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Alappuzha

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For the district with the same name, see Alappuzha District.

Template:Infobox Indian jurisdiction

Alappuzha (Malayalam: ആലപ്പുഴ), also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. A town with picturesque canals, backwaters, beaches, and lagoons, it was described as the one of the places known as "Venice of the East" by Marco Polo (1292). It is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha District. Though the present town owes its existence to the sagacious Diwan Raja Kesavadas in the second half of 18th century, district of Alappuzha figures in classical Literature. Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala with the unending stretch of paddy fields, small streams and canals with lush green coconut palms, was well known even from the early periods of the Sangam age. History says Alappuzha had trade relations with ancient Greece and Rome in Antiquity and in the Middle Ages, as well as with other parts of India. The famous Chettikulangara temple is at Mavelikkara in Alappuzha district. Arthunkal church and Edathuva church are famous Christian worship centres in the district.

Geography

File:Allepey Beach.jpg
Remains of Ship Bay in Alleppey Beach seen during dusk

The name Alappuzha is derived from 'Aal(Sea/Ocean)+ puzhai(River/mouth)(The joint place of river and Sea)' (Malayalam/Tamil ). Alappuzha is bordered by Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts to the east, Kollam district to the south, Ernakulam district to the north and the Arabian Sea to the west.

Alleppey Coastal Plains are formed of Quaternary sediments. A series of dunes and ridges marking the repeated regressional and transgressional events characterize this coastal plain. The soil of the area belongs to the group of Tropopsamments - Tropofluvents, commonly called coastal alluvium. Major water bearing formations are Tertiary sedimentary formations and weathered and fractured crystalline formations. The land form possesses ridge and swale topography formed in the late Quaternary geologic period.

Allepey's Beach is one of the most beautiful of its kind throughout the entile Malabar Coast. Its more spectacular to view the beach during dusk.

History

Alappuzha town was built by Diwan Raja Kesavadas. Before joining in to Thiruvithamkoor state, Alappuzha was small provinces. Alappuzha and Ambalappuzha were under Chembakasery Province. Mavelikkara and Kayamkulam were under Odanadu. The other name of Odanadu is Onattukara. The capital of Chembakaserry was at Ambalappuzha. And the capital of Onattukara province was at Kandiyoor near Mavelikkara. Later it shifted to a place named Eruva and then shifted to Krishnapuram near Kayamkulam.

Alapuzha Beach

Commerce and tourism

Soon after Alappuzha was developed as a port by the Diwan Raja Kesavadas, the town started functioning as the main commercial centre of the state of Travancore. Export flourished from the port. Spices like pepper were the main export items. Thachil Matthoo Tharakan, a close confidante of the Diwan, pioneered the export of timber. Domestic trade was also active. Many traders from Gujarat came and settled down here to do trading, leading to the presence even now of a Gujarati community in the town. Alappuzha is a centre for coir industries. Later coir (different kinds of rope made from coconut fibre) became a major product of the town, both for local and world markets.

Public transport boat service in Kerala

Water transport

Regular water transportation is carried out by Kerala State Water Transport Department.

Alappuzha is now the hub for backwater tourism in Kerala. Houseboats locally called "Kettuvallam" are available for hire on a daily basis as well as for longer durations to take visitors on the old waterways. These houseboats in general have two bedrooms and attached bathrooms. Some of the boats have the bedrooms fitted with air conditioners. A routine trip includes food cooked on board in the traditional Kuttanad style. Alappuzha is unique in that it is the only district in Kerala without forest.

File:Hseboat alleppy.jpg
Houseboat, Punnamada Backwaters, Alappuzha

Social and cultural institutions

The district of Alappuzha is the place where the Kerala State Library Council was established on September 14, 1945. The council formed as a meeting of all libraries of Travancore conducted at P. K. Memorial Library, Ambalappuzha. The library council in Alappuzha district conducts a wide variety of socio-cultural programs in the district, as well as computer education.

