About Kottayam
Illavizha Poonjira
Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located in central Kerala and is also the administrative capital of Kottayam district. Bordered by the lofty and mighty Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west, Kottayam is a land of unique characteristics. Panoramic backwater stretches, lush paddy fields, highlands, hills and hillocks, extensive rubber plantations, places associated with many legends and a totally literate people have given Kottayam District the enviable title: The land of letters, legends, latex and lakes. The city is an important trading center of spices and commercial crops, especially rubber. Most of India's natural rubber originates from the acres of well-kept plantations of Kottayam, also home to the Rubber Board. Kottayam is also called as "Akshara Nagari" which means the "city of letters" considering its contribution to print media and literature. Kottayam Town is the first town in India to have achieved 100% literacy (a remarkable feat achieved as early as in 1989). English education in South India did actually start at the Old Seminary here at Kottayam in 1813. The first printing press in Kerala was established (CMS Press) here in 1821 by Rev.Benjamin Baily. The first college in the State (CMS College) was also started here at Kottayam in 1840. Maiden printed Malayalam-English and English-Malayalam Dictionaries were published from Kottayam in 1846 and 1847 respectively. The first and only Cooperative Society of writers, authors and publishers (SPCS), for publishing books and periodicals was set up here in 1945. Kottayam is the hometown of a vast number of books and periodicals and is the center of publishing business in the State. Kottayam is the first town in India selected by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India to be transformed as an Eco City. The Sri K R Narayanan, the former President of India hails from Kottayam District. Kottayam is the ideal take off point for visits to Peermade, Munnar, Thekkady, Ernakulam and the temple city, Madurai. It is also a gateway to the pilgrim centers of Sabarimala, Mannanam, Vaikom, Ettumanoor, Bharananganam, Erumeli, Manarcaud, and so on.
History
Kottayam literally means the interior of a fort - Kotta + Akam. Rulers of Munjanad and Thekkumkur had their headquarters at Thazhathangadi in the present Kottayam town. Marthanda Varma of Travancore attacked Thekkumkur and destroyed the palace and the Thaliyil fort. The remnants of the palaces and forts are still seen here.
The present Kottayam district was previously a part of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore. Earlier, the Travancore state consisted of two revenue divisions viz. the southern and northern divisions, under the administrative control of a 'Diwan Peshkar' for each. Later in 1868 two more divisions Quilon (Kollam) and Kottayam were constituted. The fifth division Devikulam came next but only for a short period, which in course of time, was added to Kottayam. At the time of the integration of the State of Travancore and Cochin (Kochi) in 1949, these revenue divisions were renamed as districts and the Diwan peshkars gave way to District Collectors, paving the way for the birth of the Kottayam District in July 1949.
Kottayam has played its role in all the political agitations of modern times. The 'Malayali Memorial ' agitation may be said to have had its origin in Kottayam. The Malayali Memorial sought to secure better representation for educated Travancoreans in the Travancore civil service against persons from outside. The Memorial, which was presented to the Maharaja Sri Moolam Thirunal (1891) was drafted at a public meeting held in the Kottayam Public Library. The event marked the beginning of the modern political movement in the State.
K Kelappan Leader of Vaikom Satyagraha
Gandhiji on Vaikom Satyagraha
It was here that the famous Vaikom Satyagraha (1924-25), an epic struggle for eradication of untouchability, took place. Scheduled castes and other backward classes in Travancore were denied not only entry into temples, but also access to temple roads. Vaikom, the seat of a celebrated Siva Temple, was the venue of the symbolic satyagraha. It is of immense historic significance that national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, C. Rajagopalachari, Acharya Vinoba Bhave and E.V. Ramswami Naykar, associated with this struggle.
The ' Nivarthana ' agitation of the early thirties, to secure adequate representation for the non-caste Hindus, Christians and Muslims in the State Legislature, enjoyed considerable support from this district.
