KADAKKAL

Friday 4 October 2013

Pathanamthitta

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Pathanamthitta district

— district —

Pathanamthitta, the district headquarters

Pathanamthitta district

Coordinates:

9.27°N 76.78°ECoordinates:

9.27°N 76.78°E

Country

India

State

Kerala

Headquarters

Pathanamthitta

Government

• District Collector

P. Venugopal

Area

• Total

2,642 km² (1,020 sq mi)

Population

• Total

1,231,577

• Density

467/km² (1,210/sq mi)

Languages

• Official

Malayalam, English

Time zone
ISO 3166 code
Official website

IST (UTC+5:30)
IN-KL-
Pathanamthitta.gov.in

Etymology

The district's name is a combination of two Malayalam words pathanam and thitta, which together mean 'array of houses on the river side'. The district capital is located on the banks of the river Achankovil.

History

It is presumed that the regions that form the district were formerly under the Pandalam reign, which had connections with the Pandya kingdom. When Pandalam was added to the princely state Travancore in 1820, the region came under Travancore administration.
In 1930's, the Pathanamthitta district was the center of the "Reunion Movement" within the Malankara Orthodox Church which lead to part of that denomination joining the Catholic Church as the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.
The district was formed on November 1, 1982 in the interest of speeding up development. The formation was done by incorporating various portions of the erstwhile Kollam, Alappuzha and Idukki districts. While the taluks Pathanamthitta, Adoor, Ranni, Konni and Kozhencherry were taken from Kollam district, Thiruvalla and Mallappally were taken from Alappuzha district. In 2010, the area of the Pathanamthitta district became the Eparchy of Pathanamthitta for the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, splitting off from the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum.

Geography

Pathanamthitta is a landlocked district, located at 9°16′N 76°47′E, spanning over an area of 2,637 square kilometres (1,018.15 sq mi). The district is bordered by the districts Kottayam and Idukki in the north, Alappuzha in the west, Kollam in the south. To the east it has border with the Tamil Nadu state.
The district can be divided into three natural geographical regions: the highland, the midland and the lowland. The highland stretches through the Western Ghats, where the hills are tall and covered with thick forests. Western Ghats maintains an average altitude of around 800 m. It descends to the smaller hills of midland in the centre and finally to the lowland. The lowland with its abundance of coconut trees, lies along the western borders of Alappuzha district.

Climate

Pathanamthitta district

Climate chart (explanation)

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
16 32 22	236 33 23	76 33 24	167 33 25	125 32 25	595 30 24	232 29 23	563 29 23	297 30 23	196 30 23	93 30 23	88 31 23
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm

[show]Imperial conversion

Pathanamthitta has a moderate climate, which is more or less the same climatic conditions as prevalent elsewhere in the State. Annual temperature range between 20 °C (68 °F) and 39 °C (102 °F). The district experiences three distinct weather conditions: Winter, summer and the monsoon. The winter season is experienced from December to February and summer season from March to May. There are two rainy seasons: The South-West monsoon (June to September) and the North-East monsoon (October to November). The South-West monsoon is usually very heavy. About 75 per cent of the annual rain is received during this season.

Forest

Pathanamthitta district has a reserve forest(ranni reserve and konni reserve) area of 1,385.27 square kilometres (534.86 sq mi). This is approximately 50% of the total district area. The forest area can broadly be classified as evergreen, semi-evergreen and moist deciduous. The forest is the main source of raw materials for wood based industrial units. Timber is the most important produce.

Rivers

Three important rivers flow through the district. These rivers originate from various mountains of the Western Ghats mountain range. The Pamba (176 km/109 mi) which is the third longest river in kerala, has its origin in Pulachimala. The Achankovil river (128 km/80 mi) originates from Pasukida Mettu, and Manimala river (90 km/56 mi) originates from the Thattamalai hills. A small portion of Kallada river also falls in the southern border of the district. Pamba and Achankovil rivers together drain more than 70% of the total area of Pathanamthitta.
One third of the electricity produced in the State comes from this district. The Sabarigiri Hydroelectric project situated at the Pamba basin and the Kakkad Electricity project functions in this district. The abundant water resources are also utilized for irrigation purpose through the Kallada and Pamba irrigation projects.

