Ernakulam District
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Ernakulam, ;
ISO ISO is the most common abbreviation for the International Organization for Standardization. ISO or Iso may also refer to: Business and finance * Iso (supermarket), a chain of Danish supermarkets incorporated into the SuperBest chain in 2007 * Iso ...
: ''Eṟaṇākuḷaṁ'', in
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 ...
: എറണാകുളം), 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 ...
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 ...
, that takes its name from the eponymous city division in
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 ...
. It is situated in the central part of the state, spans an area of about , and is home to over 9% of Kerala's population. Its headquarters are located at
Kakkanad Kakkanad is a major industrial and residential region in the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. It is situated in the eastern part of the city and houses the Cochin Special Economic Zone, Infopark, Smart City and KINFRA Export Promotion Industri ...
. The district includes Kochi, also known as the commercial capital of Kerala, which is famous for its ancient Churches,
Hindu temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...
s,
synagogues A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of wors ...
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, ...
s. The district includes the largest metropolitan region of the state:
Greater Cochin Greater Cochin is the area defined by Greater Cochin Development Authority for town planning. This area consists of the Kochi UA region and its suburbs. The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) and Goshree Islands Development Authority ( ...
. Ernakulam is the district that yields the most revenue and the largest number of industries in the state. Ernakulam is the third most populous district in Kerala, after
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
Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
(out of 14 districts). The district also hosts the highest number of international and domestic tourists in Kerala state. The most commonly spoken language in Ernakulam 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 ...
. English is widely used, mostly in business circles. Ernakulam became India's first district to have 100 percent banking or full "meaningful financial inclusion" in 2012. Ernakulam has a high
Human Development Index The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income indicators, whi ...
of 0.801 (UNHDP report 2005), which is one of the highest in India.


History

Ernakulam has played a part in the political history of
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 ...
since ancient times. 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 ...
, Syrians,
Arabs The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Wester ...
, Chinese, Dutch, British, and
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
seafarers followed the sea route to the
Kingdom of Cochin The Kingdom of Cochin, named after its capital in the city of Kochi (Cochin), was a kingdom in the central part of present-day Kerala state. It commenced at the early part of the 12th century and continued to rule until 1949, when monarchy wa ...
and left their impressions on the town. The port at
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 l ...
held superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while
Kannur Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and a municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the major port city and commercial hu ...
,
Kollam Kollam (), also known by its former name Quilon , is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city i ...
, and
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 ...
, were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather.''The Portuguese, Indian Ocean and European Bridgeheads 1500–1800''. Festschrift in Honour of Prof. K. S. Mathew (2001). Edited by: Pius Malekandathil and T. Jamal Mohammed. Fundacoa Oriente. Institute for Research in Social Sciences and Humanities of MESHAR (Kerala) In 1664, the municipality of
Fort Kochi Fort Kochi, Fort Cochin in English, Cochim de Baixo ("Lower Kochi") in Cochin Portuguese creole, is a neighbourhood of Cochin (Kochi) city in Kerala, India. Fort Kochi takes its name from the Fort Manuel of Cochin, the first European for ...
was established by
Dutch Malabar Dutch Malabar (Dutch; ''Nederlandse Malabar''. Malayalam; ''ഡച്ച് മലബാർ''.) also known by the name of its main settlement Cochin, was the title of a commandment of the Dutch East India Company on the Malabar Coast between ...
, making it the first municipality in
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 got dissolved when the Dutch authority got weaker in 18th century. In 1896, the Maharaja of Cochin initiated local administration by forming a town council in Ernakulam. Initially, The district's headquarters were located in the portion of the city known as
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 ...
, which gave the district its name; the headquarters was relocated afterwards to
Kakkanad Kakkanad is a major industrial and residential region in the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. It is situated in the eastern part of the city and houses the Cochin Special Economic Zone, Infopark, Smart City and KINFRA Export Promotion Industri ...
. In the year 1998,
Kuttampuzha Kuttampuzha is a village and gram panchayat in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala.2001 Village code=00087900 Situated 71km east of Kochi, Kuttampuzha panchayat is home to the 17.7% of total area of the Ernakulam District. The v ...
village was added to the district from Idukki district following which the district got a political boundary with neighbouring state 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 ...
. There is no interstate road that connects the district with the neighbouring state through this border.


