Kattappana
Encyclopedia
Kattappanaa town nestling on the lap of the Sahyadri (or Western Ghats
) in Kerala
, India
is known as the spices capital of Kerala
. It is the main commercial town in the high ranges of Idukki
District and is situated 2660 feet above main sea level, in the High Ranges, the high altitude region of Kerala
, India
. It is a center for spices trade, particularly for cardamom
and black pepper
. The town is notable for the mountains, lakes, forests, wildlife and spices plantations (cardamom, black pepper, coffee and tea). Kattappana has a cool and salubrious climate and attracts tourists visiting Idukki Dam
or Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary at Thekkadi or Munnar
hill station .
It also has some well known educational institutions and hospitals.
Other towns and cities nearby are Kanchiyar
, Ayyappankoil
, Nedumkandam
, Idukki, Kuttikkanam
, Mundakayam
, Thodupuzha
, Elappara
, Kumily
and Theni
(Tamilnadu).
Based on the 2001 Census, in 2001, Kattappana had 9000 households, with a total population of 39608, consisting of 19856 males and 19752 females.
Administration of the town is vested in the Grama Panchayath.
The nearest airport
is at Nedumbassery
(125 km away) near Cochin.
An airport at nearby Anakkara
(Kumili) (25 kms from Kattappana) is being planned by the Government of Kerala and Idukki District Administration.
The town has no rail connectivity. Nearest railway stations are Kottayam
(104 kms) and Ernakulam /Aluva (120 Kms). Theni
(70 kms away) in Tamil Nadu also has a railway station that connects it to Madurai
, 140 kms from Kattappana.
People rely mainly on bus routes which run through the town. Kattappana is accessible from Ernakulam (via Moovattupuzha, Thodupuzha, Idukki), from Kottayam (via Mundakayam, Kuttikanam), from Madurai (via Theni, Cumbum) and from Kumili and from Munnar (via Puliyanmala on Munnar-Kumili highway). There are buses to Kattappana from Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thodupuzha, Idukki and Kumili/Thekkady.
NH 220 Kollam - Theni branches off to Kattappana at Kuttikkanam / Peermedu or at Kumili.
The State Highways that pass through Kattappana are:
SH 33
: Thodupuzha - Kumily
SH 43
- Moovattupuzha - Theni
SH 41
- Ernakulam - Thekkadi.
Other highways that can lead to Kattappana are:
SH 19
- Munnar - Kumili
SH 42
- Kottayam- Cumbum
To relieve traffic congestion, a new bus stand and traffic routing plans have been in effect since May 2011.
(Kumili), Idukki and Munnar
. Calvery Mount and Anchuruli are also nearby tourist spots.
There is a Government Guest House in Kattappana. There are also private tourist homes such as Edasseri Resorts,Kattappana, to cater to the stay of tourists. Pynave (Idukki), Kumaly (Thekkady) and Munnar specifically cater to foreign tourists.
Carmelia Haven, Vandanmedu is also a popular tourist resort.
Mayapott Plantation Hideaway at Kadamakuzhy, Vallakadavu, is around 7 kms from Kattappana.
From Anchuruli (Anjuruli), 8 km from Kattappana, one can have a scenic view of Idukki reservoir, which is a part of the largest hydro-electric project in the state of Kerala. There is a 4 km long tunnel that connects the dam at Erattayar (a small town near Kattappana) with Anchuruli, letting the water from the dam to flow to the Idukki Reservoir.
Calvery Mount has a bird's eyes view of the reservoir from 200 metres above the reservoir.
of Kottayam
. Many institutions are run under the management of the Diocese of Kanjirappally, affiliated with the Mahatma Gandhi University.
Some nearby higher education centres are:
and black pepper
. The "Njallani" high yielding variety of cardamom, was developed in Kattappana. (Please see note below). Kattappana is also the centre of production and marketing of coffee
, cocoa
and ginger
. There are also several reputed tea plantations
(Tata Tea, A V Thomas & Co, Malayalam Plantations, Kannan Devan etc) in adjoining areas of the district. The mid-1980s saw an unprecedented boom in construction activity as a result of a surge in the prices of cardamom and black pepper. The economic boom of the town led to land prices that were once rumoured to be higher than those in Kochi, the commercial capital of Kerala.
