Changanassery

Changanacherry
ചങ്ങനാശ്ശേരി
Changanasserry
City

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Top left:Vazhappally Maha Siva Temple, Top right:Anchu Vilaku Lamps, Middle left:Saint Berchmans College, Middle right:Saint Mary's Metropolitan Cathedral, Bottom left:Vandipetta Boat Jetty, Bottom right:Main gate in Nair Service Society Headquarters
Changanacherry
Coordinates: IN 9°28′00″N 76°33′00″E / 9.466667°N 76.55°E / 9.466667; 76.55Coordinates: IN 9°28′00″N 76°33′00″E / 9.466667°N 76.55°E / 9.466667; 76.55
Country India
State Kerala
District Kottayam
Government
  Body Municipality
Elevation 11 m (36 ft)
Population (2001)
  Total 51,960
Languages
  Official Malayalam, English
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 686101
Telephone code 0481
Vehicle registration KL 33

Changanacherry is an urban agglomeration in Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India, located 18 km south of Kottayam and 8 km north of Thiruvalla on the Main Central road. With a population of about 50,000, its population was already 36,000 as early as the 1951 census. The town is situated near the tripoint of Kottayam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts.

Demographics

NSS headquarters
St. Berchman's College
St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Catholic Metropolitan Church
Syro-Malabar Catholic Archbishop's house
Vazhappally Temple

As of the 2001 India census,[1] Changanacherry had a population of 51,960. Males constituted 48% of the population and females 52%. Changanacherry has an average literacy rate of 94%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 93.9% and female literacy of 94.1%. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. A large percentage of population from Changanacherry resides abroad in the Gulf, Europe and America.

Points of interest

Educational institution

St. Berchmans College

The St. Berchmans College, also called SB College locally, was founded by the first bishop of the archdiocese of Changanacherry, Thomas Kurialacherry (January 14, 1873 – February 6, 1925), in the year of 1922. It is now affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala and has been reaccredited by NAAC at A+ level. As of 2014 the SB College had 16 departments and offered 35 courses for the students. It has a chapel, library, digital library and a research center. The alumni of SB occupy important positions in different parts of India as well as foreign countries like the United States, Germany, Austria, Kuwait, Qatar, Doha and the UAE.

Sacred Heart High School

The Sacred Heart High School, also called SH School locally, Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, also known as S.H., Changanacherry 9°26'44.4588N 76°33'3.888E[1] is a pioneer among the recognized English Medium Schools in the unaided sector in Kerala,[2] India. The school was founded by Fr. K.J. Antony Kaithara, a member of the Sacred Heart Institution, under the patronage of Mar Mathew Kavukattu, the late Archbishop of Changanacherry in 1964. The ICSE wing started in 2002, and it was raised to a junior college in 2008. The manager of the school is Very Rev. Monsignor Joseph Neduvilezham, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Chanagancherry; Rev. Fr. Joseph M. Cheruvelil is the Principal and Rev. Fr. Mohan Mundanthanjilil serves as the bursar of the school. Fr. O.J. Varghese was the principal for many decades. The motto of the school is Learn, Labour, Serve. It was mentioned in the Malayalam movie, Varnapakittu. The civil servant, Raju Narayana Swamy studied at S.H.

NSS Hindu College

N.S.S. Hindu College, Changanacherry, It is an aided college affiliated to the Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam and is managed by Nair Service Society. Established in 1947, it is one of the largest colleges under Mahatma Gandhi University.

St Joseph College of Communication (SJCC)

St Joseph College of Communication (SJCC), is the first university affiliated Media College in South India. SJCC is a Christian minority self-financing education institution affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India. The college is the first of its kind in South India, offering career-oriented bachelor and master of arts degrees in Multimedia, Animation, Graphic Design, and Cinema & Television.

SJCC was founded in August 2004. SJCC was formally inaugurated by Sri Oommen Chandy, the Chief Minister of Kerala, in the presence of the founder, Archbishop Emeritus Mar Joseph Powathil on 2 July 2005.

Religion

Puthur Masjid (Puthurpally) and Pazhaya Masjid (Pazhayapally),Perunna Subramanyaswami Temple, Thrikodithanam Temple, Vazhappally Mahadeven Temple, St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Catholic Metropolitan Church, Parel Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, SNDP Branch No.1A, Anandasramam, Shri Narayana Guru of Kerala was involved with the ashram. Anandasramam was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. The notable worship centres near to Changanacherry are Ettumanoor Temple, Manarkadu Church, Chakkulathukavu Temple, Mannarshala Temple, Neerettupuram, Chettikulangara Temple, Mavelikkara, Chengannur Mahadeva Temple and Anikkattilammakshethram Temple. The Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Changanassery is the largest Catholic Diocese in India, established in 1887.

Politics

Changanacherry assembly constituency was a part of Kottayam (Lok Sabha constituency).[2] However, after the Delimitation Commission's Report in 2005 in order to retain Mavelikkara Lok Sabha Constituency, Changanacherry segment in Kottayam and the neighbouring constituencies in Alappuzha and Kollam districts were put together under Mavelikkara constituency.Almost last 4 decades Sri.C.F Thomas represented Chanaganacherry constituency in Kerala Legislative Assembly.

Notable Personalities from Changanasserry

Mannathu Padmanabha Pillai

Anju Bobby George

Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer

Raju Narayana Swami

Muttathu Varkey

A. R. Raja Raja Varma (Malayalam: എ.ആർ. രാജരാജവർമ്മ)

Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran

L.P.R. Varma

Bheeman Raghu

O V Kuruvilla Olassa

O.V.Kuruvilla Olasa (Malayalam: ഒ.വി. കുരുവിള ഒളശ്ശ) was former Chairperson, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the top policy making body of the Income Tax Department of India. CBDT chairman is the senior-most IRS civil servant who advise the Finance Minister of India. He had become so popular in India during his tenure because of his boldness and courage to conduct raids in Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar's properties and Mumbai’s powerful influential businessmen in 1980. He served for 2 years from 1979-1981[3] thereafter posted as the Field Commissioner of Income Tax.[4] He hails from Olassayil family[5] in Changanassery.

References

External links

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