Thodupuzha
Encyclopedia
Thodupuzha is a town and a municipality
in Idukki district
in the India
n state
of Kerala
, spread over an area of 35.43 km2. It is 62 km from Ernakulam
. Geographical Classification of Thodupuzha Region is Midland or Idanad
.
Thodupuzha is also the name of the river
that flows through the town. It is the largest town in the district and is the commercial centre. The town is being modernised with the help of a programme sponsored by the World Bank
which is financing the programme through the Government of Kerala. It was once part of the territory of the princely state
, Travancore
. It lies in central Kerala, southeast of Muvattupuzha
. The Thodupuzha municipality area is characterised by hilly terrain with a lot of green vegetation.
The Main Eastern Highway
(Muvattupuzha - Pathanamthitta
- Punalur
Road / SH - 08) passes through Thodupuzha and connects it to two of its neighboring towns, Muvattupuzha
and Pala.
Syrian Christians, Hindu
s and Muslims co-exist in harmony adding to the diversity in faith and religion. The place has a large population of Syrian Catholics. The Muslim minority are mostly rawthers
who were the warriors of Madurai Raja and migrated from Madurai and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. As well as that, there are some converts from lower castes to Islam but these are only a few.
P. J. Joseph
got elected from the Thodupuzha assembly constituency for the seventh time. He is the Working Chairman of the Kerala Congress (M) party.
The popular film actress Asin
's family is originally from Thodupuzha. Her dad belongs to the Thottumkal family of Karimkunnam, a suburb of Thodupuzha.
Malayalam film actor Asif Ali
is also from Thodupuzha.
There is another version which defines the word ‘thodu’ (Malayalam word) as ‘touch’ and ‘puzha’ as ‘river’. Thus the town touching the river became Thodupuzha.
Mattathil Kovilakam was the protectors and rulers of the Desham (region)Thodupuzha that they were in and a reporting relationship emerged to a "Naadu Vaazhi" (Ruler of the land). Naadu is a group of Deshams came to known as Thodupuzha.The last ruler of the desam was Elasamprathi Narana Pillai originally from Trivandrum representative of Raja.He used to live in Mattathil Kovilakam located Chalamkode Village.
, Vadakkumkoor became part of the state of Travancore
. The relics of the fort is still there at Karikode. The Annamalai Temple, which carries the traits of Tamil Architecture is at Karikode. At this temple one can see many statues and lamps made out of stone and metal believed to have been made in the 14th century. The church at Muthalakodam
, a small town, 4 kilometers from Thodupuzha, is believed to have been constructed before 13th century. The Ninnar Mosque near Karikode is said to have been constructed by the Vadakumkoor Raja for his Muslim soldiers.
At the formation of Kerala state in 1956, Thodupuzha was part of the Ernakulam
district. In the year 1972, Idukki district was formed by joining Thodupuzha taluk along with Devikulam, Udumbanchola
and Peermade
taluks, which were part of the erstwhile Kottayam
district.
, the total population of 46,226. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Thodupuzha has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 81%. In Thodupuzha, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age. The majority of Thodupuzha's population consists of Syrian Christian, closely followed by Hindus and then Muslims.It also has a large population of people of the " Vellala Pillai" clan who migrated here from "Tenkasi" in Tamil Nadu
. They spread later on to different parts of Kerala and their main deity, the symbol from Tenkasi is situated near Erattupetta and all Vellala Pillai people meet there once a year to mark the plight of them from Tenkasi
.
Thodupuzha has an excellent network of roads which connects it to the nearby towns and cities. The Main Eastern Highway (Muvattupuzha
- Punalur
/ SH-08 / 154 km) passes through Thodupuzha and connects it to two of its neighboring towns, Muvattupuzha
and Pala. Thodupuzha-Puliyanmala road (SH-33) connects Thodupuzha to Idukki District centre at Painavu
as well as tourist destinations like Idukki Dam
and Thekkadi. Alappuzha
-Madurai road (SH-40) also passes through Thodupuzha town. SH-43 which connects Muvattupuzha
with Theni passes through some parts of the Thodupuzha Taluk but doesn’t pass through Thodupuzha town.
