Kaduthuruthy

Kaduturuthy has an average elevation of 12 m (39 ft). Its name derives from Kadal thuruth, meaning "near to the sea," as it is believed that several centuries ago, the Arabian Sea extended inward into this area, but later receded due to a tsunami.

Kaduthuruthy has a picturesque nature and ecosystem. It is a transit point between the hilly middle region of Kerala and backwater coastal land. The nearest railway halt is Vaikom Road Railway Station and the main railway station is Kottayam.

Another story regarding the origin of name "Kaduthuruthy" is Demon Khara got three "Shiv lingas" for his severe penance from lord Shiva, Khara started a journey by carrying three Shiv Lingas, two Lingas in each hand and one in his mouth. After a while he got tired as well the Lingas are heavy, he placed his right-handed Linga in Vaikom, left-handed Linga in Ettumanoor and from mouth is placed in Kaduthuruthy (in Malayalam, this act was called "kadichiruthy").

It was the Capital of erstwhile kingdom of Vadakkumkoor which was annexed to Travancore in 1754 by Marthanda Varma. The first Sandesha Kavyam (Message in Poetry) in Malayalam called "Unnuneeli Sandesham" gives an insight into the history of the town. The author is believed to have been a member of one of the Travancore Royal Families. The work describes the grand harbour of the town in great detail, although the sea is now several miles away, having receded some time in the 14th century possibly following an earthquake or a tsunami.

Thaliyil Mahadeva Temple (Malayalam:തളിയില്‍ മഹാദേവ ക്ഷേത്രം) is one of the best known Shiva Temples in Kerala. It is believed that the consecration at Vaikom and Ettumanoor temples was done at the same time as that of this temple, by the same person. There are also replicas of Vaikom & Ettumanoor Shiva Idols in the temple, thus it is believed that visit here is as good as visiting all three noted Shiva temples (Vaikom, Ettumanoor and Thaliyil Mahadeva) on the same day before noon. The temple sits adjacent to the Ernakulam-Ettumanoor Road.

The Holy Ghost Forane Church, Muttuchira, is one of the oldest surviving Christian places of worship in India, located just 1.5 km from Kaduthuruthy town in Kerala. Historically, the forane was initially a chapel of the nearby Kaduthuruthy Thazhathupally (St. Mary's Church), under its ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Over time, as the Christian community in Muttuchira grew in size and importance, it was separated from the mother parish and subsequently elevated to the status of a forane (an archpriest’s district) within the Palai Diocese of the Syro-Malabar Church.

The church’s antiquity is attested by an extraordinary artifact: an ancient granite bas-relief cross inscribed with Pahlavi (Middle Persian) script, which is still preserved on the church grounds. This cross, often compared to the better-known St. Thomas crosses of the region, is a rare epigraphic witness to the early Persian Christian (East Syriac) influence on the Malabar Coast. Local tradition firmly holds that the church was founded as early as AD 510, making it a living link to the pre‑Portuguese Christian heritage of Kerala.

Muttuchira Church holds pivotal importance in the ecclesiastical and political history of the St. Thomas Christians. It was the home base of Archdeacon Jacob (also known as Archdeacon George or Jarkhi), a native of Muttuchira, who served as the temporal and spiritual head of the Malabar Church during a tumultuous period. In 1576, the Chaldean Bishop Mar Simon, arriving as a rival to the reigning Metropolitan Mar Abraham, appointed Jacob as Archdeacon. Even after Mar Simon was apprehended and sent to Rome, Archdeacon Jacob retained a massive following among the faithful, challenging Latin authority until his death in 1596. He was laid to rest in the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Muttuchira, where his tomb remains a site of historical veneration.

The church is also intimately connected with the post‑Coonan Cross Oath period of the Syro-Malabar Church. Bishop Alexander de Campo, better known in local memory as Palliveettil Chandy Metran, was a son of this very parish. After the historic oath of 1653, when the St. Thomas Christians rebelled against Portuguese Padroado rule, Chandy was consecrated as the Titular Bishop of Megara in Achala and appointed Vicar Apostolic and Administrator of the Archbishopric of Cranganore. The solemn consecration took place on 31 January 1663 at Kaduthuruthy, and he celebrated his first Pontifical High Mass at Muttuchira Church the very next day, on 1 February 1663—an event that marked a new chapter for the Catholic faction of the community.

In more recent times, the church grounds hold a tender connection to India’s first native saint. Saint Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception (later canonised in 2008) spent her early childhood in Muttuchira, being raised in her aunt’s house in the Muricken family. She attended the local church and received her early religious formation here, making Muttuchira a cherished pilgrimage stop for devotees tracing her footsteps.

Architecturally, the church retains a blend of traditional Kerala and colonial Portuguese styles, with later additions reflecting the Syro-Malabar liturgical heritage. Its annual feast of Pentecost (Holy Ghost) draws thousands of faithful, and its status as a forane continues to anchor several surrounding mission stations. Today, the Holy Ghost Forane Church, Muttuchira, stands not only as a monument of faith but as a chronicle in stone and tradition—from its humble beginnings as a chapel of Kaduthuruthy Thazhathupally to its emergence as a major ecclesiastical centre in the Palai Diocese.

The famous Adityapuram Sun Temple is 3 kilometers away from Kaduthuruthy, and is known to be the second sun temple in India. The Mahavishnu Temple, Devarthananam, is 3 kilometers away from Kaduthuruthy (Kaduthuruthy-Piravavam Road). The Kailasapuram Sreekrishna Temple and Mangattukavu Bhagavathy Temple are also in the area.

Kaduthuruthy Valiya Palli (കടുത്തുരുത്തി വലിയ പളളി) / Ave Maria (ആവേ മരിയ) of Knanaya Community was established in AD 400. The present Kaduthuruthy St. Mary's Valiya Palli is the third building in the name of Virgin Mary known as Kaduthuruthy Muthiyamma (കടുത്തുരുത്തി മുത്തിയമ്മ). Kaduthuruthy Valiya Palli has a glorious history linked to its supreme position with the Vadakkumkur (present-day Vaikom) Kingdom. The history of this church is intertwined with the history of the Knanaya community, the Persian refugees known as Southist Syrian Christians (തെക്കു൦ഭാഗർ), now commonly termed Knanites (ക്നാനായക്കാ൪).

The present building is the third building in Kaduthuruthy, built in AD 1456, and it once had a strong fort, as mentioned in the church's traditional songs. The current church structure is built with artistic splendour and the characteristics of Gothic art, designed to proclaim and celebrate the gospel of Jesus Christ in worship and to honor the heritage of biblical faith, tradition, liturgy, and the rich variety of customs and traditions in Knanaya community as preserved by their forefathers. This church belongs to the Archdiocese of Kottayam and is considered as the Head Church (തലപ്പള്ളി) for both knanaya Catholics and Knanaya Jacobites.

Kaduthuruthy assembly constituency is part of the Kottayam (Lok Sabha constituency).^[1] Adv. Monce Joseph currently represents Kaduthuruthy in Kerala Legislative Assembly. Justice K. G. Balakrishnan, who was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, is a native of Kaduthuruthy (Poozhikol).