Kozhencherry is a small town in Pathanamthitta district of Central Travancore region (South Central Kerala) in Kerala state, South India. Kozhencherry is a major trading and business centre in Central Travancore. The "Greater Kozhencherry" region consists of Kozhencherry and near by areas like Mallappuzhasseri, Thottappuzhasseri, Koipram, Aranmula, Kidangannur, Mezhuveli, Kulanada, Naranganam, Elanthur, Cherukol, Ayirur, and Thadiyur.

The population of Kozhencherry consists of Syrian Christian (Marthomites, Orthodox, CSI, Pentecostals, Catholics, etc), and Hindus (Nairs, Brahmins, Ezhavas, Scheduled Castes, Konkanis, etc).

ABOUT MY TOWN(KOZHENCHERRY)

Kozhencherry is a small town in Pathanamthitta district of Central Travancore region (South Central Kerala) in Kerala state, South India. It is on the banks of river Pampa. It is a commercial centre with many of the Banks and trade companies have their establishments here. It is believed that once the Kovilans of Thekencore kingdom's ruled this area. Kozhencherry used to be a part of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom. One of the five Taluks in Pathanamthitta district is also named Kozhencherry. The other taluks are Tiruvalla, Mallapally, Ranni, and Adoor.

EDUCATION

Now the following educational institutions are at Kozhencherry.

•St. Thomas College.

•St. Thomas Higher Secondary School.

•St. Marys Girls School.

•Government High School.

•Marthoma senior secondary school.

•Mar Thoma Industrial Training Centre.

•Vijnana Kala Vedi, a school of traditional art.

GOVERNMENT OFFICES

•District hospital.

•District TB Centre.

•Regional Cancer centre.

•District industrial Office.

•Fishery, Pannivelichira.

ROADS

Till the nineteenth century there were no proper roads in this area. The form of transportation was by boats. So the main market of Kozhencherry is near the river. Now there are proper roads leading to all the small villages nearby.The T.K.Road ( Tiruvalla-Pathanamthitta-Kumbazha Road / SH - 07 ) and M.K.Road (Mavelikkara-Kozhencherry Road) connects the town to other major towns. A bridge connecting Kozhencherry and Maramon was opened in 1948.

COMMERCE

Kozhencherry is the biggest township between the two major commercial centres in Central Travancore viz, Pathanamthitta and Thiruvalla. This geographical position makes Kozhencherry a trade point. Branches of various banks can be seen at every corner of the town. Tuesdays and Fridays were the market days. Because it was on the way from the sea ports to the interior, jungle produce were the main trading item. The products included coconut, rubber, cocoa, tapioca, plantain, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, vanilla, rambutan and other crops. Now, most of the week days the markets are open supplying the needs of the local population.

BURNING ISSUES

•Kozhencherry Private Bus Station cum Shopping Complex is still an unfulfilled dream of the peoples. In the recent years, the present CPM-led ruling Leftist Panchayat Council demolished the existing bus-station and now it looks like a graveyard. Peoples are suffering due to this and they are agitating for a modern bus-station.

•KSRTC Bus Depot in Kozhencherry.

•A New bridge parallel to the existing one across River Pamba.

•Chengannur-Aranmula-Kozhencherry-Ranni-Lahai-Sabarimala Railway Line.

•Takazhi-Edathua-Tiruvalla-Kozhencherry-Pathanamthitta-Punalur-Nedumangad-Thiruvananthapuram Railway Line.

•Completion of Aranmula Airport promoted by Aranmula Aviation Ltd.

•Trifurcation of Kozhencherry taluk to form Kozhencherry, Pathanamthitta and Konni taluks. The present Kozhencherry taluk is one of the largest taluk in Kerala both in terms of area and population. Currently, Pathanamthitta town is the headquarters of Kozhencherry taluk.

•Police Station in Kozhencherry.

•Fire Station in Kozhencherry.

•Munsif Court in Kozhencherry.

•Revenue Tower in Kozhencherry.

•Opposition to the mushrooming biowaste plants.

RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS.

•Maramon Convention.

Kozhencherry is one of the traditional strongholds of the Marthoma Church. Maramon is a small town on the banks of Pampa River, opposite Kozhencherry town. The dry river-bed of the Pampa between Maramon and Kozhencherry,witnesses the annual Maramon Convention, the largest Christian gathering in Asia. [2]. This convention is held for a week in February.

•Cherukolpuzha Hindu Parishad.

The dry river-bed of river Pampa, between Ayroor and Kozhencherry, witnesses the annual gathering, the Cherukolpuzha Hindu Parishad.(convention). The convention is held for a week in February.

•Aranmula boat race.

Aranmula a suburb of Kozhencherry, is famous for its Parthasathi Temple. This is the venue of the annual Snake Boat race on the Pampa, a water theme festival bringing in palliyodams (snake boats) from all over the state, to which thousands of tourists are attracted every year.

•Aranmula kannadi.

