Mundakayam

Mundakayam, is a town in Kanjirappally Taluk in the Kottayam District of Kerala. It is the doorway to the high ranges of southern Kerala, and is at the border of Kottayam and Idukki districts. The next nearest town, Kanjirappally, is 14 km & Erumely is 12 km from Mundakayam. Mundakayam has rubber plantations, and greenery. The Manimala River runs through Mundakayam. It is located 48 km east of the district headquarters at Kottayam and 148 km from the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram. The name Mundakayam is said to be derived from the Mundi cranes that used to be seen along the Manimala River banks.

Economy
Mundakayam is a land of coffee, pepper, cocoa and natural rubber. The rubber plantations in India had originated from Mundakayam, which was introduced by J.J. Murphy around 1910. An All India Agricultural & Industrial Exhibition was held here in 1967 which was inaugurated by Hindi film maker Sunil Dutt.

Administration
Mundakayam is part of Poonjar Constituency for Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections and part of Pathanamthitta (Lok Sabha constituency) for Indian General Elections. Sebastian Kulathunkal (LDF, Kerala Congress) is the sitting MLA. Anto Antony of INC is the MP representing Mundakayam.

Transportation
Mundakayam is well connected to places like Kottayam, Changanacherry, Ernakulam, Kumily, Peerumedu, Kuttikkanam, Kattappana, Erumely, Panchalimedu, Thiruvalla, Parathanam and Koottikkal. N.H 183 from Kollam to Theni passes through Mundakayam. Both private and state-owned buses operate here from dawn to dusk. Mundakayam's private bus station at the heart of the city is one of the biggest bus stations in Central Kerala. A new KSRTC bus station at Puthenchantha is awaiting inauguration. Mundakayam is connected to major cities Kochi and Trivandrum by KURTC's AC Low Floor Services. Daily buses go from Mundakayam to Chennai and Bangalore. Volvo Multi Axle Services of Kallada, Green line, Atlas, Kerala lines to Chennai & Banglore are also available. A new bypass road is opened to free the town from traffic block.

Parathanam is a small village and it is 8 km from Mundakayam.

Sabarigiri International Airport
On 19 July 2017, the Kerala Government announced the construction of the 5th International Airport in Kerala, Sabarigiri International Airport at Cheruvally Estate of Harrisons Plantations at Erumely, situated at the Border of Kottayam District and Pathanamthitta district to facilitate the travel of Sabarimala pilgrims. The proposed project site Cheruvally Estate is just 15 km from Mundakayam.

Entertainment
Even though there are no shopping malls in Mundakayam, the town has a lot of shopping complexes. Athiyalil Plaza at the town centre being the biggest. Thannimoottil building, CSI Shopping Complex, CVM Arcade, Arafa Shopping Complex are some others. Mundakayam have 2 Film Theatres and a Multiplex. RD Cinemas started play in 3-screen on 10-5-2018 in Mattathil building Paiangana. The multiplex has one 4K and two 2K screens. The multiplex is owned by Film maker B Unnikrishnan. Reliance Trends started operating from 2020 in Mundakayam.

Education
• SREE Sabareesa College, Murikkumvayal, Mundakayam

• St. Joseph's Central School and Junior College, Mundakayam

• BBM TTI, Mundakayam

• Government HSS, Murikkumvayal, Mundakayam

• St. Antony's High School, Mundakayam

• St. Joseph's Girls High School, Mundakayam

• CMS High School, Mundakayam

• YWCA English Medium School

• MES Public School

• Kallivayalil Pappan Memorial School

• SN Public School, Mundakayam

• CMS LP School, 31st Mile Mundakayam

• St. Luis LP School, Mundakayam

• TR&T LP School, Kuppakayam, Mundakayam

• CKM Higher Secondary School

• Government Higher Secondary kuttiplangadu

• Government hHigher Secondary Murikumvayal

• John Joseph Murphy Memorial Higher Secondary School Yendayar

• St. Antony's College Kodikuthi

Government Institutions
• Mundakayam Post Office

• Mundakayam Police Station

• Government General Hospital Mundakayam

• PWD Guest House

• BSNL Office

• Kerala Water Authority Office

• KSEB Office

• Village Office

• Krishi Bhavan

• Central Excise Office, Mundakayam

• Excise Range Office, Mundakayam

• Thiruvithamcoor Devaswam Board Commissioner Office, Mundakayam

Financial Institutions
• State Bank of India

• HDFC Bank

• Life Insurance Corporation of India

• Federal Bank

• South Indian Bank

• ICICI Bank

• Canara Bank

• Meenachil East Urban Cooperative Bank

• Kottayam District Cooperative Bank

• Sahyadari Cooperative Credit Society

• North Malabar Gramin Bank

• Vijaya Bank

• Service Cooperative Bank, Mundakayam

• Pulickal Finance

• Muthoot mini

• Kosamattam finance

• KLM Nidhi

• Bank of Baroda

• Union bank

Temples

 * Palakunnel Sree Dharmashasthave Temple koottickal
 * Parthasarathy Temple, Mundakkayam
 * Sree Subhramanya Swami Temple, Boyce estate, 35th mile
 * Valliyamkavu Devi Temple, Paloorkkavu
 * Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Amaravathy
 * Thalumkal Sree Mahadevi Temple, Koottickal
 * Sree Cheruvally Devi Temple, Punchayayal
 * Chotty Sreemahadeva Temple
 * Murikumvayal Sree Maha Vishnu Temple, Murikumvayal
 * Paschima devi Temple, Paschima

Churches

 * St. Thomas Orthodox Church, Paingana, Mundakayam
 * Mor Ignatius Alias III Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church, Mundakayam
 * Holy Trinity C.S.I Church, Mundakayam
 * St Mary's Church, (Roman Catholic - Latin Rite ) Mundakayam
 * St Joseph's Church (Roman Catholic - Syro Malankara Rite ), Mundakayam
 * Our Lady of Dolours Forane Church, (Roman Catholic - Syro Malabar Rite ) Mundakayam
 * Bethel Marthoma Church, Mundakayam
 * John Paul Centre Church,(Roman Catholic - Syro Malabar Rite ), 31st Mile, Mundakayam
 * Apostolic Oblates, 31st Mile, Mundakayam
 * San Pio Capuchin Ashram, Mundakayam

Mosques

 * Mundakayam Muslim Jama Ath Town Juma Masjid
 * Masjidul Wafa
 * Chotty Juma Masjid
 * Varickani Juma Masjid
 * Masjid As-Salam, Paingana
 * Salafi Masjid

Notable people

 * Thilakan - Prominent Malayalam film actor - an Indian film and stage actor who has starred in over 200 Malayalam films
 * Joseph Abraham - Athlete - won the 400m Hurdles Gold for India at 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games
 * Seema G. Nair - supporting actresses in Malayalam cinema and serials

Nearest towns

 * Kanjirapally 14 km
 * Erumeli 12 km
 * Erattupetta 26 km
 * Pala 35 km
 * Pathanamthitta 46 km
 * Kottayam 54 km
 * Thiruvalla 60 km
 * Changanacherry 58 km
 * Kumily 55 km
 * Kattappana 58 km
 * Manimala 29 km

Nearby taluks

 * Kanjirappally 14 km
 * Azhutha 24 km
 * Vazhoor 28 km
 * Ranni 30 km

Nearest airports

 * Cochin International Airport 	105 km
 * Trivandrum International Airport 155 km

Nearest railway stations

 * Kottayam Railway Station 	51 km
 * Changanacherry railway station 53 km
 * Tiruvalla railway station 	56 km