Kollam district General information
Kollam or Quilon, an old sea port town on the Arabian coast , stands on the Ashtamudi lake. Kollam, the erstwhile Desinganadu, had a sustained commercial reputation from the days of the Phoenicians and the Romans. Fed by the Chinese trade, it was regarded by Ibn Batuta, as one of the five ports , which he had seen in the course of his travels during a period of twenty four years, in the 14th century.
Kollam District which is a veritable Kerala in miniature is gifted with unique representative features - sea, lakes, plains, mountains, rivers, streams, backwaters, forest, vast green fields and tropical crop of every variety both food crop and cash crop, so called 'The Gods Own Capital'.
History
Kollam or Quilon, an old sea port town on the Arabian coast , stands on the Ashtamudi lake. Kollam , the erstwhile Desinganadu, had a sustained commercial reputation from the days of the Phoenicians and the Romans. Fed by the Chinese trade, it was regarded by Ibn Batuta, as one of the five ports , which he had seen in the course of his travels during a period of twenty four years, in the 14th century.
The rulers of Kollam (Desinganadu) and China , exchange embassies and there was flourishing Chinese settlement at Kollam. Merchant Sulaiman of Siraf in Persia ( 9th Century) found Kollam to be the only port in India , touched by the huge Chinese junks , on his way from Carton of Persian Gulf. Marco Polo, the great Venician traveller, who was in Chinese service under Kublahan in 1275, visited Kollam and other towns on the west coast, in his capacity as a Chinese mandarin.
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to establish a trading center at Kollam in 1502. Then came the Dutch followed by the British in 1795. A British garrison was stationed at Kollam in pursuance of a treaty between Travancore and the British.
Velu Thampi Dalawa of Travancore, did much for the improvement of the Kollam town. He build new bazaars and invited merchants from Madras and Thirunelveli to settle here. Kollam later became the capital of the enlightened and liberal rulers of Desinganad.
Once a city of palaces, Kollam has been known to the outside world, by the time honoured proverb, "Once you have seen Kollam you would no more need your illam (Home)"
The history of the district as an administrative unit can be traced back to 1835,when the Travancore state consisted of two revenue divisions with headquarters at Kollam and Kottayam. At the time of the integrating of Travancore and Cochin in 1949,Kollam was one of the three revenue divisions in the state. These three revenue divisions were converted into districts. Shencottah taluk was merged with Madras state consequent on the implementation of the state Reorganisation Act of 1956.
When Alappuzha district was formed in 1957, Cherthala, Ambalapuzha, Mavelikkara, Karthikappally. Chenganuur and Thiruvalla Taluks were united to the new district. When Pathanamthitta district was formed on 1st July 1983, the entire Pathanamthitta Taluk and nine villages of Kunnathur Taluk of the district were also removed. Now the district has a single revenue division with headquarters at Kollam. Pathanapuram, Kunnathur, Kottarakkara, Karunagappally and Kollam are the five taluks in the district.
Topography
Kollam District is situated on the South west coast of kerala. The District is bound on the north by Alappuzha and north east by Pathanamthitta Districts on the east by Thirunelveli District of Tamilnadu, on the South by the Thiruvavanathapuram District and on the west by Arabian sea.
River
Two rivers Kallada and Ithikkara flows through this District. The Sasthamcotta lake, the only major fresh water lake in the state is in Kollam District.
Soil
The Soil of the District may be classified as sandy loams, larerite and forest soil. The costal belt has sandy loams and the forest soil is found in the eastern forest belt. The rest of the district is laterite soil.
Forest
Kollam District has a large area under forest. Pathanapuram, Anchal, Kottarakkara and Chadayamangalam are blocks having large areas of forest. The forest divisions are at Thenmala and Punalur.
For all its natural gifts of wide rivers, dominant hills and forest, lakes and plains, there is the throb of a vibrant industrial activity that combines with equanimity the wonders of the modern age with the traces of a bygone era.
Population
The total population of the district is 25.84 Lakhs. In population, the district ranks sixth in the state. The density of population of the district has increased from 961 persons per Sq.kms in 1991 to 1037 in 2001.
Sex Ratio( defined as the number of females per 1000 males) shows a fluctuating trends from decades to decades. Taking the population in the district as a whole in 1941,1971,1981,1991 and 2001,females outnumbered males.
In all other decades there was a ponderance of males over females. According to the 2001 census there are 1070 females for every 1000 males, while it was 1035 in 1991 census.
Education
Kollam has several privately-owned and state-owned educational institutions. The state-run school is the Govt. Model Higher Secondary School For Boys which is the oldest school in the city. Schools like Mount Carmel Convent Anglo-Indian Girls High School, Sree Narayana Public School, Infant Jesus Anglo Indian School and Trinity Lyceum School are affiliated with the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE),Accel IT academy, the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) or the Kerala State Education Board.
