Thrissur
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Thrissur (, ), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the
Thrissur district Thrissur (), anglicised as Trichur, is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It is situated in the central region of the state. Spanning an area of about , th ...
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 the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after
Kochi Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...
and
Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature. It is the nineteenth large ...
, and the 21st largest in India. Thrissur is classified as a Tier-2 city by the
Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...
. The city is built around a hillock called Thekkinkadu Maidanam (തേക്കിൻകാട് മൈതാനം) which seats the Vadakkumnathan (വടക്കുംനാഥൻ) temple. It is located north-west of the state's capital city, Thiruvananthapuram(തിരുവനന്തപുരം). Thrissur was once the capital of the Kingdom of Cochin (കൊച്ചി രാജ്യം - kochi rājyam), and was a point of contact for the Assyrians,
Greeks Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...
,
Persians Persians ( ), or the Persian people (), are an Iranian ethnic group from West Asia that came from an earlier group called the Proto-Iranians, which likely split from the Indo-Iranians in 1800 BCE from either Afghanistan or Central Asia. They ...
,
Arabs Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of yea ...
, Romans, Portuguese, Dutch and English. Thrissur is known as City of Celebrations and also called the cultural capital of Kerala because of its cultural, spiritual and religious leanings throughout history. The city centre contains the Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy, Kerala Lalithakala Akademi and Kerala Sahitya Academy. The city hosts the Thrissur Pooram festival, the most colourful and spectacular temple festival in Kerala. The festival is held at the Thekkinkadu Maidan of Vadakumnathan Temple in April or May, in the Malayalam month 'medam'. Religion is important and varied in Thrissur. The city has historically been a centre of Hindu scholarship, and
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
,
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
and
Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...
are believed to have entered the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
through Thrissur and its surrounding areas. Thrissur has a large number of well-known temples including the Vadakkumnathan temple, Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple, and Paramekkavu temple. There are three major Catholic churches, the St. Antony's Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane, Our Lady of Lourdes Syro-Malabar Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral and Our Lady of Dolours Syro-Malabar Catholic Basilica, the largest Christian church in India. Thrissur is home to the Academy of Sharia and Advanced Studies an Islamic institute that is unusual in that it teaches
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
and aspart of the Sanskrit syllabus it includes study of several key Hindu texts. The city is the headquarters of four major scheduled banks, South Indian Bank Ltd, CSB Bank, Dhanalakshmi Bank and ESAF Small Finance Bank as well as several chit funds. The city is also a big centre for silks and gold jewellery. Thrissur attracts the largest number of domestic tourists in Kerala. Thrissur is also a major academic hub and is home to several educational institutions, including the Kerala Kalamandalam,
Kerala Agricultural University Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) is a State university (India), state university for agricultural education, recognised as a State Agricultural University by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). It is situated in Vellanikkara ...
, Kerala University of Health Sciences, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sree Kerala Varma College, St Thomas College,
Jawahar Bal Bhavan Thrissur The Jawahar Bal Bhavan Thrissur (Malayalam: ജവഹര്‍ ബാലഭവന്‍ തൃശൂര്‍, JBB Thrissur) is an autonomous music, dance and arts school in central Kerala and functions under the cultural department of govern ...
, Kerala Institute of Local Administration, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Kerala Police Academy, Police Dog Training Centre, Kerala Fire and Rescue Services Academy, Excise Academy and Research Centre, Government College Of Music And Performing Arts, Government College of Fine Arts, Government Law College, Government Engineering College, Government Medical College and Vaidyaratnam Ayurveda College.
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
has included Thrissur in its Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) in recognition of the city's outstanding efforts to make lifelong learning a reality for all at the local level.


