Nalanchira

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Nalanchira is a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, formerly known as Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala State in India. It is the educational hub of Kerala and is rightly called the Oxford of the South. It is situated between Mannanthala and Paruthippara. Nalanchira is approximately 8 km from the Thiruvananthapuram railway station and 11 km away from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. The Main Central (MC) Road runs through this place. This middle class residential locality is famous for educational and social service institutions. The Nalanchira Bethany Hills were originally owned by a chettyaar and was given to Mar Ivanios the founder of Syro-Malankara Catholic (MSC) Church to start an educational institution. The main residential areas are Convent Lane, Benedict Nagar, Rajeev Gandhi Nagar, Puliyoor Gradens, Rose Nagar, Akshaya Gradens, Shawallace Lane, Post Office Line, Chathiode Lane, Kurishadi Jn. and Jayamatha Lane.

Christianity and Hinduism are the two major religions in Nalanchira. The major churches are St. Thomas Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (under the Thiruvanathapuram Malankara Catholic Diocese) and St. Mary’s Malankara Orthodox Church. While the Udiyannur Shiva Temple is the one of the main temples, another major temple is the Eravipuram Sri Krishna Swami Temple. The Uriyadi festival at this temple on the occasion of Janmashtami attracts devotees from all over the country.

M. Vijayakumar of the CPM is the MLA representing Nalanchira in the state legislative assembly, while Shri Pannian Ravindran represents the area in the Lok Sabha.

Nalanchira is home for the Bethany Asramam for priests and Bethany Madom for nuns run by the Bethany missionaries. Bethany Nature Cure, the famous ayurvedic treatment and yoga centre is located here. The Synaxis of the Bethany Ashramam held in the year 1998 decided to divide the congregation into two provinces, namely Bethany Navajeevan Province and Bethany Navajyothi Province (the headquarters) is situated at Bethany Hill, Nalanchira, Trivandrum. The Jayamatha Orphanage,run by Franciscans Christian Missionaries,which cares for about 210 children is also located in Nalanchira.

This suburb is home to several educational institutions such as Mar Ivanios College, Mar Baselios College of Engineering and Technology mbcet.org, Malankara Catholic Major Semirary, Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Mar Theophilus teacher training college, Bethany College, St. John’s school, St. Goretti’s school, Jaimatha Institutions, Navajeevan School, Hotel management college and the Instituttion for Fire and Safety Engineering. Hospitals include KJK Hospital at Shawallace Lane which specialised in infertility treatment.