Mavelikkara

Mavelikara, Kerala
മാവേലിക്കര
Town, Taluk, Municipality, Assembly constituency, Lok Sabha Constituency

Pathiyoor Gopuram
Mavelikara, Kerala
Mavelikara, Kerala

Location in Kerala, India

Coordinates: 9°16′01″N 76°33′00″E / 9.267°N 76.55°E / 9.267; 76.55Coordinates: 9°16′01″N 76°33′00″E / 9.267°N 76.55°E / 9.267; 76.55
Country  India
State Kerala
District Alappuzha
Government
 • Type Taluk
 • Body Municipal Council
 • MLA R Rajesh
Population (2001)
 • Total 28,440
Languages
 • Official Malayalam, English
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 690101
Telephone code +91-479
Vehicle registration KL-31
Nearest city Kollam (50 km)
Literacy 86.00%%
Website alappuzha.nic.in/mavelikara_taluk.html
Mahadheva temple
Christ Church
Kandiyoor temple
Padippura
Mulli temple
Chettikulangara temple

Mavelikara is a taluk and municipality in the Alappuzha district of the Indian state of Kerala. Located in the southern part of the district on the banks of the Achankovil River. The name Mavelikara is believed to be turned out from the words Maveli the mythical king of Kerala, and Kara means land. This land is believed to be the place where king Mahabali knelt before Vamana, offering his head for Vamana to keep his feet. The town boasts about a rich historical and cultural background. The Chettikulangara Devi Temple, known for the Kumbha Bharani festival is located near the municipality, which is home to one of the 108 Shiva temples of Kerala created by Lord Parashurama, the Kandiyoor Mahadeva Temple . It was also a major centre of trade and commerce in ancient Kerala and the erstwhile capital of the rulers of Onattukara. As a result of the close association with the Travancore Royal Family, Mavelikkara gained modern facilities well ahead of other places in the state. It is one of the oldest municipalities of the state. Even before India attained independence, Mavelikara had a super express transport service to Trivandrum.

Demographics

According to the 2001 Indian census,[1] Mavelikara town has a population of 28,440 with males constituting 47% of the population. The average literacy rate is 86%, much higher than the national average of 59.5%, with male literacy at 87% and female literacy at 85%. Approximately 10% of the population is under 6 years old.

Transport

Bus

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has a sub depot at Mavelikkara (Station Code: MVKA) which is one among the 46 sub depots in the state. The KSRTC sub depot at Mavelikkara has an inter state bus service which is operated to Tenkasi.

The Municipal Private bus stand is located at Mitchel Junction with buses to Chengannur, Pathanamthitta, Pandalam, Thiruvalla, Haripad, Kayamkulam.

Rail

Mavelikkara (Station Code:MVLK) is a mainline station in the Trivandrum Division of the Southern Railway Zone (India), with connections to New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, Mangalore, Bhopal, Guwahati, Nagpur and Jammu. Other nearby stations are Kayamkulam Junction railway station, Chengannur Railway Station, Harippad Railway Station and Kollam Junction railway station.

Air

The nearest airports are Trivandrum International Airport and Cochin International Airport (CIAL). State highway SH 10 road start in mavelikara

Economy

Local industries in and around Mavelikkara include:

Several small-scale industries are present in the Industrial Estate (an initiative of SIDCO) located at Kollakadavu.

Politics

Lok Sabha

Mavelikara has its own constituency in the Lok Sabha.[3] Until the 2002 Lok Sabha Delimitation took effect in 2008, the constituency consisted of Chengannur, Mavelikara, Kayamkulam, Pandalam, Thiruvalla and Kallupara. Since then, the assembly constituencies have comprised Changanassery, Kuttanad, Mavelikara (SC), Chengannur, Kunnathur (SC), Kottarakkara and Pathanapuram. The constituency is now reserved for a scheduled caste candidate.

Kodikunnil Suresh of the INC has represented the Mavelikkara constituency since 2009.

State Assembly

R. Rajesh from the CPI(M) is the representative of Mavelikkara in the Kerala Legislative Assembly.

New Central Travancore District

The formation of a long awaited central travancore district is not yet came true. The proposal has been in the air since the late eighties. It involves the inclusion of Thiruvalla taluk and parts of adjoining panchayats of Pandalam, Thumpamon and Pandalam-Thekkekkara of the present Pathanamthitta district and Mavelikara and Chengannur taluks wholly and parts of the adjoining Karthikappally taluk of Alappuzha district. The new district will have five taluks, namely, Thiruvalla, Chengannur, Pandalam Mavelikara and Kayamkulam. It may be noted that a major chunk of the culturally renowned Onattukara will be part of the new district along with the Thiruvalla-Kumbanad NRI belt, which accounts for a substantial inflow of foreign currency. The Central Travancore region has a cultural identity of its own, its geographical topography is unique, neither part of the "hilly" Pathanamthitta district nor the "watery" Alappuzha.

