Also known as Kurisumala Monastery, Kurisumala Ashram stands on the Kurisumala hill and is counted as one of the top pilgrimage destination in the world. Meaning ‘Mountain of the Holy Cross’, Kurisumala is a place for the Catholics and the people who believe in Gandhian philosophy. Belonging to the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, this ashram is visited by devotees of all religions. The peaceful ambiance of the ashram offers an ideal opportunity to the guests and residents to have meditation sessions in search of inner self. There is huge meditation hall for the same.
Placed on the Erattupetta-Elappara road, Kurisumala ashram was founded in the year 1958 by Fr. Francis Mahieu, a Belgian monk. He was invited by the Bishop of Thiruvalla to India and later was re-christened as Francis Acharya. Apart from being a place for spiritual seekers, it is also a prime tourist spot wherein the visitors can admire the lush greenery of tea gardens and the nearby lakes. The routine day at the ashram starts at 04:00 am in the morning and ends at 08:30 am in the night. Good Friday is celebrated on a large scale here.