After students have completed their 10+2 years of schooling, they can enroll in higher education institutions for professional degree/diploma courses. The professional colleges of the district include Fatima Mata National College(FMNC), SN College, SN Women's College, TKM College of Engineering (Karikode), TKM Institute of Technology (Karuvelil), Younus College of Engineering and Technology (Pallimukku), Amritha Institute of Technology, Travancore Engineering College (Oyoor), Prasanth Computers, Kadappakada and The V Institute of Wireless and Telegraphy. Arafa Medical Mission Hospital and School of Nursing in Kadakkal contribute prominently into the field of nursing education.
Industry
Two central government undertakings, the Indian Rare Earths Chavara and Parvathi Mills Ltd., are among the industries in Kollam. Kerala Ceramics Ltd.[4], Kundara, Kerala Electrical and Allied Engineering Company, Kundara, Kerala Premo Pipe factory, Chavara, Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited, Chavara, United Electrical Industries-Kollam and the Kerala Agro-Fruit Products Punalur are state government-owned companies. Other major industries in the private sector are Thomas Stephen & Co., Kollam, Floorco Paravur, Cooperative Spinning Mill, Chathannur and Punalur Paper Mills, Punalur. 1963 SSI units have been registered in the district.
The Travancore Plywood Industries at Punalur and Aluminium Industries Ltd. at Kundara have been notified as being sick units and have consequently been closed down.
The traditional cashew industry is centralised in this District. Kollam is approved by the central government as a "centre of cashew industry". Most of the workers in this industry are women and among them a majority comes from the weaker sections of the society. There are several cashew processing units working in the district. The Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation Ltd,, a government of Kerala undertaking, has its headquarters in Kollam. It serves as a model agency for the cashew processing industry. The corporation has 30 cashew factories and employs more than 20,000 workers. Another government organisation in this field is CAPEX, which is in the cooperative sector and has 10 cashew factories. Interested persons can visit the website of the Corporation to understand more details of the Cashew Industry.
Coir production, handloom industry, clay and wood-based industries contribute to the industrial advancement of the region.
Tourist Place
Achencoil: Situated about 80 kms. from Punalur, Achencoil is an important pilgrim centre. The Sastha temple here, is situated amidst dense forests. The idol of Sastha is supposed to have been installed several centuries before the Christian Era. The two important festivals of this temple are Mandala Pooja (December-January) and the festival held at 'Ravathi' (January-February). The two notable features of the festival are the Therotam (Chariot festival) and Pushpabhishekam (offering of flowers). In no other temple of South India are flowers offered to the deity so lavishly as at Achencoil.
Anchal: Situated 13 kms. south of Punalur, Anchal is known for its cattle market twice a month. The Mudi festival of the Bhagavathy temple here, conducted once every 12 years, attract huge gatherings.
Aryankavu: Situated about 73 kms. east of Kollam, Aryankavu is one of the important pilgrim centres of the district. From every early days, it was an important trade route for merchants from either sides of the Western Ghats. The chief attraction of Aryankavu is the Shrine dedicated to Lord Sastha. The temple has some fine sculptures and mural paintings. Thousands of pilgrims flock to this temple during the mandala pooja and Thrikalyanam festivals in December. All trains towards Shencottah have a stop at Aryankavu. Buses plying between Kollam & Shencottah, also pass through this place. About 5 kms. away from Aryankavu there is a big waterfall known as palaruvi meaning river of milk. It is one of the well-known waterfalls in south India, falling from a height of 300 feet. It is sittuated 66 kms. from Kollam on Kollam-Shancottah road. The scenic beauty, with the hills, valleys and cascades, covered with dense tropical forests, is breath taking. Season to visit the place is June-January.
Chavara: Chavara is situated 14 kms. north of Kollam om the Kollam-Alappuzha road. Thousands of tonnes of mineral sand are exported from Chavara to various countries. The Koilthottam port is situated within the limits of Chavara panchayat. Four major industrial establishments - Indian Rare Earths, The Kerala Premopipe factory, Kerala Minerals and Metals and the Titanium complex - are at Chavara. The Thalappoli Mahotsavom- offerings of lighted lamps in decorated small pans - in the Kottamkulangara temple here is very famous. It falls in March - April. The interesting features of the festival is that men dress themselves as women and carry lamps. This is a time-honoured custom.
Karunagappally: Karunagappally is situated 27 kms. north of Kollam. It is linked with Kollam by rail and road. There is a mini civil station at Karunagappally. Padayanarkulangara, which forms part of the town, was once the military station of the Kayamkulam Rajas. An idol of Buddha, recovered from a local tank here, is now preserved in the Krishnapuram Palace, situated north of Oachira. The town has a temple dedicated to Lord Siva, two old mosques and a Mar Thoma Church.
