View source for Meenachil

{{moresources|date=August 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}
{{for|the river|Meenachil River}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Meenachil
| native_name             = 
| native_name_lang        = [[Malayalam]]
| other_name              = 
| settlement_type         = [[Taluk]]
| image_skyline           = Illikal Kallu.jpg
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = Illikkal Rock
| nickname                = 
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = 
| pushpin_map             = 
| pushpin_label_position  = right
| pushpin_map_alt         = 
| pushpin_map_caption     = 
| coordinates             = {{coord|9.7|N|76.70|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = India
| subdivision_type1       = State
| subdivision_name1       = Kerala
| subdivision_type2       = District
| subdivision_name2       = [[Kottayam district|Kottayam]]
| established_title       = <!-- Established -->
| established_date        = 
| founder                 = 
| named_for               = 
| government_type         = 
| governing_body          = 
| unit_pref               = Metric
| area_footnotes          = 
| area_rank               = 
| area_total_km2          = 
| elevation_footnotes     = 
| elevation_m             = 
| population_total        = 
| population_as_of        = 
| population_rank         = 
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_demonym      = 
| population_note         = 
| demographics_type1      = Languages
| demographics1_title1    = Official
| demographics1_info1     = Malayalam, English
| timezone1               = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1             = +5:30
| postal_code_type        = <!-- [[Postal Index Number|PIN]] -->
| postal_code             = 
| registration_plate      = KL-35
| website                 = 
| footnotes               = 
}}

'''Meenachil''' is the north-eastern region of [[Kottayam district]] in [[Kerala]], [[south India]]. The name originates from Meenakshi, the Hindu Goddess. [[Pala, Kerala|Pala]] is the main city in Meenachil. The arterial river of the district is also named [[Meenachil River|Meenachil]].

==Geography==
[[File:Meenachil aaru - kottayam.jpg|thumb|Meenachil River]]
The [[Meenachil River]], also known as Kavanar, Gauna, Valanjar originates at ''vagamon'' in the [[Western Ghats]] of Kerala, flows westward through [[Erattupetta]], [[Pala, Kerala|Palai]], [[Kidangoor, Ernakulam|Kidangoor]], [[Ettumanoor]] and [[Kottayam]]. Its length is about 87 kilometers. Near Kottayam it splits into a number of [[Distributary|distributaries]] before emptying into the [[Vembanad Lake]]. [[Kumarakom]], the bird sanctuary and tourist resort is on one such branch.{{cn|date=July 2020}}

==History==
[[File:പാലാ നഗരം.JPG|thumb|Palai city on the banks of Meenachil river]]
The current Meenachil taluk was a principality under the rulers of the royal family often referred to as the ''[[Meenachil Kartha]]s'' (also known as ''Njavakkat Karthas'') before [[Marthanda Varma]] annexed it to [[Travancore]] in 1754. The name of the place comes from Goddess [[Meenakshi]], the deity of the ''Karthas''. Veera Kerala Damodara Simhar was a chieftain belonging to this family.<ref>Kerala District Gazetteers: Kottayam, Kerala (India) p.34-35</ref> The southern bank of the river was the kingdom of ''Thekkumkoor'', the capital of which was Changanassery, and the northern bank, that of ''Vadakkumkoor'', with its capital at Kaduthuruthy. The [[Poonjar]] royal family also held sway over significant areas of the district towards the east.

==Economy==
Though food crops like [[Rice|paddy]] and [[tapioca]] are cultivated, majority of the population depends on cash crops like [[rubber]] and [[black pepper]] for income. Turmeric,ginger,cardamom,aracanut, coconut, nutmeg,clove,karuva pattai, jackfruit, tamarind where cultivated here.Recently people had diversified into the cultivation of [[vanilla]] on account of the sudden spurt in prices. However, with rubber prices ruling high and vanilla prices nosediving, the original agricultural pattern is seen reemerging. Though there are families with considerable wealth, a large section of the population are farmers with small and medium agricultural holdings.{{fact|date=May 2021}}

The Kerala Government has recently (2006) accorded high priority to the implementation of the Meenachil River Valley Project. The project aims at diverting excess water from the [[Moovattupuzha]] river into the Meenachil River basin by constructing a tunnel from [[Arakkulam]] to [[Melukavu]]. Once implemented the project will help in increasing the availability of water in the area.{{fact|date=May 2021}}

