1.
Geographic coordinate system
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A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system used in geography that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation, to specify a location on a two-dimensional map requires a map projection. The invention of a coordinate system is generally credited to Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Ptolemy credited him with the adoption of longitude and latitude. Ptolemys 2nd-century Geography used the prime meridian but measured latitude from the equator instead. Mathematical cartography resumed in Europe following Maximus Planudes recovery of Ptolemys text a little before 1300, in 1884, the United States hosted the International Meridian Conference, attended by representatives from twenty-five nations. Twenty-two of them agreed to adopt the longitude of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Dominican Republic voted against the motion, while France and Brazil abstained. France adopted Greenwich Mean Time in place of local determinations by the Paris Observatory in 1911, the latitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle between the equatorial plane and the straight line that passes through that point and through the center of the Earth. Lines joining points of the same latitude trace circles on the surface of Earth called parallels, as they are parallel to the equator, the north pole is 90° N, the south pole is 90° S. The 0° parallel of latitude is designated the equator, the plane of all geographic coordinate systems. The equator divides the globe into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the longitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle east or west of a reference meridian to another meridian that passes through that point. All meridians are halves of great ellipses, which converge at the north and south poles, the prime meridian determines the proper Eastern and Western Hemispheres, although maps often divide these hemispheres further west in order to keep the Old World on a single side. The antipodal meridian of Greenwich is both 180°W and 180°E, the combination of these two components specifies the position of any location on the surface of Earth, without consideration of altitude or depth. The grid formed by lines of latitude and longitude is known as a graticule, the origin/zero point of this system is located in the Gulf of Guinea about 625 km south of Tema, Ghana. To completely specify a location of a feature on, in, or above Earth. Earth is not a sphere, but a shape approximating a biaxial ellipsoid. It is nearly spherical, but has an equatorial bulge making the radius at the equator about 0. 3% larger than the radius measured through the poles, the shorter axis approximately coincides with the axis of rotation
2.
India
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India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and it is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast. It shares land borders with Pakistan to the west, China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast, in the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Indias Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a border with Thailand. The Indian subcontinent was home to the urban Indus Valley Civilisation of the 3rd millennium BCE, in the following millennium, the oldest scriptures associated with Hinduism began to be composed. Social stratification, based on caste, emerged in the first millennium BCE, early political consolidations took place under the Maurya and Gupta empires, the later peninsular Middle Kingdoms influenced cultures as far as southeast Asia. In the medieval era, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam arrived, much of the north fell to the Delhi sultanate, the south was united under the Vijayanagara Empire. The economy expanded in the 17th century in the Mughal empire, in the mid-18th century, the subcontinent came under British East India Company rule, and in the mid-19th under British crown rule. A nationalist movement emerged in the late 19th century, which later, under Mahatma Gandhi, was noted for nonviolent resistance, in 2015, the Indian economy was the worlds seventh largest by nominal GDP and third largest by purchasing power parity. Following market-based economic reforms in 1991, India became one of the major economies and is considered a newly industrialised country. However, it continues to face the challenges of poverty, corruption, malnutrition, a nuclear weapons state and regional power, it has the third largest standing army in the world and ranks sixth in military expenditure among nations. India is a constitutional republic governed under a parliamentary system. It is a pluralistic, multilingual and multi-ethnic society and is home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats. The name India is derived from Indus, which originates from the Old Persian word Hindu, the latter term stems from the Sanskrit word Sindhu, which was the historical local appellation for the Indus River. The ancient Greeks referred to the Indians as Indoi, which translates as The people of the Indus, the geographical term Bharat, which is recognised by the Constitution of India as an official name for the country, is used by many Indian languages in its variations. Scholars believe it to be named after the Vedic tribe of Bharatas in the second millennium B. C. E and it is also traditionally associated with the rule of the legendary emperor Bharata. Gaṇarājya is the Sanskrit/Hindi term for republic dating back to the ancient times, hindustan is a Persian name for India dating back to the 3rd century B. C. E. It was introduced into India by the Mughals and widely used since then and its meaning varied, referring to a region that encompassed northern India and Pakistan or India in its entirety
3.
States and union territories of India
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India is a federal union comprising twenty-nine states and seven union territories. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and further into smaller administrative divisions, the Constitution of India distributes the sovereign executive and legislative powers exercisable with respect to the territory of any State between the Union and that State. The Indian subcontinent has been ruled by different ethnic groups throughout its history. Between 1947 and 1950, the territories of the states were politically integrated into the Indian Union. The new Constitution of India, which came into force on 26 January 1950, the new republic was also declared to be a Union of States. The nine Part A states were Assam, Bihar, Bombay, Madhya Pradesh, Madras, Orissa, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The eight Part B states were former princely states or groups of states, governed by a rajpramukh, who was usually the ruler of a constituent state. The rajpramukh was appointed by the President of India, the Part B states were Hyderabad, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Bharat, Mysore, Patiala and East Punjab States Union, Rajasthan, Saurashtra, and Travancore-Cochin. The ten Part C states included both the former chief commissioners provinces and some states, and each was governed by a chief commissioner appointed by the President of India. The Part C states were Ajmer, Bhopal, Bilaspur, Coorg, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Cutch, Manipur, Tripura, the only Part D state was the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which were administered by a lieutenant governor appointed by the central government. The Union Territory of Puducherry was created in 1954 comprising the previous French enclaves of Pondichéry, Karaikal, Yanam, Andhra State was created on 1 October 1953 from the Telugu-speaking northern districts of Madras State. The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 reorganised the states based on linguistic lines resulting in the creation of the new states, as a result of this act, Madras State retained its name with Kanyakumari district added to from Travancore-Cochin. Andhra Pradesh was created with the merger of Andhra State with the Telugu-speaking districts of Hyderabad State in 1956, kerala was created with the merger of Malabar district and the Kasaragod taluk of South Canara districts of Madras State with Travancore-Cochin. The Laccadive Islands which were divided between South Canara and Malabar districts of Madras State were united and organised into the territory of Lakshadweep. Bombay State was enlarged by the addition of Saurashtra State and Kutch State, Rajasthan and Punjab gained territories from Ajmer and Patiala and East Punjab States Union respectively and certain territories of Bihar was transferred to West Bengal. Bombay State was split into the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra on 1 May 1960 by the Bombay Reorganisation Act. Nagaland was formed on 1 December 1963, the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966 resulted in the creation of Haryana on 1 November and the transfer of the northern districts of Punjab to Himachal Pradesh. The act also designated Chandigarh as a territory and the shared capital of Punjab
4.
