Thiruvalla

Tiruvalla
തിരുവല്ല
തിരു-വല്ലഭ-പുരം[1]
Town

Thiruvalla KSRTC Bus Station
Tiruvalla
Tiruvalla

Location in India

Coordinates: 9°23′06″N 76°34′30″E / 9.385°N 76.575°E / 9.385; 76.575Coordinates: 9°23′06″N 76°34′30″E / 9.385°N 76.575°E / 9.385; 76.575
Country  India
State Kerala
District Pathanamthitta
Named for Sreevallabha Temple
Government
 • Body Tiruvalla Municipality
Population (2011)[2]
 • Total 52,883
Languages
 • Official Malayalam, English
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 689101
Telephone code 91-469
Vehicle registration KL-27
Literacy 95.5%
Website www.thiruvallamunicipality.in

Tiruvalla is a town in Pathanamthitta district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the mandal headquarters of Thiruvalla taluk. The town is spread over an area of 27.94 km2;. It lies on the banks of the rivers Manimala and Pamba, and is a land-locked region surrounded by irrigating streams and rivers.

Tiruvalla is regarded as the "cultural capital of Central Travancore", and also called "Land of non resident Indians".[3]

Etymology

The town gets its name from the Malayalam word "Thiru-Vallabha-Puram", meaning "The Land of Great Lord Vallabhan" (Lord Vishnu),[4] referring to the deity of the Sri Vallabha Temple located in the town. The Sanskrit name for Tiruvalla in texts such as "श्रीवल्लभ क्षेत्र माहात्म्यम्" (ശ്രീവല്ലഭ ക്ഷേത്ര മാഹാത്മ്യം, śrīvallabha kṣētra māhātmyaṁ, a 10th-century work) is "श्रीवल्लभपुरम्" (ശ്രീവല്ലഭപുരം)(śrīvallabhapuraṁ).

Geography

Thiruvalla village side

Tiruvalla town area lies at an altitude of 21 m above sea level, on the basin of the rivers Pamba and Manimala. Tiruvalla is dotted with several natural canal streams (called "thodu" in Malayalam) like Chanthathodu, Manippuzha, Mullelithodu, and several others. The city area has riverine alluvial soil, and eastern parts have a laterite loam kind of soil classified under "Southern Midlands" agro-ecological zone, while the western suburbs like Niranam have a more sandy type of soil that resembles beaches. (Kuttanad agro-ecological zone)[5] The reason for this is believed to be the older status of Niranam as a port, before reclamation of Kuttanad from the sea occurred. The Upper Kuttanad region in Tiruvalla has the "Karappadam" type of soil, which is clay loam in texture, has high organic matter, and is situated in areas about 1–2 m above sea level.[5]

The climate of Tiruvalla is tropical. There is significant rainfall in most months of the year. The short dry season has little effect on the overall climate. The Köppen-Geiger climate classification is Am. The temperature here averages 27.3 °C. In a year, the average rainfall is 2975 mm.[6]

Climate data for Tiruvalla
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 31.3
(88.3)		 31.7
(89.1)		 32.7
(90.9)		 32.7
(90.9)		 32
(90)		 29.8
(85.6)		 29.8
(85.6)		 29.8
(85.6)		 30
(86)		 30
(86)		 30
(86)		 30.7
(87.3)		 30.88
(87.61)
Average low °C (°F) 22.5
(72.5)		 23.4
(74.1)		 24.7
(76.5)		 25.4
(77.7)		 25
(77)		 23.9
(75)		 23.9
(75)		 23.8
(74.8)		 24
(75)		 23.8
(74.8)		 23.5
(74.3)		 22.6
(72.7)		 23.88
(74.95)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 22
(0.87)		 35
(1.38)		 60
(2.36)		 155
(6.1)		 320
(12.6)		 596
(23.46)		 542
(21.34)		 372
(14.65)		 284
(11.18)		 326
(12.83)		 210
(8.27)		 54
(2.13)		 2,976
(117.17)
Source: http://en.climate-data.org/location/59916

At an average temperature of 29.0 °C, April is the hottest month of the year. July has the lowest average temperature of the year. It is 26.4 °C. Between the driest and wettest months, the difference in precipitation is 574 mm. Precipitation is the lowest in January, with an average of 22 mm. With an average of 596 mm, the most precipitation falls in June.[6]

Due to proximity to the equator, Tiruvalla has very little variation in average temperature. During the year, the average temperatures vary by 2.6 °C.[6]

Tiruvalla has two monsoon seasons, the "Advancing monsoon season" during June through September, which is fed by the Southwest monsoon and the "retreating monsoon season", during October to December by the Northwest monsoon. Tiruvalla lies on the windward side of the western ghats, and thus receives maximum rainfall during the "advancing monsoon" season.

