Tiruvalla
Thiruvalla (previously spelled
Tiruvalla) (
തിരുവല്ല) is a city and
Taluk located in
Pathanamthitta district in the State of
Kerala in
India. The city is famous for its various religious festivals, schools etc. It is also the location of
Nedumpuram Palace and
Paliakkara Palace. Today Thiruvalla has the largest bank deposit in all of India.
The city spans a geographic area of 27.94 km² with a population of 56,828 (2001 Census). The nearest port is Alleppey, nearest airport is Cochin and the nearest train station is Thiruvalla. Thiruvalla always enjoyed a high literacy rate of 89-91%. This was also helped by the advent of Christian missionaries and the many schools started by them around the area, active promotion of education by the Royal Family of Travancore, and the
communist government of 1969. The city has a tropical climate with a temperature variation of a high of 34.4C in summer to a low of 18.5C in winter with a healthy rainfall of 304 cm. The
topography of Thiruvalla comprises plains,
paddy fields, and small ranges. The major crops grown are
rice,
tapioca,
coconuts,
rubber,
plantains,
sugarcane and a variety of vegetables.
There are plenty of evidences that suggests that the area had been inhabited since 500 BC although the city was founded sometime in 800 AD only. The present day area of
Niranam and
Kadapra on the western part of Thiruvalla was submerged under the sea before that. The name Thiruvalla is a colloquial form of Shiruvallabhapuram which is the
Malayalam version of the earlier coinage Srivallabhapuram, named after the chief deity of the central temple complex, Sri Vallabhan. It is interesting to note that the ancient name of Thiruvalla was "Valla vai". This name had some relation with the river Manimala which was known as "Vallapuzha". The mouth is known as "Valla vai". On the western part of Thiruvalla, the rivers Pampa, Manimala and Achen Kovil join for a panoramic view.
As in many other places in India, the culture and heritage of Thiruvalla are tied with temples. Historical evidence such as copper plates and proclamations point to Thiruvalla as a flourishing and major center of spiritual and educational prominence in AD 1100. The Sree Vallaba Temple governed a
Vedic School with one thousand students and one hundred teachers. The temple also maintained a hospital in the service of the public at large. The rulers of Thiruvalla belonged to the Thekkumkoor Dynasty, which had one of its headquarters at Edathil near Kavil Temple. Today's Paliakara Palace is a branch of
Lakshmipuram Palace of
Changanacherry which was the branch of Alikottu Kovilakam of Pazhancherry in Malabar. Similarly,
Nedumpuram Palace is a branch of
Mavelikkara Palace is an heir to the
Kolathiri tradition of Udayamangalam.The
Kaavil market (which is no longer in existence) was once one of the most famous markets of Kerala where there were even foreign trade links. It is actually situated in the street starting from Kavumbhagom jn. in Muthhoot road. It was also the settlement area of early Christians of Thiruvalla. This was the heartplace of Tiruvalla upto 19th Century.(the part east to M.C road was forest area). We can find even dens in the now K.S.R.T.C garage area. Christianity arrived in Thiruvalla early through the apostle St.Thomas who is believed to have come to Niranam in A.D. 52 through
Purakkadu. He founded the Niranam church which is only 5 km from Thiruvalla. Thiruvalla Christians were part of the autonomous Indian Church, until the 17th century when due to the intervention of the Portuguese missionaries a
schism occurred leading to the introduction of
Catholicism in India. The
Mar Thoma Church and the
Evangelical Church have their headquarters in Thiruvalla. The headquarters of the
Orthodox Church Niranam
Diocese and Thiruvalla Diocese of Syro-Malankara rite of the Catholic Church is also in Thiruvalla. The famous Paliakkara church is a destination of tourists, historians and moreover faithfuls from all denominations. It is the mother of all churches in Tiruvalla.
Thiruvalla was never under direct rule and before India's independence from the British rule in
1947 it was governed by the
Travancore dynasty. The Thiruvalla municipality started functioning in
1919, with Shri. M. K. Kesavan Nair as the first Chairman of the Municipal council. The constitution was officially approved on
October 8,
1920. The municipal office has established several public health facilities, libraries and sports facilities. The very famous pilgrim centre of
Sabarimala is about 100 km. Parumala Church, the one of the greatest Christian pilgrimage centres in India is only 10 km from Thiruvalla. The spiritual conventions at
Maramon and
Cherukolpuzha are at a distance of 17 to 20 km. from Thiruvalla.
Thiruvalla is also the city/town with the largest bank deposit in the country, thanks to the vibrant
NRI community and intensive
cash crop plantations. Almost every leading bank in the country, including the high-profile private ones, has a branch. Add to them, a number of private finance companies too have set up base.
Hospitals, both big and small, are found on every street corner.
Almost every household boasts a telephone with an
ISD facility.
At least one member in every family is certain to be employed outside India.
High importance is given to quality education
# C.P Mathen - First M.P. of Thiruvalla after Independence. Later he became Ambassador of India in Sudan.# E.M Kovoor - Famous writer and novelist.# Fr.Iype Thoma, Kovoor-Pioneer of Marthoma Church in Tiruvalla.# Raghavan Nambiar, Villuvarvattathu. Veteran poet. He suggested the name " Malayala Manorama" for the famous daily.# Olympian Pappan- Represented Indian football team in Rome(1960)# K.G George(film director)# M.G Soman# Vishnu Narayanan Namboothiri- Veteran poet.# NVT Vikraman - Ex. Municipal Councillor# C K Ra The famous Artist # GeeVarghese Eapen- The founder director of Kadamankulam Public school and hospital.and many more......