Kerala
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Kerala historically known as Keralam, is an Indian state in South India on the Malabar Coast. It was formed on 1 November 1956 following the States Reorganisation Act by combining Malayalam-speaking regions, spread over 38,863 km2, it is bordered by Karnataka to the north and northeast, Tamil Nadu to the east and south, and the Lakshadweep Sea to the west. With 33,387,677 inhabitants as per the 2011 Census, Malayalam is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state. The region has been a prominent spice exporter since 3000 BCE, the Chera Dynasty was the first prominent kingdom based in Kerala, though it frequently struggled against attacks by the neighbouring Cholas and Pandyas. In the 15th century, the spice trade attracted Portuguese traders to Kerala, after independence, Travancore and Cochin joined the Republic of India and Travancore-Cochin was given the status of a state in 1949. In 1956, Kerala state was formed by merging Malabar district, Travancore-Cochin, Hinduism is practised by more than half of the population, followed by Islam and Christianity. The culture is a synthesis of Aryan and Dravidian cultures, developed over millennia, under influences from other parts of India, the production of pepper and natural rubber contributes significantly to the total national output. In the agricultural sector, coconut, tea, coffee, cashew, the states coastline extends for 595 kilometres, and around 1.1 million people in the state are dependent on the fishery industry which contributes 3% to the states income. The state has the highest media exposure in India with newspapers publishing in nine languages, mainly English, Kerala is one of the prominent tourist destinations of India, with backwaters, beaches, Ayurvedic tourism and tropical greenery as its major attractions. The name Kerala has an uncertain etymology, One popular theory derives Kerala from Kera and alam is land, thus land of coconuts, this also happens to be a nickname for the state due to abundance of coconut trees and its use by the locals. The word Kerala is first recorded in a 3rd-century BCE rock inscription left by the Maurya emperor Ashoka, the inscription refers to the local ruler as Keralaputra, or son of Chera. This contradicts the theory that Kera is from coconut tree, at that time, one of three states in the region was called Cheralam in Classical Tamil, Chera and Kera are variants of the same word. The word Cheral refers to the oldest known dynasty of Kerala kings and is derived from the Proto-Tamil-Malayalam word for lake, the earliest Sanskrit text to mention Kerala is the Aitareya Aranyaka of the Rigveda. It is also mentioned in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the two Hindu epics, the Skanda Purana mentions the ecclesiastical office of the Thachudaya Kaimal who is referred to as Manikkam Keralar, synonymous with the deity of the Koodalmanikyam temple. Keralam may stem from the Classical Tamil cherive-alam or chera alam, the Greco-Roman trade map Periplus Maris Erythraei refers to Keralaputra as Celobotra. According to Hindu mythology, the lands of Kerala were recovered from the sea by the warrior sage Parasurama. Parasurama threw his axe across the sea, and the water receded as far as it reached, according to legend, this new area of land extended from Gokarna to Kanyakumari. The land which rose from sea was filled with salt and unsuitable for habitation, so Parasurama invoked the Snake King Vasuki, out of respect, Vasuki and all snakes were appointed as protectors and guardians of the land
5.
Thrissur district
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Thrissur is a revenue district of Kerala situated in the central part of that state. Spanning an area of about 3,032 km2, Thrissur district is home to over 10% of Kerala’s population, Thrissur district was formed on July 1,1949, with the headquarters at Thrissur City. Thrissur is known as the capital of Kerala, and the land of Poorams. The district is famous for its ancient temples, churches, Thrissur Pooram is the most colourful and spectacular temple festival in Kerala. The district was formed on July 1,1949, the name Thrissur is derived from Thiru-Shiva-Perur, which translates to The city with the name of the Lord Siva. Thrissur was also known as Vrishabhadripuram and Then Kailasam in ancient days, from ancient times, Thrissur District has played a part in the political history of south India. The early political history of the District is interlinked with that of the Cheras of the Sangam age, the whole of the present Thrissur District was included in the early Chera Empire. The District can claim to have played a part in fostering the trade relations between Kerala and the world in the ancient and medieval period. Kodungalloor, which had the distinction of being the Primum Emporium India and these three communities are the Christians, the Jews and the Muslims. In 1790 Raja Rama Varma popularly known as Saktan Tampuran ascended the throne of Cochin, with the accession of this ruler the English or modern period in the history of Cochin and of the District began. Saktan Tampuran was mainly responsible for the destruction of the power of the feudal Nair chieftains, another force in the public life of Trichur and its suburbs was the Namboodithiri community and Menons of Royal ancestry. A large part of the Trichur Taluk was for long under the domination of the Yogiatiripppads, the wave of nationalism and political consciousness which swept through the country since the early decades of this century has its repercussions in the District as well. Thrissur District has been in the forefront of the movement for temple entry. The Guruvayur Satyagraha is an episode in the history of the national movement. According to the 2011 census Thrissur district has a population of 3,110,327 and this gives it a ranking of 113th in India. The district has a density of 1,026 inhabitants per square kilometre. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 4. 58%, Thrissur has a sex ratio of 1109 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 95. 32%. Thrissur was also the second highest urbanized district in Kerala after Ernakulam, according to the 2001 India census, Thrissur District had a population of 2,975,440
6.
Malayalam
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Malayalam /mʌləˈjɑːləm/ is a language spoken in India, predominantly in the state of Kerala. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and was designated as a Classical Language in India in 2013 and it was developed to the current form mainly by the influence of the poet Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan in the 16th century. Malayalam has official status in the state of Kerala and in the union territories of Lakshadweep. It belongs to the Dravidian family of languages and is spoken by some 38 million people, according to one theory, Malayalam originated from Middle Tamil in the 7th century. However, the current understanding proposes the separation of Malayalam from Proto-Dravidian in the pre-historic era, Malayalam incorporated many elements from Sanskrit through the ages. Before Malayalam came into being, Old Tamil was used in literature and courts of a region called Tamilakam, including present day Kerala state, silappatikaramit was written by Chera prince Ilango Adigal from Chunkaparra, and is considered a classic in Sangam literature. Modern Malayalam still preserves many words from the ancient Tamil vocabulary of Sangam literature, the earliest script used to write Malayalam was the Vatteluttu alphabet, and later the Kolezhuttu, which derived from it. As Malayalam began to borrow words as well as the rules of grammar from Sanskrit. This developed into the modern Malayalam script, many medieval liturgical texts were written in an admixture of Sanskrit and early Malayalam, called Manipravalam. The oldest literary work in Malayalam, distinct from the Tamil tradition, is dated from between the 9th and 11th centuries, the first travelogue in any Indian language is the Malayalam Varthamanappusthakam, written by Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar in 1785. Due to its lineage deriving from both Tamil and Sanskrit, the Malayalam script has the largest number of letters among the Indian language orthographies, the Malayalam script includes letters capable of representing almost all the sounds of all Indo-Aryan and Dravidian languages. Malayalam serves as a language on the islands including the Mahl-dominated Minicoy Island. The word Malayalam originated from the Sanskrit resp, Malayalam words malai or mala, meaning hill, and elam, meaning region. Malayalam thus translates as hill region and used to refer to the land of the Chera dynasty, the language Malayalam is alternatively called Alealum, Malayalani, Malayali, Malean, Maliyad, and Mallealle. The word Malayalam originally meant only for the name of the region, Malayanma or Malayayma represented the language. With the emergence of modern Malayalam language, the name of the language started to be known by the name of the region, hence now, the word Malayanma is considered by some to represent the olden Malayalam language. The language got the name Malayalam during the mid 19th century, the origin of Malayalam, an independent offshoot of the proto-Dravidian language, has been and continues to be an engaging pursuit among comparative historical linguists. Together with Tamil, Toda, Kannada and Tulu, Malayalam belongs to the group of Dravidian languages
7.
Vehicle registration plate
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A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate or a license plate, is metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric ID that uniquely identifies the owner within the issuing regions database. The first two letters indicate the state to which the vehicle is registered, the next two digit numbers are the sequential number of a district. Due to heavy volume of vehicle registration, the numbers were given to the RTO offices of registration as well, the third part indicates the year of registration of the vehicle and is a 4 digit number unique to each plate. In some countries, the identifier is unique within the entire country, whether the identifier is associated with a vehicle or a person also varies by issuing agency. In the vast majority of jurisdictions, the government holds a monopoly on the manufacturing of vehicle registration plates for that jurisdiction. Thus, it is illegal for private citizens to make and affix their own plates. Alternately, the government will merely assign plate numbers, and it is the owners responsibility to find an approved private supplier to make a plate with that number. In some jurisdictions, plates will be assigned to that particular vehicle for its lifetime. If the vehicle is destroyed or exported to a different country. Other jurisdictions follow a policy, meaning that when a vehicle is sold the seller removes the current plate from the vehicle. Buyers must either obtain new plates or attach plates they already hold, as well as register their vehicles under the buyers name, a person who sells a car and then purchases a new one can apply to have the old plates put onto the new car. One who sells a car and does not buy a new one may, depending on the laws involved, have to turn the old plates in or destroy them. Some jurisdictions permit the registration of the vehicle with personal plates, in some jurisdictions, plates require periodic replacement, often associated with a design change of the plate itself. Vehicle owners may or may not have the option to keep their original plate number, alternately, or additionally, vehicle owners have to replace a small decal on the plate or use a decal on the windshield to indicate the expiration date of the vehicle registration. Plates are usually fixed directly to a vehicle or to a frame that is fixed to the vehicle. Sometimes, the plate frames contain advertisements inserted by the service centre or the dealership from which the vehicle was purchased. Vehicle owners can also purchase customized frames to replace the original frames, in some jurisdictions licence plate frames are illegal
8.