Saradamandiram - aradamandiram is a house built by Kerala Panini A.R. Rajarajavarma near Sri Krishna Swami Temple at Mavelikkara. He spent his latter part of life there. The Kerala government acquired Saradamandiram and preserves it as a memorial. Famous as Kerala Panini, A.R. was born on February 20, 1863. He is the first grammarian of Malayalam. He was instrumental in bringing about drastic changes in the educational system by revising the syllabus and reforming the Kudippallikkoodam ("Hut Schools") style. He prepared textbooks himself to overcome a textbook shortage. He was a reputed professor. His close disciples include Sahitya Panchanan P.K. Narayana Pillai, and Swadeshabhimani K. Ramakrishna Pillai. He died on June 18, 1918.

A.R. is the first ever Indian principal of The Maharajas College (now University College) at Thiruvananthapuram. He is the man who visualized a university uniquely for Kerala. Rajarajavarma actively led the reformist group in the Prasavadha, which revitalised the craft and soul of Malayalam poetry. Malaya Vilasam, written by A.R., is considered an example of his talent as a poet. By writing several introductions to renowned poetic works, he proved himself as the pioneer of the modern critical approach in Malayalam literature.

The latest addition to Alappuzha is the Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum [1] featuring countless arts and artefacts. Revi Karunakaran was the architect of modern Coir industry that still employs more than 500,000 people in the state of Kerala. The objects featured at the Museum were collected by his family over three generations and features unique artistic pieces from all across the world.

Cultural events

Cultural events in Alappuzha include the Chambakkulam Moolam boat race, Chettikulangara Bharani and the Nehru Trophy boat race.

Snake boat races are a traditional event in Alappuzha. These spectacular regattas are usually held between August and October, and involve long thin boats powered by up to 120 oarsmen. The most famous snake boat races are the Nehru Trophy Boat Race and Champakulam Moolam Boat Race.

Religious buildings and monuments

Notable religious buildings include:

  • Chettikulangara Devi Temple, Mavelikkara
  • Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple
  • Mannarasala Temple, Harippad
  • Subhramanya Swamy Temple, Harippad
  • Padanilam Parabhrahma Temple, Padanilam
  • Puthiyidam Sree Krishna Swamy Temple, Kayamkulam
  • Poomkavu Church
  • Edathua Church
  • Champakulam Church
  • Mullackal Raja Rajeshwari Temple
  • East Juma Masjid (near Dutch Square) and West Juma Masjid (near Iron Bridge) were built centuries back and Salafi Juma Masjid Mosque is built by the Nadvathul Mujahideen during 1990's and inaugurated by late Sulaiman Sait Sahib (fomer IUML President).
  • Kidangamparambu Devi Temple
  • Sreekrishnaswamy Temple, Mavelikkara
  • Edamaruthusserril Temple, Puthuppally, Kayamkulam
  • Varnappalli Temple, Puthuppally, Kayamkulam
  • Valiyakulangara Temple, Karthikappally
  • Kalarcode Major Mahadeva Temple
  • Kandiyoor Siva Temple, Mavelikkara (2500 years old)
  • Pathiyamkulangara Sree Bhagavathi Temple
  • Thiruvampady Sree Krishna Swami Temple
  • Vallya Kalavoor Sri Krishna Swami Temple, Kalavoor
  • Velikkattuthara Devi Temple, Kuttanadu, Govenda
  • Elangumatom Sri Khnda Karna Swami Temple, Talavadi
  • Kottankulangara Devi and Maha Vishnu Temple (1800 years old)
  • Mararikkulam Mahadeva (Shiva) Temple
  • Kanichukulangara Devi Temple
  • Korthusseril Bhagavathi (Devi) Temple
  • Thondankulangara MahaDeva Temple
  • Kattuvallil Dharmasastha temple, Mavelikkara
  • Kanakkoor Sree Dhanwanthari Temple and Bhagavathy Temple
  • The picturesque CSI Christ Church in Alappuzha town was built in 1818 by the first CMS (Church Missionary Society) missionary to the erstwhile state of Travancore, Rev. Thomas Norton. It was the first Anglican church to be established in Travancore.