Etymology

The name Thrissur (
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...
: തൃശ്ശൂർ) is a shortened form of the Malayalam word ''Thirusshivaperoor'' (meaning: Place of Lord Shiva's Name). The name owes itself to the most prominent feature of the city, which is the Vadakkumnathan Temple, which has
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
as its presiding deity. Thrissur was officially known by its anglicized name Trichur until 1990 when the government decided to replace it with its real Malayalam name. Thrissur was also known as "Vrishabhadripuram" (Kailasam of the South) in ancient days.


History

The presence of numerous prehistoric megaliths and
dolmen A dolmen, () or portal tomb, is a type of single-chamber Megalith#Tombs, megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the Late Neolithic period (4000 ...
s indicates that Thrissur has been occupied from at least 1000BCE to 500CE. The Portuguese had naval influence in many parts of
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 ...
in the 16th century, including Thrissur. At the beginning of the 17th century, the Portuguese naval power was reduced and Dutch became the main naval power. With the help of the Dutch, the royal family of the
Kingdom of Cochin The kingdom of Cochin or the Cochin State, named after its capital in the city of Kochi (Cochin), was a kingdom in the central part of present-day Kerala state. It originated in the early part of the 12th century and continued to rule until i ...
recaptured Thrissur from the Zamorin of Calicut in 1710. Thrissur rose to importance after Maharaja Sakthan Thampuran ascended the throne of the Kingdom of Cochin (1769–1805) and made Thrissur his capital. The Maharaja made the city into a major financial and commercial hub of South India, by inviting Syrian Christian families and
Brahmins Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...
from adjoining areas. During 1750–60 Hyder Ali, the Sultan of the powerful
Kingdom of Mysore The Kingdom of Mysore was a geopolitical realm in southern India founded in around 1399 in the vicinity of the modern-day city of Mysore and prevailed until 1950. The territorial boundaries and the form of government transmuted substantially ...
, conquered Thrissur, making it a tributary of Mysore. In 1786, the son of
Tipu Sultan Tipu Sultan (, , ''Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu''; 1 December 1751 – 4 May 1799) commonly referred to as Sher-e-Mysore or "Tiger of Mysore", was a ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore based in South India. He was a pioneer of rocket artillery ...
of Mysore led another invasion of Thrissur but retreated after the Srirangapattanam war. In the meantime, Rama Varma X, the successor of Sakthan Thampuran signed a treaty with the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
, transforming the state of
Cochin Kochi ( , ), formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. The city is also commonly referred to as Ernaku ...
into a British Protectorate. The
Indian independence movement The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events in South Asia with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British colonial rule. It lasted until 1947, when the Indian Independence Act 1947 was passed. The first nationalistic ...
gained momentum after a Committee was formed at the 1919 meeting of the
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
. The civil disobedience movement attracted many people in Thrissur in subsequent years, and
Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...
visited the city in 1927 and 1934 to promote it. R. K. Shanmukham Chetty, the controversial Diwan of Cochin Kingdom from 1935 to 1941, developed the city by constructing Thrissur Town Hall and Ramanilayam, buildings which remain important in Kerala politics. Other important civic buildings and infrastructure constructed around this time include the Municipal Corporation Building of Thrissur and the Swaraj Round.C A Krishnan (2009). ''Anchuvilakku'', p.35-38. Green Books, Thrissur. In 1947, when India gained independence from colonial rule, Thrissur was part of the Kingdom of Cochin.
Thrissur district Thrissur (), anglicised as Trichur, is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It is situated in the central region of the state. Spanning an area of about , th ...
was formed on 1 July 1949, with the headquarters at the city of Thrissur.


