Mavelikkara

Mavelikara
—  town  —
Mavelikara
Location of Mavelikara
in Kerala and India
Coordinates
Country India
State Kerala
District(s) Alappuzha
Population 28,440 (2001)
Time zone IST (UTC+05:30)
Website alappuzha.nic.in

Mavelikara is a town and municipality in Alappuzha district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is located in the southern part of Alappuzha district on the banks of the Achankovil River. Mavelikara is one of the oldest municipalities of the state. It has also a very strong historical and cultural background. Chettikulangara Devi Temple, known for its famous 'Kumbha Bharani' festival, is situated in Mavelikkara. One of the 108 famous Shiva temples of the world, Kandiyoor Mahadeva Temple, popularly known as 'Dakshina Kashi' is situated here. It was also a major place of trade and commerce in ancient Kerala. Also, the erstwhile capital of the rulers of Onattukara.

Contents

Demographics

As of the 2001 Indian census,[1] Mavelikara had a population of 28,440. Males constitute 47% of the population and females 53%. Mavelikara has an average literacy rate of 86%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. Male literacy is 87% and female literacy is 85%. In Mavelikara, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Economy

Some of the industries in and around Mavelikkara are:

Politics

Lok Sabha

Mavelikara assembly constituency is part of Mavelikkara (Lok Sabha constituency).[2] This Lok Sabha constituency consisted of Chengannur, Mavelikara, Kayamkulam, Pandalam, Thiruvalla, Kallupara until 2008. Since the Lok Sabha Delimitation in 2008, the assembly constituencies have comprised Changanassery, Kuttanad, Mavelikara(SC), Chengannur, Kunnathur(SC), Kottarakkara and Pathanapuram. The constituency is now reserved for a scheduled caste candidate.

Kodikkunil Suresh of the INC has represented the Mavelikara Parliament constituency since 2009.

State Assembly

R.Rajesh from CPI(M) is the representative of Mavelikkara in the kerala assembly.

Interesting facts

Mavelikara was once part of the principality of Onattukara and has been a centre of religious harmony, culture and arts for several centuries.

As a testament to its link to that flourishing center of Buddhist culture, Mavelikara is one of the rare places in Kerala where one can find The Statue of Buddha in Seated Position, which is dating back to the 9th century AD.[3] Budha junction in Mavelikara is famous.

Nooranad, a place in Mavelikkara, is known as "The bird Village of Kerala".

Demand for New Mavelikkara District

The demand for a new Central Travancore district with Mavelikara as its headquarters is being raised once again on July 26 2008.

The demand, which was not heard for the last seven years or so, was raised by the Thiruvananthapuram-based Janakeeya Samithi led by freedom-fighter K.E. Mammen and Mavelikara MLA M. Murali during a public function attended by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan at Mavelikara on Monday.

Mr. Murali, pointing out that the demand for a separate Central Travancore district centred around Mavelikara or Onattukara was a long-standing one, said it was because of constant pressure from himself, Mavelikara MP C.S. Sujatha and other leaders that Onattukara was included in the M.S. Swaminathan Commission’s package for Kuttanad. Onattukara, just like other areas in Kuttanad, deserved special attention as far its agricultural woes were concerned.

The region also required more attention from Railways, he said, requesting Mr. Achuthanandan to pressurise Railways to establish a Mavelikara-Punalur railway line.

The Janakeeya Samithi, on the other hand, submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister citing the demand for the new district. Signed by Samithi director Ashok Alex Philip and general secretary Ani Varghese, the memorandum recalled that Mavelikara was the central hub pivotal to administrative affairs during the days of the Travancore monarchy.

