Alappuzha

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the municipality in Kerala, India. For its namesake distri
ct, see Alappuzha district.
Alappuzha
???????
City
Alleppey Lighthouse
Alleppey Lighthouse
Nickname(s): "Venice of the East"
Alappuzha is located in Kerala AlappuzhaAlappuzha
Coordinates: 9.49N 76.33ECoordinates: 9.49N 76.33E
Country India
State Kerala
Region Central Travancore
District
Alappuzha District
Government
District Collector R Girija IAS
Area
Total
46.18 km2 (17.83 sq mi)
Elevation
11 m (36 ft)
Population (2011)
Total
174,164
Rank 6th
Density
4,466/km2 (11,570/sq mi)
Languages
Official
Malayalam, English
Time zone
IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN
688001
Telephone code 0477
Vehicle registration
KL-04
Sex ratio
1079 ?/?
Website alappuzha.nic.in
Alappuzha (About this sound pronunciation (helpinfo)), also known as Alleppey, is
the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southe
rn India. Alappuzha is the 7th largest city in Kerala with an urban population o
f 174,164[1] and third among the districts having highest literacy rate in Keral
a. Alappuzha is considered to be the oldest planned city in this region and the
lighthouse built on the coast of the city is the first of its kind along the Lac
cadive Sea coast (reference encyclopaedia of Kerala in Malayalam language).
Alappuzha is situated 62 kilometres (39 mi) to the south of Kochi and 155 kilome
tres (96 mi) north of Trivandrum.[2] A city with picturesque canals, backwaters,
beaches, and lagoons, it was described as the one of the places known as the "V
enice of the East" by Lord Curzon. Hence, it is known as the "Venetian Capital"
of Kerala. Malayalam is the most spoken language. Hindi, English and Tamil are a
lso spoken in the city.[citation needed]
Alappuzha is an important tourist destination in India.[3] The Backwaters of Ala
ppuzha are the most popular tourist attraction in Kerala. A houseboat cruise in
these backwaters can be booked.[4] It connects Kumarakom and Cochin to the North
and Quilon to the South.
Alappuzha is the access point for the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race, held on the
Punnamada Lake, near Alappuzha, on the second Saturday of August every year. Th
is is the most competitive and popular of the boat races in India.[5] The mullac
kal chirap is also one of the attractions of Allapuzha which is the festive seas
on held for ten days every year in December.

Other attractions in Alappuzha are Alappuzha Beach, offering a views of the Lacc
adive Sea, Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple, St. Andrew's Basilica, Arthunkal, Ma
nnarasala Temple, Chettikulangara Devi Temple, Haripad Sree Subrahmanya Swamy te
mple, Thakazhy Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Mullakkal Temple, Edathua Church, Alap
puzha CSI Christ Church (oldest Anglican church in Central Kerala) and Champakul
am Valia Palli. Krishnapuram Palace Kalavam kodam temple where Sree Narayana Gur
u installed Mirror is at about 30 km north of Town.[6] also attracts many touris
ts. The tasty ambalappuzha payasam is a popular dessert.
Alappuzha is home to the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising against the British and also
the revolt against the Feudal raj. Communist Party members were killed by the ar
my of the diwan, 200 people at Punnapra on 24 October and more than 150 at Vayal
ar on 27 October. The total loss of life is allegedly estimated to be more than
a thousand.[7] Coir is the most important commodity manufactured in Alappuzha.[8
] The Coir Board was established by the Central Government under the provisions
of the Coir Industry Act, 1955. A coir Research Institute is at Kalavoor.
Contents [hide]
1
Etymology
2
History
3
Geography and climate
4
Demographics
5
Economy
6
Backwater paddy cultivation (Kayal cultivation)
7
Transport
7.1
Road
7.1.1 National Highways
7.1.2 State Highways
7.1.3 City Transport
7.2
Water
7.3
Rail
7.4
Air
8
Sports
9
Notable people
10
Administration and politics
11
Education
12
See also
13
References
14
External links
Etymology[edit]
Carved out of the erstwhile Kottayam and Quilon districts, Alappuzha district wa
s formed on 17 August 1957 and consisted initially of seven taluks, namely Chert
hala, Ambalappuzha, Kuttanad, Thiruvalla, Chengannur, Karthikappally and Mavelik
kara.[9]
The name Alappuzha is derived from the geographical position and physical featur
es of the place. It means the land between the sea and network of rivers flowing
into it. The district is bounded on the north by Kochi and Kanayannur taluks of
Ernakulam district, on the east by Vaikom, Kottayam and Changanassery taluks of
Kottayam district and Thiruvalla, Kozhencherry and Adoor taluks of Pathanamthit
ta district, on the South by Kunnathur and Karunagappally taluks of Kollam distr
ict and on the west by Laccadive Sea.[10]
The present Alappuzha district comprises six taluks, namely Cherthala, Ambalappu
zha, Kuttanad, Karthikappally, Chengannur and Mavelikkara.[11] The area of the d
istrict is 1414sq.km. The district headquarters is located at Alappuzha.
History[edit]
House Boat in Alappuzha

