4 Mar 2014

Posted by Chirstina Rose on Tuesday, March 04, 2014 No comments
Paliakara church is considered as one of the famed religious places in Kerala and is located in the Thiruvalla town of Pathanamthitta district. The Syrian Christians living in all over India regard this church as a legendary place of worship.
This flamboyant church coexists with Sri Vallabha temple of Hindus. The main highlight of this church is its skillful architecture and the exclusive beauty of the entire structure.
The murals found on the eastern walls of the church are among the major attractions of this place. Amusingly, many of the festivals celebrated in this church are parallel to that of the Sri Vallabha Temple. So over here, one can feel and witness the two different cultures of Hinduism and Christianity coexisting along each other in a harmonious manner. As for an instance, the ten day fest celebrates in the Paliakara church during the month of April and May is very much similar to the festival celebrated in the Sri Vallabha temple.

History

The history of this church has been recorded back to 54 AD during which St Thomas had arrived in Kerala. The Paliakara church is one of the important churches in Pathanamthitta district and considerable number of Christian living in this region regularly visit this church to pray for their wellbeing. Hence, the church is regarded as one of the sacred as well as a religious place by the people living in this area. This church has been structured in a typical Christian style that also includes some primeval effect on it. Christmas and Easter ate the most important festivals in this church. As to the considerable number of Christians existing in this region, the festive season is witnessed with great zeal and fervor including Christmas carols and colorful fireworks.

Attractions

The church has been typically structured in a Christian style including striking architectural works on its walls. The carvings found on the walls of this church tells us many stories about the early times involving struggles taken to establish the religion in the region and the various social movements undertaken during the process. Small figures of tigers and elephants can also be seen on the either side of the huge wooden girders that supports the roof of the church. The church also holds a collection of captivating mural paintings and the major festivals that are celebrated in this church are Christmas and Easter that are celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit the church is during the winter season or October to March.

How to Reach

By Road: The church is easily accessible through road by regular bus services as Pathanamthitta is situated close to two highways. Frequent buses are available to this place from Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi and many more.

By Air: The nearest airport to this church is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport that operates international flights along with domestic flights. Regular taxi services are available to Pathanamthitta from this airport.

By Rail: The nearest railway stations to this church are Thiruvalla (26 km) and Chengannur (30 km). These railway stations operate trains to almost all the major cities in India.
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