Pathanamthitta, the thirteenth revenue district of Kerala, which holds Sabarimala

Background

The district is in the news because the Kerala High Court has appointed a retired judge of the High Court as Observer to oversee the selection of Melsanthis at the Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha temple and the Malikappuram temple, which the Pathanamthitta district administration serves through its own Sabarimala orders and notifications. Pathanamthitta is the thirteenth revenue district of the State of Kerala. It was formed with effect from the 1st November, 1982, with headquarters at Pathanamthitta. It is bounded on the East by the State of Tamil Nadu, on the North by Changanassery and Kanjirappally Taluks of Kottayam District and Peerumade Taluk of Idukki District, on the South by Kunnathur, Pathanapuram and Kottarakkara Taluks of Kollam District and on the West by Chengannur, Mavelikkara and Kuttanad Taluks of Alappuzha District. The district nestles its head on the slopes of the Western Ghats and stretches to the low-lying rice fields bordering Alappuzha District.