Known proudly as "Akshara Nagari" (The City of Letters), Kottayam was the first town in India to achieve 100% literacy (in 1989) and is the historical epicenter of Malayalam publishing.
* **Printing & Literature**: The CMS Press, established in 1821 by Rev. Benjamin Bailey, was the first printing press in Kerala. The district remains the undisputed literary capital of the state. * **Traditional Arts**: The district actively preserves traditional Kerala art forms like *Kathakali*, *Thiruvathirakali*, and *Margamkali* (a rhythmic traditional Syrian Christian dance). * **Mural Art**: The Ettumanoor Mahadeva Temple features exquisite, centuries-old Kerala mural paintings that attract art historians and devotees alike.