Pathanamthitta Tourist Places - Spiritual Places
Situated in the Central Travancore region of Kerala close to the Western Ghats, Pathanamthitta town is located on the banks of Achankovil. Achankovil, Pamba & Manimala, the three major rivers of Kerala, flow through the district. The name is derived from a combination of two words Pathanam and Thitta which means an array of houses on the river side, respectively. It has tropical biodiversity with forest, plantations, rivers and fertile land. 50% of the district is covered with forest providing rich flora and fauna. It is presumed that the regions that form the district were formerly under the Pandalam rule.
When Pandalam was added to the Travancore state in 1820, the region came under the administration of Travancore. There are numerous churches, temples and mosques built in close proximity. The history of the district is clubbed with those of erstwhile Quilon and Alleppey. Some megalithic monuments found in the Ranni reserve forest date back to the Neolithic period. Some archaeological antiquities in the form of architecture, inscriptions, mural paintings, historical monuments, etc., found in the temples, rock-cut caves, Churches, etc., show clear pictures about its antiquity. During the 1st Century AD, almost all the portions of Quilon district were annexed by the Ay Kingdom.
The Southeastern portions up to Thiruvalla were ruled by the Ay kingdom with their headquarters at South Travancore. Christianity had a strong foothold in the district from the 1st Century. In 52 AD, St. Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, landed at Malankara and founded seven Churches in Malabar Coast, one of which is located at Niranam. In the early 19th Century, as everywhere, the British defeated the local force and captured the Fort of Udayagiri and Padmanabhapuram. Now, the district plays an important role in agriculture products with rubber as its leading production.