Mullackal Rajarajeswari Temple

Mullakkal Temple located in the heart of Alappuzha city, dedicated to the goddess Rajarajeswari. The temple was a palace of Chembakasseri kingdom and later dedicated to Sree Raja Rajeshwari Devi. Mullakkal Chirappu is one of the main festival times in Alappuzha. Devotees throng the temple in large numbers to seek the blessings of the Devi. The major attraction of the temple is its top-opened Sreekovil, especially made for Vana Durga.

The nine-day Navarathri festival is celebrated with various festivities in Alappuzha, particularly the last two days, Mahanavami and Vijayadasami. Another important festival of the temple is 'Thaipooyakavadi'. About fifteen 'Kavadis' take part in the procession of 'Thaipooyakavadi' festival.

By road it is about 55 km from Eranakulam. There are many stories behind this temple. Some say that the idol seen here was brought by the soldiers of the Thekkumkur king. They were supposed to have kept it in a Jasmine Garden. The idol got permanently fixed at this spot and later a temple was constructed by the king Devanarayana of Chembagasery.

Payasam, Vada, Appam are normally offered to the Goddess as Naivedyam. The first Sunday of December is celebrated in this temple as a women's festival. On that day all functions of the temple are carried out by women only.

The temple timings are 5 AM to 10.30 AM and 5 to 8 PM. Thuravoor Temple Thuravoor Church Arthunkal Church

Padanilam Sivarathri

Padanilam is a developing small town situated in the Mavelikkara Taluk of Alappuzha district. The famous Padanilam Temple is situated at Padanilam. This temple is famous for its festivals. The main festival celebrated here is the Sivarathri. It is usually celebrated in February or March. During the day thousands of devotees, even from other districts, come to the temple to see the massive spctacular Kettukazhcha. On Sivarathri day morning there is a Kaavadiyaattam for Lord Murugan. Thousands take Kaavadi and come to the temple in large groups. On the evening of the day, the most beautiful part of the celebration is held. Large kettukazhchas (bulls, the vehicle of Lord Siva) come to the temple.The happy crowd dances with the rhythm of Kerala, the Sinkaarimelam.

Other festivals celebrated here include the Vrischikamahotsavam in the month of Vrischikam. The celebration lasts for 41 days, mainly the first 12 days. This temple is an Idathaavalam of Sabarimala Temple. The arrange many facilities for the devotees who are going to Sabarimala. The KSRTC arranges bus services from Padanilam to Pamba during the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season.

Chettikulangara Bharani

This temple is very famous in Kerala, as it is believed that the deity of the Bhagawathy temple has miraculous healing powers. The temple is situated in Mavelikkara. In February and March the temple is teeming with life as the festival of Bharani takes place during this time. The temple comes alive with activities and grand feasts. The Bharani festival celebrated in the month of Kumbham is quite an event to the people of this locality and neighbouring places. This festival celebrated with pomp and gaiety is now known as the Kumbhamela of South. Lakhs of people from different parts of Kerala and abroad visit Chettikulangara to participate in this event.

The entrance of the Haripad Subrahmanya Swami temple

The highlight of the festival is Kuthiyottam and Kettukazha. Kuthiyottam is performed as an important offering to the deity. This is a ritual dance practiced and perfected over several centuries. It can be witnessed in several houses of Chettikulangara and in neighbouring areas. The houses are decorated, and the portrait of the deity is installed in temporary structures. Kuthiyottam starts a week before Bharani day. It is a type of folk dance performed by youths with the accompaniment of folk music and other musical instruments.

