Tourism Council Grants Rs. 5.5 Million For Palayur Church Development

THRISSUR, Kerala, MAY 13, 2008, 09.20 Hrs (SAR News):

Thrissur District Tourism Promotion Council (TDTPC) has sanctioned Rs 5.5 million for the development of Saint Thomas Archdiocesan Shrine at Palayur near here.

According to tradition, St. Thomas, the Apostle of India, came by sea and landed at Kodungalloor in 52 A.D. from where he proceeded to Palayur, Rector of the Shrine, Father Louis Edakalathoor, told SAR News May 10.

Palayur was the first Church in India believed to have been built on a stone foundation with wooden walls and sandal and teakwood roof by the Apostle himself in 52 A.D., the rector said.

The other churches built by him in Kerala are at Kodungalloor, Kottekkavu, Kokkamangalam, Niranam, Nilakkal and Kollam, he added.

Official sources said about six lakh tourists visited the shrine last year, including about 25,000 foreign nationals, he added.

The flow of tourists has been on the rise since the year 2000 when the ancient church was declared the first shrine under the Thrissur Archdiocese, Edakalathoor said.

The number of visitors to the shrine, especially foreign tourists, would go up considerably, provided the infrastructure was improved, he said.

The Tourism Promotion Council has granted funds for this purpose and developmental works have already started, he added.

Work on an arch towards the entry of Boat Pond, in the traditional Indian architecture (vaasthu) style, was in progress, he said.

The Boat Pond was very important in the two-millennium history of Christianity in India, where the Apostle's boat was anchored in 52 A.D., Father Edakalathoor added.

A life-size statue of the Apostle would also be installed on the bank of the pond. The other work under the scheme is construction of a three-storied building with a canteen in the first floor and dormitories for about 60 persons -- separately for men and women -- in the second and third floors, the rector said.