==Festivals==
Some of the important festivals celebrated in the region are:<br>
1. Kumaranalloor Thrikarthika <br>
2. The [[Katappattor]] temple festival (April)<br>
3. Meenachil Kavu Festival (December)<br>
4. Pala Jubilee thirunal (8 December)<br>
5. The [[Cherpunkal]] Church festival(25 December – 2 January)<br>
6. The festival of [[St. George's Church, Aruvithura]] <br>
7. The Paika Church festival (19 December)<br>
8. Pala Rakkuly thirunal - Epiphany (7 Jan)<br>
9. Bharanganam Sr Alphonsa's feast (28 July)<br>
10. Bharanganam Sreekrishna Swami temple festival (January–February)<br>
11. Poovarany Mahadeva temple festival (January–February)<br>
12. [[Ramapuram church]] feast<br>
13. [[Kidangoor, Kottayam|Kidangoor]] Temple Festival <br>
14. Edappady Subrahmanya Swamy Temple festival (January–February)<br>
15. Edappady Vazhanekkavu Devi Temple festival (March)<br>
16. Uzhavoor Church feast<br>
17. Vilakkumadom St. Francis Church feast<br>
18. The Arattu at Lalam Sree Mahadeva Temple. (January)<br>
19. Prathista dinam at Puthuppallil Kottaram Bhagavathy Temple at Edamattom (23rd Thulam)<br>
20. Meenachil Nadeethada Hindu Maha sangamam (Jannuvay 12-18)<br> 
21. Payappar sree dharama sastha temple (makaravilaku 14 January)<br>
22. Payappar sree dharama sastha temple (makaravilaku 14 January)<br>
23. Edanattukavu Bhagavathy Temple festival (December and March)

==Politics==
Traditionally, the region is the hotbed of various factions of the [[Kerala Congress]]. However mainstream parties like the [[Indian National Congress]], [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], [[Communist Party of India]], NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] also have significant following. The prices of rubber and other agricultural prices determine the agenda of many elections. It is alleged that the church influences the political agenda significantly.

== Notable people ==
<!---♦♦♦ Only add a person to this list if they already have their own article on the English Wikipedia ♦♦♦--->
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order by LAST NAME ♦♦♦--->
* [[Jose Panachippuram]], associate editor, ''Malayala Manorama'' daily.

==Transport==
Meenachil Taluk does not have rail connectivity. The nearest major railway stations are [[Kottayam]], 28&nbsp;km and [[Ernakulam junction]], 64&nbsp;km from palai. The nearest airport is the [[Cochin International Airport]] at [[Nedumbassery]], 85&nbsp;km from Palai.

The [[Ettumanoor]] - [[Poonjar]] State Highway (SH 32) traverses across the Taluk in the easterly direction connecting [[Kidangoor, Kottayam|Kidangoor]], [[Cherpunkal]], [[Palai]], [[Bharananganam]], [[Kondoor]], [[Panackapalam]] and [[Erattupetta]]. In the north- south direction, the [[Main Eastern Highway]] ([[Muvattupuzha]] - [[Punalur]]- SH 8)passes through [[Kollappally]], Palai and [[Paika]]. The [[Erattupetta]] - [[Peerumedu]] State Highway (SH 14) passes through [[Teekoy]] and [[Wagamon]]. The Sabarimala - Kodaikanal Highway passes through Erattupetta. The [[Main Central Road]] (SH 1) from [[Trivandrum]] to [[Angamaly]] passes through the western boundary of the Taluk.

==Major Colleges==
* [[Alphonsa College, Palai]] (for girls)
* [[St. George College, Aruvithura]]
* [[College of Engineering, Kidangoor]] (CEKGR)
* [[College of Engineering, Poonjar]]
* [[Devamatha College, Kuravilangad]]
* [[St. Joseph's College of Engineering and Technology, Palai|St Joseph College of Engineering and Technology, Palai]] (SJCET Palai)
* [[St. Stephen's College, Uzhavoor]]
* [[St. Thomas College, Palai]]
{{Cleanup-list|section|date=July 2021}} 
* [[BVM Holy Cross College, Cherpunkal]]
* [[Government Polytechnic College, Pala]]
* [[Henry Baker College, Melukau]]
* [[Mar Augusthinose College]], Ramapuram (MAC)
* [[Mar Sleeva College of Nursing]], Palai
* [[MES College Erattupetta, Thidanadu]]

==See also==
*[[Meenachil (village)]]
*[[Uzhavoor]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Kottayam district}}
[[Category:Villages in Kottayam district]]