Spices Board (erstwhile Cardamom Board under Government of India) has an office in Kattappana. A Spices Park is established at Puttadi near Kattappana. Cardamom Research Institute is situated at Pampadumpara.
Kattappana Service Co-operative Bank has also been functioning in Kattappana.
Despite being the commercial hub of the High Ranges, most of Kattappana was shown in official records, as part of forest area, owned by the government. Granting title deeds to the land owners and farmers, had been a vote-catching slogan, raised by successive state governments. With the removal of legal hurdles, the Government has ordered issue of condition-free titles to the farmers in November 2010.
There is a mini Industrial estate in Kattappana.
St.John's Hospital, Kattappana was started in 1968 by Bro. Fortunatus Thanhauser, a Polish missionary, who adopted Kattappana as his home from 1967 until his death in 2005. He came to Kattappana, India in January 1967 to serve "an underdeveloped region of mostly illegal new settlements of landless poor in government forests"..
Theni
Medical College in Tamil Nadu is around 70 km from Kattappana and is a closer destination than any other medical college in Kerala. Kottayam Medical College is the next nearest medical college for Kattappana residents. There is a Government-run District Hospital in Pynave, Idukki.
Other hospitals functioning in Kattappana are Anchana Hospital and Bala Hospital (both near Pulianmala Road), Christy Hospital (Idukki kavala), Saro Hospital (Erattayar Road, near IHRD College), the Government Ayurvedic Hospital, Kattappana, Government Homeo Hospital, Kattappana and Government Hospital (Allopathy), 20 Acre, Kattappana.
Land has recently been acquired for a new multi speciality hospital near State Bank junction.
and Ezhava
communities also make up a good part of the population. The landmark of the town is a magnificent edifice dedicated to Sree Narayana Gurudev
. There are also Muslim
families here and the Juma Masjid caters to their religious needs. Religious harmony has been a notable feature of the town.
.
The major places of religious worship include:
Descendants of earlier inhabitants, the tribals of the forest, can still be seen. The Mannan tribe is now concentrated around Kozhimala, near Kanchiyar. They still have a King residing at Kozhimala. The Mannan kingdom in Idukki forest areas, was reportedly a feudatory of the erstwhile Pandya Kings of Madurai and later became protege of the Poonjar Raja and Travancore Kingdom.
Before large scale migration and settlement took place in Kattappana and surrounding areas in early 1950s, there were Tamil farmers here who were seasonal farmers mainly harvesting the cardamom that was then growing naturally in the wild in the deep dense forests. There is a sizable number of Tamil labor force forming part of the floating population of Kattappana. The 1950s settlement was induced by the State Government leasing out forest land for cardamom cultivation.
The movie houses in the town are:
There are also Arts and Music Clubs in the town.
Kattappana Town Lions Club is part of Lions Club International, and is engaged in humanitarian service and community projects for community service.
There are football clubs in the town, such as Spices City Club. An annual football event is conducted in which various clubs from all over Kerala participate.
Kattappana also has a sports stadium.
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
) in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
is known as the spices capital of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. It is the main commercial town in the high ranges of Idukki
Idukki district
Idukki district is one among the 14 districts of Kerala state, India. The district headquarters is located at in Painavu.It is the second least populous district in Kerala, after Wayanad .-Etymology:...
District and is situated 2660 feet above main sea level, in the High Ranges, the high altitude region of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is a center for spices trade, particularly for cardamom
Cardamom
Cardamom refers to several plants of the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to India and Bhutan; they are recognised by their small seed pod, triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds...
and black pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
. The town is notable for the mountains, lakes, forests, wildlife and spices plantations (cardamom, black pepper, coffee and tea). Kattappana has a cool and salubrious climate and attracts tourists visiting Idukki Dam
Idukki Dam
The Idukki Dam, located in Kerala, India, is a 555 foot tall arch dam. The dam stands between the two mountains - Kuravanmala m and Kurathimala m. It was constructed and is owned by the Kerala State Electricity Board....
or Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary at Thekkadi or Munnar
Munnar
Munnar is one of the most popular hill station in Kerala and in southern India. Munnar is located on the Western Ghats, situated in the Idukki district....
hill station .
