 | This article has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
Padur പാടൂര് Padoor | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Interactive map of Padur | |
| Coordinates:10°39′N76°28′E / 10.650°N 76.467°E /10.650; 76.467 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Palakkad |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam,English |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 678543 |
| Telephone code | 04922 |
| Vehicle registration | KL-49 |
| Nearest city | Palghat |
| Literacy | 99.9% |
| Lok Sabha constituency | Alathur |
Padur (orPadoor) (Malayam: പാടൂര്) is a village inPalakkad district,Kerala,India.[1] The village is prominently known for its temple of Sree Panickanar, where a yearly festival called Padur Vela is celebrated and is well attended forVela-Poorams in the Palakkad district.
Padur is a border village in the Palakkad district, situated between the Palakkad andThrissur districts. Padur is locally governed underKavasseri-II of theAlathur revenuetaluk. It is approximately 5 square kilometres in area, with a population of nearly 5,000. Padur is situated 31 km from the Palakkad district headquarters, 8 km from Alathur, and 8 km fromPazhayannur.
Padur is surrounded by rivers on its 3 sides. The riverGayathri forms the northern boundary, while the riverMangalam forms the southern boundary. In the west of the village, both rivers merge into theBharatapuzha, the largest river in Kerala. Padur has thick greenery, includingpaddy fields, banana farms and coconut trees.
The name Padur (In Malayam,Padoor: പാടൂര്) is derived from the usage: "The land (oor: ഊര്) of Palakkad King (പാലക്കാട് രാജാവ്)". This is why the Palakkad Vela-Pooram celebrations originate out of Padur.
Padur Vela, typically celebrated on the 23rd or 24th of February each year, is the curtain raiser for Vela Poorams in Palakkad. The festival is celebrated as a birthday of Lord Sree Panickanar, an incarnation of LordAyyappa. The culture, beliefs, and prosperity of this village is bound to Sree Panickanar. This temple is one of the rarest of its kind, as the idol is formed on its own (swayam bhoo: സ്വയം ഭൂ). Besides this, there are around six other temples in the village: LordShiva, LordKrishna, Karthiayani Kovil (of GoddessParvathi), Sree Kurumba Kaavu (of an incarnated Goddess known as the daughter of Lord Shiva), several Mariamman Kavu (temples of a Hindu goddess), Venkatachalapathy Temple in East Village, and others. There is also a church and a mosque in the boundaries of the village.
The majority of people in Padur followHinduism. However, there are people that practice other religions such asChristianity andIslam.
Padur has an Aided LP school that teaches grades one to five, totaling to educating about 5 generations of people over its 113 years of service. The village has both a primary health center and a veterinary hospital, a branch post office, a public library, and a number ofsports clubs. One of which, Blue Star Sports club, has delivered many talented volleyball players to the state.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) set up a telephone exchange in Padur.
Padur is famous[citation needed] forastrologers, having a community of people who practice astrology professionally. These astrologers are called Panickers and use the title "Padur Panicker" (Kalarikkal) in their names.
The majority of Padur people hold occupations in agriculture, either asagriculturalists or aslaborers. Few work in government services. Alternately, a modest number of people work in other states ofIndia or abroad, in either public or private sectors. A number of entrepreneurs also live here.
A small-scale industrial estate is located in the village, where plastic products,power looms, soap, and brick manufacturing units run, providing additional job opportunities to the people of Padur and neighboring villages.
Irrespective of religion,caste, or colour, the people of Padur are very conservative and are closely knit together through traditions, culture, and relations. They believe that they are always looked after by Sree Panickanar, no matter which religion they belong to.
Padur has a lowerprimary school, located 0.5 km from the center of Padur.
Padur, being halfway between theAlathur andPazhayannur state roads, is well connected via road to many places in the region, such asPalakkad, Alathur,Thrissur,Nemmara. Direct bus lines to Padur are available from Palakkad Municipal Bus Stand, Alathur New Bus Stand, and Thrissur Saktan Bus Stand. Also, connecting lines to the village are available from Palakkad Town Bus Stand andPalakkad Junction Railway Station. Bus services run from 5 am till 8:30 pm. The nearest railway stations from Padur are Palghat Junction andThrissur Junction, while the nearest airports areCoimbatore International andCochin International.
Padur Vela is celebrated in the month of February every year, bringing in crowds of people during the festival. The excitement of Vela starts one month before and people clean and paint their houses in preparation. People from the Padur village who reside abroad often return to attend the festival. This festival features lot of fireworks, elephant processions, and other cultural events.
Apart from Padur Vela, other festivals are celebrated annually, like Karthika Vilakku in West Village and Manadalavilakku andBrahmotsavam in East Village. There are twoMariamman Temples in Padur where Mariamman Vilakku is celebrated every year.
