Vadakkencherry

Vadakkencherry (വടക്കഞ്ചേരി)
—  town  —
A view of Vadakkencherry town
Vadakkencherry (വടക്കഞ്ചേരി) Location of Vadakkencherry (വടക്കഞ്ചേരി) in Kerala
Coordinates
Country	India
State	Kerala
District(s)	Palakkad
Nearest city	Thrissur (33 km away) Palakkad (34 km away)
Parliamentary constituency	alathur
Assembly constituency	tharoor
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Codes • Pincode • 678683 • Telephone • +91 4922 • Vehicle • KL-9, KL-49
Website	http://www.vadakkencherry.com

Vadakkencherry (വടക്കഞ്ചേരി) is a small town in Palakkad district of Kerala state, south India, which is 40 km. north-east of Thrissur and a same distance south-west of Palakkad (Total Distance is 80 km. and this is the exact centre of the route). It is under Alathur Taluk in Palakkad district. National Highway 47 passes through Vadakkencherry. Vadakkencherry Vela and "Eakadesi Villaku" is one of the famous festivals in Kerala. Though the spellings are different, many people confuse Vadakkencherry with Wadakkancheri of Thrissur. To avoid confusion, some refer to Vadakkencherry as Alathur-Vadakkencherry or Vadakkencherry-MBR, which is short for Malabar region. The postal code of Vadakkencherry is 678683. Vadakkancherry is surrounded by other locales such as Puducode, Kannambra, Manjapra, Mudappallur, Kizhakkancheri , Konnanchery and Ayakkad.

Contents 1 Name 2 Temples 3 Churches 4 Streets and places 5 Cinema Halls 6 Colleges 7 Schools 8 Hotels 9 Banks 10 Festivals 10.1 Ekadesi Vilakku 11 Land 12 Tourist attractions 13 External links

Name

The name Vadakkencherry is originated by joining of two words - Vadakkan (Northern) and Cheri (Street). Vadakkencherry is sometimes shortened to VDY or VDCY.

Vadakkancherry, sometimes spelled as Vadakkumcherry or Vadukkumcherry or Vadukkencherry, is located in the middle of Palakkad and Thrissur cities on National Highway 47.

Temples

The area has a few old temples:

• Sri Kodikkattu Bhagavathy Temple (Kodikkattukavu)
• Sri Thiruvara Siva Temple
• Sri Maha Ganapathy Temple, Vinayaka street, Vadakkencherry
• Sri Nagaraja Temple, Vadakkencherry
• Mangodimuthi Temple, Vadakkedesham, Kammanthara
• Sri Namburimuthan Temple, Thekkedesham, Kammanthara
• Sri Palliyaarakkavu and adjoining Shiva Temple, managed by Thiruvanjikkulam Devaswam Board, Cherukannambra near Nelliyampadam
• Sri Narashima Moorthi Temple, Anjumoorthi Mangalam
• Padarkavu Sri Krishna Temple, Manikyapaadam
• Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Kovil, Vinayaka Temple, Nagaraja Temple and Padrkavu Sri Krishna Temple; the idols are hundreds of years old; it is said that there are very few idols of Lakshmi Naryana where Lakshmi is resting on the lap of Narayana; there are also two Bhagawathi temples and a Shiva temple in and around the town
• Sri Anjumoorthy Temple, an old, famous temple in Palakkad district, where the idols are hundreds of years old and prathishtas are Sivan, Sudharshan, Devi, Ayyapan, Ganapathy, Krishnan
• Sri Ayyappa Temple Vettikkalkulambu, Pallarod; Prathishtas are Sri Ganapathi, Sri Ayyappan, Sri Murugan
• Kodumpala Umamahaswary Temple
• Sri Kanakkannur Siva Temple, Manappadam, Puducode

Churches

Churches include:

