UpdateBot at 18:59, 15 June 2022

2022-06-15T18:59:28Z

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{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Kottarakkara
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = ml
| other_name =
| settlement_type = Municipal Town
| image_skyline = Pulamon Junction in Kottarakara, May 2019.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Pulamon Junction in Kottarakara town
| nickname =
| pushpin_map = India Kerala#India
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Kerala, India
| coordinates = {{coord|08|
59|00|N|76|46|00|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Kerala]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Kollam district|Kollam]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type = Council
| governing_body = Kottarakkara Municipality
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 17.39
| area_rank =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total = 29,788
| population_as_of =
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/india/kerala/|title = Kerala (India): Districts, Cities and Towns - Population Statistics, Charts and Map}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank =
| population_demonym =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PINCODE]]
| postal_code = 691506
| registration_plate = KL-24
| blank1_name_sec1 = Nearest city
| blank1_info_sec1 = [[Kollam]]
| website =
| footnotes =
| demographics1_info1 = [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]], English
| leader_title1 =
[[Member of Parliament (India)|MP]]
| leader_name1 = [[Kodikunnil Suresh]]
| leader_title2 = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]]
| leader_name2 = [[K. N. Balagopal|K.N.Balagopal]]
| blank3_name_sec1 = Civic Agency
| blank3_info_sec1 = Kottarakara Municipality
}}

'''Kottarakkara''' ([[IAST]]: Koṭṭārakkara), also transliterated as ''Kottarakara'', is a [[town]] and [[municipality]] in the [[Kollam district]] of the [[Kerala]], India. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=2004-06-16|title= Census of India 2011: Data from the 2011 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|access-date=2008-11-01|publisher= Census Commission of India}}</ref> The town is close to [[Kollam Port]], which has a rich history linked to the early medieval period as well as the reputation as an important commercial, industrial and trading center. Kottarakkara lies {{convert|27|km}} to the east of [[Kollam]] city centre.<ref name=Town>{{Cite web| url=http://kollam.nic.in/Tou.html| title=Kollam Town| access-date=22 February 2011| publisher=Kollam District officialwebsite National Informatics Centre| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505101027/http://www.kollam.nic.in/Tou.html| archive-date=5 May 2017| url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|History and Culture of Kottarakkara}}
Kottarakkara, also known in the ancient days of the kings as the '''Elayadathu Swarupam''', was a principality ruled by a branch of the [[Travancore]] Royal Family. It is the home of [[Kathakali]], a well known dance drama which originated initially as [[Ramanattam]] created in the 17th century by Prince Kottarakkara Thampuran and later patronized by the Raja of Kottarakkara in the early 19th century absorbing other dance forms of Krishnattam with further innovations.

==Etymology==
Kottarakkara, a compound word made up of the words ''Kottaram'', meaning "palace", and ''kara'' meaning "land", literally means "land of palaces". The area which had several palaces was thus named "Kottarakkara."<ref name=Kottara>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kottarakkara.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57&Itemid=53|title=History|access-date=23 February 2011|publisher=kottarakkara.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713165329/http://www.kottarakkara.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57&Itemid=53|archive-date=2011-07-13|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Geography==
Kottarakkara is a small principality close to Kollam. As a taluk headquarters, it has six [[Panchayati raj|panchayats]] and other small towns. It is surrounded by several other towns.

=== Towns and villages in Kottarakara Taluk ===
{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}

* Ampalakkara
* Andoor
* Chadayamangalam
* [[Chengamanadu, Kollam district|Chengamanadu]]
* Chakkuvarakkal
* [[Cherupoika]]
* Chithara
* Elamad
* [[Ezhukone]]
* Irukunnam
* [[Ittiva]]
* [[Kadakkal]]
* Kalayapuram
* Kareepra- Edakkidom
* [[Karickom]]
* Kottarakkara
*Kottathala
* [[Kottukkal]]
* [[Kulakkada]]
* [[Kummil]]
* Malavila
* Mankode
* [[Melila]]
* [[Mylom]]
* [[Neduvathur]]
* Nilamel
* [[Odanavattom]]
* Panaveli
* Pavithreswaram
* [[Pooyappally]]
* [[Puthoor]]
* Sadhanathapuram
* Thrikkannamangal
* Ummannur
* [[Valakom, Kottarakara|Valakom]]
* Velinallur
* [[Veliyam]]
* [[Vettikkavala]]
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kollam.nic.in/villa.html|title=Places in Kottarakara Taluk|access-date=2017-04-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506134642/http://kollam.nic.in/villa.html|archive-date=2017-05-06|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{{Div col end}}