The nearest Railway Stations are Aluva
which is 56 kilometres from Thodupuzha. Kottayam
Railway station is at 55 kilometres from Thodupuzha and Ernakulam Junction
Railway Station is at 60 kilometres. The suggested Sabari Rail route to Sabarimala
passes through Thodupuzha. The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport
at a distance of 54 kilometres from Thodupuzha.
New 4 Lane Highway Proposed from Muvattupuzha to Kakkanad if materializes will connect Thodupuzha to Kochi in Less than 45 minutes to reach reducing the distance to 50 kilometres.
. Other crops such as pineapple
, coconut
, rice
, pepper
, coco
, tapioca
, banana
, ginger
, turmeric
etc. are also being cultivated in plenty. In recent years Thodupuzha has showed more interest in promoting tourism. The planned developments in Thodupuzha after the changeover from Taluk to Municipality status has changed the face of Thodupuzha a lot in the last decade. The new private bus stand, Temple Bypass road, Kanjiramattom Bypass road, Kothayikkunnu Bypass, Vengaloor Bypass, Mangattu Kaval 4 lane road, Mini Civil Station, New Bridge, Municipal Park, Shopping complex at bus stand, New Townhall complex etc. are noted landmarks to change the look of Thodupuzha to a planned city. The famous footwear brand Lunar’s has its base at Thodupuzha.
panchayat and village union for several years, But on 1 September 1978, Thodupuzha was upgraded into a municipality and the Thodupuzha Municipality came into being. The Thodupuzha Municipality was formed by joining together the Thodupuzha Panchayat and the neighbouring Panchayats of Kumaramangalam, Karicodu and Manacaud. The municipality was administered by a special officer for 10 long years. In 1988, elections were held and the first popularly elected municipal council came into existence with Advocate N. Chandran as the Chairman . Today the Municipality has 28 wards. There is a Chairman, a Vice Chairman, and various Standing Committees to carry out the civic administration. T.J Joseph of Indian National Congress is the present Municipal Chairperson of Thodupuzha Municipality.
Thodupuzha is an assembly constituency and P J Joseph is the present MLA of Thodupuzha. He is admired for the developments carried out during his ministerial position. Improvement of infrastructure
Thodupuzha assembly constituency is part of Idukki (Lok Sabha constituency)
& P T Thomas is the present MP.
, Thekkadi, Vagamon, Idukki Dam
, Malankara Dam, Peermade
etc. Thommankuthu
which is 20 kilometres east of Thodupuzha is famous for its numerous waterfalls. The place is ideal for nature lovers. To enjoy the panoramic beauty the best way is to undertake a trek that takes one to the top of the mountain, a nearly 12-kilometre trek. Malankara Dam is a beautiful reservoir across the Thodupuzha river at 6 kilometres from Thodupuzha town. Elaveezhapoonchira is another trekking destination which offers a serene grassland at the top of a hill. Other major tourist spots include Nadu Kani Pavilion, Thumbichi Mount, Moolamattom power house, Uravappara, Kolani Kavu, Paramada echo point, Elappilly waterfalls etc. Thattakuzha is also a nice place in thodupuzha.
The natural scenic beauty of Thodupuzha has attracted many Malayalam movie makers. Of late Thodupuzha has become a hot spot for Malayalam movies especially with Achayan background. Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njanum, Kunjikoonan
, Rasathanthram
, Palunku
, Veruthe Oru Bharya
, Swantham Lekhakan
, Kadha Parayumbol, Samastha Keralam PO
, Pappy Appacha, Vairam: Fight For Justice
, Elsamma Enna Aankutty
, Marykkundoru Kunjaadu
, Oridathoru Postman
etc. are some of the movies shot at and around Thodupuzha .
, and named after Cardinal Newman. The second college of Thodupuzha was established in 1982: St.Joseph's College at Arakkulam
. Besides these, a number of parallel colleges are also active in the field of higher education in Thodupuzha.
