| Padanilam Nooranad |
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| Pakshigraamam (Village of birds) | |
| — town — | |
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| Coordinates | |
| Country | India |
| State | Kerala |
| District(s) | Alappuzha |
| Nearest city | Kollam |
| Parliamentary constituency | Mavelikkara |
| Assembly constituency | Mavelikkara |
| Civic agency | Head quarters of Nooranad Panchayath |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) |
| Website | www.Padanilamparabrahma.org |
Padanilam is a small town located near Nooranad in the Alappuzha district of Kerala. The word Padanilam means "land of war" (pada means "war" and nilam means "land").It is located on the banks of river Achankovil. The Padanilam temple[1] is one of the important centres of worship in Kerala. The place witnessed war between the Kayamkulam kingdom and the Pandalam kingdom.
The Nooranad Grama Panchayath[2] office is situated in Padanilam.
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Padanilam has an average elevation of 4 m (13 ft). Padanilam (Nooranad)is bounded by VenmonyPanchayath on the north, Pandalam & Palamel on the east, Mavelikkara thamarakulam on the south and Chunakkara & Thazhakara,Kerala on the west.
Padanilam is situated on Para-Edapppon-Pandalam road. It is about 17 km away from Kayamkulam Town and about 7 km from Pandalam Town. There are many private and KSRTC buses that run along this route. The buses through Padanilam are plying from the private and KSRTC bus stands of Kayamkulam and Pandalam. There are buses from Pandalam, Kayamkulam, Pathanamthitta, Konni, Mavelikkara, Oachira, Karunagapally, etc., passing through Padanilam. Padanilam is situated on the Kayamkulam-Kattanam-Vetticaud-Charummood-Padanilam-Edappon-Pandalam-Pathanamthitta bus route.
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Padanilam Parabrahma Temple[3] is one of the major temples in Kerala. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Parabrahma. The temple is very much like the Oachira Parabrahma Temple.The temple has no compound walls and roofs. This is one the few temples in Kerala where a large number of festivals are being conducted. The temple is one of the idathaavalam of sabarimala Dharma Sastha temple. There are KSRTC buses from Padanilam to Pamba during the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season. The temple has mainly 13 karakal, who conduct the annual Sivarathri Festival. This is the biggest Nandikesha (ox vehicle of Lord Siva) kettulsavam in Kerala.
Temple Website:http://padanilamparabrahma.org
Padanilam Temple and its surroundings witnessed many historical wars. Once there was a war between the south and the north.During the war,many soldiers of both the sides died in large numbers.They were buried in the chira near the temple.Even from very earlier times, this temple is a blessing for the people in the surrounding areas. Nooranad Padanilam has a history of an intense war. The origin of war was the border conflict between two erstwhile kingdoms, northern& southern. One side consisted of Noorukodi Unnithans & Kadackal Karuppans & the other Vettathasaans & Velladickal Karuppans. The first war is believed to have occurred b/w BC-645 & BC-700, led by Marthandavarma King on one side & Kayamkulam King on the other. The 22 Karakals of Nooranad took side with the 2 kings. The common people started worrying about the devastation of the war & approached the Pazhoor Panamana Thampuran to find a solution to end the war. He tried to intervene but warring parties were not in a position to stop. He made a tent in the Eastern part of the temple and started a fast unto death. But that also did not deter the warring parties. But when he was on the verge of death due to the fast, they fearing the Brahmanasaapam, agreed to stop war. They demarcated the boundary in North-South direction and stopped the war in the name of Parabrahma, the presiding deity of the temple.
St. Thomas Syrian Orthodox Church is about 150 meters after the Padanilam Market and Padanilam High school. It is an olden church which is founded 100 years before and the founder Mr. Varu Varghese came originally form Kuravilangadu which he belongs to the family of Pakalomattom the one among the 4 families is being baptized by St. Thomas the disciple of Jesus Christ in AD 52 and his tomb is at the St. Thomas Orthodox Church. Two brothers of the family came to Padanilam and one is settled in Padanilam and the other in Nooranad. One of the hierarchy in that family is known as Padanilathu Ashaan (Late Mr. Geevarghese Kochukunju) and the junction north to the Church is known as Ashaan Mukku.
Padanilathu Assaan was a well known person was member of prajamandalam and Dalapathy belonging from the Padanlthu Mappilamar and the junction next to the market is named as Assan Mukku. Assan (Mr. Geevarghese Kochukunju) had passed away on August 5, 1971. In his heriditory Mr. P.K. Varghese (Thomas Sir), Charly V. Padanilam, Ragan Biji Varughese, Regi V. Greenland and Rev. Fr. T.G. Geevarghese Kathanar also belongs to this family.
Sivarathri is the main festival in the temp. Thousands come to temple that day to see the kaavadiyattam for Lord Subrahmanyan in the morning. Kaavady from ll parts of the area come separately and meets at the temple.On that evening,there is a kettulsavam, which is the most spectacular sight of the festival. Kettulsavam from 13 distinct areas of the village come to the temple at around 4 PM. The rituals & programmes end only at midnight. It is a superb grand affair. The Kettukazhcha or Kalakettu ritual is one of the hallmarks of the temple. The tall, colorful effigies of bulls (signifying Nandi, the bull vehicle of Lord Shiva) are pulled on wooden chariots (rathams).
The Kettukazhcha is performed as an offering by the devotees to the deity. Artisans of the various villages in the vicinity vie with each other for the most intricately decorated effigies. The biggest structure can be as big as 70– 80 feet (24 m) tall. Scholars believe that the tradition of Kettukazhcha has its roots in Buddhism which was prevalent in the Kerala during the 3rd century.
Another feature of the festival of the temple is that the people from different villages bring big chariots or rathams. On these rathams are located idols of various Hindu gods and goddesses and effigies of mythological characters like Bhima, Panchali etc.
Festivals conducted in Padanilam Temple are:
Festivals in St. Thomas Syrian Orthodox Church:
Festival in Fatima Matha Catholics Church:
Padanilam is situated in the Parliamentary and Assembly constituency of Mavelikkara. The current MP of the area is Kodikkunnil Suresh (INC) and the MLA is R Rajesh (CPM).The LDF rules the Panchayat. There are 17 wards in the Panchayat. Indian National Congress, communist Party of India (Marxist)(CPM), Kerala Congress (M),and communist Party (CPI) are major political parties in this area.
It is the headquarters of Nooranad. The village is famous for its beautiful agricultural fields like Karingalichaal Puncha and Peruvelichal Puncha. Different varieties of birds can be found in this area. Because of this, Nooranad is known as the Pakshigraamam, meaning "village of birds" And famous SREE BUDDHA Engineering COLLEGE situated in this village. Padanilam Parabrahma Temple is located in the heart of Padanilam town.