Walkway in Commercial Canal

In the early first decade of the 20th century the Viceroy of the Indian Empire,
Lord Curzon made a visit in the State to Alleppey, now Alappuzha. Fascinated by
the scenic beauty of the place, he exclaimed,
Here nature has spent up on the land her richest bounties. Alleppey, the Venice
of the East.[12]
Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala, with its paddy fields, small streams and cana
ls with lush green coconut palms, was well known even from the early periods of
the Sangam age.[13] History says Alappuzha had trade relations with ancient Gree
ce and Rome in the Middle Ages.
The early Cheras, who had their home in Kuttanad, were called `Kuttuvans`, so na
med after this place. Pliny and Ptolemy of the 1st and 2nd centuries had mention
ed places like Purakkad or Barace in their classical works.
Literary works like "Unnuneeli Sandesam" give some insight into the ancient peri
od of this district. Archaeological antiquities, such as the stone inscriptions,
historical monuments found in the temples, churches, and rock-cut caves, also e
mphasise the historic importance of Alappuzha District. Christianity had a footh
old in this district, even from the 1st century AD. The church located at Kokkam
angalam was one of the seven churches founded by St. Thomas,[citation needed] on
e of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. It is generally believed that he land
ed at Maliankara in Muziris Port, presently known as Cranganore or Kodungallur,
in 52 AD and preached Christianity in South India.
The district flourished in religion and culture under the second Chera Empire, d
uring 9th to 12th centuries AD. The literary work, `Ascharya Choodamani`, a Sans
krit drama written by Sakthibhadran, a scholar of Chengannur, enables us to know
many pertinent facts. Further, the temple on Lord Ayyappan, in Mukkal vattam ne
ar Muhamma in Alappuzha District, is called Cheerappanchira, for the Kalari from
which Lord Ayyappa learnt his martial arts. A recent album by P. Unni Krishnan
on Lord Ayyappa, titled 'Sabarimalai Va Charanam Solli Va', has songs illustrati
ng the history of this temple and Lord Ayyappa's stay here before he went to con
quer the Mahishi Demon.[14]
Since landing in Calicut in 1498, the Portuguese started playing an influential
role in Alappuzha. They began by spreading Catholicism and converting already ex
isting Christians into Catholics. The famous St. Andrew's Basilica was built by
them during this period.[15] In the 17th century, as the Portuguese power declin
ed, the Dutch gained a predominant position in the principalities of this distri
ct. They built many factories and warehouses for storing pepper and ginger, rely
ing on several treaties signed between the Dutch and the Rajas of Purakkad, Kaya
mkulam and Karappuram. In course of time they also delved into the political and
cultural affairs of the district. At that time Maharaja Marthanda Varma (1706 175
8), who was the 'Maker of modern Travancore', intervened in the political affair
s of those princedoms.
Travancore Dewan Ramayyan Dalawa (d. 1756) resided in Mavelikkara where he had a
palace built by Marthanda Varma. After the death of his wife, Ramayyan consorte
d with a Nair lady from Mavelikkara of the Edassery family (PGN Unnithan, a memb
er of this family, later became the last Dewan of Travancore in 1947). After his
death Ramayyan's descendants left Travancore to settle in Pudukkottai in Tamil
Nadu. His Nair consort was given gifts and presents and special allowances from
the Travancore government in recognition of his services to the state while his
own descendants were bestowed with the honorific title of Dalawa.
In the 19th century the district saw progress in many spheres. One of the five s

