Thodupuzha

The place named 'Thodupuzha' by Elasamprathi Narayana Varma from two words, 'thodu' (which means a rivulet) and 'puzha' (which means a river). It is believed that the stream developed into a river, and the town on the banks of the river came to be known as Thodupuzha.

There is another version which defines the word ‘thodu’ (old Malayalam word) as ‘touch’ and ‘puzha’ as ‘river’. Thus the town touching the river became Thodupuzha. Mattathil Kovilakam was the protectors and rulers of the Desham (region) Thodupuzha that they were in and a reported relationship emerged to a "Naadu Vaazhi" (Ruler of the land)of Keezhmalainadu. Naadu, which is a group of Deshams, came to known as Thodupuzha. The last ruler of the desam was Elasamprathi(Ruler of a region appointed by Maharaja of Keezhmalainadu) Shri Narayana Varma Thampan originally from Trivandrum and he was the representative of Maharaja Raja. His official residence was Mattathil Kovilakam located in Chalamkode Village. Official Headquarters of Keezhmalainadu were Karikodu.

Sarvadhikari Elasamprathi Narayana Varma of Vadakkumkur

The Kings of Vadakkumkoor used to live at Karikode for several years. At the time of King Marthanda Varma, Vadakkumkoor became part of the state of Travancore. He appointed his representative 'sarvadhikari' Elasamprathi Narayana Varma Thampan of MATTATHIL from Neyyattinkara (Trivandrum) to flourish Thodupuzha. The period of his reign was the golden age of Keezhmalainadu. He erected many monuments, including the government offices, Pandika Shala and Temples. The Karikode Mosque and other buildings in Thodupuzha and Muvattupuzha also date from his reign. He was also the founder of the new style tax collection in this region. He traveled every day from Chalamkode to Karikkodu in a Pallakku (palanquin). The relics of the fort is still there at Karikode. The Annamalai Temple, which carries the traits of Tamil Architecture is at Karikode. At this temple are statues and lamps made out of stone and metal, believed to have been made in the 14th century. Thodupuzha is an ancient town with a history dating back to many centuries. The Buddhist and Jain religions which made their first inroads into Kerala in 300 BC have left their impact at Thodupuzha and neighbouring areas. The Buddhist religious relics found at Karikode near Thodupuzha is proof of this. In 14th century AD, Kerala was divided for administrative reasons into several provinces such as Venadu, Otanadu, Navishainadu, Munjunadu, Vempolinadu, and Keezhmalainadu. Thodupuzha and Muvattupuzha were in Keezhmalainadu which had its headquarters at Karikode. Keezhmalainadu was in existence till AD 1600. In that year it lost a battle with Vadakkumkoor and became a part of it. The church at Muthalakodam, a small town, 4 kilometers from Thodupuzha, is believed to have been constructed before the 13th century. The Ninnar Mosque near Karikode is said to have been constructed by Sarvadikari Elasmprathi Narayana Varma for his Muslim soldiers.

At the formation of Kerala state in 1956, Thodupuzha was part of the Ernakulam district. In 1972, Idukki district was formed by merging Thodupuzha taluk along with Devikulam, Udumbanchola and Peermade taluks, which were part of the erstwhile Kottayam district.

As of 2001 India census,[3] the total population of 46,226. Males constitute 49%of the population and females 51%. Thodupuzha has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 81%. In Thodupuzha, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Thodupuzha's economy is driven by agriculture, business and small industries. Farmers in Thodupuzha raise a number of crops, mostly rubber. Other crops such as pineapple, coconut, rice, pepper, cocoa, tapioca, banana, ginger, turmeric etc. are also being cultivated in plenty. In recent years Thodupuzha has showed more interest in promoting tourism. The face of Thodupuzha changed a lot in the last decade owing to developments since the changeover of the status from Taluk to Municipality. The new private bus stand, Temple Bypass road, Kanjiramattom Bypass road, Kothayikkunnu Bypass, Vengaloor Bypass, Mangattu Kavala four-lane road, Mini Civil Station, New Bridge, Municipal Park, Shopping complex at bus stand, New Townhall complex etc. are noted landmarks which changed the look of Thodupuzha to a planned city. The first manufacturing industry in the District, Dhanwanthari Vaidyasala has its headquarters in Thodupuzha. The footwear brand Lunar's has its operations base at Thodupuzha. Thodupzha is strategically located in route of Highranges to other Central Kerala towns like Ernakulam and Kottayam. However the lack of well developed roads from Highranges to reach Thodupuzha has led to the usage of Aluva - Munnar road and Kottayam - Kumaly road as the main transport route by the people of the uplands. The are new proposed state highways: Tekkady - Ernakulam and Muvattupuzha - Theni.