Geography

The Ernakulam district covers an area of on the Western Coastal Plains of India. It is surrounded by the Thrissur District to the north, the Idukki District to the east, Alappuzha and
Kottayam Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south- ...
districts to the south and the
Laccadive Sea The Laccadive Sea or Lakshadweep Sea is a body of water bordering India (including its Lakshadweep islands), the Maldives, and Sri Lanka. It is located to the southwest of Karnataka, to the west of Kerala and to the south of Tamil Nadu. This war ...
to the west. The
Anamalai The Anamala or Anaimalai, also known as the Elephant Mountains, are a range of mountains in the southern Western Ghats of central Kerala ( Idukki district, Ernakulam district, Palakkad district, Thrissur district) and span the border of west ...
s occupy a large part of the district, consisting of the forest areas around
Pooyamkutty Pooyamkutty is a small town in Ernakulam district, Kothamangalam Taluk, Kuttampuzha panchayat and in the Indian state of Kerala. Pooyamkutty is situated along Pooyamkutty river, a tributary of the Periyar. The nearest Municipality is Kothamanga ...
and the
Idamalayar Dam Idamalayar Dam is a multipurpose concrete gravity dam located at Ennakkal between Ayyampuzha and Bhoothathankettu in Ernakulam district of Kerala on the Idamalayar, a tributary of the Periyar River in Kerala, South India. The dam however ...
. The range also extends into Thrissur, Palakkad, and Idukki districts, as well as Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts of Tamil Nadu. The district is divided geographically into highland, midland, and coastal area. The altitude of the highlands is about . The
Periyar River Periyar, , (meaning: ''big river'') is the longest river and the river with the largest discharge potential in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the few perennial rivers in the region and provides drinking water for several major towns. ...
, Kerala's longest, flows through all the
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 ...
except
Muvattupuzha Muvattupuzha () is a town in the midlands directly to the east of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is located about from downtown Kochi, and is a growing urban centre in central Kerala. The town is also the starting po ...
. The
Muvattupuzha River Muvattupuzha () is a town in the midlands directly to the east of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is located about from downtown Kochi, and is a growing urban centre in central Kerala. The town is also the starting poin ...
and a branch of the
Chalakkudy 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 ...
also flow through the district. The average yearly rainfall in the district is . The district has a moderate climate and mostly falls within the
Malabar Coast moist forests The Malabar Coast moist forests are a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of southwestern India. Geography The ecoregion lies along India's Konkan and Malabar coasts, in a narrow strip between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats range, ...
ecoregion, while the highlands are part of the
South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests The South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests is an ecoregion in the Western Ghats of southern India with tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. This biome covers the Nilgiri Hills between elevation of in Kerala, Karnataka and T ...
ecoregion. The
Anamudi Anamudi is a mountain located in Ernakulam district and Idukki district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the highest peak in the Western Ghats and in South India, at an elevation of and a topographic prominence of . The name Anamudi lite ...
is the tallest peak in South India, on the border of Ernakulam and Idukki districts. Some parts of the Idamalayar Reserve Forest and Mankulam Forest Division have
Shola Sholas are the local name for patches of stunted tropical montane forest found in valleys amid rolling grassland in the higher montane regions of South India, largely in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamilnadu. These patches of shola forest are foun ...
s but these parts are inaccessible by road. Ernakulam district does not have a border with Tamil Nadu in some maps the district is shown incorrectly by adding areas of Idukki (which share border with Tamil nadu) as regions of Ernakulam. The Idamalayar Reserve Forest, and
Edamalakkudy Edamalakkudy or Idamalakkudy is a remote tribal village and gram panchayat between the Idamalayar Reserve Forest and Mankulam Forest Division of the Anamalai hills in the Idukki district of the Kerala state of India. Location Edamalakudy is lo ...
. Many types of sand, soil, and rocks are abundant here. Cochin International Airport is located in the northern part of the district at
Nedumbassery Nedumbassery, , is a suburb of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. Situated around northeast of the city centre, Nedumbassery is also an integral part of the Kochi Metropolitan Area. Location Nedumbassery lies between the two municipaliti ...
, Kochi. The district houses two Urban Agglomerations,
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 ...
and
Kothamangalam Kothamangalam, , is a municipality in Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. The town is in the foothills of the Western Ghats, and is a part of the Idukki Lok Sabha constituency. The town serves as the headquarters of a taluk and a municipality ...
. Kochi is the largest city in the state, and 17th most populous in the country according to the
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is a ministry of the Government of India with executive authority over the formulation and administration of the rules and regulations and laws relating to the housing and urban development in Ind ...
rankings based on the 2011 Census, with an area of over 843km2 and 2.12 million population.


Topography

The district is divided into three parts: lowland, midland, and the highland that consist of seaboard, plains, and hills and forests respectively. 20 percent of the total area are lowlands. The forests in the eastern part of the district are mostly remote, forming a part of the
Anamalai The Anamala or Anaimalai, also known as the Elephant Mountains, are a range of mountains in the southern Western Ghats of central Kerala ( Idukki district, Ernakulam district, Palakkad district, Thrissur district) and span the border of west ...
s. The highest peak is the
Anamudi Anamudi is a mountain located in Ernakulam district and Idukki district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the highest peak in the Western Ghats and in South India, at an elevation of and a topographic prominence of . The name Anamudi lite ...
. The midland consists mainly of plain land and a group of islands that naturally drain water via backwaters and canals. The hilly or eastern portion is formed by a section of the Western Ghats.
Muvattupuzha Muvattupuzha () is a town in the midlands directly to the east of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is located about from downtown Kochi, and is a growing urban centre in central Kerala. The town is also the starting po ...
and
Kothamangalam Kothamangalam, , is a municipality in Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. The town is in the foothills of the Western Ghats, and is a part of the Idukki Lok Sabha constituency. The town serves as the headquarters of a taluk and a municipality ...
taluks, which were initially parts of the
Kottayam Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south- ...
district and constitute the highlands.
Muvattupuzhayar Muvattupuzha () is a town in the midlands directly to the east of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is located about from downtown Kochi, and is a growing urban centre in central Kerala. The town is also the starting poin ...
and
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 ' ...
are the main rivers, of which the latter flows through
Muvattupuzha Muvattupuzha () is a town in the midlands directly to the east of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is located about from downtown Kochi, and is a growing urban centre in central Kerala. The town is also the starting po ...
, Aluva,
Kunnathunad Kunnathunad is a Taluk in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. Its headquarters is Perumbavoor town. Location History Kunnathunad taluk was formed during the period 1762-65 along with Alengad and Paravur Taluks. Demographics ...
and Parur taluks. During the rainy season these rivers are full and heavy floods affect the low-lying areas on the banks, but in the summer season, they generally go dry and narrow. The Periyar is stretched over a length of .


Forest and wildlife

The flora of this district is tropical. The heavy rainfall combined with moderate temperatures and fertile soil support abundant vegetation. Many of the common plants are found in the coastal area, which forms the lowland region. The midland region is occupied by coconut palms, paddy, tapioca, pepper, pineapple and pulses. The lower slopes of the highland region have teak and rubber.


Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary

Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary Mangalavanam is an ecologically sensitive area situated at the centre of the Indian city of Kochi, covering about 2.74 hectares. It also houses a shallow tidal lake connected with Kochi backwaters by a canal. It is situated behind the Kerala High ...
is located at the centre of
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 ...
. It covers , supports many species of
mangroves A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evolution in severa ...
and is a nesting ground for a variety of
migratory bird Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between Breeding in the wild, breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Animal migration, Migration carries high costs in predation a ...
s. The Managalavanam is called the "green lung of Kochi", considering its role in controlling the city's air pollution.


Thattekad Bird Sanctuary

Thattekad Bird Sanctuary The Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary, covering an area of barely 25 km2, and located about 12 km from Kothamangalam (Kerala state, India), was the first bird sanctuary in Kerala. Salim Ali, one of the best known ornithologists, described t ...
lies on the northern bank of the
Periyar River Periyar, , (meaning: ''big river'') is the longest river and the river with the largest discharge potential in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the few perennial rivers in the region and provides drinking water for several major towns. ...
and covers about . It was founded by ornithologist
Salim Ali Sálim Moizuddin Abdul Ali (12 November 1896 – 20 June 1987) was an Indian ornithologist and naturalist. Sometimes referred to as the "''Birdman of India''", Salim Ali was the first Indian to conduct systematic bird surveys across Indi ...
. The sanctuary is from Kochi. Birds found here include falcons, jungle fowl, water hens, and
hornbill Hornbills (Bucerotidae) are a family (biology), family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly coloured and sometimes has a Casque (an ...
s. The flora of this area consists mainly of plantations of
teak Teak (''Tectona grandis'') is a tropical hardwood tree species in the family Lamiaceae. It is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. ''Tectona grandis'' has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters (panicl ...
,
rosewood Rosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. True rosewoods All genuine rosewoods belong to the genus ''Dalbergia''. The pre-eminent rosewood appreciated ...
, and mahogany. Further on the road,
Pooyamkutty Pooyamkutty is a small town in Ernakulam district, Kothamangalam Taluk, Kuttampuzha panchayat and in the Indian state of Kerala. Pooyamkutty is situated along Pooyamkutty river, a tributary of the Periyar. The nearest Municipality is Kothamanga ...
forest of the
Anamalai The Anamala or Anaimalai, also known as the Elephant Mountains, are a range of mountains in the southern Western Ghats of central Kerala ( Idukki district, Ernakulam district, Palakkad district, Thrissur district) and span the border of west ...
s is reached.


