| Accommodation can be arranged on request
in hotels and guest houses. Delegates are free to make
hotel reservations directly. For more information Please
visit the hotel sites |
General
Information on Kottayam |
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Kottayam is a major trading
center of natural rubber in India. Rubber trees are extensively
cultivated in central Kerala, especially in vast areas
of Kottayam District, in plantations, both large and small.
The Rubber Board, a body set up by the Government of India
for the development of rubber industry is also located
at Kottayam. A number of small and medium sized enterprises
in and around the town are engaged in the processing of
rubber latex and manufacturing of rubber products. Besides
rubber, Kottayam is a trading place of other commercial
crops like spices cultivated widely in the surrounding
areas. Plantation Corporation of Kerala also has its headquarters
in Kottayam.
Kottayam is also known as a business centre. The stretch
of Kottayam-Kumily Road (KK road) that passes through
the town is a major shopping centre. Baker Junction and
Kanjikuzhy are also considered as the commercial and residential
hubs of the town.
Tourism has a major contribution to the economy of the
place, as many tourism related businesses thrive in the
town. Kumarakom, one of the most famous tourist destinations
in Kerala, is only 14 km from the town. |
| Kottayam has its place of honour in the
cultural map of Kerala. The culture of Kottayam is influenced
mainly by the large presence of the Syrian Christian community.
The Syrian Christians of Kottayam are popularly known
as Achayans. The cuisine of Kottayam is Keralite Cuisine,
characterised by the use of parboiled rice as the staple
food and the presence of coconut and spices in abundance.
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| Margamkali and Arjuna Nritham are popular
dance forms. Margamkali, which consists of group dance
and martial arts like Parichamuttukali popular among the
Syrian Christian community. It is performed by men and
women separately. In the past, it was performed during
Syrian Christian weddings. Arjuna Nritham also known as
Mayilpeeli Thookkam performed by men was also popular.
Besides these, popular South India dance forms like Bharatanatyam,
Mohiniyattom and Kuchipudi and the classical Carnatic
Music are also learned by a large number of young people,
mainly as a hobby and extracurricular activity. |
| Cricket, Basketball and football are among
the most popular sports in Kottayam. Kottayam is also
famous for athletics, as the place has produced several
athletes who represented India. The main stadium of Kottayam
is the Nehru stadium at the entrance of the town. And
many tournaments happen in the town in the course of the
year. A number of popular Basketball tournaments including
Marian Trophy, Girideepam trophy,Lourdes trophy and Virginia
Memorial tournament are conducted every year. |
| A Municipal park is located in Sastri road.There
are several movie halls which screens Malayalam, English,
Tamil and Hindi movies. There are also restaurants that
cater to Kerala, Tamil and North Cuisines. |
| Kottayam is considered as the nerve center
of Malayalam literature and publishing media. Unnuneeli
Sandesam, a beautiful and famous poetry work, is supposed
to have been written by one of the Vadakkumkur Rajas.
In 1821, Benjamin Baily, a British missionary, established
C.M.S. Press, the first printing press in Kerala, in Kottayam.
The town has been in the forefront of Newspaper and Book
publishing in the state ever since. |
| The Old Seminary of the Malankara Orthodox
Church was the first institution to start English education
in Southern India. C.M.S High School, (now Church Missionary
Society College High School), was founded by the British
missionary, Benjamin Bailey of the Church Mission Society
of London. C.M.S College, the first college in Kerala
was started in Kottayam in 1817 by the Church Missionary
Society. The Baker Memorial Girls High School in Kottayam,founded
by Amalia Dorothea Baker in 1820, is one of the oldest
girls' schools in India. |
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