The University College of Engineering, Thodupuzha
managed and run by the Mahatma Gandhi University
, Kottayam, is located in Thodupuzha which is the first of its kind in the state of Kerala. The college started functioning in 1996. The college campus is located in a picturesque place spread over 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) of land at Muttom, 7 km from Thodupuzha, by the side of State Highway No 33. Other colleges in Thodupuzha include Santhigiri College at Vazhithala, Al-Azhar College of Arts and Science, Al-Azhar Dental College, Al-Azhar Engineering College and Al-Azhar Training college at Thodupuzha East, Perumpillichira College of Applied Science at Olamattom, and St. Thomas College of Teacher Education. The Village International School, MKNMHSS, DePaul Hig School,Vimala Public School,Jai Rani High School,THSS Muttom are some of the famous schools in Thodupuzha
Janaranjini Vayanasala, Kolani, Thodupuzha, is one of the biggest libraries in Kerala and has around 30000 books including novels, children's books, stories, poems, Vedas, Upanishads etc. It is accommodated in its own two-storied building with separate TV room, reading room, book room, computer centre with high speed internet facility, and mini conference room.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in Idukki district
Idukki district
Idukki district is one among the 14 districts of Kerala state, India. The district headquarters is located at in Painavu.It is the second least populous district in Kerala, after Wayanad .-Etymology:...
in the 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...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
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....
, spread over an area of 35.43 km2. It is 62 km from Ernakulam
Ernakulam
Ernakulam refers to the downtown area or the western part of the mainland of Kochi city in Kerala, India. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial capital of the state of Kerala and is a main nerve of business in...
. Geographical Classification of Thodupuzha Region is Midland or Idanad
Malanad
Malanad is the hilly regions of Kerala, India, especially the Malabar region and high ranges of Kerala. It includes small hilly regions also. Kerala is divided into coastal areas Theera Desam, midlands Idanad, and high ranges or Malanad. In Kerala approximately 15 km eastwards from coastal...
.
Thodupuzha is also the name of the river
Thodupuzha river
The Thodupuzha River has its origins in the Thodupuzha Taluk in the Idukki district of Kerala , India, and is a tributary of the Muvattupuzha river. The river is one of the few in the state that does not become dry in the summer as the outflow from the Idukki hydro-electric project is drained into...
that flows through the town. It is the largest town in the district and is the commercial centre. The town is being modernised with the help of a programme sponsored by the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
which is financing the programme through the Government of Kerala. It was once part of the territory of the princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
, 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...
. It lies in central Kerala, southeast of Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha is a municipality in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a junction of three districts namely Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki. The town is bordered by Kottayam district on southern side and Idukki district on eastern side approximately 20 km from the town...
. The Thodupuzha municipality area is characterised by hilly terrain with a lot of green vegetation.
The Main Eastern Highway
Main Eastern Highway
The Main Eastern Highway is the life line of the high range townships of the Travancore region of Kerala state, India. It is also known as Punalur-Pathanamthitta-Thodupuzha-Muvattupuzha Highway. Main Eastern Highway is categorized as State Highway - 08 of Kerala. It is the second longest State...
(Muvattupuzha - Pathanamthitta
Pathanamthitta
Pathanamthitta is a large town and a municipality situated in the central Travancore region in the state of Kerala, south India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The city has a population of 38,000...
- Punalur
Punalur
Punalur is a city situvated near the Tamil Nadu Kerala Border in Kollam district in the southern state of Kerala, India. It is the pioneer in starting industrial revolution in Kerala by establishing Punalur Paper Mills, the first industry in kerala. It is situated in the banks of the river Kallada...
Road / SH - 08) passes through Thodupuzha and connects it to two of its neighboring towns, Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha is a municipality in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a junction of three districts namely Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki. The town is bordered by Kottayam district on southern side and Idukki district on eastern side approximately 20 km from the town...
and Pala.
Syrian Christians, Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s and Muslims co-exist in harmony adding to the diversity in faith and religion. The place has a large population of Syrian Catholics. The Muslim minority are mostly rawthers
Thulukkar
Thulukkar are the Muslim population in south and central Kerala who speak Tamil as their mother tongue. They are supposed to have migrated from Tamil Nadu to various parts of Kerala through the Western Ghats. Many members of Thulukkar community have migrated to Pakistan after independence have...
who were the warriors of Madurai Raja and migrated from Madurai and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. As well as that, there are some converts from lower castes to Islam but these are only a few.
