Thrissur (), anglicised as Trichur, is one of the 14 districts in the

Indian state India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, with a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions. History Pre-indepen ...

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 is situated in the central region of the state. Spanning an area of about , the district is home to over 9% of Kerala's population. Thrissur district is bordered by the districts 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 ...

and

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 ...

to the north, the districts of

Ernakulam Ernakulam () is the Central Business District of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Many major establishments, including the Kerala High Court, the office of the Kochi Municipal Corporation a ...

and Idukki to the south and

Coimbatore Coimbatore, also spelt as Koyamputhur (), sometimes shortened as Kovai (), is one of the major metropolitan cities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyyal River and surrounded by the Western Ghats. Coimbato ...

to the east. The

Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...

lies to the west and Western Ghats stretches towards the east. It is part of the historical

Malabar Coast The Malabar Coast is the southwestern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing m ...

, which has been trading internationally since ancient times. The main language spoken is

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

. Thrissur district was formed on 1 July 1949, with the headquarters at

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 ...

City. Thrissur is known as the cultural capital of Kerala, and the land of

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 ...

s. The district is known for its ancient

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

s, churches, and

mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...

Thrissur Pooram The Thrissur ''Pooram'' is an annual Hindu temple festival held in Thrissur, Kerala, India. It is held at the Vadakkunnathan (Shiva) Temple in Thrissur every year on the ''Pooram'' (pronounced ) day—the day when the moon rises with the ''P ...

is the most colourful temple festival in Kerala.

Etymology

The term 'Thrissur' is the shortened form of the word 'Thrissivaperur' which means "the town in the name of Lord Siva". The town is built on an elevated ground, at the apex of which is the famous Vadakkumnatha Temple. A place of great antiquity, Thrissur was also known as Vrishabhadripuram and 'Ten Kailasam' in classical Sanskrit texts.

History

From ancient times, Thrissur District has played a part in the political history of Kerala. The early political history of the District is interlinked with that of the Cheras of the Sangam age, who ruled over vast portions of Kerala with their capital at Vanchi. The whole of the present Thrissur District was included in the early Chera Empire. The District can claim to have played a part in fostering the trade relations between Kerala and the outside world in the ancient and medieval period.

Kodungalloor Kodungallur (; also Cranganore, Portuguese: Cranganor; formerly known as Mahodayapuram, Shingly, Vanchi, Muchiri, Muyirikkode, and Muziris) is a historically significant town situated on the banks of river Periyar on the Malabar Coast in Thr ...

, which had the distinction of being the "Premium Emporium of India", gave shelter to all the three communities which have contributed to the prosperity of

Malabar Malabar may refer to the following: People * Malabars, people originating from the Malabar region of India * Malbars or Malabars, people of Tamil origin in Réunion Places * Malabar Coast, or Malabar, a region of the southwestern shoreline o ...

. These three communities are the

Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

, the

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

and the

Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...

. The history of Thrissur district from the 9th to the 12th centuries is the history of ''Kulasekharas of Mahodayapuram'' and the history since the 12th century is the history of the rise and growth of ''Perumpadappu Swarupam''. In 1790 Raja Rama Varma (1790–1805) popularly known as Saktan Tampuran ascended the throne of

Cochin 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 ...

. With the accession of this ruler the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

or modern period in the history of Cochin and of the District began. Saktan Tampuran was mainly responsible for the destruction of the power of the feudal Nair chieftains and increase of royal power. Another force in the public life of Trichur and its suburbs was the Namboodithiri community and Menons of royal ancestry. A large part of the Thrissur Taluk was for long under the domination of the Yogiatiripppads, the ecclesiastical heads of the Vadakkunnathan and Perumanam Devaswoms. The wave of nationalism and political consciousness which swept through the country since the early decades of this century has its repercussions in the District as well. Thrissur District has been in the forefront of the country-wide movement for temple entry and abolition of untouchability. The ''

Guruvayur Guruvayur () is a municipal temple town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city, located from Thrissur towards the north-west. It houses the Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple. It is located at ...

Satyagraha'' is a memorable episode in the history of the national movement.

