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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Chelari
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name = Mele Chelari <br> Thazhe Chelari
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Census town
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|11.107720|N|75.890427|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Kerala]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = Malappuram
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body = Gram panchayat
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total = 10483
| population_as_of = 2001
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes = <ref name="OVI">[http://ourvillageindia.org/Place.aspx?PID=268543 Thenhippalam]. OurVillageIndia.org. Retrieved on 2008-08-02.</ref>
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]], [[English language|English]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 673 637
| registration_plate =
| blank1_name_sec1 = [[Lok Sabha]] constituency
| blank1_info_sec1 = [[Malappuram]]
| blank2_name_sec1 = [[Vidhan Sabha]] constituency
| blank2_info_sec1 = [[Vallikkunnu]]
| website =
| footnotes =
| official_name =
}}

'''Chelari''', also known as '''Mele Chelari''' (upper side) and '''Thazhe Chelari''' (lower side), is a census-designated town in [[Tenhipalam]] [[Panchayati raj in India|panchayat]], [[Tirurangadi]] [[taluk]] in [[Malappuram district]] of [[Kerala]], India. It has a population of 19,483 as of the 2001 census.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DISTRICT URBANISATION REPORT MALAPPURAM |url=https://townplanning.kerala.gov.in/town/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/dur_malappuram.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422115643/https://townplanning.kerala.gov.in/town/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/dur_malappuram.pdf |archive-date=2021-04-22 |website=townplanning.kerala.gov.in}}</ref> Chelari formed a portion of the [[Malappuram metropolitan area]] as of [[2011 Census of India|2011 Census]]. [[Chelari Airport]] is the first airport in the [[Malabar (Northern Kerala)|Malabar]] region. It is the commercial center of Tenhipalam panchayat.

==Geography==
Chelari Town is in the north-west of [[Malappuram district]], about 35 km away from district headquarters [[Malappuram]], and 11 km north of Taluk headquarters [[Tirurangadi]]. It shares its borders with [[Chelembra]] panchayat to the north, Pallikkal and Peruvalloor panchayats to the east, and [[Kadalundi River]] separates [[Vallikkunnu]] panchayat in the west. The southern border is against Mooniyoor panchayat. It is located 24 km south of [[Kozhikode]] on the [[Mangalore]]–[[Edapally]] National Highway 66.

==Mele Chelari and Thazhe Chelari ==
Locally, Chelari is divided into Mele Chelari (upper side) and Thazhe Chelari (lower side), also known as East Chelari and West Chelari.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Local Self Government Department {{!}} Local Self Government Department |url=https://lsgkerala.gov.in/en/lbelection/electdmemberdet/2020/968 |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=lsgkerala.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=CSCIndia.info |title=Digital Seva CSC - List of Common Service Centres (CSC) in India |url=https://cscindia.info/digital-seva-csc-thazhe-chelari/ |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=Common Service Centres (CSC) in India}}</ref> The two areas are divided by the national highway. The road from Mele Chelari goes through Alungal, Chenakkalangadi, Pallippuraya, Nechinathil, Kolathode and terminates at Irumbothingal Kadavu.

==Transport==
Chelari has good road access to the rest of Kerala. National Highway 66 passes through Tenhipalam, bisecting Chelari. All rural localities in the panchayat are well connected to the arterial National Highway by good quality roads. Minibuses operate from rural areas to nearby small towns such as [[Chemmad]], and [[Kondotty]]. Private buses operate between [[Thrissur]] and [[Kozhikode]]. [[Kerala State Road Transport Corporation]] buses, which operate between [[Kozhikode]] and various southern towns and cities in Kerala also stop at the university en route to Tenhipalam. There are seven towns and one corporation in the 35 km circle around Thenhipalam.

The nearest railway stations are Vallikkunnu (station code VLI), [[Parappanangadi]], and [[Feroke]], which are located {{cvt|10|km}} west, {{cvt|12|km}} southwest and {{cvt|16|km}} northwest respectively from the centre of Chelari. The major railway station of [[Kozhikode]] is located {{cvt|20|km}} away.

[[Calicut International Airport]] at Karipur is located {{cvt|10|km}} east of Chelari.

===Chelari Airport===
{{main| Chelari Airport}}
Chelari Airport <ref>{{Cite web |last=ഡെസ്ക് |first=വെബ് |date=2020-08-08 |title=1969ലും വിമാനം തകർന്നു; ചേളാരി 'വിമാനത്താവളത്തിൽ'... {{!}} Madhyamam |url=https://www.madhyamam.com/kerala/flight-crash-in-chelari-548599 |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=www.madhyamam.com |language=ml}}</ref> was an airstrip built in 1962 in Chelari, then owned by the [[Aditya Birla Group|Birla group]] corporation, which used this airport for traveling to their factory in [[Kozhikode|Calicut]].

== Education ==
Chelari is also known for being home to the head office of the Samastha Kerala Islam matha Vidyabhysaa Board, which is sometimes referred to as [[Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama (EK Sunnis)|Chelari Samastha]]. The Board has more than 10,000 madrassas (schools) throughout the world.

St Paul's English medium Higher Secondary School-Kohinoor is located in Thenhipalam.

The main campus of the [[University of Calicut]] is located near Chelarim with a Government Model Higher Secondary School within the university campus.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=University of Calicut |url=http://www.universityofcalicut.info/about/start.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080805130553/http://www.universityofcalicut.info/about/start.htm |archive-date=2008-08-05 |access-date= |website=www.universityofcalicut.info}}</ref> A Government Vocational Higher Secondary School is also active within at Chelari which provides vocational education in addition to Higher Secondary Education.

==Notable people==
* [[Anees Nadodi]] Actor.

==Notable events==
* On 17 January 1969, A [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain|Douglas C-47A VT-DTH]] cargo plane crashed at the Chelari Airport. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-08 |title=കരിപ്പൂരിനുമുമ്പ് യന്ത്രപക്ഷികളിറങ്ങിയ ചേളാരി; ചേളാരിയിലെ വിമാനത്താവളവും 1969 ലെ അപകടവും |url=https://malayalam.news18.com/news/kerala/facebook-riyas-aboobacker-post-about-chelari-airport-constructed-in-1962-nj-270623.html |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=News18 മലയാളം |language=ml}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-08 |title=ചേളാരി വിമാനത്താവളവും ചേളാരിയിലെ വിമാന അപകടവും - Boolokam |url=https://boolokam.com/chelari-airport-and-chelari-plane-crash/ |access-date=2025-02-15 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Chelari Airport]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Malappuram district]]
[[Category:Parappanangadi area]]

Chelari - Revision history

Igorzen at 19:07, 30 April 2026