Pala, Kerala
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Palai city പാലാ Religious capital of kerala |
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| city | |
Pala Kurishupalli
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 Palai city
 Palai city
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| Coordinates: 9°42′46″N 76°41′01″E / 9.71278°N 76.68353°ECoordinates: 9°42′46″N 76°41′01″E / 9.71278°N 76.68353°E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Kottayam |
| Government | |
| • Type | metropolis |
| • Body | Municipal Council |
| • Municipal Chairperson | Leena Sunny |
| Area | |
| • Total | 74.09 km2 (28.61 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 56.7 m (186.0 ft) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total | 220,123 |
| • Density | 1,375/km2 (3,560/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| PIN | 686574 , 686575 |
| Telephone code | 9148 22 |
| Vehicle registration | KL 35 |
| Nearest city | Kottayam |
| Official Website | Official Site |
Pala (Malayalam: പാലാ, also written as Palai), is a city 28 km east of Kottayam in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 74.09 km2.It is the biggest city in Kottayam District. It is situated 173 km North from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, on the banks of the Meenachil River and is the headquarters of the Meenachil Taluk and the Pala Revenue Division. It is the one of the main gateways to the southern high ranges of Western Ghats. Pala connects to highranges through Thodupuzha and Kanjirappally taluks.
There are various versions regarding the origin of the place name. According to one, early Christian settlers from Palayoor (near Chavakad in today's Thrissur district), who settled down in Meenachil on the other side of the Meenachil River, named the place as Pala - a shortened form of Palayoor. Another view is that the name was derived from Palathu families, the prominent early settlers of the region. Another version is that Pala gets its name from Palazhi (Ksheera Sagara), the mythological Ocean of milk from which nectar was churned out. But there are no supportive explanation why or how this place is connected with the Puranic ocean of milk.
Pala was part of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore, and was ruled by the "Travancore Rajas" for a long time.before the annexation to Travancore The local chieftains were "Meenachil Karthas". The first royal Kartha families were known as Njavakattu Karthas. They had a title called "Damodara Simhar" and they were rulers of a small kingdom called "Meenachil" which is today's Palai (Kottayam district),they were related to the ancient Pandya race and believed to have some Rajput connection also their "kula Devatha" is "Ambadevi".
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