Demographics

Source: Official Statistics 2007 According to the 2018 Statistics Report, Thrissur district has a

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

of 3,243,170, roughly equal to the nation of

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...

or the US state of

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

. The

2011 Census of India The 2011 Census of India or the 15th Indian Census was conducted in two phases, house listing and population enumeration. The House listing phase began on 1 April 2010 and involved the collection of information about all buildings. Information ...

gives it a ranking of 113th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its

population growth rate Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a population or dispersed group. Actual global human population growth amounts to around 83 million annually, or 1.1% per year. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to ...

over the decade 2001–2011 was 4.58%. Thrissur has a

sex ratio The sex ratio (or gender ratio) is usually defined as the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. Many species devia ...

of 1107

females Female (symbol: ♀) is the sex of an organism that produces the large non-motile ova (egg cells), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete during sexual reproduction. A female has larger gametes than a male. Females a ...

for every 1000 males, and a

literacy rate Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...

of 95.32%. 67.17% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 10.39% and 0.30% of the population respectively. Thrissur was also the second highest urbanized district in

after

is the predominant language, spoken by 98.91% of the population as of 2011.

Religion

Hinduism is the majority religion in Thrissur, with 58.4% of the population. Christians and Muslims form significant minority.

Hindus

The

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

community consists of mainly

Nair The Nair , also known as Nayar, are a group of Indian Hindu castes, described by anthropologist Kathleen Gough as "not a unitary group but a named category of castes". The Nair include several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom histor ...

Thiyya The Ezhavas () are a community with origins in the region of India presently known as Kerala, where in the 2010s they constituted about 23% of the population and were reported to be the largest Hindu community. They are also known as ''Ilhava'' ...

Ambalavasis Ambalavasi, more properly Ampalavasi, ( ml, അമ്പലവാസി; IAST: Ampalavāsi; ) is the generic name for a group of castes among Hindus in Kerala, India, who have traditionally rendered temple services. Castes The Ambalavasis are b ...

Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...

s (including the local

Namboodiri The Nambudiri (), also transliterated as Nampoothiri, Nambūdiri, Namboodiri, Nampoothiri, and Nampūtiri, are a Malayali Brahmin caste, native to what is now the state of Kerala, India, where they constituted part of the traditional feudal e ...

s and migrants like

Iyer Iyers (also spelt as Ayyar, Aiyar, Ayer, or Aiyer) are an ethnoreligious community of Tamil-speaking Brahmin, Hindu Brahmins. Most Iyers are followers of the ''Advaita Vedanta, Advaita'' philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara and adhere to the ...

s and

Gouda Saraswat Brahmins Gaud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB) (also Goud or Gawd) are a Hindu Brahmin community of the north. The Konkani speaking Gaud Saraswat of Goa and southern India claim to be descendents of these Gaud Saraswat Brahmins of the north that migrated to K ...

) etc. The Scheduled Castes, around 12% of the population of the district, also form a section among the Hindus of the district.

Guruvayur Temple Guruvayur Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Guruvayurappan, a form of Vishnu, located in the town of Guruvayur in Kerala, India. It is one of the most important places of worship for Hindus in Kerala and Tamilnadu, Tamil Nadu and is often ...

is a

shrine dedicated to the Lord

Guruvayurappan Guruvayurappan ( ml, ഗുരുവായൂരപ്പന്‍, (transliterated guruvāyūrappan)) also often rendered Guruvayoorappan, is a form of Vishnu worshipped mainly in Kerala. He is the presiding deity of the Guruvayur temple, w ...

, located in the town of

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 ...

. It is one of the most important pilgrim centres for

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...

Christians

The

Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

(

Syro Malabar Church lat, Ecclesia Syrorum-Malabarensium mal, മലബാറിലെ സുറിയാനി സഭ , native_name_lang=, image = St. Thomas' Cross (Chennai, St. Thomas Mount).jpg , caption = The Mar Thoma Nasrani Sl ...

and

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pa ...

and Chaldeans are the main sections of the

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

Community in the district. Catholics constitute 90% of the Christian population of the district.

Kunnamkulam Kunnamkulam is a municipal town situated in the Thrissur District of Kerala in India, spread over an area of 34.18 km2. It is an old commercial town, with an ancient history, famous for its printing and book binding industry. In the past, t ...

, a town in the northern part of the district is the center for the Orthodox, Thoziyur Church,

Pentecostals Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

and Marthomites. A notable church in the area is St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church, Palayur. According to

Saint Thomas christian The Saint Thomas Christians, also called Syrian Christians of India, ''Marthoma Suriyani Nasrani'', ''Malankara Nasrani'', or ''Nasrani Mappila'', are an ethno-religious community of Indian Christians in the state of Kerala (Malabar region), ...

tradition, the Palayur church was established in 52 AD by Saint Thomas, one of the

twelve apostles In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament. During the life and minist ...

Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

. It is the first church in India , and Saint Thomas performed the first

baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...

in India here. It is part of the

Ēḻarappaḷḷikaḷ ''Ezharappallikal'', meaning seven and a royal church, are the seven major churches or Christian communities of Saint Thomas Christians across Malabar Coast of India that are believed to have been founded by Thomas the Apostle in the first centur ...

