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44-501: Chengannur ( IPA: [t͡ʃeŋ:e̞n:u:r] ) is a municipality in the Alappuzha district of Kerala , India . It is located 37 km (23.0 mi) south of the district headquarters in Alappuzha and about 98 km (60.9 mi) north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram . As per the 2011 Indian census , Chengannur has a population of 23,466 people, and a population density of 1,607/km (4,160/sq mi). Today, Chengannur

88-438: A person named 'Kutilil George' died and scores of people were injured. Chengannur Municipality was formed in the year 1980 with Shri. P.K John Plammoottil as its First Municipal Chairman. The cultural background of Chengannur originates from the era of Royal rule. Chengannur was a part of Vanjippuzha Principality which was under the rule of Travancore . Chengannur town is in the banks of holy river Pamba which influenced

132-538: A total of 44 villages. Under the local self-government system, Chengannur is divided into 1 statutory town and development blocks consisting of 11 panchayats . There are many state Government offices, Banks and educational institutions located in Chengannur. A good number of people work in these institutions. Other major source of income is from the Non Residential Indians, which is a common economical factor in

176-401: Is State Highway 10 which connects Chengannur to Mavelikkara and Kozhencherry . Besides these two roads, there are also many arterial roads running across the length and breadth of the town. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has a depot at Chengannur (station code: CGNR); it is among the 29 major depots in the state. The KSRTC depot at Chengannur has an inter-state bus service, which

220-413: Is a huge boost in economical activities in this town. Since Chengannur is the nearest Railway station to Sabarimala Temple , most devotees use this railway station to visit the temple. During this season a boost in restaurant, hotel and transportation business is visible. The population of Chengannur mainly practices Hinduism and Christianity . Muslims are also found in the M.C. Road Mulakuzha region of

264-787: Is a part of the Mavelikara constituency which after demarcation extends from Changanassery in Kottayam district to Kottarakkara in Kollam district. Kodikunnil Suresh of the INC has been representing the Mavelikkara constituency since 2009. Chengannur's assembly constituency (Number 110) is a part of the Mavelikkara (Lok Sabha constituency) . The first speaker of the Kerala legislative assembly, Sankaranarayanan Thampi,

308-752: Is a primary economic and cultural hub of the Onattukara region. The town is noted for the Chengannur Mahadeva Temple and the Old Syrian Church of the ancient St. Thomas Christians community. It is also a major point for pilgrims to the Sabarimala Temple , and thus has been described as "The Gateway to Sabarimala". The name Chengannur (chem-kunnu-ur/oor) is derived from the words 'chem' (Malayalam) which means red, 'kunnu' (Malayalam) which means hill and 'ur/oor' (Malayalam) meaning land. It means

352-631: Is another tradition believed to have been initiated by a member nearly 400 years ago. This custom is still practiced by the local Nasrani community and is organised by members of the Mukkath Kudumba Yogam on Maundy Thursday . As of 2011 Census , Chengannur had a population of 23,466 and a population density of 1,607 inhabitants per square kilometre (4,160/sq mi). Of this, 10,933 are males and 12,533 are females. Chengannur Municipality has an area of 14.6 km (5.6 sq mi) with 6,278 families residing in it. The average female sex ratio

396-627: Is one more small railway station at Cheriyanadu which is 6 km from the town centre. Chengannur is served by the Trivandrum International Airport , which is about 117 kilometers from the city via Main Central Road . Another Airport is Cochin International Airport, which is 123 km from Chengannur via MC Road Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as tropical monsoon (Am). Chengannur

440-471: Is operated to Kanyakumari . KSRTC runs buses to different cities and towns inside and outside the state. Some of the Major destinations are Thiruvananthapuram , Ernakulam , Thrissur , Kozhikode , Mangalore , Mukambika, Kanyakumari , Coimbatore , Palani, Kannur and Wayanad . The Municipal Private bus stand is located in front of the railway station. Private buses leave this stand heading to various places in

484-647: Is the Mampalli copper plate inscription (947 CE) which records a donation from Venad chiefly family to the Chengannur Temple . In the medieval age, Chengannur was controlled by the Vanjipuzha chieftains of Mundencavu , of Tulu Brahmin origin. The principality was a feudatory of Odanad . Chengannur came under the Kingdom of Travancore when the area was annexed by Marthanda Varma in 1742. Marthanda Varma transferred

