Kerala’s Christian roots run very deep — by tradition all the way back to an apostle. Nowhere is that tradition more vividly kept than at Malayattoor, in Ernakulam, where a church stands on a hilltop above the Periyar and pilgrims climb to it in their tens of thousands, believing that St Thomas himself once prayed on this rock.
The St Thomas tradition
According to Kerala’s ancient Christian tradition, the apostle Thomas — one of the twelve — landed on the Malabar coast at Kodungallur in AD 52 and preached along it. At Malayattoor, the story holds, he withdrew to the hilltop in prayer, and a golden cross appeared where he knelt. Pilgrims still climb calling out to him, and a mark on the rock is venerated as the imprint of his feet. Whether taken as history or as sacred tradition, it makes Malayattoor one of the most important Christian pilgrimage sites in India.
The climb and the Perunnal
The church, the Kurishumudy, sits atop a hill of over 600 metres in the Western Ghats, ringed by forest and the river below. Reaching it means a climb — for many pilgrims a barefoot one, undertaken as an act of penance and devotion. The great occasion is the Malayattoor Perunnal, the annual festival held on the first Sunday after Easter, when huge crowds make the ascent together.
- The hilltop church is reached by a climb — wear suitable shoes (many pilgrims go barefoot) and carry water.
- The Malayattoor Perunnal (first Sunday after Easter, around March–April) is the biggest and busiest occasion.
- It’s a revered pilgrimage site — dress and behave respectfully, especially during the festival.
- Malayattoor is about 40 km from Kochi, on the Periyar — combine it with Kalady nearby.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Malayattoor a pilgrimage site?
By Kerala’s ancient Christian tradition, the apostle St Thomas prayed on the Malayattoor hilltop after landing on the coast in AD 52. A golden cross is said to have appeared there and a rock footprint is venerated, making it one of India’s most important Christian pilgrimage centres.
When is the Malayattoor Perunnal?
The main festival is held on the first Sunday after Easter — around March or April — when large crowds climb the hill to the church together.
How do you reach the Malayattoor church?
It sits atop a hill of over 600 metres near the Periyar, about 40 km from Kochi. Reaching it means a climb up the hill, which many pilgrims make barefoot as an act of devotion.