ubordinate courts opened in the state in connection with the reorganisation of t

he judicial system by Colonel George Monro was located at Mavelikkara. The first
post office and first telegraph office in the former Travancore state were esta
blished in this district. The first manufacturing factory for the coir mats was
established in 1859. In 1894 the city Improvement Committee was set up.
The district played a role in the freedom struggle of the country. The struggles
of Punnapra and Vayalar in 1946 arrayed the people against Sir C. P. Ramaswami
Iyer, who was Dewan of Travancore. This led to Ramaswami Iyer's exit from the po
litical scene of Travancore. A popular Ministry was formed in Travancore on 24 M
arch 1948 after India`s independence. Travancore and Cochin states were integrat
ed on 1 July 1949. This arrangement continued until the formation of Kerala Stat
e on 1 November 1956, under the States Reorganization Act 1956. The district cam
e into existence as a separate administrative unit on 1 August 1957.
Geography and climate[edit]
Boating center in Sea view canal
Alappuzha is located at 9.54N 76.40E.[16] The average elevation is 1 metre (3.3 ft
)[17] Alappuzha covers an area of 1,414 square kilometres (546 sq mi) and is fla
nked by 2,195 square kilometres (847 sq mi) of Vembanad Lake, where six major ri
vers spread out before joining the 80 km coast line of the district. The city of
Alappuzha is crisscrossed by a system of canals, which is a part of the Nationa
l Waterway 3 (India).[18]
The district is a sandy strip of land intercepted by lagoons, rivers and canals.
There are no mountains or hills in the district except some scattered hillocks
lying between Bharanikkavu and Chengannur blocks in the eastern portion of the d
istrict. There are no forest area in this district.
Alappuzha is gifted with great natural beauty with the Laccadive Sea on its west
. The city has a network of lakes, lagoons and fresh water rivers. The richness
of the coastal Alappuzha waters is expressed annually in the blooming and conseq
uent deposit of a huge quantity of fishes and prawns on the Alappuzha coast call
ed Chakara . This annual shifting of sandbank appears during the post-monsoon perio
d and contributes to the local economy and is a festive season for the people of
Kerala. The annual floods rejuvenate and cleanse the soil and water due to whic
h there is abundance of marine life like prawns, lobsters, fishes, turtles,and o
ther flora in the sea.
The backwaters and wetlands host thousands of migrant common teal, ducks and cor
morants every year who reach here from long distances. A major feature of the ar
ea is the region called Kuttanad, the 'granary of Kerala'. Kuttanad is also know
n as the rice bowl of Kerala and is one of the few places in the world where far
ming is done below sea level. The paddy fields lie about 0.6 to 2 m below mean s
ea level.[19]
Owing to its proximity to the sea, the climate of Alappuzha is humid and hot dur
ing the summer, although it remains fairly cool and pleasant during the months o
f October and November. The average monthly temperature is 27C. The district get
s the benefit of two seasonal monsoons, as in other parts of the state. Alappuzh
a city experiences a long monsoon season with heavy showers as both the Southwes
t monsoon and Northeast monsoon influences the weather of Alappuzha. The South-w
est monsoon affects the climate in the months from June to September. On the oth
er hand, the North-east monsoon brings rain from October to November. The averag
e rainfall received by the region is 2763 mm.[20]
[hide]Climate data for Alappuzha
Month Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Average high C (F)

32
(90)
32
(90)
32
(90)
32
(90)
32
(90)
29
(84)
29
(84)
29
(84)
29
(84)
30
(86)
30
(86)
31
(88)
30.6
(87.2)
Average low C (F)
23
(73)
24
(75)
25
(77)
26
(79)
25
(77)
24
(75)
23
(73)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
23
(73)
24.1
(75.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches)
28
(1.1) 39
(1.54) 66
(2.6) 144
(5.67) 336
(13.23) 688
(27.09) 557
(21.93) 378
(14.88) 287
(11.3) 317
(12.48) 211
(8.31) 64
(2.52) 3,115
(122.65)
Average precipitation days (= 0.1 mm) 1
22
21
18
13
13
8
Source: Weather2Travel
Demographics[edit]
Religion in Alappuzha
Religion
Percent
Hinduism
?
49.85%
Christianity
?
26.23%
Islam
?
23.62%
Others
?
0.30%