• Rajagiri Church, Kanakkenthuruthi
• St. George Malankara Church, Chakkund
• Lourde Matha Farona Church
• Hermon Marthoma Church
• St. Alosious RSLC Church
• Jose Giri Church
• St. George Jacobite Syrian Church, Thenidukku
• Mar GreGorious Orthodox Church, Thenidukku
• Malankara Christian Church
• St. Thomas Evangelical Church
• The Indian Pentecostal Church of God (IPC), Thenidukku
• The Indian Pentecostal Church of God (IPC,Gospel Centre), Vadakkencherry
• The Indian Pentecostal Church of God (IPC), Koranchera
• The Indian Pentecostal Church of God (IPC), Valkkulambu
• The Indian Pentecostal Church of God (IPC), Akathethara
• Nithya Sahaya Matha Church, Pantalampadam
• St.Jude Church, Odenthode
• St. Xaviers church, Mangalam Dam
• St. Marys Church Mariya Nagar, Chittadi
• St. Marys Church, Karimkayam
• St. Mary's Church, Arogyapuram
• Grace Baptist Church, Vadakkencherry
• St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Church, Erukkumchira

Streets and places

The places or streets in Vadakkencherry are:

• Thiruvara
• Palayam
• Vinayaka Street
• Kammanthara
• Kurukkalthara
• Vadakkencherry Gramam
• Mannamparampu
• Nair Thara
• Kattukode
• Nair Kunnu
• Puthukkulam
• Panthalampadam
• Pradhani
• Royal Junction
• Kizhakkencherry
• Manikkyapaadam
• Palayam
• Mangalam Palam
• Valliyode
• Aamakkulam
• Thenidukku
• Paruvassery
• Nelliyampaadam
• Ayakkad
• Konnencherry
• Pulinkoottam
• Valkkulamb
• Cherukannambra
• Chundakkadu
• Chekkanni
• Kundukad
• Anjumoorthy Mangalam
• Anakkappara
• Karappotta
• Kolakode
• Kanakkenthuruthi
• Kuruvai
• Pothappara
• Vettikkalkulambu
• Pallaroad
• Kavarathara
• Challiparambu
• Kannambra
• Kavarathara

Cinema Halls

There are six theatres in VDY — Jayabharath Movies, New Jayabharath Movies, Thangam, KAM Movie Max Aashirvad, Sobha & Sri Rama. New Jayabharath was opened in mid 2009 and is the first Air Conditioned theater in Vdy. KAM Movie Max Aashirvad was opened in 07/08/2010 inaugurated by Mohanlal. KAM Movie Max is leased by Antony Perumbavoor (Aashirvad Cinemas).

Sl.No.	Name	Location	Facilities	Seating Capacity
1	Jayabharath Movies	Padur Road, Karayankad	35 mm, QUBE, DTS	550
2	KAM Movie Max Aashirvad	KAM Complex	35 mm, A/C, QUBE, JBL 3 way active sound	450
3	New Jayabharath Movies	Padur Road, Karayankad	35 mm, A/C, QUBE, DTS, Dolby Digital	300
4	New Thankam Movies (Constructing)	Bye-pass Junction	35 mm, A/C, QUBE, DTS	450
5	Sobha	Kizhakkencherry Road	35 mm, DTS	600
6	Sree Rama	Kammanthara	35 mm, Digital ufo Satellite projection	400
7	Thankam	Bye-pass Junction	35 mm, QUBE, DTS	550

Colleges

Colleges in VDY include the College of Applied Science, Eminent, College of English, Mahathma College, Hindi Vidyalalya, Women's academy,IAS and St. Marys ITC.

Schools

The schools are :

• Cherupushpam Girls Higher Secondary School
• Rosi English Medium School, Anjumoorthy Mangalam
• Sree Narayana Public School, Valliyode
• Kammanthara (S.V.U.P) School
• Mission School (BEM LP), Vadakkencherry
• C.A. High School, Ayakkad
• A.U.P (Idathil) School
• Govt. Higher Secondary School, Kizhakkencherry
• Gandhismarakam School, Anjumoorthy Mangalam
• Govt. U.P. School Kanakkenthuruthy
• Mary Matha High School Pantalampadam
• Vidya Niketan (CBSE), Manappadam
• Lurde Matha High School, Mangalam Dam
• Narayana U.P School, Manappadam
• Sarvajana High School, Puducode
• Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Manjapra, Puducode

Hotels

Hotels like Diana, Aryaas are used by tourists. Others are Arathi, New Light, Hotel Thoufeeq, Goodlands, SWAMI"S VEG MESS, Sreerama Canteen, Sivasakthi, Royal, Manoj Teastall, Venkiteswara, Hotel Vishnu etc.