(seven major churches) that he established in India. The original small church structure has been retained at the original site.

Muslims

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

s live predominantly in the coastal belt of the district, from north Punnayoorkkulam to South Azhikode. They are dominant in

and

Chavakkad Chavakkad, formerly Chowghat, is a municipality in Thrissur district of Kerala state in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city. Chavakkad is noted for its beach and fishing. It lies on National Highway 66 is located about north of the ...

, in good in numbers

, Kaipamangalam and

Nattika Nattika is a small village in Thrissur district of Kerala state, South India. It is centrally located about 25 km from Thrissur, Kodungallur, Irinjalakuda, Chavakkad, Kunnamkulam and Guruvayur. Nattika is beside the Arabian Sea. There is a ...

areas

Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...

s are the major section in Muslim community. The first mosque in India is claimed to be

Cheraman Juma Mosque The Cheramaan Perumal Juma Mosque (Malayalam: ചേരമാൻ ജുമാ മസ്ജിദ്‌) (Tamil: சேரமான் பெருமாள் ஜும்ஆ பள்ளிவாசல்) (Arabic: مسجد الرئيس جم ...

Kodungallur Kodungallur (; also Cranganore, Portuguese: Cranganor; formerly known as Mahodayapuram, Shingly, Vanchi, Muchiri, Muyirikkode, and Muziris) is a historically significant town situated on the banks of river Periyar on the Malabar Coast in Thr ...

. Legend claims that it was built in 629 CE, which makes it the oldest mosque in the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...

which is still in use. It was built by

Malik Deenar Malik Dinar ( ar-at, مالك دينار, Mālik b. Dīnār, Malayalam: മാലിക് ദീനാര്‍) (died 748 CE)Al-Hujwiri, "Kashf al-Mahjoob", 89 was a Muslim scholar and traveller. He was one of the first known Muslims to have co ...

, Persian tābiʿūn of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, on the orders of the successor of

Cheraman Perumal Perumal (the 'Great One') is the name of a Hindu deity. It was also a medieval Indian royal title of: *Western Ganga dynasty Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala''. Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 171. **Sripurusha **Rajamalla **Nitim ...

, the Chera King of modern-day Kerala. The mosque was constructed in Kerala style with hanging lamps. File:Vadakkumnathan Temple.jpg,

Vadakkumnathan Temple Vadakkumnathan Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva at city of Thrissur, of Kerala state in India. This temple is a classical example of the architectural style of Kerala and has one monumental tower on each of the four sides ...

during the

Maha Shivaratri Maha Shivaratri (IAST: Mahāśivarātri) is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. The name also refers to the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance called Tandava. In every month of the luni-solar Hindu ca ...

festival File:Guruvayoor Temple 1.jpg, Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple File:St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church, Palayoor.jpg, Palavur Church File:Cheraman Masjid 2.jpg,

Geography and climate

Thrissur is situated in southwestern India () and is in the central part of

. Thrissur is at sea level and spans an area of about . It is bounded on the north by small parts of

district, on the east and north by

district, on the east by small parts of

district of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...

, on the south by

district, and on the west by the Arabian Sea (). Descending from the heights of the Western Ghats in the east, the land slopes towards the west forming three distinct natural divisions – the highlands, the plains and the sea board. Karimala Gopuram is the highest point in Trissur situated in the border of

Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, which also includes the erstwhile Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, is a protected area lying in Palakkad district and Thrissur district of Kerala state, South India. The Wildlife Sanctuary, which had an area of wa ...

of Palakkad. The

Periyar Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy (17 September 1879 – 24 December 1973), revered as Periyar or Thanthai Periyar, was an Indian social activist and politician who started the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam. He is known as the 'F ...

, the

Chalakudy Chalakudy is a municipal town situated on the banks of Chalakudy River in Thrissur district of the Kerala state in India. It is the headquarters of Chalakudy taluk. It is the base camp for travellers to Athirappilly Falls and Vazhachal Falls. ...

, the

Karuvannur Karuvannoor is a village in Irinjalakuda municipality of Thrissur district, Trichur, Kerala, India bordered by Moorkanade, Mapranam and Karalam. The Karuvannur River, Karuvannur river passes though the village, resulting in its name. The name i ...

, the

Kurumali River The Kurumali River is a major tributary of the Karuvannur River in the Thrissur district of Kerala. It originates in the Western Ghats in the Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary of Thrissur District. Course The Kurumali River has its origin on the s ...

