imported>Ira Leviton: Fixed typos found with Wikipedia:Typo_Team/moss.

2021-06-07T20:58:25Z

Fixed typos found with Wikipedia:Typo_Team/moss.

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{{unreferenced|date=June 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Paika
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| settlement_type = Town
| image_skyline = Paika.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| nickname =
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Kerala, India
| coordinates = {{coord|9|39|0|N|76|43|0|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = India
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Kerala]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Kottayam district|Kottayam]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 =
| area_rank =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total = 8978
| population_as_of =
| population_footnotes =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank =
| population_demonym =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code =
| registration_plate = KL-35
| blank1_name_sec1 = Nearest city
| blank1_info_sec1 = [[Kottayam]], [[Palai]], [[Kanjirappally]]
| website =
| footnotes =
| demographics1_info1 = [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]], [[English language|English]]
| blank2_name_sec1 = [[Lok Sabha]] constituency
| blank2_info_sec1 = Kottayam
| official_name =
}}

'''Paika''' is a small town {{convert|8|km}} from [[Palai]] on the Pala-Ponkunnam road of [[Muvattupuzha]] - [[Punalur]] SH:08, in [[Kottayam district]], [[Kerala]], India. It is part of [[Meenachil]] [[Taluka]], known as one of the most fertile agricultural regions of [[Travancore]]. The town is well connected to the plantation towns of [[Kanjirapally]], [[Erattupetta]] and [[Ponkunnam]]. The majority of residents are [[Syrian Malabar Nasrani]] Catholic Christians continuing their traditions from the times of [[Thomas the Apostle|Saint Thomas]], an apostle of Jesus Christ. This region is part of the mid-lands (adjacent to the high ranges) of south-eastern Kerala. The main income is from agriculture, mostly [[rubber plantation]]s.

==Demographics==
Many Syrian Catholic families of Kerala have origins around Meenachil that includes places like Pala, Paika, [[Edamattom]], [[Bharananganam]], Kuruvinal, Poovarany, Vilakkumadom, Thidanadu, Pinnakkanadu, Chettuthodu, Chengalam. The region is also credited to be the earliest place to experience agrarian expansion, initiated by a few Nasrani families of the region, as early as the 1840s. This trend of expansion later spread to other places in and around Meenachil and Kanjirapally Taluks. These expansions brought about major changes in the social and economic scene of Central Travancore.

==Economy==
Most of the Syrian Catholic families here are rubber estate owners. The [[Sabarimala]] Pilgrimage route passes through Paika. The 'Jubilee feast' of the shrine of Our Lady (St. Mary's shrine Paika is conducted during the second week of December. It attracts thousands of believers every year to this hamlet. Miles of colourful decorations along the pathways and processions led by traditional orchestra during the feast provide cynosure to the eyes. Bible Tableau and Two Wheeler Fancy Dress competitions are conducted in association with Jubilee Thirunal. Cultural programmes led by major troupes and play back singers in association with Jubilee celebrations also attract thousands of people.
Inner Paika also has large tracts of rubber plantations owned by private families. The main income and prosperity of Paika is from the rubber plantations.

==History and Etymology==
The elders are of the opinion that the former name of Paika was Kottachery (kotta=basket; chery=place where people gather), and it was a thriving market in the past. The name Paika originated from "poika" meaning a small river, which runs on the side of Paika.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Kottayam district}}

[[Category:Villages in Kottayam district]]

{{Kottayam-geo-stub}}

Paika - Revision history

imported>Ira Leviton: Fixed typos found with Wikipedia:Typo_Team/moss.