43-644: Alumkadavu is a village in Karunagapally of the Kollam district in the Indian state of Kerala . The village is located on the backwaters of Ashtamudi Lake . It is known to be an originator for the construction of Kettuvallam , a type of traditional barge in Kerala characterized by thatched covers. 9°03′32″N 76°30′25″E / 9.059°N 76.507°E / 9.059; 76.507 This article related to
86-448: A facial expression raudra (form of fury), in stark contrast to the compassionate features of the multi-armed Vishnu". The mural also shows a smaller figure of Gajendra in mid-trumpet, and of the crocodile on the right side. The mural truly represents the Kerala style of painting on every available space on it. Apart from the main characters of the legend, saints, animals, mythical beasts and forest plants are also depicted. The outer edges of
129-597: A location in Kollam district , Kerala , India is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Karunagappalli Karunagappally is a municipality in the Kollam district of Kerala , India . It is 24 km north of Kollam and 60 km (37 mi) south of Alappuzha . Karunagappally taluk consists of Alappad , Ochira , Adinad , Karunagappally , Thazhava , Pavumba , Thodiyoor , Kallalibhagom , Thevalakkara , Chavara , Neendakara , Clappana , Kulasekharapuram , Thekkumbhagam , Ayanivelikulangara , Panmana , Ponmana and Vadakumthala . The taluk
172-475: A temple deity to provide a "hallow of light". Fine miniature Panchaloha (five metals of bronze alloy with gold also as an ingredient) figures on display are of the Varuna (water god), many Vishnus and a minuscule devotee in worship mode. Anchal Post was the postal service of Krishnapuram Palace. It was the early postal service started in the kingdom of Travancore and Cochin before Independence of India. It
215-629: Is a palace and museum located in Kayamkulam near Alappuzha in Alappuzha district , Kerala in southwestern India . It was built in the 18th century by Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma (1729–1758 CE ), the Travancore kingdom. It is built in the architectural style of Kerala with gabled roof , narrow corridor and dormer windows , near the Krishnaswamy Temple at Krishnapuram . The palace
258-520: Is bound on the north by Kayamkulam , on the east by Kunnathur taluk, on the south by Kollam and on the west by the Arabian Sea . It is one of the fastest developing towns in Kerala and is part of Kollam metropolitan area. Karunagappally is the location of a government engineering college named the College of Engineering Karunagappally , also known as CEK, and a Government Arts & Science College under
301-399: Is complete with gabled roofs, narrow corridors and dormer windows. It is a miniature replica of Padmanabhapuram Palace , which was the headquarters of Travancore Rajas. The palace complex originally encompassed a total land area of 56 acres (23 ha). However, over the years, as the monarchic rule ended, the palace was completely neglected and fell to disuse, and was dilapidated. Many of
344-556: Is contained in the 10th century Sanskrit Bhagavata Purana . According to this legend, the Pandyan King Indradyumna , a devotee of Lord Vishnu , was given a curse by the sage Agastya , to be reborn as an elephant. Gajendra or the Elephant King, while on a pleasure trip to a lake with his wives, was seized by a crocodile that caught hold of his leg with a firm grip and thus Gajendra was held captive for many years. Finally
387-493: Is gaining popularity as a local tourist attraction. Karunagappally was an ancient Buddhist site. There was a Buddha bhikshu named Karinagan who lived in Karunagappally. He later became known as Pallikkal Puthran (as Karunagappally is situated on the banks of Pallikkal river) hence the name Karunagappally. Many traces of ancient Buddhist culture were excavated from various places in and around Karunagappally. A statue of Karinagan
430-919: Is known for its religious harmony. Major religious centers include Kattilmekkathil Devi Temple, Ochira Parabrahma Temple, Sree Subhramanyaswami Temple Panama, Changankulangara Sree Mahadevar Temple, Thevalakkara Major Devi Temple, Pulithitta Chathushashti Yogini Sametha Mahakali Dharmadaiva Temples (Pulithitta Sree Bhadrabhagavathy Dharmadaiva Temple), India Pentecostal Church of God,Karunagappally, Assemblies of God Church, Karunagappally, The Pentecostal Mission, Karunagappally, Karunagappally Sheikh Masjid, Karunagappally Jama'at Mosque, Padanayarkulangara Mahadeva Temple, Sree Mookumpuzha Devi Temple, Maruthoorkulangara Mahadeva Temple, Mararithottam Mahadeva Temple, Puthiyakavu Devi Temple, Edakkulangara Sree Devi Temple, Vallikkavu Temple, and Puliyankulangara Temple,Shree kasiviswanatha temple and Vadakke nada bhagavathi temple Cheriazheekal Krishnapuram Palace The Krishnapuram Palace
473-605: Is maintained by the Kerala State Department of Archaeology and contains exhibits that belonged to the Palace and its former occupant, the Travancore Maharaja Marthanda Varma. It is also famous for a large pond within the palace complex. It is also said that an underground escape route runs from the bottom of the pond as a possible escape route from enemies. Among the many Kerala-style paintings seen in
