Alangad is a village located in
Paravur Taluk
Paravur Taluk, {{IPA-ml, pɐrɐʋuːr, IPA, is a taluk of Ernakulam District in the States and territories of India, Indian State of Kerala. North Paravur is the capital of the taluk. Paravur Taluk lies in the north western part of Ernakulam d ...
of
Ernakulam District
Ernakulam, ; ISO: ''Eṟaṇākuḷaṁ'', in Malayalam: എറണാകുളം), is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala, that takes its name from the eponymous city division in Kochi. It is situated in the central part o ...
in the
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n state of
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
.
It lies almost in the middle of
North Paravur
North Paravur. formerly known as Paravur or Parur, is a municipality and suburb in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a northern suburb of the city of Kochi and is situated around 20 km from the city centre. It is ...
and
Aluva
Aluva (; also known by its former name Alwaye) is a town in the Ernakulam District in Kerala, India. It is a part of the Kochi metropolitan area and is situated around from the city center on the banks of Periyar River. A major transpor ...
. The
Kochi
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...
city is 15 km away from Alangad.
Etymology
The name Alangad has been derived from ''alam'' meaning ''sugarcane'' and ''gad'' which refers to the Malayalam word ''കാട്
aadu' ''meaning jungle''.
History
Alangad was once famous in the state for its sugarcane fields. In the past, Alangad was a small kingdom ruled by the Alangad Kings. Visscher refers the battle that took place between the Alangad King (Alangad Mootha Karthakal) and the Paravoor (N.Parur) King in his 'Letters from Malabar' written in 1720CE. In the last decade of the 16th century, a Syrian Christian named Mathoo Chakkarayakathoottu was the Akambady Sena Nayakar(Captain of Guards) of the Alangad Raja's Christian subjects. During the time of Diamper Synod(Udayamperur Sunnahados) a milestone in the history of St.Thomas Christians, Akambady Nayakan Mathoo was deputed by Alangattu Raja to take care of the security of the then Archdeacon Gheevarghese of Malankara Nazrani Christians. In the first decade of the 17th century, Akambady Nayakn Maathu migrated to Kottayam and continued as Akambady Nayakan of
Thekkumkur
The Kingdom of Thekkumkur ( ml, തെക്കുംകൂർ രാജ്യം) (also transliterated as ''Thekkumkoor'' or ''Thekkumcore'') was an independent kingdom in the southern part of Kerala in India from 1103 CE until 1750 CE.P. Shung ...
Raja which is in present-day Kottayam.
In 1756 Kozhikkodu Zamorin invaded Alangad and Parur. Later Kozhikkode Zamorin and Travancore Raja had a treaty of friendship in 1763–64 period and the Zamorin reimbursed amounting to ₹ 150,000 to Travancore which was the expenses of the war occurred between them in the past. That was the time Kingdoms of Parur and Alangad were annexed to Travancore after pensioning off the ruling King.
Years back Alangad had its own place in the agricultural industry. The village was scenic with its greenery and was covered almost entirely with vast expanses of paddy fields and coconut trees. Later on the advent of red bricks business made the paddy fields almost vanish literally. The village was blessed with fertile soil, which gave good crops for all types of agriculture. The place is situated on the banks of River Periyar, which is called as "Muttupuzha"(knee river) in this area as it used to have knee deep water during summers and people could cross it on foot. But since huge amount of sand is taken from the river bed it is no more shallow or safe to walk through even in summers. The former rulers of Alangand was known as "Alangadu Karthakal". It is also home to two famous and oldest religious sites in Kerala "St Mary's Church" Alangad and "Alangad Juma musjid".
Alangad and Akapparambu were well known for the Kalarippayattu Martial Art training in the ancient time. Legend has it that Lord Sabarimala Sree Ayyappan took lessons in the traditional martial art Kalarippyattu at Alangad.
Alangad at that time is believed to have had a reasonably powerful army. The Alangad Yogam begins their yatra to Erumeli en route to Sabarimala for the famous Erumeli Petta amidst great devotional fervour in the month of January every year. This ritual is called PETTAPURAPPADU.
Economy
Alangad is located just 9.8 km away from
North Paravur
North Paravur. formerly known as Paravur or Parur, is a municipality and suburb in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a northern suburb of the city of Kochi and is situated around 20 km from the city centre. It is ...
and 10 km away from
Aluva
Aluva (; also known by its former name Alwaye) is a town in the Ernakulam District in Kerala, India. It is a part of the Kochi metropolitan area and is situated around from the city center on the banks of Periyar River. A major transpor ...
City. Once clay brick business was the main trade as clay was available. Major heavy mechanical vehicles, bus and small cars have their warehouses and PDI centers on the highway.
One of the major economies for the whole panchayath is from the remittances of expatriate community.
Business:
* T.V.Sundram Iyengar & Sons Ltd. Alangad
* NMD (Neerikode Milk Dairy)
Notable people
*
Mar Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly
Payyappilly Varghese Kathanar was a Syro-Malabar priest from the Indian state of Kerala and the founder of the congregation of Sisters of the Destitute. He was declared Venerable by Pope Francis on 14 April 2018.
Family
Kathanar was born as Ku ...
, Former vicar of Alangad St. Mary's Church
See also
*
North Paravur
North Paravur. formerly known as Paravur or Parur, is a municipality and suburb in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a northern suburb of the city of Kochi and is situated around 20 km from the city centre. It is ...
*
Paravur Taluk
Paravur Taluk, {{IPA-ml, pɐrɐʋuːr, IPA, is a taluk of Ernakulam District in the States and territories of India, Indian State of Kerala. North Paravur is the capital of the taluk. Paravur Taluk lies in the north western part of Ernakulam d ...
*
Ernakulam District
Ernakulam, ; ISO: ''Eṟaṇākuḷaṁ'', in Malayalam: എറണാകുളം), is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala, that takes its name from the eponymous city division in Kochi. It is situated in the central part o ...
*
Kochi
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...
*
Koonammavu
Koonammavu ( ml, കൂനൻ) is a northern suburb of Kochi city which is associated in the Kochi metropolitan area.
Koonammavu (Valluvally) is a census town in Kottuvally Panchayat, North Paravur Taluk, Ernakulam District, Kerala, India an ...
References
{{Suburbs of Kochi
Villages in Ernakulam district
Suburbs of Kochi