(main tributary of the Karuvannur River) and the Ponnani ( Bharatha Puzha) are the main river systems in the district. They take their origin from the mountains on the east, and flow westward and discharge into the

. There are a number of tributaries also joining these main rivers. There are waterfalls such as

Athirappilly Falls Athirappilly Falls, is situated in Athirappilly Panchayat in Chalakudy Taluk of Thrissur District in Kerala, India on the Chalakudy River, which originates from the upper reaches of the Western Ghats at the entrance to the Sholayar ranges. ...

which is widely known as the "Indian Niagara" nowadays. This is the only district in Kerala with the presence of both Periyar and Bharathappuzha, though they flow only a small distance through the district. The district has a tropical humid climate with an oppressive hot season and plentiful and seasonal rainfall. Annual rainfall is about . The hot season from March to May is followed by the South West Monsoon season from June to September. The period from December to February is the North East Monsoon season. However the rain stops by the end of December and the rest of the period is generally dry.

Culture

Chalakudy River bank on a summer sunrise

Thrissur is known as cultural capital of

.The district is known for the

. An ancient cultural center, Thrissur houses the

Kerala Kalamandalam Kerala Kalamandalam, deemed to be University of Art and Culture by the Government of India, is a major center for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the Southern states of India, with the special emphasis on K ...

, the

Kerala Sahitya Academy The Kerala Sahitya Akademi or Academy for Malayalam literature is an autonomous body established to promote the Malayalam language and literature. It is situated in City of Thrissur, Kerala in India. History The academy was inaugurated on 15 ...

, the

Kerala Lalitakala Academy Kerala Lalithakala Academy for Fine Arts is an autonomous body which was established in 1962 to promote art and artistic heritage, based at Thrissur in Kerala. Murali Cheeroth is the newly appointed chairman of Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademi on 202 ...

and the Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Academy.The town is built around a hillock, crowned by the

Vadakkumnathan Vadakkumnathan Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva at city of Thrissur, of Kerala state in India. This temple is a classical example of the architectural style of Kerala and has one monumental tower on each of the four si ...

(Siva) Temple. The temple is a classical example of Kerala style of architecture and houses several sacred shrines. Thrissur also has added to its name The '' Church of Our Lady of Dolors'', popularly known as the ''New Church''(Puthen Palli). It is the third tallest church in

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

and the tallest in

. The first two churches of India are also situated in Thrissur, the

St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church, Palayoor Palayur Mar Thoma Major Archiepiscopal Church, is located at Palayur (historically known as Palur), in Thrissur district in Kerala on the west coast of India. According to Saint Thomas Christian tradition, the Syrian church was established in 5 ...

and the Marthoma Pontifical Shrine, Kodungallur . The Metropolitan of the

Chaldean Syrian Church The Chaldean Syrian Church of India ( Classical Syriac: ܥܕܬܐ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ ܕܐܬܘܖ̈ܝܐ; Malayalam: / ''Kaldaya Suriyani Sabha'') is an Eastern Christian denomination, based in Thrissur, in India. It is organized as a metropolitan provi ...

(the name used for the

Church of the East The Church of the East ( syc, ܥܕܬܐ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ, ''ʿĒḏtā d-Maḏenḥā'') or the East Syriac Church, also called the Church of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, the Persian Church, the Assyrian Church, the Babylonian Church or the Nestorian C ...

) is also headquartered in Thrissur, and many religious publications are printed by Mar Narsai Press. The largest Christian pilgrim center in the district, St.Joseph's Shrine is situated at Pavaratty. There is a legend which tells

Saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...

Thomas (Apostle) Thomas the Apostle ( arc, 𐡀𐡌𐡅𐡕𐡌, hbo, תוֹמא הקדוש or תוֹמָא שליחא (''Toma HaKadosh'' "Thomas the Holy" or ''Toma Shlikha'' "Thomas the Messenger/Apostle" in Hebrew-Aramaic), syc, ܬܐܘܡܐ, , meaning "twi ...

was landed in

kodungallur Kodungallur (; also Cranganore, Portuguese: Cranganor; formerly known as Mahodayapuram, Shingly, Vanchi, Muchiri, Muyirikkode, and Muziris) is a historically significant town situated on the banks of river Periyar on the Malabar Coast in Thr ...

Muziris Muziris ( grc, Μουζιρίς, Old Malayalam: ''Muciri'' or ''Muciripattanam'' possibly identical with the medieval ''Muyirikode'') was an ancient harbour and an urban centre on the Malabar Coast. Muziris found mention in the ''Periplus of ...

in 52 AD. The Saint Thomas Church established by him houses many ancient relics.

