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Aluva Alwaye (colonial name) | |
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        Clockwise from top:Mahadeva Temple; New Bridge;Aluva metro station; Marthandavarma Bridge; Municipal Office;Periyar river;Federal Bank Headquarters; Gandhi Statue | |
  Aluva Location in Kerala, India Show map of Kerala Aluva Aluva (India) Show map of India | |
| Coordinates:10°07′00″N76°21′00″E / 10.1167°N 76.3500°E /10.1167; 76.3500 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Ernakulam |
| Established | 1921 |
| Government | |
| • Chairman | M.O John |
| • MLA | Anwar Sadath |
| Area | |
• Total | 7.18 km2 (2.77 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 22,428 |
| • Density | 3,358/km2 (8,700/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 6831xx |
| Telephone code | 0484 |
| Vehicle registration | KL 41 |
| Sex ratio | 1000:1050♂/♀ |
| Website | www |
Aluva (Malayalam pronunciation:[ɐːluʋɐ]), formerly known asAlwaye, is amunicipality[1] and a northern suburb of the city ofKochi inKerala. It is located about 15 km (9.3 mi) north of the city centre.
Aluva is known for theSivarathri festival, which is celebrated annually on the sandbanks of the Periyar River.[2] TheAdvaita Ashram in Aluva, founded in 1913 bySree Narayana Guru, an Indian social reformer, further enhances the region’s cultural heritage.[3] Today, despite being part of both the city and theKochiurban agglomeration, Aluva remains an autonomousmunicipality with its civic administration conducted by the Aluva Municipal Council, sinceKochi Corporation has not expanded its limits for over 53 years.
Aluva also serves as the administrative centre of the Aluvataluk. In 1956, the taluks of villages—including Mukundapuram, Kanayannur,Kunathunad, and North Paravur—were combined to form the Aluva taluk. The headquarters of the District Police Chief of the Ernakulam Rural Police District, the Superintending Engineer of PWD (Roads), and the District Educational Officer are also located there. Additionally, Aluva is the northern starting point of theKochi Metro rail’s first phase, which began operations in June 2017, and it is integrated into the Kochi city bus network. The Metro station is situated at Bypass, Aluva.
The etymology of the town’s name has been the subject of speculation for centuries. One widely accepted version relates to the legend of the Hindu godShiva drinking theKalakootam poison to save the world. It is said that, with the poison (alam) held in his mouth (vaa), Shiva was transformed into a deity who later resided in a temple in Aluva.[4] The Sivarathri festival is celebrated in his honour. The city is also known as the "gateway to the east".[citation needed] Some leaflets and websites still refer to the town by its colonial name, Alwaye.
Archaeological evidence indicates that settlements existed in Aluva as early as 250 BC.[5] Until 1341 CE, Aluva comprised a continuous area of land spanning Kakkanad and Alangad. By that time, the town was densely populated and had become both a holiday resort and a centre of commerce.[6] Mangalappuzha, a branch of thePeriyar that bifurcates at Aluva, was known as a significant centre of trade in South India. Prior to Indian independence, Aluva was part of the Kingdom ofTravancore and served as the official summer residence of its royal family. In the twentieth century, when a community of Jews resided in Kochi, some individuals maintained holiday homes in Aluva along the banks of the Periyar River.[7]
Aluva is a constituency in theKerala Legislative Assembly and forms part of theChalakudy (Lok Sabha constituency);Anwar Sadath serves as theMLA for Aluva.[8] It is also part of theChalakudy (Lok Sabha constituency), represented byBenny Behanan, amember.
Administratively, Aluva is governed as amunicipality.[9] The current municipal council is led by the Indian National Congress Party underM. O. John, who was elected in December 2020. Previously, the council was chaired byLissy Abraham (2015–2020) andM. T. Jacob (2010–2015).
Aluva is well connected to other parts of India via air, road, and rail.
Cochin International Airport is located 15 km (9.3 mi) from the town centre and offers both domestic and international connections.[citation needed]
Aluva Railway Station (IR Code: AWY) is a grade-A station and the third busiest in Kochi afterErnakulam Junction railway station andErnakulam Town railway station. Every passenger and express train bound for southern Kerala stops here. Travelers from the Idukki district typically use either the Aluva or theTripunithura railway station, as the topography of Idukki does not allow for a railway station. Notably, no trains originate or terminate at Aluva Railway Station. The station is situated at the junction of Railway Station Road near the KSRTC stand, which provides connections via KSRTC buses and City Low Floor buses (with and without A/C) to serve most locations in Kerala.[citation needed]
Additionally, a smaller station,Chowara, is located approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) from the Aluva railway station.
