Kottayam
Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. Kottayam literally means the interior of a fort—Kotta + Akam. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west, Kottayam is a place that is known for extraordinary qualities. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south-west Kerala. Kottayam is located in the basin of the Meenachil River at an average elevation of 3 metres... Show more above sea level, and has a moderate climate. It is located 150 kilometres north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. Many of the first Malayalam daily newspapers, like Deepika, Malayala Manorama, and Mangalam, were started and are headquartered in Kottayam, as are a number of publishing houses.