Changanassery

Changanassery is located 18 km south of Kottayam on the Main Central road. With a population of 127,987 as of 2011,[1] its population was already 36,000 as early as the 1951 census. The town is situated near the tripoint of Kottayam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts. It had one of the leading markets in Kerala connecting the main three districts.

The first recorded history on the origin of Changanacherry is obtained from Sangam period literature. According to Sangam era documents, Uthiyan Cheralathan (Perum Chorru Udiyan Cheralathan, Athan I, or Udiyanjeral - AD c. 130) is the first recorded Kera (Chera) dynasty ruler of the Sangam period in ancient South India. [2][3] He had his capital at a place called "Kuzhumur" in Kuttanad and expanded the kingdom northward and eastward from his original homeland (izham or illam in Tamil). His lifetime is broadly determined to be between the first and third century AD. His queen was Veliyan Nalini, the daughter of Veliyan Venman. Present-day Changanacherry and Kuttanad was the capital of the Kera (Chera) dynasty at that time until it was burnt down by Karikala Chola, changing the name of Kuzhumur to Chutta-nadu ("burnt-land"), which became Kuttanad. Similarly, "Keralathan" is the Malayalam pronunciation of Tamil "Cheralathan" and the world "Keralam" may be a derivative version of "Chera-izham" or "Kera-illam", meaning "Chera-homeland" in Tamil). Keralathan's descendant was Senguttavan Cheran (Chenguttavan means "brave-hearted" in Malayalam); the towns of Chenganacherri and Chengana are named after him). Sengana-cherri means "Sengan's town" in old Tamil. After the Chera dynasty defeat, the word cherri took on the concurrent meaning of "the land of the defeated" and eventually was equated to mean a slum in Chola kingdom.

The city is governed by the Changanacherry Municipal Council. Sri. Saajan Francis is the chairperson of the municipality and the vice chairperson is Smt. Ambika Vijayan.[4]

It heads the taluk Kachery (office). It also heads the Munsiff's court and the judicial first class magistrate's court.[5] Changanacherry assembly constituency was a part of Kottayam (Lok Sabha constituency).[6] However, after the Delimitation Commission's Report in 2005, in order to retain Mavelikkara Lok Sabha Constituency, Changanacherry segment in Kottayam and the neighbouring constituencies in Alappuzha and Kollam districts were put together under Mavelikkara constituency. Sri. Kodikunnil Suresh represents Mavelikkara constituency in Parliament and Sri. C. F. Thomas has been representing Changanacherry Constituency in the Kerala Legislative Assembly for almost the last four decades.

Syro-Malabar Catholic Archbishop's house

As of the 2011 India census Changanassery municipality has a popualtion of 47,485.,[7][8] the total population of Changanassery UA/Metropolitan region is 127,987. The male population was 61,807, while the female population was 66,180.

The literacy rate of Changanassery Agglomeration is 97.56%, which is higher than the national urban average of 85%. The literacy rates for male and female for Changanassery stood at 98.19% and 96.98% respectively. Total literates in Changanassery UA were 113,597, of which males were 54,901 and the remaining 58,696 were females.

The child population (age 0-6) of Changanassery UA is around 9.02% of the total Changanassery UA population, which is lower than the national urban average of 10.93%. The total number of children in Changanassery urban region was 11,550, of which 5,895 were males while the remaining 5,655 children were females.

There was a Vedic school at Vazhappally Salagramam (Vazhappally Shala) in ancient times during the rule of the Thekkumkur. It was run exclusively for Brahmins. It is the oldest educational institution in Changanassery on record. The Vazhappally Sala was destroyed by army of Ramayyan Dalawa during the Battle of Changanassery between Thekkumkur and Travancore in 1790.[9]

1. L.P. School, Perunna (1880); started by Kainikara Govinda Pillai
2. St. Joseph's School, Changanassery (January 16, 1888)
3. St. Mary's L.P. School, Changanassery (October 15, 1888)
4. Government English High School, Puzhavathu (1889); Later this school become Government High School - Changanassery
5. St. Berchman's High School, Changanassery (February 3, 1891); Poet Ulloor S. Parameshwara Iyer, Kainikkara brothers, Mar Antony Padiyara and Mar Joseph Powathil studied in this school.
6. St. Berchmans College, Changanassery (June 19, 1922); The college was initially started in a building (now it is a museum) near to St. Mary's Parel Church. It was a junior college affiliated to Madras University. In 1927, graduate courses were started. Travencore University was founded on November 1, 1937 to which the college was then affiliated. Postgraduate courses were started in 1957.
7. NSS Hindu College, Changanassery(June 1949); The college was started in the rooms provided at the N.S.S. High School and it was shifted to a new building subsequently in 1955.
8. Assumption College, Changanasserry (1950); This college dedicated for Women.
9. NSS Training College, Changanacherry
10. N.S.S Homeo College, Kurichy
11. St. Joseph College of Communication, Kurisummood
12. Kristu Jyothi College, Chethipuzha

The state-run Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) runs bus services to nearby towns. Separate private bus terminals are available for those traveling to Eastern High Range areas. Also, a combined bus station facility for both private and state buses travelling to Western Changanassery (Kuttanad), Southern Changanassery (Mavelikara) and Northern Changanassery (Kottayam) is available. There is a dedicated KSRTC bus station in the heart of the town. Govt Water Transport facilities are available to remote places and major towns nearby. Changanacherry railway station serves Western Changanassery (Kuttanad) and Eastern Changanassery (Karukachal). Cochin International Airport is the nearest airport, which is 106 km away from Changanacherry.

Notable worship centres in Changanacherry are Anandasramam, St. Mary's church (Parel palli), Valiapally (Metropolitan Church), India Pentecostal Church of God[IPC], Assemblies of God Church[Pentecostal church],Kavil Bhagavathi Temple, The Holy Trinity Church, Puthoorpalli Muslim Juma-ath and Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Changanassery.

• Thottackad

Changanasserry 99, Edited by Prof Scaria Zacharia

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Changanassery.

• About Changanacherry
• Archdiocese of Changanacherry
• NSS HINDU COLLEGE CHANGANACHERRY
• St Joseph College of Communication
• St. Berchmans College
• Changanassery Municipality