Mavelikkara


Mavelikara is a taluk and municipality in the Alappuzha district of the Indian state of Kerala. Located in the southern part of the district on the banks of the Achankovil River. The name Mavelikara is believed to be turned out from the words Maveli or Mahabali, the mythical king of Kerala, and Kara means land. This land is believed to be the place where king Mahabali knelt before Vamana, offering his head for Vamana to keep his feet. The town boasts about a rich historical and cultural background. The Chettikulangara Devi Temple, known for the Kumbha Bharani festival is located near the municipality.The place is home to one of the 108 Shiva temples of Kerala created by Lord Parashurama, the Kandiyoor Mahadeva Temple. It was also a major centre of trade and commerce in ancient Kerala and the erstwhile capital of the rulers of Onattukara. As a result of the close association with the Travancore Royal Family, Mavelikkara gained modern facilities well ahead of other places in the state. It is one of the oldest municipalities of the state. Even before India attained independence, Mavelikara had a super express transport service to Trivandrum.

Demographics

According to the 2001 Indian census, Mavelikara town has a population of 28,440 with males constituting 47% of the population. The average literacy rate is 86.4%, much higher than the national average of 59.5%, with male literacy at 87% and female literacy at 85%. Approximately 10% of the population is under 6 years old.

Transport

Bus

has a sub depot at Mavelikkara which is one among the 46 sub depots in the state. The KSRTC sub depot at Mavelikkara has an inter state bus service which is operated to Tenkasi every day; 2 trips morning & evening via Kayamkulam.
The Municipal Private bus stand is located at Mitchel Junction with buses to Chengannur, Pathanamthitta, Pandalam, Thiruvalla, Haripad, Kayamkulam, Changanassery.

Rail

Main article : Mavelikara railway station
Mavelikara railway station is a mainline station in the Trivandrum Division of the Southern Railway Zone, with connections to New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, Mangalore, Bhopal, Guwahati, Nagpur and Jammu. Other nearby stations are Kayamkulam Junction railway station, Chengannur Railway Station, Haripad railway station and Kollam Junction railway station Tenkasi Tirunelveli punalur

Air

The nearest airports are Trivandrum International Airport115 km and Cochin International Airport.127 km
State highway SH 10 road start in mavelikara

Economy

Local industries in and around Mavelikkara include:
Several small-scale industries are present in the Industrial Estate located at Kollakadavu.

Politics

Lok Sabha

Mavelikara has its own constituency in the Lok Sabha. Until the 2002 Lok Sabha Delimitation took effect in 2008, the constituency consisted of Chengannur, Mavelikara, Kayamkulam, Pandalam, Thiruvalla and Kallupara. Since then, the assembly constituencies have comprised Changanassery, Kuttanad, Mavelikara, Chengannur, Kunnathur, Kottarakkara and Pathanapuram. The constituency is now reserved for a scheduled caste candidate..
Kodikunnil Suresh of the INC has represented the Mavelikkara constituency since 2009.

State Assembly

from the CPI is the representative of Mavelikkara in the Kerala Legislative Assembly.

Culture

The cultural capital of Alappuzha is Mavelikkara. Mavelikara was once part of the principality of Onattukara and has been a centre of religious harmony, culture and arts for several centuries.
As a testament to its link to that flourishing centre of Buddhist culture, Mavelikkara is one of the rare places in Kerala where one can find the Statue of Buddha in Seated Position, which dates back to the 9th century AD.
.Mar Ivanios the pioneer of Reunion Movement is from this holy socio-cultural land. He is from the Medayil Panicker Family situated at the center of the Mavelikara Town.

Notable people

Thazhakara Mar Thoma Church, Mavelikara