Mount Carmel Church, Munnar

Mount Carmel Church in Munnar is the first Roman Catholic church in Idukki district. It was founded in the 1880s to serve Tamil workers on the tea estates; its founder was Father Alphonse, a priest of the Spanish Missionary Society. The mission was continued after him by Fr. Blasius, OCD, and Fr. Salustin, OCD, added a grotto in 1938 that survives today.

The pastel-coloured building has wood-framed windows and an Indian-influenced design, and its main shrine has statues of Christ and Mary. From a terrace the view takes in hills, valleys, tea gardens and rivers. Holy Mass is said daily and draws people from surrounding villages. The church also appears in scenes from the film Life of Pi.