Economy

Agriculture

Pepper - the King of Spices - on a Pepper Vine

Cocoa pods in various stages of ripening

Sugar cane field

Agriculture is the main occupation of the people. About 75% people are dependent on this sector. Rubber is the most important crop, with its plantations covering over 478 square kilometres (185 sq mi). The hilly terrain coupled with high humidity makes the region suitable for rubber plantations. Paddy is the most important crop cultivated in the wet lands. Tapioca and pulses are the important dry land crops. Other major crops are coconut, banana, pepper and ginger. In certain areas cashew, pineapple, sugarcane, cocoa and other tree spices are cultivated. The land available for cultivation is less since sizeable area of the district is reserve forest.

**Major Agricultural Products**
Products	Area under cultivation (km²)	Production (tonne)
Rice	43.39	10784
Sugar Cane	1.23	601
Pepper	56.51	1328
Ginger	5.26	1358
Cardamom	6.64	82
Cashewnut	11.41	636
Rubber	478.47	69094
Tapioca	79.91	226993
Coconut	217.39	380

Source : Statistics for Planning-DES 2006

Fisheries

Pathanamthitta district has a unique position in the inland fisheries map of Kerala state with its freshwater resources like rivers, reservoirs, streams, ponds, quarries and paddy fields. The fisheries activities in this region started with the establishment of a Fresh Water Survey Station. The district has an Ornamental Fish Breeding resource centre and a National Fish Seed Farm. There are 2444 fishermen depending on this sector for their livelihood.
Pathanamthitta district has tremendous potential in fish culture sector. For the development of piscine culture activities a Fish Farmers Development Agency(F.F.D.A.) was constituted during the year 1990. The agency provide technical as well as financial assistance to the farmers. The ongoing schemes of F.F.D.A. are assistance to new pond construction, pond reclamation, supply of fish seed, feed, medicine towards input, integrated farming and establishment of mini hatcheries.

Industry

Pathanamthitta is a less industrialized district of Kerala. As of March 31, 2006, there are 13,898 registered Small Scale Industries (SSI), employing 46,421 people. There are also 378 workers employed in the handloom sector. There are three Mini Industrial Estates in the district with the State government declaring 8.5 hectares of area as development plot. District Industries Centre distributes the land to needy entrepreneurs on request. 14.48 hectares of land has been transferred to KINFRA and five acres of land has been transferred to SIDCO for industrial parks. Green channel committee has been set up to help entrepreneurs get help in obtaining licenses, clearances, electricity, water connection, without delay.

Administration

The district headquarters is at Pathanamthitta town. The district administration is headed by the District Collector. He is assisted by five Deputy Collectors holding charges of general matters, revenue recovery, land acquisition, land reforms and election.

Name of Taluks	Headquarters	No. of Villages
1. Kozhencherry	Pathanamthitta	21
2. Thiruvalla	Thiruvalla	11
3. Mallapally	Mallapally	9
4. Ranni	Ranni	11
5. Adoor	Adoor	15

Pathanamthitta has two revenue divisions: Thiruvalla and Adoor. The district is divided into five taluks: Ranni, Kozhencherry, Adoor, Thiruvalla and Mallappally. The taluks again are divided into villages. Villages are the lowest level of subdivisions in India. Pathanamthitta has a total of 68 villages.
Under the three tier system of panchayat in rural areas, Pathanamthitta has one district panchayat, 9 block panchayat and 53 grama panthayats. The headquarters of the district panchayat is also at Pathanamthitta. Under the single tier system of municipality in urban areas, Adoor, Pathanamthitta and Thiruvalla are the 3 municipalities the district has. Kozhencherry is a census town. Pandalam, Ranni, Konni, Mallapally, Koipuram-Kumbanad, etc. are other major towns.
As per the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008, Pathanamthitta has five Assembly constituencies, down from eight. However, the district was unified into a single Parliamentary constituency, thus contributing a seat to the Lok Sabha. The Pathanamthitta parliamentary constituency is formed by including all the five Assembly constituencies of the district along with two other Assembly constituencies in the neighboring Kottayam district. Congress, Kerala Congress, and the CPM/CPI are the main political parties.

