Ernakulam, ; ISO: ''Eṟaṇākuḷaṁ'', in

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry ( Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam wa ...

: എറണാകുളം), is one of the 14 districts in the

Indian state India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, with a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions. History Pre-indepen ...

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...

, that takes its name from the eponymous city division in

Kochi Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of ...

. It is situated in the central part of the state, spans an area of about , and is home to over 9% of Kerala's population. Its headquarters are located at

Kakkanad Kakkanad is a major industrial and residential region in the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. It is situated in the eastern part of the city and houses the Cochin Special Economic Zone, Infopark, Smart City and KINFRA Export Promotion Industr ...

. The district includes Kochi, also known as the commercial capital of Kerala, which is famous for its ancient Churches,

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hin ...

s, synagogues and

mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...

s. The district includes the largest metropolitan region of the state: Greater Cochin. Ernakulam is the district that yields the most revenue and the largest number of industries in the state. Ernakulam is the third most populous district in Kerala, after

Malappuram Malappuram (also Malapuram) () is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of including the surrounding suburban areas. The first municipality in the district formed in 1970, Malappuram serves as the administrative headquarte ...

and Thiruvananthapuram (out of 14 districts). The district also hosts the highest number of international and domestic tourists in Kerala state. The most commonly spoken language in Ernakulam is

. English is widely used, mostly in business circles. Ernakulam became India's first district to have 100 percent banking or full "meaningful financial inclusion" in 2012. Ernakulam has a high

Human Development Index The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income indicators, w ...

of 0.801 (UNHDP report 2005), which is one of the highest in India.

History

Ernakulam has played a part in the political history of

south India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union terr ...

since ancient times. The

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

, Syrians,

Arabs The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

, Chinese, Dutch, British, and Portuguese seafarers followed the sea route to the Kingdom of Cochin and left their impressions on the town. The port at

Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...

held superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while

Kannur Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and a municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the major port city and commercial hu ...

, Kollam, and

, were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather.''The Portuguese, Indian Ocean and European Bridgeheads 1500–1800''. Festschrift in Honour of Prof. K. S. Mathew (2001). Edited by: Pius Malekandathil and T. Jamal Mohammed. Fundacoa Oriente. Institute for Research in Social Sciences and Humanities of MESHAR (Kerala) In 1664, the municipality of

Fort Kochi Fort Kochi, Fort Cochin in English, Cochim de Baixo ("Lower Kochi") in Cochin Portuguese creole, is a neighbourhood of Cochin (Kochi) city in Kerala, India. Fort Kochi takes its name from the Fort Manuel of Cochin, the first European for ...

was established by Dutch Malabar, making it the first municipality in

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, In ...

, which got dissolved when the Dutch authority got weaker in 18th century. In 1896, the Maharaja of Cochin initiated local administration by forming a town council in Ernakulam. Initially, The district's headquarters were located in the portion of the city known as Ernakulam, which gave the district its name; the headquarters was relocated afterwards to

. In the year 1998,

Kuttampuzha Kuttampuzha is a village and gram panchayat in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala.2001 Village code=00087900 Situated 71km east of Kochi, Kuttampuzha panchayat is home to the 17.7% of total area of the Ernakulam District. The v ...

village was added to the district from Idukki district following which the district got a political boundary with neighbouring state of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

. There is no interstate road that connects the district with the neighbouring state through this border.

Geography

The Ernakulam district covers an area of on the Western Coastal Plains of India. It is surrounded by the Thrissur District to the north, the Idukki District to the east, Alappuzha and

Kottayam Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south ...

districts to the south and the Laccadive Sea to the west. The Anamalais occupy a large part of the district, consisting of the forest areas around

Pooyamkutty Pooyamkutty is a small town in Ernakulam district, Kothamangalam Taluk, Kuttampuzha panchayat and in the Indian state of Kerala. Pooyamkutty is situated along Pooyamkutty river, a tributary of the Periyar. The nearest Municipality is Kothaman ...

and the Idamalayar Dam. The range also extends into Thrissur, Palakkad, and Idukki districts, as well as Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts of Tamil Nadu. The district is divided geographically into highland, midland, and coastal area. The altitude of the highlands is about . The

Periyar River Periyar, , (meaning: ''big river'') is the longest river and the river with the largest discharge potential in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the few perennial rivers in the region and provides drinking water for several major towns ...