Demographics

Religion in Thiruvalla
Religion Percentage
Hindu
  
 46.92%
Christians
  
 48.03%
Muslims
  
 4.80%
Others
  
 0.25%

The town pans a geographic area of 27.94 km² with a population of 52,883 as of 2011.[7] Males constitute 46.75% of the population and females 52.99%. In Thiruvalla, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. Tiruvalla has a large Non-Resident Indian Community.

Christians hold a slim plurality inside the modern municipal limits, being the largest group but not a majority: Christians are 48.03% of the population, Hindus are 46.92%, and Muslims are 4.80%.[8] The major language spoken is Malayalam.

Location

Thiruvalla is on the western border of Pathanamthitta district. The municipal town limits are Thirumoolapuram, Kattodu, Kuttapuzha, Formerly, some areas of present Changanacherry were parts of Tiruvalla taluk. Now the boundaries of the taluk are Varattar Bridge in the south, Parumala in the south west, Lappalam in the north, Pullad in the east and Neerattupuram in the west, situated in Alappuzha district. Pullad is the last point of Tiruvalla in the east, and it is in the Koipuram panchayat. Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi are the nearest major cities.

Transport

Road

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has a depot at Tiruvalla (station code: TVLA) which is one among the 29 major depots in the state. KSRTC operates long distance and interstate bus services from the Tiruvalla depot. KSRTC operates daily Interstate Airbus service to Bangalore from Tiruvalla. KSRTC has built a new Bus Terminal with an integrated multi-functional shopping complex in Tiruvalla as part of its modernisation. Private buses operate from the Municipal Private Bus stand to various nearby places.

Tiruvalla is located at the meeting point of M C Road (Main Central Road/SH-01), the NH-220 and TK Road (Thiruvalla-Kumbazha Road) (Tiruvalla-Pathanamthitta-Kumbazha Road/SH-07/State Highway 7 (Kerala)); it links the eastern parts of the district with the western rice bowl of 'Kuttanad'. Tiruvalla also connects to NH-47 through the Thakazhi-Ambalappuzha Link.

Rail

Tiruvalla Railway station

Tiruvalla railway station (station code: TRVL) is the sole railway station in Pathanamthitta district. The station is in the "Class A" category under the Trivandrum railway division. Tiruvalla railway station lies in Tiruvalla town, between the Chengannur railway station and Kottayam railway station in the Ernakulam – Kottayam – Kayankulam railway line.

Airport

The nearest airports are Cochin International Airport (105 km) and Trivandrum airport (126 km). The proposed rural Aranmula International Airport would be the closest airport upon completion, at 18 km away. Air India has a reservation office at Tiruvalla, the only one in the whole district.

History

Sree Vallabha Temple from which the town got its name Sree-Vallabha-Puram which later became Thiru-Vallabha-Puram[1] and later Thiruvalla

In the olden days the name of the place was Sri Vallabha Puram and with passage of time the name transformed to Thiru Vallabha Puram and later to Thiruvalla. The place was under the Travancore Kingdom under its Kollam Division.

Education

The Tiruvalla has been an active centre of education since the age of "Tiruvalla sala" from 11th century onwards. The first higher secondary school in Tiruvalla is the Mar Gregorious Memorial school, opened in 1902. Also, the oldest residential school for girls in Kerala, the Balikamadom is also more than a century old in Tiruvalla. The first English education school in Travancore was at Tiruvalla C.M.S school.

An engineering college, which is government-controlled and self-financing, managed by Cochin University, is at Kallooppara: the College of Engineering Kallooppara.

There are two private-sector medical colleges in Tiruvalla: the Pushpagiri medical college and the Believers Church medical college.

Politics

The current Chairperson of the Municipality is K V Varghese and the Vice Chairman is Aleyamma Varghese for 2015–2020

Thiruvalla's assembly constituency is the part of the newly formed Pathanamthitta (Lok Sabha constituency).[9] Current MLA is Adv. Mathew T Thomas. Current MP Pathanamthitta (Lok Sabha constituency) is Anto Antony

Thiruvalla Municipal Council (2015-20)[10]

