Kottayam District
Kottayam is known for its contributions to education, publishing and literature, as well as its rubber plantations, backwaters, hills and diverse religious heritage.
Source: Government source: Kottayam District Administration: About District District overview and education, publishing and plantation context.
District overview
Area
2,204 sq km
Source: Government source: Kerala Economics & Statistics: Kottayam Current DES profile listing an area of 2,204 sq km. Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Geography District geography page listing an area of 2,208 sq km.
Population (Census 2011)
1,974,551
Source: Government source: Census of India 2011: Kottayam District Census Handbook Official source for the population labelled Census 2011.
Literacy Rate (Census 2011)
97.21%
Source: Government source: Census of India 2011: Kottayam District Census Handbook Official district literacy rate from Census 2011. Government source: Kottayam District Administration: About District Records Kottayam town’s 100% literacy achievement in 1989, a town-level milestone.
Headquarters
Kottayam
Source: Government source: Kottayam District Administration Official district portal identifying Kottayam as the administrative headquarters.
Economy
Important economic activities include rubber cultivation, agriculture and plantation crops, tourism, and printing and publishing. The District Administration describes Kottayam as home to the Rubber Board.
Source: Government source: Kottayam District Administration: About District Says Kottayam is home to the Rubber Board and describes the district’s plantation and rubber-trading context.
District background
History
The name Kottayam is traditionally explained from the Malayalam words “kotta” (fort) and “akam” (inside or interior). The District Administration records that rulers of Munjanad and Thekkumkur had their headquarters at Thazhathangadi in present-day Kottayam; the region later came under Travancore following Marthanda Varma’s campaigns. The District Administration dates Kottayam District’s formation to July 1949 during Travancore-Cochin integration. The current Kerala Economics & Statistics profile lists 1 November 1956, Kerala’s state-formation date; the sources therefore refer to different administrative contexts. The district history says the Malayali Memorial agitation originated in Kottayam and that the memorial was presented in 1891. It describes Vaikom Satyagraha (1924–25) as a struggle against untouchability and records support in the district for the Nivarthana agitation.
Source: Government source: Kottayam District Administration: History District history covering Thazhathangadi, Travancore, the Malayali Memorial, Vaikom Satyagraha and Nivarthana. Government source: Kerala Economics & Statistics: Kottayam Current statistical district profile listing 1 November 1956 as the date of formation. Government source: Kerala Economics & Statistics: Statistics for Planning 2009 States that Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956.
Geography
Kottayam is an inland district bordered by Ernakulam, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha, with highland, midland and lowland regions and the Western Ghats to the east. Kerala Economics & Statistics lists the district area as 2,204 sq km; the Kottayam District Administration lists 2,208 sq km. In the west, parts of the district have backwaters connected to Vembanad Lake, which extends across district boundaries. Kuttanad is a wider wetland region across multiple districts; parts of Kottayam, including the Kumarakom and Vaikom area, are associated with its backwater landscape.
Source: Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Geography Official district boundaries and highland, midland and lowland divisions. Tourism authority: Kerala Tourism: Vembanad Lake Describes Vembanad Lake and its backwater region. Government source: M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation: Kuttanad Wetland System Study Describes the Kuttanad wetland system across Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta.
Culture
Kottayam is popularly described by the District Administration as the “land of letters, legends, latex and lakes” and is also called “Akshara Nagari” (“City of Letters”). The District Administration says Kottayam town achieved 100% literacy in 1989; this town-level milestone is distinct from the district’s 97.21% Census 2011 literacy rate. It records English education at the Old Seminary from 1813, the CMS Press established by Rev. Benjamin Bailey in 1821 and described as Kerala’s first printing press, CMS College established in 1840 and described as the state’s first college, Malayalam-English and English-Malayalam dictionaries published in 1846 and 1847, and the Sahitya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society (SPCS), established in 1945. The administration records Margamkali and Arjuna Nritham among Kottayam’s folk dances and says Margamkali songs draw on the St. Thomas tradition; this is a description of a religious performance tradition, not a verified arrival date. Its listed pilgrimage centres include Mannanam, Vaikom, Ettumanoor, Bharananganam, Erumeli and Manarcad; official tourism listings also include Thazhathangadi Juma Masjid and St. Mary’s Church at Kuravilangad. Attuvela Mahotsavam is associated with Elankavu (also rendered Elamkavu) Bhagavathy Temple at Vadayar.
