Ramapuram, Kottayam
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Ramapuram, Kottayam
This article is about a village in Kottayam district in Kerala. For other uses, see Rampur.
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Ramapuram is a town in the Kottayam district of the Indian state of Kerala.
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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.: Lakshmana 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 nearby village Koodappulam is known for Sri Lakshmana swami temple.Ancient ten Nair taravads of Kerala-Mutikat,Parakkat,Patiyath,Arakkal,Kappamadathil,Pathirakkattil,kaanattu
Kannampalakkal etc are in Koodappulam.
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 [1], 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).[1]
Visiting Ramapuram
Ramapuram is located 12 km from Pala town on the main road to Koothattukulam, situated between the hills of the Western Ghats. 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. 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.
Mythological Background
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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Kerala. (Discuss) Proposed since June 2009. |
Parasurama was a short-tempered warrior-sage regarded as an incarnation of Vishnu. 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.
References
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