Bharananganam
Bharananganam, is a christian pilgrimage centre in South India on the banks of the Meenachil River, four kilometres (2.5 mi) away from Pala and four kilometres (2.5 mi) from Plassanal, in Kottayam district in the Indian state of Kerala. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people, who cultivate cash crops like rubber.
Bharananganam | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Bharananganam Syro-Malabar Catholic Church | |
| Nickname: Lisieux of India | |
| Coordinates: 9°42′00″N 76°43′40″E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Kottayam |
| Population | |
| • Total | 16,000 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 686578 |
| Telephone code | 914822 |
| Vehicle registration | KL- 35 |
| Literacy | 100% |
| Lok Sabha constituency | Kottayam |
| Vidhan Sabha constituency | Pala |
Demographics
The population of Bharananganam comprises Catholic Syrian Christians and Hindus.
Saint Alphonsa's tomb
The thousand-year-old St Mary's Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is a pilgrimage centers of the St Thomas Christians in Kerala. St Alphonsa was the first woman from the Kerala Church to be canonized (declared a saint), and the second Indian after Gonsalo Garcia, a Luso-Indian born in Portuguese Bombay and Bassein.
Alphonsa was beatified by Pope John Paul II during his visit to India in 1986. There is a two - floored structure in front of the shrine which was originally the Papal podium for the beatification ceremony on 8 Feb.1986.
She was canonised as Saint Alphonsa by Pope Benedict XVI at a ceremony at St. Peter's Square, Vatican City on 12 October 2008. There is a museum adjacent to the convent chapel, where her personal belongings are preserved.