Guruvayur
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Guruvayur, also written as Guruvayoor or Gurupavanapuri, is a municipal town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It houses the Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple, the fourth largest temple in India in terms of the number of devotees visiting per day, Guruvayur, according to the legends may be 5,000 years old as the Guruvayur temple idol is. There are no records to establish it. It is also believed that Lord Krishna, asked 2 sages to take the idol from his temple in Dwarka while the city was being destroyed, the idol of lord krishna was brought by Vayu deva and brhaspathi and was placed in guruvayur. The name guruvayur is a merge of both their names (guru brahaspathi and vayu deva, in the 14th century, Tamil literature Kokasandesam, references about a place called Kuruvayur is made. As early as the 16th century, many references are seen about Kuruvayur, in ancient Dravidic, Kuruvai means sea, hence the village on the coast may be called Kuruvayur. According to eminent historian Professor K. V. Krishna Iyer, Guruvayur was a subordinate shrine of Trikkunavay Shiva temple before the latter was destroyed by the Dutch in 1755. Trikkunavay in the Guruvayur documents is the same as Thrikkanamathilakam or Mathilakam mentioned in the Dutch, and this place was in between Guruvayur and Kodungallur. The story of Pandyan King building a shrine here may be a reference to the Azhavars and it was Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiris Narayaniyam through which the Guruvayur temple got famous all over India. As of the Indian census of 2001, Guruvayur had a population of 21,187, males constitute 46% of the population and females 54%. Guruvayur has an literacy rate of 85%, higher than the national average of 59. 5%, male literacy is 86%. In Guruvayoor, 10% of the population is under 10 years of age, Guruvayoor Township was formed on January 26,1962 with four electoral wards with an area of 6.49 km2. Later the wards were increased to 10 and in 1994 to 20 when the township was upgraded to Municipality status with an area of 29.66 km2, in 2010, the electoral wards were increased to 43. The Municipality has a population of 20,216 with a population density of 31,14 per km2. Guruvayoor assembly constituency is part of Trichur, Ekadasi, the eleventh day of every lunar fortnight, is very auspicious to the Hindus. Of the 24 Ekadasis in a year, the Vrishchika Ekadasi has got special significance in Guruvayur temple, a memorial honour for Gajarajan Kesavan is conducted in Guruvayur. The Karanavar or head of the elephant family places a wreath at the statue of Kesavan in front of Sreevalsam guest house and all the other elephants stand around, on Ekadasi day, the Udayasthamana Pooja is conducted by the Devaswom itself. After the morning seeveli, on Ekadasi there is a grand elephant procession to the Parthasarathi temple since it is regarded as Geethopadesam Day also, on Ekadasi after night pooja, the famous Ekadasi Vilakku with elephant procession takes place and provides a fitting finale to the festival
9.
Kottapadi
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Kottapadi is a gateway of Guruvayur town in the district of Thrissur, Kerala, South India. Kottapadi literally translates to Gates to Fort, the fort here refers to the Punnathur Kotta. Kottapadi has now gained prominence for this fort, which in now used to house elephants belonging to the Guruvayoor temple, elephants that are an integral part of certain temple rituals are trained here. Kottapadi is located only 2 kilometers away from Guruvayur temple, many tourists come here for visiting the Punnathur Kotta. There are more than 60 elephants here and these elephants belong to the Guruvayur Temple, where prominent devotees offer it to Lord Guruvayurappan. Earlier this place was the palace of a local ruler, prominent Shiva temple at Mammiyur is located close by. Nearest Airport, Kochi Nearest Railway Station, Guruvayur, Trichur Nearest Major Towns, Guruvayur, Chavakkad, Kunnamkulam Little Flower womens college, Aryabhatta womens college, St Lazers church, St George orthodox church. Chembalakulangara Bhagavathi kshethram, Sree Subramanya Kshethram, Kaveed Karthyani Kshetram
10.
South India
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The region occupies 19. 31% of Indias land area. Covering the southern part of the peninsular Deccan Plateau, South India is bounded by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west, and the Indian Ocean in the south. The geography of the region is diverse, with two ranges, the Western and Eastern Ghats, bordering the plateau heartland. The Godavari River, Krishna River, Kaveri, Tungabhadra and Vaigai rivers are important non-perennial sources of water, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Coimbatore and Kochi are the largest urban areas. Majority of the people in South India speak one of the four major Dravidian languages, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. During its history, a number of kingdoms ruled over parts of South India whose invasions across southern and southeastern Asia impacted the history. Major dynasties that were established in South India include the Cheras, Cholas, Pandyas, Pallavas, Satavahanas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, european countries entered India through Kerala and the region was colonised by Britain and other nations. HDI in the states is high and the economy has undergone growth at a faster rate than most northern states. Literacy rates in the states are higher than the national average with approximately 80% of the population capable of reading and writing. The fertility rate in South India is 1.9, the lowest of all regions in India, South India also known as Peninsular India has been known by several other names. Carnatic derived from Karnād or Karunād meaning high country has also associated with South India. Carbon dating on ash mounds associated with Neolithic cultures in South India date back to 8000 BCE, artefacts such as ground stone axes, and minor copper objects have been found in the region. Towards the beginning of 1000 BCE, iron technology spread through the region, however, the region was in the middle of a trade route that extended from Muziris to Arikamedu linking the Mediterranean and East Asia. Trade with Phoenicians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Syrians, Jews, the region was part of the ancient Silk Road connecting the Asian continent in the East and the West. C. to 14th century A. D. The Vijayanagara Empire, founded in 14th century A. D. was the last Indian dynasty that ruled over the region. The Europeans arrived in the 15th century and by the middle of the 18th century, the French, the British Empire took control of the region from the British East India Company in 1857. During the British colonial rule, the region was divided into the Madras Presidency, Hyderabad state, Mysore, Travancore, Kochi, Vizianagaram and a number of other minor princely states. After the independence of India in 1947, the region was organised into four states, Madras State, Mysore State, Hyderabad State and Travancore-Cochin
11.
Guruvayurappan
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Guruvayurappan also often written Guruvayoorappan, is a form of Vishnu worshipped mainly in Kerala. He is the deity of Guruvayoor temple, who is being worshiped as Shri Krishna in His child form. Even though the deity is that of chatur bahu Vishnu, the concept of the people is that the deity is the infant form of Lord Krishna, the deity represents the purna rupa revealed by baby Krishna to His parents immediately after His advent in Kamsas jail. Lord Krishna immediately after His birth had revealed Himself as four-armed standing Vishnu in front of His parents Devaki, so baby Krishna is worshipped on a Vishnu deity. The temple is located in the town of Guruvayur, Thrissur, Kerala, India. The word Guruvayurappan, meaning Lord of Guruvayur, comes from the words Guru referring to Brihaspati, the Guru of the Devas, Vayu, since Guru and Vayu installed Krishnas deity, the name Guruvayurappan was given to the deity. The deity is made of a stone called Patala Anjanam or black bismuth and is in the pose with four arms, carrying the Panchajanya, the Sudarshana Chakra. The holy deity of Lord Vishnu in Guruvayoor Temple is made up of a stone called Pathalanjana Sila. It is almost 4 ft tall, and it is said that the deity represents the form of Lord Vishnu in which he gave darshan to Vasudeva and Devaki during the birth of their son and this may be the reason why the child form of Lord Krishna is worshipped here. The Lord holds a conch, discus, mace and lotus on his four hands and he is in a standing pose with his darshan towards east. There is a story about the origin of the murti in Narada Puranam, many innocent snakes died in the yaga fire, but Takshaka survived. Thus Janamejaya got affected with the curse of snakes, making him a leprosy patient, even though he was well looked by his wife, children and palace doctors, there was no cure. At that time, sage Dattatreya appeared before him and advised him to worship Lord Vishnu at Guruvayoor and he also told the story of the idol. That is as follows, Once in Padma Kalpa, when Lord Brahma was doing his task of creation, when Lord Brahma repelled him and his creations, Lord Vishnu gave one idol of himself to him. Later, in Varaha Kalpa, Lord Brahma gave this deity to a king named Sutapass and his wife Prasni, who were worshipping Lord Vishnu for a child. As a result of their worship, Lord Vishnu appeared before them told them that he would be born as their son in four births. In the first birth in Satya Yuga, the Lord was born as Prasnigarbha, in this birth, he spoke about the greatness of celibacy. Later, in Treta Yuga, when Sutapass and Prasni were reborn as Kashyapa and Aditi, again later, in Treta Yuga, itself, when they were reborn as Dasharatha and Kausalya, the Lord was born as their son Rama
12.