Geography

Thrissur is the headquarters of
Thrissur district Thrissur (), anglicised as Trichur, is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It is situated in the central region of the state. Spanning an area of about , th ...
, in the center of the Indian state of Kerala. The city is 75 km north-east of
Kochi Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...
, 133 km south-west of
Coimbatore Coimbatore (Tamil: kōyamputtūr, ), also known as Kovai (), is one of the major Metropolitan cities of India, metropolitan cities in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyy ...
, 124 km south-east of
Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature. It is the nineteenth large ...
and 151 km north of Changanacherry. The city is located in a hillock called Thekkinkadu Maidan which is the second highest point in the city after the Vilangan Hills. The city has an average altitude of 2.83 meters above sea level. From the hillock, the city gradually flattens into the Thrissur-Ponnani Kole Wetlands, which act as natural drainage for the city. The water from the wetlands flows via rivers into the Laccadive Sea, keeping Thrissur city safe from the major flooding that affects most other cities in Kerala. The city is located in the midland region of Kerala, with an extended part of the Palakkad plains.Jose AI, Paulose S, Prameela P & Bonny BP (eds), 2002
Package of Practices Recommendations: Crops
, Kerala Agricultural University. Retrieved 18 January 2006.
The city geologically is composed of Archaean gneisses and crystalline schists. Major parts of the city are covered by Archaean rocks. The city lies near the center of the Indian tectonic plate (the Indian Plate) and is subject to comparatively little seismic or volcanic activity.


Climate

Under the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, the City of Thrissur features a tropical monsoon climate (''Am''). Summer lasts from March to May which is the hottest time of the year. Summer months are uncomfortable due to higher levels of heat and humidity. Daytime temperatures can rise up to coupled with excessive humidity. Summer is followed by the southwest monsoon from June to September. October and November form the post-monsoon or retreating monsoon season. Winter from December through February is cooler, and windy, due to winds from the Western Ghats. Winter months are generally dry and less humid compared to other months of the year. Morning temperatures are usually cool and daytime temperatures hover around . The city is drenched in the monsoonal season by heavy showers. The average annual rainfall is approximately . The South-west monsoon generally sets in during the last week of May. After July the rainfall decreases. On average, there are 124 rainy days in a year. The maximum average temperature of the city in the summer season is while the minimum temperature recorded is . The winter season records a maximum average of and a minimum average of .


Economy

Thrissur is home to many Malayaliee entrepreneurs and is a major financial and commercial hub of Kerala. Historians say that King Sakthan Thampuran invited Syrian Christian families and
Brahmins Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...
to settle in Thrissur city from their business centers in adjoining areas. Soon, Thrissur became a flourishing centre of internal trade in Kerala. Thrissur is one of the major manufacturing centers of plain gold and rolled gold jewellery in South India; up to 70% of Kerala's jewellery is manufactured in Thrissur. There are around 3,000 gold ornaments manufacturing units in the city and 40,000-odd artisans and others work in these units. The industry provides direct and indirect employment to 200,000 people in Thrissur. The artisans based in these units craft nearly 85 percent of one tonne gold which is used per day in Kerala. About 90 tonnes of gold was being used annually in Kerala for manufacturing of ornaments daily. According to the
Reserve Bank of India Reserve Bank of India, abbreviated as RBI, is the central bank of the Republic of India, and regulatory body responsible for regulation of the Indian banking system and Indian rupee, Indian currency. Owned by the Ministry of Finance (India), Min ...
, Thrissur has been regarded as a banking town since the 1930s, when 58 banks were headquartered in the city. In the present, the city remains a significant center for banking and finance, with the headquarters of major banks like South Indian Bank, CSB Bank, Dhanlaxmi Bank, and other financial institutions like Manappuram Finance, Kerala State Financial Enterprises and ESAF Small Finance Bank. Many chit funds, a type of Indian savings and credit system, are located in Thrissur. In 2010, an estimated 3,000 chit fund companies were located in Thrissur, employing approximately 35,000 people. The city is a hub for the Ayurvedic drug-manufacturing industry. Out of the 850 ayurvedic drug-manufacturing companies in Kerala, about 150, including some of the largest in the state like Oushadhi, Vaidyaratnam Oushadhasala, KP Namboodiris, are located in and around the city. Thrissur Ayurveda Cluster, another initiative by a group of Ayurvedic manufacturers of Thrissur, has developed a cluster in KINFRA Park in Koratty in Thrissur District. Retail businesses in Thrissur include Kalyan Group, Jos Alukkas, Joy Alukkas and Josco Group. InfoPark Thrissur, the fourth technology park in Kerala, is situated in Thrissur District. Tourism has also contributed heavily to the economy of Thrissur. Domestic tourists generally use the city as a hub to explore the highly promoted tourism industry of the state of Kerala. The city with its temples, old churches and its culture, is ranked first in the number of domestic tourists visiting Kerala.


