Nileshwaram | |
|---|---|
| Nileshwar / nileshwaram | |
 Nileshwar palace | |
| Nickname: Nileshwar(cultural capital of Kasargod District) | |
  Nileshwaram Location in Kerala, India Show map of Kerala Nileshwaram Nileshwaram (India) Show map of India | |
| Coordinates:12°16′N75°08′E / 12.26°N 75.13°E /12.26; 75.13 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Kerala[1] |
| District | Kasaragod[1] |
| Taluk | Hosdurg[1] |
| Government | |
| • Body | Nileshwar municipality |
| Area | |
• Total | 26.23 km2 (10.13 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[2] | |
• Total | 39,752 |
| • Density | 1,516/km2 (3,925/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 671314[1] |
| Telephone code | 0467 |
| Vehicle registration | KL-60 |
Nileshwaram orNileshwar orNeeleeswaram is amunicipality and a major town inKasaragod District, state ofKerala, India.[1][3] It is one of the threemunicipalities in Kasaragod district; the others areKasaragod andKanhangad.[4] Nileshwaram is located on the estuary ofKavvayi Backwaters andNeeleshwaram River (also known asThejaswini River). Nileshwaram is referred to as the cultural capital ofKasaragod, the northernmost district of Kerala.[5] "The first Chief Minister of Kerala and communist leaderE. M. S. Namboodiripad,Kamaran Nair had contested elections to the Assembly from the Neeleswaram segment."[5]
Neeleswaram, or Nileswaram, is the abbreviated form of Neelakanteshweram. The Kolathiri Dominion emerged into independent 10 principalities in the late medieval period, i.e.,Kadathanadu (Vadakara),Randathara or Poyanad (Dharmadom),Kottayam (Thalassery), Nileshwaram, Iruvazhinadu (Panoor),Kurumbranad etc., under separate royal chieftains due to the outcome of internal dissensions.[6] Many portions of the present-dayHosdurg taluk (Kanhangad) andVellarikundu were parts of the Nileshwaram dynasty, who were relatives to bothKolathunadu as well asZamorin ofCalicut, in the early medieval period.[5] Nileshwaram was historically the seat of the Neeleswaram Rajahs, who belonged to the clans of theKolathiri andZamorins. The Nileshwar Rajahs and the Bednore Nayaks battled in this area.
The grand finale of the annual temple festival season takes place in this area, which is known for its "kavus", or sacred groves. The most famous of the sacred groves is the Mannampurathu Kavu. The town is also known forTheyyam, the ritualistic art forms. Also Nileshwar is the first town in Kerala famous for cultivating 'Chengthengu' (red dwarf coconut).
In 1918, the Rajah's High School was established, it was one of the first north Kerala schools of its kind. The school retains a letter written to the students byMahatma Gandhi on his way in 1928 toMangalore. It was part of a broad appeal for people to rally behind thenational movement.
in 2024, 150 people were injured by fireworks at Theru Anjootambalam Veererkavu temple.[7]
Nileshwar Municipality and surrounding Panchayats are administered by NileshwarBlock Panchayat. Nileshwaram is politically a part ofThrikaripur Assembly constituency under Kasaragod Loksabha constituency.[8]
Nileshwar Municipality is composed of following 32 wards:[9]
| Ward no. | Name | Ward no. | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Padinhatam kozhuval west | 2 | Padinhatam kozhuval east |
| 3 | Kizhakkan kozhuval | 4 | Palakkat |
| 5 | Chirappuram | 6 | Pattena |
| 7 | Suvarnavally | 8 | Palathadam |
| 9 | Palayi | 10 | Vallikkunnu |
| 11 | Chathamathu | 12 | Poovalamkai |
| 13 | Kunhippulikkal | 14 | Karyamkode |
| 15 | Perole | 16 | Thattachery |
| 17 | Pallikkara I | 18 | Pallikkara II |
| 19 | Karuvachery | 20 | Koyamburam |
| 21 | Anachal | 22 | Kottappuram |
| 23 | Kadinhimoola | 24 | Purathekai |
| 25 | Thaikadappuram south | 26 | Thaikadappuram centre |
| 27 | Thaikadappuram north | 28 | Thaikadappuram sea road |
| 29 | Thaikadappuram store | 30 | Kotrachal |
| 31 | Kanichira | 32 | Nileshwaram Town |
Most of the people areHindus, followed byChristians andMuslims. To a lesser extent, there areJain andBuddhists.[10] The name Nileshwaram is derived from the name of a temple Thaliyil Siva Temple (Neelakanteshwaran), and the culture of the town is based in large part by its temples, like Thaliyil Siva Temple, Mannam Purath Kaavu, Shri Gopalakrishna Temple and Vaikunda Temple.[11]
Nileshwar Town is betweenKochi andPanvel on the National Highway 66 ( previously NH-17). Private and KSRTC buses provide routes to many cities likeErnakulam,Calicut,Mangalore,Mysore andBangalore. There are rail services atNileshwar railway station. There are airports atMangalore to the north andKannur to the south.
| Cities and subdivisons ofKasaragod district | |
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| Cities and subdivisons ofKasaragod district | |
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