{|style="background:white; color:black" border="0" height="230" align="center" valign="bottom" cellpadding=10px cellspacing=0px
|+style="background:white; color:black"|
|-align="center"
|[[File:Kottarakkara Temple(HighResoluion).jpg|thumb|[[Kottarakkara Sree Mahaganapathi Kshethram]]]]
|[[File:കൊട്ടാരക്കരത്തമ്പുരാൻ സ്മാരക ക്ലാസിക്കൽ കലാ മ്യൂസിയം.jpg|thumb|Kottarakkara Thampuran Memorial Museum of Classical Arts]]
|[[File:KILA. jpg.jpg|thumb|Kottarakara centre of [[Kerala Institute of Local Administration|KILA]]]]
|-align="center" valign="top"
|}

===Climate===
{{Weather box/concise_C
| width=75%
| location=Kottarakkara, Kerala
| source=Climate-Data.org<ref name="Climate-Data.org">
"CLIMATE: KOTTARAKARA",
Climate-Data.org. Web: [http://en.climate-data.org/location/171697/].</ref>
| 30.4|31.2|32.3|32.4|32.0|29.9|29.3|29.5|29.9|29.8|29.5|29.8
| 22.4|23.1|24.5|25.3|25.4|24.1|23.6|23.6|23.8|23.8|23.4|22.6
| 17|34|67|166|261|477|411|277|228|311|214|54
}}

==Politics==
{{see also|Kottarakkara (Assembly constituency)}}
[[Kottarakkara (Assembly constituency)|Kottarakara Assembly Constituency]] is one among the 11 assembly constituencies in [[Kollam district]]. K.N.Balagopal is the present MLA from Kottarakkara constituency. Kottarakkara comes under [[Mavelikkara (Lok Sabha constituency)]](previously it was in [[Adoor (Lok Sabha constituency)|Adoor Loksabha constituency]]) that represents a large area including Kottarakkara, Mavelikkara, Changanasseri, spread in Kollam, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S11/KL_Dist_PC_AC.pdf
|title=Assembly Constituencies - Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies
|access-date=2008-10-20
|work=Kerala
|publisher=Election Commission of India
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304011026/http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S11/KL_Dist_PC_AC.pdf
|archive-date=4 March 2009
}}</ref>

E Chandrasekaran Nair (CPI), D.Damodaran Potti (PSP), R.Balakrishna Pillai (Kerala Congress), E.Chandrasekaran Nair (CPI), C.Achutha Menon (CPI), Kottara Gopalakrishnan (INC) and R.Balakrishna Pillai (Kerala Congress - B) are the former elected members represented [[Kottarakkara (Assembly constituency)|Kottarakara Assembly Constituency]] in the past.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.in/kerala/assembly-constituencies/1957-election-results.html |title=Kerala Assembly Election - 1957 |publisher=Elections.in |access-date=2018-10-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.in/kerala/assembly-constituencies/1980-election-results.html |title=Kerala Assembly Election - 1980 |publisher=Elections.in |access-date=2018-10-20}}</ref>
Mandalam president: G.Peter (Kerala Congress)

==Transportation==
=== Road Network ===
NH 744 earlier known as NH 208 ([[Kollam]] to [[Tirumangalam, Madurai|Thirumangalam]]) meets the MC road ([[Thiruvananthapuram]] to [[Angamaly]]) at Kottarakkara.
Kottarakkara is linked with [[Kollam]] (the district headquarters), both by road and rail, at a distance of 27 km. It is 67 km to the north of [[Thiruvananthapuram]] (the capital of Kerala) and 80 km to the south of [[Kottayam]].
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kollam.nic.in/Gln.html|title=District Information|access-date=22 February 2011|publisher = Kollam: National Informatics}}</ref>

===Road===
[[File:KSRTC Kottarakkara Depot., Jun 2018.jpg|thumb|Kottarakkara KSRTC Depot.]]
Kottarakara has one of the Kerala's well connected [[Kerala State Road Transport Corporation|KSRTC]] Hub, consist of various services across almost all the parts of kerala and interstate services.
Local routes are connected by private bus services as well as State Transport. It is well connected to the capital city of Kerala, [[Thiruvananthapuram]] by KSRTC Fast Passenger, super fast,
super deluxe, a/c low floor buses. Buses are also ply to the district headquarters of [[Kollam]] and [[Pathanamthitta]] and to towns in Tamil Nadu like [[Coimbatore]], [[Tenkasi]] and [[Sengottai]] and Daily trips to [[Mookambika]], [[Sullia]] [[Munnar]], [[Chennai]], [[Hosur]] [[Bangalore]], [[Velankanni]], [[Madurai]], [[Kumily]], [[Mysore]], [[Kanyakumari]], [[Coimbatore]], [[Nagercoil]], [[Thirunelveli]], [[Tuticorin]], [[Palani]], [[Trichy]], [[Ernakulam]], [[Kannur]], [[Palakkad]], [[Thrissur]], [[Mangalore]], [[Sultan Bathery]], [[Kasaragod]]. Kottarakara depot of ksrtc is one of the top revenue earning depots of the state.

