RELIGION

The Hindu community in this district, as elsewhere in the country,is organised on the basis of castes and sub castes. The broad divisions of the community are Thiyya, Nairs, Ambalavasis, Brahmins and Kammalan.
The Thiyyas form the majority among the Hindu community inthe district. Though they correspond to the Ezhavas in the southern parts of the State, both the communities disclaim any such connection.
The Musilms, here known as Mappilas, form the second largest community. Majority of them are Sunnis.
Maliq Ibn Dinar of Arabia is believed to have founded mosques at Valapattanam, Madai, Sreekantapuram and Dharmadam. Large number of conversions were made into Islam from
various sections of the population and before long, it became an influential religion.
The district has the unique distinction of having had the State's lone Muslim royal house - the Arkkal royal family. The royal family played an important role in the political as well as Islamic history of the district.
Though Christianity is believed to have been introduced in Kerala by the Apostle St. Thomas in 52 AD, the religion made progress only with the advent of the Portuguese towards the close of the 15th century. The Christians belong mainly to four Churches; the Syro Malabar Church, the Latin Catholic Church, the Church of South India and the Orthodox Syrian Church.
During the last few decades, there has been a large influx of Syrian Catholics from the Travancore-Cochin area of the State.
The Protestant Missions have been at work here since the first half on the 19th century when the Basel German Evangelical Mission was founded by Dr.H.Gundert. Most of their converts were from the Thiyya community.