Piravom

Piravom is a municipality in Ernakulam district and a suburb of Kochi in the state of Kerala, India. It is situated around 30 km South East of the Kochi city center and around 40 km north of Kottayam. Piravom is famous for historic Hindu temples and Syrian Christian churches and is believed as the birthplace of Adi Shankara.[1] The town lies 20 km from Muvattupuzha. Piravom is located at the boundary between two districts, Ernakulam and Kottayam.

Piravom municipality
Suburb/Big Town/Municipality
Piravom Bridge
Piravom municipality
Location in Kerala, India
Piravom municipality
Piravom municipality (India)
Coordinates: 9°51′0″N 76°30′0″E
Country India
StateKerala
DistrictErnakulam
City UAKochi
Government
 • BodyPiravom municipality
 • ChairmanSabu K Jacob
Area
 • Total29.36 km2 (11.34 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total27,229
 • Density930/km2 (2,400/sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialMalayalam, English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
686664
Telephone code0485
Vehicle registrationKL-07 KL-17
Nearest cityKochi
Lok Sabha constituencyKottayam
Assembly constituencyPiravom assembly constituency
Civic agencyPiravom municipality

Piravom has a river-front, verdant hills, and paddy fields. The town is situated on the banks of the Muvattupuzha river. The Hindustan News Print Limited (HNL) is situated in Velloor, near Piravom. The panchayat had been a municipality for a brief period of about two years before it was reverted to a special grade panchayat in 1992. The Kerala government elevated Piravom panchayat into a municipality again in 2015.

The state government and the GCDA have plans to include Angamaly , Perumbavoor , Piravom and Kolenchery in Ernakulam district; Mala and Kodungallur in Thrissur district; Thalayolaparambu and Vaikom in Kottayam ; and Cherthala in Alappuzha district within the Kochi metropolitan limits. The newly formed metropolis would be put under the charge of a new authority called Kochi Metropolitan Regional Development Authority

History

Piravom was part of erstwhile Vadakkumkoor Kingdom until it was captured by Travancore kingdom, now merged into state of Kerala. The Northern Travancore consists of North Paravur, Aluva, Angamaly, Perumbavoor, Muvattupuzha, Koothattukulam, Kizhakkambalam, Kothamangalam in Ernakulam district..

The panchayat had been a municipality for a brief period of about two years before it was reverted to a panchayat in 1992 after skepticism that a municipality would attract higher tax rate and complexities of building rules. However, the municipal councils now have the authority to fix the tax rate while building rule provisions are already applicable to special grade Panchayats. The panchayat had passed a unanimous resolution for the elevation. In 2015, Kerala government elevated Piravom panchayat to a municipality along with several other towns in Kerala.

The Three Kings Church at Piravom has a very deep history, stemming from the Birth of Jesus. It was supposedly founded in memorial of the visit of the three biblical magi, en route to visit the new baby in the manger.

Etymology

There are two sources for the name piravom. The first one is related to the birth of Christ. As the strong belief in the area is that one of the three magi (3 kings) who went to see the child Jesus after his birth was from this place or passed through this place. Hence the three kings are highly revered in this area. The other is related to Shankaracharya, his mother subadhra belonged to Piravom. It is believed that the name originated from the story of Adi Shankara's birth. The local legend says, the origin of the name piravom to this town got a connection with the birth of Sri Adi Sankaracharya. (Piravi in Malayalam means birth, Sri Sankara's birth made this place as Piravom). Mel Pazhoor Mana is believed as the birthplace of Adi Sankaracharya, which is the home of Aryamba, his holy mother. It is located in a place near Piravom, called Veliyanad, which got its name from 'Veliyam/Velicham konda nadu' which means the 'land where the light evolved' might be referring to Sankaracharyas birth and the light of knowledge thus originated and spread.[1]

Places of Interest

Pazhoor Padippura

Pazhoor Padippura is an astrology center linked to Pazhoor Perumthrikkovil located in Piravom is referred in the Aithihyamala by Kottarathil Sankunni.

Pazhoor Perumthrikkovil
Perumthrkkovil Pazhor

Pazhoor Perumthrikkovil is a temple of Shiva of Hindu tradition located at the town of Piravom. The temple is believed to be nearly 1,800 years old.[2]

Mel Pazhur Mana

The birthplace of Adi Shankara acharya the great philosopher, saint and the exponent of Advaita Vedanta is located near Piravom. This home known as Melpazhur Mana.[1] Melpazhur mana or Adi Sankara nilayam is the home of Aryamba, his holy mother, is located in Veliyanad at Edakkattuvayal Village which is at a distance about 6 km from Piravom Town.[3]

Piravom Valiya Pally
Piravom Valiyapally
Piravom Valiyapally Cathedral declaration

Piravom Valiya Pally is one of the most ancient churches in Kerala stands on a hilltop on the eastern bank of the Muvattupuzha river at Piravom.

The story of the Three Biblical Magi
Saint Caspar along with St. Melchior and St. Balthasar – From the pictorial encyclopedia Hortus Deliciarum by Herrad of Landsberg as reproduced by Christian Maurice Engelhardt

There is a claim that one of the three Biblical Magi( represent the three wise men(Balthazar (magus), saint Caspar, saint Melchior) ) went from Piravom. Saint Caspar(otherwise known as St. Casper, St. Gaspar, St. Kaspar, St. Jaspar and other variations) along with St. Melchior and St. Balthasar, represent the three wise men (Biblical Magi) mentioned in the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew, verses 2:1–9. Although the Bible does not specify who or what the Magi were, since the seventh century, the Magi have been identified in the Western Church as Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. St. Caspar and the other two are considered Saints by the Catholic Church.