P. J. Joseph
P. J. Joseph
P. J. Joseph is an Indian politician, the leader of the Kerala Congress party in Kerala, and an MLA, representing the Thodupuzha assembly constituency. Since 1990 his party has been part of the Left Democratic Front as an alliance. He has also held various ministerial positions with the Government...
got elected from the Thodupuzha assembly constituency for the seventh time. He is the Working Chairman of the Kerala Congress (M) party.
The popular film actress Asin
Asín
Asín is a municipality located in the Cinco Villas comarca of the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, located a few kilometers west of Orés. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 106 inhabitants....
's family is originally from Thodupuzha. Her dad belongs to the Thottumkal family of Karimkunnam, a suburb of Thodupuzha.
Malayalam film actor Asif Ali
Asif Ali
Asif Ali is an Indian film actor who works in Malayalam cinema. He made his debut in 2009 in the acclaimed film Ritu. And has went on to perform in critical and commercial hits such as Apoorvaragam , Traffic , and Salt N' Pepper .-Early life:Asif Ali was born on 4 February 1986 in Ranni...
is also from Thodupuzha.
Name
The name 'Thodupuzha' might have come from two words, 'thodu' (which means a small stream) and 'puzha' (which means a river). It is believed that the stream developed into a river, and the town on the banks of the river came to be known as Thodupuzha.There is another version which defines the word ‘thodu’ (Malayalam word) as ‘touch’ and ‘puzha’ as ‘river’. Thus the town touching the river became Thodupuzha.
Mattathil Kovilakam was the protectors and rulers of the Desham (region)Thodupuzha that they were in and a reporting relationship emerged to a "Naadu Vaazhi" (Ruler of the land). Naadu is a group of Deshams came to known as Thodupuzha.The last ruler of the desam was Elasamprathi Narana Pillai originally from Trivandrum representative of Raja.He used to live in Mattathil Kovilakam located Chalamkode Village.
History
Thodupuzha is an ancient town with a history dating back to many centuries. The Buddhist and Jain religions which made their first inroads into Kerala in 300 BC have left their impact at Thodupuzha and neighbouring areas. The Buddhist religious relics found at Karikode near Thodupuzha is ample proof of this surmise. In AD 100, Kerala was divided for administrative reasons into several provinces such as Venadu, Otanadu, Navishainadu, Munjunadu, Vempolinadu, and Keezhmalainadu. Thodupuzha and Muvattupuzha were in Keezhmalainadu which had its headquarters at Karikode. Keezhmalainadu was in existence till AD 1600. In that year it lost a battle with Vadakkumkoor and became a part of it. The Kings of Vadakkumkoor used to live at Karikode for several years. At the time of King Marthanda VarmaMarthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
, Vadakkumkoor became part of the state of 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 relics of the fort is still there at Karikode. The Annamalai Temple, which carries the traits of Tamil Architecture is at Karikode. At this temple one can see many statues and lamps made out of stone and metal believed to have been made in the 14th century. The church at Muthalakodam
Muthalakodam
Muthalakodam is a suburb located 3 km. east of the well-known Thodupuzha Town, in Idukki district in the Indian state of Kerala.- St George Higher Secondary School :...
, a small town, 4 kilometers from Thodupuzha, is believed to have been constructed before 13th century. The Ninnar Mosque near Karikode is said to have been constructed by the Vadakumkoor Raja for his Muslim soldiers.
At the formation of Kerala state in 1956, Thodupuzha was part of the Ernakulam
Ernakulam
Ernakulam refers to the downtown area or the western part of the mainland of Kochi city in Kerala, India. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial capital of the state of Kerala and is a main nerve of business in...
district. In the year 1972, Idukki district was formed by joining Thodupuzha taluk along with Devikulam, Udumbanchola
Udumbanchola
Udumbanchola is a taluk in Idukki district of Kerala state in India. This is in the high-ranges. Nedumkandam is the major town and capital of Udumbanchola taluk...
and Peermade
Peermade
Peermade, also transliterated as Perumade, Peerumed, Peerumade or Peermede, is a hill station in the state of Kerala, India...
taluks, which were part of the erstwhile 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...
district.
Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, the total population of 46,226. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Thodupuzha has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 81%. In Thodupuzha, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age. The majority of Thodupuzha's population consists of Syrian Christian, closely followed by Hindus and then Muslims.It also has a large population of people of the " Vellala Pillai" clan who migrated here from "Tenkasi" in 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...
. They spread later on to different parts of Kerala and their main deity, the symbol from Tenkasi is situated near Erattupetta and all Vellala Pillai people meet there once a year to mark the plight of them from Tenkasi
Tenkasi
Tenkasi pronounced as is a town and a municipality in Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located in the foothills of the Western Ghats near the Courtallam Waterfalls.Tenkasi is also famous for saaral...
.
Transport
Thodupuzha has an excellent network of roads which connects it to the nearby towns and cities. The Main Eastern Highway (Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha is a municipality in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a junction of three districts namely Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki. The town is bordered by Kottayam district on southern side and Idukki district on eastern side approximately 20 km from the town...
- Punalur
Punalur
Punalur is a city situvated near the Tamil Nadu Kerala Border in Kollam district in the southern state of Kerala, India. It is the pioneer in starting industrial revolution in Kerala by establishing Punalur Paper Mills, the first industry in kerala. It is situated in the banks of the river Kallada...
/ SH-08 / 154 km) passes through Thodupuzha and connects it to two of its neighboring towns, Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha is a municipality in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a junction of three districts namely Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki. The town is bordered by Kottayam district on southern side and Idukki district on eastern side approximately 20 km from the town...
and Pala. Thodupuzha-Puliyanmala road (SH-33) connects Thodupuzha to Idukki District centre at Painavu
Painavu
Painavu is the headquarters of the Idukki district of Kerala, India.Nearest Airport: Cochin International Airport,Nedumbassery -120 km Nearest Railhead: Angamaly - 114 km Altitude:800 –1000 metres above sea level...
as well as tourist destinations like Idukki Dam
Idukki Dam
The Idukki Dam, located in Kerala, India, is a 555 foot tall arch dam. The dam stands between the two mountains - Kuravanmala m and Kurathimala m. It was constructed and is owned by the Kerala State Electricity Board....
and Thekkadi. Alappuzha
Alappuzha
Alappuzha , also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. As per 2001 census Alleppey is the sixth largest city in Kerala with an urban population of 177,029. Alleppey is situated to the south of Kochi and north of Trivandrum...
-Madurai road (SH-40) also passes through Thodupuzha town. SH-43 which connects Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha is a municipality in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a junction of three districts namely Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki. The town is bordered by Kottayam district on southern side and Idukki district on eastern side approximately 20 km from the town...
with Theni passes through some parts of the Thodupuzha Taluk but doesn’t pass through Thodupuzha town.
The nearest Railway Stations are Aluva
Aluva
Aluva , is a suburb of the city of Kochi, situated north of the city center and a municipality in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. Aluva is also a major industrial center of the state....
which is 56 kilometres from Thodupuzha. 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...
Railway station is at 55 kilometres from Thodupuzha and Ernakulam Junction
Ernakulam Junction
Ernakulam Junction is the largest railway station in the city of Kochi. The station has six platforms and two terminals...
Railway Station is at 60 kilometres. The suggested Sabari Rail route to Sabarimala
Sabarimala
Sabarimala is a Hindu pilgrimage center located in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District in Kerala. It is the largest annual pilgrimage in India with an estimated 45–50 million devotees visiting every year. Sabarimala is believed to be the place where the Hindu God Ayyappan...
passes through Thodupuzha. The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport
Cochin International Airport
Cochin International Airport is an international airport located in Nedumbassery, a suburb on the outskirts of the city of Kochi about northeast of downtown Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is the busiest and largest airport in the state of Kerala...
at a distance of 54 kilometres from Thodupuzha.
New 4 Lane Highway Proposed from Muvattupuzha to Kakkanad if materializes will connect Thodupuzha to Kochi in Less than 45 minutes to reach reducing the distance to 50 kilometres.
Economy and Infrastructure
Thodupuzha's economy is driven by agriculture, business and small industries. Farmers in Thodupuzha raise a number of crops, mostly rubberRubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
. Other crops such as pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
, coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
, rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
, coco
Coco
Coco, CoCo, Co-Co or similar can mean:*Co-Co locomotives, a code for a locomotive wheel arrangement with two six-wheeled bogies with all axles powered, with a separate motor per axle*Co-Co , a British pop group...
