Chittattukara
Grama Panchayat

Chittattukara Grama Panchayat – Geography, Social History and Cultural Heritage

Geography and Formation

Chittattukara Grama Panchayat is situated in North Paravur Taluk of Ernakulam District, within the North Paravur Block. The Panchayat comprises areas from Vadakkekara and Paravur Villages and covers an area of 9.45 square kilometers.

The Panchayat is bounded by:

• East: Chendamangalam and Karumalloor Panchayats
• West: Pallippuram Panchayat
• South: Paravur Municipality, Ezhikkara and Kottuvally Panchayats
• North: Vadakkekara and Chendamangalam Panchayats

Located at the northern end of Ernakulam District, Chittattukara is a relatively small Panchayat formed from portions of Vadakkekara Village and Paravur Taluk. It was established in 1953 by combining parts of the Vadakkekara Village Union and the Paravur Village Union.

The residence of the first Panchayat President, A.V. Eappen, initially served as the Panchayat office. Soon afterward, a permanent office building was constructed on ten cents of land donated by the Matchamthuruth Nair Samajam.

At the time of its formation, the Panchayat had approximately 100 families, most of whom were farmers and agricultural laborers. Much of the area was covered with wild vegetation and remained sparsely populated. Surrounded by the Periyar River and its tributaries, the village is rich in water resources. According to local tradition, the name “Chittattukara” originated from the fact that the area was enclosed by rivers and waterways.

The existing Village Union was divided into two Panchayats—Chittattukara and Vadakkekara. After the division, it was found that Chittattukara lacked the minimum required population for a Panchayat. Consequently, the area of Paravoothara was incorporated into Chittattukara.

The islands of Cheriyapallamthuruthu and Valiyapallamthuruthu, formed by the bifurcation of the Periyar River, were historically part of the erstwhile Travancore State. Boundary stones that once marked the border between the princely states of Travancore and Cochin can still be seen along the eastern boundary of these islands. During the Panchayat reorganization of 1979, the two islands were designated as separate wards.

A notable landmark in the Panchayat is the Kesari A. Balakrishna Pillai Library at Pooyappilly, established during the lifetime of the renowned writer and critic Kesari A. Balakrishna Pillai himself—considered the first library in Kerala to be named after a living literary figure.

Prominent personalities associated with Chittattukara include freedom fighters I. Das and V.K. Gopalan, literary figure Mecheril Neelakandan Master, social activist Pandarathara Sreedharan, and Kanakamma, who participated in the historic Paliam Satyagraha. Valiyapallamthuruthu served as one of the principal organizational centers of the Paliam movement. The famous satirical poet Tholan, who lived during the reign of Bhaskara Ravi Varma, also hailed from Chittattukara.

Social Background and History

The Paliam Satyagraha, which began in 1947 as a struggle for social equality and collective consciousness, forms an important chapter in the Panchayat’s history. The martyrdom of activist A.G. Velayudhan is remembered as a significant event in this movement. Areas such as Neendoor, Makkanayi, and Valiyapallamthuruthu served as major centers for volunteers involved in the struggle.

In 1954, coir workers and later coconut tree climbers organized labor movements, resulting in improved wages. The Land Reform Movement of 1971 fundamentally transformed class relations in the region, bringing an end to the traditional landlord-tenant system. Farmers, agricultural laborers, and daily wage workers became owners of small landholdings, often around ten cents in extent.

During the early twentieth century, most agricultural land in Chittattukara was controlled by large landlords. Tenant families were permitted to enjoy the produce from a coconut tree near their dwelling, provided they maintained the property and applied household ash and cow dung as fertilizer. They were also required to surrender a significant share of their agricultural produce to the landlord. During festivals such as Onam and Vishu, tenants customarily presented agricultural products such as banana bunches, yams, and colocasia to the landlord, who in return gifted them clothing and money.

Among the oldest temples in the Panchayat is the Mannam Subrahmanya Temple. Another ancient place of worship is the Jaram Mosque, while the Makkanayi Temple is also a significant religious center.

A historic landmark in Makkanayi is the Common Kulam (Konkulam), a pond covering about one and a half acres. Local tradition holds that it was excavated during royal rule specifically for members of lower castes to bathe.

In ancient times, Parayakadu was a small village situated at the northern boundary of the Paravur Kingdom. Oral traditions suggest that families belonging to the Paraya community were settled there by the Paliath Achan to manufacture household items such as baskets, winnowing trays, and palm-leaf products for the Paliam Palace. They received paddy and other provisions in return. Even today, a ceremonial offering known as Kalasham is presented to a Paraya representative named Seethankan during the local Devi temple festival.