Eminent personalities

  1. The current line of the Travancore Royal Family hails from the Mavelikkara. Raja Ravi Varma was married to Pururuttathi Nal Bhageerathi Amma Thampuran (Kochu Pangi) of the Royal House of Mavelikara from which they had two sons and two daughters. Their eldest son, Kerala Varma, born in 1876 went missing in 1912 and was never heard from again. Their second son Rama Varma (b.1879), was an artist who studied at the JJ School of Arts, Mumbai, and married Srimathi Gowri Kunjamma, sister of Dewan PGN Unnithan. Raja Ravi Varma's elder daughter, Ayilyam Nal Mahaprabha Thampuran, appears in two of his prominent paintings and was mother of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore. He had another daughter, Thiruvadira Nal Kochukunji Thampuran, grandmother of Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma Maharajah. His descendants comprise the Mavelikara Royal house while two of his granddaughters, including the said Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, were adopted to the Travancore Royal Family, the cousin family of the Mavelikara House, to which lineage the present Travancore Maharajah Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma belongs. Well known among his descendants are writer Shreekumar Varma (Prince Punardam Thirunal), artists Rukmini Varma (Princess Bharani Thirunal) and Jay Varma, classical musician Aswathi Thirunal Rama Varma and others.
  2. P. G. N. Unnithan, was the last Diwan (Prime Minister) of independent Travancore (Thiruvithamkoor).Sri PGN Unnithan hailed from the Edassery Pattaveettil Family of Mavelikkara which had a history of high military service to the Travancore Royal Family. He succeeded Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer on 20 August 1947 following the latters' resignation (subsequent to the attempt on Sir CP's life at the Swathi Thirunal Music academy on 25 July 1947). He chaired the Travancore Constitutional Reforms Committee. He relinquished office on 24 March 1948 when a people's government led by Sri Pattom Thanu Pillai as Prime Minister took over. Unnithan Lane at Sasthamangalam in Thiruvananthapuram is named after him.
  3. C. M. Stephen, well known Congress leader and trade union leader (INTUC) and the former Indian Union Cabinet Minister for Home as well as Communications in the Indira Gandhi Government.He also served as the opposition leader when Mrs.Gandhi lost elections.(Please give the link).
  4. Aboon Geevarghese Mar Ivanios,OIC (Servant of GOD), founding father of the Syro – Malankara Catholic Church,founder of Bethany Ashram, was the Arch Bishop of Trivandrum who established many major educational institutions in South Kerala.
  5. Cartoonist Yesudasan _( born in Bharanikavu).
  6. Chellappan Pillai, the famous Kathakali artist, (Chennithala).
  7. Mavelikkara Prabhakara Varma,Carnatic singer.
  8. Mavelikara Krishnankutty Nair,Carnatic Mridangam player.
  9. Ramesh Chennithala, the present President of the KPCC (born in Chennithala).
  10. Prof. R. Narendra Prasad, Film/Television actor. (Thekkekkara)
  11. Mavelikkara S. R. Raju,Carnatic Mridangam player.
  12. Kadhikaratnam S.S.Unnithan, (Thekkekkara)
  13. Mavelikkara Velukkutty Nair,Carnatic mridangam player.
  14. Magician Samraj,Magician.
  15. P. C. Alexander– Principal Secretary to Former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi,Indian High Commissioner to U.K,Ex- Governor of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.(Please give the link).
  16. Mavelikara Ponnamma, Film/Television actress.
  17. Chunakkara Ramankutty, Lyricist.(Chunakkara)
  18. Dr.Ramesh Menon, Systems Biologist.(Chettikulangara)
  19. Dr. Biju, Film director.(Kudassanad)
  20. Sivaraman Cheriyanadu. Literaturist. (Kaitha North, Chettikulangara).

Passport Office

Thiruvananthapuram, JULY 12, 2007. Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said on Thursday that a new passport office will soon be set up in the state that already has four passport offices.

Achuthanandan told the state assembly that the government has already approached the centre for the setting up of the fifth passport office in Mavelikkara town of Alappuzha district.

"We have already taken up this issue with the centre because a passport office to cater to Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta is a must if you look into the number of passport applications from these three districts," he said.

Achuthanandan said that of the total 55,727 passports issued by the Thiruvananthapuram passport office till July 7 this 2007, 11,317 passports were given to people from Pathanamthitta district.

"Likewise, of the 87,906 passports issued by the Kochi passport office till July 7, 15,630 were issued to people from Kottayam while 11,290 were given to people from Alappuzha district. This clearly shows that a fifth passport office in central Kerala is a must," added Achuthanandan.

Kerala is the only state in the country to have four passport offices. The fourth one was opened in Malappuram district in north Kerala in 2006 while the other three are in Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, a record 616,906 passports were issued in the state in the previous fiscal year.

Cultural Events

Chettikulangara Kumbabharani

Chettikulangara Kettukazhcha, conducted every year on the Bharani Nakshathram in the Malayalam month ‘Kumbham, is probably the most amazing cultural 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 ) as well as icons of Bhima and Hanuman. All the temple cars, chariots and the icons are gigantic in size and many times larger than any other similar Kuthiras and Therus built during the festivities at other temples in the Central Travancore region.

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 celebrating here is the sivarathri.It is usually celebrating in the months of February or March.During the day thousands of devotees,even from other districts came to the temple to see the massive spctacular kettukazhcha.On sivarathri day morning there is a Kaavadiyaattam for Lord Murugan.Thousands took 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,which is the vehicle of Lord Siva )come to the temple.The happy croud dances with the rhythm of Kerala,The Sinkaarimelam.

Other festivals celebrating here include the Vrischikamahotsavam in the month of vrischikam.The celebration last 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.

Vettiyar Pathamudayam

Pathamudayam, the famous temple festival is conducted at Vettiyar Palliyarakkavu temple.The 1000 year old temple has 7 Karas (territories).This is in the month of 23 or 24 April(Kollavarsham medam 10).The highlight of the festival is Kettukazhcha. The preparation for Pathamudayam starts days before the actual day and usually that day will be the Vishu.Meanwhile the people from 7 karas of Vettiyar will arrange for the construction of Kettukazhcha to the temple. People from each area will pull the Kettukazhcha from the construction sites to the temple to preset them before the Devi and after having darshan the parties take up their respective position in the ground lying east of the temple

Mother Teresa Trophy Boat Race

The Mother Teresa Trophy Boat Race is held during Onam along the stretch of River Achankovil

Main Places

Religion

Temples

Churches

Educational Institutions

Colleges

Schools

See also

References

  1. ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01. 
  2. ^ "Assembly Constituencies – Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies". Kerala. Election Commission of India. http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S11/KL_Dist_PC_AC.pdf. Retrieved 20 October 2008. 
  3. ^ "Monuments-peeping into the past" Information & Public Relations Department, Government of Kerala
  4. ^ Souvenir published during 100 year celebrations of the congregation.
  5. ^ John, Eipe, "Rev. Joseph Peet Vyaktiyum Darshanavum (Rev. Joseph Peet – Man and Vision)", Triteeya Suvarana Jubilee Smaranika (150th Jubilee Souvenir), CSI Christ Church Mavelikara, 1996 pp 37–41.
  6. ^ Mavelkara Diocese

External links