, tapioca
Tapioca
Tapioca is a starch extracted Manihot esculenta. This species, native to the Amazon, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and most of the West Indies, is now cultivated worldwide and has many names, including cassava, manioc, aipim,...
, banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
, ginger
Ginger
Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
, turmeric
Turmeric
Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive...
etc. are also being cultivated in plenty. In recent years Thodupuzha has showed more interest in promoting tourism. The planned developments in Thodupuzha after the changeover from Taluk to Municipality status has changed the face of Thodupuzha a lot in the last decade. The new private bus stand, Temple Bypass road, Kanjiramattom Bypass road, Kothayikkunnu Bypass, Vengaloor Bypass, Mangattu Kaval 4 lane road, Mini Civil Station, New Bridge, Municipal Park, Shopping complex at bus stand, New Townhall complex etc. are noted landmarks to change the look of Thodupuzha to a planned city. The famous footwear brand Lunar’s has its base at Thodupuzha.
Politics
Thodupuzha was administered by a villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
panchayat and village union for several years, But on 1 September 1978, Thodupuzha was upgraded into a municipality and the Thodupuzha Municipality came into being. The Thodupuzha Municipality was formed by joining together the Thodupuzha Panchayat and the neighbouring Panchayats of Kumaramangalam, Karicodu and Manacaud. The municipality was administered by a special officer for 10 long years. In 1988, elections were held and the first popularly elected municipal council came into existence with Advocate N. Chandran as the Chairman . Today the Municipality has 28 wards. There is a Chairman, a Vice Chairman, and various Standing Committees to carry out the civic administration. T.J Joseph of Indian National Congress is the present Municipal Chairperson of Thodupuzha Municipality.
Thodupuzha is an assembly constituency and P J Joseph is the present MLA of Thodupuzha. He is admired for the developments carried out during his ministerial position. Improvement of infrastructure
Thodupuzha assembly constituency is part of Idukki (Lok Sabha constituency)
Idukki (Lok Sabha constituency)
-Assembly segments:Idukki Lok Sabha constituency is composed of the following assembly segments:#Thodupuzha#Devicolam #Idukki#Udumbanchola#Peermade#Muvattupuzha#Kothamangalam-Members of Parliament:*1977: C. M. Stephen, Indian National Congress...
& P T Thomas is the present MP.
Healthcare
The main healthcare centres in Thodupuzha are the government hospital- Thodupuzha taluk hospital and other private hospitals owned by the Church etc. St. Mary's Hospital(Karimannor), Holy Family Hospital(Muthalakodam) Chazhikkadan Taluk hospital, Archana hospital. The age old Ayurvedic Group Dhanwanthari Vaidyasala (Estd.1933) has a 60 bedded Ayurvedic Hospital In Thodupuzha.Tourism
Thodupuzha is blessed with natural scenic beauty. Although Thodupuzha itself is not a major tourist destination, it is the gateway to top tourist destinations like MunnarMunnar
Munnar is one of the most popular hill station in Kerala and in southern India. Munnar is located on the Western Ghats, situated in the Idukki district....
, Thekkadi, Vagamon, Idukki Dam
Idukki Dam
The Idukki Dam, located in Kerala, India, is a 555 foot tall arch dam. The dam stands between the two mountains - Kuravanmala m and Kurathimala m. It was constructed and is owned by the Kerala State Electricity Board....
, Malankara Dam, Peermade
Peermade
Peermade, also transliterated as Perumade, Peerumed, Peerumade or Peermede, is a hill station in the state of Kerala, India...
etc. Thommankuthu
Thommankuthu
Thommankuthu is a very scenic waterfall near Thodupuzha, in the southern state of Kerala, India and is named after the great hunter, Mr. Thommachen Kuruvinakunnel, who let the world know of this beautiful waterfall in the jungle in the late 1920's. Thommachen also played a big part in the...
which is 20 kilometres east of Thodupuzha is famous for its numerous waterfalls. The place is ideal for nature lovers. To enjoy the panoramic beauty the best way is to undertake a trek that takes one to the top of the mountain, a nearly 12-kilometre trek. Malankara Dam is a beautiful reservoir across the Thodupuzha river at 6 kilometres from Thodupuzha town. Elaveezhapoonchira is another trekking destination which offers a serene grassland at the top of a hill. Other major tourist spots include Nadu Kani Pavilion, Thumbichi Mount, Moolamattom power house, Uravappara, Kolani Kavu, Paramada echo point, Elappilly waterfalls etc. Thattakuzha is also a nice place in thodupuzha.
