History
The Apostle landed at the southern side of KOTTACHAL at Niranam, an ancient waterway and a tributary of PUMBA river in Thiruvalla Taluk of Pathanamthitta district in Kerala State, South India. Presently Kottachal is also known as St. Thomas Lake.
Kottachal (St. Thomas Lake/Thomathu Kadavu)
Evidences reveal that St. Thomas visited North-Western India around 50 AD. The second visit to India was in 52 AD. He landed at the port of Kodungalloor or Muziris on the western coast. The same year he arrived at Niranam in a water vessel. The Apostle interacted with one and all and performed various miracles. Many people including a section of Brahmins- the priestly class – embraced Christianity. That was a period in Indian History when astute Buddhist missionaries expounded Sree Buddha’s teachings at the behest of the edicts of Asoka, the Mouryan Emperor.
The Art Gallery
The 45 feet tall Art Gallery overlooks the St. Thomas Lake. The winding wall of this structure is adorned with a good number of art works that are intricate miniatures of different facets of the history of ancient Kerala. The ground floor houses a beautiful painting of St. Thomas who touches the wound of the resurrected Jesus Christ. Paintings of St. Gregorios of Parumala, the Mother Teresa and St.Mary are kept in the next three floors. The top floor is installed with a full size statue of St. Thomas. The convincing references from Travancore State Manual, a Govt. publication and golden verses from the Bible are exhibited in two boards kept inside the gallery.
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