Krishna
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Krishna is a major Hindu deity. He is one of the most widely revered and popular Indian divinities, worshipped as the incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. Krishnas birthday is celebrated every year by Hindus on Janmashtami according to the lunisolar Hindu calendar, Krishna is also known by numerous names, such as Govinda, Mukunda, Madhusudhana, Vasudeva and Makhan chor in affection. The anecdotes and narratives of Krishnas life are generally titled as Krishna Leela and he is a central character in the Bhagavata Purana, the Bhagavad Gita, and is mentioned in many Hindu philosophical, theological and mythological texts. They portray him in various perspectives, a god-child, a prankster, a lover, a divine hero. The synonyms of Krishna have been traced to 1st millennium BCE literature, worship of Krishna as Svayam Bhagavan, sometimes referred to as Krishnaism, arose in the Middle Ages in the context of the Bhakti movement. Krishna-related literature has inspired performance arts such as Bharatnatyam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi. Since the 1960s, the worship of Krishna has also spread to the Western world, the name originates from the Sanskrit word Kṛṣṇa, which is primarily an adjective meaning black, dark or dark blue. The waning moon is called Krishna Paksha, relating to the adjective meaning darkening, the name is also interpreted sometimes as all attractive. As a name of Vishnu, Krishna is listed as the 57th name in the Vishnu Sahasranama, based on his name, Krishna is often depicted in idols as black or blue-skinned. Krishna is also known by other names, epithets and titles. Among the most common names are Mohan enchanter, Govinda meaning chief herdsman, Gopala, some of the distinct names may be regionally important—for instance, Jagannatha, a popular incarnation of Puri, Odisha in eastern India. Krishna is represented in the Indian traditions in many ways, with common features. His iconography typically depicts him as black or dark reflecting his name, however ancient and medieval reliefs and stone-based arts depict him in the natural color of the material he is made from, both in India and in southeast Asia. In some texts, his skin is described as the color of Jambul. Krishna is often depicted wearing a peacock feather wreathe or crown, in this form, he usually stands with one leg bent in front of the other in the Tribhanga posture. He is sometimes accompanied by cows or a calf, symbolism for the divine herdsman Govinda, alternatively, he is shown as an amorous man with the gopis, often making music or playing pranks. In other icons, he is a part of the scene on the battlefield of the epic Mahabharata
13.
Ganesha
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Ganesha, also known as Ganapati and Vinayaka, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations. Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends to Jains and Buddhists, although he is known by many attributes, Ganeshas elephant head makes him easy to identify. Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences, as the god of beginnings, he is honoured at the start of rituals and ceremonies. Ganesha is also invoked as patron of letters and learning during writing sessions, several texts relate mythological anecdotes associated with his birth and exploits and explain his distinct iconography. Ganesha emerged as a deity in the 4th and 5th centuries AD, during the Gupta period. He was formally included among the five deities of Smartism in the 9th century. A sect of devotees called the Ganapatya arose, who identified Ganesha as the supreme deity, the principal scriptures dedicated to Ganesha are the Ganesha Purana, the Mudgala Purana, and the Ganapati Atharvashirsa. Brahma Purana and Brahmanda Purana are other two Puranic genre encyclopedic texts that deal with Ganesha, Ganesha has been ascribed many other titles and epithets, including Ganapati and Vighneshvara. The Hindu title of respect Shri is often added before his name, the name Ganesha is a Sanskrit compound, joining the words gana, meaning a group, multitude, or categorical system and isha, meaning lord or master. The word gaņa when associated with Ganesha is often taken to refer to the gaņas, the term more generally means a category, class, community, association, or corporation. Some commentators interpret the name Lord of the Gaņas to mean Lord of Hosts or Lord of created categories, Ganapati, a synonym for Ganesha, is a compound composed of gaṇa, meaning group, and pati, meaning ruler or lord. Though the earliest mention of the word Ganapati is found in hymn 2.23.1 of the 2nd-millennium BCE Rigveda, it is however uncertain that the Vedic term referred specifically to Ganesha. The Amarakosha, an early Sanskrit lexicon, lists eight synonyms of Ganesha, Vinayaka, Vighnarāja, Dvaimātura, Gaṇādhipa, Ekadanta, Heramba, Lambodara, Vinayaka is a common name for Ganesha that appears in the Purāṇas and in Buddhist Tantras. This name is reflected in the naming of the eight famous Ganesha temples in Maharashtra known as the Ashtavinayak, the names Vighnesha and Vighneshvara refers to his primary function in Hinduism as the master and remover of obstacles. A prominent name for Ganesha in the Tamil language is Pillai or Pillaiyar, a. K. Narain differentiates these terms by saying that pillai means a child while pillaiyar means a noble child. He adds that the words pallu, pella, and pell in the Dravidian family of languages signify tooth or tusk, also elephant tooth or tusk. Anita Raina Thapan notes that the root word pille in the name Pillaiyar might have meant the young of the elephant
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Guruvayur Keshavan
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Gajarajan Guruvayur Keshavan is perhaps the most famous and celebrated captive elephant in Kerala, southern India. Keshavan was donated to the Guruvayur Hindu temple by the family of Nilambur on 4th of January in 1922. It is a common Hindu custom in Kerala to capture elephants either as calves or young adults from the wild, Guruvayur temple has in excess of 50 elephants. Standing over 3.2 meters tall, Keshavan was known for his devout behavior, Keshavan died on December 2,1976 aged 72, which happened to be Guruvayur Ekadasi, considered a very auspicious day. He fasted for the day and dropped down facing the direction of the temple with his trunk raised as a mark of prostration. The anniversary of his death is celebrated in Guruvauyur. Many elephants line up before the statue and the chief elephant garlands it, Keshavan was conferred the unique title Gajarajan, by the Guruvayoor Devaswom. The Guruvayoor Devaswom erected a statue of Keshavan in its precincts as tribute to the services he rendered to the presiding deity of the temple. Its tusks, along with a portrait of the elephant. Its life is the subject of the 1977 Malayalam feature film Guruvayur Kesavan, the film was directed by Bharathan, starring M. G. The story of Guruvayoor Kesavan was later portrayed in a serial on Surya TV. Cultural depictions of elephants Elephants in Kerala culture Guruvayur Temple List of individual elephants Kolakolli, a notorious rogue elephant Guruvayoor Devaswom Webpage IMDB
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Raja
