Edappally

Edappally
neighbourhood
St. George Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Edappally
Edappally Location in Kerala, India
Coordinates: 9°58′37″N 76°16′12″E / 9.977°N 76.27°ECoordinates: 9°58′37″N 76°16′12″E / 9.977°N 76.27°E
Country	India
State	Kerala
District	Ernakulam
Languages
• Official	Malayalam, English
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	682024
Telephone code	91 (0)484
Vehicle registration	KL-7
Climate	Am (Köppen)

Edappally is one of Kochi's well developed areas and emerging as the most important junction of the state of Kerala. Its name in English literally translates as Eda, short for edaykku (Malayalam term for "in between") and Pallykollunna Sthalam (Malayalam term for "the place or palace where Kings(Rajas) used to take rest ). The name is connected with Edappally Palace and Edappally rajas It is also some times said connected with St. George Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Edappally founded in the fifth century.^[1] Edappally is the short form for Edaykkulla Pally meaning "Church in the center". Edappally palace and the Edappally church are still the most popular affix used along with place, plot and family names in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra.

Edapally is said to be one of the fastest growing areas in the city of Kochi. Edappally was the seat of the Edapally Rajas, the rulers of the area. Edappally was a Panchayath before getting included in Cochin Corporation. This is a place which comes partly under Thrikkakara legislative constituency and partly under Ernakulam constituency.

Transport

The Cochin bypass connects Edappally with Aroor which is an industrial town on south end of the city of Cochin. Bypass Junction in Edappally is the north end of the Cochin bypass which extends up to Aroor. This entire route is evolving into a major business hub with big-time stores and five-star hotels. Outlets of Mercedes Benz, Jaguar Land Rover, Porsche, Hyundai, Maruti Suzuki,and many more foreign car companies are situated on the road. The world-famous museum of Kerala History and sculpture is also located in Edappally (outside the city limits). Thrikkakkara temple is only 2 kilometers away from Edappally Toll junction, and the village of Vattekkunnam is connected via a railway tunnel.

Two national highways NH 47 and NH 17 join the Kochi Bypass junction at Edappally. At Edappally, The National Highway 17 begins and continues up to Panvel, Maharashtra, in India. Edapally is also connected by rail, and there is a railway station at Edappally. Edappally Railway Over Bridge is ready for inauguration, and Inauguration will be in January 2012. It makes more convenient journey between Ernakulam Guruvayoor Route. that means in NH 17 (Panavel (Maharashtra) to Edappally (Kochi)._ Edappally Railway Overbrige was inaugurated on 4 February 2012. Edappally North (Kunnumpuram Junction) is the next main junction after Edapally junction, on way to Guruvayur from Ernakulam. Edappally Kunnumpuram Junction is the main junction to turn to Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences(Left Turn), Amrita School of Arts and Science (Right Turn), Manjummel (East Turn), Parur (Straight).

Location

Entertainment

• Oberon Mall – Oberon Mall is the first full format mall in Kerala, located on the NH bypass road, just a kilometer from the Edapally Junction. Oberon Mall is built over 350,000 square feet (33,000 m²) and the building stands on about 2 acres (8,100 m²) of land. Oberon Mall also has the first multiplex theatre facility in Kerala.
• Lulu Cochin Mall – Lulu Shopping Mall is the largest shopping mall in India, located in the Edapally neighbourhood of Kochi in Kerala.[1] It is built on an area of 17 acres, with the total area occupied by the mall alone at 2,700,000 square feet (250,000 m2). A premium five-star 300 room hotel managed by JW Marriott Hotels is located near the mall
• Changampuzha Samskarika Kendram- consisting of a small children's park, two open auditoriums where programmes are organized almost every day, these programmes include various art forms, literary activities and other cultural items.
• Raghavan Pillai Park- a small park near Ponekkara with a children's play area.
• Edappally Railway Overbrige was inaugurated on 4 February 2012. Edappally North (Kunnumpuram Junction) is the next main junction after Edapally junction, on way to Guruvayur from Ernakulam. Edappally Kunnumpuram Junction is the main junction to turn to Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences(Left Turn), Amrita School of Arts and Science (Right Turn), Manjummel (East Turn), Parur (Straight). Kunnumpuram Central Residents' Association (KCRA), Ambedkar Road Residents'Association(ARRA), Mannam Road Residents' Association (ARRA) are the major Residents associations here.

Hospital

Asias leading healthcare group KIMS Hospital is in Edapally, Pathadippaalam.http://kimskochi.com/ 24x7 Cardiac unit is their speciality and Dr.Praveen Menon is leading the team. One of the best hospitals in Kerala named Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences is situated in Edappally North.

Punarnava Ayurveda Hospital is also at Edappally.

Cochin Corporation Homeo Dispensary (Free Medicine) is situated at Friends' Library, Edappally North.

