St. Mary's Cathedral [1] is the first church in the centuries-old history of this industrial town Punalur, on the banks of Kallada river. Catholics and Christian faithful working in Punalur Paper Mills, Railway and Rubber Estates along with the farmers were the early community of the church. Schools, orphanage, mission centers and other institutions start building gradually to meet the growing demands of the community of vibrant ethnic culture.
Christian Missionaries serving among the people made thatched sheds on the hillock near the market and Kallada River. One of the thatched sheds used as Church during 1866 was the first Church of Punalur established by the Belgian Carmelite missionaries. The Church was named after 'Mother of Good Counsel'(St. Mary) and liturgies of the Church were in Latin. St. Mary's Church was rebuilt with granite structure during 1933 and remodelled with concrete structure during 1997.
Belgian Carmelite missionaries were the First Fathers of Punalur and of places around Punalur. During the Second World War the First Fathers had to go back, entrusting the church work to the diocesan clergy of Quilon (Kollam).
Punalur Diocese was separated from the Diocese of Quilon (Kollam) and created into a separate unit by the Bull “Verba Christ” of Pope John Paul II, issued on 21 December 1985.
Present Diocese of Punalur extended to the entire civil district of Pathanamthitta, taluks of Kottarakkara, Kunnathur, Mavelikara and several pakuthies of the taluks of Karunagappally and Chengannur.
St Mary's Cathedral complex is located on west bank hillock of Kallada River, north of Kollam-Shenkottai railway route, east of Paper Mill Road and near to Punalur railway Station at coordinates 9°01′22″N76°55′15″E / 9.022766°N 76.920796°E Coordinates: 9°01′22″N76°55′15″E / 9.022766°N 76.920796°E
Kollam
Ashtamudi Lake, in the Kollam District of the Indian state of Kerala, is the most visited backwater and lake in the state. It possesses a unique wetland ecosystem and a large palm-shaped water body, second only in size to the Vembanad estuary ecosystem of the state. Ashtamudi means 'eight braids' in the local Malayalam language. The name is indicative of the lake's topography with its multiple branches. The lake is also called the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and is well known for its houseboat and backwater resorts. Ashtamudi Wetland was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands.
Punalur is the largest Hill town in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the headquarter of Punalur Taluk and Punalur Revenue Division. It's situated in the eastern part of Kollam district of the southern Indian state of Kerala, on the banks of the Kallada River and foothills of the western ghats. It is about 45 kilometres (28 mi) north-east of Kollam and 75 kilometres (47 mi) north of Thiruvananthapuram.Punalur is also Known as Mini Pamba and Gateway of Sabarimala.
Kollam district is one of 14 districts of the state of Kerala, India. The district has a cross-section of Kerala's natural attributes; it is endowed with a long coastline, a major Laccadive Sea seaport and an inland lake. The district has many waterbodies. Kallada River is one among them, and the east side land of river is EastKallada and the west side land is WestKallada. Kallada Boat race is one among the famous festival events of district. Even though it is a competition between two land sides of the river, many boat clubs from various place,s even beyond the district participate in the event. Kollam is the capital of Kerala's cashew industry. Plains, mountains, lakes, lagoons and backwaters, forests, farmland and rivers make up the topography of the district. The area had trading relationships with Phoenicia and Ancient Rome.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Quilon is the first Catholic diocese in India in the city of Kollam and under the Ecclesiastical Province of Trivandrum. The diocese, which covers an area of 1,950 km²., and contains a population of 4,879,553 - 235,922 (4.8%) of which are Catholic. It was first erected on 9 August 1329, and was re-erected on 1 September 1886.
Adoor is one of the fastest growing town in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, India.
The Kallada River is one of two major rivers that flow through the Kollam District of Kerala, India. Kallada River Is Also Known As Punalurar This River is formed by three Rivers, viz., Kulathupuzha, Chendurni and Kalthuruthy which join near Parappar in Thenmala by the side of the Trivandrum-Shencottah road. It travels for 121 km, flowing through Punalur, Pathanapuram, Kunnathur,Kulakada Pavithreswaram (Puthoor)and Kallada before ending at Ashtamudi Lake. The Palaruvi Falls also feeds Kallada river. The Chalikkari Aar also joins Kallada a little downstream. These two rivers flows westward and falls into the Ashtamudi Lake.
The Roman CatholicArchdiocese of Trivandrum is an archdiocese located in the city of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, India.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Alleppey is a diocese centered on the city of Alleppey in the Ecclesiastical province of Trivandrum in India. It lies along the Arabian Sea between the dioceses of Cochin and Quilon, covering an area of 333 square kilometers.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Punalur is a diocese located in the city of Punalur in the Ecclesiastical province of Trivandrum in India.
Kunnathur (Kunnattūr,കുന്നത്തൂർ) is a taluk in Kollam District in the Indian state of Kerala.
Avaneeswaram is a small village located on Kunnicode-Pathanapuram road in Kollam district, Kerala. It is about 7 kilometers south of Pathanapuram town and 36 kilometers from Kollam. It is a part of Vilakkudy panchayat. Avaneeswaram has a FCI storage facility. Economy of this village primarily is agricultural. Most common farm produce includes coconut, tapioca, areca, and cashews. Some rice cultivation is also seen.
St Andrew's Church, Kovilthottam is a historic colonial era Roman Catholic church that is located in the Panmana–Chavara panchayat, Karunagappalli taluk, Kollam district, Kerala, India.
Kollam Junction railway station is a junction station situated in the city of Kollam in Kerala, India. It is the second largest railway station in Kerala in terms of area and one of the oldest railway station in the state. World's second longest railway platform is situated at Kollam railway station.
The Kollam–Sengottai branch line is a railway line in South India which connects Kollam Junction in Kerala state and Sengottai in Tamil Nadu. The Quilon–Shencottah railway line was the first railway line in the erstwhile Travancore state and is more than a century old. The Kollam–Sengottai section is part of the Kollam–Chennai metre gauge rail route commissioned by the British in 1904. The line has been completely converted to broad gauge and is now fully operational from Kollam Junction to Shengottai.
The Infant Jesus Cathedral is a historic Roman Catholic church established by Portuguese during 1614, situated at Tangasseri in the city of Quilon (Kollam), India. It is now the cathedral i.e the Seat of the Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Quilon, the ancient and first catholic diocese of India. The Church remains as a memento of the Portuguese rule of old Quilon city.
Transport in Kollam includes various modes of road, rail and water transportation in the city and its suburbs. State-owned Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses, private buses, Indian Railways, state-owned Kerala State Water Transport Department boats & ferry, taxis and auto rickshaws are serving the city of Kollam. The city had a strong commercial reputation since the days of the Phoenicians and Romans. Ibn Battuta mentioned Kollam Port as one of the five Indian ports he had seen during the course of his twenty-four year travels.
St. Mary's Cathedral is the first church of the centuries-old history of this tribal town Ranchi, In the Chota Nagpur Plateau area. Catholics and Christian faithful working as Tea tribes in Tea Estates this area, Railway along with the farmers were the early community of the church.
Kollam Diocese is one of the 30 dioceses of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The diocese was created after the Mulanthuruthy Synod in 1876. Zachariah Mar Anthonios is the Metropoliton of the diocese. The head office is located in Bishop House, Cross Junction, Kadappakkada, Kollam.
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