It also has some well known educational institutions and hospitals.
Other towns and cities nearby are Kanchiyar
Kanchiyar
Kanchiyar is a village located in Idukki district of Kerala, India. This place is famous for cardamon and pepper plantation and Idukki Dam is very close to this place....
, Ayyappankoil
Ayyappancoil
Ayyappancoil is a village in Idukki district in the Indian state of Kerala.Ayyappancoil is a Village in Kattappana Taluk , Idukki District , Kerala State . Ayyappancoil is 7.430 km far from its Taluk Main Town Kattappana . Ayyappancoil is located 17.33 km distance from its District head quarters...
, Nedumkandam
Nedumkandam
NEDUMKANDAM, known as the Capital of High-Ranges also known ascity of spices is the major town and head quators of Udumbanchola taluk of Idukki district in Kerala state, India.Nedumkandam is a fast growing town in Idukki and expected to become one of the large cities in Kerala in 15...
, Idukki, Kuttikkanam
Kuttikkanam
Kuttikkanam, is a village in Idukki district, Kerala, southern India. It is above sea level and surrounded by lush green tea plantations. It is within the territory of Peermade-History:...
, Mundakayam
Mundakayam
Mundakayam is a small town in Kottayam District of Kerala state, South India. It is the gateway to the high ranges of Kerala, and is at the border of Kottayam and Idukki districts. It is here that the high ranges of south Kerala start. It is one of the most developed towns in Kerala, with rubber...
, Thodupuzha
Thodupuzha
Thodupuzha is a town and a municipality in Idukki district in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 35.43 km2. It is 62 km from Ernakulam. Geographical Classification of Thodupuzha Region is Midland or Idanad....
, Elappara
Elappara
Elappara is a village in Idukki district in the Indian state of Kerala.-Demographics: India census, Elappara had a population of 26094 with 12908 males and 13186 females. This hill area is known for the Elappara Tea estate and their brand MASCO. Elappara is a small village city located near to...
, Kumily
Kumily
Kumily is a town in the Cardamom Hills near Thekkady and the Periyar Tiger Reserve, in the Idukki District of Kerala State in South India. It is a major tourist destination and a spices trading center....
and Theni
Theni
Theni is a town in the Western Tamil Nadu state of South India. It is the headquarters of Theni District. It is known for the large-scale trading of Cardamom, Cotton, Grapes, chilli and Textiles. It hosts the second largest weekly market in Tamil Nadu and the fourth largest in South India...
(Tamilnadu).
Based on the 2001 Census, in 2001, Kattappana had 9000 households, with a total population of 39608, consisting of 19856 males and 19752 females.
Administration of the town is vested in the Grama Panchayath.
Transportation
(See Kattappana Map)The nearest airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
is at Nedumbassery
Nedumbassery
Nedumbassery is a suburb of the city of Kochi situated north of the city and from Thrissur in Kerala, India. The town lies between the two municipalities of Aluva and Angamaly in the Greater Cochin region. It has a population of 28,607 as on 2001, with a sex-ratio of 1012 females to 1000 males...
(125 km away) near Cochin.
An airport at nearby Anakkara
Anakkara Idukki
Anakkara is a geographic area of around 50 Square Kilometers that spans across Vandanmettu, Chakkupallam Village Panchayats in the Udumbanchola Thaluk of Idukki District. Anakkara is the administrative capital of Chakkupallam Gram Panchayat and Anakkara Revenue Village...
(Kumili) (25 kms from Kattappana) is being planned by the Government of Kerala and Idukki District Administration.
The town has no rail connectivity. Nearest railway stations are Kottayam
Kottayam
Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative capital of the Kottayam district. Kottayam Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative...
