Kayamkulam

For the feudal state, see Odanad.

Kayamkulam
Onattukara, Odanadu, Onad, Kallikoilon and Chirava Svaroopam
Municipality[1]
Azheekal Bridge
Krishnapuram Palace
Kayamkulam
Location in Kerala, India
Kayamkulam
Kayamkulam (India)
Coordinates: 9°10′19″N 76°30′04″E / 9.172°N 76.501°E / 9.172; 76.501
Country India
StateKerala
DistrictAlappuzha
Government
 • BodyKayamkulam Municipality
 • MLAU Prathiba
Area
 • Total
21.79 km2 (8.41 sq mi)
 • Rank11th (Kerala Most Populous Urban agglomerations)
Population
 (2011)[2]
 • Total
68,634
 • Rank23rd (Most populous cities in kerala)
 • Density3,150/km2 (8,158/sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialMalayalam, English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
690502
Telephone code+91-479
Vehicle registrationKL-29
Nearest cityKollam (38 km), Alappuzha (46 km), Pathanamthitta (41 km)
Sex ratio0.944 ♂/♀
Literacy81.76%

Kayamkulam (IPA: [kaːjɐmkuɭam, kaːjɐŋɡuɭam]) is a municipality[3] in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. It is located 46 km (28.6 mi) south of the district headquarters in Alappuzha and about 110 km (68.4 mi) north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Kayamkulam has a population of 68,634 people, and a population density of 3,149/km2 (8,160/sq mi).

Kayamkulam was the erstwhile capital of the Kingdom of Onattukara, and today continues to be the largest town in the Onattukara region.

History

Main article: Odanad

Kayamkulam was a medieval feudal kingdom known as Odanad(also called Onattukara) ruled by the Kayamkulam rajas. Maha Raja Marthanda Varma (1706–58) conquered Kayamkulam and annexed its territories to Travancore.

Notable locations and events

The Krishnapuram Palace, built in the 18th century, now functions as a museum. Constructed in typical Keralan-style architecture, it has the largest mural painting in Kerala.[4] The palace museum houses the Kayamkulam double-edged sword.[5]

The Shankar Memorial National Cartoon Museum and Art Gallery is an art museum located at Krishnapuram in Kayamkulam.[6] Established in 2014 by the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, the institution serves as a tribute to the legendary Indian cartoonist, Kesava Shankar Pillai (Shankar), who is widely regarded as the father of political cartooning in India and was born in the area.[7] The museum is the first of its kind in Kerala and occupies a 15,000 square feet area, housing an extensive collection of Shankar's original works, including approximately 120 cartoons featuring prominent Indian political figures, along with his personal artifacts like his pen, brush, and easel.[6][7] It also displays works by other notable cartoonists and hosts exhibitions and sculptures.[6]


The Kayamkulam Boat Race[8] is held on the fourth Saturday of August every year.[9] Chinese fishing nets can be found on the banks of the lagoon.

The Valiyazheekkal Bridge or the Valiyazheekkal-Azheekkal Bridge, is a bridge connecting between Valiyazheekkal, a coastal area of Aratupuzha village in Kayamkulam in Alappuzha district and Azheekal Beach in Alappad village of Kollam district in Kerala, India.Built across the mouth of the Arabian Sea, it is the longest tension steel bar concrete bowstring bridge in Asia. It is also the second longest bowstring bridge in Asia, after Chaotianmen Bridge in China. Valiyazheekkal is situated on the shore of Kayamkulam Town.

Transport

Roads

NH 66 passes through Kayamkulam, connecting it to the major cities Alappuzha, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Kollam, Palakkad and Nagercoil. The Kayamkulam–Punalur road (KP Road) is a major road connecting it to major city's in east sengotai,Tenkasi,Thirunelveli via Pettah parts of the Tamil Nadu state. The KSRTC bus station is located near the national highway.

Railways

Kayamkulam Junction railway station is a major railway junction located 1.5 km (0.93 mi) from the town on the Kayamkulam–Punalur road.