The natural scenic beauty of Thodupuzha has attracted many Malayalam movie makers. Of late Thodupuzha has become a hot spot for Malayalam movies especially with Achayan background. Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njanum, Kunjikoonan
Kunjikoonan
Kunjikoonan is a 2002 Malayalam film, made in India, by Sasi Shankar and starring Dileep and Navya Nair. Dileep played dual roles in this movie.This movie was later remade to Tamil as Perazhagan, starring Surya Sivakumar and Jyothika Saravanan...
, Rasathanthram
Rasathanthram
Rasathanthram is a 2006 Malayalam drama movie directed by Sathyan Anthikkad, starring Mohanlal and Meera Jasmine in lead roles. Other actors include Bharath Gopi, KPAC Lalitha, Innocent, Oduvil Unnikrishnan and Mamukkoya. Director Sathyan Anthikkad got the Mathrubhumi Best Director award for this...
, Palunku
Palunku
Palunku is a 2006 Malayalam-language drama film written and directed by Blessy. It stars Mammootty in the lead role with Baby Nazriya Nazim, Lakshmi Sharma, Baby Nivedita and Jagathy Sreekumar playing other pivotal roles. Lakshmi Sharma made her debut as an actress with this film...
, Veruthe Oru Bharya
Veruthe Oru Bharya
Veruthe Oru Bharya is a 2008 Malayalam film directed by Akku Akbar; starring Jayaram and Gopika in the lead roles. This film was a comeback film for Jayaram as his films struggled at the box office for about five years.-Story:...
, Swantham Lekhakan
Swantham Lekhakan
Swantham Lekhakan, also known as Swa. Le., is a 2009 Malayalam film directed and co-produced by debuting filmmaker P. Sukumar and scripted by Kalavoor Ravikumar...
, Kadha Parayumbol, Samastha Keralam PO
Samastha Keralam PO
Samastha Keralam PO is a 2009 Malayalam movie by Bipin Prabhakar starring Jayaram and Priyanka.- Plot :Member Prabakaran is a Gandhian and Panchayat Member in Thonnurkara village who always thinks about the welfare of the people. He is willing to fight against the ruling party as well as with the...
, Pappy Appacha, Vairam: Fight For Justice
Vairam: Fight For Justice
Vairam: Fight For Justice is a 2009 Malayalam film directed by M. A. Nishad under the banner of Cinema NSR India Pvt Ltd. The main cast includes Pasupathy, Suresh Gopi, Mukesh, Jayasurya, Dhanya Mary Varghese and Samvrutha Sunil.-Plot:...
, Elsamma Enna Aankutty
Elsamma Enna Aankutty
Elsamma Enna Aankutty is a 2010 Malayalam film directed by Lal Jose and written by M. Sindhuraj, starring Kunchacko Boban, Ann Augustine, and Indrajith in the lead roles.The film was produced by M. Renjith, and distributed by Lal Creations.- Plot :...
, Marykkundoru Kunjaadu
Marykkundoru Kunjaadu
-Critical reception:The film is one of the blockbusters of 2010. IMDB gave the film a 7.7 rating, which indicates high performance. Nowrunning.com gave the film 2/5 stars stating that "Shafi's new film might definitely appeal to people who are on the lookout for a few nontoxic laughs...
, Oridathoru Postman
Oridathoru Postman
Oridathoru Postman is a 2010 Malayalam film directed by Shaji Aziz. The movie features Kunchacko Boban, Innocent, Sharath Kumar and Meera Nandan in the lead roles.- Plot:...
etc. are some of the movies shot at and around Thodupuzha .