Transport

Some portion of National Highway 220 (NH220) passes through Tiruvalla. SH 07 and SH 08 are the two major State highways providing connectivity to other towns and districts. SH 07, also known as T. K. Road, passes only through Pathanamthitta. SH 08 also known as Main Eastern Highway, is the second longest state highway of Kerala. It connects the townships of Punalur in Kollam district and Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district.The Kerala Public Work Department (P.W.D) maintains the all the roads in the district, including the village roads. As of 2005, P.W.D. maintains about 1,596 kilometres (992 mi) of road in the district.
There is a good connectivity of State transport, K.S.R.T.C., on the T.K. Road. However, on other roads and especially towards the eastern side, the State transport service is less frequent. Here, private bus operators facilitate the transportation needs. The K.S.R.T.C. has three major depots in the district. From Pathanamthitta, there are Inter State Services to Coimbatore and Tenkasi.
Tiruvalla (TRVL) is the only Railway Station within the district. Express trains to Trivandrum, Cochin, Chennai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Calcutta, New Delhi, Goa, Baroda, Ahmedabad etc., passes through Tiruvalla station. Computerised Train Reservation Centres are available both at Tiruvalla and Pathanamthitta.
Trivandrum International Airport (TRV) at Thiruvananthapuram (119 km/74 mi) is the nearest airport. The National Carrier Air India has a Reservation Office at Thiruvalla.
A private airport, which is managed by Aranmula Aviation Ltd, is under construction at Aranmula, 18 km from Pathanamthitta town and 3 km from kozhencherry town. Once completed, the airport will be the first of its kind in Kerala.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Pathanamthitta district has a population of 1,195,537, roughly equal to the nation of Timor-Leste or the US state of Rhode Island. This gives it a ranking of 399th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 453 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,170 /sq mi) . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was -3.12 %. Pathanamthitta has a sex ratio of 1129 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 96.93 %.According to the Census of India 2001, the district had a population of 1,234,016 with a density of 467 persons per square kilometre. This is the lowest density in the State after Idukki and Wayanad. Schedule tribes and castes comprise 13% of the total population. The female to male ratio is 1094:1000, which is the highest among the districts in the State. Pathanamthitta's literacy rate is 95%.
Pathanamthitta's major religion are Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains have much smaller followings. As of 2004 the population included 694,560 Hindus, 481,602 Christians and 56,457 Muslims, the lowest following in the State.

