Heritage · Faith · 8 min read

Bells, Lamps and Prayers: The Old Churches and Temples of Munnar

A Spanish Carmelite's shed that became a basilica, a granite church built beside a planter's wife's grave, a hilltop temple of the Muthuvan people and the small shrines of the tea estates. The places of worship that tell the history of Munnar's communities.

By GK Global, Adimali, Munnar · Trails & Tales by GK

Munnar is a town of many faiths. In its streets and on its hillsides stand churches, temples and mosques built by the people who came to the hills over the last century and a half: tribal communities, European planters, Tamil workers, Malayali settlers and traders. Their places of worship are among the oldest buildings in Munnar, and each tells part of its history.

Mount Carmel Basilica

The Catholic church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Munnar began in 1898, when Fr Alphonse Maria de los Angeles, a Spanish priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, began holding services in a shed on land given by the tea company. He ministered to the workers on the estates until his death from malaria in 1916, and was buried inside the church. A church building was completed in 1909; the foundation stone of the present church was laid in 1934, and it was blessed in 1938.

In 2024, Pope Francis raised the church to the status of a minor basilica, a recognition of its history and importance. It belongs to the Diocese of Vijayapuram, and its congregation includes many families of plantation workers.

CSI Christ Church

On a hill at Old Munnar stands the granite CSI Christ Church, built in 1910–11 beside the cemetery that began with the grave of Eleanor Knight, a young bride who died in 1894. Once the church of the European planters, it is now a parish of the Church of South India, with services in English, Tamil and Malayalam. Around Easter, its old cemetery is filled with pink lilies. (Read the story of Christ Church.)

The Subramanya Temple

On a small hill in Munnar town stands the Sree Subramanya Swamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Murugan. It was worshipped in the past by the Muthuvan tribal people, and members of the Travancore royal family later renovated it during their summer visits to Munnar. Its architecture blends Kerala and Tamil styles. Its main festival, Thrikarthika, falls in the Malayalam month of Vrischikam (November–December), when Muthuvan families still come down from their settlements for the lamp festival known as Muthuvan Karthika. (Read about the tribal communities of Munnar.)

The estate temples

On almost every tea estate in Munnar, among the labour lines, stands a small temple, often dedicated to Mariamman, Kali, Murugan or Ganesha. These shrines were built by the Tamil workers and their families, and carry the traditions of the villages of Madurai and Tirunelveli from which their ancestors came. Their annual festivals, with processions, music, offerings and feasts, are among the great events of estate life. (Read the history of Munnar's tea workers.)

Other places of worship

Munnar's mosques serve the Muslim traders, shopkeepers and families who have long been part of the town. Further afield, the Kuthirayala cave temple preserves traditions of the Kannagi legend, and Marayoor's temples and sacred groves reflect the Tamil heritage of the Anchunadu villages. (Read about Marayoor and its five villages.)

Visiting respectfully

• Dress modestly, and remove footwear where required.
• Ask before photographing people, ceremonies or the interiors of shrines.
• Keep your voice low, and avoid visiting during services unless you wish to take part.

(Read also our introduction to Munnar.)