Piravom

Encyclopedia

Piravom is a municipality in Ernakulam district and a suburb of Kochi in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located with in 31 km southeast of Kochi city center, at the boundary of the Ernakulam and Kottayam districts. Piravom is famous for its Hindu temples and Christian churches. Piravom has a river-front, verdant hills, and paddy fields.

History

Piravom was owned by the Vadakkumkoor Kingdom until it was captured by Travancore kingdom, and is now part of the Indian state of Kerala.

Piravom was reverted to panchayat status in 1992 after two years as a municipality because of skepticism that its classification as a municipality would attract higher tax rates and building regulation. However, as modern municipal councils now have the authority to fix the tax rate and new building rule provisions are now applicable to special grade panchayats, the economic incentive for Piravom remaining a panchayat has disappeared. The local government of Piravom passed a unanimous resolution for elevation to municipality status. In 2015, the government of Kerala reclassified Piravom as a municipality.

The Kerala state government and the GCDA have plans to incorporate Angamaly, Perumbavoor, Piravom and Kolenchery in Ernakulam district, Mala and Kodungallur in Thrissur district, Thalayolaparambu and Vaikom in Kottayam, and Cherthala in Alappuzha district into the jurisdiction of the Kochi metropolis. The newly formed metropolis would be put under the charge of a new authority called the Kochi Metropolitan Regional Development Authority.

Places of Interest

  • Pazhoor Padippura is an astrology center linked to Pazhoor Perumthrikkovil located in Piravom is referred in the Aithihyamala by Kottarathil Sankunni.

Perumthrkkovil Pazhor

  • Pazhoor Perumthrikkovil is a temple of Shiva of Hindu tradition located at the town of Piravom. The temple is believed to be nearly 1,800 years old. Pazhoor Perumthrikkovil is also mentioned in Aithihyamala.

Piravom Valiyapally

Piravom Valiyapally Cathedral declaration

  • Piravom Valiya Pally is one of the oldest churches in Kerala. It stands on a hilltop on the eastern bank of the Muvattupuzha River.

Areekkal waterfall is – located at Pambakkuda panchayat near Piravom. The silver, shimmering water cascading down from around 100 feet with forest and rubber plantations in the background is a sight to behold.

Biblical significance

Saint Caspar along with St. Melchior and St. Balthasar – From the pictorial encyclopedia Hortus Deliciarum by Herrad of Landsberg as reproduced by Christian Maurice Engelhardt

There is a claim that one of the three Biblical Magi (Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior) came from Piravom. Some consider Caspar to be King Gondophares (AD 21 – c. AD 47) mentioned in the Acts of Thomas. Others consider him to have come from the South India, where Thomas the Apostle visited decades later. Piravom has for long claimed that it has produced one of the three Biblical Magi. Three churches near Piravom are named after the Biblical Magi, out of only six total in India.

Educational Institutions

  1. Government Higher Secondary School, Piravom
  2. Government Higher Secondary School, Namakuzhy
  3. M.K.M.H.S.S., Piravom
  4. Fatima Matha Central School
  5. St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School
  6. Holy Kings Public school Piravom
  7. BPC College Piravom
  8. MSM ITI, Piravom
  9. Vivekananda Public School
  10. Toc H Public School
  11. Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, a deemed university under the de novo category, Peppathy
  12. Naipunnya St. Michael’s Public School, Veliyanad.

