Chambakkulam
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Champakulam is a village in
Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, 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 ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. It is in
Alappuzha district Alappuzha district (), is one of the 14 Districts of Kerala, districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It was formed as Alleppey district on 17 August 1957, the name of the district being changed to ''Alapp ...
. Champakulam is part of
Kuttanad Kuttanad is a river delta landscape region in the state of Kerala, India, known for its vast paddy fields and geographical peculiarities. It is in the Districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta. The region has the lowest altitude in ...
, the rice bowl of Kerala, and is resplendent in green paddy fields, coconut groves and water fowl. Champakulam is an important tourist spot and is famous for the
Champakulam Moolam Boat Race The Champakulam Moolam Boat Race is one of the oldest vallam kali (snake boat race) (after the Aranmula Boat Race) in Kerala state of south India. The race is held on the River Pamba on Moolam day (according to the Malayalam Era M.E) of the M ...
. The river
Pampa The Pampas (; from Quechuan languages, Quechua 'plain'), also known as the Pampas Plain, are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than and include the Argentina, Argentine Provinces of Argentina, provinces of Buenos Aires Pro ...
flows through the village, splitting it into two. It is connected by road to
Alappuzha Alappuzha (, आलप्पुळ) or Alleppey is a municipality and town on the Laccadive Sea in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It is the district headquarters of the district, and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvana ...
,
Changanassery Changanassery, () formerly Changanacherry, is a municipality in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is located south of the district headquarters in Kottayam and about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 ...
and
Edathua Edathua is a small village in Kuttanad, Alappuzha district, Kerala, India. It is located 12 km from Thiruvalla city center, National Highway 183 and the Thiruvalla railway station. Pilgrim Center St. George Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Ch ...
.


Champakulam Kalloorkadu St. Mary's Forane Church (Valia Palli)

Champakulam Kalloorkadu St. Mary's Forane Church (also called Champakulam Valia Palli) is one of the oldest Christian churches in India and the mother church of almost all Catholic Syrian churches in Alleppey District. Believed to be established in AD 427. Rebuilt many times and the many rock inscriptions found around the church tell about the history of the church. The open air rock cross at Champakulam church is one of the most ancient with clear documentation of its antiquity up to AD 1151. There are many archaeological artifacts found around the church about its history. Champakulam church was once under
Niranam Niranam is a village in Thiruvalla, Kerala, India. It was a port in ancient Kerala, on the confluence of the Manimala River, Manimala and Pamba River. It is almost 7  km from Tiruvalla in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala, lies to the wester ...
Church. Champakulam Church had very friendly relations with the Jacobite Syrian group and had a pivotal role in many ecumenical efforts in the eighteenth century. Belongs to the
Syro-Malabar Catholic Church The Syro-Malabar Church, also known as the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic church based in Kerala, India. It is a '' sui iuris'' (autonomous) particular church in full communion with the Holy See and the worldwide Cathol ...
of India. The annual feast at this church is on the 3rd Sunday of October every year. The feast of
St. Joseph According to the canonical Gospels, Joseph (; ) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. Joseph is venerated as Saint Joseph in the Catholic Church, Eastern Orth ...
is celebrated on March 19.


Champakulam Moolam Boat Race The Champakulam Moolam Boat Race is one of the oldest vallam kali (snake boat race) (after the Aranmula Boat Race) in Kerala state of south India. The race is held on the River Pamba on Moolam day (according to the Malayalam Era M.E) of the M ...

The Champakulam Moolam Boat Race is the oldest and one of the most popular vallam kali (snake boat race) in Kerala state of south India. The race is held on
Pamba River The Pamba River (also called Pampa River) is the longest river in the Indian state of Kerala after Periyar (river), Periyar and Bharathappuzha, and the longest river in the erstwhile former princely state of Travancore. The Sabarimala Temple, d ...
on the Moolam day (according to the Malayalam Era M.E) of the Malayalam month
Midhunam The Malayalam Calendar, or the Kollam Era (), is a sidereal solar calendar used in Kerala. The origin of the calendar has been dated to 825 CE, commemorating the establishment of Kollam. There are many theories regarding the origin of th ...
, the day of the installation of the deity at the
Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Swamy Temple Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Swamy Temple is an Indian Hindu temple dedicated to Krishna at Ambalappuzha in Alappuzha district of Kerala. The temple is believed to have been built during 15th century CE by the local ruler Chembakasserry Pooradam T ...
.


