Pathanapuram

Pathanapuram (Malayalam: 'പത്തനാപുരം' Pathanāpuraṁ) is an administrative division (taluk) situated in the Western Ghats in the Kollam District of Kerala state of India. Its head quarters is at Punalur. Pathanapuram town is about 13 km from industrial town Punalur. The taluk covers a mountainous area of 1248.32 km² and has a population of about 360,000 people.

==History== Pathanapuram was the capital of Thenmala Desom,a small country. Later it was amalgamated to Elayidathu Swaroopam. Its capital was Kottarakkara. Pathanapuram was a district in this country. In 1764, Marthandavarma conquered Elayidathu Swaroopam and added it to Travancore. Then Pathanapuram became a taluk known as Mandapathumvathil. There were 32 Taluks at that time. In 1905, Taluk headquarters was shifted to Punalur.

Geography:

Major townships around Pathanapuram

Conveyance

- 1.From Thiruvananthapuram: (Recommended route) Proceed to Kottarakkara via Kilimanoor through M.C road and then turn right and proceed to Kunnicode through NH 208. From Kunnicode,take left to Pathanapuram (Distance 89 km). - You can also reach Pathanapuram via Punalur(Distance 88 km). - The shortest route from Thiruvananthapuram to Pathanapuram is via Kilimanoor, Valakom,Chengamanadu and Kunnicode (Distance 81 km)

- 2.From Ernakulam/Alappuzha/Kottayam: - From Ernakulam, proceed to Kayamkulam via Alappuzha through NH 47. From Kayamkulam, proceed to Pathanapuram via Adoor (Distance 152 km) - From Ernakulam, one can also proceed to Kottayam and then to Adoor through M.C Road and finally to Pathanapuram (Distance 147 km)

- 3. From Kollam : - From Kollam, proceed to Kunnicode through NH 208 and then take turn to Pathanapuram. - (Distance 44 km).

- 4. From Sabarimala/Munnar/Thekkady: - From Sabarimala, Munnar or Thekkady, proceed to Pathanamthitta and then to Pathanapuram via Konni. Sabarimala(89 km) is a famous pilgrim centre. Thekkady (132 km) and Munnar (230 km) are famous hill stations.

- 5. From Tenkasi: Proceed to Punalur through NH 208 and then to Pathanapuram(71 km).

Transport links

Rail: The nearest rail links to Pathanapuram are situated in Chengannur, Kayamkulam, Kollam, Punalur and Avaneeswaram; all of which are broad gauge rail stations.

Air: Pathanapuram is situated 89 km from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, and 175 km from Cochin International Airport.

Road: The area is well connected to the rest of Kerala by bus services.

Educational and charitable institutions

• University Institute of Technology
• St Stephen's College, Maloor
• Mount Tabor Girl's Higher Secondary
• St Stephens School, Pathanapuram
• C.A.M. High School, Salempuram
• HB High School, Naukkunnu
• St: Mary's Residential School
• Al-Ameen public school
• Mother Susan Memorial English Medium School
• Gandhibhavan, Kundayam
• College of Engineering, Pathanapuram
• N. M. U. P. School
• Govt. N. M. L. P. School

Theatre, art, music and cinema

• SEEMA DTS THEATRE.

Politics

Pathanapuram assembly constituency is a part of the Mavelikkara Loksabha Constituency. Kodikunnil Suresh is the MP as of 2012 after winning the elections in 2009. He is now the Minister of States ( Labour). This is also the home constituency of actor turned politician K. B. Ganesh Kumar. He has won from this constituency in the 2001, 2006 and 2011 Assembly elections. He is the current M. L. A. from the place. He was the Minister of Forests, Sports & Cinema till 2013, april.

Places of worship

Pathanapuram contains Hindu, Muslim and Christian places of worship.

Hindu Temples include Elikkattoor Sree Mahadeva temple(9 km from town), Kamukumchery Thiruvilangonappan temple, Sree Sankara Narayana Swami Temple (Kurumpakara), Mancode Oripuram Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Pathanapuram Kavala Devi Temple, Pattazhi Devi Temple [1], Kundayam SreeMahadevar temple, Vellaramon Bhagavathy temple, Kavil Bhagavathy Temple, Manchaloor Madathil Shree Durga Devi Temple, Manchaloor Sreekrishna Swamy Temple and Chekom Mahadevar Temple.

Churches include the Mount Tabore church, Shalepuram Church, St:Stephens C.S.I Church(Puthuval) and Kalanjoor Brethren Christian Church.

Mosques include the Nedumparambu Mosque,Nadukkunnu Pallimukku Mosque,Maloor Mosque,Kundayam Mosque, Mancode Mosque, Padam Mosque,Islamic center (Karammoodu).

Place to visit

• Vazhappara Water Falls
• Punalur Suspension Bridge of Pathanapuram Thaluk ( Only Two Bridges in India in its type)
• Kallada River
• Anchumala Para

Pathanapuram lies on the border of the Periyar National Park and can be a refreshment stop on the way. Other places of tourist interests nearby are Varkala (62 kilometres (39 mi)), Alleppey (86 kilometres (53 mi)), Kovalam (96 kilometres (60 mi)) and Thenmala .

Legacy

Pathanapurathu pathu pacha thatha chathu kuthiyirunnu (പത്തനാപുരത്ത് പത്തു പച്ച തത്ത ചത്തു കുത്തിയിരിന്നു) is a popular toungue twister in the Malayalam language. The meaning of this is "Ten dead parrots sat in Pathanapuram"