(104 kms) and Ernakulam /Aluva (120 Kms). Theni
Theni
Theni is a town in the Western Tamil Nadu state of South India. It is the headquarters of Theni District. It is known for the large-scale trading of Cardamom, Cotton, Grapes, chilli and Textiles. It hosts the second largest weekly market in Tamil Nadu and the fourth largest in South India...
(70 kms away) in Tamil Nadu also has a railway station that connects it to Madurai
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
, 140 kms from Kattappana.
People rely mainly on bus routes which run through the town. Kattappana is accessible from Ernakulam (via Moovattupuzha, Thodupuzha, Idukki), from Kottayam (via Mundakayam, Kuttikanam), from Madurai (via Theni, Cumbum) and from Kumili and from Munnar (via Puliyanmala on Munnar-Kumili highway). There are buses to Kattappana from Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thodupuzha, Idukki and Kumili/Thekkady.
NH 220 Kollam - Theni branches off to Kattappana at Kuttikkanam / Peermedu or at Kumili.
The State Highways that pass through Kattappana are:
SH 33
State Highway 33 (Kerala)
State Highway 33 is a State Highway in Kerala, India that starts in Thodupuzha and ends at Kumily road. The highway is 92.1 km long.- The Route Map :...
: Thodupuzha - Kumily
SH 43
State Highway 43 (Kerala)
State Highway 43 is a State Highway in Kerala, India that starts in Muvattupuzha and ends in Theni Town . The highway is 105 km long...
- Moovattupuzha - Theni
SH 41
State Highway 41 (Kerala)
State Highway 41 is a State Highway in Kerala, India that starts in Palarivattom and ends in Thekkady. The highway is 55.1 km long.- The Route Map :...
- Ernakulam - Thekkadi.
Other highways that can lead to Kattappana are:
SH 19
State Highway 19 (Kerala)
State Highway 19 is a State Highway in Kerala that starts fromMunnar and ends Kumily. The highway is 106.0 km long.- The Route Map :...
- Munnar - Kumili
SH 42
State Highway 42 (Kerala)
State Highway 42 is a State Highway in Kerala, India that starts in Kumarakom and ends in Cumbam. The highway is 55.1 km long.- The Route Map :...
- Kottayam- Cumbum
To relieve traffic congestion, a new bus stand and traffic routing plans have been in effect since May 2011.
Tourism
There are many tourist spots in nearby areas of Kattappana. There are two hills near the town from which it is possible to get a bird's eye view of the town and to experience the cool climate at 1100 metres (3,608.9 ft) above sea level. The main tourist attractions nearby are ThekkadyThekkady
Thekkady is the location of the Periyar National Park, which is an important tourist attraction in the Kerala state of India.- Overview :...
(Kumili), Idukki and Munnar
Munnar
Munnar is one of the most popular hill station in Kerala and in southern India. Munnar is located on the Western Ghats, situated in the Idukki district....
. Calvery Mount and Anchuruli are also nearby tourist spots.
There is a Government Guest House in Kattappana. There are also private tourist homes such as Edasseri Resorts,Kattappana, to cater to the stay of tourists. Pynave (Idukki), Kumaly (Thekkady) and Munnar specifically cater to foreign tourists.
Carmelia Haven, Vandanmedu is also a popular tourist resort.
Mayapott Plantation Hideaway at Kadamakuzhy, Vallakadavu, is around 7 kms from Kattappana.
From Anchuruli (Anjuruli), 8 km from Kattappana, one can have a scenic view of Idukki reservoir, which is a part of the largest hydro-electric project in the state of Kerala. There is a 4 km long tunnel that connects the dam at Erattayar (a small town near Kattappana) with Anchuruli, letting the water from the dam to flow to the Idukki Reservoir.
Calvery Mount has a bird's eyes view of the reservoir from 200 metres above the reservoir.
Education
Colleges in Kattappana are affiliated with the Mahatma Gandhi UniversityMahatma Gandhi University
Mahatma Gandhi University, also known as M G University, was established on 2 October 1983 in Kottayam. The University Grants Commission of India does not believe that the names of Indian universities should be unique, so another UGC-recognized government-run Mahatma Gandhi University was...
of Kottayam
Kottayam
Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative capital of the Kottayam district. Kottayam Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative...