Source: Government source: Kottayam District Administration: About District Official account of local education, printing and publishing milestones. Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Art & Culture Documents Margamkali and Arjuna Nritham as folk dances associated with Kottayam. Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Tourist Places Lists pilgrimage destinations and Thazhathangadi Juma Masjid in Kottayam. Tourism authority: Kerala Tourism: St. Mary’s Church, Kuravilangad Confirms the church’s location in Kuravilangad, Kottayam. Tourism authority: Kerala Tourism: Attuvela Mahotsavam Locates Attuvela Mahotsavam at Elankavu Bhagavathy Temple in Vadayar, Kottayam.
Popular Attractions
Source: Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Tourist Places Official tourist-place listing, including Vagamon, Illaveezhapoonchira, Kumarakom and the bird sanctuary. Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Bird Sanctuary, Kumarakom Places Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary in Kottayam. Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Vembanad Lake Official district entry for Vembanad Lake. Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Festivals Lists the Ettumanoor Ezhara Ponnana and Vaikom Ashtami Ulsavam festivals. Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Thazhathangadi Juma Masjid Official tourist-place entry for Thazhathangadi Juma Masjid. Tourism authority: Kerala Tourism: Kottayam Tourism authority overview of the district’s destinations. Tourism authority: Kerala Tourism: Kumarakom Locates Kumarakom in Kottayam and describes its backwater setting.
Attractions by type in Kottayam
District Services
Sources
- Government source: Kerala Economics & Statistics: Kottayam Current DES profile; lists area as 2,204 sq km and formation date as 1 November 1956.
- Government source: Census of India 2011: Kottayam District Census Handbook Source for the district population and literacy rate labelled Census 2011.
- Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Geography Lists area as 2,208 sq km and describes boundaries and terrain.
- Government source: Kottayam District Administration: About District District overview and education, publishing and plantation context.
- Government source: Kottayam District Administration: History Local history and the District Administration’s July 1949 formation date.
- Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Art & Culture Official account of folk dances and cultural practices.
- Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Tourist Places Official tourist-place list used to verify destinations in Kottayam.
- Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Festivals Official festival listings for Ettumanoor and Vaikom.
- Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Bird Sanctuary, Kumarakom Official location listing for Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary.
- Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Vembanad Lake Official district entry for the lake and backwater region.
- Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Poonjar Palace Official visitor information for Poonjar Palace.
- Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Malarikkal Village Tourism Official location and visitor information for Malarikkal.
- Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Thazhathangadi Juma Masjid Official visitor information for Thazhathangadi Juma Masjid.
- Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Vagamon Lists Vagamon among Kottayam district tourist places.
- Government source: Kottayam District Administration: Ilaveezhapoonchira Official tourist-place listing for Ilaveezhapoonchira.
- Tourism authority: Kerala Tourism: Kottayam Tourism authority overview of the district’s destinations.
- Tourism authority: Kerala Tourism: Kumarakom Kumarakom destination profile and backwater context.
- Tourism authority: Kerala Tourism: Vembanad Lake Describes Vembanad Lake and its backwater landscape.
- Tourism authority: Kerala Tourism: Attuvela Mahotsavam Locates the festival at Elankavu Bhagavathy Temple in Vadayar, Kottayam.
- Tourism authority: Kerala Tourism: Vagamon Places Vagamon near the Kottayam–Idukki border.
- Tourism authority: Kerala Tourism: St. Mary’s Church, Kuravilangad Confirms the church’s location in Kottayam; traditional age claims remain attributed.
- Government source: M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation: Kuttanad Wetland System Study Describes Kuttanad as a wetland system spanning Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta.
- Government source: Kerala Economics & Statistics: Statistics for Planning 2009 States Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956, the context used for the DES date.
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