Wadakkancherry

Wadakkanchery is a major town in Thrissur, Kerala. Up until 1860, this area was part of Chelakkara Taluk. Now, it is the headquarters of Talappilly Taluk.

Not to be confused with Vadakkencherry.

Wadakkancherry
Town
An aerial view of Wadakkanchery
Wadakkancherry
Location in Kerala, India
Coordinates: 10°39′34″N 76°14′58″E
Country India
StateKerala
DistrictThrissur
Government
 • BodyWadakkanchery Municipality
Languages
 • OfficialMalayalam, English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
680582
Telephone code04884
Vehicle registrationKL-48
Nearest cityTrichur (Thrissur)
Lok Sabha constituencyAlathur
Civic agencyWadakkanchery Block
Climatecool&hot (Köppen)
Websitewww.wadakanchery.com

Wadakkanchery obtained municipality status from the government by merging with the Mundathikode panchayath and it is the only town in Thrissur District to be raised as municipality recently. There are two places with similarly pronounced names: Wadakanchery and wadakkenchery (the latter is in Palakkad district).

Transportation

Roads and bus

Wadakkanchery is situated on the Thrissur–Shoranur State Highway 22 and is directly connected to Kunnamkulam (another major town in the Thrissur district). Ottupara Bus Stand is a main stop on the Thrissur–Ottapalam/chelakkara bus route. There has been a huge demand for the last many years to make Thrissur–Perinthalmanna–Nilambur–Ooty or Bangalore a National Highway.

Wadakkanchery is the endpoint of State Highway 50 that connects the town to Chavakkad and Guruvayoor via Kunnamkulam.

Rail

Wadakanchery Railway Station (alternatively spelled Wadakancheri Railway Station; station code WKI) is located in Wadakancherry and is managed by Southern Railways. Being one status of adarsh station by the government of India, it is the main station after Thrissur Railway station. It has two platforms. Most express trains stop here.

Other nearby railway stations are:

Air

The nearest airports are Cochin International Airport (Nedumabassery airport; code COK), at a distance of 70 km, and Calicut International Airport (Code CCJ).

Culture and education

Wadakanchery is an important cultural centre. The Kerala Kalamandalam is located at Cheruthuruthy, not far from Wadakanchery. This place is home to many artists, literary and cinema figures. Film director P. N. Menon, Bharathan, Kathakali singer Kalamandalam Hyder Ali, film actor Oduvil Unnikrishnan, Erattakulangara Abubacker, author of the Malayalam version of the "Panchatantram", Sumangala, Malayalam novelist Vilasini വിലാസിനി who wrote the biggest novel അവകാശികൾ are all from Wadakkanchery. The ancient illam Aavanapparambu is near Wadakanchery.

Government Boys' High School, Government Girls' High School, St. Pius, and Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan are the premier schools located at Wadakanchery.

Sri Vyasa NSS College, managed by the Nair Service Society, at Parlikkad is a noted educational institution near Wadakanchery. Parlikkad also hosts a major religious congregation of Hindus during December of every year.

Festivals and attractions

The Vazhani Dam, approximately 8 km from Wadakanchery, made entirely of mud is the major tourist attraction nearby.

Wadakkanchery is situated in the heart of the "pooram belt". Poorams are the annual festivals in temples of central Kerala, especially the "Uthraalikkaavu Pooram" and "Machad Thiruvanikaavu Vela" which are well known for their firework extravaganzas and rituals respectively, during the festivals.

The "Pathinettara (eighteen and half) Kavu Vela" is famous which takes place on the first day of Kumbha masam at different temples in and around Wadakanchery.

The most famous fireworks are during the festival at Sree Rudhira Mahakali (shortened to Uthrali) Kavu. This takes place in the month of Kumbham (February–March). The pomp and gaiety of this occasion is matched only by the fireworks of the Thrissur pooram or Nenmmara Vallangi Vela. It falls on the very next Tuesday of the Machad Mamankam during the month of Kumbham. The Para Purappad here is on the same day of Machad Mamankam.

Unlike other temple festivals in Kerala where caparisoned elephants are the main attraction, the 'Machad Mamankam' or 'Machattu Vela' is celebrated on the Tuesday coming after the first Friday of the Malayalam month Kumbha, with huge models of caparisoned horses. Villages in the nearby area of the temple participate in the festival in a competitive but spiritual way. These huge horses are carried by the youth of their respective villages to the temple.

Religion

Many important places of worship are located in the town. These include Uthraalikkaavu temple, Machad thiruvaanikkavu, Akamala Sastha temple and Maari Amman Kovil, St. Francis Xaviers Forane Church, St. George Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Ottupara Town Masjid, and Juma Masjid.

The Dhanwanthari Temple at Nelluvay near Erumapetty (on Wadakkanchery–Kunnamkulam Road, approximately 8 km from Wadakkanchery) is another place of religious interest.

The Siva temple at this place is considered an archaeological monument by the Archaeological Survey of India. The Pallimanna Siva Temple at Kumblangad at a distance of 3 km from Wadakanchery is another archaeological monument by the Archaeological Survey of India, famous for the wall paintings in the temple.

The St. Jude Thaddeus Church is located at Kumbalangadu, 3 km away from Wadakkanchery. The carmalamatha church is another famous church nearby, located at Kundannur, 5 km away from Wadakkanchery.

Hindus comprise the majority population in Wadakkanchery. Syrian Christians, with roots in Kunnamkulam side, belonging to both Catholic and Orthodox factions are also present in sizeable numbers. But towards the northern sides of Wadakkanchery from Cheruthuruthi onwards demographic changes are drastic, with increasing Muslim settlement similar to the adjacent Muslim dominated South Malabar.

Government Offices

The town has some important State and Central government offices. They are the Taluk and Village office, Munsiff and Magistrate court, Joint Regional Transport Office, Two post offices, Assistant Labour Office, Sales Tax office, State Excise office, Police station, Circle Inspector's office and Telephone Exchange (BSNL). Also there are Office of The Assistant Executive Engineer Minor Irrigation, Office of The Assistant Executive Engineer Major Irrigation, and Employment Exchange.

Hospitals in and around Wadakkanchery

Hospitals in the town are Wadakanchery district hospital, Divine Hospital and Holly medical centre nearby Ottupara–Vazhani road. There was a huge demand to include Thrissur Medical College and its premises in the Wadakanchery Municipality because some parts belongs to the mundathikode.

The town is covered under all cellular / mobile operators (GSM and CDMA) in Kerala circle.

Wadakkanchery assembly constituency is part of Alathur Lok Sabha constituency. Anil Akkara is representing the constituency in Niyamasabha[1]

Important Landmarks

Suburbs and Villages
gollark: Radio is just TV with the video signal missing.
gollark: I wonder how hard/expensive it'd be to run your own channel on the satellite system if there are THAT many.
gollark: We have exciting TV like "BBC Parliament".
gollark: Analog TV got shut down here ages ago.
gollark: So I guess if you consider license costs our terrestrial TV is *not* free and costs a bit more than Netflix and stuff. Oops.

References
  1. "Assembly Constituencies - Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies" (PDF). Kerala. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 19 October 2008.
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