Kayamkulam

For the feudal state, see Odanad.
Kayamkulam
Irravipattanam
Town, Municipality, Assembly constituency

Krishnapuram Palace
Kayamkulam

Location in Kerala, India

Coordinates: 9°10′19″N 76°30′04″E / 9.172°N 76.501°E / 9.172; 76.501Coordinates: 9°10′19″N 76°30′04″E / 9.172°N 76.501°E / 9.172; 76.501
Country  India
State Kerala
District Alappuzha
Government
 • Type Municipality
 • Body Municipal Council
 • MLA C K Sadasivan
Population (2001)
 • Total 68,634
Languages
 • Official Malayalam, English
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 690502
Telephone code +91-479
Vehicle registration KL-29
Nearest city Kollam (37 km)
Sex ratio 0.944 ♂/♀
Literacy 81.76%%

Kayamkulam (Malayalam: കായംകുളം; formerly anglicised Kalliquilon) is a town on the Arabian Sea in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, Indian state. Located on the western coast of India, it was an ancient maritime trading centre. One of the largest thermal power plants in Kerala, the Rajiv Gandhi Combined Cycle Power Plant run by the NTPC, is situated in Kayamkulam. Krishnapuram Palace is located nearby. Many old cashew factories can also be seen in the locality.

Kayamkulam is closely associated with the legend of Kayamkulam Kochunni. He was a famed highwayman, active in the area known as Central Thiruvithamkoor, in the early part of the 19th century. He is said to have stolen from the rich and given to the poor (like Robin Hood). Legends about his exploits are part of the local folklore.

History

Kingdom of Kayamkulam

Main article: Onattukara

Kayamkulam was a mediaeval feudal kingdom, known as odanadu, ruled by the Kayamkulam Rajas, with their royal palaces at Eruva and Krishnapuram. Maharajah Marthanda Varma (1706–58) conquered kayamkulam and annexed its territories to Travancore. It is said that the kingdom of Kayamkulam had a huge army led by a valiant commander 'Yeruvayil Achutha warrior' and therefore the large army of Travancore attempted three times before they succeeded in capturing Kayamkulam. The present day palace was built in its place by Marthanda Varma after he annexed Kayamkulam to Travancore.

Kayamkulam, Mavelikkara and Karunagappally were previously known as Onattukara.

Kayamkulam had slave markets in the 17th Century.

Tourist attractions

The Krishnapuram Palace, built in the 18th century, now functions as a museum. Constructed in typical Kerala-style architecture, it has the largest mural painting in Kerala.[1] Also, this palace museum at Krishnapuram houses the famous Kayamkulam double-edged sword.[2]

Kayamkulam Lake is a part of the Kerala backwaters tourist map. The Kayamkulam Boat Race[3] is held on the fourth Saturday of August every year.[4] The famous Chinese fishing nets can be found on the banks of the lagoon.

Azhikkal Beach (Aayiram Tengu) and Valiya Azhikkal beach (Kochiyude Jetty) have gained popularity as tourist locations.

Transport

Kayamkulam is well connected by road and rail network. Besides this, Alappuzha-Kollam boat service runs via Kayamkulam.

Kayamkulam Bus Stand

Roads

NH47 passes through Kayamkulam, which conveniently connects it to the major cities Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Trichur, Palakkad and Coimbatore. The Kayamkulam-Punalur (KP) road is a major road connecting it to the eastern parts of the State. The KSRTC Bus Station[code KYLM] lies very near to the national highway and is one of the biggest bus stations of KSRTC in terms of total area. All the KSRTC buses have halt at Kayamkulam Bus station.

40 km from the City of Kollam, on National Highway 47.

105 km from Trivandrum International Airport, on National Highway 47.

131 km from Cochin International Airport, Nedumbassery, Alwaye, on National Highway 47.

109 km from Thiruvananthapuram KSRTC Central Bus Station to Kayamkulam Bus station by bus takes about 2.40 hours

106 km from Ernakulam KSRTC Bus Station via Alappuzha to Kayamkulam by bus takes about 2.20 hours

Railways

Kayamkulam Junction railway station [code KYJ] is a major railway junction situated 1.5 km from the town on the K.P. Road. Trains from the North from Ernakulam via Kottayam, and from Ernakulam via Alappuzha pass through Kayamkulam Junction and then proceed to Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and further to Nagercoil and Kanyakumari.

106 km from Thiruvananthapuram to Kayamkulam through train takes about 2.10 hours

101 km from Ernakulam via Alappuzha to Kayamkulam through train takes about 2.00 hours

111 km from Ernakulam via Kottayam to Kayamkulam through train takes about 3.10 hours

41 km from Kollam Junction Railway Station to Kayamkulam through train takes about 30 minutes

Kayamkulam Railway Junction

Demand for New Central Travancore District and Kayamkulam Taluk

The unscientific measures adopted in the formation of Pathanamthitta district have badly affected the development of Central Travancore. Considering this as the root cause of the backwardness of this area, a proposal for the formation of a new district, i.e., Central Travancore district, has been in the air since the late eighties. The proposal proceeds to include Thiruvalla taluk wholly and parts of adjoining panchayats of Pandalam, Thumpamon and Pandalam-Thekkekkara of the present Pathanamthitta district and Mavelikara and Chengannur taluks wholly and parts of the adjoining Karthikappally taluk of Alappuzha district in the new district. The new district will have five taluks, namely, Thiruvalla, Chengannur, Pandalam and Mavelikara and Kayamkulam. It may be noted that a major chunk of the culturally renowned Onattukara will be part of the new district along with the Thiruvalla-Kumbanad NRI belt, which accounts for a substantial inflow of foreign currency. Apart from other parts of the State, the Central Travancore region has a cultural identity of its own. Moreover, the geographical topography itself makes its identity unique, that it can neither be a part of the hilly Pathanamthitta district nor the "watery Alappuzha. The "Central Travencorean spirit is something enjoyed by the people here in all its sense and spirit, which cannot be expressed by mere words. The formation of the new district would certainly boost the efficiency of administration in the region. Moreover, the five-decade-long urge for the formation of the proposed Pandalam taluk by grouping together Pandalam, Thumpamon, Pandalam-Thekkekkara, Kulanada, Mezhuveli, Nooranad, Palamel panchayats can be realized with the formation of the new district.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census,[5] Kayamkulam has a population of 65,299. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Kayamkulam has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 79%. In Kayamkulam, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Civic administration

Kayamkulam assembly constituency is part of Alappuzha (Lok Sabha constituency).[6]

Educational and research institutes

The Central Coconut Research Station (CCRS) at Kayamkulam was established in 1948, as a field station of the erstwhile Agricultural Research Laboratory. Presently, it is a regional station of the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI).[7]

Popular personalities

Kayamkulam Philipose Ramban, a Christian priest lived in Kayamkulam in 19th century translated Bible into vernacular language Malayalam for the first time.

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See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kayamkulam.
  1. ↑ Lonely Planet Things to do in Southern Kerala by Lonely Planet travellers.
  2. ↑ Department of Archeology Website.
  3. ↑ First Kayamkulam boat race.
  4. ↑ Kerala boat races.
  5. ↑ "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. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
  6. ↑ "Assembly Constituencies - Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies" (PDF). Kerala. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 2008-10-20.
  7. ↑ , additional text.

External links

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