2
3

3
122

11

Jain temple, Alleppey

[show]Historical population
According to 2011 census, Alappuzha district has a population of 21,21,943 with
10,10,252 men and 11,11,691 women[23] with a population density of 1492 persons
per km2.[24] There are 1,86,022 persons under six years of age in Alappuzha dist
rict. The literacy rate of Alappuzha stands at 96.26% out of which 8,95,476 are
males and 9,68,082 are females. Alappuzha has a decadal population growth of 0.6
1%. Alappuzha has a sex ratio of 1100[25] and the urban agglomeration had a popu
lation of 282,675 in 2001.[22]
The population is predominantly Hindu and Christian, and there are sizeable numb
ers of Muslims. The most widely spoken language is Malayalam, although many peop
le speak Tamil, and Konkani.
The standard dialect of Malayalam spoken is Central Travancore dialect.[26] Konk
ani is a language that is spoken in the Konkan region. During the Portuguese and
Dutch invasions of the 16th and 18th centuries, many konkanis migrated southwar
ds to Thuravoor, Cherthala and Alappuzha in the state of Travancore as well as o
ther places in Kerala like Cochin, Kodungalloor, Kollam etc. A majority of these
people settled in Alappuzha.[27][28][29]
Economy[edit]
Commercial canal walkway in Alleppey west
The economy of the district is based on agriculture and marine products. The agr
icultural activities predominantly revolve around Kuttanad region, the rice bowl
of Kerala. Though the district is industrially backward, some traditional indus
tries based on coir and coir products, marine products, handlooms, different typ
es of handicrafts, toddy tapping, have been active from the very early times. Th
e district is known as the traditional home of coir industry in Kerala.[30]
The availability of raw materials and the existence of backwaters and canals sui
table for the getting of green husk and accessibility of transportation are the
main factors of the development of this industry. Arabs had carried on trade in
coir products from very ancient period. The manufacture of mats and mattings was
first introduced in 1859 by Mr. James Durragh.[31]
The Coir Board was established by the Central Government under the provisions of
the Coir Industry Act, 1955.[32] A coir research institute functions at Kalavoo
r.[33] The National Coir Training and Designing Centre was established at Alappu
zha in 1965.[34]
Coir is the most important commodity manufactured in Alappuzha, Kayamkulam, Kokk
othamangalam, Komalapuram, Mannancherry, Muhamma and Vayalar,[35] Coir products
in Cherthala and Mannancherry, Lime shell in Arookutty and Kodamthuruth, Plywood
in Chengannur, Keltron controls in Aroor,[36] Potassium Chloride in Mavelikkara
and coconut in Thanneermukkom. The other important commodities manufactured in
these towns are copra, coconut oil, glass, mats and matches.[37]
In recent times, tourism has become a major source of revenue. This is mainly du
e to the presence of houseboats that provide the tourists a view of the scenic b
ackwaters of the city. Another reason is the proximity to other popular tourist
spots like Munnar and Varkala.
Backwater paddy cultivation (Kayal cultivation)[edit]
Paddy fields in Kuttanad
The major occupation in Alappuzha is farming. The Rice Bowl of Kerala, Kuttanadu
is located in Alappuzha. Large farming areas near Vembanad Lake were reclaimed