. Many institutions are run under the management of the Diocese of Kanjirappally, affiliated with the Mahatma Gandhi University.
Colleges
| College | Courses |
|---|---|
| Government College,Kattappana Government College, Kattappana Government College, Kattappana is located in Idukki district, India. Affiliated with M G University. the college offers bachelor's degrees in arts, science and commerce.-Courses offered:Different courses offered in the institute are* B.A Economics... (established in 1977) |
B.A.Economics, B.A. Malayalam, B.Sc.Chemistry, B.Sc. Mathematics, B.Com, M.A. Malayalam |
| College of Applied Science (IHRD), Kattappana | B.Sc.Computer Science, B.Sc. Electronics, M.Sc. Computer Science, PGDCA |
| John Paul Memorial Colleges Labbakkada, Kattappana | B.Ed, B.Com (Computer Application), BCA, BTS, BBA, BA English, MA English, M.Com Finance |
| St.John's College of Nursing | B.Sc. Nursing |
| St.John's School of Nursing | General Nursing & Midwifery |
| Co-operative College Kattappana | H.D.C/B.Com |
| St.Sebastian's College of Management & Technology, Kattappana | Diploma in Hotel Management, Fashion Designing, CDIT Courses |
Some nearby higher education centres are:
| College | Courses |
|---|---|
| Government Engineering College, Pynave, Idukki (29 km) | B.Tech- Electrical & Electronics Engg, Electronics & Communication Engg, Computer Science & Engg, Information Technology) |
| Marian College, Kuttikkanam | MBA, MCA, MSW, MCom, BBA, BCA, BCom, Hospitality Management) |
| M.E.S. College, Vattappara, Nedumkandam (18 km) | BA History, BSc.Physics, BSc Mathematics, BSc Chemistry, BCom, MSc OR & Computer Applications, MSc Physics, MCom |
| Govt. Polytechnic College, Nedumkandam (23 km) | |
| Govt. Polytechnic College, Kumily (35 km) | |
| Holy Cross College, Puttady (10 km) | |
| Model Polytechnic(IHRD), Idukki (30 km) |
Higher secondary schools / High Schools
- Ossanam English Medium Higher Secondary School Kattappana
- Carmel CMI Public School, Puliyanmala, Kattappana (CBSE) (managed by CMI Fathers)
- Auxillium Senior Secondary School, Kattappana (managed by Salesian Sisters)
- Infant Jesus Residential School, Kattappana (CBSE Affiliated)
- St. George's Higher Secondary School Kattappana
- St. Jerome's Higher Secondary School Vellayamkudy
- St. Thomas Higher Secondary School, Erattayar
- Govt.Tribal Higher Secondary School, Kattappana
- Mannam Memorial High School, Nariampara
Research
- Cardamom Research Institute under the Kerala Agricultural UniversityKerala Agricultural UniversityKerala Agricultural University is the primary and the principal instrumentality of the Kerala state in providing human resources, and skills and technology, required for the sustainable development of its agriculture, defined broadly encompassing all production activities based on land and water,...
, is situated at PampadumparaPampadumparaPampadumpara is a village in Idukki district in the Indian state of Kerala.-Demographics: India census, Pampadumpara had a population of 16600 with 8295 males and 8305 females.-Etymology:...
, a nearby town.
Agriculture, Commerce, Industry, Banking & Trade
Kattappana is a center for spices trade and is one of the primary producers of cardamomCardamom
Cardamom refers to several plants of the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to India and Bhutan; they are recognised by their small seed pod, triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds...
and black pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
. The "Njallani" high yielding variety of cardamom, was developed in Kattappana. (Please see note below). Kattappana is also the centre of production and marketing of coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, cocoa
Cocoa
Cocoa bean is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of Theobroma cacao, from which cocoa solids and cocoa butter are extracted...
and ginger
Ginger
Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
. There are also several reputed tea plantations
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
(Tata Tea, A V Thomas & Co, Malayalam Plantations, Kannan Devan etc) in adjoining areas of the district. The mid-1980s saw an unprecedented boom in construction activity as a result of a surge in the prices of cardamom and black pepper. The economic boom of the town led to land prices that were once rumoured to be higher than those in Kochi, the commercial capital of Kerala.