Sl No Ward Name Party Gender
1 MUTHOOR NORTH SARANYA T S CPI(M) Woman
2 CHUMATHRA ALIKUNJU INC General
3 ATTUCHIRA THOMAS JACOB (THOMAS VANCHIPALAM) KC(M) General
4 KIZHAKKAN MUTHOOR K.K. SARAMMA INDEPENDENT Woman
5 VARIKAD NIZAMUDDIN.M.K SDPI General
6 ANNAVATTOM JOHN SIMON (BIJU KANJIRATHUMMOOTTIL) INC General
7 NATTUKADAVU ARUNDHATHI RAJESH INDEPENDENT Woman
8 COLLEGE WARD SANTHAMMA MATHEW KC(M) Woman
9 AMALLOOR WEST REENA SAMUVEL INC Woman
10 AMALLOOR EAST VARGHESE .K.V (THANKACHAN KANJIRAKKATTU) INC General
11 MEENTHALAKARA JAYASREE RSP Woman
12 MANJADI SARAMMA FRANCIS INC Woman
13 RAILWAY STATION REENA MATHEW CHALAKUZHY KC(M) Woman
14 PUSHPAGIRI WARD ALEYAMMA THOMAS KC(M) Woman
15 THYMALA KRISHNAKUMARI .A.P INC SC Woman
16 KATTODE JACOB GEORGE KC(M) General
17 ERUVELLIPRA ANISH KUMAR M C INDEPENDENT General
18 THONDARA AJITHA INDEPENDENT SC Woman
19 THIRUMOOLAPURAM EAST SHERLY SHAJI KC(M) Woman
20 ANJILIMOOD VARGHESE .P. VARGHESE KC(M) General
21 THIRUMOOLAPURAM WEST NANCY INDEPENDENT Woman
22 SREE RAMAKRISHNA ASRAMAM SATHEESH VIJAYAN CPI(M) General
23 KULAKKAD BIJU LANKAGIRI (JOHN LANKAGIRI) KC(M) General
24 THUKALLASSERY MANOJ KUMAR BJP General
25 MATHIL BHAGAM GIGISH KUMAR V BJP SC
26 KIZHAKKUMMURI R JAYAKUMAR INC General
27 SREEVALLABHA RADHAKRISHNAN BJP General
28 KAVUMBHAGOM C MATHAI INDEPENDENT General
29 UTHRAMEL ELSY GEORGE INC Woman
30 AZHIYIDATHUCHIRA BINDU BJP Woman
31 MANNANKARACHIRA SREERENJINI S PILLAI INC Woman
32 ANCHALKUTTY SUJA MATHEW INC Woman
33 M G M WARD M P GOPALAKRISHANAN CPI(M) General
34 MARY GIRI CHERIAN POLACHIRACKAL KC(M) General
35 TOWN WARD SHEELA VARGHESE KC(M) Woman
36 RAMANCHIRA SHAJI THIRUVALLA JD(S) General
37 J P NAGAR ANU GEORGE INC Woman
38 KOTTALIL PADMAVATHIAMMA INDEPENDENT Woman
39 MUTHOOR SURESH KUMAR P S INDEPENDENT General

Party-Wise breakup of councilors in Thiruvalla Municipality

Sl No Party Councilors
1 BJP 4
2 CPI(M) 3
3 INC 11
4 INDEPENDENT 8
5 JD(S) 1
6 KC(M) 10
7 RSP 1
8 SDPI 1

The council has 21 members (53.84%) of the Christian community, 16 members (41.06%) from the Hindu community and 2 members (5.13%) from the Muslim community mostly in line with the religious demographics of the society.

Sports

The popular sports in Tiruvalla are football and cricket. The football history of Tiruvalla can be traced back to the legendary footballer from Tiruvalla, Thomas Varghese, called "Tiruvalla Pappan". He represented India in the London Olympics of 1948, and is described as one of the best defenders of 40's – 50's from India.[11] Today, Tiruvalla hosts many district and state level football and cricket tournaments. There is a stadium in Tiruvalla maintained by the Tiruvalla Municipal Council. This is the venue for most of the tournaments. It is also called "Prithi stadium".[12]

Indoor Cricket

The Kerala Cricket Association has set up a world-class indoor cricket stadium complex in Tiruvalla. The 8000 square foot facility is adjacent to the Tiruvalla municipal stadium. The facility also houses a library, multi-gym, board room, KCA district office, and a conference hall. Specially made natural grass wicket is the distinctive feature of the practising nets in the courtyard.[13]

Health care

Thiruvalla has satisfactory medical facilities with 2 medical colleges:

Notable people

UpComming Projects

References

  1. 1 2 "History of Thiruvalla". Thiruvalla Municipality access-date=06 April 2017.
  2. ↑ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/pca/SearchDetails.aspx?Id=676380
  3. ↑ "Efforts on to give facelift to Thiruvalla". The Hindu. 2015-12-17. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  4. ↑ "History of Thiruvalla". Thiruvalla Municipality access-date=06 April 2017.
  5. 1 2 "KISSAN – Kerala". www.kissankerala.net. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  6. 1 2 3 "Climate: Thiruvalla – Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table – Climate-Data.org". en.climate-data.org. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  7. ↑ Religious census 2011. Government of India (Report). Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  8. ↑ Religious census 2011. Government of India (Report). Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  9. ↑ "ORDER NO. 9 – TABLE A & B – ASSEMBLY AND PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCIES AND THEIR EXTENT" (PDF). Kerala. DELIMITATION COMMISSION OF INDIA. Retrieved 2005-05-31.
  10. ↑ "Municipality Council – TABLE" (xls). Kerala. Thiruvalla Municipality. Retrieved 2017-05-23.
  11. ↑ "This Tiruvalla Defender Stood Like a Wall in London Olympics". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  12. ↑ "Untitled Document". cricketarchive.com. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  13. ↑ "World-class indoor cricket facility for Thiruvalla". The Hindu. 2015-09-09. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
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