13. Government LPS Piravom

14. Government LPS Pazhoor

15. Government LPS Kalampoor

16. Government LPS Namakkuzhy

17. CMS LPS Edappallichira

18. St. Antony’s LPS Kalluvettamata

19. Government UPS Kakkad

20. Government UPS Kalampoor

Places of Worship

Main article: Places of worship in Piravom
  1. St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Piravom
  2. Assemblies of God in India,Piravom south.
  3. The Pentecostal Mission,Piravom.
  4. India Pentecostal Church of God, Piavom.
  5. Church of God (Full Gospel) in India, Piravom.
  6. Holy Kings Knanaya Catholic Forane Church, Piravom (Kochupally)
  7. Little Flower Church, Piravom
  8. Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Piravom
  9. Pazhoor Perumthrikkovil Temple of Lord Shiva – legend says it was renovated by Perumthachan
  10. St Gregorios Orthodox Catholic Centre, Piravom
  11. Pallikkavu Bhagavathi Temple
  12. Parekkunnu Sree Dharma Sastha Temple Piravom
  13. Karavelloor Mahadeva Temple , Kalampoor
  14. Desadhipan Amarkkulam Sreekrishna Swamy Temple (built by Pandavas)
  15. Thiruveesamkulam Mahadeva Temple, Palachuvadu
  16. Mar Yohanon Ihidiyo Orthodox Syrian Church, Mulakkulam
  17. Parumala mar Gregorious Shrine, Palachuvadu
  18. Chalasseril Kalari Paradevatha Kshetram
  19. St.Mary’s Syrian Orthodox Church, Kottarakkunnu
  20. St.Peter’s and St. Paul’s Orthodox Syrian Church (Parel Pally), Namakuzhy, Mulakulam North
  21. St. George Orthodox Syrian Church, Karmelkunnu, Mulakkulam
  22. St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral, Mannookkunnu
  23. Onnakoor St. Mary’s Orthodox Church, Valiyapally (In Pampakuda Panchayath)
  24. Anchupoojayum Vilakkum Mahotsavam at Desadhipan Amarkkulam Sreekrishnaswamy Temple
  25. Perumbadavum St George Orthodox church, Elanji (near Piravom, Elanji Panchayath).
  26. Uthram Vilaku Mahotsavam at Pisharukoil temple, Piravom (Kumbha Masam)
  27. St. Andrew’s Church, Palachuvadu, Piravom
  28. St. Michael’s Church, Kolengai
  29. Sreepurushamangalam Sreekrishna Temple, Kakkad
  30. Brethren Assembly, Piravom
 30 Spiritual Feast, Kakkad, Piravom.

31. Puthussery Thrikka Balanarasimha Swamy Temple

32. Acharyakovil Devi temple

33. Pallippattu Devi Temple, Pazhoor

34. Peringamala Shreekrishna swami temple

35. Thirumanamkunnu Devi temple

36. Oozhathumala Mahadeva temple

37. Melpazhur Mana Temple

38. Kalampoorkkavu Devi Temple

Festivals

  1. Holy Danaha Perunnal at St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Cathedral (Piravom valiya pally perunnal)
  2. Vishudha Rajakanmarude Thirunnal at Piravom Kochu pally
  3. Pazhoor Shivaraathri and Thiruvaathira Aarattu Maholthsavam
  4. Easter at St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Cathedral (Piravom valiya pally)
  5. Thiruvathira Mahotsavam of Thiruveeshamkulam Temple
  6. Pallikkavu Meenabharani Festival
  7. Acharikovil Meenabharani Festival
  8. Athachamayam Festival
  9. Kalamboor Kaavu pana Maholsavam , Thookkam
  10. Medam Rohini Mahotsavam, Sree Purushamangalam Temple, Kakkad
  11. Pazhoor Pallippattu Temple Pana Maholsavam
  12. Makara Vilakku Maholsavam at Parekkunnu Sree Dharma Sastha Temple Piravom
  13. Makara Vilaku Ulsavam at Thaliyil Ayyapa Temple

Politics

Piravom Assembly Constituency has been incorporated into Kottayam Lok Sabha Constituency, led by Thomas Chazhikadan, as a part of the delimitation of parliament seats in India. The assembly was previously part of Muvattupuzha Lok Sabha Constituency.Anoop Jacob is the MLA of Piravom assembly constituency.LDF is the ruling front in Piravom municipality. Eliyamma Philip is the Municipal Chairperson of Piravom Municipality, and K.P Salim former panchayat president of Piravom and M.G. University Senator is the Vice Chairman. Piravom assembly constituency came into being in 1977. Before that Piravom Municipality was part of Muvattupuzha assembly constituency. T M Jacob was the first MLA of Piravom. P C Chacko, Benny Behanan, Gopi Kottamurickal, M J Jacob were the other MLAs. Piravom was part of Muvattupuzha parliamentary constituency until 2019. From then, it is part of Kottayam parliamentary constituency. Prof. C Poulose, former Piravom Panchayath President was a prominent figure in Piravom politics. Umadevi Antharjanam, K P Salim and Sabu K Jacob were also Piravom Panchayath Presidents.

Transportation

The nearest railway station to Piravom is the Piravam Road Railway Station (Velloor), which has stops for all passenger trains and most express trains. The nearest major railway station is at Ernakulam.

The nearest airport, Cochin International Airport, is at Nedumbassery.

A government transport (KSRTC) bus depot is located at Piravom.

A private bus stand is located at the center of Piravom. The buses provide connectivity to Kochi and nearby towns.

Location

The town is situated on the banks of the Muvattupuzha River.

Nearby towns and cities

  • Kochi (31 km)
  • Kottayam (40 km)
  • Muvattupuzha (20 km)
  • Ettumanoor (31 km)
  • Koothattukulam (15 km)
  • Thrippunithura (21 km)
  • Vaikom (25 km)
  • Thodupuzha (35 km)
  • Palai (33 km)
  • Aluva (37 km)
  • Perumbavoor (34 km)
  • Kolenchery (16 km)
  • Kothamangalam (33 km)
  • Thalayolaparambu(15 km)
  • Kaduthuruthy(14 km)