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528-405: Is the executive authority of the municipalities. Elected councillors and officers are the other functionaries. Two types of officers now exist – officers belonging to the municipality as full-time officers and officers transferred to the municipality from the state government. H The Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 mandates the establishment of ward committees in each ward of the municipality. In case

572-479: Is the major waterfall in Pamba river between vechoochira and Athikkayam . Like all the river basins in Kerala, the Pamba basin also can be divided into three natural zones based on elevation, consisting of low land or seaboard, midland and high land. The coast for a short distance along the borders of lakes is flat, retreating from it the surface roughens up into slopes which gradually combine and swell into mountains on

616-474: The Alappuzha , Kottayam , Pathanamthitta and Kollam districts. In addition to these, private luxury buses are available to major cities like, Bangalore , Chennai , Coimbatore , Mysore , Salem , Mangalore etc. Chengannur Railway Station (station code: CNGR), is an important railway station between Kollam and Kottayam. It is a major railway station in the Thiruvananthapuram railway division of

660-549: The Idukki district and traversing a distance of 176 kilometres (109 mi) through Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts, the river joins the Arabian Sea through a number of channels. The basin extends over an area of 2,235 square kilometres (863 sq mi) with the entire catchment area within Kerala state. The basin is bounded on the east by Western Ghats and on the west by Arabian Sea. The river shares its northern boundary with

704-611: The Mahabharatha . These temples are major Vaishnava pilgrim destinations of South India. The Chengannur Suriyani Church, built by the Vanjipuzha Chiefs, is famous for its unique architecture. The Church is shared by both the Marthoma and Orthodox Christians. There is a 33.5 feet tall cross said to have been carved from a single stone is a minor attraction. The annual custom of Aval Nercha (offering of flattened rice) at this church

748-549: The Manimala River basin, and the southern boundary with the Achankovil River basin. The river flows through Chittar , Vadasserikkara , Ranni , Ayroor , Cherukole , Keezhukara , Kozhencherry , Maramon , Aranmula , Arattupuzha , Edanad , Puthencavu , Chengannur , Kallissery , Pandanad , Parumala , Mannar , Kadapra , Melpadom, Thevery, Veeyapuram , Thakazhy , Pullangady, Pallathuruthy before emptying into

792-638: The Pandalam Raja as a child on the banks of the Pamba River. The Pamba River has been venerated as Ganga of kerala, and devotees of Lord Ayyappan believe that immersing oneself in the Pamba is equivalent to bathing in the Holy Ganges River . Bathing in the river, believed to absolve one's sins, is a requirement before commencing the trek through the forest to the Ayyappan Temple atop Sabarimala . Pamba

836-675: The Southern Railway Zone (India) . People from eastern part of the state are using this railway station for travelling to various parts of the country. All the trains traveling through this route stop at Chengannur station. It caters to the needs 3 districts, viz. Alappuzha , Kollam and Pathanamthitta . By rail, Chengannur is well connected to major cities in India like Delhi , Mumbai , Chennai , Kolkata , Bangalore , Hyderabad , Pune , Agra , Ahmedabad , Bikaner , Mangalore , Bhopal , Guwahati , Nagpur , Jammu and other major cities of

880-925: The Vembanad Lake , while another branch flows directly via Karuvatta into Thottappally Spillway . One branch of Pamba called Varattar flows from Arattupuzha / Puthenkavu and along Edanad , Othera , Thiruvanvandoor , Eramallikkara and flows into Manimala River at Kallumkal East side . Another branch of Pamba flows from Kuthiathode and joins with Manimala River at Kallumkal West side, and branches out again at Nedumpuram from Manimala River and flows along Thalavady , Edathua , Champakulam , Pullangady, Nedumudy and empties into Vembanad Lake at Kainakary . This branch links with Mainstream Pamba River at Pullangady while continuing to flow to Vembanad lake . One branch of Achankovil River joins with Pamba at Paippad / Veeyapuram , while another branch flows into Pamba again via Karichal , Cheruthana . Perunthenaruvi

924-484: The town panchayats , municipal councils , and municipal corporations . Prior to this, the urban areas of Kerala were governed by the following acts, which were repealed when the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 was introduced: Hence, instead of having separate acts for municipal corporations and other types of municipal bodies, from 1994 Kerala has the same act to govern all its municipal bodies. Since then,

