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Thodupuzha
Municipality
Thodupuzha Civil Station Complex
Thodupuzha Location in Kerala, India Show map of Kerala Thodupuzha Thodupuzha (India) Show map of India
Coordinates:9°54′00″N76°43′09″E / 9.89998°N 76.71920°E /9.89998; 76.71920
Country	India
State	Kerala
District	Idukki
Government
• Type	First Grade Municipality
• Member of Legislative Assembly	P.J. Joseph (KC/UDF)
• Municipal Chairman	Mrs. Saabira Jaleel, IUML
Area
• Total	35.43 km2 (13.68 sq mi)
Elevation	40 m (130 ft)
Population  (2011)[1]
• Total	52,045
• Density	1,469/km2 (3,805/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Malayalam, English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	685584
Telephone code	04862
Vehicle registration	KL-38
Nearest city	Kottayam,Kochi
Nearest Railway Stations	Piravam Road(PVRD) 38 km Ettumanoor (ETM) 45.9 km Thrippunithura (TRTR) 50.3 km Aluva (AWY) 54 km Kottayam (KTYM) 54.2 km Ernakulam Jn. / Ernakulam South (ERS) 59.2 km Ernakulam Town / Ernakulam North (ERN) 59.8 km
Nearest Airport	Cochin International Airport (COK) 54 km
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Thodupuzha
Lok Sabha constituency	Idukki
Climate	Tropical monsoon(Köppen)
Avg. summer temperature	32.5 °C (90.5 °F)
Avg. winter temperature	23 °C (73 °F)

Thodupuzha ([kaʈ:ap:ɐna]) is amunicipality^[2] andtaluk in theIdukki district ofKerala,India. It is located 55 km (34.2 mi) west of the district headquarters inPainavu and about 195 km (121.2 mi) north of the state capitalThiruvananthapuram. As per the2011 Indian census, Thodupuzha has a population of 52,045 people, and a population density of 1,468/km² (3,800/sq mi).

Thodupuzha is the largest town and main commercial centre in Idukki. It is bordered by theKottayam district on the southern side and theErnakulam District on the western side. It also acts as a gateway to various tourist spots in theHigh Range regions towards its east, includingMunnar,Thekkady, andPeermade.^[3] The malayalam movies Drishyam and Drishyam 2 were shot in Thodupuzha. The shoot for the third part ie Drishyam 3 has been completed.

In retribution to the destruction the then capital ofVadakkaumkoor principality,Karikkode, by Diwan Ramayyan and his ally Yesthacius De Lenoy on the annexation of Vadakkumkoor, by the orders of Maharajah of Travancore, His Highness Anizham Thirunal Marthandavarma, sent his representative to manage as administer of invaded principality of Vadakkumkoor, Elasamprathi Narayana Varma. A nearby area, then named "Kodanthuruth" surrounded by a number of hillocks and rocky areas was selected by the representative of Maharajah of Travancore, to be the new headquarters of the Thodupuzha Taluk. Karikkode was reduced to a petty village as a "Pakuthy". Maharajah also appointed and entrusted Mallan Sankaran of Palliyadi, his Surveyor, for the preparation of land revenue records("Ozhukkuand survey and settlement of Kandezhuthu. As Mallan Sankaran failed to execute his mission due to widespread objection and riot of the local people, survey was only completed during the reign of Karthikathirunal Ramavarma. The place was namedThodupuzha by the Raja of Vadakkumkoor Maluvakon Manikantan who used to reside in his palace at Vaickam and Edavetty(Mattam Palace) near Karikkode, used to mention the nearby flowing wide "Valiyathodu" asthodu (transl. "rivulet")puzha (transl. "river"). It is believed that the stream developed into a river due to the changes in geophysical conditions of the area wherefrom it originates and enter the vally of Arakulam, to be known asThodupuzha river and the town on the banks of the river came to be known as Thodupuzha. There is another version that definesthodu as "touch" instead. The Mattathil Kovilakam[4] were the protectors and rulers of the region. The last ruler of the region was Elasamprathi Narayana Varma, who originally came from Trivandrum and was the representative of Maharaja of Travancore Anizhamthirunal Marthanda Varma.

TheVadakkumkur kings used to live inKarikode for several years. Vadakkumkur was a late medieval/early modern feudal principality located inKerala. After the kingdom separated,Thekkumkur became an independent kingdom, while Vadakkumkur became a vassal ofCochin. During the time of Portuguese dominance in Cochin, disputes arose between the Vadakkumkur chieftain and the Kingdom of Cochin over the pepper trade, and the Vadakkumkurraja was killed in battle with Cochin and their Portuguese allies. After the attack, Vadakkumkur palace split into two branches: one was known as Mattathil Palace, which remained in Thondikkuzha; and the other one in Kadanadu Pala.^[5] Vadakkumkur and Thekkumkur were later annexed byMarthanda Varma and incorporated into the kingdom ofTravancore. Maharaja appointed his representative known as Elasamprathi Narayana Varam to develop the region called Keezhmalainadu. Varam became known as the father of Keezhmalainadu and modern Thodupuzha.^[6]

Varam erected many monuments, including the government offices,Pandikasala, and temples. The Karikode mosque and other buildings in Thodupuzha andMuvattupuzha also date from his reign. He was the founder of the new style of tax collection in this region. Thodupuzha is an ancient town with a history dating back to many centuries. The Buddhist and Jain religions which made their first inroads into Kerala in 300 BC left their influence at Thodupuzha and neighboring areas. In the 14th century, Kerala was divided for administrative reasons into several provinces: Venadu, Otanadu, Navishainadu, Munjunadu, Vempolinadu, and Keezhmalainadu. Thodupuzha and Muvattupuzha were in Keezhmalainadu, which was in existence until 1600; in that year it lost a battle with Vadakkumkoor and became a part of it.