Culture

Padyani at Thazhoor Bhagavathy Temple at Vazhamuttom near Pathanamthitta

Pathanamthitta district is known for its fairs and festivals. The Padayani is one such major folk art. The colourful art, colloquially known as Padeni, is associated with the festivals of certain temples only in Southern Kerala. The art is a combination of music, dance, painting and satire. Sabarimala, Maramon Convention, Anandapalli and Kadammanitta are some of the major fairs and festivals. Traditional Keralite festivals like Onam, Vishu as well as other major Christian and Islam festivals are celebrated with great fervor. The region is known for its cultural heritage and communal harmony. Participation of people from different religions can be seen.
The residents of Pathanamthitta partake of Keralite cuisine, which is generally characterised by an abundance of coconut and spices. Other South Indian and Chinese cuisines are also popular. The residents of the district generally wear traditional Kerala wear. The younger generation prefers Indo-Western clothing to the traditional wear.
The early history of Malayalam literature and the native tradition of Malayalam poetry has its roots in the district through the contributions of the three Niranam Poets. They lived between AD 1350 and 1450. Their work include the Malayalam translation of Bhagavad Gita, Bharatamala (a condensation of Mahabharatam), Ramayanam, Bhartam, Bhagavata Purana and Sivarathri Mahatmyam. These works are considered to be among the first major work of its kind in Malayalam.
Pathanamthitta was home to a number of acclaimed poets like Pandalam Kerala Varma, Muloor S.Padmanabha Panicker, Puthenkavu Mathan Tharakan, Vennikkulam Gopala Kurup, Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan, Nellikkal Muraleedharan and K. V. Simon. Renowned writers like Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati, Dr.K. M. George, Idayaranmula K. M. Varghese, Dr.K. M. Tharakan, Konniyoor Narendranath had their roots here. Painters like V. S. Valiathan, C. K. Ra, Paris Viswanathan and Cartoonists like P. K. Manthri, S. Jithesh, Madhu Omalloor were born in this district. Film personalities like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Aranmula Ponnamma, Adoor Bhavani, Adoor Bhasi, Adoor Pankajam, Kaviyoor Ponnamma, M.G. Soman, Director Blessy and Mohanlal are the natives of this district.

Tourism

Temple at Aranmula

With a number of fairs and festivals, Pathanamthitta district is known as the "headquarters of pilgrimage tourism." The district receives an estimated 3 to 4 million pilgrims during the festival season of Sabarimala.
Situated here among the Western Ghats is a temple dedicated to the Hindu deity, Ayyappan. The district is a host to Asia's biggest and the world's second largest Christian convention. The eight-day Christian gathering in February is held at Maramon on the sand-bed of Pamba River. The three-day Christian gathering is held at Makkamkunnu, Pathanamthitta known as Makkamkunnu Convention by Malankara Orthodox Church .The Cherukolpuzha Hindu convention, Kadammanitta devi temple, the 10th century Kaviyoor mahadeva temple, Parthasarathi temple at Aranmula and anikkattilammakshethram are some of the Hindu religious places of interest. Some of the Christian places of interest are St. Mary's church at Niranam, St. Thomas Ecumenical Church at Nilackal, Manjanikkara Dayara, Parumala and St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Thumpamon also known as Thumpamon Valiyapalli, headquarters of Thumapmon Diocese of Malankara Orthodox Church. The churches at Niranam and Nilackal (Chayal) are believed to be among the seven churches founded by St. Thomas the Apostle. The Muslim colourful Chandanakkudam festival of the Jama — Al Mosque at Pathanamthitta town attracts many visitors. Although these places are religious in nature, they attract people from all faiths.

Maramon Convention: Asia's biggest Christian gathering

Perunthenaruvi water falls

The district is known for its reserve forest and wild life. Perunthenaruvi water falls, Kakki reservoir surrounded by forest and wild animals, dam sites at Moozhyar and Maniyar, elephant training centre at Konni, Charalkunnu hill station are ideal locations for nature enthusiasts. Trekking to the Sabari Hills during January to March is also organized by Pathanamthitta District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC).

Muloor Smarakom

Pathanamthitta district has places known for its historical importance. Among them are, ancient castles at Pandalam, monument of Velu Thampi Dalawa at Mannadi and the Muloor Smarakom (Muloor memorial). Pandalam was the capital of the ancient Travancore kingdom. The district has other tourist attractions. Aranmula is a major attraction for its famous metal mirrors and snake boat race. The school of traditional arts attracts foreign visitors. Founded by French artist Louba Schild, the school teaches kathakali, classical dance, classical music as well as kalarippayattu. The palace at Aranmula Aranmula kottaram has a history of 200 years.