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968-516: The Dutch authority got weaker in 18th century. However, the first modern kind of municipalities were formed in the state in 1866 in Malabar District . In 1866, Fort Kochi municipality was reestablished. Kannur , Thalassery , Kozhikode , Palakkad , and Fort Kochi , which were parts of Malabar District until 1956, were made the first modern municipalities of Kerala on 1 November 1866, according to

1012-618: The Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850) of the British Indian Empire . The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 provided for a national framework for municipal governance in the country, and Kerala has been following that pattern since 1994. Consequent to this amendment, several changes have occurred in the functions, powers, and responsibilities of

1056-577: The Mills Ground ( Mills Maithan is Ksrtc Bus stand now ) at Chengannur in 1925 as part of his visit to the Kingdom of Travancore . In 1938 as part of Indian independence movement, large gathering of people from all over Central Travancore were present at the Mills Maithan in Chengannur in response to a notification circulated by the State Congress. There was police lathi charge during the meeting and

1100-500: The basins. Due to drought and a lack of conservation and protection by the government, the Pampa River has shrunk to a stream and is totally dry in many places. Nearby wells have also dried up. Water for farming, such as paddy fields, is scarce. Experts are calling for governmental awareness of the dire situation and the need to rein in development that is destroying the environment. The Kerala High Court has initiated steps to control

1144-526: The central Travancore region, and the rest of Kerala as well. Agriculture is also there in the outskirts, but mostly confined to Rubber Plantations. There are no major industries in Chengannur, but a number of small scale industries are present. Major private employers are limited to banks, hospitals and shops. Chengannur Central Hatchery in chengannur which was started in 1961 was Asia's biggest poultry hatchery under government initiative. In Sabarimala season, which starts from mid-November to mid-January there

1188-410: The citizens. The Kerala Municipality Act 1994 envisage creation of three kinds of urban local governments Kerala has not created any town panchayats so far. The functions of the municipalities are enlisted as schedule appended to Kerala Municipality Act. The functions can be divided into civic functions and development functions in areas of agriculture, industry, health, education etc. Chairperson

1232-414: The country. Recently, the station has been declared as "The Gateway to Sabarimala". The rail line between Chengannur and Thiruvananthapuram has been doubled and electrified. Two new lines are proposed from Chengannur: one to Thiruvananthapuram via Adoor and the other to Sabarimala via Pathanamthitta . Furthermore, an MRTS is proposed to be established between Thiruvananthapuram and Chengannur. There

1276-512: The craftsmen who were brought by rulers of Travancore to build the Sabarimala temple. Idols of the deities of many temples in Kerala were crafted in Chengannur. Chengannur is a major Shaiva pilgrim destination in India. The Chengannur temple is one of the 108 temples believed to have been created by Parasurama. The Vishnu temples of Chengannur are believed to been established by the Pandavas of

1320-542: The culture of this town. There are many "Chundan Vallam" (Snake boats) participating in Aranmula Boat Race hails from Chengannur and nearby areas. Padayani is a traditional temple artform performed as part of the festival in the Vadasserikkavu Devi Temple. Chengannur has produced several great Kathakali artists, the most famous being Chenganoor Raman Pillai . Chengannur was also historically famous for

1364-416: The east. The low land area along sea coast is generally swampy and liable to be flooded during monsoon inundation. The plains/midlands succeed low land in gentle ascents and valleys interspersed with isolated low hills. The high land on the eastern portion is broken by long spurs, dense forests, extensive ravines and tangled jungles. Towering above all their slopes are Western Ghats that form eastern boundary of

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1408-546: The land of red hills. The red soil of Chengannur was different from the soil of nearby regions of Mavelikara and Kuttanad . Chengannur was a part of the Ay Kingdom in the ancient period. The Ay Kingdom's territory extended from Pamba River in the north to Nagercoil in the south. Thereafter it came under the sovereignty of the Cheraman Perumals . The earliest epigraphical record to mention Chengannur ( Thiruchenkunrur )

1452-626: The longest river in the erstwhile former princely state of Travancore . The Sabarimala Temple , dedicated to Lord Ayyappa , is located on the banks of the river Pamba. The River Pamba enriches the lands of Pathanamthitta district and the Kuttanad area of Alappuzha district and few areas of Kottayam The Pamba originates at Pulachimalai hill in the Peerumedu plateau in the Western Ghats at an altitude of 1,650 metres (5,410 ft). Starting from