Climate


Economy

Ernakulam district is the richest district in Kerala and is the biggest commercial centre 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 ...
. It contributes the most to the state exchequer in terms of GSVA and tax revenues. It has the highest literacy rate as well as the highest per capita income in the state, along with having the most number of commercialised banks, startups and large scale industries & MSMEs in the state. Its M.G. Road is home to some 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 ...
's most prestigious enterprises. Kochi is also the headquarters of some large companies like
Federal Bank Federal Bank Limited is an Indian private sector bank headquartered in Aluva, Kochi, Kerala. The bank has 1,336 branches spread across different states in India. It also has representative offices abroad in Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and ...
, Geojit, V-Guard, and
Muthoot The Muthoot Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate headquartered in Kochi, Kerala. It has interests in financial services, information technology, media, healthcare, education, power generation, infrastructure, plantations, preciou ...
. The sea along the entire coast of the district and its backwaters are the habitat of various kinds of fish that supply both marine and inland fisheries.


Agriculture

The eastern part of Ernakulam is primarily agrarian in nature.
Rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...
is the principal crop cultivated in the wetlands. The district is the largest producer of
nutmeg Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice of several species of the genus ''Myristica''. ''Myristica fragrans'' (fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg) is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fruit: nutmeg, from its seed, an ...
and
pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centuri ...
in the state: more than 55% of pineapples produced in the state is cultivated in the district.
Rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, and ...
is the most cultivated plantation crop in the district and the district is the second-largest producer of rubber in the state behind Kottayam. Other important crops cultivated in the district are
tapioca Tapioca (; ) is a starch extracted from the storage roots of the cassava plant (''Manihot esculenta,'' also known as manioc), a species native to the North Region, Brazil, North and Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast regions of Brazil, but wh ...
,
black pepper Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in dia ...
,
areca nut ''Areca'' is a genus of 51 species of palms in the family Arecaceae, found in humid tropical forests from the islands of the Philippines, Malaysia and India, across Southeast Asia to Melanesia. The generic name ''Areca'' is derived from a name ...
,
coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
,
turmeric Turmeric () is a flowering plant, ''Curcuma longa'' (), of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, the rhizomes of which are used in cooking. The plant is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast ...
, banana, and
plantain Plantain may refer to: Plants and fruits * Cooking banana, banana cultivars in the genus ''Musa'' whose fruits are generally used in cooking ** True plantains, a group of cultivars of the genus ''Musa'' * ''Plantaginaceae'', a family of flowerin ...
.


Education

Ernakulam is the first district in India to have 100 percent literacy by 1990. In fact Kochi has the highest literacy rate for any city in the country with over 20 lakhs population. Pothanikkad is the first village in India that achieved 100 percent literacy according to state literacy programme is in this district. There are three prominent universities in Ernakulam:
Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit The Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (SSUS) is a Sanskrit university in India established in 1993 in Kalady, Kerala. It provides education in Sanskrit, other Indian and Foreign languages, Social science and fine arts. It is accredited ...
in
Kalady Kalady or Kaladi is a town located between Angamaly and Perumbavoor, east of the Periyar river, near to Malayattoor in Ernakulam district of Kerala, India, not far from Cochin International Airport. It is notable as the birthplace of 9th centu ...
,
Cochin University of Science and Technology Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) is a state government-owned autonomous university in Kochi, Kerala, India. It was founded in 1971 and has three campuses: two in Kochi (Kalamassery and Ernakulam) and one in Kuttanad, Ala ...
in
Kalamassery Kalamassery () is a major industrial region in the city of Kochi in the state of Kerala, India. It houses companies like Apollo Tyres and HMT; IT/Electronics Parks like KINFRA Hi Tech Park, Startup Village, and Electronics City. Kalamassery ...
, and
Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies The Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) is a university established by the Government of Kerala devoted to studies in fisheries and ocean sciences. The bill seeking to establish the university was passed by the Kerala Legis ...
in
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 ...
. The district has the most number of educational institutions in the state; as of 2019, there are 476 fully high-tech schools in Ernakulam. In 2017, Ernakulam district administration launched the Roshni project, which aims to provide Malayalam education to migrant children. It supported 1,265 migrant workers’ children from lower primary to high school.


Divisions

There are two revenue divisions: Fort Kochi and Muvattupuzha. The municipal corporation is in Kochi.


Taluks

The district has the most taluks in the state. The district is divided by two revenue divisions with seven taluks. * Paravur * Aluva *
Kunnathunad Kunnathunad is a Taluk in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. Its headquarters is Perumbavoor town. Location History Kunnathunad taluk was formed during the period 1762-65 along with Alengad and Paravur Taluks. Demographics ...
*
Muvattupuzha Muvattupuzha () is a town in the midlands directly to the east of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is located about from downtown Kochi, and is a growing urban centre in central Kerala. The town is also the starting po ...
*
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 ...
*
Kanayannur Kanayannur is a taluk and a village in the district of Ernakulam, in the Indian state of Kerala. Taluk is an administrative denomination in India. History Kanayannur Taluk was formed in 1762, and is one of the oldest taluks in the former Cochi ...
*
Kothamangalam Kothamangalam, , is a municipality in Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. The town is in the foothills of the Western Ghats, and is a part of the Idukki Lok Sabha constituency. The town serves as the headquarters of a taluk and a municipality ...


