Parumala

Parumala Parumala
town

Parumala is a small town in Pathanamthitta district, bordering Alappuzha district. This is an island in Pampa River. Mannar is a small town across the Pampa river near Parumala.

Parumala is alsohas an Orthodox Church of Mar Gregorious (Parumala Thirumeni). It is here that Geevarghese Mar Gregorios the first declared saint of The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is entombed. The commemmoration ormapperunnal celebrated on the first and second of every November, is very famous at this time, as a large number of people flock to this place for worship. People prefer to get here at that time by walking from all over the Nation. The government recognised Parumala Church is known as the International Pilgrim Center.

History of Parumala

Parumala is a small stretch of Island on the shores of the river Pampa, which has an area of about 4 square miles (10 km²), the place became almost wild, desolate area. The famous ‘parumala palii' was situatedIn those days, Rama Rayar, Peshkar (District Collector) of Quilon registered present Parumala a big plot of land was given permission to cultivate after registering necessary documents to a well-known resident of Pavukara, Sri Koruthu Mathen of Arikupurathu Family, as per the ‘Vila Adharam’ (Registered Document).

Saint Gregorios Of Parumala

  Geevarghese Mar Gregorios or "Parumala Thirumeni" is the greatest saint of the Indian Orthodox Church(Malankara Orthodox Church).

Arikupuram

In those days, Palakkunnath Mathews Mar Athanasius was staying in the Parish-house of the Niranam church, taking care of the administration of the church as Malankara Metropolitan. Thanks to the favourable attitude and intervention of the British Rulers, the Metropolitan was given special privileges and powers. He supported and followed the reformation movements in the church begun by his paternal uncle Palakkunnath Abraham Malpan. It was during these days that Pulikottil Joseph Mar Dionysius was ordained as Metropolitan. Despite being the real ‘Head’ of the Malankara Church, Mar Dionysius did not have the influence or clout to confront his adversary who kept all the institutions of the church in his custody, especially in the southern regions. The Metropolitan wanted to establish a seminary in this area and submitted everything before the will of the almighty. This fervent wish was uppermost in his mind while he was staying in the Paliyekkara Church, Thiruvalla. There he met Arikupurathu Mathen Karnavar one day and the Seminary project cropped up in their conversation. Before long, the Metropolitan rode to Parumala and the generous Karanavar freely donated a square plot of 30 ‘Dandhs’ area for the construction of the seminary on 13th Karkkadakam 1047 ME.

Azhippura

The plot has an area of 2 acres (8,100 m²) as per modern measurements. An ordinary building called ‘Azhippura’ was soon built on this plot of land for conducting classes for the deacons etc. Syriac classes were begun here under the care of Fr. Yakob. In course of time, Metropolitan Mar Dionysius gave the charge of the seminary to Metropolitan Mar Gregorios (Later known as Parumala Thirumeni), in order to carry on the Syriac teaching sessions more efficiently and also to help him in other church matters.

Construction of the Old Church

Gradually the number of disciples in the seminary substantially increased and they were all particularly drawn in by the Saintly Bishop’s devout life of prayers. All these people could not be accommodated in the meager space of the Azhippura. So His Grace Mar Gregorios mostly had his rest and sleep on a veranda to the south of this building. Yet another room (known as ‘The New Room’) was built to solve this problem. As and when this work was finished, the Bishop shifted his residence to the new room. A temporary church for prayers and rites was already there in the land donated by Arikupurathu Family in 1885. This was originally built by Arikupurathu Karanavar for their spiritual needs when they fell off with the Niranam Church. The devout and prayerful Mar Gregorios wanted to rebuild this temporary church into a befitting beautiful church. The Bishop had no special capital for this. Making use of the personal gifts he received and the donations from the various parishes, he built the church and an adjoining seminary building at a cost of approximately Rs. 20,000 on 27 January 1895. On the feast day of Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Metropolitan Mar Gregorios himself conducted the temporary consecration of the church and offered the Holy Qurbana in the presence of Metropolitan Joseph Mar Dionysius.

This church is dedicated in the names of the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul. The saintly Metropolitan is buried in the northern corner of the church were the octagonal altar and the rectangular ‘Haikla’ of the church join together (the saintly Metropolitan was taken to his heavenly abode on 2 November 1902. The Holy Episcopal Synod Canonized him as a saint in 1947).

