Ottapalam

Ottapalam Ottappalam
town
Population  (2001)
• Total	49,230
Temperature Range: 21.4°C -37 °C

Ottapalam (Malayalam: ഒറ്റപ്പാലം) is a town in Palakkad District of Kerala state in South India. It is also the Head Quarters of Ottapalam Taluk. Situated on the banks of the Bharathappuzha river (also called the Nila old name was Perar), it has a rich cultural heritage and has played host to many historic events.It is the film city of Kerala as it is such a beautiful location. Being headquarters of the taluk by the same name, it is one of the municipalities of the district.Chinakathoor pooram held every year at chinakathoor Temple is a famous event. It used to be a major town of Nedunganad later on became part of Valluvanad Taluk during the reign of the Zamorins of Calicut. Ottappalam is connected by Shornur Palghat Railway line. The principal spoken language is Malayalam.

Geography

Ottapalam is located at 10.77°N 76.38°E / 10.77; 76.38. It has an average elevation of 54 metres (177 feet).

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Ottappalam had a population of 49,230. Males constitute 47% of the population and females 53%. It has an average literacy rate of 81%, which is significantly higher than the national average of 59.5%. Male literacy is 82% and female literacy 79%. Nearly 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Politics

Ottapalam assembly constituency is part of Palakkad Lok Sabha constituency.

Transport

Ottapalam is well connected to a number of major cities in Kerala by road and rail.

It has a major railway station in the Southern Railway network. Most of the major passenger and express trains stop here. It is a major station between Palakkad and Shoranur in the Konkan route and Wadakkanchery in the Kanyakumari/Alapuzha route. There are train services to Shoranur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Kochi and Nilambur.

The Palakkad-Shoranur (Kulappully) State Highway passes through the town. Government buses as well as private bus services operate between Ottapalam and other major towns such as Thrissur, Palakkad, Pattambi, Guruvayoor and Thiruvilwamala.

Calicut Airport, Cochin International Airport and Coimbatore Airport are the nearest airports.

Nearest Places

• Sri Ramakrishna Nagar – 4 km South East on the bank of River Bharata
• Vaniyamkulam – 5  km away, en route to Guruvayur.
• Mannanur – 9 KM from Ottapalam (Diversion from Vaniamkulam towards south)
• Vallapuzha – 15  km away, en route to Vaniyam kulam Kayiliyad OR Kulappully Pattambi Ruote.
• Cherpulachery – 17 km north.
• Manissery- 4 km west.
• Palakkad – 34 km east.
• Palappuram- 4 km east.
• Pattambi – 20 km away, en route to Guruvayur.
• Shoranur – 15 km west.
• Thrissur – 50 km west.
• Ambalapara – 10 km north en route to Mannarkkad.
• Mangalamkunnu – 17 km north en route to Mannarkkad.
• Sreekrishnapuram – 21 km north en route to Mannarkkad.
• Poolakkaparambu – 1.5 km away from Ottapalam Town.
• Mayilumpuram – 2 km away from Ottapalam Town (Friends Sports Club).
• Kanniyampuram – 1 km west of Ottapalam Town.
• Lakkidi – 7 km east
• Thottakara 1.5 km North
• Ottapalam – Cherpulassery 17 km Varode, 4th mail, Panamanna, Trikkadeeri

Developments & Latest News

• KINFRA IT Park, Near Lakkidi, Palappuram – 4 km News on the project are as below.

http://origin-www.mathrubhumi.com/palakkad/news/231010-local_news-palakkad-ഒറ്റപ്പാലം.html http://origin-www.mathrubhumi.com/palakkad/news/253589-local_news-palakkad-ഒറ്റപ്പാലം.html http://malayalam.webdunia.com/newsworld/news/keralanews/0912/29/1091229059_1.htm http://www.deepika.com/Archives/cat1_sub.asp?ccode=Cat1&subcatcode=KL9&newsdate=04/01/2010&category=]me-¡mSv http://www.deepika.com/Archives/cat1_sub.asp?ccode=Cat1&subcatcode=KL9&newsdate=04/11/2010&category=]me-¡mSv

Business

• Kavitha Jwellery – 0 km Main Road Ottapalam
• KVMS Developers – 5  km away, www.kvmsdevelopers.com, info at kvmsdevelopers.com, en route to Palakkad.