Some consider Caspar to be King Gondophares (AD 21 – c.AD 47) mentioned in the Acts of Thomas. Others consider him to have come from the southern parts of India where, according to tradition, Thomas the Apostle visited decades later. The town by name Piravom in Kerala State, Southern India has for long claimed that one of the three Biblical Magi went from there.

There is a concentration of three churches named after the Biblical Magi in and around Piravom, as against only another three so named in the rest of India.

Educational Organizations
  1. Government Higher Secondary School Piravom
  2. Government Higher Secondary School Namakuzhy
  3. M.K.M.H.S.S Piravom
  4. Fatima Matha Central School
  5. St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School
  6. Holy Kings Public school Piravom
  7. BPC College Piravom
  8. M.S.M I.T.I Piravom
  9. Vivekananda Public School
  10. Toc H Public School
  11. Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, a Deemed university under De novo category, Peppathy
  12. Naipunnya St.Michael's Public School, Veliyanad.

Places of Worship
Main article: Places of worship in Piravom
  1. St.Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Piravom
  2. Holy Kings Knanaya Catholic Forane Church, Piravom (Kochupally)
  3. Little Flower Church Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Piravom
  4. Pazhoor Perumthrikkovil Temple of Lord Shiva, legend says it is renovated by Perumthachan
  5. Piravom St Gregorios Orthodox Catholicate Centre
  6. Pallikkavu Bhagavathi Temple
  7. Karavelloor Mahadeva Temple [108 sivalaya fame] kalampoor
  8. Desadhipan Amarkkulam Sreekrishna Swamy Temple built by Pandava's
  9. Thiruveesamkulam Mahadeva Temple Palachuvadu
  10. Mulakkulam Mar Yohanon Ihidiyo Jacobite Syrian church(Mulakulam valiya palli)
  11. Parumala mar Gregorious Shrine, Palachuvadu
  12. Chalasseril Kalari Paradevatha Kshetram
  13. St.Mary's Syrian orthodox Church, Kottarakkunnu
  14. St.Peter's and St.Paul's Orthodox Syrian Church (Parel Pally), Namakuzhy, Mulakulam North
  15. St. George Orthodox Syrian Church, Karmelkunnu, Mulakkulam
  16. Mannookkunnu St Marys Orthodox Cathedral.
  17. Onnakoor St Marys Orthodox Valiyapally
  18. Anchupoojayum Vilakkum Mahotsavam at Desadhipan Amarkkulam Sreekrishnaswamy Temple
  19. Perumbadavum St George Orthodox church, Elanji Near Piravom.
  20. Uthram Vilaku Mahotsavam at Pisharukoil temple, Piravom (Kumbha Masam)
  21. ST ANDREWS CSI Church Palachuvadu,Piravom
  22. St Michaels church kolengai
  23. Sreepurushamangalam Sreekrishna Temple, Kakkad

Festivals
  1. Holy "Danaha perunnal" at St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Piravom (Piravom valiya pally perunnal)
  2. "Vishudha Rajakanmarude Thirunnal" at Piravom Kochu pally.
  3. Pazhoor Shivaraathri and thiruvaathira aarattu maholthsavam.
  4. Easter at St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Piravom (Piravom valiya pally)
  5. Thiruvathira Mahotsavam of Thiruveeshamkulam temple
  6. Pallikkavu 'meenabharani' festival
  7. Acharikovil meenabharani festival
  8. Athachamayam Festival
  9. Kalamboor Kaavu pana Maholsavam [kalampoor], thookkam
  10. Medam Rohini Mahotsavam, Sree Purushamangalam Temple, Kakkad
  11. Pazhoor pallippattu temple pana maholsavam
  12. Makara Vilaku Ulsavam at Thaliyil ayyapa temple [Kalampoor]

Politics

Piravom assembly constituency is now a part of Kottayam (Lok Sabha constituency) after the delimitation of parliament seats in India. Previously it was part of erstwhile Muvattupuzha (Lok Sabha constituency). Thomas Chazhikadan is the Lok Sabha member from this Kottayam Constituency, in which Piravom is included. Anoop Jacob, son of former Minister T.M. Jacob is the MLA – of piravom and he is the Ex Civil & Supplyco minister of Kerala government. U.D.F is ruling Piravom municipality and Sabu K Jacob from Congress(I) is the municipal chairman.

Transportation
  • Nearest Railway station is Piravam Road railway station (velloor), which have stop for all passenger trains and most express trains (Bangalore, Island Express etc.). Nearest major railway station is at Ernakulam.
  • Nearest airport is at Nedumbaseri known as Cochin International Airport
  • Government transport (KSRTC) bus depot is located at Piravom
  • Private bus stand is located at the center of piravom. The buses provide ample connectivity to the Kochi city and the nearby towns.

Location

Nearby towns and cities

See also

References
  1. Melpazhur Mana. Chinfo.org. Retrieved on 17 August 2019.
  2. Kerala to use ‘star power’ to lure foreign tourists to state. Times of India (3 September 2012). Retrieved on 2019-08-17.
  3. Adi Sankara Nilayam. Chinfo.org. Retrieved on 17 August 2019.
  • Piravom Website
  • Scenes From Piravam
  • Piravom – From Annals of Kerala Church
  • Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth
  • Melpazhur mana
  • Chinmaya International Foundation
  • Assembly Constituencies – Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies
  • "Local Administration – Ernakulam District". NIC Ernakulam (Govt. of India). Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
  • Remaining Date for Piravom Municipality Election 2020
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