Vaikom

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Vaikom is situated on the western side of Kottayam district and shares its border with Vembanattu Kayal (lake). It is the oldest township in Kottayam district and amongst the oldest in Keralam. Its importance in Indian history is due to the 'Vaikom Satyagraham' against untouchability, in which Mahatma Gandhi and Periyar Ramasami participated. It is easily accessible from Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Kottayam. Mahadeva temple, also known as Thekkan Kashi (Southern Varanasi), is situated here and is famous for Ashtami (vaikattamshtami). Vaikom has lots of backwaters and greenery and has a high potential for tourism. The people living here comprise a mixture of Hindus, Christians, and Muslims.

Economy

The economy, up until the 90's, here has been predominantly based on agriculture with Coconut and rice being the major crops cultivated here. Fishing is also of importance to the economy here. More recently spices like Nutmeg, Black Pepper, Latex have also caught the attention of Vaikom farmers. The recent software revolution in India has had its impact on Vaikom too, with the establishment of numerous computer training instititues.

Vaikom is a pilgrimage center.

Vaikom municipal park has now modified and its also an attraction to the visitors. The best time to visit Vaikom is during the months of Nov-Dec during the Ashtami festival. Like other parts of Kerala, the summer days(March-May) are usually very hot and monsoon (June-July) brings lot of rain.

Kumarakom the tourist attraction known for its back waters is hardly 10 km away. To reach kumarakom you can take either water transport or bus.

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