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Raja, is a title for a Monarch or princely ruler in South and Southeast Asia. The female form Rani applies equally to the wife of a Raja, usually as queen consort and occasionally as regent. The title has a history in the Indian subcontinent and South East Asia, being attested from the Rigveda, where a rājan- is a ruler, see for example the dāśarājñá. Sanskrit rājan- is cognate to Latin rēx King, Gaulish rīx, Gaelic rí, etc. originally denoting heads of petty kingdoms and it is believed to be ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European *h3rēǵs, a vrddhi formation to the root *h3reǵ- to straighten, to order, to rule. The Sanskrit n-stem is secondary in the title, apparently adapted from the female counterpart rājñī which also has an -n- suffix in related languages. Cognates of the word Raja in other Indo-European languages include English reign, rather common, practically equivalent variants in Rajasthani, Marathi and Hindi, used as equivalent royal style in parts of India include Rana, Rao, Raol, Rawal and rawat and Yuvraj prince heir. Maharaja, or great king, is literally a title for more significant rulers in India, hence during the British raj, precedence was rather determined by the gun salute. Raja රජ means King in Sri Lanka, Rajamanthri is the Prince lineage of Kings generation in Sri Lanka. Rajamanthri title is aristocracy of the Kandiyan Kingdom මහනුවර in Sri Lanka, badan Singh was styled Raja Mahendra and founded the city and state Bharatpur, which his dynasty ruled as Maharajas. Raja Sahib was the style in Bansda until its upgrade from c.1829 to higher counterpart Maharaja Sahib. Raja-i Rajgan was notably the royal style of, the former Rajas of Jind from * until their 1911 upgrade to Maharaja, the former Rajas of Kapurthala from 1861 until their 1911 upgrade to Maharaja. Two consecutive rulers of Patiala, the first of which was originally styled Maharaja, Raja Bahadur, and remained the rulers of Raigarh. as 1763 upgrade from the family title Raja Sar Desai in Maratha state Savantvadi. e. Third prince in line for succession, there were many more Rajas among the feudatory states, such as jagirs. In Pakistan, Raja is still used by Muslim Rajput clans as hereditary titles, Raja is also used as a given name by Hindus and Sikhs. Most notably Raja is used in Hazara division of Pakistan for the descendants of a Turkic dynasty and these Rajas ruled that part of Pakistan for decades and they still possess huge land in Hazara division of Pakistan and actively participate in the politics of the region. In Sinhalese, the title Raja means King of Sri Lanka, Rajamanthri is the Prince lineage of Kings generation especially Rajamanthri is aristocracy of the Kingdom of Kandy in Sri Lanka history. Indonesian has the word raja for king, leaders of local tribes and old Hindu kingdoms had that title before Indonesia became an independent nation. Various traditional princely states in Indonesia still style their ruler Raja, in the Malay language, the word raja also means king
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Mahout
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For the machine learning project, see Apache Mahout. A mahout is an elephant rider, trainer, or keeper, usually, a mahout starts as a boy in the family profession when he is assigned an elephant early in its life. They remain bonded to each other throughout their lives, the word mahout derives from the Hindi words mahaut and mahavat, and originally from the Sanskrit mahamatra. Another term is cornac or kornak, which entered many European languages via Portuguese and this word derives ultimately from the Sanskrit term karināyaka, a compound of karin and nayaka. In Tamil, the word used is pahan, which means elephant keeper, in Malayalam the word used is paappaan. In Burma, the profession is called oozie, in Thailand kwan-chang, in India, especially Kerala, mahouts use three types of device to control elephants. The thotti, which is 3.5 feet in length and about 1 inch thick, the valiya kol, which is 10.5 feet in length and about 1 inch in thickness, and the cheru kol. Elephants, and therefore also mahouts, have long been integral to politics, the animals are given away per request of government ministers and sometimes as gifts. In addition to traditional occupations, today mahouts are employed in many countries by forestry services. In India there has been controversy over elephants attacking mahouts and villagers due to the torture some elephants endure from their mahouts, more than 90% of the elephants in Kerala, for example, are not obtained legally. The verbal commands given to the elephants by the mahouts are all in Sinhalese, a shop display advertising Mahout cigarettes features prominently in the background of the rain dance sequence of the 1952 Gene Kelly film Singin in the Rain. The word mahout also features in the lyrics of the song Drop the Pilot, george Orwells essay Shooting an Elephant discusses the relationship of an elephant to its mahout, It was not, of course, a wild elephant, but a tame one which had gone must. It had been chained up, as tame elephants always are when their attack of must is due, but on the previous night it had broken its chain and escaped. Its mahout, the person who could manage it when it was in that state, had set out in pursuit
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Shiva
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Shiva is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme God within Shaivism, one of the three most influential denominations in contemporary Hinduism, Shiva is the transformer within the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity that includes Brahma and Vishnu. In Shaivism tradition, Shiva is the Supreme being who creates, protects, in the goddess tradition of Hinduism called Shaktism, the goddess is described as supreme, yet Shiva is revered along with Vishnu and Brahma. A goddess is stated to be the energy and creative power of each and he is one of the five equivalent deities in Panchayatana puja of the Smarta tradition of Hinduism. At the highest level, Shiva is regarded as formless, limitless, transcendent and unchanging absolute Brahman, Shiva has many benevolent and fearsome depictions. In benevolent aspects, he is depicted as an omniscient Yogi who lives a life on Mount Kailash as well as a householder with wife Parvati. In his fierce aspects, he is depicted slaying demons. Shiva is also known as Adiyogi Shiva, regarded as the god of yoga, meditation. Shiva is usually worshipped in the form of Lingam. Shiva is a deity, revered widely by Hindus, in India, Nepal. The Sanskrit word Śiva means, states Monier Williams, auspicious, propitious, gracious, benign, kind, benevolent, the roots of Śiva in folk etymology is śī which means in whom all things lie, pervasiveness and va which means embodiment of grace. The word Shiva is used as an adjective in the Rig Veda, as an epithet for several Rigvedic deities, the term Shiva also connotes liberation, final emancipation and the auspicious one, this adjective sense of usage is addressed to many deities in Vedic layers of literature. The term evolved from the Vedic Rudra-Shiva to the noun Shiva in the Epics, Sharma presents another etymology with the Sanskrit root śarv-, which means to injure or to kill, interprets the name to connote one who can kill the forces of darkness. The Sanskrit word śaiva means relating to the god Shiva, and it is used as an adjective to characterize certain beliefs and practices, such as Shaivism. Some authors associate the name with the Tamil word śivappu meaning red, noting that Shiva is linked to the Sun, the Vishnu sahasranama interprets Shiva to have multiple meanings, The Pure One, and the One who is not affected by three Guṇas of Prakṛti. Shiva is known by names such Viswanathan, Mahadeva, Mahesha, Maheshvara, Shankara, Shambhu, Rudra, Hara, Trilochana, Devendra, Neelakanta, Subhankara, Trilokinatha. The highest reverence for Shiva in Shaivism is reflected in his epithets Mahādeva, Maheśvara, Sahasranama are medieval Indian texts that list a thousand names derived from aspects and epithets of a deity. There are at least eight different versions of the Shiva Sahasranama, the version appearing in Book 13 of the Mahabharata provides one such list
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Bhagavati
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Bhagavati is a popular deity in the Indian states of Kerala, karnataka, Goa and Konkan. It can be used to any of the Hindu goddesses like Durga, Kannaki, Parvati, Saraswati, Lakshmi. In Goa, Bhagavati generally refers to the Mahishasurmardini form of Shakti, Bhagavati is worshiped as one of the Panchayatana deity in most of the Goan temples. List of Hindu temples in Kerala List of temples in Goa Goan temple Panorkavu
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Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha
