[edit] More Villages In Alappuzha
Cheppad : Cheppad, a picturesque village, is located in the middle of Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram as on National Highway 47.
St George Orthodox Church is a hallmark of Cheppad. The church is lovingly known as Cheppad church and Valiapally (big church). The mural rich church exhibits 600 years old traditional paintings. The murals depicting the life of Jesus Christ from birth to ascension are on the walls of the altar. Also finds place in the murals some of the events of Old Testament era. In all there are 47 murals.
When the church rebuilt in 1952 the alter walls kept untouched so as to preserve the murals in their original forms. The murals of Jesus bearing the Cross, soldiers beating the Jesus, St Paul with a sword, Angels, St Thomas with a mint, Adam and Eve eating the prohibited fruit, Noah’s Ark etc are fine examples of incorporating overseas Christian murals with Kerala murals.
St George Orthodox Church is the resting peace venue of Philipose Mar Duionysius, the Metropolitan of St George Orthodox Church during the period of 1825 to 1855.
Cheppad is a developed village on all fronts.
The population of Hindu community is predominant with Christian community ranking second.
The village has its own arrangements to meet the educational requirements of the children up to High School level.
Pallippuram : Pallippuram village is located 13 km north of Cherthala. The village, situated on western shore of Vembanad Lake, has large deposit of silica sand.
St Mary’s Forane Church, more popularly known as Pallippurathamaa Church, located here is very famous. The church dedicated to our Lady of Assumption was established in AD 52. An interesting legend surrounds the church. A cross erected by St Thomas at Kokkamangalm, near here, was thrown away to Vembanad Lake by some religious fanatics. The Cross floated in the lake. After few days it reached on the shores of a small island called Mattel which is adjacent to Pallippuram. The people who noticed the Cross took it to Pallippuram and installed there which came to be known as St Mary’s Forane Church.
The murals in the church are of great value and they receive marked attention from the visitors.
Pallippuram is a developed village in almost all fronts. Majority of the inhabitants are Christians.
Vayalar : Vayalar is located at 5 km from Cherthala town.
Vayalar is a developed and revolutionary village. With two Lower Primary Schools, and a High School the village is happy with its own education facilities. For higher education the village depends on nearby Pattanakad and Cherthala.
Hindu population outnumbers the individual population of Christians and Muslims.
The village has enough shrines of all the religions.
The vocation of the village is mainly coir making, prawn farming and fishing.
Vayalar attained revolutionary face when it revolted against the misrule of Sir C P Ramaswamy Iyer, the Diwan of Travancore, in 1946. The revolt was engineered by Community Party. The present Chief Minister of Kerala, V S Achuthanandan, was a leading participant in the revolt. Vaarikundam (wooden spear) was the only weapon the revolters held against the gun wielding policemen. Hundreds of the revolters died. The Raktha Sakshi Mandapam (sacrificial memorial) in Vayalar erected by the villagers as a memorial to the dead is an epoch mark of Kerala.
Mampazhakary : The village is located in the Kuttanad region.
The vocation of the village is agriculture, paddy being the main crop.
The backwaters of the region are rich in fish.
The village is packed with abundant beauty of nature.
The inhabitants mainly are Hindus and Christians. Hindus outnumber Christians.
Cheriyanad : Cheriyanad, located on the banks of Achankovil River, lies between Chengannur and Mavelikara.
The village is agrarian.
Inhabitants mostly are Hindus. Christians too inhabited here.
The village was once within the boundary limit of the kingdom of Kayamkulam Raja. In 1846 the rulers of Travancore annexed the entire kingdom of Kayamkulam Raja. Here there was a battle field which is called Pada Nilam in local language. The Pada Nilam now shelters a school.
Here some of the leading families have their own Kalaris which impart training in martial arts. Family owned temples are yet another distinction of Cheriyanad.
In earlier time, Cheriyanad was consisted of nine Karas (localized areas) and each Kara was entrusted to feudal families for collection of revenue and for local rule by the rulers of Travancore. Ariunnissery Kara was the most important among the nine and it was entrusted to the feudal lord Aruinni Panicker. During 18th century Marthanda Varma Maharaja hereditarily vested the right for local rule to Kaduvinal Unnithan. Cessation of Kingdom rules found the end of local rule rights.
Subramanya Temple of Cheriyanad is very famous.
Devasom Board High School, Sri Vijayeswari High School and Devasom Board Higher Secondary School are important schools in the village.
For healthcare the village has a government hospital at Mampra.
In cultural front the village has adequate facilities.
Edathua : Edathua is located 7 km from Thakazhi, across Pamba Nadhi. St George Forance Church here, built in 1810, is very famous. A tall stone flag-mast with a cross atop is viewable from far distance. The structure of the Church is massive with lovely stone trellis work. Wooden relief sculptures of St George slaying a dragon and the Christ on the Cross in blue, red and gold colours are exceedingly amazing.
Though basically agrarian, trade and commerce also form part of the occupation of Edathua.