Banks

The Banks in VDY are State Bank of Travancore, State Bank of India, Federal Bank, Dhanlaxmi Bank, Bank of Baroda, Centurion Bank of Punjab, Palakkad Co-Operative Bank, HDFC Bank, Union Bank of India, Indian Bank, South Indian Bank, South Malabar Gramin Bank canara bank

Festivals

Ekadesi Vilakku

• The Navaratri is celebrated in Vadakkencherry village. The festivities extend to a total duration of 12 days, which includes the Dasami (10th Day) and the Ekadasi (11th Day), with festivities peaking on Ekadasi day in a grand celebration. The Navaratri starts with the hoisting of the celebratory flag of the deity on the Kodimaram (flag staff) to indicate the start of festivities. During the first 10 days, a caparisoned elephant carrying the image of the village's presiding deity Lakshminarayana Perumal comes in a procession visiting the entire village. Nivediam is offered to the Lord by every house in the village. The Alwar (Vaishnavite priest), who specifically makes it to the Vadakkencherry from Tanjore a.k.a. Thanjavur from where he hails and who is part of the procession, performs the Nivediam ritual. The procession is accompanied by a small group of traditional music players playing the Chenda and accompaniments. The procession is performed twice in a day, once in the morning and once more in the evening.

• Each of the 9 days of the Navaratri festival, as well as the 10th day, is owned by a set of houses within the village. This age-old tradition ensures participation from the village residents while at the same time keeps the bonhomie and the societal obligations going year after year. The day is ended with distribution of the prasadam, a sweet delicacy made of pulses. While this is the default and compulsory sweet delicacy, prepared by the families who carry the responsibility of owning the day, many families also add to this default delicacy with other sweet dishes as well. Post the evening procession, some traditional musical renderings are also organized. This, though, is not a compulsory requirement and is again sponsored by individual families based on their will and wish.

• The Ekadasi day is the grandest of the festival days and is called 'Ekadasi Velakku'. The celebrations start in the morning. The Thadambu is hoisted onto a caparisoned elephant. This elephant is joined by two other caparisoned elephants on either side. Usually, the grandest of the 3 elephants is chosen to carry the Thadambu. The Nadaswaram accompanies the hoisting of the Thadambu. Once hoisted, the Panchavadhyam takes over as the Deva Vadhyam. A full company of Panchavadhyam players are used here. After playing the initial round inside the temple main hall, the procession meanders along the main village road, occasionally stopping at various points along the route and entertaining the onlookers. The Nagasahayam and the Devi (Mariamma) temple are also visited and on the return route reaches the Vinayaka temple. The Nivediam is performed at all the houses enroute just like the earlier 10 days. The Panchavadhyam finale is played at the hall in the Vinayaka temple, ending with a Kalasham. The ending of the Panchavadhyam acts as a signal to the Chenda players to start their performance. The Chenda melam is initially played in the Pandi melam style, which is an Asura Vadhyam style of playing. The procession returns to the Lakshminarayana Perumal temple. Once the procession reaches the temple main hall, the Chenda players transition the music into the Panchari Melam style. The finale is played in the main hall and the procession comes to a close with the Thadambu being brought down from the caparisoned elephant.

• The procession and the music, along with the Neivadiam is repeated in the late afternoon. This return path of the procession originally had the Para offerings being made to the Lord. In recent years, this has been moved to the main hall at the Lakshminarayana Perumal temple for convenience and time management reasons. The Para offerings involve filling up Para with rice grain, money, bananas, jaggery and other such standard offerings, and emptying the contents in front of the Lord on the elephant as an offering to the presiding deity, who, it is believed, is coming in a procession to get a first-hand view of the prosperity of His subjects.

• The same procession and the music, is repeated approximately a couple of hours post midnight for a third procession. This, though, is completed quickly and the Panchari melam finale is played at the Lakshminarayana Perumal temple main hall. Amidst vedic chanting, the Thadambu of the Lord is brought down and the temple opens for the day.