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Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha is a 1989 epic Malayalam film directed by Hariharan, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, and starring Mammootty, Balan K. Nair, Suresh Gopi, Madhavi, Geetha and Captain Raju. The film won four National Film Awards including Best Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Production Design and Best Costume Design, in a 2013 IBN poll it was voted one of the greatest Indian films of all time. The film is based on a legend about the Chekavar warriors of present day north Malabar who practise the art form Kalaripayattu. The film portrays the legend in a different light, according to the legend, Aromal Chekavar, a well-known warrior, lost his life after a duel in which his sword broke off at the hilt during the fight. The metal rivets holding the blade to the hilt had been replaced with ones by his trusted ally. Chandu is said to have betrayed his cousin because he was jealous of Aaromals popularity, the story was filmed numerous times in the early black-and-white era. Though the language of the black and white era was generally heavily melodramatic, in Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha, the film is set in 16th-century northern Kerala. The plot unfolds at Puthooram, the house of great Kannappan Chekavar, Kannappan Chekavar adopts the son of his estranged sister when the boy loses both his parents and brings him to Puthooram to live and learn with his cousins. The orphan boy, Chandu, a learner, earns the love. As they grow up Chandu is betrothed to Chekavars daughter, Unniyarcha, several events unfold where in Chandu finds himself being pushed to the corner by his cousin. He flees to the kalari under the guidance of Tulunadan expert, Chandu has to recount only losses in his life, as Aromal ensures his sister is not married to Chandu. He even deceives Chandu by usurping and marrying Kunjinooli, who was in love with Chandu, the heartbroken Chandu moves ahead and continues to master the art of Kalari Payattu from Aringodar. On wedding day of Aromal, Unniyarcha invites Chandu to her room, however Unniyarcha’s husband, the eunuch Kunjiraman sees them. Unniyarcha, the clever vixen that she is, convinces her husband that Chandu broke into her room as she was awaiting the arrival of Kunjiraman, Chandu gets a sobriquet, Womanizer Chandu. A dejected Chandu finds solace in Kunji, Aringodar’s daughter, feudal lord Unnichandror arrives at the footsteps of Aringodar and invites him to represent his cause in an angam against mooppu feud with his brother Unnikonar. Unnikonar, in turn, invites Aromal to represent him, Chandu is now caught in a dilemma, when his uncle requests him to play second hand to Aromal in the angam against his teacher Aringodar. Unniyarcha also appears and offers to live with Chandu if he assists Aromal to win against Aringodar, a tempted Chandu, decides to second Aromal. Chandu takes on the task of revitalizing Aromals swords by providing them for treatment to the blacksmith, however, Kunji, Aringodar’s daughter, bribes the blacksmith and makes them brittle
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Mammootty
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Mammootty is an Indian film actor and producer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema. In a career spanning three decades, he has acted in over 350 films. Mammootty was a lawyer by profession, after establishing himself as a lead actor in the 1980s, he got his major breakthrough with the commercial success of the 1987 film New Delhi. He has won 3 National Film Awards for Best Actor,7 Kerala State Film Awards, in 1998, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for his contributions towards the arts. He has also received honorary degrees from the University of Kerala in January 2010. Mammootty is the chairman of Malayalam Communications, which runs the Malayalam television channels Kairali TV, People TV and he is also the goodwill ambassador of the Akshaya project, the first district-wide e-literacy project in India. He is the patron of the Pain and Palliative Care Society and he has also been working with the Pain and Palliative Care Centre situated in Kozhikode, India. His father, Ismail, was a farmer and his mother, Fatima and he has two younger brothers, Ibrahimkutty and Zakariah and three younger sisters, Ameena, Sauda, and Shafina. Mammootty had his education from Govt. Later Mammoottys father shifted his family to Ernakulam in the 1960s and his school life was at St. Alberts School and Government School Ernakulam. He did his pre-university course at Sacred Heart College, Thevara and he attended Maharajas College, Ernakulam for his degree. He graduated with a LL. B. from Government Law College, Mammootty practiced law for two years in Manjeri. Mammootty married Sulfath on 1979 and has a daughter, Surumi, Mammoottys younger brother Ibrahimkutty is an actor in Malayalam films and Malayalam TV serials. Ibrahimkuttys son Maqbool Salmaan is also a film actor, Mammoottys debut was in the 1971 film Anubhavangal Paalichakal directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan. His second film was Kaalachakram, a 1973 Malayalam film directed by K. Narayanan, in 1979, he played his first lead role in Devalokam, directed by M. T. Vasudevan Nair. However, this film was never completed and his first release was the 1980 film, Vilkkanundu Swapnangal, directed by Azad, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair. Mammoottys first starring role in a film was the 1980 film Mela, written and directed by K. G. George Mammootty films of the 1980s include Sphodanam, Munnettam. In 1981, he got his first state award in the Best Supporting Actor category for his performance in Ahimsa and his performances included Aalkkoottathil Thaniye and Adiyozhukkukal
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Elephants in Kerala culture
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This article covers the role of elephants in the culture of Kerala state, southern India. Elephants found in Kerala, the Indian Elephants, are one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant. Since 1986, Asian Elephant has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 25,600 to 32,750 in the wild. The species is threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation. Along with a population of wild elephants, Kerala has more than seven hundred elephants in captivity. Most of them are owned by temples and individuals and they are used for religious ceremonies in and around the temples, and some churches and mosques also, and a few elephants work at timber yards. Elephants in Kerala are often referred to as the sons of the sahya, as the State Animal, the elephant is featured on the emblem of the Government of Kerala state, taken from the Royal Arms of both Travancore and Cochin. Most of the Hindu temples in Kerala own elephants, the majority of which are donated by devotees, the famous Guruvayur temple has more than 60 elephants. The worlds only Elephant Palace is constructed in Punnattur Kotta,3 km from the Guruvayur temple, a famous elephant, named Guruvayur Kesavan, belonged to this temple. Almost all of the festivals in Kerala include at least one richly caparisoned elephant. Elephants carry the deity during annual festival processions and ceremonial circumnambulations in the Hindu temples, the temple elephants are decorated with gold plated caparisons, bells, and necklaces. People mounted on the elephants hold tinselled silk parasols up high, swaying white tufts, seventeen elephants are engaged for the daily ceremonial rounds to the accomplishment of Pancari Melam in Kudalmanikyam temple. The headgear of seven of these elephants is made of gold and rest of pure silver. Many elephants are featured in the legends of Kerala. Aitihyamala by Kottarattil Sankunni was written in eight volumes, each ending with a story or legend about a famous elephant. Each elephant has three mahouts, called paappan in the Malayalam language, the most important duty of the mahouts is to bathe and massage the elephant with small rocks, and the husk of coconuts. In the monsoon season, the elephants undergo Ayurvedic rejuvenation treatments which include decoctions with herbs and it is called Sukha Chikitsa in the Malayalam language. Mahouts may be classified into three types, called in the Sanskrit language, Reghawan, Those who use love to control their elephants, yukthiman, Those who use ingenuity to outsmart them
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Guruvayur Temple
