Murikkan's church, built by a lanlord

The video shows a church built by Murikkummoottil Joseph or Murikkan, an adventurous landlord of olden times who lived in Kuttanad region of Alappuzha. Kuttanad is one of the few places in the world where farming is done below sea level.

Murikkan undertook large scale farming by reclaiming large portions of backwater by erecting earthen dikes. Murikkan undertook this task after a request from the then rulers of Travancore kingdom. The reclaimed blocks of backwaters viz. Q, S and T were renamed as Chithira, Rani and Marthandam kayals (backwaters).

Murikkan’s farming was highly successful and this earned him the title, ‘Kayal Rajavu’ or King of Backwaters. Murikkan also built around six churches in Kuttanad. This church located on an islet is also known as Chithira Palli.