Pala, Kerala


Pala is a town and a municipality in Kerala, India. It is located 28 km east of the district capital Kottayam and is situated 173 km north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is situated on the banks of the Meenachil river. It spans over an area of and is the headquarters of the Meenachil Taluk and the Pala Revenue Division.
Pala is located 5 km west of Bharananganam, an important Syro-Malabar Catholic pilgrimage center which holds the tomb of Saint Alphonsa. It is one of the main gateways to the southern high ranges of the Western Ghats. Pala connects to the high ranges through Thodupuzha and Kanjirappally taluks.

Demographics

Pala is one of the main Christian cultural centers in Kerala. Population of Pala is predominantly Saint Thomas Christians who trace their origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century.
India census, Pala had a population of 22,640. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Pala has an average literacy rate of 98%, higher than the national average of 73%: male literacy is 98.5%, and female literacy is 97.8%, still much higher than the state average. In Pala, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. Christians make up 65.09% of the population, Hindus 34.19%, Muslims 0%, Jain 0.01%, other religions 0.05% and 0.15% not stated.

Education

Pala has a lot of educational institutions which makes the place a heaven for education. The newly started Indian Institute of Information Technology is just 7 km from the town. The well known St. Thomas College and Alphonsa College are situated here. Government Polytechnic College is another major educational institute located in the town. St. Joseph's College of Engineering and Technology is also situated very close to the town of Pala. Many Government-run schools, CBSE, ICSE, and other private institutes contribute to the education and culture of the region.

Cuisine of Pala

is an important dish of Pala. Every household reared pigs as a part of their agricultural activity. Pork Curry and Tapioca is the staple food of the region. Tapioca is cooked as fresh as well as in dried form.Panniyum Unakkukappayum is a famous dish in the region.
Appams, kallappams, or vellayappams are rice flour pancakes which have soft, thick white spongy centres and crisp, lace-like edges.
Beef ularthiathu is a beef dish cooked with a variety of Indian spices. Other dishes include Piralan, Meat Thoran, sardine and duck curries, and Meen molee.

Places to Visit

Transportation