from the lake. In earlier times, the reclamation was done mainly from the shallo
w part of the Vembanad Lake or from the periphery of river Pamba. These reclamat
ions constituted small areas of paddy fields called Padsekharam. The bailing out
of water from those fields were done manually using water wheels (Chakram). Gra
dually the manual method used for bailing out of water gave way to steam engines
.
Three stages can be identified in the reclamation of lands from the Vembanad Lak
e. In the first stage it was carried out by private entrepreneurs without any fi
nancial support from the part of the government. The Pattom Proclamation, made b
y the Travancore Kingdom in the year 1865, gave a great boost to the reclamation
activities between 1865 and 1890. During this period de-watering of the polders
were done manually, using waterwheels, restricting large-scale reclamations. On
ly about 250 hectares of land were reclaimed during this period. Venadu Lake and
Madathil Lake that were reclaimed during this period are considered as the firs
t Kayal Nilam (lake-reclaimed land) which were reclaimed from Vembanad Lake.[38]
The pioneering reclamation activity of lake-reclamation and cultivation was mad
e by two brothers Mathai Luka Pallithanam and Ouseph Luka Pallithanam belonging
to Kainady village in Kuttanadu.[39] The period between 1865 and 1890 is usually
considered as the first phase of lake-cultivation.
The introduction of kerosene engines for dewatering resulted in the reclamation
of wider areas of the lake for cultivation. It made the farmers consider venturi
ng into the deeper parts of the lake. During the period between 1898 and 1903, r
eclamation activity was led by Pallithanam Luka Mathai (alias Pallithanathu Math
aichen) who reclaimed the Cherukara Kayal and Pallithanam Moovayiram Kayal. Hous
eboat is one among the main attraction of Alappuzha.[40]
The second phase (1890 to 1903) of reclamation activities came to a halt because
of the ban on lake reclamation imposed by the Madras Government in 1903. Cheruk
ali Kayal, Rama Rajapuram Kayal, Aarupanku Kayal, Pantharndu Panku kayal and Mat
hi Kayal were the other major reclamations during this period.
In 1912, the Madras Government approved a proposal from the Travencore Governmen
t for further reclamations in three stages. Under this reclamation scheme areas
were notified for reclamation in blocks each named by an alphabet letter. Out of
the total area of 19,500 acres of reclaimed land 12,000 acres were reclaimed be
tween 1913 and 1920. The reclamations between 1914 and 1920 are known as new rec
lamations, which were carried out in three periods. In the first period Blocks A
to G measuring an 6300 Acres were reclaimed. C Block, D Block (Attumukham Aaray
iram (Attumuttu Kayal), Thekke Aarayiram and Vadakke Aarayiram) and E Block (Eru
pathinalayiram Kayal) F Block (Judge's Aarayiram Kayal) and G Block (Kochu Kayal
) are the major reclamations during this period.
During the second period of new reclamation, blocks H to N measuring 3600 acres
were reclaimed. During the third period of new reclamation, R Block measuring 1,
400 acres were reclaimed.
Due to the steep decline in the price of rice during 1920 to 1940, the reclamati
on activities became sluggish, but they gained momentum again in the early 1940s
. During this period, in order to increase the agricultural output, government i
nitiated a Grow More Food campaign and provided incentives to encourage new recl
amations. The advent of electric motors made the reclamation easier, cheaper and
less risky as compared to the earlier periods. The last tract of the reclamatio
ns namely Q, S and T block were made during this period.
Transport[edit]
Road[edit]
Pallathuruthy bridge

National Highways[edit]
National Highway 66 (India) is one the longest national highway in India. It con
nects Panvel to Kanyakumari passes through the city and allow to connect other m
ajor cities like Mumbai, Udupi, Mangalore, Kannur, Kozhikode,Ernakulam, Kollam,
and Trivandrum. Alappuzha is also well connected by road. There is a plan to upg
rade State Highway 11 (Kerala) to national highway status which helps to connect
Alappuzha to Kodaikanal as part of promoting coastal-hill tourism project.[41]
State Highways[edit]
State Highway 11 (Kerala)
There are eight state highways in Alappuzha district and three of them originate
s from Alappuzha town. State Highway 11 (Kerala) is a state Highway that starts
in Kalarcode, Alappuzha and ends in Perunnai, Changanassery. The road is popular
ly known as AC road (Alappuzha Changanassery) road and it has 24.2 km length. It
's an important busy road which connects Alappuzha city with Kottayam district.
State Highway 40 (Kerala) is an interstate state highway in Alappuzha district w
hich connects with Alappuzha town to Madurai, Tamil Nadu. It's the only intersta
te state highway in Alappuzha district. State Highway 66 (Kerala) is a state hig
hway which originates from Alappuzha town and terminates at Thoppumpady, Ernakul
am.[42]
City Transport[edit]
The city service is served by white and brown colored private buses. Alappuzha h
as a private bus stand named after V.K Soman, who was the municipal chairman of
town during the period 1979 to 1984. Private bus operators run bus routes starti
ng from Erattakulanagra Temple at Ambalappuzha till Kalavoor through National Hi
ghway 66 (India). Also they run bus routes that connects V.K Soman memorial priv
ate bus stand, Alappuzha with Cherthala through State Highway 66 (Kerala). These
bus routes connect the city with the suburbs.The state run KSRTC also run buses
connecting Alappuzha to other major cities.[43]
Water[edit]
The presence of a lot of backwaters and canals makes water transport a popular m
eans of transport. National Waterway-3 passes through Alappuzha. There is an SWT
D boat jetty in the city that lies opposite to the KSRTC bus stand. It is served
by boat services to major towns like Kottayam, Kollam and Changanassery besides
to other small towns and jetties. Taking an SWTD boat is a cheaper alternative
to houseboats for enjoying the scenic beauty of Alappuzha.
Rail[edit]
Alappuzha Railway Station is linked by Ernakulam Kayamkulam coastal railway line a
nd connects to cities like Trivandrum, Quilon(Kollam), Cochin, Vellore, Katpadi,
Coimbatore, Chennai, Delhi, Bokaro and Mumbai.The railway station is about 4 ki
lometres (2.5 mi) away from the center of the city.[44] A total of four trains o
riginate from Alappuzha to cities like Kannur, Katpadi, Chennai, Dhanbad, and Ta
tanagar. Since Alappuzha is a prime destination, trains from important cities, l
ike Banglore, Manglore, Kozhikode, and Amritsar, pass through this station.[45]
Air[edit]
The city is accessible by air, rail, road and water. Cochin International Airpor
t, which is 78 kilometres (48 mi) to the North, is the closest airport. Thiruvan
anthapuram International Airport, 159 kilometres (99 mi) to the South, is the ot
her airport that links the district with other countries. International tourists
use this facility to reach Alappuzha. The other nearest airports are at Kozhiko
de (236 kilometres (147 mi)) and Coimbatore (254 kilometres (158 mi)). A helipad
in the city is reserved for government uses.
Sports[edit]
Alappuzha is internationally famous for snake boat races, especially Nehru Troph