Spices Board (erstwhile Cardamom Board under Government of India) has an office in Kattappana. A Spices Park is established at Puttadi near Kattappana. Cardamom Research Institute is situated at Pampadumpara.
Spices Plantations
'Njallani' Cardamom
'Njallani' high yielding variety of cardamom was developed by Sebastian Joseph Njallani of Kattappana, who migrated to Kattappana in 1952 from Pala. He was a marginal farmer who did not know how to patent his invention. He used bees for cross-pollination along with berry cloning and the Njallani variety revolutionized cardamom cultivation in Idukki District. He received several awards from the Spices Board and from Government of India and Government of Kerala.Banks
The following major banks have their branches in Kattappana:- ICICI BankICICI BankICICI Bank Ltd. is India's second largest financial services company headquartered in Mumbai, India. It offers a wide range of banking products and financial services to corporate and retail customers through a variety of delivery channels and through its specialised subsidiaries in the areas of...
- IndusInd BankIndusInd BankIndusInd Bank Limited is a Mumbai based Indianew generation bank, established in 1994. The bank offers commercial, transactional and electronic banking products and services. Indusind Bank was incorporated in April 1994 by Dr. Manmohan Singh the then Union Finance Minister...
- State Bank of IndiaState Bank of IndiaThe State Bank of India is the largest Indian banking and financial services company with its headquarters in Mumbai, India. It is state-owned. The bank traces its ancestry to British India, through the Imperial Bank of India, to the founding in 1806 of the Bank of Calcutta, making it the oldest...
- State Bank of TravancoreState Bank of TravancoreState Bank of Travancore , is a subsidiary of the State Bank Group and also has private share-holders. It is the premier bank of Kerala State, India, where it has 700 branches...
- Union Bank of IndiaUnion Bank of IndiaUnion Bank of India is one of India's largest state-owned banks , is listed on the Forbes 2000. It has assets of USD 13.45 billion and all the bank's branches have been networked with its 1135 ATMs. Its online Telebanking facility are available to all its Core Banking Customers - individual as...
- Canara BankCanara BankCanara Bank is a state-owned financial services company in India. It was established in 1906, making it one of the oldest banks in the country. As on 2009 November, the bank had a network of 3057 branches, spread across India...
- Federal BankFederal BankFederal Bank Limited is a major Indian commercial bank in the private sector, headquartered at Aluva, Kochi, Kerala. As of March 31 2011 it has 743 branches spread across 24 states in India and 803 ATMs around the country.-History:In the year 1931, Travancore Federal Bank was inaugurated at...
- South Indian Bank
Kattappana Service Co-operative Bank has also been functioning in Kattappana.
Despite being the commercial hub of the High Ranges, most of Kattappana was shown in official records, as part of forest area, owned by the government. Granting title deeds to the land owners and farmers, had been a vote-catching slogan, raised by successive state governments. With the removal of legal hurdles, the Government has ordered issue of condition-free titles to the farmers in November 2010.
There is a mini Industrial estate in Kattappana.
Healthcare and Hospitals
St. John's Hospital Kattappana is a leading hospital in Idukki District. It is owned and managed by the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God. It is located 1.5 km from the heart of the town and has a full range of modern facilities. An institution named St. John College of Nursing is attached to the hospital for nursing and paramedical education, offering 4 year B.Sc. Nursing Course (affiliated to MG University) and also General Nursing & Midwifery License course approved by the Kerala Nurses and Midwives Council.St.John's Hospital, Kattappana was started in 1968 by Bro. Fortunatus Thanhauser, a Polish missionary, who adopted Kattappana as his home from 1967 until his death in 2005. He came to Kattappana, India in January 1967 to serve "an underdeveloped region of mostly illegal new settlements of landless poor in government forests"..
Theni
Theni
Theni is a town in the Western Tamil Nadu state of South India. It is the headquarters of Theni District. It is known for the large-scale trading of Cardamom, Cotton, Grapes, chilli and Textiles. It hosts the second largest weekly market in Tamil Nadu and the fourth largest in South India...