Puthenchira Puthenchira is a village in Thrissur district in the state of Kerala, India. Demographics India census, Puthenchira had a population of 21416 with 9815 males and 11601 females. History Puthenchira and the surrounding areas were earlier k ...

is the birth place of the Catholic Saint

Mariam Thresia Mariam Thresia (born Thresia Chiramel Mankidiyan; 26 April 1876 – 8 June 1926) was an Indian Syro-Malabar Catholic professed religious and the founder of the Congregation of the Holy Family. She was born in Puthenchira, a village of Ke ...

. According to myth,

Malik Bin Deenar Malik Dinar ( ar-at, مالك دينار, Mālik b. Dīnār, Malayalam: മാലിക് ദീനാര്‍) (died 748 CE)Al-Hujwiri, "Kashf al-Mahjoob", 89 was a Muslim scholar and traveller. He was one of the first known Muslims to have co ...

and 20 others who were the followers

Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...

, the founder of

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

, first landed in

in Thrissur district when they came to India. Islam received royal patronage in some places here, and later spread to other parts of India. He built the mosque

Cheraman Juma Masjid The Cheramaan Perumal Juma Mosque (Malayalam: ചേരമാൻ ജുമാ മസ്ജിദ്‌) (Tamil: சேரமான் பெருமாள் ஜும்ஆ பள்ளிவாசல்) (Arabic: مسجد الرئيس جم ...

which makes it the first mosque in India

, home to the Sree Krishna Temple, is to the north of the city. It is a sacred place not only for Keralites but for Hindus all over the world as well. The adjacent towns of

and

are important centers of Muslims and Christians respectively. The Temple at

Thriprayar Thriprayar is a town in Thrissur District of Kerala, India. It is famous for the Thriprayar Temple. It is a part of Thrissur Metropolitan Area. It has one of the 4 temples which is visited in Nalambalam Yatra(Rama-Bharta-Lakshmana-Shaturghna). ...

is another important place of worship. This ancient temple is one of the few Temples dedicated to Lord Srirama in Kerala. Incidentally, two other temples dedicated to Lord Rama, viz., the Thiruvilwamala Temple and the Kadavallur Temple, fall in Thrissur district. Thirumangalam Temple situated at Thirumangalam desam, Engandiyur, Thrissur District. The Temple facing to Gurvayur Ernakulam National Highway. In this temple, there are two idols, one is Siva and the other is Maha Vishnu. Both have same the importance. But Siva is the main Idol. Because of this the temple listed in the 108 Siva temples list. The temple faces to the eastern side and has very good Sreekovil.

, the capital of the erstwhile Chera Empire, is a region of great archeological and historical significance. The Bhagavathi Temple here attracts thousands of devotees from all over Kerala. The Cheraman Juma Masjid, believed to be the oldest Mosque in India is situated here.

Irinjalakkuda Irinjalakuda is a municipal town in Thrissur district, Kerala, India. It is the headquarters of Irinjalakuda Revenue Division and Mukundapuram Taluk. After Thrissur, this town has most number of administrative, law-enforcement and judicial o ...

, where the only Bharatha Temple in India is located, is another place of importance. The Unnayi Warrier Smaraka Kalanilayam which is located near the Koodalmanickyam Temple is an important center of Kathakali Learning. Since ancient times Thrissur has been the most important center of Vedic Learning in Kerala. Yagas are still conducted in her soil with the same fervour as they used to be. The only centre of traditional Vedic Learning left in Kerala is situated at the heart of Thrissur Town.

Education

Administration of Thrissur

The district is divided into two Revenue Sub Divisions; Thrissur and Irinjalakuda and is headed by Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) *Taluks under Thrissur Revenue Division: Thrissur, Chavakkad, Talappilly, Kunnamkulam *Taluks under Irinjalakuda Revenue Division: Mukundapuram, Chalakudy, Kodungallur Thrissur District has four types of administrative hierarchies: * Taluk and Village administration managed by the state government of Kerala * Panchayath Administration managed by the local bodies * Parliament Constituencies for the union government of India * Assembly Constituencies for the state government of Kerala There are 13

constituencies An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other polity ...

from the district of

: Thrissur Assembly Constituency, Ollur Assembly Constituency,

Guruvayoor Guruvayur () is a municipal temple town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city, located from Thrissur towards the north-west. It houses the Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple. It is located at ...

Chalakkudy Chalakudy is a municipal town situated on the banks of Chalakudy River in Thrissur district of the Kerala state in India. It is the headquarters of Chalakudy taluk. It is the base camp for travellers to Athirappilly Falls and Vazhachal Falls. ...