y Boat Race held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha. In 1952, Jawaharlal Nehru
the first prime minister of India visited Kerala. People of Alleppey decided to
give a special entertainment for their prestigious guest and conducted a snake
boat race. Jawaharlal Nehru was so excited by this event and he jumped into 'Nad
ubhagam Chundan'(a snake boat), ignoring the security officials. By this excitem
ent of sailing in a snake boat he donated a rolling trophy to be awarded to the
winner of the race. Other than Snake boat race Cricket, football and basketball
are among the most popular sports in city. In 2015, Kerala Cricket Association i
naugurated KCA Cricket Stadium Alappuzha which is an A-class cricket stadium in
Sanatana Dharma College.[46] Another stadium named as EMS Stadium or municipal s
tadium is under construction in Alappuzha.
Notable people[edit]
Nangeli - Dalit woman who fought against social injustice
Vayalar Ramavarma
Malayalam poet and film lyricist
K. R. Gowri Amma - Revenue Minister in the first Kerala LDF ministry, initiated
the revolutionary land reforms in Kerala, Agriculture minister in Kerala UDF Min
istry.
A. K. Antony thrice Chief minister of Kerala in UDF Ministry, former Indian Defe
nce Minister
Vayalar Ravi - former Home minister of Kerala in UDF Ministry, former Union Cabi
net Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.
Irayimman Thampi - Carnatic musician as well as a music composer from Kerala
C. K. Chandrappan
Communist leader and Former Member of Parliament.
S. D. Shibulal - Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys
Prasanth Parameswaran - Kerala First class cricketer, Indian Premier League Roya
l Challengers Bangalore Player
Jomon T. John - Indian cinematographer
Ratheesh - Malayalam film actor
Fazil - Malayalam Film Director.
Kunchacko Boban - Malayalam Cine Actor.
Fahadh Faasil - Malayalam Cine actor.
Navajyothi Sree Karunakara Guru
founder of Santhigiri Ashram
PS Karthikeyan - former Secretary, S.N. Trust, Former Director of SNDP Yogam, Fo
rmer Member of the Legislative Assembly - Aroor, Chief Editor of Dinamani daily
P. Parameswaran - Director, Bharatheeya Vichara Kendram
Jagannatha Varma Kathakali artist, actor in Malayalam film and serial
Rajeev Alunkal film lyricist and poet
Vayalar Sarath Chandra Varma
film lyricist
Riaz M T Malayalam Film Actor
Rajan P. Dev
Malayalam film actor and Drama/Theater personality
S. L. Puram Sadanandan - Malayalam playwright and film scriptwriter
Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan - writer and film critic
Joy J. Kaimaparamban - English and Malayalam author
Itty Achudan - The major contributor of ethno-medical information for the compil
ation of Hortus Malabaricus.
Palackal Thoma Malpan - founder of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate
Mgr. Joseph C. Panjikaran - founder of the Medical Sisters of St. Joseph
P. J. Thomas, Polayil - Chief Secretary, Kerala
Radhika (Malayalam actress) - Malayalam cine actress
Vellapally Natesan - General Secretary of SNDP Yogam
G. Sudhakaran - Belongs to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and represents
Ambalappuzha constituency.
Administration and politics[edit]
Alappuzha city officials
Municipal chairman
Mr.Thomas Joseph[47]
Superintendent of Police
Mr.E.Divakaran[48]
Alleppey Bar Association
The two administrative systems prevailing in the district are revenue and local

