KOCHI: Tired of the traffic? The daily 9 to 5? Then head to Niranam, a quaint village in Pathanamthitta, far away from the clamour of cities. Nestled between Kerala’s famous backwaters and the mighty Western Ghats, the village offers plenty for nature lovers, history fanatics, and pilgrims.
It is home to one of the oldest churches in Kerala, believed to be built in AD 52 by none other than the apostle Saint Thomas himself. There’s also a slew of temples and their storied histories, adding yet another dimension to the place. The other important sites in the region are Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple, Kaviyoor Cave Temple, Kozhencherry Mannadi Temple, Parumala Church and Veluthambi Smarakom.
While this already marks Niranam as an important pilgrimage site, what is less obvious is the region’s linguistic and cultural heritage. Niranam is also renowned for being the birthplace of a group of poets known as the Niranam Kavikal (Poets) or Kannassa Panikkars in the 14-15th century.
They were famous for their contributions to Malayalam by translating numerous significant works in Sanskrit, the most notable being the ‘Kannassaramayanam’, a translation of the epic Ramayana. The translation of the Bhagavad Gita (Bhasha Bhagavadgita) by Madhava Panikkar was considered the first translation of the epic into a contemporary Indian language. Sankara Panikkar’s masterful distillation of the Mahabharata (Bharatamala) is the most famous of the group’s works.
Rama Panikkar, the author of Ramayanam, Bharatam, Bhagavatam and Sivarathri Mahatmyam, was the most distinguished among them. Equal parts tranquil and commercial, Niranam, unlike the other popular getaway locations, is not thronged by tourists. Located 90 kilometres from Kochi, the drive here is indeed quite enjoyable.
Attractions in Niranam
A wide range of paddy fields
Niranam Duck Farm
A plethora of ancient temples and churches to visit with the family, to name a few:
Thrikkapaleeswaram Temple
St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church
Sree Vallabha Temple
Niranam Jerusalem Marthoma Church
Niranampettiyil Sree Durga Bhadrakali Temple
Kannassa Memorial and Library
Plenty of sunset and sunrise points to discover in and around the area
Notable festivals to catch: Mahasivarathri Melam, Thrikkapaleeswaram Temple
How to Reach?
Closest station: Thiruvalla Station (8 km from Niranam)
To reach by road:
89.9 km, 2 hours 14 minutes from Kochi via NH 66