Pathanamthitta District

Pathanamthitta is the youngest and the smallest district of Kerala state India.The name Pathanamthitta is derived from two Malayalam words Pathanam” and “thitta”, which together mean "array of ten "family" houses by the riverside". The life of the people of the district and their cultural activities were shaped and influenced by the river Pampa.The district is surrounded by Kottayam, Idukki, Alappuzha and Kollam districts. It has a border with the state of Tamil Nadu in the east. Pathanamthitta is a famous for pilgrimage destinations in Kerala and is often termed as "Headquarters of Pilgrimage" Tourism in Kerala .Tiruvalla is the major commercial centre in the district.Having three rivers and a forest cover which includes a tiger reserve, the district also attracts many wildlife and nature enthusiasts.

Pathanamthitta District Map

Pathanamthitta District Facts

Brief History of Pathanamthitta

It is believed that the regions that form the district were formerly under the Pandalam reign, which had connections with the Pandya kingdom. n 1930’s, the Pathanamthitta district was the center of the “Reunion Movement” within the Malankara Orthodox Church which lead to part of that denomination joining the Catholic Church as the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.The district was formed on November 1, 1982 in the interest of speeding up development. The formation was done by carving areas of Kollam, Alappuzha and Idukki districts.

Pathanamthitta Geography and Climate

Pathanamthitta is a entirely enclosed by land spanning over an area of 2,637 square kilometres.The district is bordered by the districts Kottayam and Idukki in the north, Alappuzha in the west, Kollam in the south. To the east it has border with the Tamil Nadu state.Three important rivers The Pamba, The Achankovli, and Manimala river flow through the district. These rivers originate from various mountains of the Western Ghats mountain range.The hilly terrain coupled with high humidity makes the region suitable for rubber plantations. Paddy is the most important crop cultivated in the wet lands.

Pathanamthitta has a moderate climate Annual temperature range between 20 °C (68 °F) and 39 °C (102 °F). The district experiences three distinct weather conditions: Winter, summer and the monsoon. The winter season is experienced from December to February and summer season from March to May. There are two rainy seasons: The South-West monsoon (June to September) and the North-East monsoon (October to November).

Pathanamthitta Art and Culture

The Padayani is a major folk art of the district. The colorful art, colloquially known as Padeni, is associated with the festivals of certain temples only in Southern Kerala. The art is a combination of music, dance, painting and satire. Kadammanitta Vasudevan Pillai is a well known singer of Padayani Songs. Pathanamthitta was home to a number of acclaimed poets like Pandalam Kerala Varma, Muloor S.Padmanabha Panicker and many more famous poets.

List Places to visit in Pathanamthitta

Pathanamthitta district is known for its fairs and festivals. The region is known for its cultural heritage and communal harmony.The district is a host to Asia’s biggest and the world’s second largest Christian convention. There are various famous and important pilgrimage places .Some of the famous tourist place ti visit in Pathanamthitta are-

• Sabarimala
• Pandalam
• Omalloor
• Malankara Orthodox Church
• Perumthenaruvi Waterfall
• St.Mary’s church at Kallooppara
• Kaviyoor Mahadeva temple
• Tekekudi Cave Temple
• Kodumon Chilanthiyambalam
• Konni
• Nilackal
• Muloor Smarakom
• Orthodox Syrian Church
• Manjinikkara Church
• Mannady
• Parthasarathi temple
• Vasthuvidya Gurukulam
• Chandanakudam festival
• Charalkunnu
• Cherukolpuzha
• Kadammanitta
• Kakki
• Sreevallabha temple
• Maniyar
• Moozhiyar
• St Ignatius Orthodox MahaEdavaka Kaipattoor
• Omallur Raktakantaswami Temple
• Malayalapuzha Devi Temple
• Thiruvalla Sreevallabha Temple

Transportation in Pathanamthitta

Road– The district has a good network of State highways and national Higways that connect the district to other cities of Kerala. SH 07 and SH 08 are the two major State highways providing connectivity to other towns and districts.The K.S.R.T.C. has three major depots in the district.

Railways-Tiruvalla (TRVL) is the only Railway Station within the district. Express trains to Trivandrum, Cochin, Chennai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Calcutta, New Delhi, Goa, Baroda, Ahmedabad etc., passes through Tiruvalla station.

Airways– Trivandrum International Airport is the nearest airport to the city about 119 km from the city.