Chengannur (also spelled Chengannoor or Chenganur) is a municipal town in the Alappuzha district of the state of Kerala in South India.
Chengannur is located in the extreme eastern part of Alappuzha district, on the banks of Pamba River.[1]
It is 117 kilometres (73 mi) north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram on the MC Road.
Chengannur is connected to Kollam and Kottayam by NH 220. Chengannur is noted for the Chengannur Mahadeva Temple[2] (aka 'Dakshina Kailasam' as a major Shiva temple of South India) and its Old Syrian Church of the ancient Syrian Christian community.
Chengannur is also a major destination of Sabarimala pilgrims known as the Gateway of Sabarimala.
As of the 2001 Indian census,[4] Chengannur Taluk had a population of 125,391. Males constitute 48% of the population and females 52%. 9% of the population is under 6 years of age. People of old age comprises 34%.
History
Chengannur means land (ur) of the red (Chenga) soil. This soil is different from the soil of surrounding Kuttanad, hence the name "Chengannur".
In early modern period, Chengannur was a part of Kayamkulam dynasty and which is later came under Travancore kings when Kayamkulam was ceded by Marthandavarma in the 18th century.
Pepper, popularly known as "black gold", was a major export item of Chengannur. Angadical (Angadi means market in Malayalam) was the main market in Chengannur. Current Chengannur market is developed by Velu Thampi Dalawa. During the 19th and 20th centuries, this market played a major role in selling and buying goods produced in eastern region of the state with the coastal part of Kerala.
Mahatma Gandhi addressed at the Mills Ground (Called 'Mills Maithan' in local dialect) at Chengannur in 1925 as part of his visit to Travancore state. In 1938 as part of Indian independence movement, large gathering of people from all over Central Travancore were present at the Mills Maithan in Chengannur in response to a notification circulated by the State Congress. There was police lathi charge during the meeting and one person named 'Kutilil George' died and scores of people were injured.
Chengannur's Munsif court, which recently completed its centenary, was long the most important judicial center of the region.
Chengannur Municipality was formed in the year 1980 with Shri. P.K John Plammoottil (Retd. Deputy Superintendent of Police - DySP) as its First Municipal Chairman.
Culture
The cultural background of Chengannur originates from the era of Royal rule. Chengannur was a part of Vanjippuzha Principality which was under the rule of Travancore.
Chengannur town is in the banks of Holy river Pamba which influenced the culture of this town. There are many "Chundan Vallam" (Snake boats) participating in Aranmula Boat Race hails from Chengannur and nearby areas. Padayani is a traditional temple art-form which is performed as part of the festival in Vadasserikkavu Devi Temple, located 2 km north of Chengannur town. Chengannur has produced several great artists. The most famous one is the famous Kathakali artist Chenganoor Raman Pillai, popularly known as "Guru Chengannur".
Chengannur is famous for the craftsman who were brought by Kings of Travancore to build the temple in Sabarimala. Later generations of these craftsmen also famous for their skills and idols of many temples in Kerala are crafted by them. Mannar is a place in Chengannur Taluk which is famous for the Bronze industry.
Chengannur is a major 'Shaiva' pilgrim destination in India. Chengannur temple is one of the 108 temples believed to be created by Parasurama.
Chengannur Suriyani Church is another example for the architecture excellence of this town. It was built by Vanjipuzha Chief.The Church is shared by Marthoma and Orthodox believers of the locality including cemetery and all other assets.It is famous for the unique architecture. There is a 33.5 feet tall Cross made from single stone is a major attraction of its Architectural beauty."Aval Nercha"(Flattened rice offering) at this church is another significant tradition which is believed to have been initiated by a member of the church "Mrs.Akkama" nearly 400 years ago.This custom is still practiced by the local believers and organised by the members of Mukkath Kudumba Yogam on Maundy Thursday every year. 4 out of 5 major Vishu temples believed to be created by Pandavas, Thrichittattu, Puliyoor, Aranmula and Thiruvanvandoor are in and around Chengannur. These temples are major Vaishnava pilgrim destination in South India.
Demographics
According to the 2011 census, Chengannur has a literacy rate of 96.26% (males: 97.90%, females: 94.80%). Chengannur has a sex ratio of 1100. The total increase in the population from 2001 has been estimated as 0.61%. Its population is predominantly Hindu and Christian, with a very small number of Muslims. The most widely spoken language is Malayalam. The standard dialect of Malayalam spoken is the Central Travancore dialect. Most people are able to talk in English as well.
Transport
Chengannur is well-connected by road and rail. State Highway 1 (SH1), popularly known as the MC Road, passes through the heart of the town and connects Chengannur to state capital, Thiruvananthapuram and Angamaly in Eranakulam District. The Chengannur - Kottayam stretch of the MC Road is also part of the NH 220 which stretches between Kollam and Theni. Another major road is State Highway 10 which connects Chengannur to Mavelikkara and Kozhencherry. Besides these two roads, there are also many arterial roads running across the length and breadth of the town.
The nearest Airport is Trivandrum International airport which is about 116km from Chengannur. Other nearby airport is Cochin International Airport (CIAL) which is about and 127km from Chengannur. With these two airports, Chengannur is well connected to Major Indian cities as well as the Countries in Middle East, Far East, Europe and Americas.
The two administrative systems prevailing in the Chengannur are Revenue and local self-government. As per the revenue system, Chengannur is one of the two revenue divisions of Alappuzha district. The Chengannur revenue division comprises Karthikapally, Chengannur and Mavelikkara taluks consisting of a total of 44 villages.Under the local self-government system, Chengannur is divided into 1 statutory town and development blocks consisting of 11 panchayats.
Politics
Lok Sabha
Chengannur is a part of the Mavelikara constituency which after demarcation extends from Changanassery in Kottayam district to Kottarakkara in Kollam district. Kodikunnil Suresh of the INC has been representing the Mavelikkara constituency since 2009.
State Assembly
Chengannur's assembly constituency (Number 110) is a part of the Mavelikkara (Lok Sabha constituency).The first speaker of the Kerala legislative assembly, Sankaranarayanan Thampi, was an MLA from Chengannur. K. K. Ramachandran Nair was the MLA from 2016 onwards. He died and was replaced in the by-elections conducted on 28 May 2018 by Saji Cheriyan of Left Democratic Front.[8]
Economy
There are many state Government offices, Banks and educational institutions located in Chengannur. A good number of people work in these institutions. Other major source of income is from the Non Residential Indians, which is a common economical factor in the central Travancore region, and rest of Kerala as well. Agriculture is also there in the outskirts, but mostly confined to Rubber Plantations. There are no major industries in Chengannur, but a number of small scale industries are present. Major private employers are limited to banks, hospitals and shops.
Chengannur Central Hatchery in chengannur which was started in 1961 was Asia's biggest poultry hatchery under government initiative.
In Sabarimala season, which starts from Mid November to Mid January there is a huge boost in economical activities in this town. Since Chengannur is the nearest Railway station to Sabarimala,[9] most number of devotees use this railway station to visit temple. During this season a boost in Restaurant, hotel and transportation business is visible.
The population of Chengannur mainly practices Hinduism and Christianity. Muslims are also found in the M.C. Road Mulakuzha region of the town. Most of Muslims living at Kollakadavu and Mannar areas.
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