• The 12th day has a short ritual with the idol of the Lord taken for a traditional bath. The hurried procession happens on an elephant, minus any decorations, the idols being held by the temple priest on the shoulders of the elephant. All the village subjects mix turmeric with water in containers and splash the mix onto the idols which is taken to the pond in nearby Thiruvara. Once taken back to the Lakshminarayana Perumal temple a special Thadambu of the Lord is hoisted onto the shoulders of a caparisoned elephant and a procession of the village is done again. Once the procession is completed, the idol of the Lord in the Lakshminarayana Perumal temple is bathed with sandalwood paste, the process called Kalabham. Food is prepared for a feast for the village and this food is first offered to the Lord as a Nivediam, post which the feast opens up for the village members. The flag mast being brought down signifies the end of the festival and is performed before the start of the feast.

• Vadakkencherry is also home to various other festivals. The famous 'Vela'(festival) are Ganapathy Sahayam, Naga Sahayam, Kodikkattukaavu, Namboothiri Mutthan, Mangottu Mutthi, karappotta vela, padinjamuri koodal manikyam vela The Committees of these temples are conducting programs very well. Naga Sahayam Ganapathi Sahayam vela falls on April 17 every year.

• 'Shree Palliyarakkavu Bhagavathi Thalappoli' (Cherukannambra) : This festival is celebrated on the month of Malayalam (Dhanu 10) which sometimes falls on December 24 or 25 of every year. i.e. the last day of Mandalam. Mandalam 1 onwards for the next 41 days there will be Kalamezuthum Pattum and the 41st day the Thaalappoli is celebrated in a grand way. Caprisoned elephant along with the deity is taken out through the village in morning and evening with Panchvadyam and Pandimelam. There will be programmes during the night inside the Temple compound and by 2 o'clock girls take Thaalams along with the caparisoned elephants and Panchavaadyam troops.

SREE GANAPATHI SAHAYAM - SREE NAGA SAHAYAM ULSAVAGOSHAM

• Ganapathy Sahayam & Naga Sahayam Vela is one of the most popular competition festival in palakkad dt. Vela falls on April 17 every year (medam 4th). Each temple features a set of 5 elephants and Panchavadyam led by the prominent panchavadyam musicians in kerala(the likes of Pallavur Kunjikuttan marar, Pallavur Appu Marar, Cherupullaserry Sivan,Parakkadu Thangappan, Thiruvillamala hari and lot others has been part of this festival). Main attraction of this vela's are Kuda-Mattom [As that of Thrissur Pooram](by evening), Vedikettu (Fireworks) & Ganamela by night. Chamaya-Pradarsanam [Exhibition of the elephant's decorations] and Thayambaka which happens on 16 April (the day before Vela). Other attractions are a Multi-storied Panthal with illumination, Thayambaka, Eddu (A special kind of firework done to announce the beginning of the festival). It is also referred to as Vadakkencherry Pooram.

Land

Vadakkencherry is lush with greenery, and 10 km inside one can really enjoy the thick forestry on the eastern side.

Tourist attractions

Vadakkencherry is a starting point of a huge hill region. In Malayalam language, 'cherry' means a place which lies under hills. Here, places like Mangalam Dam, Palakkuzhi are the kind of places where the beauty of nature is very near to us. We can see the harmonious culture in Vadakkencherry in every corner of the village. The famous Nelliampathi hills are located close to this town. Pothundi dam is another attraction. This dam has been created with mud and rocks. It is on the way to Nelliampathi. For Sabarimala pilgrims, this town is a short time resting place. Many of the traditional food items of Kerala are supplied and became famous from here. Though the town and the nearby area are fast developing, you can see the beauty of the river, green fields and forests everywhere.

External links

• Vadakkencherry.com
• Vadakkencherry Gramam
• Satellite image of Vadakkencherry

Cities and towns in Palakkad district Palakkad Alathur Cherpulassery Chittur-Thathamangalam Mannarkkad Nemmara Ottapalam Palakkad Pattambi Puthunagaram Shoranur Vadakkencherry Cities and towns in other districts Alappuzha Ernakulam Idukki Kannur Kasaragod Kollam Kottayam Kozhikode Malappuram Pathanamthitta Thiruvananthapuram Thrissur Wayanad