Source: Photograph taken in August 1996

The Holy Virgin Mary church located in Kandanad is an ancient church of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church. The mortal remains of Mor Baselios Shakralla are interred in this church.

The presbyteral building of the church has an inscription on the wall of the first floor gallery in a special form of the Syriac serto script, typical of Tur `Abdin manuscripts which is translated below:

This cell was built in the time
of our Lord Mar Ignatios Patriarch of Antioch
who is Elias the Second, and from our metropolitan
Mar Qurillos Yuyaqim the Tur
`Abdini by Syrian Jacobitesin the year 1846.

A double Syriac inscription on the modern altar piece of the church is formed of two registers of three panels, separated by very ornamented pilasters. In scriptions are situated on the two laterals panels of upper register, on both sides of a painting of Virgin Mary. Letters are painted in gold on a brilliant red back. These are quotations of Hebrews 9,3 and John 6,55.

Sources:

Briquel-chatonnet, Francoise, Alain Desreumaux, Jacob Thekeparambil, "Syriac Written Heritage in Kerala: First Glances in the Enquiry," The Harp, Vol. XI-XII (1998-99).