Demographics

According to the 2001 Census of India,[10] Kayamkulam had a population of 65,299. Males constituted 49% of the population and females 51%. Kayamkulam had an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. Male literacy was 84%, and female literacy is 79%. In Kayamkulam, 11% of the population was under six years of age.

Year Male Female Total Population Change Religion (%)
Hindu Muslim Christian Sikhs Buddhist Jain Other religions and persuasions Religion not stated
2001[11] 31,997 33,302 65,299 - 55.78 36.26 7.92 0 0 0.01 0 0.03
2011[12] 32,784 35,850 68,634 +5.1% 53.30 39.07 7.32 0.01 0.01 0 0.01 0.28

Civic administration

Kayamkulam Assembly Constituency is part of Alappuzha.[13]

Educational and research institutes

The Central Coconut Research Station (CCRS) was established in 1948 as a field station of the Agricultural Research Laboratory. Presently, it is a regional station of the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI).[14]

Onattukara Regional Agricultural Research Station, Kayamkulam is located in the Kayamkulam Municipality of Alappuzha District, one kilometer east of Kayamkulam town, on the northern side of Kayamkulam - Punalur road. The station was established in the year 1937 under the erstwhile University of Travancore. It was subsequently transferred to the Department of Agriculture in 1958 and continued to function under it till it became a part of the KAU on 07.02.72. I n April, 2000, this Station was upgraded to the status of RARS (Onattukara Region).

KPAC drama troupe

Kerala People's Arts Club (KPAC) is a theatrical movement in Kayamkulam, Kerala. It was formed in the 1950s by a group of individuals that had close ties with the leftist parties of Kerala.

In 1951 KPAC staged its first drama, Ente Makananu Sari (transl. "My Son is Right"), whose songs were written by Punaloor Balan. Its second drama Ningalenne Communistakki (transl. "You Made Me a Communist") was first performed in 1952. The success of Ningalenne Communistakki brought KPAC to the forefront of a powerful people's theatre movement in Kerala.[15]

KPAC played a significant role in popularising the Communist Party in Kerala through its dramas, road shows and kathaprasangams (story telling).[16]





Rajiv Gandhi Combined Cycle Power Plant (NTPC Kayamkulam)

Rajiv Gandhi Combined Cycle Power Plant or Kayamkulam NTPC (also known as Rajiv Gandhi CCPP) is a 350 MW naphtha-based power plant which is largely idle due to high production costs, but the site is operational for other projects, most notably a 92 MW floating solar power plant. The plant is owned by NTPC Limited. This is a combined cycle power plant located at shore of Kayamkulam Kayal in Choolatheruvu which is in Alappuzha district, Kerala, India. The power plant is owned by NTPC Limited. The power plant is fueled by imported and indigenous naphtha. Source of the cooling water is Achankovil river at Nalukettumkavala in Pallipad.

Notable people

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kayamkulam.
  1. ^ "Grama Panchayaths" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Kerala (India): Districts, Cities and Towns - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
  3. ^ "Grama Panchayaths" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2018.
  4. ^ Lonely Planet Things to do in Southern Kerala by Lonely Planet travellers.
  5. ^ Department of Archeology WebsiteArchived 2011-01-22 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ a b c Biju E Paul (6 December 2014). "A Museum for Mr Mirth". The New Indian Express. Alappuzha. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  7. ^ a b S, Lekshmi Priya (24 November 2017). "Lovers of Art! This Gem in Kerala's Kayamkulam Has to Be on Your Travel Plans!". The Better India. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  8. ^ First Kayamkulam boat race.
  9. ^ Kerala boat races Archived 28 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  11. ^ Census India 2001.
  12. ^ Census India 2011.
  13. ^ "Assembly Constituencies - Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies" (PDF). Kerala. Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  14. ^ "ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute".
  15. ^ "Frontline article". Archived from the original on 30 December 2001. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  16. ^ "First Ministry of Kerala Government". Archived from the original on 2 October 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
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