Culture

The cultural capital of Alappuzha is Mavelikkara. Mavelikara was once part of the principality of Onattukara and has been a centre of religious harmony, culture and arts for several centuries.

As a testament to its link to that flourishing centre of Buddhist culture, Mavelikkara is one of the rare places in Kerala where one can find the Statue of Buddha in Seated Position, which dates back to the 9th century AD.[4] .Mar Ivanios the pioneer of Re union Movement is from this holy socio cultural land.He is from the Medayil Panicker Family situated at the center of the Mavelikara Town.

Notable persons

Cultural events

Chettikulangara Kumbabharani

Chettikulangara Kettukazhcha, conducted every year on the Bharani Nakshathram in the Malayalam month Kumbham, is a cultural spectacle in Kerala similar to the Thrissur Pooram.

The event is an offering of the people of Chettikulangara to their beloved deity known for her spontaneous blessings on true devotees as a mark of gratitude for their devotion and unflinching faith and for showering prosperity and protection on their lives. Kettukazhcha displays sculpted and decorated forms of six temple cars known as Kuthiras (Horses), five Therus (Chariots) and icons of Bhima and Hanuman. All the temple cars, chariots and icons are gigantic in size and many times larger than any other similar Kuthiras and Therus built during the festivities at other temples in the Central Travancore region.

Padanilam Sivarathri

Padanilam is a small town situated in the Mavelikkara Taluk of the Alappuzha district. The Padanilam Temple is situated in Padanilam. The temple has a number of festivals,one being the Sivarathri, usually celebrated in the month of February or March. During the day, thousands of devotees, including those from other districts come to the temple for the Kettukazhcha. On Sivaranthi day morning there is a Kaavadiyaattam for Lord Murugan. Thousands take Kaavadi and visit the temple in large groups. On the evening of the day, Large kettukazhchas of bulls (which are the vehicle of Lord Siva) come to the temple. The crowd dances to the rhythm of Kerala,The Sinkaarimelam.

Other festivals celebrated in Padanilam include the Vrischikamahotsavam in the Malayam month of Vrischikam. The celebrations last for 41 days, although the majority of the celebrations take place in the first 12 days.

Vettiyar Paththamudayam

Paththamudayam is a temple festival conducted at Vettiyar Palliyarakkavu temple. The 1000-year-old temple has 7 Karas (territories). Paththamudayam is held in April. The highlight of the festival is the Kettukazhchas. The preparation for Paththamudayam begins several days before the festival day which itself is usually the day of Vishu. Meanwhile, the people from 7 Karas of Vettiyar will arrange for the construction of Kettukazhcha to the temple. People from each area will pull the Kettukazhcha from the construction sites to the temple to present them before the Devi and after having darshan the parties take up their respective position in the ground lying east of the temple.

Eravankara Shivarathri

Eravankara is a small village in Mavelikkara. Anandeshwarathu Mahadevadeva temple in Eravankara is known for its Shivarathri Mahotsavam and Kaavadiyaattam, which are celebrated during the month of February or March. The temple is more than 1000 years old. Eravankara is derived from the concept of Mahabharatha as the land of Eravaan ( Eravaan kara) who is the son of Khadotghaja (Bheeman's son who is born in Hidumbi)...

Vazhuvady Sree Subrahmanyaswami-Bhadra Devi Temple -Arattu Maholsavam

A popular festival of Vazhuvady people celebrated in the month of March or Malayalam month of Kumbham. Ponkala, Kavadiyattam and Arattu are the attractions of this festival.

Mother Teresa Trophy Boat Race

The Mother Teresa Trophy Boat Race is held during Onam along the stretch of the River Achankovil.

Kandiyoor is nearly 1 km far from Mavelikara and the Kandiyoor Sree Mahadeva temple is one of the most famous temple in South India and it is also known as Dakshina kashi.

Places of worship

Educational organizations

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
  2. ↑ Kerala State Road Transport Corporation
  3. ↑ "Assembly Constituencies – Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies" (PDF). Kerala. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  4. ↑ "Monuments-peeping into the past" Information & Public Relations Department, Government of Kerala

5.Ancient Traditional Family Shappees

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