Municipalities

Interestingly, Ernakulam district has the most number of municipalities in the state. *
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 ...
*
Piravom Piravom is a municipality in Ernakulam district and a suburb of Kochi in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located with in 31 km southeast of Kochi city center, at the boundary of the Ernakulam and Kottayam districts. Piravom is famous for ...
*
Muvattupuzha Muvattupuzha () is a town in the midlands directly to the east of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is located about from downtown Kochi, and is a growing urban centre in central Kerala. The town is also the starting po ...
*
Koothattukulam Koothattukulam is a town and municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinat ...
*
Perumbavoor Perumbavoor (, Malayalam: പെരുമ്പാവൂർ) is a historic place located at Bank of Periyar (Poorna River) in Ernakulam District in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a part of the Kochi metropolitan area It lies in the n ...
* Aluva *
Angamaly Angamaly (''Aṅkamāli''), , Malayalam : അങ്കമാലി Situated about north of the city centre, the town lies at the intersection of Main Central Road (MC Road) and National Highway 544. MC Road, which starts from Thiruvanantha ...
*
Thripunithura Thrippunithura or Tripunithura (), is a prominent historical and residential region in the City of Kochi in Kerala, India. Located about 7 km (4 mi) from the city centre, Tripunithura was the capital of the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin ...
*
Kalamassery Kalamassery () is a major industrial region in the city of Kochi in the state of Kerala, India. It houses companies like Apollo Tyres and HMT; IT/Electronics Parks like KINFRA Hi Tech Park, Startup Village, and Electronics City. Kalamassery ...
*
Kothamangalam Kothamangalam, , is a municipality in Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. The town is in the foothills of the Western Ghats, and is a part of the Idukki Lok Sabha constituency. The town serves as the headquarters of a taluk and a municipality ...
*
Eloor Eloor is a suburb of Kochi and a municipality in Paravur Taluk, Ernakulam District in the Indian state of Kerala, India. It is an industrial area situated around north of the city centre. It is an island of 14.21 km2 formed between two dis ...
*
Maradu Maradu is a fast developing region in the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. It is located at about from the city center. It was formed in May 1953 as a Grama Panchayath and was upgraded to the level of municipality in November 2010. National h ...
*
Thrikkakara Thrikkakkara is a region in the city of Kochi, as well as a municipality in Ernakulam District in the Indian state of Kerala, India. The municipality comprises 43 wards, including Marottichuvadu. It is especially notable for its significance in ...
A criticism that has been centered around this fact is that despite municipalities like Aluva, Kalamassery, Thrikkakara, Maradu, Tripunithura and Eloor becoming assimilated into Kochi city, they still exist as individual municipalities instead of being under
Kochi Corporation The Kochi Municipal Corporation is the municipal corporation that manages the Indian city of Kochi (also known as Cochin) in the state of Kerala. Municipal Corporation mechanism in India was introduced during British Rule with formation of muni ...
. Surprisingly the corporation has not amended its limits for over half a century, since 1967 to be precise. The corporation was the largest in area and population when it was formed, and all these regions were panchayaths back then. Instead of adding them to the corporation when these regions started developing due to the urban expansion of Kochi city, they were made into separate municipalities thus largely handicapping the corporation. Now the call to expand these outdated limits for a better unified administration for the entire city of Kochi is a strong public demand.


Parliamentary Constituencies

* Ernakulam Parliamentary Constituency * Chalakudy Parliamentary Constituency (partially) * Idukki Parliamentary Constituency (parts of Muvattupuzha taluk and Kothamangalam taluk) * Kottayam Parliamentary Constituency (parts of Muvattupuzha taluk and Kanayannur taluk)


Assembly Constituencies

*
Piravom Piravom is a municipality in Ernakulam district and a suburb of Kochi in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located with in 31 km southeast of Kochi city center, at the boundary of the Ernakulam and Kottayam districts. Piravom is famous for ...
*
Angamaly Angamaly (''Aṅkamāli''), , Malayalam : അങ്കമാലി Situated about north of the city centre, the town lies at the intersection of Main Central Road (MC Road) and National Highway 544. MC Road, which starts from Thiruvanantha ...
* Aluva *
Kalamassery Kalamassery () is a major industrial region in the city of Kochi in the state of Kerala, India. It houses companies like Apollo Tyres and HMT; IT/Electronics Parks like KINFRA Hi Tech Park, Startup Village, and Electronics City. Kalamassery ...
*
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 ...
*
Vypeen Vypin (Malayalam: വൈപ്പിന്‍, Cochin Portuguese: Isla Santa) is one of the group of islands that form part of the city of Kochi (Cochin), in the Indian state of Kerala. Vypin forms a barrier island which lies between the Ar ...
*
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 ...
*
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 ...
*
Thrikkakara Thrikkakkara is a region in the city of Kochi, as well as a municipality in Ernakulam District in the Indian state of Kerala, India. The municipality comprises 43 wards, including Marottichuvadu. It is especially notable for its significance in ...
*
Thripunithura Thrippunithura or Tripunithura (), is a prominent historical and residential region in the City of Kochi in Kerala, India. Located about 7 km (4 mi) from the city centre, Tripunithura was the capital of the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin ...
*
Perumbavoor Perumbavoor (, Malayalam: പെരുമ്പാവൂർ) is a historic place located at Bank of Periyar (Poorna River) in Ernakulam District in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a part of the Kochi metropolitan area It lies in the n ...
*
Kunnathunad Kunnathunad is a Taluk in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. Its headquarters is Perumbavoor town. Location History Kunnathunad taluk was formed during the period 1762-65 along with Alengad and Paravur Taluks. Demographics ...
*
Moovattupuzha Muvattupuzha () is a town in the midlands directly to the east of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is located about from downtown Kochi, and is a growing urban centre in central Kerala. The town is also the starting poin ...
*
Kothamangalam Kothamangalam, , is a municipality in Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. The town is in the foothills of the Western Ghats, and is a part of the Idukki Lok Sabha constituency. The town serves as the headquarters of a taluk and a municipality ...