self-government. Under the revenue system, the district is divided into two reve
nue divisions, six taluks and 91 villages. The two revenue divisions are Alappuz
ha division comprising Cherthala, Ambalapuzha and Kuttanad taluks consisting of
47 villages and Chengannur division comprising Karthikapally, Chengannur and Mav
elikkara taluks consisting of 44 villages. For census purposes, Aroor, Arookutty
, Kodamthuruth, Thanneermukkom Vadakku, Thaneermukkam Thekku, Vayalar East and K
okkothamangalam village, except the portions included in Cherthala municipality
are treated in the 1981 census as census towns based on the threefold criteria a
dopted for treating a place as census town.
Under the local self-government system, the district is divided into five statut
ory towns and development blocks consisting of 71 panchayats. The jurisdiction o
f a Development Block includes the areas falling in census towns also.[49]
There were nine legislative assembly segments in Alappuzha district for the 2011
Assembly elections. They are Aroor, Cherthala, Alappuzha, Kuttanad, Haripad, Ka
yamkulam, Mavelikkara and Chengannur.[50]
Alappuzha assembly constituency is part of Alappuzha (Lok Sabha constituency). T
he other Lok Sabha constituency of the district is Mavelikkara[51]
Education[edit]
Government T D Medical College, Alappuzha
There are schools, computer institutes and colleges all over the district, with
nine training schools, 405 lower primary schools, 105 high schools and 87 higher
secondary schools.[52]
The first school in Alappuzha, the Church Missionary Society (CMS) School, was e
stablished in 1816. The school was established by the Rev. Thomas Norton, the fi
rst CMS missionary to India. The school is run by the CSI Christ Church, Alappuz
ha. The first higher secondary school in Alappuzha was the Leo XIIIth Higher Sec
ondary School, which was opened on June 1, 1889 by Portuguese Bishop John Gomes
Pereira of Cochin.[53]
College of Engineering and Management, Punnapra
Colleges in Alappuzha offer both graduate and postgraduate courses for their stu
dents.[54]
St. Joseph's College for Women, Alappuzha
Major College Institutes
College of Engineering, Cherthala[55]
Cochin University College of Engineering Kuttanad[56]
Sanatana Dharma College[57]
S. D. V. College of Arts and Applied Science[58]
SN College Cherthala[59]
N.S.S. College[60]
Government College, Ambalapuzha[61]
College of Engineering and Management, Punnapra[62]
Mar Gregorios College Punnapra[63]
College of Engineering Chengannur[64]
College of Applied Sciences, Mavelikkara[65]
Carmel College of Engineering and Technology Alappuzha[66]
Government T D Medical College, Alappuzha[67]
St. Joseph's College for Women, Alappuzha[68]
St. Michael's college,[69]
T. K. Madhava Memorial College[70]

St. Aloysius college Edathua[71]

