Manarcaud
Manarcad (pronounced Ma - nar- cad) is a small town in Kottayam district of Kerala state, South India. It is known for the Manarcad Perunnal, the annual feast at the St. Mary's Church, which is usually held from September 1-8 (during the 8-Day Lent). It is located about 9 km from the town of Kottayam and is on the way to tourist town of Thekkady. People. The majority of the population depends on agriculture, but recently there is not much agricultural land. Manarcad has now become a suburb of the Kottayam town, and a good residential area . Manarcad is one of the most densely populated villages in Kerala. The "Rasa" (a type of religious procession) during the feast of the St. Mary's Church here, which is held in September of every year is known as one of the biggest "Rasas" in Asia. Manarcad Temple festival is in the month of January and April (Pathamudayam) every year. Culture. Manarcad church has been declared as a pilgrimage center of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Majority of its population is Christian, belonging to the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox, Malankara Orthodox, Marthoma Pentecostal and Brethren communities. Main Churches are Manarcad St.Mary 's Jacobite Church, Vadakamanoor Orthodox Church, Church Of God Gilgal Maalam and Brethren Assembly Maalam. Economy. Nowadays, NRIs (Non Resident Indians) act as the financial backbone for this small urban village. Agriculture. Rubber, pineapple, pepper and coconut plantations contribute to the agricultural income. Few paddy fields remain unaltered. Media. Kolo Suryoyo is a publication by St Mary's youth association, Manarcad. It is a popular Christian Magazine. Margadeepthi magazine is also publishing from Manarcad. Hospital Ministry Of India Manarcadu Cell published "Neeravu". Main attractions. Manarcad St. Mary's Church, Manarcad Devi Temple, Vijayapuram Srikrishna Temple Vennimala, "Paalamuri" bridge and "Nalumanikatu  (a road side recreational park near Manarcaud). Festivals. Main festivals in this area are Manarcad palli perunnal (the Ettu Nombu at Manarcad church). Pathamudayam (a ten-day festivity at Bhagavathi temple), Nadathurakkal (Manarcad church), Pattukalam Koodicha (a 41-day festival at Bhagavathi temple), Kumbha Bharani ( a one-day festival at Bhagavathi temple) and Meena Bharani (a one-day festival at bhagavathi temple), procession during Sreekrishna Jayanthi at vijayapuram sreekrishna swamy temple. The bhagavathi temple is believed to be older than 2000 years. People from all religions take part in church and temple events with harmony. Other attractions is a procession 	Manarcaud
26181388	(Rasa") in the Manarcad St. Mary's church, which is considered to be one of the longest and heavily packed "Rasas" in Asia. On the seventh day of the feast, a very old icon of the Virgin Mary is unveiled in a ceremony known as "Nadathurakkal." Masayogam held in Church Of God Gilgal Bhavan Maalam is a festival of Pentecost communities. Another attraction in this town is 'Naalumanikaatu' on the Manarcadu-Ettumanoor Bypass. The word 'Naalumanikaatu' means evening breeze. In the evening, many people in this town spend some time at this place. "Ammaveedu" (literally, "Mother's house") a charitable  organisation very near St. Mary's church, an organization for aged and sick people who are lonely in life . Transportation. Buses provide the main public transportation and are available 24/7. The nearest railway station is the Kottayam railway station (about 8 km away). More than 200 other buses operate in this route. Nearby Places. Maalam, Oravackal, Areeparambu, Ayarkunnam, Pampady, Puthuppally, Panikkamattom, 6th Mile, Palamuri, Kuzhippurayidom, Vadavathoor, Thiruvanchoor, Amayannor. Sports and games. Manarcad has its own sports history. There is a variety of football Naadan panthukali in which they use a small leather ball the size of a cricket ball. This  game has five innings, and normally it will take three hours to get finished. Manarcad Bhagavathy Temple. The mythological belief associated with Manarcad Sri Bhagavathy Temple is: There lived a pious Brahmin in Thanniyil Ellam in Elambanakkadu. He was a great devotee of Kodugalloor Amma, and visited Kodugalloor Temple often. Due to his old age and failing health, he prayed to continue his devotion towards kodugalloor amma".That day night Amma told him in a dream "When you wake up, you will find a Kuda (traditional umbrella) near you.I will be with that Kuda. You will never again need  to come to Kodugalloor to worship me. he found it as directed. When he reached near Elambanakkadu, he broke his journey to take some rest placing the Kuda on the ground. But after taking rest, he was not able to lift the Kuda. He met the local ruler and informed the matter. An Astrologer was summoned and he detected the holy presence of Kodugalloor Amma. He again got Amma's direction in his dream – to build a Bhagavathy Temple in the nearby Choorakkadu (bamboo forest) which was the abode of a Nagarajan (Snake God). Thus the Temple was built with  popular support. During that time, a Yakshi (Demon) named Elambi was creating problems in that area. It is believed that Amma killed Elambi and her cronies. Elambi's Mani (bell) was thrown southwards in the area. Since the Mani was thrown, Elambanakkadu came to be known as the forest where the bell was thrown, which worded Maniyerkadu – later became Manarcad.