, Kerala's longest, flows through all the taluks except

Muvattupuzha Muvattupuzha () is a town in the midlands directly to the east of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is located about from downtown Kochi, and is a growing urban centre in central Kerala. The town is also the starting po ...

. The

Muvattupuzha River Muvattupuzha () is a town in the midlands directly to the east of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is located about from downtown Kochi, and is a growing urban centre in central Kerala. The town is also the starting poi ...

and a branch of the Chalakkudy River also flow through the district. The average yearly rainfall in the district is . The district has a moderate climate and mostly falls within the Malabar Coast moist forests ecoregion, while the highlands are part of the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests ecoregion. The Anamudi is the tallest peak in South India, on the border of Ernakulam and Idukki districts. Some parts of the Idamalayar Reserve Forest and Mankulam Forest Division have Sholas but these parts are inaccessible by road. Ernakulam district does not have a border with Tamil Nadu in some maps the district is shown incorrectly by adding areas of Idukki (which share border with Tamil nadu) as regions of Ernakulam. The Idamalayar Reserve Forest, and Edamalakkudy. Many types of sand, soil, and rocks are abundant here. Cochin International Airport is located in the northern part of the district at Nedumbassery, Kochi. The district houses two Urban Agglomerations,

and Kothamangalam. Kochi is the largest city in the state, and 17th most populous in the country according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs rankings based on the 2011 Census, with an area of over 843km2 and 2.12 million population.

Topography

The district is divided into three parts: lowland, midland, and the highland that consist of seaboard, plains, and hills and forests respectively. 20 percent of the total area are lowlands. The forests in the eastern part of the district are mostly remote, forming a part of the Anamalais. The highest peak is the Anamudi. The midland consists mainly of plain land and a group of islands that naturally drain water via backwaters and canals. The hilly or eastern portion is formed by a section of the Western Ghats.

and Kothamangalam taluks, which were initially parts of the

district and constitute the highlands. Muvattupuzhayar and

Periyar Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy (17 September 1879 – 24 December 1973), revered as Periyar or Thanthai Periyar, was an Indian social activist and politician who started the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam. He is known as the 'F ...

are the main rivers, of which the latter flows through

, Aluva, Kunnathunad and Parur taluks. During the rainy season these rivers are full and heavy floods affect the low-lying areas on the banks, but in the summer season, they generally go dry and narrow. The Periyar is stretched over a length of .

Forest and wildlife

The flora of this district is tropical. The heavy rainfall combined with moderate temperatures and fertile soil support abundant vegetation. Many of the common plants are found in the coastal area, which forms the lowland region. The midland region is occupied by coconut palms, paddy, tapioca, pepper, pineapple and pulses. The lower slopes of the highland region have teak and rubber.

Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary

Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary is located at the centre of

. It covers , supports many species of

mangroves A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evolution in sever ...

and is a nesting ground for a variety of migratory birds. The Managalavanam is called the "green lung of Kochi", considering its role in controlling the city's air pollution.

Thattekad Bird Sanctuary

Thattekad Bird Sanctuary lies on the northern bank of the

and covers about . It was founded by ornithologist Salim Ali. The sanctuary is from Kochi. Birds found here include falcons, jungle fowl, water hens, and hornbills. The flora of this area consists mainly of plantations of teak, rosewood, and mahogany. Further on the road,

forest of the Anamalais is reached.