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#1733085744036516-753: Is on the Kanyakumari-Kochi-Panvel National Highway 66 route. In taluk, Oachira to Neendakara is accessible through this same highway. Main road transport is provided by State owned Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and private transport bus operators. KSRTC Bus Station is situated in the heart of the town, on the National Highway 66. Buses are available from Karunagappally to Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kottayam, Kayamkulam, Shasthamkotta, Harippad, Kottarakkara, Kodungallur, Guruvayur, etc. Local services are also available to destinations throughout
559-1156: Is only 1.5 km far from the KSRTC bus station. Auto rickshaws are available from and to the railway station. Buses are available to railway station bus stop every 15 minutes (150 meters from station). Also buses are available from town to Alumoodu Jn. bus stop every 5 minutes, which is only 700 meters away from KPY railway station. There are 32 express and 18 passenger trains are available from here. Mumbai (Lokamanyathilak)-Thiruvananthapuram-Lokamanyathilak Netravati Express , Kanyakumari-Bangalore-Kanyakumari Island Express , TVC-Hydrabad-TVC Sabari Express , Kanyakumari-Mumbai-Kanyakumari Jayanthy Janatha Express , Nagarcoil-mangalur-Nagarcoil Ernad Express , TVC-Mangalur-TVC Maveli Express , TVC-Ernakulam-TVC Vanchinad Express , Nagarcoil-mangalur-Nagarcoil Parasuram Express , TVC-Shornur-TVC Venad Express , TVC-Mangalur-TVC Malabar Express , TVC-palakkad-TVC Amritha Express , Rajya Rani Express , Thiruvananthapuram-Guruvayoor-TVC Intercity Express, Kollam - Visakhapatnam Express , Trivandrum-Mangalapuram-Trivandrum Express and Punalur Palakkad Palaruvi Express are
602-634: Is part of Quilon Lok Sabha constituency. CPI(M), RSP, CPI, BSP, BJP, are major political parties there. The major industries in the public sector are Indian Rare Earths Limited (IRE) and Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) in Shankaramangalam. KERAFED in Puthiyakavu, house-boat manufacturing in Alumkadavu, the state owned Kerala Feeds Ltd in Kallelibhagom are also major industries. The KMML
645-511: Is said to have been used by the Kayamkulam Rajas in the 18th century and hence was of special attraction to the king. Buddha mandapam (hall) is where an attractive statue of one of the four antique Buddhas of the 10th century, which were recovered in recent times in ponds and fields in Alappuzha district is displayed. The Buddha mandapam (Buddha statue installed here predates the building of
688-415: Is steep and tiled with Mangalore tiles , which accentuates the beauty of the structure. A special feature of the carpentry adopted in building the palace consisted of wooden hinges and locks for doors and windows, instead of metallic fittings and fixtures. The flooring consists of polished wood and also of black and red oxide-coated concrete. The steps are made of polished granite blocks. Aesthetic beauty of
731-573: Is the first of its kind. Cashew nut industry plays a vital role. Western India cashews in Puthiyakavu and Latha cashews processing, imports and exports in Charamurimuk are the major cashew processing units in town limits. Coconut, paddy, tapioca, banana, etc. are the other main agricultural crops. Prominent small scale and cottage industries are based on bricks, well rings making, engineering, electronics items and handicrafts. There are many religious centers in and around Karunagappally . The Municipality
774-534: The 1950s by the Archaeological Department of Kerala in modern style conforming to the scientific techniques prescribed for the protection of heritage buildings. As a protected monument, it houses the Archaeological Museum and its offices. The Krishnapuram Palace, as one of the finest and rarest examples of a typical Keralite-style architecture, known in the local language as Pathinarukettu ,
817-567: The Krishnaswamy Temple at Krishnapuram, a serene village, is situated about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of Kayamkulam town... It is situated on the top of a small hillock encircled by terraced garden with fountains, ponds and lawns. Its location is to the left of the National Highway 66 (India) ( NH 66 ) between Ochira and Kayamkulam in the Alapuzha District. It is 47 kilometres (29 mi) away from Alleppey (Alappuzha district) on
860-585: The University of Kerala. Europeans called Karunagappally Martha. It is also home to renowned Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University's campus. The main tourist attraction is the house boat facility in Alumkadavu which is close (only 3 km) to Karunagappally town. Karunagappally Tourism at a glance. Sree Narayana Trophy boat race, an annual boat race is organised in the Kannety (Pallickal) River, Karunagappally, during