See also[edit]
List of people from Alappuzha
Travancore Labour Association
Technical Higher Secondary School, Cherthala, Pallippuram
Ernakulam-Kayamkulam coastal railway line
KCA Cricket Stadium, Alappuzha
References[edit]
Jump up ^ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/paper2/data_files/Indi
a2/Table_2_PR_Cities_1Lakh_and_Above.pdf
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Jump up ^ "tourismin India [2]"
Jump up ^ "Alappuzha".
Jump up ^ "Nehru trophy boat race.[3]"
Jump up ^ "Attractionsinindia.com".
Jump up ^ "Struggles".
Jump up ^ "coir industry [4]"
Jump up ^ "taluks in Alappuzha 1957 [5]"
Jump up ^ "boundaries [6]"
Jump up ^ "taluks in Alappuzha [7]"
Jump up ^ "History", Allapuzha, the Venice of the East, alappuzha.nic.in
Jump up ^ "Kuttanad [8]"
Jump up ^ "Mukkal Vattam in Muhamma [9]"
Jump up ^ "Arthunkal Church history". Arthunkal Church.
Jump up ^ "Maps, Weather, Videos, and Airports for Alappuzha, India". Fallingrai
n.com. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
Jump up ^ "elevation [10]"
Jump up ^ "National waterway 3 [11]"
Jump up ^ "Kuttanad1 [12]"
Jump up ^ "rainfall [13]"
Jump up ^ "populstat [14]"
^ Jump up to: a b "censusindia [15]"
Jump up ^ "census of Kerala 2011 [16]"
Jump up ^ "density of Alappuzha [17]"
Jump up ^ "population 2011 [18]"
Jump up ^ "dialect [19]"
Jump up ^ "migration of konakanis". Gosripuram.org.in. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
Jump up ^ "migration of konakanis". Gsbkonkani.net. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
Jump up ^ "migration of konakanis
Jump up ^ "coir industry [20]"
Jump up ^ "mats [21]"
Jump up ^ "coir board [22]"
Jump up ^ "coir research [23]"
Jump up ^ "coir design [24]"
Jump up ^ "coir". Scribd.com. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
Jump up ^ "Keltron Controls [25]"
Jump up ^ "coir mat [26]"
Jump up ^ M.S. Swaminathan,FRS (May 2013). "The Kuttanadu Below Sea Level Farmin
g System, India" (PDF). FAO Website. p. 8. Retrieved 8 Oct 2013.
Jump up ^ G S Unnikrishanan Nair (Sep 2013). "Kuttanad; Our Heritage Our wealth"
(PDF). KERALA CALLING. pp. 16 20. Retrieved 26 Sep 2013.
Jump up ^ designthemes. "Alappuzha tourist places | Alappuzha tourism | Alappuzh
a houseboat". South Chalo. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
Jump up ^ "Jawahar Thayankari lifts Nehru trophy".
Jump up ^ "PWD Public Site".
Jump up ^ "Alappuzha to get its first private bus stand". 29 April 2015
via The
Hindu.
Jump up ^ "Trains from Alappuzha [27]"
Jump up ^ "Trains passing through Alappuzha [28]"
Jump up ^ "SD College- KCA Cricket Ground- Alapuzha".

Jump up ^ "official [29]"

Jump up ^ "sp [30]"
Jump up ^ "Administration [31]"
Jump up ^ "Niyamsabha official site [32]"
Jump up ^ " constituency. [33]"
Jump up ^ "education in Alappuzha [34]"
Jump up ^ "Leo 13 school [35]"
Jump up ^ "colleges in Alappuzha [36]"
Jump up ^ "CollegeOfEngineering, Cherthala". Cectl.ac.in. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
Jump up ^ "Official website of Cochin University of Science and Technology".
Jump up ^ "Welcome - Sanatana Dharma College".
Jump up ^ "Welcome".
Jump up ^ "SN COLLEGE CHERTHALA".
Jump up ^ "NSS Alappuzha". Grotal.com. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
Jump up ^ "Home Page - Government College, Ambalapuzha".
Jump up ^ unni, visakh. "CEM Punnapra".
Jump up ^ "Mar Gregorios College".
Jump up ^ "College of Engineering(Chengannur)". Ceconline.edu. Retrieved 2013-09
-25.
Jump up ^ Super User. "Profile of the College - College of Applied Sciences, Mav
elikkara".
Jump up ^ "Carmel college of Engineering and Technology". Carmel College of Engi
neering and Technology.
Jump up ^ "Government TD Medical College Alappuzha, Kerala".
Jump up ^ "SJCW [37]"
Jump up ^ "SMC "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 27 May 2010. Retri
eved 18 February 2016."
Jump up ^ "TKM [38]"
Jump up ^ "St Aloysius". Aloysiuscollege.org. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
fallingrain. "Alappuzha geographic location". Retrieved June 4, 2011.
msnindia. "Alappuzha annual weather". Retrieved June 4, 2011.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alappuzha.
Alappuzha travel guide from Wikivoyage
Kerala State Water Transport Department official website
Official website of Alappuzha District
[show] v t e
State of Kerala
[show] v t e
Municipalities of Kerala
[show] v t e
Alappuzha district
[show] v t e
Travancore region
[show] v t e
Kerala topics
Categories: Populated coastal places in IndiaPort cities in IndiaAlappuzhaCities
and towns in Alappuzha district
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