Kaipamangalam Kaipamangalam is a village in Thrissur district in the state of Kerala, India. Kaipamangalam assembly segment consist of Edavilangu, Eriyad, Kaipamangalam, Mathilakam, Perinjanam and Sreenarayanapuram Panchayats in Kodungallur Taluk. Demogra ...

Irinjalakuda Irinjalakuda is a municipal town in Thrissur district, Kerala, India. It is the headquarters of Irinjalakuda Revenue Division and Mukundapuram Taluk. After Thrissur, this town has most number of administrative, law-enforcement and judicial of ...

, Puthukad,

Manaloor Manalur is a small village in Thrissur district of Kerala state, south India. It is one of the constituencies in Thrissur district. Demographics India census, Manalur had a population of 17130 with 8237 males and 8893 females. Politics Mana ...

, Wadakkancheri and

Chelakkara Chelakkara is a small town in Thrissur district of Kerala. Geography Chelakkara is located at . It has an average elevation of . Politics Chelakkara assembly constituency (SC) is part of Alathur (Lok Sabha constituency), Alathur. It is also th ...

. There are two parliament constituencies:

Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency Thrissur is one of the 20 Lok Sabha (parliamentary) constituencies in the state of Kerala in southern India. It consists of seven assembly segments in Thrissur district. Assembly segments Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency is composed of the fol ...

and Chalakudy.

T. N. Prathapan T. N. Prathapan is an Indian National Congress politician from Thrissur who currently serves as Member of parliament from Thrissur (Lok Sabha constituency) and was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Kodungallur Assembly Constituency to Ker ...

is the Thrissur MP and

Benny Behanan Benny Behanan (born 22 August 1952) is an Indian politician from Kerala. He is a member of the Indian National Congress party who serves as Member of Parliament from Chalakudy (Lok Sabha constituency). He was the MLA of Thrikkakara Legislativ ...

is the Chalakudy MP. Thrissur municipal corporation is the only

municipal corporation A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. The term can also be used to describe municipally owne ...

in the district. For administrative purposes, the district of

is divided into two Revenue Divisions and seven

taluks A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...

. These seven taluk centres are administrative hubs for 255 villages in Thrissur.

Major Towns

*Thalappilly taluk: Wadakancherry,

, Thruvilwamala, Pazhayannur, Cheruthuruthi, Chelakode *Kunnakulam taluk:

, Kechery, Perumpilavu, Pazhanji *Chavakad taluk:

Chavakad Chavakkad, formerly Chowghat, is a municipality in Thrissur district of Kerala state in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city. Chavakkad is noted for its beach and fishing. It lies on National Highway 66 is located about north of the ...

, Guruvayoor, Vadanappilly, Triprayar *Thrissur taluk:

, Arimbur, Kuthiran, Pattikad *Kodungallur taluk:

, Perinjanam, Moonupeedika *Mukundapuram taluk: Iringalakuda, Puthukkad, Mala *Chalakudy taluk:

, Muringoor, Meloor, Kodakara, Koratty

Media

The first newspaper which published from Thrissur was ''Lokamanyan'' in 1920. Then came ''Deenabandhu'' in 1941 and '' General (newspaper)'' in 1976. Major Malayalam

newspapers A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports ...

published in Thrissur include '

Malayala Manorama ''Malayala Manorama'' is a morning newspaper in Malayalam published from Kottayam, Kerala, India by the Malayala Manorama Company Limited. Currently headed by Mammen Mathew; it was first published as a weekly on 22 March 1888, and currently has ...

'', ''

Mathrubhumi ''Mathrubhumi'' is a Malayalam newspaper that is published from Kerala, India. It was founded by K. P. Kesava Menon, an active volunteer in the Indian independence movement, Indian freedom struggle against the British Raj, British. The word "M ...

'', ''

Deshabhimani ''Deshabhimani'' is a Malayalam newspaper and the organ of the Kerala State Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). It started as a weekly in Calicut on 6 September 1942 and converted to a daily in 1946. The paper now has ten diffe ...

'', '' Deepika'',

Kerala Kaumudi ''Kerala Kaumudi'' is a Malayalam language daily newspaper published from Kerala, India. It was founded in 1911 by C. V. Kunhiraman as a periodical. His son K. Sukumaran later served as the newspaper's editor. Kerala Kaumudi Daily is among the ...

and

Madhyamam ''Madhyamam'' (meaning ''Medium'') is a Malayalam-language newspaper published in Kerala, India, since 1987.Kannada Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...

