Cherthala

Last updated

Cherthala
Municipality [1]
Cherthala Devi temple 1.jpg
Cherthala
India Kerala location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Cherthala
Location in Kerala, India
India location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Cherthala
Cherthala (India)
Coordinates: 9°41′13″N76°20′10″E / 9.68694°N 76.33611°E / 9.68694; 76.33611
Country India
State Kerala
District Alappuzha
Government
 •  MLA P. Prasad
Area
 • Total
16.18 km2 (6.25 sq mi)
Elevation
2 m (6.6 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
45,827
 • Rank11 (Cherthala Urban Agglomeration)
 • Density2,832/km2 (7,336/sq mi)
Languages
 • Official Malayalam, English
Time zone UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
688524 (town)
Telephone code0478
Vehicle registration KL-32 or KL-04
Sex ratio 1030 ♂/♀
Lok Sabha constituencyAlappuzha
Vidhan Sabha constituency Cherthala

Cherthala is a growing suburb and satellite town of Kochi, located in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. Due to its strategic location along National Highway 66 and its proximity to the Kochi metropolitan region (approximately 30 km away), Cherthala has emerged as an important residential and commercial hub supporting the urban sprawl of Kochi. The town is well-connected by road and rail, making it a key transit point for commuters between Kochi and Alappuzha.

Contents

As per the 2011 Indian census, Cherthala has a population of 45,821 people, and a population density of 2,727/km2 (7,060/sq mi).

Etymology

According to local legend, Vilwamangalam Swamiyar, the Kerala Hindu saint, while travelling through Cherthala, found an idol of the Devi with its head immersed in a muddy pond. The swami understood the divinity of the idol, took it out of the mud, cleaned it and consecrated it in a temple near the pond. Thus the place is believed to have gotten its name as cher meaning "mud" and thala meaning "head" in Malayalam. The deity of the temple has the name Cherthala Karthiyayani. [2]

History

Cherthala has a rich and diverse history that dates back to ancient times. The town's history is closely tied to its role as a major center of trade and commerce in the region.

During the medieval period, Cherthala was an important hub for the spice trade, with merchants from various parts of India and abroad coming to the town to trade in spices, textiles, and other commodities. The town's proximity to the backwaters and the Arabian Sea made it an ideal location for trade and commerce. [3]

In the 18th century, Cherthala came under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Travancore, and it continued to be an important center of trade and commerce during this period. The town's economy and culture flourished during this time, with the establishment of various cultural institutions. [4] This town became a key political hub during conflicts like the Travancore-Dutch War. This region faced political instability in the first half of the 20th century which eventually culminated in the deadly Punnapra-Vayalar uprising.

After the States Reorganisation Act, Cherthala became part of the state of Kerala. Today, Cherthala is a thriving municipality with a diverse economy and a rich cultural heritage. [5]

Climate

Climate data for Cherthala, Kerala
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)31.8
(89.2)		32.0
(89.6)		32.6
(90.7)		32.7
(90.9)		29.4
(84.9)		28.8
(83.8)		28.8
(83.8)		29.3
(84.7)		29.3
(84.7)		29.9
(85.8)		30.5
(86.9)		31.3
(88.3)		30.5
(86.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)22.4
(72.3)		23.4
(74.1)		24.8
(76.6)		25.5
(77.9)		25.1
(77.2)		23.8
(74.8)		23.2
(73.8)		23.5
(74.3)		23.6
(74.5)		23.7
(74.7)		23.7
(74.7)		22.7
(72.9)		23.8
(74.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches)25
(1.0)		39
(1.5)		56
(2.2)		145
(5.7)		351
(13.8)		705
(27.8)		621
(24.4)		392
(15.4)		297
(11.7)		317
(12.5)		199
(7.8)		53
(2.1)		3,200
(125.9)
Source: Climate-Data.org [6]

Demographics

According to 2011 census report, Cherthala Municipality had population of 45,827 of which 22,192 are males while 23,635 are females.

Population of Children with age of 0-6 is 3988 which is 8.70% of total population of Cherthala (M). In Cherthala Municipality, Female Sex Ratio is of 1065 against state average of 1084. Moreover, Child Sex Ratio in Cherthala is around 911 compared to Kerala state average of 964. Literacy rate of Cherthala city is 97.02% higher than state average of 94.00%. In Cherthala, Male literacy is around 98.58% while female literacy rate is 95.59%. [7]

Educational organizations

Colleges

Engineering

  • College of Engineering, Cherthala, managed by IHRD, Government of Kerala
  • KVM College of Engineering & Information Technology Cherthala

General

School

Industries

Landmarks

Cherthala Town Municipality has 35 wards. [8] The town is well known after the Karthyayani Devi temple, located in the center of the town. Two more sub-temples dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu are also located on the northern side of the main temple. A sub-temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, also known as Kaavudayan and another dedicated to Kshethrapalakan believed to be Devi's temple caretaker are located on the southern corner of the main temple. Thousands of devotees coming from different 'karas' (localities) of Cherthala participate in the Padayani, vela thullal and pooram pattu, the main rituals conducted during the temple festival. A large pond exists in front of the Taluk office that belongs to the Karthyayani Devi temple. One can see many roosters flocking around the temple premises. These roosters are the offerings of the devotees, an ancient custom followed in many devi temples of Kerala. The temple is administered by Travancore Devaswom Board.

Cherthala Back waters at 1960s Chertala 1960.jpg
Cherthala Back waters at 1960s

Another temple in Cherthala town is the Muttathu Thirumala Devaswam temple. Lord Narasimha presiding in the form of Saligrama and Sree Venkatachalapathy Moorthy with bhoo devi and sree devi are the deities of this temple. The temple conducts its annual festival either ahead of the Karthyayani Devi's festival or soon after that. The Pallivetta is a procession where it is believed that Goddess is going for the divine hunting. The annual festival lasts for eight days.

Also refer, Places of worship in Cherthala

Notable people

Activism and religion

Arts and culture

Business

Entertainment

Politics

Science and technology

References

  1. ↑ https://lsgkerala.gov.in/system/files/2017-10/localbodies.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  2. ↑ Namboothiri Websites Calicut (3 October 2003). "Vilwamangalam Swaamiyaar". Namboothiri.com. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  3. ↑ District Gazetteer of Alappuzha. Government of Kerala. 1975.
  4. ↑ Kerala District Gazetteers: Alappuzha. Government of Kerala. 1986.
  5. ↑ "Cherthala Municipality". Cherthala Municipality Official Website. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  6. ↑ "CLIMATE: CHERTALA", Climate-Data.org. Web: .
  7. ↑ Cherthala Municipality City Population Census 2011-2021 | Kerala
  8. ↑ http://www.cherthalamunicipality.in Archived 2 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine Cherthala Municipality
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