903-674: The anti-Buddhism campaign in Kerala. The idol was found in a pool or tank called Puthenkula (Pond of Buddha) in Maruturkulangara in Karunagappalli . This idol, cut out of a single piece of rock, was first installed in Karunagappalli town and after many years reinstalled in the compound of Krishnapuram Palace which is now a monument in the Buddha Mantapam. This idol has a skull cap adorned with lines of pearls or diamonds that represents
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#1733085744036946-524: The banks of the lagoon. The Amritapuri ashram is also situated in Parayakadavu, which is 8 km from Karunagappally. Other tourist attractions are Alumkadavu Backwater, Oachira temple, Pandarathuruth Church, Sheik Masjid Mosque, Padanayarkulangara Mahadeva Temple, Thazhava, Kovilthottam Light House, Sasthamkotta Lake, etc. Alumkadavu is the place where first houseboat made in India. Recently, Azheekal beach
989-612: The buildings surrounding the main palace of the Maharaja got demolished or destroyed and the palace complex got reduced to a mere 2.55 acres (1.03 ha) enclosed within a 10 feet (3.0 m) high compound wall. The main palace, which was run down, was rebuilt to its original state as a two storied monument by the Archaeological Department of Kerala in the 1950s. The rare documents and artefacts which were kept at other locations were brought back, restored and eventually exhibited in
1032-438: The consequent pressure on land, the reliance on agriculture has dwindled. Several cottage and small industries have now come up in the area including brick making, engineering and electronics. Proximity to Kollam (27 km) and the excellent road and rail infrastructure have helped in this transition. Fishing forms the major source of livelihood for the coast dwellers. The area also receives substantial foreign remittances from
1075-588: The district. The station operates Super Fast, Fast Passenger, Non AC low-floor, Venad and Ordinary buses. Road transport is also supported by private taxis and autorickshaws, also called as autos. Karunagappalli railway station ,(KPY) is a NSG 4 category railway station situated in Edakkulangara. It lies on the Kollam-Kayamkulam rail route of the Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam railway line and
1118-470: The hapless Gajendra appealed to Lord Vishnu, his chosen deity, to rescue him from his predicament. Vishnu made his presence soon after, riding on his Vahana (vehicle), the Garuda (the celestial half man half bird form). Garuda killed the crocodile. The entire sequence is vividly painted, with vegetable colours, on the mural with a dynamic portrayal of Garuda at the centre, about to land with "huge spread wings and
1161-659: The highest wisdom attained by Buddha. The museum in the Krishnapuram Palace also has a copy of the Bible in Sanskrit printed in Calcutta ( Kolkata ) in 1886. Ceremonial utensils are also on display in a display case, which consists of oil lamps, fine miniature figures, and small stone columns carved with serpent deities (collected from various local houses). Some of these are arranged in an arc form known as prabhu and placed behind
1204-456: The large number of people from here working in the Gulf countries. Now Kerala's many prominent business centres had their branches here. Karunagappalli is known for high background radiation from thorium -containing monazite sand. In some coastal panchayats, median outdoor radiation levels are more than 4 mGy /yr and, in certain locations on the coast, it is as high as 70 mGy/yr. Karunagappally
1247-468: The main entrance, which are significators of status. The palace complex, which now functions as an archaeological museum, is a treasure house of ancient paintings and inscriptions, coins, megalithic remains, artefacts made of wood, brass and stone sculptures. Some of the prominent displays in the complex are: The mural of Gajendra Moksham, Kayamkulam Val (sword), Buddha's statue of the 10th century and ceremonial utensils and many other artefacts. Within
1290-526: The main train connections. Around 50 trains have stop here in both directions. Station Code: KPY. Trivandrum International Airport is the nearest airport and is easily accessible via the National Highway 66. Karunagapalli assembly constituency is part of Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency and the major political parties in Karunagappally municipality and nearby panchayaths were CPI[M], CPI , Congress, BJP Including Neendakara, Thevalakkara, Chavara and Panmana Panchayaths, Chavara assembly constituency
1333-399: The mural are decorated with Floriate borders. At the bottom, there is an exclusive "triptych-like panel which depicts Balakrishna , the child Krishna surrounded by doting females. The Kayamkulam Vaal ('Vaal' means "sword") is an important exhibit in the museum. The significance of the sword is that its both sides are sharpened and thus it is more dangerous than any other martial weapon. It
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1376-569: The other minor Gods, Goddesses and saints look on. Lord Vishnu was the family deity of the Kayamkulam Kings. This mural, in a fusion of colours and expressions, was placed prominently at the entrance to the palace from the pond to enable the kings to worship the deity after their daily ablutions. The mythological legend narrated on the Gajendra Moksham ( Gajendra means the King of elephants)