Demographics

According to the 2018 Statistics Report, Ernakulam 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 3,427,659. 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 ...
reports that the district is ranked 104th most populous in India out 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 ...
in 2001–2011 was 5.69%. Ernakulam 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 1027
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 ...
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 95.89%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 8.18% and 0.50% of the population respectively.
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 ...
is the predominant language, spoken by 96.70% of the population. Other languages spoken in Kochi include Punjabi (the second-most spoken language) and
Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...
. This district is listed as the "most advanced" district in Kerala. It had a resident population of 3,105,798 as of 2001, excluding the commuters from neighbouring districts. The urban population is 68%. According to the 2011 Census of India, Ernakulam District also houses the largest city (UA) in the state (17th largest in the country) -
Kochi Urban Agglomeration The Kochi metropolitan area or Kochi urban agglomeration is a metropolitan area centered around the city of Kochi, in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. With a population of more than 2.1 million within an area of 440 km², it is the most po ...
. Kochi UA spans across 843km2 with a population of 2,119,724 (2.12 million), thereby housing approximately two thirds of the population of Ernakulam District. Government of Kerala have also marked Kochi UA as the only "first order UA" in the state, which has its influence spread across the entire state unlike the other smaller cities. The district also houses another smaller urban agglomeration -
Kothamangalam Kothamangalam, , is a municipality in Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. The town is in the foothills of the Western Ghats, and is a part of the Idukki Lok Sabha constituency. The town serves as the headquarters of a taluk and a municipality ...
, which has an area of 81.42 km2 housing over 1,14, 639 people. The towns of
Kothamangalam Kothamangalam, , is a municipality in Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. The town is in the foothills of the Western Ghats, and is a part of the Idukki Lok Sabha constituency. The town serves as the headquarters of a taluk and a municipality ...
and
Muvattupuzha Muvattupuzha () is a town in the midlands directly to the east of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is located about from downtown Kochi, and is a growing urban centre in central Kerala. The town is also the starting po ...
form a major chunk of the Kothamangalam UA.


Religion

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 ...
s (46%) accounts for the largest community, followed by
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 ...
(38%) (
Latin Catholic , native_name_lang = la , image = San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , alt = Façade of the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran , caption = Archbasilica of Saint Joh ...
, Syro-Malabar,
Jacobites Jacobite means follower of Jacob or James. Jacobite may refer to: Religion * Jacobites, followers of Saint Jacob Baradaeus (died 578). Churches in the Jacobite tradition and sometimes called Jacobite include: ** Syriac Orthodox Church, sometime ...
,
Pentecostals Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement
and Malankara Orthodox) and
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 (15.7%). A small population of
Jains Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
,
Jew 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""Th ...
s, and
Sikh Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
s reside in Kochi. Ernakulam once had a vibrant Jewish population, with several synagogues, known as the
Malabar Jews Cochin Jews (also known as Malabar Jews or Kochinim, from ) are the oldest group of Jews in India, with roots that are claimed to date back to the time of King Solomon. The Cochin Jews settled in the Kingdom of Cochin in South India, now par ...
who used to dominate the trade and commercial activities in the district. After the state of Israel was formed in 1945, the entire community made
aliyah Aliyah (, ; he, עֲלִיָּה ''ʿălīyyā'', ) is the immigration of Jews from Jewish diaspora, the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel, which is in the modern era chiefly represented by the Israel, State of Israel ...
to Israel in the 1950's. Today they number 8000 in Israel but very few Jews remain in the district. After a direct flight service was established between
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 ...
and
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
they have retained ties with the state with annual visits and gatherings. Ernakulam also has a significant Konkani Hindu population who migrated from Goa during the
Goa Inquisition The Goa Inquisition ( pt, Inquisição de Goa) was an extension of the Portuguese Inquisition in Portuguese India. Its objective was to enforce Catholic Orthodoxy and allegiance to the Apostolic See of Rome (Pontifex). The inquisition primaril ...
. There is a small
Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
community in Ernakulam district, concentrated mainly in Kochi city. The Sikh community in Ernakulam is also concentrated mainly in Kochi. There are more than 25 Sikh families in
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 ...
and there is one
gurdwara A gurdwara (sometimes written as gurudwara) (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ''guradu'ārā'', meaning "Door to the Guru") is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths ...
.


Culture


Festivals and traditions

The
Aluva Sivarathri festival Aluva Sivarathri Festival is the Sivarathri celebrated in Aluva Mahadeva Temple in Aluva, Kochi in the state of Kerala, India The celebration of Sivarathri in Aluva is very famous in Kerala. The month of Kumbham is noted for the Sivarathri fe ...
at the
Aluva Mahadeva Temple Aluva Mahadeva Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, and situated on the bank of the Periyar River at Aluva manappuram in suburban Kochi. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva, located in main Sanctum Sanctorum, facin ...
(situated on the banks of river Periyar) in Aluva attracts people from around the country. St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Piravom is believed to be founded in 405 A.D. and was the headquarters of
Archdeacon An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denominations, above that o ...
and St Thomas until the 18th century.
Adi Shankaracharya Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...
was born in
Kalady Kalady or Kaladi is a town located between Angamaly and Perumbavoor, east of the Periyar river, near to Malayattoor in Ernakulam district of Kerala, India, not far from Cochin International Airport. It is notable as the birthplace of 9th centu ...
, which is considered to be a major pilgrimage centre 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 ...
around the world. Kallil Kshethram is a famous
Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
temple near
Perumbavoor Perumbavoor (, Malayalam: പെരുമ്പാവൂർ) is a historic place located at Bank of Periyar (Poorna River) in Ernakulam District in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a part of the Kochi metropolitan area It lies in the n ...
. Puthencruz is the regional seat of
Syriac Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = syc , image = St_George_Syriac_orthodox_church_in_Damascus.jpg , imagewidth = 250 , alt = Cathedral of Saint George , caption = Cathedral of Saint George, Damascus ...
in India, and is where
Saint Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Malayattoor The St Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic International Shrine, Malayattoor (or Malayatoor Church) is one of the eight international shrines in the world, situated in Malayattoor Angamaly, Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. The Malayatoor Church att ...
is located. The eight-day lent (Ettunombu) festival at St Mary's Jacobite Syrian Valiyapally, Thamarachal attracts many people from all over the state. St. George Orthodox Syrian Church at Kadamattam near
Muvattupuzha Muvattupuzha () is a town in the midlands directly to the east of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is located about from downtown Kochi, and is a growing urban centre in central Kerala. The town is also the starting po ...
is very old and was founded by Mar Abo Syrian Metropolitan in the 5th century A.D. He brought a cross from Persia, which is preserved in the church. The festival at the Latin church of Vallarpadam on 24 September attracts people belonging to all religions. The icon of
Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...
in this church is credited with many miracles. St. George's Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Edappally was founded in 593 A.D. Important pilgrimage sites in Ernakulam are Koonan Kurish St George Orthodox Pilgrim church, Mattancherry; Vadakken Paravoor St Thomas Catholic Church,
Malayattoor Pally Malayattoor is a village in Aluva thaluk . It is situated around 15 km (9 mi) north-east of Angamaly in Ernakulam District in the state of Kerala in South India. The name `Malayattoor' is an amalgamation of three small words. Mala ...
; and Mor Thoman
Jacobite Church , native_name_lang = syc , image = St_George_Syriac_orthodox_church_in_Damascus.jpg , imagewidth = 250 , alt = Cathedral of Saint George , caption = Cathedral of Saint George, Damascu ...
,
Kothamangalam Kothamangalam, , is a municipality in Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. The town is in the foothills of the Western Ghats, and is a part of the Idukki Lok Sabha constituency. The town serves as the headquarters of a taluk and a municipality ...
; and Thrikkunnathu St Mary's Seminary Church, Aluva. The relics of Gregorios Abdul Jaleel are preserved at the St. Thomas Jacobite church
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 ...
. Thousands of pilgrims from Kerala culminate on 27 April for the Dhukrono of the Saint. The Feast of
Eldho Mor Baselios Saint Baselios Yeldo was the Maphrian of the East of the Syriac Orthodox Church from 1678 until his resignation in 1684. He is venerated as a saint in the Syriac Orthodox Church, Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church and Malankara Orth ...
is celebrated in the tomb church Mor Thoman Church at Kothamangalam every year on 2 and 3 October. The Feast of
Paulose Mar Athanasius St.Paulose Mor Athanasios , popularly known as Aluvayile Valiya Thirumeni, was the Metropolitan of the Angamaly Diocese and malankara Metropolitan of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church. The Feast of Mor Athanasius is held annually ...
on 26 January at Thrikkunnathu St Mary's Seminary Church, Aluva, where he is entombed, also attracts thousands.
Gheevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala Saint Geevarghese Mor Gregorios, popularly known as Parumala Thirumeni (Bishop of Parumala), (15 June 1848 – 2 November 1902) was a Metropolitan of the Malankara Church. Parumala Thirumeni became the first person of Indian origin to be canon ...
, also known as
Parumala Thirumeni Saint Geevarghese Mor Gregorios, popularly known as Parumala Thirumeni (Bishop of Parumala), (15 June 1848 – 2 November 1902) was a Metropolitan of the Malankara Church. Parumala Thirumeni became the first person of Indian origin to be can ...
, the first saint of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church from India was born and brought up in
Mulanthuruthy Mulanthuruthy, also spelt Mulamthuruthy, is a south-eastern suburb of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. The historic Marthoman church is located here. Chottanikkara Temple is situated nearby Mulanthuruthy. Location It is about 15 km so ...
.