Flora and fauna

The Tiger inhabits Pathanamthitta's reserve forests

Pathanamthitta has tropical biodiversity with forest, plantations, rivers and fertile land. Fifty percent of the district is covered with forest, providing rich flora and fauna. The district has a variety of plants including medicinal, spices, tuber crops and those yielding fruits and fiber. Aromatic plants and spices such as pepper, ginger, cardamom and turmeric are cultivated on a large scale. Trees such as timber, teak, rosewood, jack tree, manjakadambu, anjili, pala can be found in abundance.
The forests of the district have excellent wild life habitats. A variety of animals and birds can be found. Tigers, elephants, gaur, deer, monkeys and other wild animals are found in the forest. Giant squirrel, lion-tailed macaques, barking deer and bear can also be spotted in the reserve. Malabar Grey Hornbill and Great Indian Hornbill are found. Wide variety of other birds such as sunbirds, woodpeckers and kingfishers can also be seen.
The existence of the wild life habitat is under threat from various areas. Pollution from fertilizer and industries and illegal sand mining are the major threats. Issues connected to Sabarimala pilgrimage such as clearing of forest land and large amount of waste discharged also threatens the habitat.

Education

Sports

Aranmula Uthrattathi Boat Race

Aranmula Vallam Kali (Boat Race) is part of a festival celebrated during the month of September. Though the snake boat race is also performed at nearby places, the race held at Aranmula is unique because of the boat's shape and design. Maramadimatsaram (Ox Race) is another such seasonal sport. This is held as part of the largest annual cattle fair of Central Travancore region. The race is held in three categories.
While football is the most popular sport, cricket is the most-followed sport as in the rest of the state and India.

Thiruvananthapuram district

13:57 Thiruvananthapuram No comments

തിരുവനന്തപുരം ജില്ല

Location of Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala

8.17°N 8.54°E -

76.41°N 77.17°E

State

Kerala, India

Administrative division

Southern Travancore

Headquarters

Thiruvananthapuram

Area

2,192 km² (846 sq mi)

Population

3,307,284 (male: 1,584,200; female: 1,723,084) (2001)

Population density

1,509 /km² (3,910 /sq mi)

Urban population

33.75%

Literacy

92.66%

Tehsils

1. Thiruvananthapuram, 2. Chirayinkeezhu, 3. Neyyattinkara, 4. Nedumangadu, 5.Attingal, 6.Varkala

Lok Sabha constituencies

1. Attingal, 2. Thiruvananthapuram

Assembly seats

Major highways

NH-47

Average annual precipitation

1,700 mm

Official website www.tvm.kerala.gov.in

Origin of name

The district has the same name as its headquarter city, Thiruvananthapuram. The city gets its name from the word "Thiru-anantha-puram", meaning the "Abode of Lord Anantha". The name derives from the deity of the Hindu temple at the center of the Thiruvananthapuram city. Anantha is the serpent Shesha on whom Padmanabhan or Vishnu reclines. The district was officially referred to as Trivandrum in English until 1991, when the government decided to reinstate the city's original name, "Thiruvananthapuram" in all languages.

