Kaipuzha

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Kaipuzha is a village, in Kottayam Distict, Kerala, South India. The name Kaipuzha is derived from the two words Kai (which means hand) and Puzha (which means river). This is testament to the many small canal like rivers found in the vicinity. It is bounded by Ettumanoor to the east and Mannanam by the south. Nearby villages also include Athirampuzha, Neendoor, Kurumulloor, Manjoor, Kallara, and Vechoor, the namesake village famous for the Vechur cow, smallest breed of cattle found anywhere in the world. Kottayam Town is located 7 km south. In the olden days, the area comprised of Kaipuzha, Athirampuzha, and Ettumanoor were popular places for trade purposes because of the navigable rivers found all over the area. K.E. College, which was founded and named after the Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara was once believed to originally be planned to built in Kaipuzha, but politics within the community changed that location to nearby Mannanam. It is most famous for the St. George’s Forane Church Kaipuzha, built in 1813. The majority of people in this town are from the Knanaya Catholic community. Bishop Thomas Tharayil, the third bishop of the Knanaya Kottayam Archdiocese was born here. Kaipuzha is also known as being one of the northern most points for the area known as Kuttanad, the "rice bowl" of Kerala. The present chief justice of Karnataka High Court, Dr. Cyriac Joseph was born in Kaipuzha.