Pala, also written as Palai, is an Indian town located 28 km east of the district capital Kottayam in the Indian state of Kerala. It covers an area of 74.09 km2 and is 173 km north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. Pala is located on the banks of the Meenachil River and is the headquarters of the Meenachil Taluk and the Pala Revenue Division. Pala is 5 km west of Bharananganam, an important Syro-Malabar Catholic pilgrimage center, which also houses the tomb of Saint Alphonsa.