Mundakayam

1. Mundakayam is an important town in the Kottayam district, Kerala. History of the town dates back to 1904, a British planter J J Murphy set up first commercial rubber plantation in the country. J J Murphy settled in Yendayar in the neighborhood of Mundakayam and established rubber plantation with help of workers from Kerala and Tamilnadu. He is known as “Kerala’s rubber man”. Mundakayam region is a major producer of natural rubber in India. 90 percent of total Indian rubber production is from Kerala.

2. In Mundakayam J J Murphy started first rubber research centre in India in the year of 1924.

3. Mundakayam is well connected by roads. Kollam Dindigul National Highway 183 passes through the town. Yendayar, Kootikkal, Urumbikkara are neighboring places of Mundakayam.

4. Mundakayam is known as “the gateway to the highrange”. It is the resting place before leaving for Idukki highranges. Usually travellers take a break and have tea and snacks before climbing mountains.

5. Mundakayam is a major commercial town and spice trade centre. Commodities from surrounding agricultural lands reach Mundakayam. There is a big bus station in Mundakayam from where buses to almost all parts of Kerala is available..

6. Manimalayar, a major river in central Kerala, flows through Mundakayam town. It originates from muthivara hills in Idukki Kottayam border of western ghat mountain and empties into vembanad lake.

7. There are three bridges built on Manimalayar river in the town. Two of them are across the river connecting both shores of the town. Pilgrims coming from Tamilnadu and Andhra pradesh to Sabarimala pass through the town. Erumeli town is just 12 kilometers away.

8. Town has many shopping complexes and restaurants. This is an ideal location for shopping in Eastern part of Kottayam district.

9. Mundakayam is part of Poonjar constituency in Kerala Assembly and part of Pattanamthitta Loksabha constituency. Hindus and Christians form majority of the population. There is a Muslim community lives in the town. Kerala Congress(M), CPI(M), Indian National Congress and BJP are the major political parties of the area.