Chettikulangara Kettukazhcha, conducted every year on the Bharani Nakshathram of Malayalam month ‘Kumbham', is probably the most amazing cultural visual spectacle in Kerala, similar to the Thrissur Pooram.

The event is an offering of the people of Chettikulangara to their beloved deity known for her spontaneous blessings on true devotees as a mark of gratitude, devotion, unflinching faith, and for showering prosperity and protection to their lives. ‘Kettukazhcha’ displays deftly sculpted and decorated forms of six temple cars known as 'Kuthiras', five 'Therus' (chariots) and icons of Bhima and Hanuman. All the temple cars, chariots and the icons are all gigantic in size and are many times larger than any other similar Kuthiras and Therus built during the festivities at other temples in the Central Travancore region.

Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple

Buddha statue

A Buddha statue is located at Mavelikkara. The statue is in a seated posture, resembling Padmasana. A feature common to the idols is that hair has not been engraved on the head. Studies by the Archaeology Department have not been able to explain the absence of hair which is common in Buddha statues of the Gandhara and Mathura tradition. The head has markings resembling a headgear. Though the department has made a pagoda-like structure for the statue, no information on the idol is available to tourists who visit the area. Local people in the area light lamps before the idol. The idol at Mavelikkara is four feet high and is perhaps the biggest in the region. The engravings on the head resemble the helmets of Greek statues. The mark of a sacred thread is visible on the body. Another feature is the marking of a shawl on one shoulder. Here the Archaeological Department has put up a board specifying the age of the statue.

Relation with Sabarimala

The right of Thanthram at Sabarimala temple is with Thazhamon Madom at Chengannur, Alappuzha. The Sabarimala temple renovated at the time of Chithira Thirunal and the construction work were done by the Polachirackal Tharakan family of Mavelikkara. The 'petta thullal' of Ambalappuzha natives is an important event at Sabarimala. The rice used to prepare "Aravana" at Sabarimala is taken from Chettikulangara temple, Mavelikkara. The first "Purappeda Santhi" of Sabarimala is also a priest from Alappuzha district. The holy river "Pamba", related with Sabarimala, joins the Arabian sea at Alappuzha.

Educational institutions

Alappuzha district has more than ten arts and science colleges, one medical college (T.D. Medical College) in the government sector, an engineering college under CAPE (College of Engineering and Management Punnapra) and polytechnics.

The first school in Alleppey, the CMS (Church Missionary Society) Compound School (near the CSI Christ Church), was established in 1816.

The first higher secondary school in Alleppey was Leo XIIIth Higher Secondary School (formerly known as Leo XIIIth English Medium High School, dedicated to Pope Leo XIII), started in 1888.

S D V English Medium Higher Secondary School and Matha Senior Secondary School are premier institutions in Alappuzha for pre-graduate education.

Cochin University College of Engineering under Cusat is a notable engineering college in this city. University Institute of Technology (UIT), St. Joseph College for Women, and Sanathana Dharma College (S D College) are the institutions for common people to study under the Kerala University. The Ravi Varma Government Fine Arts College is at Mavelikkara.

Several leading information technology institutions are situated in Alappuzha town. Five leading C-DIT (Government of Kerala), one C-DAC (Government of India) centre named Orbit Computers, north of SD College, Kalarcode, two G-Tec Centers at Iron Bridge and Collectorate, CAD Centre, NIIT at Mullackal, and one MGEF (Mahathma Gandhi Education Foundation) are among the leading educational institutions in South India.

Notable people

Taluks

Proposed Alappuzha Municipal Corporation

There is a proposal to upgrade Alappuzha Municipality to a municipal corporation.

The proposed Alappuzha Municipal Corporation comprises:

Total area: 169.64 km2

Total population (1991 census): 403,463

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alappuzha.
  • Alleppey houseboat
    Alleppey houseboat
  • Church
    Church
  • Paddy fields
    Paddy fields
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