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Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Krishna, located in the town of Guruvayur in Kerala, India. It is one of the most important places of worship for Hindus of Kerala and is referred to as Bhuloka Vaikunta which translates to the Holy Abode of Vishnu on Earth. The presiding deity of the Guruvayur Temple is Vishnu, worshipped in the form of Krishna, the central icon is a four-armed standing Krishna carrying the conch Panchajanya, the discus Sudarshana Chakra, the mace Kaumodaki and a lotus with a Holy basil garland. This image represents the form of Vishnu as revealed to Krishnas parents Vasudeva and Devaki around the time of Krishnas birth. The Cennas Nambudiris are the hereditary tantris of the Guruvayur Temple, the temple routines are strictly followed. The tantri is available full-time at the Temple to ensure this, the Melsanti enters the sanctum sanctorum in the morning and does not drink anything up to the completion of noon worships at 12,30 PM. According to legends, the deity worshipped here is more than 5000 years old, in the 14th century, Kokasandesam, references to a place called Kuruvayur are made. As early as the 16th century many references to Kuruvayur are seen, in ancient Dravidian languages, kuruvai means sea, hence the village on the Malabar Coast may be called Kuruvayur. The earliest temple records date back to the 17th century, the earliest mention of the many important Vishnu temples of Kerala are found in the songs of Alwars, Tamil saints, whose time-line is not exactly fixed. Mamankam was a famous local event at Tirunavaya, on the bank of Bharatappuzha. The battles between the Kozhikode under Samoothiris and Valluvanad popularised Guruvayur Temple, due to the prolonged battles, people across the riverbank started preferring Guruvayur. Even the Samoothiri of Kozhikode become a devotee and thus his subjects followed him, the central shrine that is seen today is said to have been rebuilt in 1638 AD. Viswabali was performed later to all the spirits, good. By the end of the 16th century Guruvayur had become the most popular centre in Kerala. Ullanad Panikkars rescued and looked after the temple from 1825 to 1900, like Chempakasseri Nambudiri and Desavarma Nambudiri, Panikkars offered everything from service to property. Thus with their help daily puja and annual festivals were once again restored, from 1859 to 1892, the Chuttambalam, the Vilakkumatam, the Koottambalam and Sasta shrine were renovated and roofed with copper sheeting. In 1900, Konti Menon, as a manager fixed the hours of worship and he set up the big bell and reconstructed Pattayappura. In 1928, Kozhikode once again became the administrator of Guruvayur, on November 30,1970, a massive fire broke out in the temple
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Temple elephant
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Temple elephants are a type of captive elephant. Temple elephants are wild animals, poached from the forests of North East India from wild herds at a young age and then sold into captivity to temples. These elephants form a part of the socio-economic framework of many temple ceremonies and festivals in India. Many major temples own elephants, others hire or are donated elephants during the festive seasons
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Thrissur
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It is also the headquarters of the Thrissur District. The City is built around a 65-acre hillock called the Thekkinkadu Maidan which seats the Vadakkumnathan temple, Thrissur was once the capital of the Kingdom of Cochin. It is located 300 kilometres towards north-west of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur is also known as the Cultural Capital of Kerala because of its cultural, spiritual and religious leanings throughout history. It contains the Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy, Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, the city hosts the Thrissur Pooram festival, the most colourful and spectacular temple festival in Kerala. The festival is held at the Thekkinkadu Maidan in April or May, Thrissur has historically been a centre of Hindu scholarship. The city has one of the most important temples of Hindu Shaivism, the district is also home of one of the most holiest Hindu Vaishnava temples, the Guruvayur temple. Christianity, Islam and Judaism entered into the Indian subcontinent through the Thrissur District, the works of scholars and Eastern Christian writings claim Thomas the Apostle to have set foot in Muziris near Thrissur 2,000 years ago. The countrys first mosque, Cheraman Juma Masjid, opened in AD629, Thrissur has opened the gates for Arabs, Romans, Portuguese, Dutch and English. The city has served as an incubator for many Malayali entrepreneurs and it flexes its economic muscle in India as the headquarters of three major scheduled banks, South Indian Bank Ltd, Catholic Syrian Bank and Dhanalakshmi Bank Ltd and a clutch of Chit funds. The city is also a big centre for shopping in Kerala for silks, Thrissur attracts the largest number of domestic tourists in Kerala. The name Thrissur is a form of Thiru-Shiva-Per-Ur literally translates to The City or Town with the name of the Lord Shiva. The name owes itself to the most prominent feature of the city, that is the Vadakkumnathan Temple, Thrissur was also known as Vrishabhadripuram Kailasam of the South) in ancient days. The Ramavarmapuram monument is in granite and is of the menhir type, the monument in Ramavarmapuram is 15 feet in height and 12 feet 4 inches wide. Since 1944, it has been protected by the Department of Archaeology, the monument is locally known as Padakkallu or Pulachikkallu. These menhirs are memorials put up at sites for the departed souls. They belong to the Megalithic Age of Kerala, which is estimated between 1000 BCE and 500 CE. All such monuments have not been dated exactly, some experts are of the view that these are the remnants of the Neolithic Age in the development of human technology. The Ramavarmapuram menhir is also believed to be a monument belonging to the Sangam period in the South Indian history, another monolithic monuments like Dolmens and rock-cut caves are at Porkulam, Chiramanengad, Eyyal, Kattakambal and Kakkad
25.
Peechi Dam
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Peechi Dam is situated 22 km outside Thrissur city in Kerala, India. The dam was started as a project for the surrounding villages in Thrissur. At the same time, it catered the drinking water needs of the population of Thrissur City and it serves as an irrigation dam, reaching out to the paddy fields in and around Thrissur city. Built across the Manali River, the dam is a vast catchment area of nearly 3,200 acres with extensive botanical gardens, one can see tuskers on the bank of Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 1958 covering 125 square kilometres. E. Ikkanda Warrier, the first Prime Minister of the independent state of Kochi. Majority of the Thrissurian opposed the dam cutting across the partyline and he brought a retired Chief Engineer from Andhra Pradesh to build the dam as engineers from Kerala opposed the project. The dam was completed in 1959, burgula Ramakrishna Rao, first Kerala Governor on October 4,1957 inaugurated the dam. By Road, Peechi Dam is well connected to Thrissur city and it is at a distance of 15 km from Thrissur city and have regular Kerala transport and private buses. By Rail, The nearest railway station to Peechi Dam is the Thrissur Railway Station, by Air, The nearest airport to Peechi Dam is the Kochi International Airport which is at a distance of only 68 km. Accommodation facilities can be availed at the rest house and the information centre, hotels are available in Thrissur City. One of the oldest dams in Kerala Type of Dam, Concrete Straight Gravity List of dams and reservoirs in India Contractor, Mr N O Inasu, Nadakkavukaran
26.
Peringalkuthu Dam
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Peringalkuthu Dam is a concrete dam built across the Chalakkudi River in Thrissur district, Kerala state of India. It also contains Peringalkuthu Hydro Electric Power Project of Kerala State Electricity Board who owns the dam and this is the first hydro electric power project to build on the Chalakkudi River. The dam is situated in deep forest and special permission is needed to visit the dam, list of reservoirs and dams in India
27.
Poomala Dam
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Poomala Dam is an irrigation purpose dam and a tourist spot situated in Mulankunnathukavu Panchayath under Puzhakkal block in Thrissur, Kerala State of India. In 1939 a division weir was constructed in the Poomala Valley, the dam is managed by the Kerala Minor Irrigation Department and is constructed with mud and stone. Poomala Dam was officially designated as a tourist centre by the Home Minister of State, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, the dam is situated 94.50 meters above mean sea level. To its north lies another dam, Pathazhakundu, which presently is oriented only for irrigation, other facilities in include boating in the reservoir, horse ride, a walkway of 600 metres, a community hall that can accommodate 300 persons, a cafeteria and latrine facilities. List of reservoirs and dams in India
28.