Climate

Economy

Ernakulam district is the richest district in Kerala and is the biggest commercial centre in the state of

. It contributes the most to the state exchequer in terms of GSVA and tax revenues. It has the highest literacy rate as well as the highest per capita income in the state, along with having the most number of commercialised banks, startups and large scale industries & MSMEs in the state. Its M.G. Road is home to some of

's most prestigious enterprises. Kochi is also the headquarters of some large companies like Federal Bank, Geojit, V-Guard, and

Muthoot The Muthoot Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate headquartered in Kochi, Kerala. It has interests in financial services, information technology, media, healthcare, education, power generation, infrastructure, plantations, preciou ...

. The sea along the entire coast of the district and its backwaters are the habitat of various kinds of fish that supply both marine and inland fisheries.

Agriculture

The eastern part of Ernakulam is primarily agrarian in nature. Rice is the principal crop cultivated in the wetlands. The district is the largest producer of nutmeg and

pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centuri ...

in the state: more than 55% of pineapples produced in the state is cultivated in the district.

Rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, and ...

is the most cultivated plantation crop in the district and the district is the second-largest producer of rubber in the state behind Kottayam. Other important crops cultivated in the district are

tapioca Tapioca (; ) is a starch extracted from the storage roots of the cassava plant (''Manihot esculenta,'' also known as manioc), a species native to the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, but whose use is now spread throughout South America ...

black pepper Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in dia ...

, areca nut, coconut, turmeric, banana, and plantain.

Education

Ernakulam is the first district in India to have 100 percent literacy by 1990. In fact Kochi has the highest literacy rate for any city in the country with over 20 lakhs population. Pothanikkad is the first village in India that achieved 100 percent literacy according to state literacy programme is in this district. There are three prominent universities in Ernakulam: Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady, Cochin University of Science and Technology in Kalamassery, and Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies in

. The district has the most number of educational institutions in the state; as of 2019, there are 476 fully high-tech schools in Ernakulam. In 2017, Ernakulam district administration launched the Roshni project, which aims to provide Malayalam education to migrant children. It supported 1,265 migrant workers’ children from lower primary to high school.

Divisions

There are two revenue divisions: Fort Kochi and Muvattupuzha. The municipal corporation is in Kochi.

Taluks

The district has the most taluks in the state. The district is divided by two revenue divisions with seven taluks. * Paravur * Aluva * Kunnathunad *

Kanayannur Kanayannur is a taluk and a village in the district of Ernakulam, in the Indian state of Kerala. Taluk is an administrative denomination in India. History Kanayannur Taluk was formed in 1762, and is one of the oldest taluks in the former Coch ...

* Kothamangalam

Municipalities

Interestingly, Ernakulam district has the most number of municipalities in the state. * North Paravur * Piravom *

Koothattukulam Koothattukulam is a town and municipality situated in Muvattupuzha taluk, towards the south east corner of Ernakulam district in Kerala State, India. It lies at the junction of three districts: Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki, and cove ...

* Perumbavoor * Aluva * Angamaly * Thripunithura * Kalamassery * Kothamangalam *

Eloor Eloor is a suburb of Kochi and a municipality in Paravur Taluk, Ernakulam District in the Indian state of Kerala, India. It is an industrial area situated around north of the city centre. It is an island of 14.21 km2 formed between two dis ...

* Maradu * Thrikkakara A criticism that has been centered around this fact is that despite municipalities like Aluva, Kalamassery, Thrikkakara, Maradu, Tripunithura and Eloor becoming assimilated into Kochi city, they still exist as individual municipalities instead of being under Kochi Corporation. Surprisingly the corporation has not amended its limits for over half a century, since 1967 to be precise. The corporation was the largest in area and population when it was formed, and all these regions were panchayaths back then. Instead of adding them to the corporation when these regions started developing due to the urban expansion of Kochi city, they were made into separate municipalities thus largely handicapping the corporation. Now the call to expand these outdated limits for a better unified administration for the entire city of Kochi is a strong public demand.

