![Manarcadu St Mary's church int](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Manarcadu_St_Mary%27s_church_int._-_panoramio.jpg)
Manarcad (pronounced Ma - nar- cad) is a small town in
Kottayam
Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south- ...
district of
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
state,
South India
South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territ ...
. It is known for the Manarcad Perunnal, the annual feast at the
St. Mary's Church, which is usually held from September 1-8 (during the
8-Day Lent). It is located about 9 km from the town of
Kottayam
Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south- ...
and is on the way to tourist town of
Thekkady
Thekkady( Idukki district) is a town near Periyar National Park, an important tourist attraction in the Kerala state of India. The name Thekkady is derived from the word "thekku" which means teak. Temperatures are lowest in the months of Dec ...
.
People
The majority of the population depends on agriculture, but recently there is not much agricultural land. Manarcad has now become a suburb of the
Kottayam
Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south- ...
town, and a good residential area.
Manarcad is one of the most densely populated villages in
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
. The ''Rasa'' (a type of religious procession) during the feast of the
St. Mary's Church here, which is held in September of every year is known as one of the biggest ''Rasas'' in Asia. Manarcad Temple festival is in the month of January and April (Pathamudayam) every year.
Culture
Manarcad church
St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Cathedral, Manarcad, is cathedral located in Manarcad, about 9 km from the town of Kottayam in Kerala, India. It is a destination for people on annual pilgrimages for the uncanonical 8 Day Lent of th ...
has been declared as a pilgrimage center of the
Syriac Orthodox Church.
Majority of its population is Christian, belonging to the
Jacobite Syrian Orthodox,
Malankara Orthodox,
Marthoma,
Pentecostal
Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement and
Brethren communities. Main Churches are
Manarcad St.Mary's Jacobite Church, Vadakamanoor Orthodox Church, Church Of God Gilgal Maalam and Brethren Assembly Maalam.
Economy
Nowadays,
NRIs (Non Resident Indians) act as the financial backbone for this small urban village.
Agriculture
Rubber
Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, an ...
,
pineapple
The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centuri ...
,
pepper
Pepper or peppers may refer to:
Food and spice
* Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plant
** Black pepper
* ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae
** Bell pepper
** Chili ...
and
coconut plantations
A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. Th ...
contribute to the agricultural income. Few
paddy fields
A paddy field is a flooded field of arable land used for growing semiaquatic crops, most notably rice and taro. It originates from the Neolithic rice-farming cultures of the Yangtze River basin in southern China, associated with pre-Aus ...
remain unaltered.
Media
Kolo Suryoyois a publication by St Mary's youth association, Manarcad. It is a popular Christian Magazine. Margadeepthi magazine is also publishing from Manarcad.
Hospital Ministry Of India Manarcadu Cell published "Neeravu".
Main attractions
Manarcad St. Mary's Church, Manarcad Devi Temple, Vijayapuram Srikrishna Temple Vennimala, ''Paalamuri'' bridge and ''Nalumanikatu'' (a road side recreational park near Manarcaud).
Festivals
Main festivals in this area are Manarcad palli perunnal (the
Ettu Nombu at
Manarcad church
St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Cathedral, Manarcad, is cathedral located in Manarcad, about 9 km from the town of Kottayam in Kerala, India. It is a destination for people on annual pilgrimages for the uncanonical 8 Day Lent of th ...
). Pathamudayam (a ten-day festivity at Bhagavathi temple), Nadathurakkal (
Manarcad church
St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Cathedral, Manarcad, is cathedral located in Manarcad, about 9 km from the town of Kottayam in Kerala, India. It is a destination for people on annual pilgrimages for the uncanonical 8 Day Lent of th ...
), Pattukalam Koodicha (a 41-day festival at Bhagavathi temple), Kumbha Bharani ( a one-day festival at Bhagavathi temple) and Meena Bharani (a one-day festival at bhagavathi temple), procession during Sreekrishna Jayanthi at vijayapuram sreekrishna swamy temple. The bhagavathi temple is believed to be older than 2000 years. People from all religions take part in church and temple events with harmony.
Other attractions is a procession (''Rasa'') in the Manarcad St. Mary's church, which is considered to be one of the longest and heavily packed ''Rasas'' in Asia. On the seventh day of the feast, a very old icon of the
Virgin Mary
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...
is unveiled in a ceremony known as ''Nadathurakkal.''
Masayogam held in Church Of God Gilgal Bhavan Maalam is a festival of Pentecost communities.
Another attraction in this town is 'Naalumanikaatu' on the Manarcadu-Ettumanoor Bypass. The word 'Naalumanikaatu' means evening breeze. In the evening, many people in this town spend some time at this place.
''Ammaveedu'' (literally, "Mother's house") a charitable organisation very near
St. Mary's church, an organization for aged and sick people who are lonely in life .
Schools
* St . Mary's English Medium School
* St Mary's Higher Secondary school
*
St. Mary's College, Manarcad
* St Mary's I T C
* St Mary's Hospital
* St Mary's School Of nursing
* Infant Jesus Bethany Academy
* Govt.UPS Manarcad
* Govt UPS Maalam
Transportation
Buses provide the main public transportation and are available 24/7. The nearest railway station is the
Kottayam railway station
Kottayam railway station is located in Kottayam, Kerala state, India. Kottayam railway station is managed by Southern Railway. Kottayam lies on the busy rail route between Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam. It is an NSG 3 category station. The s ...
(about 8 km away). More than 200 other buses operate in this route.
Getting there
Nearby Places
Maalam, Oravackal, Areeparambu, Ayarkunnam,
Pampady
Pampady is a fastest growing town in Kottayam district of Kerala, Southern India. It lies midway between the backwaters of Western Kerala and the mountains of the Western Ghats.
Etymology
The meaning of Pampady as per Malayalam Dictionary ...
,
Puthuppally, Panikkamattom, 6th Mile, Palamuri, Kuzhippurayidom, Vadavathoor, Thiruvanchoor, Amayannor.
Sports and games
Manarcad has its own sports history. There is a variety of football
Naadan panthukali in which they use a small leather ball the size of a cricket ball. This game has five innings, and normally it will take three hours to get finished.
See also
*
St. Mary's Syriac Orthodox Cathedral, Manarcad
*
Church of God Gilgal Worship Centre, Maalam, Manarcad
External links
{{commons category, Manarcaud
Manarcad St.Mary's Church, Official websiteManarcad churchManarcad Sri Bhagavathy Temple
Cities and towns in Kottayam district