Kaniyapuram is a small town in the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram city around 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) from Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...

, 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....

, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. The main centre of Kaniyapuram area is located in NH-47 in between Kazhakkoottam and Pallippuram CRPF Base. The Kaniyapuram locality (Kaniyapuram pradesam) is a vast area and expands to; Andoorkonam in the East, Parvathy Puthanar in the West, Vetturoad in the South and Pallippuram (CRPF Base) in the North. The Kaniyapuram town belongs to the Andoorkonam Panchayat, although Andoorkonam still remains a village 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to the east.

The National Highway (NH47) passes through Kaniyapuram junction dividing the town into two. The main features of Kaniyapuram are the Bus Stand in the National Highway and Railway Station, which are situated very close to each other. There is no other place in between Trivandrum and Quilon towns with this feature. The KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation is the state-run bus company in Kerala, India. It is one of the oldest state run public bus transport services in India.-History:...

) bus depot has about 40 buses, originating and terminating from/in Kaniyapuram. Unfortunately, only a few trains stop at the Kaniyapuram Railway station though efforts are being undertaken to establish stops for some express trains.

Proximity to government establishments, business places, educational institutions such as Technopark, Power Grid, CRPF Base, KINFRA Park, LNCPE, University Campus, Marian Engineering College, St. Xavier's College, Teacher's Education College and numerous schools etc. has also put Kaniyapuram on the state maps. At present Kaniyapuram area is one of the most developing areas around Trivandrum city.

History

During personal discussions with yours truly and two prominent personalities of Kaniyapuram, Late Alikunju Sastry, ex-MLA and Late Advocate Izzuddin; they had stated that the name "Kaniyapuram" might have been derived from "Kaniyan Puram - the place of Kaniyans - astrologists" or "Kaniyar Puram - the place of Kanyars - the proponents of Kanyar Kali, a temple art form" or "Ganika Puram (the place of Ganikas - the courtesans").

The Lebbas

Labbay

Labbay, Labbai, Labba, Labbabeen is an Islamic community from southern India. A trading community spread through the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Labbays follow either the Hanafi or Shafi'i school of Fiqh.-Identity and origins:Their name is derived from the...

 are amongst the very prominent clan of Kaniyapuram. According to documented history, the Lebbas migrated from Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...

 in the early 1650s to Kerala. It is believed that they have established in Kaniyapuram as early as 1650s and established themselves as traders in Kaniyapuram. They were successful merchants and operated almost all the business in Kaniyapuram until recent times.

The Lebbas' main contribution to the Kaniyapuram society is the establishment of The Muslim High School, Kaniyapuram. The school was founded by late S Ahmed Kunju Lebba in 1947. The school had played a major role in the educational and social development of the area. Students from far away places such as Chirayinkil, Perumathura, Kazhakkoottam, Pothencode etc.

It is stated in "Insight" the Bimonthly Journal of Ambedkar Study Circle, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi, that during the early 1900s Dalit Movement, "Walk to Freedom" led by the famous Dalit reformist, Ayyankali, the youngsters got out on the Kaniyapuram streets to win their basic rights; and the Kaniyapuram Dalit farmers did participate in an agrarian strike by not showing up in the paddy fields (1907). http://insightjnu.blogspot.com/2005/09/our-icon-ayyankali.html

Being surrounded by coconut groves and backwaters, coir and associated industries were aplenty in the yesteryears and considered as the main occupation of Kaniyapuram residents. However, this industry is currently on doldrums and struggling for survival.

Until three decades, water transport was the main mean of goods transportation from Kaniyapuram. Coconuts and coir products were transported to Kollam and Alappuzha from Kaniyapuram,, through Parvathi Puthannaar

Parvathi Puthannaar

Parvathi Puthannar is a man-made canal that runs through the west coast of the Trivandrum District. It was named after Rani Parvathi Bai who was the reigning Queen of Travancore during the time it was created. "Puthannar" in Malayalam means "the new river". It was created primarily for connecting...

and Kadinam Lake in large covered wooden boats (kettuvallam) and were loaded from the jetties located at Kadavil, Anakkapilla and Channankara.

The water transportation through Parvathi Puthannaar which played a crucial role in the lives of many traders in Kaniyapuram came into disuse after the advent of railways and the National Highways. In 2002 the state Government undertook a dredging and widening project to revitalise the canal to attract tourists.

Religious scholar / Spiritual Leaders

Late Balagurumani Masthan (Ahmed Musliyar), famous religious scholar and Sufi was the grand father of Kadavath Abdu Aziz Labba. The renaissance leader of Kerala, Swami Sri Narayanaguru very often used to visit Blagurumani Masthan in Kadavath house to learn Quranic scriptures. Masthan Musliyar (Khadiru Bappu) was also a famous religious scholar who hails from the same family. They are buried in their private property near kaniyapuram Juma Masjid exactly in Thakkavumukku (Masthan Nagar). There was an old Masjid (Thakkavu) and a Madrasa were many students used to learn Quran and Hadhees, even from far away places like Kottar Malabar and Kulachal. People used to visit Balaguru Masthan and his son in law Meersahib Labba in kadavath to clear doubts in Quran and Fiqih. The Kadavath Abdulaziz Labba married the grand daughter of the famous Veliyankodu Umerqazi.

