in the 14th century (the reason for their exodus or their roots in Rajasthan are still not known). They settled in Madurai (which was a great cultural centre and capital during that time). Later they migrated to Kerala (the reason for which is stated as outbreak of an epidemic in Madurai) and settled in this place "Meenachil" which was named after "Meenakshi" of Madurai.
There are also many other attributes which make them distinct from the normal Nair folks. "Simhar" (Singh) family deity (Bhavai instead of Bhadrakali) and family name was Mevada (Mewar).They also used to have very colorful funeral processions. They were pure vegetarians though they had no sacred threads (poonul).Also, they followed "Marumakkathayam"
They ruled Meenachil taluk and were instrumental in promoting the X'ian settlement in this place. Later they were defeated by the Travancore army of Dharma Raja (successor of Marthanda Varma)and their kingdom was annexed to Travancore (the ruling king committed suicide). All their male folks including boys were slaughtered. However, the ladies were spared. Also, the Travancore king gave them pension. The family had a successor only after a very long gap due to this genocide by the travancore
Pala has the largest proportion of Christians in Kerala.
Religious places
Pala Diocese
The Syrian Christians of Pala owe their faith to St Thomas the Apostle, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ, who came down to Kerala in 52 AD. Though Pala Diocese is only half a century old (July 25, 1950), some of the Churches trace their origin to earlier centuries.
Pope Pius XII by the Bull “Quo Ecclesiarim” issued on July 25, 1950, bifurcated the Diocese of Changanacherry, and out of the territory covered by the Foranes of Palai, Muttuchira, Kuravilangad, Anakkallu (including the present Forane of Aruvithura) and Ramapuram erected the Diocese of Palai as suffragan of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam.
On August 22, 1956 when the Holy See by the Apostolic Constitution “Regnum Coelorum” raised the Diocese of Changanacherry to the status of an Archdiocese and constituted the new Ecclesiastical Province of Changanacherry, the Diocese of Palai became one of its suffragans. Pala Diocese comprises Meenachil Taluk, and a few villages of Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam districts.
Pala had contacts with other continents from time immemorial. In 1663, an Armenian is said to have influenced the construction of the Lalam Old Church (St Mary's Church). Before Pala Church (now a cathedral) was built in 1002, Aruvithura used to be the Parish. It is believed that St. Thomas traveled through the then navigable Meenachil river and reached Aruvithura and Cherpunkal. Pala has many other ancient churches that are considered as pilgrim centers.
Temples
There are 11 temples in Pala Municipality. Among them Lalam Mahadeva Temple is among the most famous and is called Dakshina Kasi (Kasi of South). Lalam Mahadeva Temple is situated at the heart of Pala town on the bank of Lalam River. It is believed that this is the oldest temple in Meenachil Taluk and was once the only temple in the 58 Karas or Villages of Meenachil Taluk. Thiruvathira festival in Dhanu (December - January) is the main festival of this temple. Ambalppurathukavu Bhagavthy Temple is situated near to Lalam temple.
Kadappattor Mahadeva Temple which is situated on the bank of Meenachil River is the most famous Hindu temple in this region. Thousands of pilgrims visit the Kadappattoor temple every year, on their way to Sabarimala.
Kizhathadiyoor Puthiyakavu Devi Temple, Chembittambalam Kizhathadiyoor Thrukkayil Mahadeva Temple, Murikkumpuzha Devi Temple, Idayattu Bala Ganapathy Temple, Narasimha Swami Temple, Vellappattu Sree Vana Durga Bhagavathy Temple (the only temple in Kottayam district where Jeevatha ezhunnallathu is performed), Thattarakathu Bhagavathy Temple, Ooraasala Subrahmanya Swami Temple and Anakkulangara Bhagavathy Temple are the other temples situated within the boundaries of Pala Municipality.
Cheruthil Valuthu (big among small) Puliyannoor Mahadeva temple is also a famous temple near to Pala. Both these temples are located in Mutholi Panchayath. Meenachil vadakke kavu is a famous Bhadrakaaly temple near Pala. "Mandalakala pooja (41days)" is very famous with Kalamezhuthu & Kalam karikkal. Meenachil Dharmasastha Temple, Idayattu Bala Ganapathy Temple, Poovarany Mahadeva Temple, Valavoor Mahadeva Temple, Idanadu Bhagavathy Temple, Anthinadu Mahadeva Temple, Vezhanganam Mahadeva Temple, Bharanaganam Sree Krishna Swami Temple, Alanadu Sree Krishna Swami Temple, Ponad Bhagavathy Temple and Sree Kurumbakkavu Devi Temple are the other important temples of this region.
Churches
Kurishupalli, a shrine located at the centre of the Pala town, acts as the landmark of the town. St. Thomas Cathedral, Pala and St. Mary's Church, Lalam are two of the main Christian churches in Pala. An Armenian might have played an important role in the establishment of the Lalam Church in 1663.
A famous pilgrim centre nearby is the Alphonsa Church at Bharananganam, where the mortal remains of St. Alphonsa of India are kept. Adjacent to it is St. Mary's Church of Bharananganam which was founded in 1004. St. George's Church, Aruvithura, near Erattupetta, is also a famous pilgrim centre. Another Christian pilgrim centre near Pala is the St. Augustine's Church at Ramapuram, where the mortal remains of the Blessed Augustine Kunjachan are kept. Monastery of Mutholy is founded by Blessed Chavara Kuriakose Elias.
Trade links
Pepper - the King of Spices - on a Pepper VinePala had trade links TamilNadu, and even countries in the Middle East. A jungle route to Gudalloor in Tamil Nadu, through the dense forests in the High Ranges, is believed to have brought a significant number of Vellalas and Chettiars during the Middle Ages. During early 1900s Pala became famous for its spice market. A particular brand of pepper called "Pala Pepper" was quoted in the London market in the early 1900s. Once rubber took a firm root in Central Kerala, Pala became a rubber market.
Pala dominated the banking and financial scene of Kerala for over three decades (1927-60) through Palai Central Bank, which was the largest business enterprise of Kerala and the 17th largest scheduled commercial bank in India, when it was liquidated in 1960 by the Reserve Bank of India.
A road linking Athirampuzha to Erattupetta through Pala was established in 1868. Pala was linked to Thodupuzha by road in 1893. Motor vehicles appeared in Pala in the early 1900s. The first bus service was started in 1908 by a public company by name Meenachil Motor Association which was the 3rd registered company in Travancore.
Pala became a Municipality in 1949.
Meenachil River
The Meenachil River flows through the taluks of Meenachil, Vaikom and Kottayam. It is formed by several streams originating from the Western Ghats in Idukki district. At Erattupeetta, Poonjar River also joins it, takes a sharp turn and flows towards the west. At Kondur, it is joined by the Chittar and at Lalam it receives the Payuapparathodu and flows in a south- west direction till it reaches Kottayam. Here, it branches into several streams before emptying into the Vembanad Lake. The important towns in the basin are Pala, Poonjar, Ettumanoor and Kottayam.
Culture and people
Though the population is diverse, Pala is considered as an important hub of Roman Catholic Syrian Christians in India. The Palaites have enjoyed a reputation of being hard workers, as many from Meenachil Taluk migrated to the high ranges and the Malabar region of Kerala, turning forest land into farms. In those days they worked hard during the day and spent the evenings having toddy. That was the custom then. But nowadays as alcoholism has spread, it has little link with hard work
