|
Pampady is a small town located in the Kottayam district of Kerala, the southern state of India. The development of Pampady is closely connected to KK (Kottayam - Kumily) Road, which came into existence in AD 1038, as a graded road. This road is now a national highway, from Quilon to Theni at Tamil Nadu.
Pampady is situated 18 kilometers east of Kottayam along the KK road. It is by this road side in the heart of Pampady town, where the 'kurishu pally' of Pampady Dayara locates. Pampady Dayara is situated in the Pothepuram Hill, about 5 kilometers from Pampady town.
 
Location of Pampady Map of Kerala showing Pampady
The phenomenal growth and development of Pampady dayara and its ancillary units have been such that it would be better to call the place Puthenpuram (New Township) and its institutions a Multipurpose complex. A forbidding patch of inhospitable and inaccessible forest land a few decades ago, Pothenpuram is a Cannan where milk and honey of love, learning and compassion flow. A city built on a hill with the dove of peace left behind by the departed Thirumeni still flying about makes Pothenpuram a handsome dream fulfilled. Dream of an Abou Ben Adam, who loved man as much as he loved God. Only the eyes undimmed by materialistic scales can see it being fulfilled. Eye trained on a spiritual vision can only comprehend it.
Pothenpuram dayara, Pampady dayara or Mar Kuriakose dayara as it is variously called, with the spirit of a saint inhabiting and inspiring it, is now well known, far outside the bound of Kerala or India.
Pampady Dayara
It was on May 24, 1914 that Pampady Kuriakose Ramban moved into a mud hovel for the first time on Pothenpuram hills, infested with wild animals. He would spend his day time there, but would get back to the comparative safety of Pampady Valiya Pally at night, the church and surroundings being equally forlorn after night fall. Later on he put up a small building barely sufficient for human habitation. A thatched roof on uncompleted four walls served for a church to help him continue his 'thapsya' (life of prayer and meditation).
The foundation for the new dayara church was laid by Yuyakim Mar Iranios, Metropolitan of Kandanad Diocese on May 26, 1920. It was completed within three years. Kuriakose Rambachan continued his fasting prayer everyday during this long period.
Dayara Church and the Verandha as seen from Thirumeni's Kabar
In 1929 he was ordained as the Metropolitan. The veranda on both sides of the church were put up in 1947. His tomb was to be on the eastern end of the northern verandha. It was his practice to prepare himself for his life with the lord in the vault of his. A living saint absolutely unafraid of death was Pampady Thirumeni. The place continued to be blessed even after his death, due to his intercession. Hundreds of devotees visit his tomb and gets blessed. Sick gets healed and barren mothers gets her children to fondle, and then in many cases, to be dedicated to the service in the church.
On 5th April, the day of the feast thousands of devotees come, many from far away Kunnamkulam where Thirumeni served the sick and the dying, who were languishing due to the plague, to pray at his tomb and get blessed abundantly. Because the church that he built in 1920 remained too small to contain the many who used to throng there, construction of the new church was begun on July 15, 1988. It was provisionally dedicated in 1991. Mar Thomas Mathews 1, Bava Thriumeni, had provided the inspiration for the new church finding the old one too small. The church which was constructed under the guidance of Diocesan Metropolitan Geevarghese Mar Ivanios was dedicated on July 15th 1993 by Baselius Mar Thoma Mathews II. The church 129 ft long and 40 ft wide, incorporates all the features of the old church satisfying the young and the old alike. the construction of the church was under the supervision of P.C. Cherian, Padinjarekara. Late Sri. Philip Mathew was the architect.
|