Administration

Thrissur has functioned as a municipality since 1921 under the Cochin Municipal Regulations. In 1932, the new corporation building was constructed, and in 1972, several village councils or panchayats were added to the municipality. On 1 October 2000, the municipal town was upgraded to a
municipal corporation Municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. The term can also be used to describe municipally o ...
and took over the towns and villages of Ayyanthole, Koorkkenchery, Nadathara, Vilvattom (part), Ollur and Ollukkara. The city is administered by the Thrissur Municipal Corporation, headed by a mayor and comprising three legislative assemblies Thrissur, Ollur and Cherpu. For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 52 wards, from which the members of the corporation council are elected for five years. It is the second-largest city corporation in the state of Kerala in India. The corporation, headquartered in the city of Thrissur proper, directly controls power, water supply and solid waste management system in the city. The Thrissur Urban Development Authority and Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD) are the agencies that prepare development plan for the city.


Police services

The city is the headquarters of Thrissur City Police and Thrissur Rural Police. The Thrissur City Police is headed by a Police Commissioner, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. The city is divided into four sub divisions, Thrissur, Kunnamkulam, Ollur and Guruvayur. It also operates 24 police stations, including a woman police station and a traffic police station. The Thrissur City Police Commissionerate operates out of the erst-while District Armed Police headquarters at Ramavarmapuram. The Thrissur Rural Police has its headquarters at the District Collectorate complex at Ayyanthole. The city is also the headquarters of the Inspector General of Police, Thrissur Range, which looks after the law and order of Thrissur District, Palakkad District and
Malappuram District Malappuram (), is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala, with a coastline of . The most populous district of Kerala, Malappuram is home to around 13% of the tot ...
. All the Superintendent of Police of these three districts come under his jurisdiction. The city also contains the Kerala Police Academy, Central Prison, Viyyur, Police Dog Training Centre and Excise Academy and Research Centre. Indian Reserve Battalion, the new commando unit of
Kerala Police The Kerala Police is the law enforcement agency for the Indian state of Kerala. Kerala Police has its headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. The motto of the force is "Mridhu Bhave Dhrida Kruthye" which means "Soft in Temperament, ...
is headquartered in Ramavarmapuram. Border Security Force (148 battalion) have its first center in Kerala in Thrissur only.


Demographics

India census, Thrissur city had a population of 315,957. Males constitute 48.2% and females constitute 51.8% of the total population numbering 152,296 and 163,661 respectively. The density of population is 3,130/km2. The sex ratio is 1,092/1,000 male. The total number of the households in the city is 66,827. The average family size in the city is 4.27 members. The city has a slum population equivalent to 0.30% of the total city population and 0.37% of the Kerala's slum population. The city has an average literacy rate of 95.96%: male literacy rate is 97.37% whereas female literacy rate is 94.72%. Hindus constitute the majority with 54.20% of the population. Christians constitute 40.04% of the population and Muslims constitute 5.50% of the population in Thrissur city. In Thrissur district Hindu population is 58.42% and Muslim population is 17.07% and Christian population is 24.27%. By language, 97.76% of the population speaks
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...
and 1.35% Tamil as their first language.