Parliamentary Constituencies

* Ernakulam Parliamentary Constituency * Chalakudy Parliamentary Constituency (partially) * Idukki Parliamentary Constituency (parts of Muvattupuzha taluk and Kothamangalam taluk) * Kottayam Parliamentary Constituency (parts of Muvattupuzha taluk and Kanayannur taluk)

Assembly Constituencies

* Piravom * Angamaly * Aluva * Kalamassery * North Paravur * Vypeen *

* Ernakulam * Thrikkakara * Thripunithura * Perumbavoor * Kunnathunad *

Moovattupuzha Muvattupuzha () is a town in the midlands directly to the east of Kochi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is located about from downtown Kochi, and is a growing urban centre in central Kerala. The town is also the starting poin ...

* Kothamangalam

Demographics

According to the 2018 Statistics Report, Ernakulam has a

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction usi ...

of 3,427,659. The

2011 Census of India The 2011 Census of India or the 15th Indian Census was conducted in two phases, house listing and population enumeration. The House listing phase began on 1 April 2010 and involved the collection of information about all buildings. Informatio ...

reports that the district is ranked 104th most populous in India out of 640. The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate in 2001–2011 was 5.69%. Ernakulam has a

sex ratio The sex ratio (or gender ratio) is usually defined as the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. Many species dev ...

of 1027 females for every 1000 males, and a

literacy rate Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...

of 95.89%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 8.18% and 0.50% of the population respectively.

is the predominant language, spoken by 96.70% of the population. Other languages spoken in Kochi include

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...

(the second-most spoken language) and

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia ** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, na ...

. This district is listed as the "most advanced" district in Kerala. It had a resident population of 3,105,798 as of 2001, excluding the commuters from neighbouring districts. The urban population is 68%. According to the 2011 Census of India, Ernakulam District also houses the largest city (UA) in the state (17th largest in the country) - Kochi Urban Agglomeration. Kochi UA spans across 843km2 with a population of 2,119,724 (2.12 million), thereby housing approximately two thirds of the population of Ernakulam District. Government of Kerala have also marked Kochi UA as the only "first order UA" in the state, which has its influence spread across the entire state unlike the other smaller cities. The district also houses another smaller urban agglomeration - Kothamangalam, which has an area of 81.42 km2 housing over 1,14, 639 people. The towns of Kothamangalam and

form a major chunk of the Kothamangalam UA.

Religion

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

s (46%) accounts for the largest community, followed by

Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ� ...

(38%) (

Latin Catholic , native_name_lang = la , image = San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , alt = Façade of the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran , caption = Archbasilica of Saint Joh ...

Syro-Malabar lat, Ecclesia Syrorum-Malabarensium mal, മലബാറിലെ സുറിയാനി സഭ , native_name_lang=, image = St. Thomas' Cross (Chennai, St. Thomas Mount).jpg , caption = The Mar Thoma Nasrani Sl ...

Jacobites Jacobite means follower of Jacob or James. Jacobite may refer to: Religion * Jacobites, followers of Saint Jacob Baradaeus (died 578). Churches in the Jacobite tradition and sometimes called Jacobite include: ** Syriac Orthodox Church, sometimes ...

, Pentecostals and Malankara Orthodox) and

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

s (15.7%). A small population of

Jains Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

, Jews, and Sikhs reside in Kochi. Ernakulam once had a vibrant Jewish population, with several synagogues, known as the

Malabar Jews Cochin Jews (also known as Malabar Jews or Kochinim, from ) are the oldest group of Jews in India, with roots that are claimed to date back to the time of King Solomon. The Cochin Jews settled in the Kingdom of Cochin in South India, now par ...

who used to dominate the trade and commercial activities in the district. After the state of Israel was formed in 1945, the entire community made aliyah to Israel in the 1950's. Today they number 8000 in Israel but very few Jews remain in the district. After a direct flight service was established between

and

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

they have retained ties with the state with annual visits and gatherings. Ernakulam also has a significant Konkani Hindu population who migrated from Goa during the Goa Inquisition. There is a small

Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

community in Ernakulam district, concentrated mainly in Kochi city. The Sikh community in Ernakulam is also concentrated mainly in Kochi. There are more than 25 Sikh families in

and there is one gurdwara. Thrikkakara Temple DSC09337

Culture

Festivals and traditions

The

Aluva Sivarathri festival Aluva Sivarathri Festival is the Sivarathri celebrated in Aluva Mahadeva Temple in Aluva, Kochi in the state of Kerala, India The celebration of Sivarathri in Aluva is very famous in Kerala. The month of Kumbham is noted for the Sivarathri f ...

at the

Aluva Mahadeva Temple Aluva Mahadeva Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, and situated on the bank of the Periyar River at Aluva manappuram in suburban Kochi. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva, located in main Sanctum Sanctorum, facin ...

(situated on the banks of river Periyar) in Aluva attracts people from around the country.

St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Piravom St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Piravom, also known as Piravom Valiyapally, is a prominent church that belongs to the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The church stands on a hilltop on the eastern bank of the Muvattupuzha river at Pira ...

is believed to be founded in 405 A.D. and was the headquarters of Archdeacon and St Thomas until the 18th century. Adi Shankaracharya was born in Kalady, which is considered to be a major pilgrimage centre for

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

around the world. Kallil Kshethram is a famous

temple near Perumbavoor. Puthencruz is the regional seat of Syriac Orthodox Church in India, and is where Saint Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Malayattoor is located. The eight-day lent (Ettunombu) festival at St Mary's Jacobite Syrian Valiyapally, Thamarachal attracts many people from all over the state. St. George Orthodox Syrian Church at Kadamattam near

is very old and was founded by Mar Abo Syrian Metropolitan in the 5th century A.D. He brought a cross from Persia, which is preserved in the church. The festival at the Latin church of Vallarpadam on 24 September attracts people belonging to all religions. The icon of

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

in this church is credited with many miracles. St. George's Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Edappally was founded in 593 A.D. Important pilgrimage sites in Ernakulam are Koonan Kurish St George Orthodox Pilgrim church, Mattancherry; Vadakken Paravoor St Thomas Catholic Church, Malayattoor Pally; and Mor Thoman

Jacobite Church , native_name_lang = syc , image = St_George_Syriac_orthodox_church_in_Damascus.jpg , imagewidth = 250 , alt = Cathedral of Saint George , caption = Cathedral of Saint George, Damascus ...

, Kothamangalam; and Thrikkunnathu St Mary's Seminary Church, Aluva. The relics of

Gregorios Abdul Jaleel Mor Gregorios Abdal Jaleel Bawa (died 27 April 1681) was the Syriac Orthodox Bishop of Jerusalem from 1664 until his death in 1681. He is chiefly remembered for his 1665 mission to India, by which he established ties between the Malankara Church ...

are preserved at the St. Thomas Jacobite church North Paravur. Thousands of pilgrims from Kerala culminate on 27 April for the Dhukrono of the Saint. The Feast of

Eldho Mor Baselios Saint Baselios Yeldo was the Maphrian of the East of the Syriac Orthodox Church from 1678 until his resignation in 1684. He is venerated as a saint in the Syriac Orthodox Church, Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church and Malankara Orthodox ...

is celebrated in the tomb church Mor Thoman Church at Kothamangalam every year on 2 and 3 October. The Feast of Paulose Mar Athanasius on 26 January at Thrikkunnathu St Mary's Seminary Church, Aluva, where he is entombed, also attracts thousands. Gheevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala, also known as

Parumala Thirumeni Saint Geevarghese Mor Gregorios, popularly known as Parumala Thirumeni (Bishop of Parumala), (15 June 1848 – 2 November 1902) was a Metropolitan of the Malankara Church. Parumala Thirumeni became the first person of Indian origin to be cano ...

, the first saint of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church from India was born and brought up in Mulanthuruthy.

Places of interest

Marine Drive, Kochi Marine Drive is a picturesque promenade in Kochi, India. It is built facing the backwaters, and is a popular hangout for the local populace. Despite its name, no vehicles are allowed on the walkway. Marine Drive is also an economically thrivin ...

