Pala, Kerala

Pala, is a town 28 km east of Kottayam in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 74.09 km2. It is situated 173 km North from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, on the banks of the Meenachil River and is the headquarters of the Meenachil Taluk and the Pala Revenue Division. It is the one of the main gateways to the southern high ranges of Western Ghats. Pala connects to highranges through Thodupuzha and Kanjirappally taluks.HistoryEarly settlements in the region date back to 1000 AD. Christian settlers came to the area very early, probably at the invitation of the local rulers. According to reliable historical sources The first four Christian families are considered to be Tharayil (Tharayil Mappila)Koottumkal (brother of Tharayil Mappila) Erakonni & Vayalakombil. They were engaged mainly in agriculture and trade. It is believed that Pala market was established around 1736 on the banks of Meenachil River by Christian settlers on the land allotted by Meenachil Karthas, who were the local rulers.DemographicsPalai is one of the main Christian cultural centers in Kerala. Population of Palai is predominantly Saint Thomas Christians (Syrian Catholics) who trace their origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. India census, Pala had a population of 22,640. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Pala has an average literacy rate of 98%, higher than the national average of 73%: male literacy is 98.5%, and female literacy is 97.8%, still much lower than the state average. This is thought to be because of the plantation industry influence despite having large number of schools. In Pala, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. According to the 2011 census, Palai has a population of 22,056. Christians make up 65.09% of the population, Hindus 34.19%, Muslims 0.51%, Jain 0.01%, other religions 0.05% and 0.15% not stated.