Kottarakkara: Kottarakkara is the headquarters of Kottarakkara Taluk. It is linked with Kollam, both by road and rail, a distance of 27 kms. It was once the capital of Elayadathu Swarupam, a principality ruled by a branch of the Travancore Royal Family. The internationally famous dance drama Kathakali had its small beginning in this town and it flourished under the patronage of Raja of Kottarakkara who lived in the first half of the 19th century. Kottarakkara has a very old temple dedicated to Lord Ganapathy and a church belonging to Mar Thomas. This church is 700 years old.
Kulathuppuzha: Kulathuppuzha is situated on the Thiruvananthapuram_Shancottah road and is 10 kms. south of Thenmala Railway Station. Kulathuppuzha is an importane forest range, well known for its elephants. Reed, an essential raw material for paper manufacture at Punalur Paper Mill, is partly supplied from Kulathuppuzha Valley. One of the renowned shrines dedicated to Lord Sastha, is found here and large crowds of pilgrims come for worship during festival seasons. The Vishnu Mahotsava in April-May is the most important festival here. Besides this shrine, there are also three mosques.
Kundara: Kundara is linked with Kollam by rail and road; a distance of 14 kms. Large deposits of China Clay discovered here, helped in the establishment of the Government Ceramics concerns. The Aluminium Industries (ALIND) is one of the leading Indian firms manufacturing aluminium cables. Kundara is famous in history, for, it was from here that Veluthampi Dalawa issued the famous Kundara Vilambaram in 1809.
Kunnicode: The main attraction of Kunnicode, situated 10 kms. west of Punalur, is Pachilakunnu is small where a Muslim saint is said to have breathed his last.
Mayyanad: Mayyanad, 10 kms south of Kollam, is noted for its Shrines and temples. The most important temple is the one at Unayanalloor, dedicated to Lord Subramoniya. The shrine is said to have been consecrated by Shri. Snakaracharya of Kaladi. Besides the temples, there are three churches and a mosque. Cotton weaving and oil pressing are the main occupations in the village. Mayyanad is the birth place of C.V. Kunjuraman, one of the leading literary, social and political figures of modern Kerala.
Neendakara: Situated about 8 kms. north of Kollam, Neendakara is the headquarters of the Indo-Norweigian Fisheries Community Project, which was established in 1953. The important institutions under this project are the boat building yard at Sakthikulangara, the Fisherman's Training Institute, the ice factory and the refrigeration plant. Improvements have been made to Neendakara Port, which has been thrown open to traffic.
Oachira: Situated32 kms. north of Kollam-Alappuzha National Highway and on the boundary of Kollam district, Oachira is a unique pilgrim centre. The peculiarity of the template here is that there is no temple building as such nor is there any idol. All classes of people worship the presiding deity the Parabrahmam. Oachira drawns thousands of pilgrims for Oachirakkali, a festival held annualy in June. Another festival held here is Panthrandu Vilakku in November-December, which lasts for 12 days. The festival is also followed by a fair which attracts thousands of pilgrims from all walk of life. Oachira is also an important handicraft centre where fancy articles of screwpine mats are manufactured. Known also as Dekshina Kasi, buses passing through N.H. 47 stop at Oachira. Passenger trains stop at Oachira Railway Station.
Paravur: Paravur is an important fishing and coir production centre. It is situated 13 kms. South of Kollam and is connected with Kollam town by road and rail. It is the birthplace of K.C. Kesava Pillai (1865-1913) and Kesava Asan (1869-1917), two leading literary men of eminence.
Pathanapuram: An important trading centre on the banks of the Kallada river, Pathanapuram is 13 kms. away from Punalur. The Chandanakkudam mahotsava of the mosque there, celebrated every year in February-March, attracts thousands of devotees.
Pattazhi: Pattazhi is the seat of an ancient temple, dedicated to Bhagavathy. The Mudi is the major festival of this temple.
Punalur: Punalur is one of the important industrial centres of Kerala. It is 45 kms. from Kollam on the Kollam-Shencotta railway line and is also linked with Kollam by road. The Punalur Paper Mills, started as early as 1885, is one of the main factories. The suspension bridge across the Kallada river, erected in 1877, is the only one of its kind in south India and it is 400 ft. long. A concrete bridge has been constructed nearby and now the suspension bridge is only of arachaeological interest. The temple here, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, Lord Krishna, Lord Siva and Goddess Bhagavathy, attract huge gatherings during festival season. There are two Roman Catholic Churches too, at Punalur. The chief commodities of export here are the hill produces, pine-apple, pepper products, plywood and timber, Punalur is the head quarters of Pathanapuram taluk. click to view the images of the bridge
Kollam Town: Kollam town, the headquarters of Kollam district and Kollam taluk, has a hoary past. It was a international emporium of trade and even now it is a prosperous commercial centre. It is situated about 71 kms. north of Thiruvananthapuram and is linked by rail, road and backwater transport. The town edges with the famous Astamudi lake. Many a foreign traveller has visited Kollam in the early midieval period. It was one of the early centres of Christian activity in Kerala.It is said that the present town of Kollam was built by the Syrian Merchant; Sapir Iso, in the 9th Century A.D. The popularity of Kollam has been established by the time honoured proverb once you see Kollam, you will not need your home any more. Kollam is an important commercial, industrial and trading centre. It is also the headquarters of the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation.