Aranmula a village close to Kozhencherry is famous for its metal mirrors, known as Aranmula kannadi. This is the magic mirror of many a legends. It is a special type of mirror, composed of a special metal alloy, instead of glass. It is a front surface reflection mirror, which eliminates secondary reflections. to achieve their reflective surface the metal is polished for several days in a row..

POLITICAL HISTORY.

Representatives of Christians met together at Trivandrum in 1932 and formed All Kerala Christian Maha Sabha. A special meeting of this was held on May 9 – 11, 1935 at Kozhencherry. In this meeting T.M.Varghese [3] proposed that “ The elections to the Legislative Assembly of Travancore was not properly held and so it must be dissolved and new election should be carried out.” On the last day, May 11, the programme was an All Kerala Joint Political Meeting. C. Kesavan[4] was a speaker. He declared, “I am talking about Sir C.P. [5] We don't need that animal. The Travancore became notorious after his arrival.” This infuriated Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer Dewan (prime minister) of Travancore. C. Kesavan was arrested and spent about two years in jail. [6] To commemorate this incident a statue of C. Kesavan was erected at the Kozhencherry town. Presently the main political parties in Kozhencherry are:

•Indian National Congress (INC)

•Kerala Congress (Mani)

•Kerala Congress (Jacob)

•Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI (M))

•Communist Party of India (CPI)

•Kerala Congress (Joseph)

•Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)

•Bharateeya Janatha Party (BJP)

THE GREATER KOZHENCHERRY REGION.

•Panchayat Wards.

Kozhencherry Panchayat is divided into 12 wards.

Keezhukara,Melukara,Melukara East,College ward,Pamppadymon,Kurangumala,Kozhencherry East,Chekkulam,Thekkemala East,Thekkemala west,Vanchitra,Kozhencherry Town

•T.B. Junction.

T.B. Junction is a big junction in Kozhencherry where the roads from Thiruvalla, Ranni, Pathanamthitta, Chengannur, and Pandalam meets. Some important landmarks in T.B. Junction are: Petrol bunks of Hindustan Petroleum and Indian Oil, KSEB Office, Tourist Benglaw, KTDC Motel (Vazhiyora Vishrama Kendram), Park Hotel etc.

•Thanungattil Paalam.

Thanungattil Paalam is a famous bridge in Kozhencherry, near to T.B. Junction on the way to Thekkemala. There were some pollution problem occurred in this area due to the dumping of wastes by hotels. However in the recent times, Bioplants were established in Kozhencherry to produce biofuels. This also helped to reduce the pollution in Thanungattil Paalam area. The CI Office, Kozhencherry Stadium, Driving Training Center, Village Office,Krishi Bhavan etc are situated near to Thanungattil Paalam.

Villages in Greater Kozhencherry Region.

Arattupuzha, Aranmula, Ayroor, Charalkunnu, Cheekkanal, Cherukol, Cherukolpuzha, Edayaranmula, Elanthoor, Elavumthitta, Kadaminatta, Karamveli, Kattoor, Keekozhur, Kidangannoor, Koipram, Kulanada, Kumbanad, Kuriannur, Kuzhikkala, Manthuka, Malakkara, Mallappuzhassery, Maramon, Mezhuveli, Naranganam, Nedumprayar, Nellikkala, Onthekadu, Pannivelichira, Parappuzha, Poovathur, Prakkanam, Pullad, Punnakkadu, Thadiyur, Theodikal, Thottappuzhassery, Vayalathala.

NEARBY TOWNS.

Pathanamthitta, Chengannur, Mallappally, Tiruvalla, Ranni, Vadaserikara, Parumala, Mannar, Edathua, Changanacherry, Konni, Pandalam, Adoor, Mavelikkara, Haripad, Kayamkulam, Pathanapuram, Kottarakkara, Karukachal, Kanjirappally.

POPULATION.

The population of Kozhencherry consists.

•Christians - Syrian Christians (Marthoma, Syrian Orthodox, CSI), Pentecostals, Catholics, St. Thomas Evangelical Church etc..

•Hindus - Nairs, G.S. Brahmins, Ezhavas, Pulayas, etc.

•Muslims are a minuscle minority, concentrated in pockets like Kattoor and Naranganam.

LANGUAGES OF KOZHENCHERRY.

•Malayalam (mother-tongue of more than 93% of Kozhencherry's population).

•Konkani (mother-tongue of more than 5% of Kozhencherry's population).

•Tamil (mother-tongue of more than 2% of Kozhencherry's population).

•English.

•Hindi.

ABOUT KOZHENCHERRY.

Country : India

State : Kerala

District(s) : Pathanamthitta

Parliamentary constituency : Pathanamthitta

Population : 12,539 (2001)

• Density : 1,568 /km2 (4,061 /sq mi)

Sex ratio : 29:33 ♂/♀

Literacy : 96%

Time zone : IST (UTC+5:30)

Area : 8 km² (3 sq mi)

CODES.

• Pincode : 689 641

• Telephone : +91-468 221xxxx / 231xxxx

• Vehicle : KL-03