Medical College in Tamil Nadu is around 70 km from Kattappana and is a closer destination than any other medical college in Kerala. Kottayam Medical College is the next nearest medical college for Kattappana residents. There is a Government-run District Hospital in Pynave, Idukki.
Other hospitals functioning in Kattappana are Anchana Hospital and Bala Hospital (both near Pulianmala Road), Christy Hospital (Idukki kavala), Saro Hospital (Erattayar Road, near IHRD College), the Government Ayurvedic Hospital, Kattappana, Government Homeo Hospital, Kattappana and Government Hospital (Allopathy), 20 Acre, Kattappana.
Land has recently been acquired for a new multi speciality hospital near State Bank junction.
Religion and Demographics
Current population consists mostly of descendants of migrants who migrated to the area in early 1950s, when the area was forest land. The town has a large population of Syrian Catholic families who migrated to Kattappana in early 1950s from Central Travancore. St. George Forane Church was the first major edifice in the town built by the first settlers to the area.. The NairNair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
and Ezhava
Ezhava
The Ezhavas are a community with origins in the region presently known as Kerala. They are also known as Ilhava, Irava, Izhava and Erava in the south of the region; as Chovas, Chokons and Chogons in Central Travancore; and as Tiyyas, Thiyas and Theeyas in Malabar...
communities also make up a good part of the population. The landmark of the town is a magnificent edifice dedicated to Sree Narayana Gurudev
Narayana Guru
Sri Nārāyana Guru , also known as Sree Nārāyana Guru Swami, was a Hindu saint, sadhuand social reformer of India. The Guru was born into an Ezhava family, in an era when people from backward communities like the Ezhavas faced much social injustices in the caste-ridden Kerala society...
. There are also Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
families here and the Juma Masjid caters to their religious needs. Religious harmony has been a notable feature of the town.
.
The major places of religious worship include:
- St.George Forane Church (Catholic),Pallikavala, Kattappana (Diocese of Kanjirappally)
- St Mary's Orthodox Church, Kattappana
- St George Jacobite Syrian Church, Kattappana (under Idukki Bhadrasanam)
- St Mary's Knanaya Church, Kattappana
- St. John's CSI Church, Kattappana
- India Pentecostal Mission Church, Kattappana
- Sree Lakshminarayana Temple, Idukkikavala, Kattappana
- Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Ambalakavala
- Visvakarma Mahadeva Temple,Kochuthovala Rd, Kattappana
- Darussalam Juma Masjid, Kattappana
Descendants of earlier inhabitants, the tribals of the forest, can still be seen. The Mannan tribe is now concentrated around Kozhimala, near Kanchiyar. They still have a King residing at Kozhimala. The Mannan kingdom in Idukki forest areas, was reportedly a feudatory of the erstwhile Pandya Kings of Madurai and later became protege of the Poonjar Raja and Travancore Kingdom.
Before large scale migration and settlement took place in Kattappana and surrounding areas in early 1950s, there were Tamil farmers here who were seasonal farmers mainly harvesting the cardamom that was then growing naturally in the wild in the deep dense forests. There is a sizable number of Tamil labor force forming part of the floating population of Kattappana. The 1950s settlement was induced by the State Government leasing out forest land for cardamom cultivation.
Culture, Arts, Music & Entertainment
Kattappana has a public library.The movie houses in the town are:
- Aiswarya Theatre (formerly known as Sangeetha), near the Town Hall
- Sagara Movies, Kothuthovala Road.
- Santhosh Theatre, near the old Private Bus Stand.
There are also Arts and Music Clubs in the town.
Kattappana Town Lions Club is part of Lions Club International, and is engaged in humanitarian service and community projects for community service.
Sports
Kattappana schools and colleges have been promoting sports. In the State school athletic meets, Kattappana educational district used to be runners-up for many years consecutively.There are football clubs in the town, such as Spices City Club. An annual football event is conducted in which various clubs from all over Kerala participate.
Kattappana also has a sports stadium.