The district was also a centre of the agitation led by the State Congress for responsible Government in Travancore. The agitation had a triumphant end, with the overthrow of Sir. C.P. Ramaswami Iyer, the then Dewan of Travancore.
 Collectorate, Kottayam | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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IMPORTANT POLICE OFFICES | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Authorities | Phone Nos(0481) |
| Supdt. of Police | 2564700 , 2578115(R) |
| Dist.Police Office | 2562204 |
| Dy.Supdt of Police (Admin) | 2564770 |
| Dy.Supdt of Police (DCRB) | 2564028 |
| Dy.Supdt of Police (Crime Dett) | |
| Dy.Supdt of Police (Narcotic Cell) | |
| Dy.Supdt of Police (Dist. SB) | 2563388 |
| SP , CB CID | 2563005 |
| SP Vigilance | 2585504 |
| DYSP SB CID | 2575048 |
| Police Surgeon | 2597217 |
| Police Club | 2560521 |
| Railway P S | 2562628 |
| Finger Print Bureau | 2560260 |
KOTTAYAM |_____ Kottayam Sub Division ( Dy. Supdt. of Police, Phone 2564103) | |______CI Kottayam West 2301199 | |________|_____ SI Kottayam West 2301199 | |________|_____ SI Kumarakam 2567210 | |_____CI Kottayam East | |________|_____ SI Kottayam Eest 2301144 | |________|_____ SI Kottayam Traffic 2302977 | |________|_____ SI Gandhi Nagar 2597210 | |_____ CI Vakathanam | |________|_____ SI Vakathanam 2462296 | |________|_____ SI Chingavanam 2430587 | |________|_____ SI Karukachal 2485126 | |_____ CI Changanacherry (SHO) 2400100 | |________|_____ SI Changanacherry 2420100 | |________|_____Control Room, Changanacherry 2410100 | |______CI Ettumanoor 2539300 | |________|______SI Ettumanoor 2539300 | |________|______SI Kuravilangad 95482 230323 |_____ Pala Sub Division ( Dy. Supdt. of Police, Phone 954822 210888) | |_______CI Pala 954822 212334 | |________|_______SI Pala 954822 212334 | |_______CI Kaduthurthy 954829 282332 | |________|_______SI Kaduthurthy 954829 282323 | |________|_______SI Velloor 954829 257160 | |_____ __CI Vaikom (SHO) 954829 226170 | |________|_______SI Vaikom 954829 221330 | |________|_______SI Kidangoor 954822 254195 | |________CI Ramapuram 954822 262777 | |________|_______ SI Ramapuram 954822 260252 | |________|_______ SI Marangattupally 954822 251065 | |________CI Erattupetta 954822 274025 | |________|________SI Erattupetta 954822 272228 | |________|________SI Melukavu 954822 291058 | |________|________SI Thidanad 954822 835295 |_____ Kanjirappally Sub Division ( Dy. Supdt. of Police, Phone 954828 202899) | |________CI Kanjirappally 954828 202800 | |________|________SI Kanjirappally 954828 202800 | |________|________SI Mundakayam 954828 272317 | |________CI Ponkunnam 954828 224640 | |________|________SI Ponkunnam 954828 221240 | |________|________SI Pallickkathod 954828 2551066 | |________CI Manimala 954828 247141 | |________|________SI Manimala 954828 247141 | |________|________SI Erumely 954828 210233 | |________CI Pampady 2505322 | |________|________SI Pampady 2505322 | |________|________SI Manarcad 2370288 | |
Geography
Kottayam district has a total area of 2208 sq. km. The district is naturally divided into high land, midland and lowland, the bulk being constituted by the midland regions. Meenachil and Kanjirappally Taluks have high land and midland areas while Kottayam, Changanassery and Vaikom Taluks have midland and lowland areas. Kanjirappally and Meenachil Taluks have Laterite soil, where as Vaikom Taluk, part of Changanassery and Kottayam Taluks have Aluvial soil. The district has no coastal area.