, Tamil and

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode S ...

are also sold in large numbers.

Politics

Industries

Thrissur is known for the power

loom A loom is a device used to weave cloth and tapestry. The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads. The precise shape of the loom and its mechanics may vary, but th ...

industry and the

Textile Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

Mills like the ''Alagappa Textiles'' in Alagappa Nagar, ''Kerala Lakshmi Mills'' at Pullazhi, ''Rajgopal Textiles'' at Athani, ''Sitaram Spinning and Weaving Mills'' Thrissur, ''Vanaja Textiles'' at Kurichikkara (now defunct), ''Bhagavathy Spinning Mills'' at Thanikkudam and ''Kunnath Textiles'' at Thrissur. Thrissur are engaged in the manufacture of hosiery products. Poomala

The

coir Coir (), also called coconut fibre, is a natural fibre extracted from the outer husk of coconut and used in products such as floor mats, doormats, brushes, and mattresses. Coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell ...

and the

tile Tiles are usually thin, square or rectangular coverings manufactured from hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, baked clay, or even glass. They are generally fixed in place in an array to cover roofs, floors, walls, edges, or o ...

industry offer employment for many people in the district. The first

saw mill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ( dimens ...

in the state was erected at Trichur (1905). Most of the

timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...

is brought down from the forests to Thrissur and

, which are the most important timber marts in the District.

Canning Canning is a method of food preservation in which food is processed and sealed in an airtight container (jars like Mason jars, and steel and tin cans). Canning provides a shelf life that typically ranges from one to five years, although u ...

is a developing industry in Thrissur and ''Darlco Cannings'' and ''Kayee Plantations Cannings''; both have major units at Thrissur. The ''Thrissur Fruits and Vegetables Marketing Society'' are establishing a canning industrial unit at

Nadathara Nadathara is a residential area situated in the City of Thrissur in Kerala state of India. Nadathara is Ward 22 of Thrissur Municipal Corporation. India census, Nadathara had a population of 12,593. Males constitute 49% of the population and fem ...

and it is going on very successfully. Besides all these the ''match stick industry'',

pharmaceuticals A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and rel ...

printing Printing is a process for mass reproducing text and images using a master form or template. The earliest non-paper products involving printing include cylinder seals and objects such as the Cyrus Cylinder and the Cylinders of Nabonidus. The ea ...

etc. give Thrissur its fame as a bustling industrial centre. The first Worker's

Indian Coffee House Indian Coffee House is a restaurant chain in India, run by a series of worker co-operative societies. It has strong presence across India with nearly 400 coffee houses. It has been a hub for Communist and Socialist movements for generations. Th ...

of the state was opened in Thrissur (1957). The 400 kV Electric Power Station at Madakkathara near Thanikkudam is the major electrical hub connecting the

KSEB Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is an Indian public sector undertaking under the Government of Kerala that generates, transmits and distributes electricity in the state under government monopoly. Established in 1957, the agency comes unde ...

electrical power system to the national electrical grid. The station serves more than 30% of the state's electrical energy requirements and acts as the principal feed to the northern half of Kerala.

Avinissery Avinissery is a census town in Thrissur district, just 6 km from district headquarters, in the state of Kerala, India. Avinissery is also the name of a Gram Panchayat in Thrissur District. Demographics India census, Avinissery cen ...

, a census town at south of Thrissur city is an important centre of Khadi and Village Industries.

Places of interest

The Athirapally Falls flowing its usual discharge

* Athirapilly Water Falls ( from Thrissur City): This 80 feet high waterfall at the threshold of the Sholayar ranges is a picnic spot. Two amusement parks – DreamWorld and SilverStorm – are located nearby. *

Vazhachal Vazhachal Falls is situated in Athirappilly Panchayath of Thrissur district in Kerala on the southwest coast of India. Located on the west-flowing Chalakudy River near the Vazhachal Forest Division and at the edge of the Sholayar ranges, it is ...

: Just a short drive from Athirapilly is close to dense forests and a part of the

river. *

Chalakudy River Chalakudy River or Chalakudy Puzha is the fifth longest river in Kerala, India. The river flows through Thrissur district, Palakkad district and Ernakulam district of Kerala. The total drainage area of the river is 1704 km2. Out of this,1 ...

: This Perennial River is the 5th Longest river in Kerala and the richest river in fish diversity perhaps in India. * Punnathur Kotta Elephant Sanctuary ( from city): It is the largest elephant park in the world, with over 60 elephants. *

Peechi Dam Peechi Dam thrissur is situated outside Thrissur city in Kerala, India. The dam was started as an irrigation project for the surrounding villages in Thrissur. At the same time, it catered the drinking water needs of the population of Thrissur ...