===Rail===
[[File:Kottarakara railway station, Aug 2015.jpg|right|thumb|Entrance of [[Kottarakara railway station]]]]
[[Kottarakara railway station]] is located on the [[Kollam-Sengottai railway line]]. [[Kottarakara railway station]], which currently connects to [[Kollam]], [[Trivandrum]], [[Ernakulam]], [[Thrissur]], [[Palakkad]], [[Madurai]], [[Chennai]], [[Kanyakumari]], [[Tirunelveli]], [[Guruvayur]], [[Varkala]] and [[Punalur]] through the direct passenger, fast passenger and express train services. There are eight pairs of services right now and heard that many more services would be inducted in this route since the Punalur-Schengotta ghat section has been closed for Broad Gauge conversion. Further, a new line from [[Chengannur]] to [[Thiruvananthapuram]] via Adoor and [[Pandalam]] is awaiting survey. Kottarakkara will become a junction once the new line materializes.

===Air===
The nearest airport is [[Trivandrum International Airport]], {{cvt|70|km}}.

==Notable people==


*
* [[Veliyam Bharghavan]], Former General Secretary, Communist Party of India
*
* [[Bobby Kottarakkara]], [[Malayalam]] actor
* [[K. B. Ganesh Kumar]], actor and politician
* [[Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair]] (1922–1986), actor
* [[R. Balakrishna Pillai]], Former Minister, MLA, MP and Panchayat President, Chairman of the Kerala Congress
* [[Sai Kumar (Malayalam actor)|Sai Kumar]], Malayalam actor
* [[Salim Yusuf]]<ref>"Dr. Salim Yusuf". Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. 2014.</ref> - [[Physician]], [[cardiologist]] and [[epidemiologist]]

== Schools and Colleges ==
{{Main|Education in Kollam district}}

* creative institute of fashion technology , kottarakkara.
* venad technical college , kottarakkara.
* BRM Central School, Chengamanadu
* Carmel Residential Senior Secondary School, Kadalavila, Kottarakara
* Evhss neduvathoor
* GLPS, Panavely, Kottarakara
* GLPS, Valakom, Kottarakara
* Govt. Boys' Higher Secondary School, Kottarakara,
* Govt. Higher Secondary School, Sadanandapuram, Kottarakara,
* Govt. Higher Secondary School, Vettikavala, Kottarakara,
* Govt. LPS, Vettikavala, kottarakkara
* IHRD College of Engineering, Thrikkannamangal
* Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Kottarakkara
* Karikom International Public School - Karikom, Kottarakara
* MAMHS, Chengamanadu
*Mannam Memorial English Medium School, Kottarakkara
* Mar Baselios English Medium School, Kottapuram,
*[[Mar Ivanios Bethany School, Kalayapuram]],
* Mar Gregorios memorial residential public school, Mylom,
* Marthoma Girls' Higher Secondary School, Kottarakara
* Marthoma High School, Valakom, Kottarakara
* Mercy college of Nursing, Valakom
* RVHS Higher Secondary School, Valakom, Kottarakara
* Seventh day Adventist higher Secondary School, Karickom, Kottarakara
* SKVHS Thrikkannamangal
* Sree Narayana Guru Central School, Ezhukone
* Sree Sankara Sanskrit Vidhyapeedom, Edakkidam
* Sri Vidyadhiraja Memorial Model HSS, Vendar, Kottarakara.
* Sri Sri Academy, Ezhukone
* St. Gregorios College
* St. Gregorios High School, [[College Junction]], Kottarakara,
* St. Gregorios Higher Secondary School, [[College Junction]], Kottarakara
* St.Mary's Higher Secondary School, Kottarakara
* Town UP School
* University Institute of Technology (UIT)
* Vijaya Nursing College
*Vimalambika Lps, Kottarakkara
* St.Theresas UPS English Medium Kalayapuram
* LMSLPS Kalayapuram
* Mar Thoma Residential School Zion Kunnu Kalayapuram Kottarakkara

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* K. Ayyappapanicker; Sahitya Akademi (1997). Medieval Indian literature: an anthology. Sahitya Akademi. pp. 317–. {{ISBN|978-81-260-0365-5}}.
* M. O. Koshy (1989). The Dutch power in Kerala, 1729–1758. Mittal Publications. pp. 64–. {{ISBN|978-81-7099-136-6}}. * K. Srikumaran (1 January 2005). Theerthayathra: a pilgrimage through various temples. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. p. 129. {{ISBN|978-81-7276-363-3}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://hellokottarakara.com/ official website of kottarakara]
*[http://kottarakaraganapathi.org/ Official Web Site Of Kottarakara Mahaganapthi]
*[http://kollam.nic.in/kotta.html More detailed information about Kottarakkara]
*[http://lsgkerala.in/kottarakarapanchayat/general-information/ Kottarakkara - General information]

{{Kollam district}}
{{Central Travancore}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Kollam district]]

Kottarakkara - Revision history

UpdateBot at 18:59, 15 June 2022