| Alathur |
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PEOPLE The population consists predominantly of Hindus . They belong to many castes like Nair , Ezhava , Iyer , Asari, Kollan, Thattan, Kusavan, Mannan, Ezhuthachan, Telugu Chetty, Kavara etc. Every caste has a traditional profession. But in recent years, the traditional system has lost its relevance and people from different castes are seen in the same field. There are many Muslims in the Taluk, a majority among them being traders. Many members of the community have employment in the Arab countries, which has given a boost to the economic status of the community in general. The Christians are mostly settlers from Kottayam and Idukki disticts. They are reputed to be good farmers and have made their homes the areas around Vadakkanchery, Kizhakkanchery, Korenchira, Palakkuzy, Vandazhi and Mangalam Dam. Rubber is the most prominent crop here and it can be said that the economy greatly depends on the price of rubber. Christians are well known in the field of education and medical care Kunissery is 7 kilometers from Alathur. Kunissery's famous festival is Kummatti . Celebrated on the birthday of Goddess Pookulathi on the Punartham Star of Meenam . (Shall write more about this later. Shibu) OCCUPATION The main occupation is agriculture. The main crop is paddy in the plains and rubber in the hilly areas. There are other crops like Ginger , Banana and vegetables like Pumpkin , Bitter Gourd and Egg Plant . There is no industry worth mentioning in Alathur Taluk. Alathur town was once well known for its ''beedi'' (Cigarette made of leaf) making units. This was a ''cottage industy'', with people making the product from their homes and delivering it to the manufacturing company for packing and labelling. But due to the general campaign against smoking, beedi production has come down drastically. Another cottage industry is the agarbatti ( Incense ) units found in the area. Recently some factories like steel manufacturing plants have come up near Manjalur in Erimayur Panchayat. There used to be a large number of rice mills engaged in parboiling and dehusking of Paddy , but with the paddy cultivation becoming unattractive, many of them have been closed down. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS There are a number of schools upto the higher secondary level within Alathur Taluk. There are two colleges for Arts & Science and one Engineering College. TRANSPORTATION The National Highway No. 47 passes through the entire length of Alathur Taluk. Hence the place is well connected by road to all parts of Kerala, inclulding the state capital. A number of private and government buses ply on this road between Trissur and Palakkad. Alathur does not find a place in the railway map. This is due to the presence of the mountainous terrain at Kuthiran , on the way to Trissur. But a recent government decision to revive the plan to construct the Kollengode - Trissur railway line may come as a blessing to Alathur. FAMOUS PEOPLE Alathur Taluk has produced some of the great personalities. Among them are K.P.Kesava Menon, the first editor of Mathrubhumi; Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, the great Carnatic musician; Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi, the great saint and educationist and Swami Tapovanam, the guru of Swami Chinmayananda. FESTIVALS AND TRADITIONS The 'Vela' and 'Pooram' festivals of the different villages in the Taluk is a great attraction amontg the local people. The prominent among them are ' Kavasseri Pooram ', ' Pudiyankam-Kattusseri Vela ' and ' Kunisseri Kummatti '. The ' Theruvath Palli Nercha ' conducted every year at Chungamannam attracts a lot of people from the local places as well as from Tamil Nadu . Peole come in Bullock carts all the way from Pollachi and other places to witness the event. The cattle race conducted at Chithali every year during Onam period is a unique event. There is stiff competition among the owners of the cattle to bring the best pair for the race. Alathur town is famous for its Banana chips, which is made of Coconut oil. The most prominent among the shops is 'SNR', which was established more than forty years back. It is a common sight to see people in the passing buses making purchase when the buses stop in front of the shop. People who are employed outside the state always take a few packets as gifts to their friends and colleagues. Every Saturday, at the weekly market at Kuzhalmannam , Cattle are traded in large numbers. Cattle are brought from Tamil Nadu to be sold to Trissur district and beyond. The southern districts of Kerala are major consumers of beef. The sight of cattle bundled into trucks without any consideration for their safety or comfort is really distressing, but there has been no action from any animal rights group or SPCA so far. FOREST The forest area near Choolanur called Mayiladumpara has a considerable population of peafowls. The Forest Department has declared the area as a sanctuary. There is an irrigation dam at Mangalam Dam , which is the main source of water for the crops in areas like Vandazhi , Kizhakkencheri , Mudappallur and Vadakkenchery . PACHAYATS IN ALATHUR TALUK
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