Temples / Mosques / Churches

• Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Sri Ramakrishna Nagar (P.O), Ottapalam -679103. Near Meetna-Palappuram railway station
• Pancha-Mukha Shiva Temple, (Inside the Ramakrishna Ashrama Complex), Sri Ramakrishna Nagar
• Gadadhara Vishnu Temple, (Inside the Ramakrishna Ashrama Complex), Sri Ramakrishna Nagar
• Swami Nirmalananda Memorial Temple, (Inside the Ramakrishna Ashrama Complex), Sri Ramakrishna Nagar
• Chinakkathoor temple
• Pariyanampatta Temple (also known as Valluvanad's Mookambika Temple), Kattukulam
• Killikavu Temple, Kanniampuram
• Srikurumba Bhagavathi Temple, Chorottur
• Puzhikunnu Sri Krishna Temple, Ottapalam
• Vengeri Shivan Temple, Ottapalam
• SreeKurumba Bagavathi Temple,SRK Nagar,Ottapalam
• Subath ul Islam Masjid,East Ottpalam, Ottapalam
• Srirandumoorthi Temple, Thrikankode
• Killikkavu Temple, Manissery
• Chattankandar Kavu, Verode
• Kalari Temple, Thottakara
• Sree Vettekkaren Kavu, Thottakara
• Thiruvalayanad Bhagavathi Temple, Thottakara
• Parthasarathy Temple, Thottakara
• Mathoor Mana, Thottakara [1]
• Kalikavu Temple, Pookkottukavu
• Mathoor Mana, Thottakkara
• Nedungottiri Siva Temple, Mayilumpuram
• Chinmaya Mission, Palat Road, Ottapalam
• Killikurissi Mahadeva Temple, Lakkidi
• Chergottu Kavu, Lakkidi
• Koratti Sree Krishna Temple, Lakkidi
• Panayoorkavu Temple, Kadambur
• Modhalapparakavu Temple, Kadambur
• Cherambatta kavu near Chalavara
• Cheumulayankavu near Kayiliyad
• Methrukovil Near Kayiliyad
• Kethrukovil Near Kayiliyad
• Malolma Devi Temple, Panamanna
• Ayyappan Kavu at Thottakara
• Sree Panamann Sankaranarayana Swamy Temple, Panamanna, Ottapalam (6 km from Ottapalam town)
• Sree Kuridimahadeva Temple, Panamanna, Ottapalam
• Pisharikkal
• uthrattil kavu devi temple,thirunarayanapuram,sreekrishnapuram
• killikurssi kavu vana durga temple,kuruvattor,puthankulam
• Azhakottil Vishnu Kshethram, Mannanur
• Karthyayani Bhagavathi Temple, Mannanur
• bhagavathi shethram, vaniamkulam

Hospitals

• Govt Hospital, Ottappalam,
• Ashwini Hospital, Ottappalam,
• 7nth Day Hospital, Ottappalam,
• Valluvanad Hospital, Ottappalam,
• Vishnu Ayurvedic, Kulappuly,
• Panjakarma Instt,Ayurveda Samajam, Shornur,
• Sevana Hospital, Pattaambi,
• Sanjivani Hospital, Kulappuly,
• Madina Hospital Vallapuzha,
• Care Hospital Vallapuzha,

Education

Schools

• L.S.N Girls High School, Ottapalam
• Kendriya Vidyalaya, Ottapalam
• N.S.S.K.P.T. High School, Ottapalam
• Mannam Memorial, N.S.S. English Medium High School, Ottapalam
• Seventh-Day Adventist Higher Secondary School, Kanniyampuram
• Islamic Central School, Ottapalam
• Amrita Vidyalayam, Kanniyampuram
• Bhavans Vidyalaya, Thottakara
• T.R.K. Higher Secondary School, Vaniyamkulam
• ALP School, Pookkottukavu
• GLP School, Thanikunnu
• AKNMMA Memorial High School, Kattukulam
• Government Higher Secondary School, Munnurkode
• Lakshmi Narayana Junior School, Near CPM Area Committee Office, Ottappalam
• Chalavara High School Chalavara
• Kayiliyad ALP School Kayiliyad
• Vallapuzha High School, Vallapuzha
• KCM UP School Vallapuzha ,Kuruvattoor
• Orphanage School Vallapuzha, Vallapuzha
• KPSMM Higher Secondary School, Varode
• sree shankara oriental high school, vayanasala [Sanskrit school
• Nanu Nair Smaraka kalakendram, Kuruvattor(kathakali school)]
• UP School, Mannanur

Colleges

• N.S.S. College, Palappuram
• N.S.S. Training College, Ottapalam
• Lakshmi Narayana College, Palappuram
• Lakshmi Narayana Women's College, Ottapalam
• Vivekananda College, Ottapalam
• Ottapalam Cooperative College, Ottapalam
• Allied Management College, Manissery
• Allied Model College, Manissery
• RMCC Professional College
• Nehru Engineering College, Pambady
• Markaz Oriental College, Pulinchode
• Al Ameen Engineering College, Kulappully
• S.N College, Kulappully