1419-579: The palace ) is located in the finely landscaped and tended garden with profusion of flower plants (endemic to Kerala) that surrounds the palace complex. The four Buddha statues found in recent years in the Alappuzha district testify the prevalence of Hinayana Buddhism in Odanadu in the Maveli kingdom of Kerala several. The four Buddha images are in meditating posture with Ushnisha (cap) and Upavita (upper garment). These had been thrown into fields and ponds during
1462-515: The palace has been further enhanced by the special designs of straight, curved and spiral staircases and sunshades. A small stream was created to flow close to the southern vicinity of the palace which also functioned as a secret escape route in times of emergency. An underground tank or pond that stretches to the centre of the building was part of the palace; it provided air-conditioning effect of moderate temperature in all interior rooms. The palace compound has many Padippuras , particularly at
1505-476: The palace is the archaeological museum which has an exhibit of the Gajendra Moksham a 3 metres (9.8 ft) high mural, which is the largest single piece of mural painting so far discovered in Kerala. The literal meaning of 'Gajendra Moksham' is the "salvation or Moksha of the elephant king Gajendra . " The theme of the mural is mythological and depicts an elephant saluting Lord Vishnu in devotion while
1548-403: The palace that has been converted into a Museum. The palace restored to its originally built plans, conforming to Vastu Shastra norms, has 16 blocks or Kettus with four Nadumuttam or open area in the centre or courtyards. The windows, doors and ventilators were placed in such a way as to ensure fresh air circulation and natural lighting in all the rooms. There are 22 rooms (which open into
1591-517: The palace, a distinctly placed mural painting is titled " Gajendra Moksham " of 154 square feet (14.3 m ) size, which is said to be the largest such find in Kerala. It is placed on the western end of the ground floor of the palace. The double edged Kayamkulam Vaal (sword) is also on display here. The palace houses, in its courtyard, one of the four statues of Buddha found in Alappuzha District. The Krishnapuram Palace named after
1634-431: The population. In the coastal panchaythat Azheekal, almost 100% of the population is Hindu. The high literacy of Kerala is reflected in Karunagappalli as well with 94.23% of the population classified as literate as against the national average of 74.04%. Karungappalli used to be an agrarian economy until the late 19th century with coconut , banana , tapioca and paddy as the main crops grown. With rapid urbanization and
1677-477: The season of Onam Festival . Nowadays houseboat, safari boat and speed-boat services are operated from Kannetty boat club which 1 km apart from Karunagappally ksrtc bus stand to various places like Amrithapuri, Azheekkal beach, harbour, Ashtamudi lake through Vattakkayal, Kattilmekkathil temple and Chavara canal. And also to Champakkadavu where we can enjoy the beauty of villages, rare species of birds and diversity. The famous Chinese fishing nets can be found on
1720-437: The shady internal courtyards) with ornamental wooden partitions with carvings. Additional openings were provided to prevent any negative effects of "Murmavedham." (Secret effects). The building is set with verandas (passages) all round to protect the outer walls getting damaged due to rains. The materials used in its construction consisted of laterite stones, rubble, teak, rosewood and Angili wood. Roofing (red-tiled gabled )
1763-543: The way to Kollam . The palace was built by King Marthanda Varma of Travancore after defeating and annexing Odanad in the Odanad–Travancore War of 1746. Before the construction of the palace, the King demolished an earlier palace at the site, which had been built by the King Veera Ravi Varma of Odanad (reign 1700–1775 CE). Initially, a small palace of a single story, known locally as Ettukettu ,
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1806-407: Was built in the traditional style with an adjacent pond, temple and urappura under the management of Prime Minister Ramayyan Dalawa , which was later enlarged by Prime Minister Ayyappan Marthanada Pillai. The palace complex has many other buildings, which are a combination of traditional and Western architecture. The present building, a three-storied structure within the complex, was renovated in
1849-436: Was placed in front of Mahadevar temple at the heart of the city. Now it has been moved to Krishnapuram Palace , Kayamkulam. As of 2011 India census, Karunagappalli Municipality had a population of 25,336 where 12,219 are males and 13,117 are females. 75% of the population is Hindu; Muslims, the second-largest community having 19%. Christians are scattered and spread over Panchayths and Municipality limits, and account for 6% of
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