Athirampuzha
Encyclopedia
Athirampuzha is the name of a Panchayat and a small town in Kottayam district
Kottayam district
Kottayam is one of the 14 districts in the state of Kerala, India. The district has its headquarters at Kottayam town, located at 9.36° N and 76.17° E. According to the 1991 census, it is the first district to achieve highest literacy rate in the whole of India...

 of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

 state, South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...

. Athirampuzha is situated 10 km north of Kottayam
Kottayam
Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative capital of the Kottayam district. Kottayam Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative...

 town.

It is one of the oldest trading centers in Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...

. The place is believed to have trade relations with Middle East from centuries ago.

Mahatma Gandhi University
Mahatma Gandhi University
Mahatma Gandhi University, also known as M G University, was established on 2 October 1983 in Kottayam. The University Grants Commission of India does not believe that the names of Indian universities should be unique, so another UGC-recognized government-run Mahatma Gandhi University was...

 is located in Athirampuzha. Mannanam K.E. College, Amalagiri
Amalagiri
Amalagiri means pure hill. Amalagiri is the name of a semi-urban residential area located 9 km north of Kottayam Town in Kerala, India. The Institute of Child Health of Govt. Medical College, Kottayam is located here....

 B.K. College, Ettumanoor I.T.I., St. Aloytious School, St. Marys School, St. Ephraims School Mannanam, K.E. School Mannanam, St.Gregorious U.P.School Mannarkunnu etc. are located in Athirampuzha Panchayat.

Ettumanoor Rail way Station and Industrial Estate is really located in Athirampuzha. Ettumanoor
Ettumanoor
Ettumanoor is a major town in Kottayam District of Kerala, India, located 11 kilometers north-east of Kottayam town, 65 km from Cochin and 73 km from Cochin International Airport...

, Kumaranalloor
Kumaranalloor
Kumaranalloor is a panchayat in Kottayam taluka, Kerala, India and near Kottayam Town. Kottayam town is 5 km from Kumaranalloor.Kumaranalloor is a village situated in Kottayam District. The village is famous for Kumaranalloor Devi Temple and the annual Trikarthika festival of the...

, Arpookara
Arpookara
Arpookara is a village in Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India.The Kottayam Medical College is situated in Arpookara.The main attraction is the backwaters in Arpookara.- Demographics :...

, Kudamaloor, Mudiyoorkara, Aymanam
Aymanam
Aymanam is a village in Kottayam District, Kerala, India, the setting of Arundhati Roy's 1997 novel The God of Small Things.-Overview:Ay in the Tamil language means 'five' and Vanam in Sanskrit means 'forests': Ayvanam, or Aymanam, is the land of five forests...

, Kumarakom
Kumarakom
Kumarakom is a popular tourism destination located near the city of Kottayam , in Kerala, India, famous for its backwater tourism. It is set in the backdrop of the Vembanad Lake which is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Kerala.-Environment:...

, Kaipuzha
Kaipuzha
Kaipuzha is a village in Kottayam District, Kerala, South India. The name Kaipuzha is derived from the two words Kai and Puzha . This is a testament to the many small canal-like rivers found in the vicinity. It is bounded by Ettumanoor to the east and Mannanam by the south...

, Neendoor
Neendoor
Neendoor is a very small town in the Kottayam district in Kerala, India. The town is located 8 km south of Kottayam town, and is bordered by the towns of Kaipuzha, Athirampuzha, Kallara, Manjoor, Vechoor, and Onamthuruthu.-Economy:...

, Onamthuruth
Onamthuruth
Onamthuruth is a village in Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India.-Demographics: India census, Onamthuruth had a population of 17860 with 8890 males and 8970 females....

, Kurumulloor
Kurumulloor
Kurumulloor is a small village located around 3 miles from Ettumanoor, Kottayam district, Kerala, India. You can reach Kurumullor via neighboring places like Kothanalloor, Neendoor, Kaipuzha and Manjoor South. There are several famous churches and temples located at this village. It is also located...

, Kanakkary
Kanakkary
Kanakkary is a small village in Kottayam district of Kerala state, India. The name Kanakkary is attributed to a lady who frequently visited the village to collect Kanam in the pre-historic times. It is 72 km south of Kochi and 14 km north of Kottayam. Kanakkary is located four km from Ettumanur...

, Pattithanam
Pattithanam
- History :Pattithanam, is a village near to Ettumanoor in the Kottayam District of Kerala, India. The name Pattithanam is said to have come from 'Pattiya Sthanam' in Malayalam, meaning "the best place". Pattithanam village is the point of highest altitude on Main Central Road...

 are the neighbouring places of Athirampuzha. Government Medical College, Kottayam
Medical College, Kottayam
Government Medical College, Kottayam is one of prominent government medical colleges in Kerala, India. The campus is located about 8 kilometres north of Kottayam in central Kerala.-History:...

 is situated very near to Athirampuzha. Athirampuzha is having many post offices like Amalagiri
Amalagiri
Amalagiri means pure hill. Amalagiri is the name of a semi-urban residential area located 9 km north of Kottayam Town in Kerala, India. The Institute of Child Health of Govt. Medical College, Kottayam is located here....