St George Syro-Malabar Forane Church at MuthalakodamSt. George Forane Church MuthalakodamWayback MachineSt. George's Forane Church, Muthalakodam · WP6M+764, SH44, Muthalakodam, Kerala 685605, India, near Thodupuzha, is believed to have constructed before the 13th century. It was re-built several times since then and the current structure was built in the year 1973.

Mylacombu St Thomas Syro-Malabar Church, ThodupuzhaArchitecture of Churches in Kerala | Christianity in Kerala | Kerala TourismSt. Thomas Forane Church, Mylacombu · WMFX+QPQ, Mylacombu, Kumaramangalam, Idukki, Kerala 685608, India is believed to be built in 660 AD bySyrian Christian settlers in Mylacombu near Thodupuzha who migrated fromKuravilangad,Kodungallur,Angamaly,Kadamattom andVadakara, Koothattukulam.^[7][8]

St Mary's Syro-Malabar Church, NediyasalaSt. Mary's Syro Malabar Church, Nediyasala · VMPF+PMM, Thodupuzha, Koothattukulam Road, Nediyasala, Kerala 685608, India near Thodupuzha is another ancient church in the locality.

AfterIndian independence, from 1949 to 1956, Thodupuzha was a part of theKottayam district inTravancore-Cochin state.^[9] In 1956, when Kerala state was formed, Thodupuzha remained as a part of Kottayam district until 1958, when Ernakulam district was formed on 1 April 1958 and C. A. Mathew (മാത്യു ചൂരപുഴ) became the firstmember of theKerala Legislative Assembly from 1957 to 1960, and from 1960 to 1965. In 1972, theIdukki district was formed by merging the Thodupuzhataluk with theDevikulam,Udumbanchola andPeermade taluks, which were part of theKottayam district.

As of2011 Census,^[11] Thodupuzha Taluka, with an area of 884.93 km² (341.67 sq mi) had a total population of 325,951; males comprised 49% of the population and females 51%. The literacy rate of Thodupuzha Taluka in 2011 was 95.56%, in which, male and female literacy were 96.81% and 94.33% respectively. In Thodupuzha, 9% of the population was under the age of six.

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Thodupuzha Taluk now bifurcated into Thodupuzha and Idukki Taluks of which most of the lands spread over low range plainland of Middle Kerala is the hub of trade in hill produces like rubber, coconut, peppar, tapioca, banana, ginger, turmeric, pineapple and cocoa. Prior to the real estate drive in the district large areas were cultivated by paddy and now paddy cultivation is abandoned by farmers due to negative situations. In fact, Thodupuzha's economy was mostly driven by agriculture. Farmers in Thodupuzha raise a number of crops, mostlyrubber. Other crops such aspineapple,coconut,rice,pepper,cocoa,tapioca,banana,ginger,turmeric are also cultivated. Very recently many entrepreneurs have come up with numerous ventures in small scale and village industries especially as a result of encouragement in state policy since for the last three decades. Corresponding development in business and trade are also visible in this area. The headquarters of the first Ayurvedic Medicine manufacturing industry in the district, The Dhanwanthari Vaidyasala, is in Thodupuzha and now a good number of industries like Nagarjuna, Guardian Controls, Lunar Chappals, Saro Plast, Brahmins industries are few examples. Thodupuzha Municipal Town can credit for its well constructed bypass roads being the foundations of infrastructure in development of the area. A good number of public and private institutions are also evidence its fast development to cope with the need of era.

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Thodupuzha was administered by a villagepanchayat and village union for several years, but on 1 September 1978, it was upgraded into a municipality. The municipality was formed by merging the Thodupuzha panchayat and the neighboring panchayats of Kumaramangalam, Karicodu, and Manacaud. The municipality was administered by a special officer for ten years. In 1988, elections were held and the first popularly elected municipal council was formed, with N. Chandran as the chairman.

The Thodupuzha Cricket Stadium constructed by theKerala Cricket Association is located inKarikkode, approximately five kilometers away from Thodupuzha,^[13] which is large enough to host two cricket matches at the same time.^[14]

• The first center of higher learning in the taluk wasNewman College, Thodupuzha. It was established in 1964 by the Syrian Catholic Diocese ofKothamangalam and named afterCardinal Newman.^[15]
• The second college of Thodupuzha was established in 1982: St. Joseph's College inArakkulam.^[16]
• The University College of Engineering, Thodupuzha, managed and run by theMahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, is located in Thodupuzha. The college started functioning in 1996.^{[citation needed][17]}

This list of residentsmay not follow Wikipedia'sverifiability policy. Please helpimprove it by addingreliable sources for existing names which prove they are residents. Unsourced names may be challenged and removed.(May 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

• Ajitkumar Varma| Deputy Inspector General of Police| CIB| Indian High Commission London
• Asif Ali, film actor
• Askar Ali, film actor
• Asin, film actress
• P. K. Abdul Aziz, vice-chancellor ofAligarh Muslim University
• Dileesh Nair, film director and screenwriter
• Hakkim Shajahan, film actor
• Jaffar Idukki, film actor
• P. J. Joseph, leader ofKerala Congress and former minister in theSecond Oommen Chandy ministry
• Neeta Pillai, film actress^[18]
• Pappachen Pradeep, defender for theIndia national football team, former captain of the U23 team.
• Honey Rose, film actress
• Nishanth Sagar, film actor^[19]
• Rajesh Touchriver, film director
• Shiny Wilson (née Abraham), Olympian and Asian Games Medal Winner
• Binni krishnakumar, singer and dancer
• Thodupuzha Vasanthi, film actress

Wikimedia Commons has media related toThodupuzha.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide forThodupuzha.

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