Technical Institute

• S.V.I.T.C. Ottapalm
• Khairath I T C Pazhaya Lakkaidi

Renowned people

People, who enriched the lives of local people of Ottapalam area

• Swami Nirmalananda (1863–1938), who was a direct monastic disciple of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna (1836–1886) died in 1938 at Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Sri Ramakrishna Nagar, near Ottapalam. The ashrama is located on the bank of River Bharata and his sacred body was consigned to flames next to the river. A sacred samadhi-mantap is standing on that very spot. Later a memorial temple was built in the ashrama on his memory. It was Swami Nirmalananda who boldly came forward to rescue the some of the poor brahmins who were mercilessly excommunicated by the Brahmin-orthodoxy known as Bhrashtu. This was supported by the Maharaja of Cochin also. But Swami Nirmalananda not only saved them from excommunication, but also taught them to treat all Hindus equally irrespective of higher and lower caste disctinctions. It was the Swami, who started early education among the Namboothiri women along with the local poor children. Swami Nirmalananda was one among the SEVENTEEN monastic disciples of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna. He was the first Assistant Secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission, a position to which he was elected by the Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna in 1901 in the presence of Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902).
• Dr. K.G.Raveendran – Kannath Poduvattil Gopala Poduval Raveendran (1964–). Currently the Medical Director at Arya Vaidya Pharmacy – a 120 bed Ayurvedic hospital in Coimbatore. Legendary,brilliant,extraordinary, accomplished Ayurvedic physician. Traditional highly spiritual lineage and multifaceted personality. Winner of many honors and awards at the city,state and National level.Patient list includes whos who and luminaries from all walks of life. Dr.Raveendran was born in a traditional family of Ayurvedic Physicians. His father – Azhakath Gopala Poduval belonged to the Kuttencheri tradition, one of the limbs of famous Ashtavaidya Tradition. He imbibed the familial tradition with interest to master the science, had special training in traditional paediatrics from Padinjare Kunnath and traditional toxicology from Thripunithura Midukkan Thampuran. Due to the excellence in his medical practice, he was appointed as the Royal Paediatrician of the Thripunithura Palace that belonged to the Kochi kingdom. He was recognized by the Madhya Pradesh government and was awarded Fellowship by the National Ayurvedic Academy. Dr.Raveendran is the only Physician in that tradition now and has shown his paternal excellence even at a younger age, the credit of which is attributed by himself to his ardent spiritual practices. Inspired by his father who was and is the role model in his career, Dr.Raveendran joined Ayurveda College, Coimbatore in the year 1981. From the shores of the river Bharathapuzha, the river that carried the essence of Kerala’s cultural excellence, it was a spiritual migration to the campus that processed with vedic wisdom. Situated in the sylvan surroundings of the Western Ghats, the campus and the curriculum were conducive for positive development of an individual. The course was designed according to the ancient Gurukula pattern and was for 7 ½ years. He learned Sanskrit, Literatures, Ayurvedic texts like Charaka Samhita, Ashtanga Samgraha and Susruta Samhita, Yoga, Kalari from Gurus who were trained traditionally and institutionally. He graduated in the year 1989 from Madras University to qualify as AYURVEDA ACHARYA or Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery. Dr.Raveendran went back to his father for final initiation for practising what he had learned. He also had an informal training in western medicine under an expert – Dr.P K R Warier. He joined The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (Coimbatore) Limited (AVP) in 1989 and started his career with a short training in the hospital – Arya Vaidya Chikitsalayam and Research Institute – where he later became the Medical Director. He worked in different branches of AVP and contributed towards the making of these to the leading outlets of the institution. Last tenure was in the Ernakulam (Cochin) branch for a period of 5 years. There he used to see 60 to 120 patients each day, all, suffering from a range of conditions, acute and chronic. Some of the areas he became dependable as a result-oriented Physician were rheumatism, metabolic disorders, renal diseases and infertility. When the Chief Physician of AVP retired, Dr.Raveendran was the first and final choice to be sworn in for the same post. He joined Arya Vaidya Chikitsalayam and Research Institute in 1998 and has been serving it since then. With the Blessings of Lord Dhanwanthiri who is the main deity of the temple located in the campus, he visits daily before starting his duties, the institution attained more name and fame since the beginning of his tenure. The former President of India Shri K R Narayanan was under his treatment since 2001 September had an intensive Ayurveda treatment under his care in May 2002 and after that awarded a Letter of Appreciation to him. Dr.Raveendran’s patients encompass Ministers, Heads of States and Nations,leading industrialists,celebrities and grateful patients from all walks of life from simple villagers to urban professionals whose lives he continues to touch and transform with his humble nature and healing hands.

People who were born in Ottapalam

• K.P.S. Menon, independent India's first Foreign Secretary. He also served pre-independence India as an Agent-General to China.
• Shiv Shankar Menon,presently National Security Advisor to Prime Minister of India and the former Indian foreign secretary succeeded by Nirupama Rao
• M. G. K. Menon, the former Union Minister and Scientific Adviser to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
• M.K. Narayanan, the former chief of the Intelligence Bureau and present National Security Adviser.
• K. Sankaran Nair, the former Intelligence Bureau (India) Director and head for the Committee of Asiad 1982.
• Bhaskar Menon, the first Indian to head a multinational corporation, was the chairman of Lever Brothers in England (now Unilever).
• Vidya Balan, the Bollywood actor.
• Gautham Menon, a Tamil film Director
• Lal Jose, a renowned Malayalm Director of popular films such as 'Meesa madhavan','Neelathamara','Achhanurangatha veedu'etc.
• P.K.S. Kutty (Kutty (cartoonist)), Indian political cartoonist
• Former President of India K. R. Narayanan

External links

• Kerala government's places to visit page
• Visit Ottapalam Municipality website