* Kadavumbhagam Mattancherry Synagogue * Kadavumbhagam Ernakulam Synagogue * Paradesi Synagogue: Constructed in 1567, only active synagogue in the Kochi. * Chinese Fishing Nets (Cheena Vala) * Hill Palace, Tripunithura *

Bolgatty Island Mulavukad, also known locally as Bolgatty Island, is one of the islands that forms part of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. It is situated in the Mulavukad Grama Panchayat. Vypin island and Vallarpadam island lie on its west side and Vadut ...

* Willingdon Island *

Dutch Palace The Mattancherry Palace is a palace popularly known as the Dutch Palace, in Mattancherry, Kochi, in the Indian state of Kerala which features Kerala murals depicting portraits and exhibits of the Rajas of Kochi. The palace was included in t ...

: Made in 1568 by the Portuguese. Later re-structured by the Dutch. *

St. Francis Church, Kochi Saint Francis Church, in Fort Kochi (Fort Cochin), Kochi, originally built in 1503, is one of the oldest European churches in India and has great historical significance as a mute witness to the European colonial struggle in the subcontinent. T ...

: Originally built in 1503, the oldest European church in India * Kodanad: Elephant training centre is located here. * Pareekshit Thampuran Museum *

Kerala Historical Museum Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Canar ...

: Located at Edappally *

Chendamangalam Chendamangalam (or Chennamangalam) is a small town and a panchayat in Paravur Taluk, Ernakulam district in the state of Kerala, India. Location It is about 23 km from Ernakulam. It has three rivers, seven inlets, hillocks and large ex ...

, a village * Palium Palace * Vypeenakotta Seminary * Bhoothathankettu, a scenic dam site *

St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Malayattoor The St Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic International Shrine, Malayattoor (or Malayatoor Church) is one of the eight international shrines in the world, situated in Malayattoor Angamaly, Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. The Malayatoor Church a ...

: The only international shrine in Asia. Believed to have been visited by St. Thomas, the apostle. * Wonder La, Kakkanad: Amusement park * Cherai Beach. * Kuzhippilly Beach *

Fort Kochi Beach Fort Kochi beach is a beach along the Arabian Sea situated in Fort Kochi in the city of Kochi in South India, Kerala state. Points of interests Unique views and point of interests are the so-called Chinese fishing nets (''Cheena vala'', M ...

* Paniyeli Poru * Ezhattumugham

Transport

Road connectivity

The three major national highways passing through Ernakulam are the Cochin-Mumbai Highway (

NH 66 National Highway 66, commonly referred to as NH 66 (erstwhile NH-17 and a part of NH-47), is a mostly 4 lane long busy National Highway that runs roughly north–south along the western coast of India, parallel to the Western Ghats. It con ...

), Salem-Kanyakumari ( NH 47 part of NSEW corridor), and Cochin-Dhanushkodi highway ( NH 49).

Railway station

Ernakulam has 17 railway stations. The Ernakulam Junction,

Ernakulam Town Ernakulam Town (also known as Ernakulam North, code: ERN) is one of the main railway stations in the city of Kochi, Kerala, India. Administration The station is operated by the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways and is an 'A� ...

and Aluva are the major stations. The other stations are Angamaly, Thripunithura, Edapally,

Mulamthuruthy Mulanthuruthy, also spelt Mulamthuruthy, is a south-eastern suburb of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. The historic Marthoman church is located here. Chottanikkara Temple is situated nearby Mulanthuruthy. Location It is about 15 km ...

Cochin Harbour Terminus Cochin Harbour Terminus (CHTS) is one of the railway stations in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is located on the Willingdon Island. The Cochin Harbour Terminus is the principal station providing rail connectivity to th ...

, Karakutty, Chowara, Kalamassery,

Nettoor Nettoor (also spelled as Nettur aka Tirunettur) is a region in the city of Kochi. It is around from Vytilla Junction and around from Ernakulam Junction Railway Station. Nettoor is located on Panangad Island and is a part of Maradu Municipalit ...