: ( from city) It is a good picnic spot. The dam was started as an irrigation project for the surrounding villages in Thrissur. At the same time, it catered the drinking water needs of the population of Thrissur City. It serves as an irrigation dam, reaching out to the paddy fields in and around Thrissur city. Built across the Manali River. Elephants may be seen on the bank of Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 1958 covering 125 square kilometres (48 sq mi). * Poomala Dam: A natural reserve and tourist spot with an irrigation dam. *

Chavakkad Beach Chavakkad Beach is a beach in Chavakkad Municipality of Thrissur District in the Indian state of Kerala. It lies on the Arabian Sea coast and attracts tourists. The beach is situated 5 Kilometers from Guruvayoor Temple Sri Krishna Temple. At ...

* Peruvanmala : A natural hillock with beautiful greenery, spread over an area of almost 50 acres, is located at Kechery. *

Vazhani Dam Vazhani Dam is a clay dam built across the Wadakkancherry river near Wadakkancherry in Thrissur district of Kerala. The water is used for irrigation and drinking purposes. The dam has a four-acre garden and the construction was completed in 196 ...

( from city): It is a good picnic spot built over Kechery River . * Snehatheeram Beach: This beach is around from town of Thrissur near by Nattika village. *

Chimmony dam Chimmini Wildlife sanctuary is a protected area located along the Western Ghats in Chalakudy taluk of Thrissur District of Kerala state in India. Established in 1984, the sanctuary with an area of about 85.067 km2 is on the Western slop ...

( from city) *

(): It is in

Cheruthuruthy Cheruthuruthy also known as Vallathol Nagar is a small town in India near Wadakkanchery, Thrissur on the banks of the Nila (Bharathapuzha) river. Administration Falls in Talappilly taluk (Wadakkanchery) of the revenue district of Thrissur. Thr ...

and was founded by the Poet Sri. Vallathol Narayana Menon, to encourage the study of the ancient arts of Kerala such as

Kathakali Kathakali ( ml, കഥകളി) is a major form of classical Indian dance. It is a "story play" genre of art, but one distinguished by the elaborately colourful make-up and costumes of the traditional male actor-dancers. It is native to the M ...

and

Mohiniyattom Mohiniyattam, ( ml, മോഹിനിയാട്ടം), is an Indian classical dance form that developed and remained popular in the state of Kerala. Kathakali is another classical dance form of Kerala. Mohiniyattam dance gets its name fro ...

. *

Koodalmanikyam Temple Koodalmanikyam Temple is a Hindu temple in Irinjalakuda Municipality, Thrissur district, Kerala, India . The temple comprises a main structure, a walled compound with citadels, and four ponds around the main structure one of which is within ...

* Thrissur Zoo & Museum (): Opened in 1885, it is a big zoo. The zoo is home for various animals, reptiles and birds.

Important towns

*Cherpu *

Pazhayannur Pazhayannur is a town and panchayath in Thrissur district, in the state of Kerala, India. Demographics India census, Pazhayannur had a population of 15,979 with 7,680 males and 8,299 females. Historically, a major part of Pazhayannur was un ...

Wadakanchery Wadakkancherry is a major town in Thrissur, Kerala. Up until 1860, this area was part of Chelakkara Taluk. Now, it is the headquarters of Talappilly Taluk. Wadakkanchery obtained municipality status from the government by merging with the Mun ...

List of villages

Gallery

File:Perunal 028.JPG, Perunal, Thrissur Dt File:Gurovayoor.jpg,

entrance – 25 km from

City. File:Vadumnathan-one.jpg, East Gate of Vadakumnathan Temple. File:Poothan thira (1).jpg,

Poothan and Thira Poothan and Thira is a ritualistic art form found in the South Malabar region of Kerala in India, in which people dance in costumes representing Poothan is the lieutenant of Kali, and Thira, the goddess Kali, to the accompaniment of drummers. Th ...

for the Machattu Vela festival, near Wadakkanchery. File:Muthuvara Shiva Temple.JPG, Muthuvara Shiva Temple.

Notes

External links

Government Portal

Satellite image of Thrissur

Website of Thrissur Police
{{Authority control Districts of Kerala 1949 establishments in India

Etymology

History

Demographics

Religion

Hindus

Christians

Muslims

Geography and climate

Culture

Education

Administration of Thrissur

Major Towns

Media

Politics

Industries

Places of interest

Important towns

List of villages

Gallery

Notes

Further reading

External links