Mezhathur is an Indian village in the 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 ...

situated at

Pattambi Pattambi is a town taluk and municipality in the Palakkad district of the state of Kerala, India. It is also the administrative headquarters of the Pattambi Taluk. Pattambi is located along the banks of Bharathappuzha river. A Mini Civil Station ...

taluk of

Palakkad Palakkad (), formerly known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery is a city and municipality in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the Palakkad District. Palakkad is most densely populated municipal ...

district at the border of

Thrissur Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...

Malappuram Malappuram (also Malapuram) () is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of including the surrounding suburban areas. The first municipality in the district formed in 1970, Malappuram serves as the administrative headquarter ...

and

districts. It is a historical and cultural village in Kerala. It is known for traditional

Ayurveda Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population repo ...

physicians like Chatharu Nair and Vaidyamadom Valiya Narayanan Namboodiri. It is also the native place of renowned writer and

social reformer A reform movement or reformism is a type of social movement that aims to bring a social or also a political system closer to the community's ideal. A reform movement is distinguished from more radical social movements such as revolutionary move ...

V. T. Bhattathiripad Vellithuruthi Thazhathu Karutha Patteri Raman Bhattathiripad (1896–1982), also known as V. T. Bhattathiripad, was an Indian social reformer, dramatist and an Indian independence activist. He was best known for his contributions in the reforma ...

. It is also the Birth place of Renowned Sanskrit Scholar and Critic M.P. Sankunni Nair.

Etymology

Mezhathur got the name from

Mezhathol Agnihothri Mezhathol Agnihothri is a figure in the folklore of Kerala who is credited for supposedly reviving the ancient Shrauta traditions in Kerala, India, in around the mid-first millennium CE. At that time, Buddhism and Jainism had eroded the ancient ...

. Agnihothri was the first child of the famous Parayi Petta Panthirukulam (12 children born from the Pariah woman), as the son of Vararuchi.

Location

Mezhathur is located from

in between

Koottanad Koottanad is a town in Nagalassery Panchayath of Pattambi taluk of Palakkad district, in the state of Kerala. It is situated at the border of Thrissur, Palakkad and Malapuram districts. It is located 32 km from the Thrissur and 65 km from Pa ...

and

Thrithala Thrithala is a town and a village in Pattambi taluk in Palakkad District of Kerala state, South India. The town is located along the banks of Bharathapuzha and is famed for its Shiva temple. History The legend of ' Parayi petta panthirukulam' ...

. Mezhathur, known as vedic village is a hilly region with herbs, fruits, valleys, lake and brooks.

Political

It comes under the

block with

M. B. Rajesh M. B. Rajesh (born 12 March 1971) is an Indian politician who has served as the State Minister for Local Self-Governments and Excise of Kerala, since 2022. He previously served as the Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 2021 to 20 ...

as the Legislative Assembly

representative Representative may refer to: Politics *Representative democracy, type of democracy in which elected officials represent a group of people *House of Representatives, legislative body in various countries or sub-national entities *Legislator, someon ...

, while the

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

's representative is Mr. E T Muhammed Basheer (Ponnani).

Climate

Mezhathur has similar climatic conditions prevalent elsewhere the state: a dry season from December through February, a hot season from March through May; the Southwest

Monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...

from June through September and the North East Monsoon from October through November. The South West Monsoon is usually very heavy and is responsible for nearly 75% of the annual rainfall. The dry season is generally hot and humid, with temperature varying between 22 °C and 35 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2800 mm.

Transportation

Airports :

Calicut Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second la ...

Cochin International Airport Cochin International Airport is an International airport serving the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. Located at Nedumbassery, about northeast of the city centre, Cochin International Airport is first of its kind which is develo ...

s are at almost the same distance from Mezhathur (about a two-hour drive). While Coimbatore airport in Tamil Nadu state is about away. Railways : The nearest Railway station is

(about 8 km), while

Kuttippuram Kuttippuram is a town and a block headquarters, which is situated in the Tirur Taluk, Malappuram district of Kerala state, India. The town is located 34 kilometres south-west of Malappuram. The Bharathappuzha river flows through Kuttippuram. A ...

is . Roads : Mezhathur is located actually between two major highways. The Main road connecting in

the state Highway (

SH 39 The following highways are numbered 39. For a list of roads called ''N39'', see List of N39 roads. Australia * Newell Highway * Goulburn Valley Highway * **Gore Highway **Leichhardt Highway Canada * Alberta Highway 39 * British Columbia High ...

) Guruvayoor - Palakkad and Thrithala Main Road (2 km) connecting Ponnani-Palakkad Highway. The new bridge ( Velliyankallu bridge ) reduces the distance from

Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second la ...

by . this road also crossing Mezhathur center . Buses : All major long-route buses stop at Koottanad Junction. Local Transport : Auto-rickshaws, Cars, etc. are available at every road and at all major junctions they have their slots. Smaller buses ply on regular intervals to the internal locations, as there are narrow roads.

Education

The Mezhathur

Higher secondary School A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...

started in 1973, has been on a path of revival for the past 10 years with elimination of campus politics/elections. Past few years the SSLC and pass percentage have been one of the highest, it has started +2 education level with new buildings. Recently the school has got a modern play-ground/auditorium. The name of Mezhathur Higher secondary School has been changed

Memorial Higher secondary School.

Religious

The population consists of mainly Muslims and Hindus. February month

Pooram Pooram pronounced is an annual festival, which is celebrated in temples dedicated to goddesses Durga or Kali held especially in Valluvanadu area and other adjoining parts of north-central Kerala (Present Palakkad, Thrissur, Kannur, Kasara ...

and Nercha festival season .

Kaithara Shiva Temple Mezhathur

This Shiva Temple is situated at Mezhathur in Palakkad District, Kerala State, India. The Shiva Linga is supposed to have been installed by Agnihothri the eldest son of Sage Vararuchi. The history traces the period to the 4th Century Circa. There are great many historians who are working on the subject. To this day all the 12 families of Sage Vararuchi assemble once in year to pay homage to the departed souls of their Family. The

Shiva Linga A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional im ...

is a massive piece of stone of more than 3 feet in height. According to Vasthu sasthra the bigger the Linga the greater is its influence to its surroundings. This temple was looked after by Kaithara Variam members. When the Communist ministry of Kerala took over the Land of Hindu temples in the middle of last Century, the temple lost all its wealth, except the 50 cents of Lands on which it is now standing.

Notable residents

, Dramatist and a prominent freedom fighter * M. P. Sankunni Nair, Sanskrit Scholar. Recipient of Kerala Sahitya Academy's and Kendra Sahithya Academy's awards. * Vaidyamadham Cheriya Narayanan Namboodiri, Ayurvedic physician * Vaidyan Gangadharan Nair, Ayurvedic physician * E M Madhavan, Film Editor

References

External links

* http://www.cnsayurveda.com/ * http://vaidyamadham.com/ {{Palakkad district Villages in Palakkad district