Kochi Metro Phase 1 starts at the Aluva Bypass and operates until it reaches Pettah. The construction of the project was started in mid-2013; Phase 1 commenced its operations on 19 June 2017.[10]Kochi Metro Rail Limited is a project of the Kerala Government undertaken byDMRC aside from Aluva Flyover.Aluva metro station is the northern terminus of Phase 1.[10] Kochi Metro is expected to overcome the traffic problems in the Aluva-Edappally-Ernakulam road corridor, which is the second busiest road corridor in Kochi after theKundannoor-Edappally section ofNH 66. It is also expected to increase the amount of civil infrastructure in the city. Development of Kochi metro has raised the commercial value of the land, and has played a role in Aluva's assimilation into Kochi city.
The metro system's third phase is supposed to extend the line further north from Aluva to the northern suburbAngamaly in order to connect to theCochin International Airport.
Rajiv Gandhi Central Bus Station is one of the largest private bus terminals in Kochi and Kerala.Aluva KSRTC bus station is also a bus station in central Kerala.[11] The daily passenger buses of Karnataka RTC and Tamil Nadu's SETC have routes to places such as Mysore, Mangalore, Bangalore, Trichy, Coimbatore, Salem, Palani, and Kodaikanal.
Privately operated inter-state buses[12] to Bangalore, Chennai, Mysore, Mumbai, and other cities have stops in points of Aluva.
Rajiv Gandhi Central acts as a node for Kochi city buses, with intra-city services to city regions such asFort Kochi,Tripunithura,Kakkanad, etc. It is also a hub for private bus companies in the city, such asKochi Wheels.
Kochi Metro Rail Limited also runs a bus service fromAluva metro station toCochin International Airport named Pavan Doot. It uses anelectric bus.
Aluva is a stop for National Waterway 3; the waterway connects to Thiruvananthapuram in the south and to Kottapuram (Thrissur) in the north.[citation needed]
Landmarks
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Aluva's culture has been influenced by the people native to it and by those attracted to it due to factors such as its proximity to the Periyar River.
Several Malayalam movie songs are dedicated to the Periyar River. Poets such asChangapuzha Krishna Pillai,G. Sankara Kurup,Balachandran Chullikkadu, critic Kuttipuzha Krishnapilla, and novelistSubash Chandran are from Aluva and lived there. Though not from the Aluva area,Vayalar Ramavarma andO.N.V. Kurup also wrote about Periyar, as Aluva influenced their writing.
The mimicry comedy that dominated the cultural landscape of Kerala beginning in the 1980s was originated in Aluva by stand-up comedians from that area, though they got larger audiences and fans inKochi and Malayalam movies later, which would make them fixations of Kerala's popular culture. The actor known as Dileep is from the latter part of the time in which parody was considered to be popular. WithKochi becoming the base forMollywood, several parts of the city, including Aluva, have featured in films such asPremam (portraying the erstwhile Aluva town in the 90s and early 2000s) and Nizhal.
Several newspapers and magazines were published in Aluva during the print era. Continuing with the tradition of published writing, the first online magazine and blogging platform was started in Aluva by puzha.com, which still exists on the Internet.[when?]
Tourists can find the Manappuram as a long stretch of sand bank followed by a plain. Sivagiri Ashram has a small temple that worships Sree Narayana Guru. Tourist spots includeMahadeva Temple andAluva Palace.
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Aluva is the home of multiple business headquarters. Aluva is known for its "Aluva Pukayillatha Aduppu" (smokeless stove), which was invented by the Alwaye Settlement Church. One private sector bank in India, The Federal Bank, has its headquarters in Aluva.
Aluva serves as a prominent centre for aspiringchartered accountants (CAs) and Company Secretaries (CS).[citation needed] Noteworthy chartered accountancy firms in the area encompass Balan & Co and Yesjay Associates, among others. Additionally, the Kerala State Civil Service Academy has established a branch in Aluva.
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The Mahadeva Temple is 1 km away from theMarthanda Varma bridge inNH-47. Periyar river splits into two rivers near the Aluva railway bridge. After the splitting, one part of the river is known as Mangalappuzha. Aluva Mahadeva Temple is located on the sand bank between the Mangalppuzha and Periyar river.
The temple'sShiva linga is not enshrined in asreekovil; it rises out of the sand banks of the Periyar river. The land on which the sand banks are located is called the Aluva Manal Puram (land with sand).
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Neighbouring regions of Aluva | |
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| Towns and cities |
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