, Kumbalam, Mattancherry H., Chottanikkara road, and Piravom road. The rail routes travel via

Thrissur Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...

, Kottayam, Cochin H.T., Alappuzha, and Vallarpadam. The Angamaly-Erumely Sabarimala route passes through the district. Kochi Metro runs in Kochi.

Airport

Ernakulam district has two airports: Naval airport in W.island (Old Cochin airport) and

Cochin International Airport Cochin International Airport is an International airport serving the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. Located at Nedumbassery, about northeast of the city centre, Cochin International Airport is first of its kind which is develo ...

(CIAL). CIAL is the fourth largest airport in the country after

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

, and

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

, and serves International passengers.

Water transport

Ernakulam lies in the flat delta region of the Periyar and Moovattupuzha rivers. Water transport is prominent in the district via rivers and lagoons.

Notable people

* Hibi Eden (Present MP) * Adi Sankaracharya (Saint Advaita) * Abraham Barak Salem (Jewish Gandhi)) * Ajay Kudua (cricketer) *

Swami Chinmayananda Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati (born Balakrishna Menon; 8 May 1916 – 3 August 1993) was a Hindu spiritual leader and a teacher. In 1951, he founded Chinmaya Mission, a worldwide nonprofit organisation, in order to spread the knowledge of Advaita ...

(Indian spiritual leader and geetacharya ) * Geevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala (Syrian Orthodox Saint) * Paulose Mar Athanasius (Syrian Orthodox Saint) *

Shadkala Govinda Marar ( ml, ഗോവിന്ദ മാരാര്‍)(1798–1843), or was a Carnatic Musician from Kerala, India. He was a contemporary of Saint Tyāgarāja and Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma. He was also adept in playing musical instruments like ...

(Carnatic musician) *

Sahodaran Ayyappan Kumbalathuparambu Ayyappan (August 21, 1889 – March 6, 1968), better identified as Sahodaran Ayyappan , was a social reformer, thinker, rationalist, journalist, and politician from Kerala, India. A vocal follower of Sree Narayana Guru, he was ...

(social reformer and former minister of Kochi State) * K J Yesudas (singer) *

Changampuzha Changampuzha Krishna Pillai (Malayalam: ചങ്ങമ്പുഴ കൃഷ്ണപിള്ള; 10 October 1911 – 17 June 1948) was a celebrated Malayalam poet from Kerala, India, known for his elegy ''Ramanan'' (Malayalam: രമണന ...

(poet) * Malayattoor ramakrishnan (novelist) * NS Madhavan (writer) * N. A. Naseer (photographer, activist and author) *

Sebastian Paul Sebastian Paul (born 1 May 1947) was a member of Parliament, representing Ernakulam in the 14th Lok Sabha. Political life Paul made his electoral debut in the 1997 Lok Sabha by-election in Ernakulam when he defeated Antony Isaac of Indian N ...

(politician) *

Simon Britto Rodrigues Simon Britto Rodrigues (27 March 1954 – 31 December 2018) was an Indian politician and writer. He was an Anglo-Indian member in the Kerala Legislative Assembly during the term of Left Democratic Front government from 2006 to 2011. Early lif ...

(politician) * K J Maxi (Kochi MLA) * Feroze V Rasheed (cricketer) * K Jayaraman (cricketer) *

G. Sankara Kurup G. Sankara Kurup, (3 June 1901 – 2 February 1978) also referred to as Mahakavi G (The Great Poet G), was an Indian poet, essayist and literary critic of Malayalam literature. Known as one of the greats of Malayalam poetry, he was the first r ...

(poet) * P K Vasudevan Nair (former chief minister) *

Balachandran Chullikad Balachandran Chullikkad (born 30 July 1957) is an Indian poet, orator, lyricist and actor in Malayalam-language. Early life Balachandran was born in Paravur, Ernakulam, Kerala, India. He completed his graduation in English literature from the ...

