Kuthiathode

The Kuthiathode or the river stream was once the major waterway for transporting goods to the local market from Kochi via the Vembanad lake.

The name Kuthiathode comes from Kuthia (dug)+ thode (canal) means a dug-canal.

The Panchayat has a Gandhi memorial inside its office dedicated to Mahathma Gandhi who visited this place during the Pre-Independence period.

As of 2001 India census, Kuthiathode had a population of 22,880 with 11,098 males and 11,782 females.[1]

The population consists of Ezhavas, Nairs, Nampoothiris, Gouda Saraswat Brahmins, Tamil Brahmins, Pulayas, Kudumbis, Muslims, and Christians living harmoniously together.

Kuthiathode comes under the Pattanakad Block in Aroor Assembly constituency.

Kuthiathode, Vallethode, Parayakad, Nallukulanagara, Pallithode, Chapakadavu, Tirumalabhagom, Thazhuppu, Thuravoor North, and Valamangalam North are the local areas covered under the Panchayat.

The Panchayat office has library and a community hall. The Range Excise office is next to the Panchayat building. The Kuthiathode village office, Krishi Bhavan, Govt. Veterinary Clinic, and a Sub-treasury also function in Kuthiathode. The BSNL telephone exchange is near the Kuthiathode Jamat mosque.

• Changaram Government Upper Primary School, Vallethode
• E.C.E.K. Union High School, Kuthiathode
• Government Primary School, Parayakadu
• St. Sebastian High School, Pallithode
• St. Thomas Lower Primary School, Pallithode
• Spring of Arts Academy
• T.D. Higher Secondary School

The village is well connected to the nearest towns by NH-47, Thuravoor-Ezhupunna road and the Pallithode-Chellanam-Kochi beach road. The Alapuzha-Ernakulam Railway has a crossing station at Thuravoor.

The local market on both sides of the river was a major commercial hub around the locality. Even now the market exists with few wholesale traders selling vegetables and provisions. The vast agricultural lands on the western side or the Thuravoor Kari where large scale paddy cultivation and shrimp farming is done annually and serves as the seasonal livelihood for many of them. A large number of shrimp peeling sheds operating in this panchayat provides large scale employment.

The landscape of paddy fields on both sides of the Pallithode-Chavady road is really splendid. One can enjoy the evening panoramic view of Chinese fishing nets across the Pallithode backwaters from the Pallithode bridge.A small backwater lake at Tazzupu connects Kuthiathode with Valiathode.During Onam boat racing is held in Tazzupu backwaters and attracts many seasonal tourists.