Civil Station

Thodupuzha was administered by a village panchayat and village union for several years, but on 1 September 1978, Thodupuzha was upgraded into a municipality. The Thodupuzha Municipality was formed by merging the Thodupuzha Panchayat and the neighbouring Panchayats of Kumaramangalam, Karicodu and Manacaud. The municipality was administered by a special officer for ten years. In 1988, elections were held and the first popularly elected municipal council came into existence with Advocate N. Chandran as the Chairman. Today the Municipality has 35 wards. There is a Chairman, a Vice Chairman, and various Standing Committees to carry out the civic administration. Safiya Jabbar of the UDF is the present Municipal Chairperson of Thodupuzha Municipality following the Kerala Local Self Government institutions election in 2015.[4]

Thodupuzha is an assembly constituency and P J Joseph is the present MLA of Thodupuzha. He got elected 9th time from Thodupuzha marked with highest majority in the 2016 Kerala assembly of 45,587 votes . He is admired for the planned developments carried out during the tenure as MLA and Minister. Knowledge city, Malankara dam tourism project, Sports complex and Thodupuzha ring roads are his proposals. Thodupuzha assembly constituency is part of Idukki (Lok Sabha constituency) for which Dean Kuriakose is the present MP.

There are at least 2150 hospital beds within the municipal area, serving a population less than 50,000 making a hospital beds per 1000 population of about 250 which is above UK average of 3.78 and USA average of 3.32. Besides, Thodupuzha is also an important hub of alternate medicine, with three major Ayurvedic groups having their headquarters in Thodupuzha including the 85-year-old Dhanwanthari Group. There are so many hospitals in Thodupuzha area. Some of the hospitals in the area include District Ayurveda Hospital, Taluk Hospital (Karikode), St. Mary's Hospital (Idukki Road), Holy Family Hospital(Muthalakodam), Chazhikattu Hospitals, Archana hospital (Muvattupuzha Road), Mount Sinai Hospital (Mount Sinai Road), St Josephs Hospital and Children's Clinic (Mount Sinai Road). Al Azhar medical college at Ezhallor is 7 km away from the town. Thodupuzha taluk hospital got upgraded to District hospital recently. A specialty hospital and cancer center is being constructed near Vengaloor junction.

The Ayurvedic Group Dhanwanthari Vaidyasala (Estd.1933) has a 100-bed Ayurvedic Hospital In Thodupuzha.

Smita Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (SMHRC) Thodupuzha, Kerala

The proposed hospital at Thodupuzha is intended to be a multi-specialty hospital, located between the Thodupuzha – Moovattupuzha High Way Road and the perennial Thodupuzhayayr. It is a 416-bed hospital with 334 single rooms, 6 operation theatres, 5 ICUs and other amenities. It is planned to be the first fully specialized cancer center in central Kerala.

Although Thodupuzha itself is not a major tourist destination, it is the gateway to Munnar, Thekkadi, Idukki Dam, and Peermade.

Thommankuthu

Thommankuthu waterfalls

Thommankuthu is a famous tourism destination 20 km from Thodupuzha, has a series of waterfalls. In addition, there are several caves and viewpoints. The waterfall in Kaliyar river origins from the hills Palkulam medu, 4000 feet above sea level.

Malankara Dam

Morning view of Malankara Dam reservoir from Kudayathoor

Malankara, which is situated at a distance of 6 km from Thodupuzha is an upcoming tourist destination. Malankara is known for its irrigation project, the Malankara Dam, the Reservoir constructed across the tail waters of Moolamattom Power House. This artificial lake is located near to the Thodupuzha – Moolamattom Road (State Highway 33) covering an area of around 11 km. Malankara Dam is a gravity dam and is a project of Muvattupuzha Valley Irrigation Project and KSEB ( Kerala State Electricity Board ). Constructed across the Thodupuzha river for the purpose of irrigation, this reservoir is a picnic spot, too. There is also a park nearby the reservoir, which is under construction. The Malankara Tourism Project has been launched by the Department of Tourism and the site will be soon turned into a tourist spot. As a part of the project, steps are being taken by the Government of Kerala for the protection of trees and developing the area to an entertainment park.