Govt Ayurveda Hospital (Free Medicine) is situated at Manjummel near Edappally north

Edappally Govt. Hospital (Free Medicine) is situated at Devankulangara, Edappally

M.A.J. Hospital run by St.George's Forane Church is situated opposite to the Church.

Places of Worship

Special mention has to be made about two places of worships of Edappally

• St. George Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Edappally :- St. George, the dragon slayer, is the presiding saint. It is under the control of the Syrian Catholic Diocese of Ernakulam. Praying at the shrine on the way on any journey is considered auspicious even by people of other faiths. The offering is simply candles and coins into the bhandaram.
• Edappally Juma Masjid
• The Edappally Ganapathy Temple is one of the most important Ganapathy temples in the state visited by devotees from all over the state. The temple is referred to in the Aithihya Mala of Kottarathil Sankunni. Visiting time in the morning is between 5.00 and 7.30 AM. The members of Edappally royal family worship after these hours, since it is their family temple. During the evening time also the temple is kept opened. Ganpathy Homam and Unniyappam are the important offerings. Unniyappam is booked months in advance. Breaking coconut before beginning a project will see that it is completed successfully.^[2]
• Perandoor Temple, Thrickovil Sree Krishna Temple, Puthukkalavattam Mahadeva Temple, Punnakkal Bhagavathy Temple, Ponekkara Bhagavathy Temple are important places of worship. Elamakkara Lourde Matha church is another noted place of worship, which has a history over 100 years.

Ponel St.Francis Xavier's Church est.in 1927 - Bharath award winner film actor P J Antony buried in the cemetery of the church

Famous temples, Edappally North Puthukkulangara Bhagavathi Temple and Puthukulangara Mahavishnu Temple are at Kunnumpuram Junction (Edappally North) Ponekkara Bhagavati Temple,Chandankulangara Temple,Mariyamman Temple

Personalities

• A . V. Joseph (Freedom Fighter, Ex MLA, Ex DCC President)
• Changampuzha Krishna Pillai
• Edappally Raghavan Pillai
• Balachandran Chullikkad
• Madonna Sebastin (Film actress & Singer
• A.C. George (Ex Cabinet Minister)
• A C Jose
• Fr.Jacob Kallarakkal famous for writing most popular Christian devotional songs and dramas
• Thoppil Anto - Singer: Film, Drama, Stage performer and Music composer
• Thoppil Joseph Kunjappu - Chavittunatakam Artist
• Prem sagar (Anty George) - Music Composer
• Marydas - Singer
• Idappally Ajithkumar - Violinist
• Herald E A - Violinist
• Francis Xavier -Violinist

Changampuzha Smaraka Library and Edappally North Friends' Library are situated in Edappally. Edappally North Friends' Library celebrated Golden Jubilee in 2007 January. Education and Career Guidance Reference Library started as part of its golden jubilee celebration.

Edappally is now famous for Changampuzha Samskarika Kendram, which organizes various cultural and academic programmes, which include Kathakali, dramas, music, children's programmes, Akshara slokas, various cultural meetings, discussions, etc. A Senior Citizens' Forum is well functioning attached to this Kendram. All these functions are organized at Changampuzha Park, wherein the Office of the Kendram exists.

Another famous institution at Edappally is Changampuzha Smaraka Grandhasala, a library established in 1950 as a memorial to the famous Malayalam poet Changampuzha Krishna Pillai, who is the famous son of Edappally (Changampuzha's tomb is situated here, which attracts several lovers of Malayalam language). This library is an outstanding one with a collection of about thirty six thousand titles and a reference section (approved as the Kanayannur Taluk Reference Library). This has an Art wing offering training in various types of dances, music (vocal and instrumental), painting and drawing, etc. About six hundred students undergo training in these. Friends' Library and Reading Room is also an attraction to Edapplly, which is situated in Edappally North. It established in 1956. It is very near to Govt. Vocational Higher Secondary School (Kunnumpuram School), Edappally North. Famous poet Edappally Raghavan Pillai studied in primary class at this school. Beside that there is also the M N F Gallery of Paintings and Sculptures.

Education

Main educational institutions at Edappally are

• Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS)
• Amrita School of Arts and Sciences
• Jai Bharath B Ed Training College Thrikkakara
• Govt. Vocational and Higher Secondary School - Edappally North
• Al Ameen Public School ^[3]
• Govt. Higher Secondary School Edappally
• St. George's Boys' High School
• St. Pius' Girls' High School
• Campion School
• Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan Elamakkara
• Regional Centre of MG University for Computer Science and applications.

Govt. Teacher Training Institute, Edappally -682024

External links

• Changampuzha park
• News article on Edappally's past

References

1. St George Church
2. "Edappally Ganapathy Temple".
3. {www.al-ameen.ac.in}