The 144 ft. Thangassery Light house, built in 1902, is a centre of attraction. The Ananda Valleeswaram Temple here, attracts people on almost all days. There are several Churches and Mosques is not around Kollam. The Pullichira Church was established in 1700 A.D. One of the oldest and most important Mosques in the town is the Chinnakkada Palli. The Thangal Kunju Musaliar College of Engineering, the first of its king in the state, is at Kilikolloor, about 7 kms. east of Kollam town.
Mahatma Gandhi beach & park at Kochupilamoodu, Thirumullavaram beach and Ashramam picnic village, are some of the important sopts of local sight seeing. Mahatma Gandhi beach lies just 2 kms. from the town. It is facinating place for an evening. Thirumullavaram Beach is 5 kms. from the town. The sea here is ideal for swimming and bathing. Ashramam picnic village is located in the 48 acre Guest House Complex. This is the centre of various tourism development activities of the district. The setting up of a picnic village here, is progressing under the supervision of the District Tourism Promotion Council. The Government Guest House here, is 200 years old.
It stands along Ashtamudi lake and is a major attraction for its elegance and architectural beauty. Tourists can stay here at economical rates. The children's Traffic & Entertainment Park, designed by NATPAC, is also located in this Village. It is the largest traffic park in Kerala. The Adventure Park, located in the village along the shores of the Astamudi backwaters, is a novel experiment in the country. Different types fo boats, including luxury cruise boats, power boats and motor boats, are available on hire from the boat jetty near to the Adventure Park. A budget hotel for tourists. Yatrinivas, run by Kerala Tourism Development Corporation is also located in this village. The village is just 2 kms. away from the town.
Sasthamcottah: Sasthamcottah is an attractive village situated about 19 kms. from Kollam town. It is a beauty spot, a health resort and a centre of pilgrimage. The extensive fresh water lake here, is said to be the biggest of its kind in Kerala. Water supply to the Kollam town is met by purifying the water from this lake. Buses are freqently operated to Sasthamcottah, which can truely be called as Queen of Lakes.
Sasthamcottah has found a place on the eco-tourism map of Kerala. The Forest department will adopt and develop the village in to an eco-tourism destination. A major scheme for the purpose is being prepared by the forest department. The eco-tourism office at Sasthamcottah was today inaugurated by the water Resources Minister, Thiruvanchoor Radakrishnan. The Minster said that efforts to protect the Sasthamcottah fresh water lake would be implemented through the full support of the people.
Thangassery: Thangassery is a place of historical importance situated 5kms. away from Kollam town. The churches here are pretty old, having been established in the 18th century. The chief attraction of the place is the light house, built in 1902. The 144 ft. light house stands as a sentinal, warning seamen of the treachrous reefs of Thangassery. The construction of a fishin harbour is in progress. Thangassery was an enclave of the Portuguese, Dutch and British in succession. The remants of the Portugese and Dutch forts still exist.
Thazhava: Thazhava in Oachira Block, is an important centre of screw-pine mat industry. An image of the Buddha, discovered from a tank known as Pallikkulam near Maruthookulangara, is one of the interesting archaeological, associated with Kollam district.
Thenmala: Thenmala is the meeting point of Kollam-Shencottah road and Thiruvananthapuram-Shencottah road, surrounded by dense forests, 66 kms. east of Kollam. There are a large number of rubber and tea plantations in Thenmala. Timber of all varieties are exported from here to all parts of the country. Thenmala dam site is open for tourists. All buses passing through Kollam-Shencottah road, stop at Thenmala. There is also a Railway Station here. Click to view images of the dam and other details
Jetaya Para: Jetayu Para, a huge rock, is another attraction in Kollam district. The huge rock is in the Chandayamangalam village on the M.C. road. The name comes from the epic Ramayana. It is believed that Jatayu, the giant bird in the epic, fell after failing in its attemt to stop Ravana from taking Sita away. The rock is ideal for trekking by the lover of adventure. The rock can be seen from the Chadayamangalam Jn. itself.
Coutalam falls: Though the famous waterfall at Courtalam is situated in Tamilnadu state, it shares the boundary of Kollam also. Season to visit the place is from June to January. A guest house and a number of medium range hotels are available.