Politics

Thrissur has played a significant part in the political history of South India. Thrissur City administration is carried out by Municipal Corporation of Thrissur. MK.Varghese (LDF) is the Mayor of Thrissur Municipal Corporation. The city of Thrissur is represented in the Kerala State Assembly by two elected members, one from Thrissur Assembly Constituency and another from Ollur Assembly Constituency. , P. Balachandran is the representative of Thrissur Assembly Constituency and K. Rajan from Ollur Assembly Constituency. Thrissur city is also a part of the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency and elects a member to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India, once every five years. The current MP is Suresh Gopi of the
Bharatiya Janata Party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; , ) is a political party in India and one of the two major List of political parties in India, Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. BJP emerged out from Syama Prasad Mukherjee's ...
. The
Lok Sabha The Lok Sabha, also known as the House of the People, is the lower house of Parliament of India which is Bicameralism, bicameral, where the upper house is Rajya Sabha. Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by a ...
seat has primarily been held by the Indian National Congress (seven terms since 1951) and the
Communist Party of India The Communist Party of India (CPI) is a political party in India. The CPI considers the Foundation of the Communist Party of India, December 26, 1925 Cawnpore (Kanpur) conference as its foundation date. Between 1946 and 1951, the CPI led m ...
(ten terms since 1957).


Culture


Festivals

Thrissur is known as the Cultural Capital of Kerala, the city enjoys a thriving cultural tradition dating back to centuries. Thrissur Pooram, the largest pooram in Kerala, is sometimes referred to as 'the pooram of all poorams'. It is celebrated every year in the month of Medam (mid-April to mid-may) as per the Malayalam calendar. For thirty-six hours, the city plays host to a large gathering of people and elephants. Puli Kali, also known as ''Kavakali'', is another festival, which attracts thousands of people to the city. It is performed by trained artists to entertain people on the occasion of Onam, an annual harvest festival, celebrated mainly in Kerala. Buon Natale is the cultural festival conducting at Swaraj Round with
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
celebration. Buon Natale procession entered the
Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...
in 2014 for having the maximum number of people dressed up as
Santa Claus Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Santa) is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Chris ...
. Other important festivals celebrated in the city include
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
, Onam,
Diwali Diwali (), also called Deepavali (IAST: ''Dīpāvalī'') or Deepawali (IAST: ''Dīpāwalī''), is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions such as Jainism and Sikhism. It symbolises the spiritual v ...
,
Easter Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...
, Eid and Vishu. Elephants play a major part in many of the city's festivals. ''Aanayoottu'' (feeding of elephants), held in Vadakkunnathan Temple in the City annually, is the world's largest elephant feeding ceremony. The ceremony is conducted on the first day of the Malayalam month of Karkidakam.


Literature

Literary lineage of city dates back to early history of Kerala but it came to prominence after Kerala Government set up Kerala Lalita Kala Akademi, Kerala Sahitya Academy, Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy and College of Fine Arts, Thrissur for promoting literature, music and arts in Kerala. After the Indian Independence, Thrissur became the ''literary capital of Kerala'' as turned to the playground of novelist, poets and orators. In 1952 when Current Books set its first shop in Thrissur by former education Minister Professor Joseph Mundassery, it become the abode of writer's like O. V. Vijayan, Kovilan, V. K. N., Uroob, Edasseri Govindan Nair, M. T. Vasudevan Nair, K. G. Sankara Pillai and Sarah Joseph. The area was later known as ''Current Moola'' ("Current Corner"). The building that housed the Current Books bookshop was demolished in 2011. Thrissur is home to prominent
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...
literary figures like Kovilan, Kunhunni Mash, Sukumar Azhikode, K. Satchidanandan, Mullanezhi, Sarah Joseph, Attoor Ravi Varma, Lalitha Lenin, P. Bhaskaran, Joseph Mundassery.


