Parayakad, Alappuzha

This article is about Parayakad, Alappuzha. It is not to be confused with Parayakad, Ernakulam.

Parayakad, Alappuzha is a village in Kuthiathode Gram panchayat[1] in the Cherthala Taluk in the Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala.

The name is derived from the local Kerala dialect of the Mayalam language endemic to the region. It means "small area", "fragment", or "slice".[2] In Chittattukara village in North Paravoor, Parayakad Village[nb 1] in the Alleppey district is listed in the Central Government Indian Village Directory.[4] Kuthiathode comes under the Pattanakad Block in the Aroor Assembly constituency.

History

The name Parayakad comes from the Parayakattil Kalari who had existed in this area.[5] A martial arts specialist known as Kunjan Parayakattil, originally from North Kerala and a fugitive, had settled and started a Kalari. He taught the ancient Indian martial arts of Kalaripayattu in this area.[6] People came from the local area and others traveled long distances to acquire training to develop advanced martial arts skills. The Kalari also used to treat injuries and general ailments, specializing in muscle and bone.[7] Over time the area came to be known as Parayakad. The Parayakattil Kalari no longer exists. Nalukulanagara, Tirumalabhagom and Thuravoor North are the local areas next to Parayakad.

Education

A Government Upper Primary School operates in Parayakad.[8]

Demographics

The population consists mainly of Hindus and a minority of Christians. The presiding deity at Nalukulangara Temple is Bhagavathy.[9] St.Sebastians Catholic Church in Parayakad comes under Alappuzha diocese.[10]

Access

The village is connected to the nearest towns by NH-47, the Thuravoor-Ezhupunna road and the Pallithode-Chellanam-Kochi beach road. The Alapuzha-Ernakulam Railway has a station nearby at Thuravoor. The Kuthiathode canal nearby was once the major waterway for transporting goods to the local market from Cochin via the Vembanad lake. The Kuthiathode canal connects the Vembanad lake with the Tazhappu backwaters. A small backwater lake at Tazhappu connects Kuthiathode with Valiathode. During Onam, boat racing is held in the Tazhappu backwaters.

Notes

  1. ↑ Census villages are more numerous and heterogenous than political units (gram panchayats).[3]

References

  1. ↑ "MoPR-Home - NPP". Retrieved 11 Jan 2014.
  2. ↑ "Online Malayalam English Dictionary - Malayalam English Translation – malayalam english dictionary". Retrieved 11 Jan 2014.
  3. ↑ Clark-Decis, Isabelle (2011). A Companion to the Anthropology of India. John Wiley & Sons. p. 1980. ISBN 9781444390582..
  4. ↑ Director, census operations (1981). Census of India Volume 3. Kerala, India: Controller of Publications. p. 126,196,214.
  5. ↑ P.L., Sebastian (1998). The Parayakattil Story. Mukhachitra Publications. p. 3.
  6. ↑ Fali E., Doctor (July 1973). "Kalaripayattu- Ancient Art of India". Black Belt 11 (7): 23.
  7. ↑ Luijendijk, D.H. (2008). Kalaripayattu. The Netherlands: Stichting Oprat, Elst. p. 86.
  8. ↑ "prematricpdf/PDF/Cherthala" (PDF). Retrieved 11 Jan 2014.
  9. ↑ "kerala temples:Alappuzha". Retrieved 11 Jan 2014.
  10. ↑

Coordinates: 9°43′50″N 76°20′01″E / 9.73066°N 76.33355°E / 9.73066; 76.33355

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