Thiruvalla Municipality

Thiruvalla Municipality is the municipal government of Thiruvalla, a town in Pathanamthitta district in the Indian state of Kerala. It was constituted in 1920 and administers an area of 27.94 square kilometres spread across the villages of Thiruvalla, Kavumbhagom and Kuttappuzha. The municipality has 39 wards and a total population of 52,883. The Manimala River flows along its southern boundary. Thiruvalla is the largest town in the district and is one of the economic, educational, cultural and commercial centres of central Travancore. It is popularly known as the "town of non-resident Indians" because a large share of its residents are part of the Malayali diaspora. Although the town struggles with an ageing and declining population and experiences high migration rates, in recent years it has seen growth in its economy and urban renewal. The current municipal chairperson is Lekha S., and the current vice-chairperson is K.V. Varghese. The municipality provides civic services and local governance for the town and its surrounding areas.

Thiruvalla Municipality was constituted in 1920. The town of Thiruvalla has ancient roots: evidence suggests human habitation in the area from as early as 500 BCE, and an organised settlement by around 800 CE. The western parts of present-day Thiruvalla, including the areas of Niranam and Kadapra, were once submerged under the sea. Thiruvalla was one of the 64 ancient Brahmin villages. Neolithic stone axes have been reported from Thiruvalla, indicating early civilisation. In ancient times, Thiruvalla, with the port of Niranam, was a major commercial centre; the geographer Ptolemy referred to the Baris River, today's Pampa. The Ay kings ruled from Thiruvalla in the north to Nagarcoil in the south until the early 10th century. By the 12th century, the Thiruvalla copper plates provide a picture of social life centred around the temple. The community had a large Vedic school (Thiruvalla Salai) at the Thiruvalla temple, comparable to a modern university, which was one of the main centres of learning in Kerala. According to the copper plates, students at the school were given 350 nazhis of paddy daily, indicating a large student population. The Srivallabha Temple was one of the richest temples in ancient Kerala. In the early modern period, the rulers of Thiruvalla were under the Thekkumkur royal family, based at Idathil near Kavil Temple. Over time the Thekkumkur kings lost power, and in 1752-53 Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, the king of Travancore, captured the area; the Vilkili Namboothiris then administered it. The surrender was peaceful as the Namboothiris were no match for the powerful army of Ramayyan, the Dalawa and advisor to the Travancore king. In modern times, Thiruvalla Municipality has grown into an important urban centre in central Travancore, known for its commercial and educational institutions and its large non-resident Indian population.

• 1920

  Thiruvalla Municipality was constituted.

• 1752

  Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma of Travancore captured the area from the Thekkumkur kings.

• Organised settlement in the Thiruvalla area is believed to have existed by around this time.

1. 1Thiruvalla Municipality - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2തിരുവല്ല നഗരസഭ - Malayalam Wikipediaml.wikipedia.org