Christian community has majority stake in population. Behind it stands Hindus.
Karuvatta : Located on the border of Kuttanad, Karuvatta is agriculture oriented.
Most of the inhabitants are Hindus.
The famous Mannarsala Nagaraja Temple is nearby.
Karuvatta used to sponsor Vallamkali (boat race) annually during monsoon to the excitement of thousands.
The village has facilities for education up to middle level.
For healthcare the village has adequate facilities.
Kodukulanji : Kodukulanji village is located 3 km north of Achankovil River and 7 km south of Pamba Nadhi.
Probably, Kodukulanji is the highest spot in Alappuzha district. Many parts of the district are below sea level.
The eye-feasting village is Christian dominated. Hindus are in second slot.
Though agrarian, the major source of income to the village is from abroad as many from here have landed in lucrative jobs in USA, Europe and Middle East countries. The fat regular income has helped the village to mark improvements on all fronts.
In education facilities the village is in good footing. CMS U P School, Christ Church Vidya Peeth, Raja Rajeswari School and John Memorial High School mould hundreds of students as rising stars.
Christians and Hindus have their own worshipping centers. The 13th century old Ayyappa Temple of Kodukulanji is located on the highest spot in the village.
Kakkamangalam : Located 5 km east of Cherthala on the western shore of Vembanad Lake, Kokkamangalam is firmly agrarian. Coconut accounts for the major produce.
Kokkamangalm is one of the 7 places in Kerala where St Thomas the Apostle, one of the twelve Apostles, put stay with an objective of popularizing Christianity as a messenger of Jesus Christ. The other places are Kodungallur where he landed in 52 AD, Palayoor, Parur, Niranam, Chayal and Kollam.
In Kokkamangalam where he preached the Gospel for about a year St Thomas performed miracles and attracted about 1600 people of Hindu faith to embrace Christianity. This is revealed in ‘Rampan Paattu’, an ancient Christian folk song mouthed by many in that period in Kerala. He erected a cross to pray and worship for the converted lot. It was near a temple. The cross was sheltered in as a Church later. The present church was rebuilt during 1900 on the same site. The church is known as Kokkamangalam Church.
Kokkamangalm is an eye-feasting village with boating facilities. The green spread coconut palms lined along the shores of Vembanad Lake present a delightful sight. The village nurses traditional coconut processing cottage industry and scores of coir spinning units scattered all over.
Thannimukkom Saltwater Barrier, Pathiramanal Island and Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary - all having tourist glamour - are nearby.
The village is quite advanced in the facilities for education, healthcare, culture and entertainment.
Komalapuram: Komalapuram is located 4.5 km north of Alappuzha town.
The livelihood of the inhabitants of the village is from coir related industry. Dozens of small scale units of coir products function in the village.
Most of the inhabitants are Hindus. Christians counted in second position.
Kaithatil Temple of Komalapuram is a famous shrine.
The village has adequate facilities for education, healthcare, culture and entertainment.
Pandanad : Pandanad is located on both the banks of Pampa Nadhi.
Predominantly Hindu dominated village has scores of temples. Alummoottil Nada Devi Temple and Trikkanvapuram Mahavishnu Temple are more famous among them.
The village is totally agrarian.
Pandanad has three Palliyodams (snake boats). Three Karas (localized areas) owns up these Palliyodams. Keezhvanmazhy, Vanmazhy and Muthavazhy are these Karas. Among the three, biggest Palliyodam is of Keezhvanmazhy. Owning a Palliyodam is considered to be a privilege.
The village has adequate facilities for education, healthcare and culture.
Pulinkunnu : Pulinkunnu is an island village nestled among Pampa Nadhi, backwaters, lakes, wetlands and canals.
The agriculture oriented village’s major produces are paddy and coconut.
Pulinkunni is the venue of Rajiv Gandhi Trophy Boat Race during October/November every year.
Picturesquely figured Pulinkunnu is craze of tourists and nature lovers. To net in the tourists a beautiful Resort named Maria Heritage Resort heads up on the banks of Pampa Nadhi.
Kochi University College of Engineering and other educational institutions are sheltered in Pulinkunnu.
The village has paid adequate attention for healthcare and culture.
Ramankary : Ramankary is located 9 km from Changanassery and 17 km from Alappuzha beside Pamba Nadhi in Kuttanad region.
The village is nestled by beautiful canals and paddy fields.
Occupation of the village is agriculture. Major produces are paddy and coconut.
Many government offices including Judicial Magistrate Court and District Education Office located here. It is a gateway and shopping center to neighbouring villages.
Majority of the inhabitants are Hindus followed by Christians.
A Christian shire, St Joseph’s Church, is there right in the centre of the village.
Hindu’s main shrine, Ayyappa Temple, is located in between two rivers.
In education and healthcare facilities the village is much developed and advanced.
Shopping: The shops near Mullackal Shopping Junction are full with scent of lime, sandalwood, jasmine and spices., Street vendors of cloves, pepper and limes sit at every metre on the road.
