Location
This place is located 11 km from the Kottayam town at a height of 150 feet, on a hillock. The importance of the place can be gauged from the fact that it is linked inextricably with the Blessed Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara. It also has many first to its credit - it is the seat of very first seminary of the Malabar Church, first Catholic Sanskrit School in Kerala, first printing press in Kerala started by Rev Benjamin Bailey, first Catholic English School and lastly the first daily newspaper in Malayalam. Moreover, there is the St Joseph's church, that despite being renovated a number of times, has the original altar ornated with gold filigree work and paintings by Tamil artists. The Chavara Art Museum is an added attraction.