, Priyadarshini Hills, Sreekandamangalam
Sreekandamangalam
Sreekandamangalam . The small village belongs to the township of Athirampuzha and is located in the Kottayam district, Kerala, India....

, Kottackupuram etc. Justice K.K. Mathew Kuttyil, Post Master General of India and First Malayalee Postal board member C. J Mathew Chackalackal, Deepika Daily Chief Editor K.M. Joseph Karivelil were the some of the prominent people from Athirampuzha.

Religious place

The St. Mary's Church at Athirampuzha is one of the oldest in Kerala, was constructed around 835 AD. Though dedicated to Mother Mary, it is the feast of Saint Sebastian which attracts a large crowd. The statue of St. Sebastian installed here, is considered to be very ancient. During the days of the Portuguese, three figures were brought to Kerala. Legend says that the smallest of them was brought to Athirampuzha by local traders. This is known as Adiyelpicha Roopam (the tortured figure). The statue of St. Sebastian in Athirampuzha is unique as it is the only statue of the Saint without arrowation is very attractive.There are lots of Christian families in athirampuzha are into this famous feast.The main feast are on 24 and 25 January. The famous vedhagiri
Vedhagiri
Vedhagiri is in the district of Kottayam, Kerala, India, and is famous for the ashram monastery of the Hindu guru Vedhavyasa . It is believed that the pandavas visited the vyasa during their exile life. Remnants of the monastery are seen on the top of a small hill called vedhagirimala...

 hill is a Hindu pilgrim center located in the ward 1 of Athirampuzha panchayath.

History

It is believed that Athirampuzha was a well-established developed village and settlements where there even at AD 1200. The famous traveler Marco Polo's travel descriptions, "The description of the world", have some references about Athirampuzha. While he was traveling through Kerala he reached a port town called 'Athiramkari'. The description of this place closely matches to Athirampuzha. According to Marco Polo Athiramkari was a trade center famous for Pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...

, Cattle's, vegetable market (still exists) and clothes. 'Chantha Kulam' was the center of trade where boats could dock. It is believed that mappilas (Christians) and Hindus (nair
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...

s) where settled in Athirampuzha during that period.

Athirampuzha remained as a famous port town till mid 1900s. Later more roads where developed which reduced the importance of backwater trade routs. The old boat shed (renovated later) still exists near the Chantha kulam.
The nearest rail head is ettumanoor Railway Station just 1.5KM far from Athirampuzha Town.
Major express trains like Venad Express and Parasuram Express stop here.During the festive season some long distance trains have a temporary halt here.The contact phone number of the station is 0481-2535531.


Train timings At Ettumanoor Railway Station

To Ernakulam

Time No. Train Name

05:35 342 Kottayam-Ernakulam Jn.Passenger

06:55 352 Kollam-Ernakulam Jn.Passenger

08:30 6302 Venad Exp.(Shornur Jn.)

09:55 6349 Parasuram Exp.(Mangalore Jn.)

17:05 344 Kayamkulam-Ernakulam Jn.Passenger

18:05 346 Kottayam-Ernakulam Jn.Passenger



To Kottayam

Time No. Train Name

08:45 341 Ernakulam Jn.-Kottayam Passenger

12:30 343 Ernakulam Jn.-Kayamkulam Passenger

14:30 6350 Parasuram Exp.(Trivandrum)

18:06* 6301 Venad Exp.(Trivandrum)

19:20 355 Ernakulam Jn.-Kollam Passenger

21:15 345 Ernakulam Jn.-Kottayam Passenger



[* The timing may be subject to change.Please
confirm by enquiry at the station Pn.No.0481-2535531]

External links

  • A good article on Athirampuzha is at: http://www.triadebuilders.com/Athirampuzha.htm
  • The official website of St.Mary's Forane Church,Athirampuzha:http://athirampuzhachurch.org/
  • http://wikimapia.org/110859/
  • http://wikimapia.org/110990/
  • http://www.answers.com/topic/athirampuzha
  • http://keralatourism.org/index.php?source=video&zone=4&videoid=787522123
  • http://keralatourism.org/index.php?source=video&zone=4&pageno=2
  • http://www.ktm.kerala.gov.in/pilgrim2.htm
  • http://www.keralaplaces.com/Kottayam.html
  • http://www.charisbhavan.org
  • http://kecollegemannanam.com/
  • http://www.tourtoindia.com/kerala/tourist-attractions/churches-of-kerala.html
  • http://www.kol.to/tourism_ktm.htm
  • http://www.kottayamonnet.com/html/k0810chu.htm
  • http://www.kottayam.com/tourism.htm
  • http://www.ktm.kerala.gov.in/pilgrim.htm
  • http://www.tourism-in-kerala.com/kerala-travelling/worship-places.html
  • http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/kerala/kottayam.htm
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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