Champakulam Chundan

Chundans (snake boats) are supposed to be Navy boats of Chempakasserry rulers. Now they are only using for the races. Traditionally each boat belongs to a village, and the villagers worship that boat like a deity. Only men are allowed to touch the boat, and to show respect they should be barefooted. To make the boat slippery while in the water, it is oiled with a mixture of fish oil, coconut shell carbon and eggs. Repair work is done annually by the village carpenter. Constructed according to specifications taken from the Sthapathya Veda, an ancient treatise for the building of wooden boats, Champakulam Chundan has 130 ft length and breadth of 69 inches It has a depth of 22 inches with the rear portion towering to a height of about 11 ft, and a long tapering front portion, it resembles a snake with its hood raised. Its hull is built of planks precisely 83 feet in length and six inches wide. It can accommodate 105 oarsmen. This chundan can cover a distance of 1.4 km in about 5 minutes. In the centre of the chundan vallom, which was earlier the place of the canon, stand two people who beat the odithatta (fire platforms) with poles and sing the vanchippattu (songs of the boatmen) to maintain the rowing rhythm. While the strongest oarsmen sit at the front to set the pace, the back is managed by six hefty amarackars (helmsmen) who stand and help steer the boat. The person at the highest point of the boat is the chief oarsman. Champakulam Chundan is the winner of several boat races including hatric winner of the
Nehru Trophy Boat Race The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is an annual ''vallam kali'' held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha, Kerala, India. ''Vallam Kali'' or ''Vallamkali''y literally means boat play/game, but can be translated to boat race in English. The most popula ...
during 1989, 1990, and 1991. Later the boat was procured by
UST Global UST, formerly known as UST Global, is a provider of digital technology and transformation, information technology and services, headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California, United States. Stephen J. Ross founded UST in 1998 in Laguna Hills. Th ...
, a
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
-based IT services company. It was handed over to UST Global by the owners Champakulam Boat Club at a gala ceremony conducted at
Alappuzha Alappuzha (, आलप्पुळ) or Alleppey is a municipality and town on the Laccadive Sea in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It is the district headquarters of the district, and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvana ...
on 21 December 2013. The UST Global Trivandrum Campus will be the new home for Champakulam Chundan. New Champakulam Chundan sculptured by Uma Maheswaran, in around 180 days with an approximate cost of
Lakh A lakh (; abbreviated L; sometimes written lac) is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand (100,000; scientific notation: 105). In the Indian 2, 2, 3 convention of digit grouping, it is written as 1,00,000. F ...
s. It can accommodate 104 oarsmen. It is the winner of 2014 Nehru Trophy Boat Race.


Educational Institutions

St. Mary's Higher Secondary School
St. Thomas UP School
Bishop Kurialacherry Public School
Porukara Memorial School


Notable personalities from Champakulam

* Shyama *
Guru Gopinath Perumanoor Gopinathan Pillai, more popularly known as Guru Gopinath (24 June 1908 – 9 October 1987) was a well known Indian actor-cum-dancer. He is well regarded as the greatest preserver of the dance tradition. He is a recipient of the San ...
* Bishop Kurialassery *Champakulam Pachupilla * Saji Thomas International Sportsman, Arjuna Awardee


Tourism

Champakulam is an important tourist spot. There are hundreds of houseboats moving along the Pampa River every day. Champakulam church (Valia Palli) and Champakulam snake boat (and some other snake boats too) are some of the tourist attractions. There are a number of resorts where people can stay and enjoy the beauty of nature. Champakulam angadi has some art-emporiums where tourists might find items of interest.


Art emporium

St. Thomas Art emporium has high quality statues - mostly on wood are produced here. A lot of these are exported to other countries too.


Places in and around Champakulam

Though Champakulam is a village itself, there are many other small places in and around Champakulam. Some of them are part of Champakulam. * Amichakari *Champakulam * Kandankary * Kondakkal * Manapra * Mankombu *
Nedumudi Nedumudi is a village in the Alappuzha district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the birthplace of Malayalam actor Nedumudi Venu. Nedumudi sits on the banks of the river Pamba River, Pamba. It was the first village in Kerala to attain 100% ...
* Padaharam *
Pulincunnu Pulincunnoo or Pulinkunnoo is a small village in the Kuttanadu region of Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. The Pamba River, Pampa river in Pulincunnoo is a route for houseboat tourism operators in Kuttanadu. The village is part ...
* Pullangadi * Thekkekkara * Vaisyambhagom * Nadubhagam


Champakulam Bridge

The two banks (East and West) of Pampa River in Champakulam were only connected by ferries previously. Construction of a new bridge is completed recently and it is open to public now. This bridge connects the east and west banks of Champakulam. This also connects the 2 bus stations on either side of the river.


References


External links

{{Waters of Kerala Villages in Alappuzha district