Kottayam

Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala covering an area of. It is the administrative capital of Kottayam district and is located in south-west Kerala with a town population of 129,894, the town was given UA (Urban Area) Status.This place is also known as "Aksharanagri"."Rubber" is the main cultivation in this place.UA population of 55,374 according to the. It is 157 km south of Kunnamkulam, the center of Kerala and is located almost 30 km west from the center of district. Kottayam was also known as ‘Cotym’ and ‘Cottayam’ during the British Raj.It was one of the main centres of literature and hence was called Akshara Nagari or Land of Letters. Many of the first Malayalam dailies like Deepika, Malayala Manorama, Mangalam were started and are headquartered in Kottayam. During the British period, various missionaries, the Christian churches and St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara himself established many schools, colleges and other educational institutions in and around the town. Kottayam town is also known as Chuvarchithra Nagari (City of Murals).The Headquarters of the Indian Orthodox Church is the Catholicate Palace located at Devalokam, Kottayam. It is the official headquarters of the Malankara Metropolitan and the Catholicos Of The East who reigns on the Supreme Throne of St.Thomas the Apostle.