Places of interest

*
Marine Drive, Kochi Marine Drive is a picturesque promenade in Kochi, India. It is built facing the backwaters, and is a popular hangout for the local populace. Despite its name, no vehicles are allowed on the walkway. Marine Drive is also an economically thriving ...
*
Kadavumbhagam Mattancherry Synagogue Kadavumbhagam Mattancherry Synagogue aka Kadavumbhagam Synagogue ( Mal: കടവു൦ഭാഗ൦ മട്ടാഞ്ചേരി ജൂതപള്ളി or കടവു൦ഭാഗ൦ ജൂതപള്ളി ) is a Jewish synagogue located ...
* Kadavumbhagam Ernakulam Synagogue *
Paradesi Synagogue The Paradesi Synagogue aka Cochin Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue (Malayalam: പരദേശി ജൂതപള്ളി) is a synagogue located in Mattancherry Jew Town, a suburb of the city of Kochi, Kerala, in India. It wa ...
: Constructed in 1567, only active
synagogue A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...
in the Kochi. *
Chinese Fishing Nets Chinese fishing nets (''Cheena vala'' in India or ''tangkul'' in Indonesia) are a type of stationary lift net in India and Indonesia. They are fishing nets that are fixed land installations for fishing. While commonly known as "Chinese fish ...
(Cheena Vala) *
Hill Palace, Tripunithura Hill Palace is an archaeological museum and palace located in the Tripunithura neighbourhood of Kochi city in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the largest archeological museum in the state and was the imperial administrative office and officia ...
* Bolgatty Island *
Willingdon Island Willingdon Island is the largest artificial island in India, which forms part of the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala. Much of the present Willingdon Island was claimed from the Lake of Kochi, filling in dredged soil around a previously ...
*
Dutch Palace The Mattancherry Palace is a palace popularly known as the Dutch Palace, in Mattancherry, Kochi, India, Kochi, in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Kerala which features Kerala murals depicting portraits and exhibits of the ...
: Made in 1568 by the Portuguese. Later re-structured by the Dutch. * St. Francis Church, Kochi: Originally built in 1503, the oldest European church in India *
Kodanad Kodanad is a rural riverside village of Ernakulam district in Kerala, South India. It is 18 km from Angamaly. Kodanad is situated on the south bank of Periyar river, about 42 kilometers east of Kochi. The village is a major tourist destinat ...
: Elephant training centre is located here. * Pareekshit Thampuran Museum * Kerala Historical Museum: Located at
Edappally Edappally or Idappalli is a region in the city of Kochi, Kerala, India. It is a major commercial centre as well as a prominent residential region. Edappally junction is one of the busiest junctions in the city. History Edappally in Englis ...
* Chendamangalam, a village * Palium Palace * Vypeenakotta Seminary *
Bhoothathankettu Bhoothathankettu is a dam and tourist spot in Ernakulam district in Kerala, India. It is situated outside the village of Pindimana, about 10 km away from the town of Kothamangalam and 50 km away from the main city of Kochi. The ...
, a scenic dam site * St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Malayattoor: The only international shrine in Asia. Believed to have been visited by St. Thomas, the apostle. * Wonder La, Kakkanad: Amusement park *
Cherai Beach Cherai Beach is a beach located in Cherai in the northern side of Vypin Island, a suburb of the city Kochi in the state of Kerala, India. One of the most visited beaches in the state, it is situated at around 25 km (15 mi) from downtown Koc ...
. * Kuzhippilly Beach *
Fort Kochi Beach Fort Kochi beach is a beach along the Arabian Sea situated in Fort Kochi in the city of Kochi in South India, Kerala state. Points of interests Unique views and point of interests are the so-called Chinese fishing nets (''Cheena vala'', Malay ...
* Paniyeli Poru * Ezhattumugham


Transport


Road connectivity

The three major national highways passing through Ernakulam are the Cochin-Mumbai Highway (
NH 66 National Highway 66, commonly referred to as NH 66 (erstwhile NH-17 and a part of NH-47), is a mostly 4 lane long busy National Highway that runs roughly north–south along the western coast of India, parallel to the Western Ghats. It conn ...
), Salem-Kanyakumari ( NH 47 part of NSEW corridor), and Cochin-Dhanushkodi highway ( NH 49).


