An important centre of the Syrian Christian community in Kerala, Kottayam is located between the palm-fringed backwaters on the west and the Western Ghats to the east. Also called the Rome of the East, the city is renowned for its churches and houses built in the colonial style. The town is also the birthplace of the state/’s publishing industry and home to a number of globally renowned newspapers and magazines. Kottayam has a moderate and pleasant climate.