Classification of area under land utilisation
(Source: Agricultural Statistics 2001-02)
Classification of Land | Total ( in Hect) |
| Forest | 8141 |
| Non Agricultural uses | 26557 |
| Barren & uncultivable land | 2031 |
| Permanent pastures and other grazing land | 1 |
| Land under misc. tree crops | 119 |
| Cultivable waste | 2690 |
| Fallow other than current fallow | 2259 |
| Current fallow | 4937 |
| Net area sown | 172815 |
| Area sown more than once | 48134 |
Rivers
The important rivers of the district are the Meenachil River, the Muvattupuzha River and the Manimala River. The 78 km. long Meenachil River flows through the Taluks of Meenachil, Vaikom and Kottayam. It has a catchment area of 1272 km2 and utilizable water resource of 1110 mm3. The River is formed by several streams originating from the Western Ghats in Idukki district. At Erattupetta, Poonjar River also joins it, takes a sharp turn and flows towards the west. At Kondur, it is joined by the Chittar and at Lalam it receives the Payapparathodu and flows in a south-west direction till it reaches Kottayam. Here it branches into several streams before emptying into the Vembanad Lake. The important towns in the basin are Pala, Poonjar, Ettumanoor and Kottayam. Meenachil Medium Irrigation project is having a net ayacut of 9960 hectares, 155 sq.km. catchment area and a water spread area of 228 hectares. The Muvattupuzha River originates from Idukki district, flows through Vaikom Taluk and empties into the Vembanad Lake. The most important town in the basin is Vaikom, the famous pilgrim centre.The Manimala River flows through Kanjirappally and Changanassery Taluks. The Chittar joins it on its course further down the west as it flows to Alappuzha district. The important town in the basin is Mundakkayam. Art & Culture  Kottayam occupies a prominent place in the cultural map of Kerala. Kunchan Nambiar, the father of Thullal, a popular temple art form, is supposed to have lived at Kidangoor. Unnineeli Sandesam, the exquisite Malayalam poetry work, is supposed to have been written by one of the Vadakkumkur Rajas. The Christian Missionaries enriched Malayalam literature by their valuable contributions in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Varthamana Pusthakam (1778) written by Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar, on a travel to Rome, is the first travelogue in Malayalam. The first autobiography in Malayalam by Vaikom Pachu Moothathu was published from Kottayam in 1870. In the concluding decades of the 19th Century and the beginning of the 20th Century, Kottayam shot into limelight as the nerve centre of all literary and cultural activities in the erstwhile Travancore State. Late Kottarathil Sankunny, Kandathil Varghese Mappilai, Kerala Varma Valiyakoi Thampuran, K.C. Mammen Mappilai, Kattakkayathil Cheriyan Mappilai, Vadakkumkoor Raja Raja Varma, Karoor Neelakanda Pillai, Vaikom Muhammed Basheer, D.C. Kizhakkemuri and Abhaya Dev are few names, in the category of outstanding dignitaries and celebrities, worth mentioning, who had made very valuable, substantial and individual contributions in their own way to the cultural and social milieu. Eminent writers Ponkunnam Varkey, Vaikom Chandra Sekharan Nair, distinguished Poet Mahakavi Pala Narayanan Nair, illustrious Kathakali artist Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair, world renowned Booker prize winner Arundhathi Roy, accomplished film actor Mammootty, and talented film director Jayaraj are some other notable personalities who all hail from Kottayam district. Renowned music director L. P. R. Varma (Late ) also hailed from Kottayam Kottayam stands first in the field of Education, Mass Communication, Printing and Book Publication. The significant role played by Malayala Manorama & Bhashaposhini and Deepika for the cultural and literary development is of immense importance. There are many printing presses and book publishing companies in Kottayam. The SPCS, a unique co-operation venture of authors and writers was started in the year 1945. Prominent publishers D.C. Books started publication from here in the year 1974. Kottayam is the headquarters of Current Books since the year 1977. It is estimated that 70% of the State's book publication takes place in Kottayam.  Margamkali
Koodiyattam 
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