Elappally Waterfalls

Elappally Waterfalls

Elappally is 26 km from Thodupuzha town, 106 km from Kochi city. The Elappally Falls are situated on the Moolamattom - Wagamon road, which originates in the upper reaches of the Western Ghats. This fall will be active only in monsoon season and will be dry during the summer season.

Wagamon

Wagamon meadows, Kerala, India

Route to Wagamon

Wagamon is a hill station situated 1200 meters above sea level, 42 km from Thodupuzha.

The hill station also provides option of trekking, paragliding or rock climbing for adventurous seekers. The place has many varieties of flora and fauna located in various parts of hilly region. Evergreen trees, tall grasses and shrubs are present in the lower regions of Wagamon. Many rare species of birds, insects, wild buffaloes and elephants can be easily located in the forests. The main attractions here are mist-covered mountains and lakes, Pilgrim centers – Kurishumala, Murugan temple, Burial chamber of Sufi saint and pine forests.

• The first center of higher learning which started functioning in Thodupuzha Taluk was Newman College, Thodupuzha. It was established in 1964 by the Syrian Catholic Diocese of Kothamangalam, and named after Cardinal Newman.
• The second college of Thodupuzha was established in 1982: St.Joseph's College at Arakkulam.
• The University College of Engineering, Thodupuzha managed and run by the Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, is located in Thodupuzha which is the first of its kind in the state of Kerala. The college started functioning in 1996. The college campus is located over 25 acres (100,000 m²) of land at Muttom, 7 km from Thodupuzha, by the side of State Highway No 33.
• College of Applied Science, Thodupuzha operates in the field of IT and Electronics education in Idukki district affiliated to MG University. Established in 2000, the college is managed by Institute of Human Resources Development (IHRD) Thiruvananthapuram, a Government of Kerala undertaking established in 1987. The college is situated at a distance of 2 km from Thodupuzha town by the side of Thodupuzha-Idukki road.

Other colleges in Thodupuzha include

Some of the schools in Thodupuzha include

The engineering colleges around Thodupuzha are

• Al-Azhar college of Engineering &Technology
• The University College of Engineering - run by Mahatma Gandhi University.[9]

Thodupuzha, although situated on the easternmost portion of the midlands starting just east of Kochi, is accessible from every part of the state due to good road connectivity. Although, eastern and southern parts connectivity is affected by the hilly geography owing to being closer to Western Ghats (High Ranges), the connectivity to Muvattupuzha in the western side gives Thodupuzha region easy access to most of the destinations. The important highway passing through the town is Punalur-Muvattupuzha Main Eastern Highway. This hill highway connects a string of towns lying on the border of Western ghats including Punalur, Pathanapuram, Konni, Ranni, Ponkunnam, Pala and Thodupuzha to the major intersection at Muvattupuzha, where Main Central Road and NH 49 meets. Other major roads are Thodupuzha-Puliyanmala highway connecting to Idukki, Kattappana and other parts of high ranges. Thodupuzha-Muttom-Erattupetta, Thodupuzha-Muthalakodam-Vannappuram, Thodupuzha-Vaikom roads also are strategic roads to Thodupuzha.

• Kochi: Thrippunithura-Kolenchery-Muvattupuzha-Thodupuzha (59 km)
• Trivandrum: Kottarakkara-Changanassery-Kottayam-Pala-Thodupuzha (208 km)
• Kottayam: Ettumanoor-Pala-Thodupuzha (56 km)
• Thrissur: Chalakudy-Angamaly-Perumbavoor-Muvattupuzha-Thodupuzha (100 km)
• Alappuzha: Muhamma-Thanneermukkom-Vechoor-Manjoor-Kuravilangadu-Koothattukulam-Marika-Vazhithala-Thodupuzha (83 km)
• Munnar: Pallivasal-Adimaly-Oonnukal-Paingottur-Vengallur-Thodupuzha (93 km)
• Theni: Cumbum-Kumily-Kattappana-Idukki-Thodupuzha (158 km)
• Kozhikode: Muvattupuzha-Thrissur-Kunnamkulam-Edappal-Ramanattukara (211 km)

• Erattupetta
• Pala
• Kumily
• Kuttikkanam
• Kottayam
• Peermade
• Main Eastern Highway
• Thenathoor
• Wagamon
• Vazhithala