Solaiyar Dam
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Upper Solaiyar or Upper Sholayar Dam is situated 20 km from Valparai, a hill station in the Anaimalai Hills of the Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu India. A part of the project of Tamil Nadu, special permission is required to visit the dam. Valparai is located 64 km from Pollachi and 55 km from Chalakudy, the nearest railway station is Chalakkudy. The Solaiyar dam is a reservoir under the Parambikulam Aliyar Project and has a water storage capacity of 160 ft. The reservoirs overflowing waters are let into the Parambikulam Reservoir through the saddle dam and it is constructed by a team who was working under K Palanisamy, the most popular engineer in that area. Sholayar Dam is built in ss, Sholayar Flanking in 1964, the reservoir has an area of 8.705 square km and the length of the dam is 430.60 metres. The Sholayar Dam has a height of 66 metres and 430 metres width, Sholayar Flanking has a height of 28 metres and 19 metres width, list of dams and reservoirs in India Aliyar Reservoir
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Athirappilly Falls
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Located on the west-flowing Chalakudy River near the Vazhachal Forest Division and the Sholayar ranges, this 24-metre waterfall and the nearby Vazhachal Falls are popular tourist destinations. There is another waterfall on the way from Athirappilly to Vazhachal Falls, Athirappilly Falls is the largest waterfall in Kerala and is nicknamed The Niagara of India. Controversy about a state-proposed hydroelectric dam on the Chalakudy River above the waterfalls began in the 1990s and has continued through 2011, the 145 kilometres long Chalakudy River, originates in the Anamudi mountains of the Western Ghats and flows through the Vazhachal Forest toward the Arabian Sea. The river initially runs smoothly but becomes turbulent as it nears Athirappilly. At Athirappilly Falls, the water surges around big rocks and cascades down in three separate plumes, below the falls, the river remains turbulent for about 1 kilometre until it reaches Kannamkuzhi. Then it calms and flows smoothly until reaching the dam at Thumburmuzhi, Forest wildlife in the area includes the Asiatic elephant, tiger, leopard, bison, sambar, and lion-tailed macaque. If the proposed 163-MW Athirappilly hydroelectric project is built, these birds may vanish from these forests because it will submerge the hornbills habitat. Plantations in the area contain teak, bamboo, and eucalyptus, environmentalists claim that Athirappilly is a one-of its-kind riparian ecosystem in Kerala. The Wildlife Trust of India says it represents one of Indias best elephant conservation efforts, “Any disruption to this fragile ecosystem will spell disaster, ” says Vijayan. The river provides habitat for 85 species of fresh water fishes, among these,35 are endemic species. This place is the best place to find most animals in the wild, Athirappilly is easily reachable from Chalakudy by taxi or by bus from the Chalakudy private bus terminal. Athirappilly is situated on the highways connecting Tamil Nadu and Kerala, amidst thick forest, the journey from Chalakudy to the Athirappilly Falls passes through a landscape of winding roads, small villages and lush green trees. Visitors can reach the top of the waterfall via a path that leads through thick bamboo clusters. A steep narrow path leads to the bottom of the falls. The falls attract visitors from across India, especially during the monsoon months, about 7 million tourists visit the falls and the Vazhachal picnic spot each year. Daily Jungle Safari trips are organized by Thrissur District Tourism Promotion Council with Athirappilly Destination Management Council from Chalakudy to Malakkappara and it is the most attractive wildlife watch and Ecotourism Jungle safari through the evergreen forest of Sholayar ranges of Western Ghats - Kerala. It is also the most beautiful Jungle Saffari watching Wildlife in the entire Kerala and is about 90 km across the forests of Sholayar ranges. This Jungle safari is an experience, which one can have on his Kerala visit
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Charpa Falls
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Charpa Falls is a waterfall located in Athirappilly panchayath in Thrissur district of Kerala. Located on the west-flowing Chalakudy River, this lies in between the more famous Athirappilly Falls and Vazhachal Falls. It is a stopover for tourists who are visiting the Athirappilly. It is located close to the road, and during monsoon months, during the dry season, the water stops flowing. Athirappilly Falls Vazhachal Falls Chalakudy List of waterfalls in India List of waterfalls in India by height
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Chavakkad Beach
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Chavakkad Beach is beach in Chavakkad Municipality of Thrissur District in Kerala State. It lies on the coast of Arabian Sea and attracts domestic tourists, the beach is situated 5 Kilometers from Guruvayoor Temple Sri Krishna Temple. In this beach, the river meets the sea known as estuary, the meeting point is known as Azhimokam in Malayalam. It is counted amongst Kerala’s most popular beaches because the beach is unexplored by domestic tourists, national Highway 17 passes through Chavakkad town which comes from Kochi in the south and goes to Mangalore through Malabar to the north. Auto rickshaw also ply in Chavakkad town, guruvayur Railway Station is the nearest station to Chavakkad Beach. The line comes from Thrissur Railway Station and terminates at Guruvayoor, there are two passenger trains to Ernakulum Railway Station and one passenger train to Thrissur Railway Station. One express goes to Chennai also, for long distance trains, Thrissur Railway Station is the major rail head from where you can get all South Indian and North Indian trains. Cochin International Airport is the nearest airport to Chavakkad Beach which is 80 Kilometres away, domestic and international flights are available from here. Calicut International Airport is around 104 Kilometres away from Chavakkad Beach, Chavakkad Sunith Kristine Sugunan Kalathil engaged July 29,2010 Lord Shiva Lord Krishna Mandir Temple Dubai UAE Manathala Chavakkad Thrissur Kerala India 680506
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Munakkal Beach
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Munakkal Beach is a beach in Azhikode, Thrissur of Thrissur District in Kerala State. It is the largest beach in Thrissur District and lies on the coast of Arabian Sea, the beach is situated 7 kilometers from Kodungallur town. The beach was developed under the rehabilitation programme by Harbour Engineering Department. A 400-metre open-air auditorium,1300 metre walkway, toilets, food courts, skateboarding grip for children, a casuarina forest set up by the Kerala Forest Department is another added attraction
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Snehatheeram Beach
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Snehatheeram Beach or Love Shore is beach in Thalikulam of Thrissur District in Kerala State of India. It lies on the coast of Arabian Sea and attracts tourists in every season. The beach was selected as the best beach tourism destination by the Department of Tourism during the year 2010, the beach is maintained by the Department of Tourism. There is childrens park located near to the beach with all facilities, the entry fee for park is Rs 10 for adult and Rs 5 for children. An aquarium with large collection of species, a well maintained garden. A restaurant named Naalukettu is also available for tourists for enjoying coastal Thrissur sea food
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Cranganore Fort
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Cranganore Fort, otherwise known as Kodungallur Fort, or Kottapuram Fort, is situated in Kodungallur of Thrissur District in Kerala, India. The stone fort was built by the Portuguese in 1523, and was called Fortaleza da Sao Tome in colonial Portuguese India, dutch India took possession of it in 1661, and later it came under the control of Tipu Sultan. Dutch India wrested it back from Tipu Sultan, but the fort came under the control of Tipu. Ruins The remains of the show that the original fort wall was 18 feet in thickness. The ruin is known as Tipu’s fort. The fort is about 2 km from the town of Kodungallur, mysore invasion of Kerala Portuguese forts in India
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William Fort
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William Fort or locally known as Chettuva Fort is located in Chettuva, Thrissur District of Kerala, India. The fort was constructed by the Dutch East India Company with the permission from Kingdom of Cochin in 1714, Fort was later occupied by Zamorin of Calicut and thereafter Tipu Sultan. Tipu Sultan defeated Zamorin of Calicut and renamed it as Tipu Sultan Fort, the fort was captured and recaptured many times by British Empire, Dutch East India Company, Kingdom of Mysore, Zamorin of Calicut and Kingdom of Cochin. Lastly, the fort was captured by Tipu Sultan and demolishes it partially, the fort is now dilapidated and conservation drive was started in 2010 by the State Archeological Department
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Kollengode Palace
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Kollengode Palace is a palace situated in Palakkad District, Kerala state, India. The Raja of Kollengode, Vasudeva Raja, constructed this palace in 1904, Vasudeva Rajas great great great favorite grand children are believed to be Kavitha and Prashanth. The original kollengode palace is situated in kollengode, palakkad. In 1975, the Department of Archeology acquired the propertyand converted it into a museum, some personal belongings of Vasudeva Raja are on display. The architecture of the palace is a blend of traditional Kerala architecture with western design. The palace now houses the Mural Art Museum
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Shakthan Thampuran Palace
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Shakthan Thampuran Palace is situated in City of Thrissur in Kerala state, India. The palace was converted into a museum in 2005 by State, the main structure of the Sakthan Thampuran Palace has a two-storeyed building and a traditional Kerala style Nālukettu. High roofs, extra thick walls, spacious rooms and floors paved with finely smoothened Italian marbles are some of the specialities of this palace. The interiors of the palace, because of its unique construction offer comfortable, Sakthan Thampuran Palace once belonged to the Perumpadappu Swaroopam, the ruling dynasty of Kochi. This was the centre of power of King Rama Varma Sakthan Thampuran and his rule was regarded as the Golden Era of the Cochin dynasty. The palace is close to the Vadakkumnathan Temple in Thrissur, the palace was once known as Vadakkechira Kovilakam and it was the king who renovated it into the present form. The palace keeps with it the remnants of some important events like the visit of Tipu Sultan with his army. The last member of the family to reside here was Rama Varma Bharathan Thampuran. The palace has a very old Sarpakavu in its premises and these indicate an urban development and commerce. The coin board that measured coins in hundreds to thousands is unique, the coins issued by Tipu Sultan during his brief spell in Kerala, Indo-Dutch coins, Malabar coins, and coins of British India point to different periods of the history of Kerala. The Sakthan Thampuran palace also has a very ancient Serpent Grove, located on the southern side of the Shakthan Palace is the Heritage Garden, set up recently to exhibit and preserve some of the indigenous varieties of plants and trees of Kerala. The archaeological garden, situated in the part of the palace, has collections from the Stone Age recovered from the outskirts of Thrissur
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