Railway station

Ernakulam has 17 railway stations. The
Ernakulam Junction Ernakulam Junction railway station (also known as Ernakulam South, code: ERS) is the biggest railway station in the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. Controlling 376 train routes at a time, it is the busiest railway junction station in South Indi ...
,
Ernakulam Town Ernakulam Town (also known as Ernakulam North, code: ERN) is one of the main railway stations in the city of Kochi, Kerala, India. Administration The station is operated by the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways and is an 'A ...
and Aluva are the major stations. The other stations are
Angamaly Angamaly (''Aṅkamāli''), , Malayalam : അങ്കമാലി Situated about north of the city centre, the town lies at the intersection of Main Central Road (MC Road) and National Highway 544. MC Road, which starts from Thiruvanantha ...
,
Thripunithura Thrippunithura or Tripunithura (), is a prominent historical and residential region in the City of Kochi in Kerala, India. Located about 7 km (4 mi) from the city centre, Tripunithura was the capital of the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin ...
,
Edapally Edappally or Idappalli is a region in the city of Kochi, Kerala, India. It is a major commercial centre as well as a prominent residential region. Edappally junction is one of the busiest junctions in the city. History Edappally in Englis ...
, Mulamthuruthy,
Cochin Harbour Terminus Cochin Harbour Terminus (CHTS) is one of the railway stations in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is located on the Willingdon Island. The Cochin Harbour Terminus is the principal station providing rail connectivity to the ...
, Karakutty,
Chowara Chowara is a village in Ernakulam District, Kerala, situated about 5km North of Aluva Town Agriculture Rice is grown and harvested in Chowwera. See also * Sreemoolanagaram Sreemoolanagaram is a small town near Aluva and is a part of the Sreemoo ...
,
Kalamassery Kalamassery () is a major industrial region in the city of Kochi in the state of Kerala, India. It houses companies like Apollo Tyres and HMT; IT/Electronics Parks like KINFRA Hi Tech Park, Startup Village, and Electronics City. Kalamassery ...
,
Nettoor Nettoor (also spelled as Nettur aka Tirunettur) is a region in the city of Kochi. It is around from Vytilla Junction and around from Ernakulam Junction Railway Station. Nettoor is located on Panangad Island and is a part of Maradu Municipali ...
, Kumbalam, Mattancherry H., Chottanikkara road, and
Piravom Piravom is a municipality in Ernakulam district and a suburb of Kochi in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located with in 31 km southeast of Kochi city center, at the boundary of the Ernakulam and Kottayam districts. Piravom is famous for ...
road. The rail routes travel via
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 ...
, Kottayam, Cochin H.T., Alappuzha, and Vallarpadam. The Angamaly-Erumely Sabarimala route passes through the district.
Kochi Metro The Kochi Metro is a rapid transit system serving the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. It was opened to the public within four years of starting construction, making it one of the fastest completed metro projects in India. The Kochi metro proje ...
runs in Kochi.


Airport

Ernakulam district has two airports: Naval airport in W.island (Old Cochin airport) and
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 ...
(CIAL). CIAL is the fourth largest airport in the country after
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
,
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
, and
Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
, and serves International passengers.


Water transport

Ernakulam lies in the flat delta region of the Periyar and Moovattupuzha rivers. Water transport is prominent in the district via rivers and lagoons.