1496-412: The municipalities, and the states had to make necessary amendments to the legislation on the local governments in the respective states. The Kerala Municipalities Act of 1994, enacted as per the constitutional amendment, governs the pattern, functions and services of the municipalities in Kerala. The act, which was integrated for the municipalities and corporations in the state, laid out the constitution of

1540-526: The municipality has less than one lakh population, then every person from the ward on the electoral roll becomes a member of the committee. In case the population of the municipality is more than one lakh, then the following become the members of the ward committee: In both cases, the local Councillor is the chairperson of the Ward Committee. The Kerala Municipality (Constitution of Ward Committee and Procedure for Meeting) Rules, 1995 provides further rules for

1584-620: The pollution of the river from the practice of some visitors to Sabarimala who throw their clothes into it. As part of the Punyam Poonkavanam project, pilgrims have been exhorted to avoid the usage of soap and oil while bathing in River Pamba. They are also requested not to throw any material, including clothes, to this holy river . At a broader level, this project aims to spread the message of cleanliness and greenness beyond Pamba and Sabarimala. Lord Ayyappan (Sri Dharmasastha) appeared to

1628-655: The population. Muslims constitute 0.56% of the population. Chengannur is well-connected by road and rail. State Highway 1 (SH1), popularly known as the MC Road , passes through the heart of the town and connects Chengannur to state capital, Thiruvananthapuram and Angamaly in Eranakulam District. The Chengannur - Kottayam stretch of the MC Road is also part of the NH 183 which stretches between Kollam and Theni . Another major road

1672-581: The rights over Chengannur from the King of Odanad to the Vanjipuzha family, after the family helped him in his conquests. The economic, social and religious esteem and the political power and sway of Vanjipuzha family over Chengannur continued to be intact throughout even the British period uninterrupted. In the mid-18th century, there were large-scale migrations from Kollam due to various natural disasters. Black pepper

1716-498: The setting up and functioning of these committees. Ward Committees have been set up in Kerala and are regularly cited as a good example of functioning micro level urban governance in India. Ward Committees played an important role in combating the spread of COVID19 in Kerala . Pamba River The Pamba River (also called Pampa River ) is the longest river in the Indian state of Kerala after Periyar and Bharathappuzha , and

1760-460: The structure of municipal bodies has essentially remained the same, even though the urban areas have multiplied. The 74th amendment to the Constitution of India resulted in increased roles for the municipalities in every state in India, where they have been perceived to be great contributors to the social and economic development of the country, as they are the level of government that is closest to

1804-507: The town. Most of Muslims are living at Kollakadavu and Mannar areas. Municipalities of Kerala The urban councils of Kerala date back to the 17th century when the Dutch Malabar established the municipality of Fort Kochi . In 1664, the municipality of Fort Kochi was established by Dutch Malabar , making it the first municipality in Indian subcontinent , which got dissolved when

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1848-440: Was 1146 higher than the state average of 1084. 7.2% of the population was under 6 years of age. Chengannur had an average literacy of 97.8% higher than the state average of 94%; male literacy was 98.3% and female literacy was 97.4%. Religion in Chengannur (2011) According to the 2011 census, Hindus are the majority with 62% of the population adhering to the religion. Christians form a significant minority, constituting 37% of

1892-474: Was a major export item of Chengannur. Angadikkal ( Angadi means market in Malayalam ) was the main market in Chengannur. The current Chengannur market, known as Shastham Puram Chanda , was developed by Velu Thampi Dalawa . During the 19th and 20th centuries, this market played a major role in selling and buying goods produced in the eastern mountains with the towns along the coast. Mahatma Gandhi addressed at

1936-557: Was an MLA from Chengannur. K. K. Ramachandran Nair was the MLA from 2016 onwards. He died and was replaced in the by-elections conducted on 28 May 2018 by Saji Cherian of Left Democratic Front . The two administrative systems prevailing in the Chengannur are Revenue and local self-government . As per the revenue system, Chengannur is one of the two revenue divisions of Alappuzha district. The Chengannur revenue division comprises Karthikapally , Chengannur and Mavelikkara taluks consisting of

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