(poet and actor) * Sreesanth (cricketer) *

K. V. Thomas K. V. Thomas (born 10 May 1946), in full Kuruppasserry Varkey Thomas, is an Indian politician from Kumbalangi in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. He represented Ernakulam Constituency from 2009 to 2019. He was the Minister of State in ...

(politician) * Asin Thottumkal (actress) * Jayasurya (actor) * Cochin Haneefa (actor) * Sreejesh Ravindran (hockey player) * Sankaradi (actor) * Salim Kumar (actor) *

T. K. Narayana Pillai Paravoor Thazhathuveettil Krishnan Kartha Narayana Pillai (25 March 1890 – 23 June 1971) was an Indian freedom fighter during the British Raj in India and was a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) which fought against the Britis ...

(former chief minister of Kerala) * Jayaram (actor) * Lalu Alex (actor) * Hibi Eden (politician) * K. M. George (politician) * Francis George (politician) *

Johnny Nellore Johnny Nellore (born 19 August 1951) is an Indian politician who is the Deputy chairman of Kerala Congress and ex-Chairman of the KC (Jacob). He is an advocate in Muvattupuzha Bar Association. He was elected to Kerala Legislative Assembly ...

(politician) *

T. M. Jacob T. M. Jacob ( in full T. Mathew Jacob) (16 September 1950 – 30 October 2011) was an Indian politician and the leader of the Kerala Congress (Jacob). Jacob was the Food & Civil Supplies Minister in the UDF government, which was elected into ...

(politician) *

Anoop Jacob Anoop Jacob (born 16 December 1977) is an Indian politician and a Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly and Legislative Party leader of the Kerala Congress (Jacob), a constituent of the UDF political alliance.http://kaumudiglobal.com/inn ...

(politician) *

Jose Thettayil Jose Thettayil (born 17 August 1950) is an Indian politician, trade unionist, advocate, and a member of Janata Dal (Secular). He was the ex- minister for Transport in the Government of Kerala. He represents the Angamaly constituency in Ernakulam ...

(politician) *

Nivin Pauly Nivin Pauly (born 11 October 1984) is an Indian actor and producer who works predominantly in Malayalam films. He is a recipient of several awards including two Kerala State Film Awards and three Filmfare South awards. Nivin auditioned for ...

(actor) *

Lal Lal ( fa, لعل, hi, लाल, bn, লাল, ur, لال, ps, Lāl) is an Indo-Iranian surname and given name, which means "darling", "precious", or "beloved", from the Sanskrit ''lala'' ("cajoling").''Dictionary of American Family Names''F ...

(actor) * Rajeev Ravi (director and cinematographer)

Gallery

File:Kochi Jewish Synagogue C.jpg, Paradesi Cochin Jewish Synagogue File:St. Francis CSI Church, in Fort Kochi DSW.jpg, St. Francis Church File:Marine Drive Kochi.jpg, Chinese Net Bridge at Marine Drive walkway File:Kochi, Dutch Cemetery, Kerala, India.jpg, The old Dutch cemetery in Kochi File:Kochi, Old Kochi, Kerala, India.jpg, School in Old Kochi File:Kochi, Fishing nets, Sunset, Kerala, India.jpg, Fishing nets in Fort Kochi File:Hill palace horse cart room back of palace.jpg, Hill Palace, Tripunithura File:High Court of Kerala Building.jpg, High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam File:Heritage Building of Ernakulam District Court by Augustus Binu.jpg, Heritage Building of Ernakulam District Court

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ernakulam District 1958 establishments in Kerala Districts of Kerala

History

Geography

Topography

Forest and wildlife

Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary

Thattekad Bird Sanctuary

Climate

Economy

Agriculture

Education

Divisions

Taluks

Municipalities

Parliamentary Constituencies

Assembly Constituencies

Demographics

Religion

Culture

Festivals and traditions

Places of interest

Transport

Road connectivity

Railway station

Airport

Water transport

Notable people

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading

External links