Embellishment of the Church

The western face of the tomb was closed in 1910. The altar on the northern side was dedicated in the name of St. Mary and the one on the southern side in the name of St. Thomas. Subsequently all the three altars were embellished with the beautiful ‘Kdouskudisin’ golden gilt work. During this phase, in the development of the church, the then Malankara Metropolitan Vattasseril Mar Dionysius was the main organizer of the activities. Later on, Very. Rev. Punnoose Ramban (who later became the illustrious Catholicos of the East - His Holiness Baselius Geevarghese II) was the Manager of the Parumala Seminary.

Expansion of the Church

On 6 June 1925, Metropolitan Yuyakkim Mar Ivanios (1858 - 1925) who used to stay in the Parumala Seminary died. His mortal remains were entombed close to the tomb of Parumala Thirumeni. The church at Parumala, built by Mar Gregorios could contain only 300 worshipers. Hence the church was extended towards the west in 1930, with a porch (Natakasala) and with a balcony hall above. Then the church was large enough to accommodate 800 devotees. In 1960, a pillared-hall with a dome overhead was built on the northern side of the tomb so that people could conveniently pray and make their offerings. A tower was also built on the north-west side.

Old Church after extension

The Parumala Seminary was highly useful, especially for the deacons in the south, when the Kottayam seminary was in the possession of Mathews Mar Athanasius. Had it not been there, the Syriac - learning of the Deacons in the south - would have been badly affected.

This not parumala history, this only for parumala church history.

St.Gregorios Hospital

St. Gregorios Cardio Vascular Centre Cardio Vascular Centre under the effective leadership of renowned heart specialist Dr.K.M.Cherian.

St Gregorios Cardio Vascular Centre is a 150 bedded state of the art dedicated tertiary cardiac care centre, situated at Parumala, Kerala. It’s a unit of Frontier Life line Pvt Ltd, Chennai, sponsored by Dr KM Cherian Heart Foundation.

The cardiology department does about 1200 cardiac catheterizations per year. We have a well equipped ICCU and invasive and non-invasive cardiac laboratory facilities. The department has Echocardiography Lab with Doppler facilities, TMT (Treadmill Test) and Holter Monitoring, most recent Electrophysiology Lab (for arrhythmia study), Facilities for Balloon Angioplasty with stenting, Balloon Valvotomy and valvoplasty and Device Closure for Congenital defects (ASD, VSD & PDA). Our Lab is fully equipped CCU with facilities of temporary and permanent pace makers, Ventilators, IABP, etc., and Enhanced External Counter Pulsation (EECP). In this hospital four cardio thoracic surgeons. five Consultant Cardiologists, one Peediatric CArdiologists etc. They are doing coronary angioplasties, peripheral interventions, and permanent pacemaker implantations including dual chamber, balloon mitral Valvotomy and basic EP studies

250 coronary angioplasties, 50 permanent pacemaker implantations, and around 35 RF ablations and 10 EP studies and 20 BMV are done in a year. Department of Cardiac Surgery

The Department of Cardiac surgery is under the leadership of the world famous Cardio Thoracic Surgeon Dr. K.M Cherian in this hospital they are doing all kinds of heart surgeries including pediatric and adult. Open Heart Surgeries like ASD, VSD,ICR, BT Shunt,ICR, ROSS Procedure, Mixoma,MVR,AVR, DVR, All kinds os closed heart surgeries, like PDA and commonly doing CABG etc. There is a well equipped Critical Care Ambulance also available all the time in this Ambulance all kinds of critical care services are available. includind Ventilator, defibrillator Monitor, Temporary pacemaker etc.

St.Gregorios College of Nursing

BSC Nursing College situated on the bank of river Pamba.

Niranam Church

Niranam St.Mary's Church, established by St. Thomas in AD 54 is only three km from Parumala.

Nearest Bus Station

• Chengannur
• Tiruvalla

Chengannur to Parumala 10 km - There is also a famous temple in Parumala called Panayanar Kaavu (kali- devi). It is considered as one of the oldest temple in Kerala.

Nearest Railway Stations

• Chengannur, Thiruvalla

External links

• Official WebSite of Parumala Church
• An exclusive website on the life & history of Parumala Thirumeni
• An official Web Radio of Malankara Orthodox Church broadcasting from Parumala Church
• An official Web TV of Malankara Orthodox Church broadcasting from Parumala Church

Related Links

File:TSOP.jpg File:Articletsop.jpg * (THE SAINT OF PARUMALA) History of Parumala Thirumeni - Prayer Request - Prayer timings of Parumala Church - Parumala Church Council - Living Words -Gallery - Music - Videos - Online TV and Radios - Downloads and More......