The Church at Nairanam is situated 7 km from Thiruvalla and is believed to be among one of the seven-and-a-half churches originally established by St. Thomas (52 AD) in Kerala. The church displays a marked influence of ancient temple architecture and is a renowned center of worship for the Christian community. An Ecumenical body, known as Niranam Thomathu Kadavu Smaraka Trust, has built the St. Thomas art gallery here. Niranam is also famous as the birthplace of a group of 14th century poets known as the Niranam Kavikal or Kannassa Panikkars. Those poets were renowned for their translation works from Sanskrit to Malayalam, the most well known being 'Kannassaramayanam', a translation of the great Indian epic, Ramayana.