Kattappana
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Kattappana is a small town surrounded by hills, located in the Idukki district of Kerala state in India. It is located near the tourist spots Munnar and Thekkady. It is the largest town in the Highrange and houses most of the educational institutions. Other towns and cities nearby are Nedumkandam, Idukki, Mundakayam, Thodupuzha, Kanjirappally, Pala, Kumily, and Kothamanglam.
Kattappana is known as the Spice Capital of Kerala. The town's fortunes rise and fall with the swings of the pepper market. The mid-1980s saw an unprecedented boom in construction activity as a result of a surge in the price of pepper. The overdeveloped town shows how much can be packed into so little space. The economic boom of the town led to land prices that were once rumoured to be higher than those in Cochin (Kochi), the commercial capital of Kerala, and that still remain high. Affluent families from other parts of the Highrange are attracted to Kattappana as it is the only place in the Highrange that has quality medical facilities.
Kattappana is an example of how Government records may have little to do with the actual state of affairs. Much of this bustling town is considered to be part of "forest areas" said to be owned by the Government, but not in the records. The state of the cultivated lands in the surrounding area is no different. Granting pure Title deeds to the farmers, a vote catching slogan raised by successive state governments, has until now been thwarted by Central Forest laws and court decisions.
Despite being the commercial hub of the Highrange, Kattappana is often not shown on official maps. Many attractions near Kattappana are little-known by outsiders. Among them are Calvari Mount and Vazhavara, which offer scenic views of the Idukki Reservoir, Vandanmedu, and Nankuthotty. The Gram Panchayat of Kattappana has a project to build a watch tower at the Kalyanathandu that will offer scenic views of the Anchuruli portion of the Idukki Reservoir.
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[edit] Demographics
Syrian Christians are the dominant community in the town. (But the landmark of the town is a magnificent edifice dedicated to a Hindu, Sree Narayana Guru). The town has a large population of Achayan Syrian Christians of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, who mainly derive from the Kottayam district, particularly from Palai and Kanjirappally.
Nair and Ezhava peoples from the Hindu community also make up a good part of the population. There are very few Muslims compared to other communities.
[edit] Education
Colleges in Kattappana are affiliated with the Mahatma Gandhi University of Kottayam. Many institutions are run under the management of the Diocese of Kanjirappally, affiliated with the Mahatma Gandhi University.
[edit] Colleges
- Government College Kattappana (one of only two Govt. colleges in Idukki district)
- College of Applied Science (IHRD) Kattappana
- Co-Operative College Kattappana
[edit] Higher secondary schools
- Ossanam Higher Secondary School Kattappana
- St. George's Higher Secondary School Kattappana
- St. Jerome's Higher Secondary School Vellayamkudy
- Auxilium EM Higher Secondary School Kattappana
[edit] High schools
- Government Tribal School Kattappana
[edit] Transportation
The nearest airport is at Nedumbassery near Cochin. Nearby railway stations is at Kottayam.
[edit] Notable residents
Kattappana is home to Sebastian Joseph, a semi-literate farmer who developed the superior variety of Cardamom now known as Njallani, eclipsing the feats of established research organisations. The town is also home to a modern spiritual guru, Sri Suryaji, an advocate of surya yoga.