Notable people

*
Hibi Eden Hibi Eden (born 19 April 1983) is an Indian politician from Ernakulam, Kerala and member of the Indian National Congress. Hibi is the son of the late George Eden, a long time member of Parliament from the Ernakulam constituency. Early life Hibi ...
(Present MP) *
Adi Sankaracharya Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...
(Saint Advaita) *
Abraham Barak Salem Abraham ben Barak Salem (1882 – 1967) was an Indian nationalist and Zionist, a lawyer and politician, and one of the most prominent Cochin Jews of the twentieth century. Popular by his epithet of "Jewish Gandhi", he was known as "Salem Kocha" ...
(Jewish Gandhi)) *
Ajay Kudua Ajay Kudua (born 26 March 1976) is an Indian cricketer who played 61 first-class cricket, first-class matches between 1994 and 2005. Kudua was a key batsman for Kerala cricket team, Kerala. In 2017, he was appointed as the batting coach of the ...
(cricketer) * Swami Chinmayananda (Indian spiritual leader and geetacharya ) *
Geevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala Saint Geevarghese Mor Gregorios, popularly known as Parumala Thirumeni (Bishop of Parumala), (15 June 1848 – 2 November 1902) was a Metropolitan of the Malankara Church. Parumala Thirumeni became the first person of Indian origin to be canon ...
(Syrian Orthodox Saint) *
Paulose Mar Athanasius St.Paulose Mor Athanasios , popularly known as Aluvayile Valiya Thirumeni, was the Metropolitan of the Angamaly Diocese and malankara Metropolitan of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church. The Feast of Mor Athanasius is held annually ...
(Syrian Orthodox Saint) *
Shadkala Govinda Marar ( ml, ഗോവിന്ദ മാരാര്‍)(1798–1843), or was a Carnatic Musician from Kerala, India. He was a contemporary of Saint Tyāgarāja and Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma. He was also adept in playing musical instruments like ...
(Carnatic musician) *
Sahodaran Ayyappan Kumbalathuparambu Ayyappan (August 21, 1889 – March 6, 1968), better identified as Sahodaran Ayyappan , was a social reformer, thinker, rationalist, journalist, and politician from Kerala, India. A vocal follower of Sree Narayana Guru, he was ...
(social reformer and former minister of Kochi State) *
K J Yesudas Kattassery Joseph Yesudas (born 10 January 1940) is an Indian people, Indian playback singer and musician who sings Indian classical, devotional and film songs. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of Music of Indi ...
(singer) * Changampuzha (poet) *
Malayattoor ramakrishnan K. V. Ramakrishna Iyer, better known by his pen name, Malayattoor Ramakrishnan (27 May 1927 – 27 December 1997), was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature, cartoonist, lawyer, judicial magistrate, and Indian Administrative Service (IAS) of ...
(novelist) * NS Madhavan (writer) * N. A. Naseer (photographer, activist and author) * Sebastian Paul (politician) *
Simon Britto Rodrigues Simon Britto Rodrigues (27 March 1954 – 31 December 2018) was an Indian politician and writer. He was an Anglo-Indian member in the Kerala Legislative Assembly during the term of Left Democratic Front government from 2006 to 2011. Early lif ...
(politician) * K J Maxi (Kochi MLA) * Feroze V Rasheed (cricketer) * K Jayaraman (cricketer) *
G. Sankara Kurup G. Sankara Kurup, (3 June 1901 – 2 February 1978) also referred to as Mahakavi G (The Great Poet G), was an Indian poet, essayist and literary critic of Malayalam literature. Known as one of the greats of Malayalam poetry, he was the first r ...
(poet) * P K Vasudevan Nair (former chief minister) *
Balachandran Chullikad Balachandran Chullikkad (born 30 July 1957) is an Indian poet, orator, lyricist and actor in Malayalam-language. Early life Balachandran was born in Paravur, Ernakulam, Kerala, India. He completed his graduation in English literature from the ...
(poet and actor) * Sreesanth (cricketer) *
K. V. Thomas K. V. Thomas (born 10 May 1946), in full Kuruppasserry Varkey Thomas, is an Indian politician from Kumbalangi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. He represented Ernakulam Constituency from 2009 to 2019. He was the Minister of State in ...
(politician) *
Asin Thottumkal Asin Thottumkal (born 26 October 1985), known mononymously as Asin, is a former Indian actress who appeared predominantly in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu films. She is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. She has received three Filmfare Awards. She be ...
(actress) *
Jayasurya Jayasurya (born August 1978) is an Indian actor, distributor, Sponsor, Model, film producer, playback singer, and impressionist, who works in the Malayalam films. He has appeared in more than 100 films and has won several awards, including a N ...
(actor) * Cochin Haneefa (actor) * Sreejesh Ravindran (hockey player) * Sankaradi (actor) *
Salim Kumar Salim Kumar (born 10 October 1969) is an Indian actor, comedian, director and writer in Malayalam cinema. Mostly known for his comic and comedy roles, Salim Kumar is considered one of the best and most prominent comedians in the history of Mala ...
(actor) * T. K. Narayana Pillai (former chief minister of Kerala) *
Jayaram Jayaram Subramaniam, (born 10 December 1965) known mononymously as Jayaram, is an Indian actor who predominantly appears in Malayalam,Tamil films, along with a few Telugu films. He is also a chenda percussionist, mimicry artist, and occasiona ...
(actor) * Lalu Alex (actor) *
Hibi Eden Hibi Eden (born 19 April 1983) is an Indian politician from Ernakulam, Kerala and member of the Indian National Congress. Hibi is the son of the late George Eden, a long time member of Parliament from the Ernakulam constituency. Early life Hibi ...
(politician) * K. M. George (politician) *
Francis George Francis Eugene George (January 16, 1937 – April 17, 2015) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the eighth Archbishop of Chicago in Illinois (1997–2014) and previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Yakima and A ...
(politician) * Johnny Nellore (politician) * T. M. Jacob (politician) *
Anoop Jacob Anoop Jacob (born 16 December 1977) is an Indian politician and a Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly and Legislative Party leader of the Kerala Congress (Jacob), a constituent of the UDF political alliance.http://kaumudiglobal.com/i ...
(politician) *
Jose Thettayil Jose Thettayil (born 17 August 1950) is an Indian politician, trade unionist, advocate, and a member of Janata Dal (Secular). He was the ex- minister for Transport in the Government of Kerala. He represents the Angamaly constituency in Ernakulam ...
(politician) *
Nivin Pauly Nivin Pauly (born 11 October 1984) is an Indian actor and producer who works predominantly in Malayalam films. He is a recipient of several awards including two Kerala State Film Awards and three Filmfare South awards. Nivin auditioned for ...
(actor) *
Lal Lal ( fa, لعل, hi, लाल, bn, লাল, ur, لال, ps, Lāl) is an Indo-Iranian surname and given name, which means "darling", "precious", or "beloved", from the Sanskrit ''lala'' ("cajoling").''Dictionary of American Family Names''F ...
(actor) *
Rajeev Ravi Rajeev Ravi is an Indian cinematographer, director, and producer from Kochi, Kerala. He's best known for his work in Hindi and Malayalam films. After graduating from Film and Television Institute of India, Pune in 1997, he started his career ...
(director and cinematographer)


Gallery

File:Kochi Jewish Synagogue C.jpg, Paradesi Cochin Jewish Synagogue File:St. Francis CSI Church, in Fort Kochi DSW.jpg, St. Francis Church File:Marine Drive Kochi.jpg, Chinese Net Bridge at Marine Drive walkway File:Kochi, Dutch Cemetery, Kerala, India.jpg, The old Dutch cemetery in Kochi File:Kochi, Old Kochi, Kerala, India.jpg, School in Old Kochi File:Kochi, Fishing nets, Sunset, Kerala, India.jpg, Fishing nets in Fort Kochi File:Hill palace horse cart room back of palace.jpg,
Hill Palace, Tripunithura Hill Palace is an archaeological museum and palace located in the Tripunithura neighbourhood of Kochi city in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the largest archeological museum in the state and was the imperial administrative office and officia ...
File:High Court of Kerala Building.jpg,
High Court of Kerala The High Court of Kerala is the highest court in the Indian state of Kerala and the Union territory of Lakshadweep. It is located in Kochi. Drawing its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the High Court has the power to issu ...
at
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 ...
File:Heritage Building of Ernakulam District Court by Augustus Binu.jpg, Heritage Building of Ernakulam District Court


See also

* Arayankavu *
Edathala Edathala is a gram panchayat near Aluva town. It is also a village in Aluva taluk of Ernakulam district, in the state of Kerala, India. History About 300 years ago, Padamattam was the place where the Lord King of Edappally fought against Kalat ...
*
Kizhakkambalam Kizhakkambalam is an eastern suburb of the city of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is regarded as a model panchayat for its various development activities and is a part of the Kunnathunad tehsil of the Ernakulam district. Demog ...
* Kizhakkumbhagom *
Malayattoor Malayattoor is a village in Aluva thaluk . It is situated around 15 km (9 mi) north-east of Angamaly in Ernakulam District in the state of Kerala in South India. The name `Malayattoor' is an amalgamation of three small words. Mala ( ...
* Perumpalloor * Thuthiyoor


References


Further reading

* * * *


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ernakulam District 1958 establishments in Kerala Districts of Kerala