| Tiruvalla Thiruvalla |
|
|---|---|
| — town — | |
|
|
|
| Coordinates: 9°23′06″N 76°34′30″E / 9.385°N 76.575°ECoordinates: 9°23′06″N 76°34′30″E / 9.385°N 76.575°E | |
| Country | |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Pathanamthitta |
| Population (2001) | |
| • Total | 56,828 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| PIN | 689101 |
| Telephone code | 91-469 |
| Website | www.thiruvalla.com |
Tiruvalla (alternately spelled Thiruvalla) (Malayalam: തിരുവല്ല), is a town and a Taluk headquarters located in Pathanamthitta district in the State of Kerala in South India, spread over an area of 27.94 km2.It is the biggest commercial center in the district of Pathanamthitta The town has a tropical climate with a temperatures ranging from highs of 34.4 °C in the summer to a low of 18.5 °C in the winter with a healthy rainfall of 3040 mm. Thiruvalla became a municipality in the year 1919.
Contents |
The city spans a geographic area of 27.94 km² with a population of 56,828 as of 2001 India census,.[1] Males constitute 48% of the population and females 52%. In Thiruvalla, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. Thiruvalla has a large Non-Resident Indian Community.
Thiruvalla is on the western border of Pathanamthitta district. The municipal town limits are Thirumoolapuram, Kattod, Kuttapuzha and Manipuzha. Formerly, some areas of present Changanacherry were parts of Tiruvalla taluk. Now the boundaries of the taluk are Varattar Bridge on the south, Lappalam on the north, Pullad on the east and Neerattupuram in west situates in Alappuzha district. Pullad is the last point of Thiruvalla town east & it is in the Koipuram panchayath. Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi are the nearest major cities.
Thiruvalla is the meeting point of M C Road (Main Central Road/SH-01) and T. K. Road (Thiruvalla-Pathanamthitta-Kumbazha Road/Sh-07/State Highway 7 (Kerala) ) and links the eastern parts of the district with western rice bowl 'Kuttanad'. The Thiruvalla - Kayamkulam road is the most used link between the National Highway and the M C Road. Thiruvalla also connects to NH-47 through the Thakazhi - Ambalappuzha Link.
The nearest air port is in Thiruvananthapuram and nearest seaport is in Kochi. The newly proposed Aranmula airport would only be about 18 kilometres away. The closest sea port, a minor one, is about 30 km away at Alappuzha. The district's only railway station, (Class A categorised) with an annual revenue of over Rs.15 crores (2010), is TIRUVALLA (TRVL), on the Ernakulam to Thiruvananthapuram/Cape Comorin rail route via Kottayam.The national airline Air India has a reservation office (Pulimittathu Bldg., Ramanchira, PO Muthoor Thiruvalla 689 107) in Thiruvalla.
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that the area had been inhabited since 500 BCE although an organized settlement was founded sometime around 800 CE. It is one of the 64 ancient brahmana graamams (ബ്രാഹ്മണഗ്രാമം). The present day areas of Niranam, and Kadapra on the western part of Thiruvalla were submerged under the sea before then.
It is interesting to note that the name Tiruvalla comes from the word "Thiru Valla Vaay", named after the river Manimala which was known as Valla puzha, suggesting that Tiruvalla was the mouth of river Manimala and hence was known as Valla vai(vai in old Malayalam means mouth of river).Because of this Sri Vallabha temple was called "Thiru Vallavayappan" which later reformed as "Sri Vallabhan" Thiru Vallabha temple, considering that the deity is God Vishnu. This temple is one among the one hundred and eight vaishnava thirupathis in India. 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 Tiruvalla are tied to its temples. Historical evidence such as copper plates and proclamations point to Tiruvalla as a flourishing and major center of spiritual and educational prominence in 1100CE. 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 for the public at large. Entry for women was restricted to only once a year till the late sixties in the temple. The rulers of Thiruvalla belonged to the Thekkumkoor Dynasty, which had one of its headquarters at Idathil near Kaavil Temple. Idathil was the family name of Thekkumkoor kings. Today's Paliakara Palace is a branch of Lakshmipuram Palace of Changanacherry, which is a 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 Thekkumkoor kings lost their control in the course of time and Vilakkili (വിലക്കിലി) Nampoothiris were rulers in 1752-53 when Anizham Thirunaal Marthanda Varma, the king of Travancore, seized it in a bloody battle in which the ruler was killed, though some dispute it, saying the surrender was peaceful as the namboothiri was not naive to challenge the mighty army of Ramayyan, the shrewd and sadistic Dalava (ദളവ)- head of administration and advisor - of Travancore.[2] Ruins of Vilakkili illam can be seen on the side of Kavmbhagom-Muthoor road.