Accessibility

• Kaniyapuram is 14 km towards north from Trivandrum city.
• Trivandrum International Airport, KSRTC Bus Depot Trivandrum and Trivandrum Central Railway Station are just around 14 km from Kaniyapuram with easy road and railroad connections.
• National Highway 47 is crisscrossed by a number of rural roads.
• From Vetturoad one road towards east lead to Saink School-Kattayikkonam-Chanthavila, connecting to Pothencode and MC Road..
• Another road from Vetturoad toward west connects to Chittattumukku-St.Andrews-Puthenthopu-Menamkulam-Station Kadavu etc.
• One road from Kaniyapuram centre towards west connects to Murukkumpuzha-Chirayinkil,Masthan jn., Thekathil kada, vayalil kada,Channankara-Perumathura, Padinjattumukku-Puthenthope etc.
• Another road from Pallippuram towards east lead to Andoorkonam, Pothencode etc.
• Several panchayath roads connect every nook-and-corner of Kaniyapuram locality.

Schools

• Muslim High School (Boys), Kaniyapuram.
• Muslim High School (Girls), Kaniyapuram.
• Muslim Higher Secondary School, Kaniyapuram
• MHS English Medium School, Kaniyapuram
• Jyothi Nilayam Higher Secondary School, St. Andrews
• Al Uthuman Higher Secondary School, Vetturoad
• Model Public School, Pallippuram
• Central School, CRPF, Pallippuram
• Sainik School, Vetturoad
• St. Vincents H S School., Kaniyapuram
• Moulana Asad Higher Secondary School (MES), Channankara
• Government Upper Primary School (UPS), Kaniyapuram
• Government Upper Primary English Medium School, Kaniyapuram
• Government Lower Primary School, Alummoodu, Kaniyapuram
• Government Lower Primary School, Ottuvilakam, Kaniyapuram

Colleges / Instituitions

• St. Xaviers College, Thumba
• Marian Engineering College, Menamkulam
• Kerala University College of Teachers Education, Govt UPS Campus, Kaniyapuram
• St. Jacob’s Training College, Menamkulam
• Theera Jyothi Teachers Training Institute, St. Vincent HS Campus, Padinjattumukku

Islamic Instituitions

• Samastha Kerala Women Shariath Colleg, Masthanmukku, Kaniyapuram. This instituition is under Samastha kerala Islam Matha Vidhyabhyasa Board, Chelari, Malappuram.

• Quadisiyya Hifzul Qur-an College, Malamelparamb, Kaniyapurm

This instituition is an annex of the Quadisiyya Islamic Complex under the Samastha Kerala Jamyathul Ulama. Quadisiyya Hifzul Qur-an College is run under the supervision of Mr. Hydros Musliyar (Member of State Samastha Kerala Jamyathul Ulama), Mr.P.A. Muhammad Kunju Saqafi,M.A., M.Phil (Former S.S.F.State President), Mr. Kavotumukk Saleem Sahib Mr.Pulivilakath Abdulkareem and Mr. Ashraf Sahib (Zamzam)etc...

• Al Rashid Yatheem Khana (Orphanage), Pallippuram. It was started in 1991. Janab Monvila Sainudeen and Janab K.S.Shamnad rawther are the President and Generala Secretary respectively

• Nibras-ul Islam Madrasa, Palli Nada, Kaniyapuram.

• Vadiul Uloom Arabic College, Vadayilmukku, Kaniyapuram

This institutions is run by Mr. Nazeer Khan Faizie (Chairman)

• Makhdoomiyya Madrassa(Sunni Vidhyabhyasa Board), Kunninakam, Kaniyapuram

This institution is run by Mr. Kollam Muhammad Kunju Musliyar, Mr.Muhammadkunju Labba, Mr. Andoorkonam Thanghal, Mr.S.A. Salimlabba Myvalliyil and Mr. Najeeb Labba etc..

Hospitals

• E K Dental Clinic,Kazhakuttom, Kaniyapuram
• Kaniyapuram Hospital, Kaniyapuram
• Shifa Hospital, Kaniyapuram
• A R Hospital, Kaniyapuram
• Government Primary Health Center, Puthenthope
• Sudarshini Medicals, Kaniyapuram
• Health Centre, Kaniyapuram
• Dr. Fasil's Dental Clinic, Kaniyapuram
• Dr. Afsal Salim's Dental Clinic, Kaniyapuram
• Geetanjali Ayurveda Madom, Padinjattumukku, Kaniyapuram
• Farhan Charitable Trust Hospital, Chittattumukku
• SIMANS Hospital, Vadayil Mukku, Kaniyapuram

Government Establishments

• KSRTC Bus Station, Kaniyapuram
• Railway Station, Kaniyapuram
• Kerala State Electricity Board, Kaniyapuram
• BSNL, Kaniyapuram
• Assistant Educational Officers Office, Kaniyapuram
• Andoorkanam Panchayath Office, Kaniyapuram
• Agricultual Office, Kaniyapuram
• Pallippuram Village Office, Pallippuram
• Kadinamkulam Panchayath Office, Kadinamkulam
• Post Office, Kaniyapuram
• Post Office, Chittattumukku
• Hndustan Latex, Packing Centre, Kaniyapuram
• Power Grid, Pallippuram
• CRPF Base, Pallippuram

Libraries

• Noorul Islam Grandasala, Kaniyapuram
• YMHA Library, Padinjattumukku, Kaniyapuram
• Rebublic Library,Andoorkonam

Attractions

• Kadinamkulam Lake
• Kakkathuruthu, a small isle in Kadinamkulam Lake
• Puthenthope Beach
• Karichara Kadavu