Ramapuram, Kottayam
Encyclopedia
Ramapuram is a town
in the Kottayam district
of the Indian state of Kerala
.
at Koodappulam, Bharata
at Amanakara and Shatrughna
at Methiri. Because of this , the village is a Hindu Pilgrimage center too. Devotees mostly visit the temples in the month of 'Ramayana'.
The centuries-old twin churches of Ramapuram are two of the oldest churches in Kerala. The complex consists of a smaller church dedicated to St. Augustine
and a larger one dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. The church dedicated to St. Augustine dates to 1450 while the one dedicated to the Blessed Virgin was erected in 1864. The structures represent an architectural style from the early colonial period, with the Persian façade influencing the overall Portuguese style. The Roman columns and the veranda are also rare features from the period.
The house of the poet Sri Ramapuratthu Varrier has been converted to an Upper Primary School, known as Ramapuratthu Varrier Memorial Upper Primary School. There are also many schools run by the church like - St.Augustine's]] higher secondary school for boys, Sacred Heart
high school for girls and St.Joseph's U.P School for boys and girls. Alphonsa English Medium school, a prestigious lower primary school, is also situated in Ramapuram . All these educational institutions are known to have imparted quality education to many. The Mar Augusthinose College http://cs.nyu.edu/kandathi/kandathil.html#com, a renowned and reputed college, run by the Palai Diocese is also situated in Ramapuram. The College which is affiliated with Mahatma Gandhi University
, Kottayam , has bagged numerous awards and ranks at the university level. One of Ramapuram's best known residents is Blessed Father Augustine Thevarparambil (Kunjachan) who is known as the 'Apostle of Harijans'. Ramapuram is now a well developed growing town. Known for its natural beauty , the village has acres of Rubber plantation. The Panchayath ground of Ramapuram was one of the locations for the film 'Kabadi Kabadi'(starring Kalabhavan Mani and Rambha).
, situated between the hills of the Western Ghats
. It can only be reached by road. No other transport is presently available or planned.
In Oct. 2005, Malayalam writer Krishnan Parappally was chosen for the annual literary award instituted by the Malayalam magazine Jwala, published in Mumbai
. The award was conferred on him for his biography of philosopher and literary critic Sukumar Azhikode
. Parappally, born in Ramapuram in 1921, has 19 anthologies of poems to his credit and is based in Mumbai.
. After defeating the Kshatriya
Kings, the sage approached some wise men to do penance
. As a self-mortification he was advised to create a land for Brahmins. He readily agreed and meditated at Gokarna
, (considered to be the end of the Earth). After getting his boons from Varuna
and Bhudevi, he proceeded to Kanyakumari
and threw his battle-axe northwards across the waters. The waters subsided and what was left over was called the land of Parasurama, which is today's Kerala.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the Kottayam district
Kottayam district
Kottayam is one of the 14 districts in the state of Kerala, India. The district has its headquarters at Kottayam town, located at 9.36° N and 76.17° E. According to the 1991 census, it is the first district to achieve highest literacy rate in the whole of India...
of the Indian state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
.
General information
The word "Ramapuram" means "the abode of Lord Rama", the village's chief deity. Ramapuram is unique in the sense that it houses the temple of Rama as well as his three brothers in a radius of just 3.5 km.: LakshmanaLakshmana
Lakshmana was the brother and close companion of Rama, and himself a hero in the famous epic Ramayana...
at Koodappulam, Bharata
Bharata (Ramayana)
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Bharata was the second brother of the main protagonist Rama, and the son of Dasaratha and Kaikeyi. Dasaratha was the Emperor of Ayodhya and belonged to the Suryavansha or Solar Dynasty...
at Amanakara and Shatrughna
Shatrughna
Shatrughna was the youngest brother of Lord Rama in the Hindu epic Ramayana . He is the twin brother of Lakshmana.-Birth and family:...
at Methiri. Because of this , the village is a Hindu Pilgrimage center too. Devotees mostly visit the temples in the month of 'Ramayana'.
The centuries-old twin churches of Ramapuram are two of the oldest churches in Kerala. The complex consists of a smaller church dedicated to St. Augustine
St. Augustine
-People:* Augustine of Hippo or Augustine of Hippo , father of the Latin church* Augustine of Canterbury , first Archbishop of Canterbury* Augustine Webster, an English Catholic martyr.-Places:*St. Augustine, Florida, United States...
and a larger one dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. The church dedicated to St. Augustine dates to 1450 while the one dedicated to the Blessed Virgin was erected in 1864. The structures represent an architectural style from the early colonial period, with the Persian façade influencing the overall Portuguese style. The Roman columns and the veranda are also rare features from the period.