The Kaavil market (കാവിൽ കമ്പോളം) (which is no longer in existence) was once one of the most famous markets of Kerala where there were even foreign trade links. Even now the houses in this street are known as "Kaavil" among their friends and relatives and the houses in the now Pushpagiri-Tholassery area as "Malayil" because they are in an elevated area compared to Kaavil. The Kaavil market was actually situated in the street starting from Erankavu Temple to the Kaavil temple in the present Kavumbhagom. It was also the first settlement area of early Christians of Tiruvalla. We can see quotes about this then famous street and its people in the renowned Poem " Unnuneeli Sandesham". This was the heartplace of Thiruvalla up to the 19th Century (East to M C road was forest area. Dens were found in the KSRTC garage area, which are now buried).The first school in Tiruvalla started somewhere in mid 19th century in Kaavil market, in the road to Pallippalam. Still all the major religious processions are required to pass through this way only, in spite of the new roads constructed parallelly.
Thiruvalla Christians were part of the autonomous Indian Syrian Church, which was not affected by the schism which occurred in the 17th century due to the intervention of Portuguese colonists (Introduction of Catholicism in India). By 19th century, inspired by the work of the British missionaries, a reformation movement happened which eventually resulted in a schism, leading to the formation of Marthoma Church.
Thiruvalla was never under direct British rule and before India's independence from Britain, 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 8 October 1920. The municipal office has established several public health facilities, libraries and sports facilities.
Almost every leading bank in the country, including the high-profile private ones, has a branch here.
The town is connected to all major South Indian cities by a fleet of private bus operations.
Sree Vallabha temple is one of the famous Vishnu Mahakshetras of India. The Mar Thoma Church and the St. Thomas Evangelical Church Church and the Indian Pentecostal Church of God (IPC) have their headquarters in and around Thiruvalla. The headquarters of the Orthodox Church Niranam Diocese and Syro Malankara Catholic Thiruvalla Archdiocese are also in Thiruvalla. The famous Niranam, Paliakkara, Kallooppara and Parumala churches are important tourist destinations.
The famed pilgrim center of Sabarimala is only about 100 km from Tiruvalla [Parumala|Parumala Church], one of the famous Christian pilgrimage centers is about 10 km from the town. The spiritual conventions at Maramon, Kalloopara, Kumbanad and Ayroor-Cherukolpuzha are all located east of Tiruvalla.
The current Chairperson of the Municipality is Ms. Linda Thomas Vanchipalam.
Thiruvalla assembly constituency is the part of the newly formed Pathanamthitta (Lok Sabha constituency).[3] Current MLA is Adv.Mathew T Thomas.
Tiruvalla is the home place for two Christian satellite channels.
1. Power Vision 2. Athmeeya Yathra
Thiruvalla also have a privately owned FM station called Radio Macfast 90.4
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.
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Thiruvalla |
![]() |
Edathua | Changanassery | Mallapally | ![]() |
| Mannar, | Pullad | |||
|
||||
| Mavelikkara | Chengannur | Kozhencherry |
|
|||||
|
||||||||
Here you can share your comments or contribute with more information, content, resources or links about this topic.