Education
The first centre of higher learning which started functioning in Thodupuzha Taluk was Newman College. It was established in 1964 by the Syrian Catholic Diocese of KothamangalamKothamangalam
Kothamangalam is a town located in eastern part of Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala situated 45 km north east of Kochi City. It is located around 14 km north east to the town of Muvattupuzha. The town is situated in the foothills of the Western Ghats mountain ranges. It...
, and named after Cardinal Newman. The second college of Thodupuzha was established in 1982: St.Joseph's College at Arakkulam
Arakkulam
-Demographics: India census, Arakkulam had a population of 12633 with 6201 males and 6432 females....
. Besides these, a number of parallel colleges are also active in the field of higher education in Thodupuzha.
The University College of Engineering, Thodupuzha
University College of Engineering, Thodupuzha
University College of Engineering or UCE, located near Thodupuzha, is an institute of engineering and technology run and managed by the Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam, Kerala. UCE was the first self-financing college in Kerala when it started. UCE offers both Bachelor and Master degree courses...
managed and run by the 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...
, Kottayam, is located in Thodupuzha which is the first of its kind in the state of Kerala. The college started functioning in 1996. The college campus is located in a picturesque place spread over 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) of land at Muttom, 7 km from Thodupuzha, by the side of State Highway No 33. Other colleges in Thodupuzha include Santhigiri College at Vazhithala, Al-Azhar College of Arts and Science, Al-Azhar Dental College, Al-Azhar Engineering College and Al-Azhar Training college at Thodupuzha East, Perumpillichira College of Applied Science at Olamattom, and St. Thomas College of Teacher Education. The Village International School, MKNMHSS, DePaul Hig School,Vimala Public School,Jai Rani High School,THSS Muttom are some of the famous schools in Thodupuzha
Janaranjini Vayanasala, Kolani, Thodupuzha, is one of the biggest libraries in Kerala and has around 30000 books including novels, children's books, stories, poems, Vedas, Upanishads etc. It is accommodated in its own two-storied building with separate TV room, reading room, book room, computer centre with high speed internet facility, and mini conference room.
Famous Personalities
- Elasamprathi Narayana Menon.
- Karthyaramma –Founder of Muthalakkodam Church.
- P J Joseph Minister.
- Swami AyyappadasSwami AyyappadasSwami Ayyappadas is saint belongs from Thodupuzha. He was worked as a police officer at Idukki SP office. Now he is secretary Kerala Kshethra Samrakshana Samithi and Ayyappa Sevasangham...
–Kerala Kshethra Samrakshana Samithi. - S. Gopinath-IG Kerala Police.
- S.Balachandran- Rear Admiral (Rtd).
- Elizabeth Antony –Wife of A.K.Antoney.
- Tom Jose –IAS Rtd.
- Tomin J Thachankary- DIG Kerala Police.
- M.J AjithkumarM.J AjithkumarM.J.Ajithkumar is a staff member of the Indian High Commission in London. Now he is working as a Protocol Officer to the United Kingdom for the Government of India. He worked as a programme Officer in the cultural wing of the Indian High Commission in London that is The Nehru Centre from 2005 to...
-Indian High Commission-London. - Asif AliAsif AliAsif Ali is an Indian film actor who works in Malayalam cinema. He made his debut in 2009 in the acclaimed film Ritu. And has went on to perform in critical and commercial hits such as Apoorvaragam , Traffic , and Salt N' Pepper .-Early life:Asif Ali was born on 4 February 1986 in Ranni...
(Film Actor). - AsinAsínAsín is a municipality located in the Cinco Villas comarca of the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, located a few kilometers west of Orés. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 106 inhabitants....
(Film Actress). - Nisand Sagar
- Adv.Vidya Sagar
Famous Landmarks
- Thodupuzha sri krishna temple
- Town Church
- Karikode Devi temple
- Thodupuzha Mini civil station
- Kanjiramattom siva temple
External links
- wikitravel's Thodupuzha page
- Kerala's own Portel
- Santhigiri College Thodupuzha official website
- Thodupuzha newman college official site
- Ernakulam Official website
- Kottayam Official website
- Muvattupuzha Official website
- Muvattupuzha website
- Pala Official website
- M.G University college of engineering official website