History

Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram city and several other places in the district loom large in ancient tradition, folklore and literature.
In 1684, during the regency of Umayamma Rani, the English East India Company obtained a sandy spit of land at Anchuthengu near Varkala on the sea coast about 32 kilometres (20 mi) north of Thiruvananthapuram city, with a view to erecting a factory and fortifying it. The place had earlier been frequented by the Portuguese and later by the Dutch. It was from here that the English gradually extended their domain to other parts of Travancore.
Modern history begins with Marthanda Varma, 1729 CE – 1758 CE, who is generally regarded as the Father of modern Travancore. Thiruvananthapuram was known as a great center of intellectual and artistic activities in those days.
"Thiruvananthapuram" literally means "City of Lord Anantha". The name derives from the deity of the Hindu temple at the center of the Thiruvananthapuram city. Anantha is the mythical thousand hooded serpent- Shesha on whom Padmanabhan or Vishnu reclines. The temple of Vishnu reclining on Anantha, the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple, which dates back to the 16th century, is the most-recognizable iconic landmark of the city as well as the district. Along with the presiding deity of Sri Padmanabha, this temple also has temples inside it, dedicated to Lord Krishna and Lord Narasimha, Lord Ganesha, and Lord Ayyappa. The temple was built by King Marthanda Varma of the Travancore Royal family when, in 1745, he shifted the Travancore capital from Padmanabhapuram, which is now in Tamil Nadu. King Marthanda Varma started reigning as 'Padmanabha Dasa', the servant and representative of Lord Padmanabha, as perhaps a nobler variant of the 'Divine Right Theory' with which the West is familiar. The vast temple complex, with its tall Gopuram decorated with detailed carvings reflected in the huge temple tank, is today a center of attraction for the pious, the tourist, and the merely curious.
The city was the capital of the Travancore state before India's independence. Consequent to the recommendations of the state Reorganization Commission, the Vilavancode taluk from Thiruvananthapuram was merged with Tamil Nadu, along with three other southern taluks of Thovala, Agastheewaram and Kalkulam from Travancore. The state of Kerala came into being on 1 November 1956.

Geography

Cliffs at Varkala, Thiruvanatnthapuram district. It is the only place in southern Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to the Arabian Sea

The district is situated between North latitudes at 8.17°– 8.54° and East longitudes 76.41°– 77.17°. The southern-most extremity, Parassala is just 54 kilometres (34 mi) away from the southern peninsular tip of India, Cape Comorin (Kanya Kumari). The district stretches 78 kilometres (48 mi) along the shores of the Arabian Sea on the West, Kollam district lies on the North with Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu on the East and South respectively.
Unlike the flat portion of the Kerala coast, at the northern coastal region of the district, cliffs are found adjacent to the Arabian Sea at Varkala. It is the only part in southern Kerala where cliffs were found. These tertiary sedimentary formation cliffs are considered as a unique geological feature. It is known among geologists as the "Varkala Formation" and a geological monument as declared by the Geological Survey of India.
The district can be divided in to three geographical regions: Highlands, Midlands, and Lowlands. The Chirayinkeezhu and Thiruvananthapuram Taluks are located in the midland and lowland regions, while the Nedumangad Taluk lies in the midland and highland regions, and the Neyyattinkara Taluk stretches over all the three regions.
The highland regions on the east and the north-east comprises the Western Ghats, and this area is ideal for major cash crops like rubber, tea, cardamom and other spices. Timber trees like teak and rosewood are grown in this region. The Ghats maintain an average elevation of 814 metres (2,671 ft). The part Agasthyarkoodam, which is the second-highest peak in the Western Ghats (1,869 m or 6,132 ft above sea level), lies in the district. The forests in the tail end of Western Ghats form the most diverse and unknown ecosystem in Peninsular India.
The midland region lying between the Western Ghats and lowlands is made up of small and tiny hills and valleys. This is an area of intense agricultural activities. This region is rich in produce such as paddy, tapioca, rubber, eucalyptus, spices and cashews. The lowlands are comparatively narrow, consisting of rivers, deltas and seashore. This area is densely covered with coconut trees. Water bodies cover about 55.25 km² (21.3 sq mi), while forest area is estimated to be 498.61 km² (193 sq mi).

Forests

A view from Ponmudi Hills

Thiruvananthapuram district has a reserve forest area of 495.1 km² (191 sq mi) and vested forest area of 3.534 km² (1.4 sq mi). The forests are spread over three ranges: the Kulathupuzha range in the north, Palode range in the middle, and the Paruthipalli range in the south. These forests may be broadly classified into three categories, namely, Southern tropical wet evergreen forests, Southern tropical and semi-evergreen forests, and Southern tropical moist deciduous forests. Social forestry programmes are being implemented under the World Bank-aided Kerala Social Forestry Project, National Rural Employment Programme (NREP) and Rural Fuel Wood Schemes to assist small and marginal farmers.