The house of the poet Sri Ramapuratthu Varrier has been converted to an Upper Primary School, known as Ramapuratthu Varrier Memorial Upper Primary School. There are also many schools run by the church like - St.Augustine's]] higher secondary school for boys, Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
high school for girls and St.Joseph's U.P School for boys and girls. Alphonsa English Medium school, a prestigious lower primary school, is also situated in Ramapuram . All these educational institutions are known to have imparted quality education to many. The Mar Augusthinose College http://cs.nyu.edu/kandathi/kandathil.html#com, a renowned and reputed college, run by the Palai Diocese is also situated in Ramapuram. The College which is affiliated with Mahatma Gandhi University
Mahatma Gandhi University
Mahatma Gandhi University, also known as M G University, was established on 2 October 1983 in Kottayam. The University Grants Commission of India does not believe that the names of Indian universities should be unique, so another UGC-recognized government-run Mahatma Gandhi University was...
, Kottayam , has bagged numerous awards and ranks at the university level. One of Ramapuram's best known residents is Blessed Father Augustine Thevarparambil (Kunjachan) who is known as the 'Apostle of Harijans'. Ramapuram is now a well developed growing town. Known for its natural beauty , the village has acres of Rubber plantation. The Panchayath ground of Ramapuram was one of the locations for the film 'Kabadi Kabadi'(starring Kalabhavan Mani and Rambha).
Visiting Ramapuram
Ramapuram is located 12 km from Pala town on the main road to KoothattukulamKoothattukulam
Koothattukulam is situated in the Muvattupuzha Taluk, towards the South East corner of Ernakulam district in Kerala, South India. The town lies 50km south east of Kochi City, 17 km to the south of Muvattupuzha, and 35 kilometres east of Kottayam town and lies on the M.C. Road. It lies at the...
, situated between the hills of the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
. It can only be reached by road. No other transport is presently available or planned.
Scenic Sites Near Ramapuram
- Kurinji Koomban – Located 5 km from Ramapuram, it is a circular hill with abundant caves. Nearby this hill are the Vellamneekipara waterfalls. There is motorable road to the foot hills, where one may hike to the falls.
- Kuruvankunnu – Located 5 km from Ramapuram, it is situated to the east of Kurinji Koomban. Water is available even in summer. Visitors must be wary of avalanches.
- Mayiladimpara – Located in Nedumala, there are two huge rocks on this 4-5 acre site.
- Parunthanmala – It has the highest point in the region (called Kozhimala) located 4 km west of Ramapuram through several rubber plantations.
- Fathimagiri – This is lower in height, but it's a quiet spot that is popular for picnics.
Cultural Information
The popular author, social reformer and political reformer Lalithambika Antharjanam , whose novel 'Agnisakshi'(1980) won the Kerala Sahitya Academy award , lived in Ramapuram. The village has also contributed many other well known personalities like 'Ramapurathu Warrier' who is considered to be the pioneer of the Boatsong form of poetry.In Oct. 2005, Malayalam writer Krishnan Parappally was chosen for the annual literary award instituted by the Malayalam magazine Jwala, published in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. The award was conferred on him for his biography of philosopher and literary critic Sukumar Azhikode
Sukumar Azhikode
Sukumar Azhikode is a writer, critic and orator, acknowledged for his contributions to Malayalam and insights on Indian philosophy. He is a bachelor and lives in Eravimangalam near Thrissur....
. Parappally, born in Ramapuram in 1921, has 19 anthologies of poems to his credit and is based in Mumbai.
Mythological Background
Parasurama was a short-tempered warrior-sage regarded as an incarnation of VishnuVishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
. After defeating the Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
Kings, the sage approached some wise men to do penance
Penance
Penance is repentance of sins as well as the proper name of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, and Anglican Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. It also plays a part in non-sacramental confession among Lutherans and other Protestants...
. As a self-mortification he was advised to create a land for Brahmins. He readily agreed and meditated at Gokarna
Gokarna
Gokarna is a village in the Uttara Kannada district of the Karnataka state, India. It is a Hindu pilgrimage centre as well as a tourist destination in India. Gokarna is a temple town and is referred to in a number of Hindu historical literature pieces. The main deity is Lord Mahabhaleshwara, a...
, (considered to be the end of the Earth). After getting his boons from Varuna
Varuna
In Vedic religion, Varuna is a god of the sky, of water and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld...
and Bhudevi, he proceeded to Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari is a town in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. It is also sometimes referred to as Cape Comorin. Located at the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, it is the geographical end of the Indian mainland. The district in Tamil Nadu where the town is located is called Kanyakumari...
and threw his battle-axe northwards across the waters. The waters subsided and what was left over was called the land of Parasurama, which is today's Kerala.