Religious buildings

The Vadakkunnathan temple, believed to have been founded by the legendary saint Parasurama, is an example of the Kerala style of architecture and houses several sacred shrines and murals delineating graphically, various episodes from the
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...
. Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple, one of the largest Sree Krishna temples in Kerala and
Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple is one of the largest Bagavathi temples in Kerala located in Thrissur Thrissur (, ), Renaming of cities in India, formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarter ...
which is one of the largest Bagavathi temples in Kerala is also situated in the city. Aykunnu Pandavagiri Devi Temple is situated at Venginisseri village, that around 9 km from city center. Sree Guruvayurappan Temple is located in Guruvayur (28 km from Thrissur); it is also referred to as Bhuloka Vaikunta which means "Holy Abode of Vishnu on Earth". Asia's tallest church, the Our Lady of Dolours Syro-Malabar Catholic Basilica (Puthan Pally), Our Lady of Lourdes Syro-Malabar Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral which has an underground shrine, Saint Antony's Syro-Malabar Church, Ollur which has been called as ''Chinna Roma'' (Small Rome) are masterpieces of architecture and indigenous paintings. Saint Euphrasia's tomb and museum also situated in the city. St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church, Palayur (28 km from Thrissur) is the first church in India, and
Thomas the Apostle Thomas the Apostle (; , meaning 'the Twin'), also known as Didymus ( 'twin'), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Thomas is commonly known as "doubting Thomas" because he initially doubted the resurrection of ...
performed the first baptism in India here. The Chettiyangadi Hanafi Mosque in Thrissur City is one of the oldest mosque in Thrissur. Cheraman Juma Mosque in Kodungallur, (40 km from Thrissur) is the first mosque in India.


Cuisine

The cuisine of Thrissur is linked to its history, geography, demography and culture. Rice is the staple food. ''Achappam'', ''Kuzhalappam'', ''Vatteppam'', ''Unniyappam'' and ''Pazham Pori'' are common snacks. ''Vellayappam'', a kind of rice hopper is another dish which is special to the city, they have a food street named ''vellayappam angadi''.


Education

Thrissur, which has been a centre of learning from ancient times, is developing as a modern education hub. Schools in city are either run publicly by the Kerala Government or privately, some with financial aid from the Government. Education is generally conducted in English or
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...
, with the former being the majority. Most schools are affiliated with the
Kerala State Education Board Kerala Board of Public Examination is the state level education board of Kerala. It is administered by the Government of Kerala. The board is responsible for conducting various examinations on the basis of a unified law. Its headquarters are lo ...
or
Indian Certificate of Secondary Education The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) is an academic qualification awarded by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, a private, non-governmental board of education in India. The CISCE conducts these examinati ...
(ICSE) or the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) or the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) or the Montessori system. There are 93 lower primary schools; 34 upper primary schools; and 78 high schools; and 157 higher secondary schools in the city. Church Mission Society School started in 1845 is the oldest school and St. Thomas College is the first college in Thrissur. On 2nd September 2022, Thrissur joined the
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC).


Healthcare

The city serves as a centre for healthcare in Central Kerala, with people from
Thrissur District Thrissur (), anglicised as Trichur, is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It is situated in the central region of the state. Spanning an area of about , th ...
, Palakkad District,
Malappuram District Malappuram (), is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala, with a coastline of . The most populous district of Kerala, Malappuram is home to around 13% of the tot ...
and the northern part of
Ernakulam District Ernakulam (; ISO: ''Eṟaṇākuḷaṁ'') is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala, and takes its name from the Ernakulam, eponymous city division in Kochi. ...
coming to Thrissur for medical care. There are three medical colleges in the city: Government Medical College, Thrissur, Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, and
Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute is a private, non-profit Christian minority medical college, hospital and research institute located at Thrissur in Kerala, India. The establishment is administered by the Jubilee Mission H ...
. The Vaidyaratnam Ayurveda Medical College also situated in city.


Sports

Football is the most popular sport in the city, and there are two football stadiums in the city, Thrissur Municipal Corporation Stadium and Thope Stadium.The largest and highest temporary stadium in the world as per
Guinness Book of World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
was built in the Thrissur Corporation Ground in 1990 for the occasion of Federation Cup football tournament, which was designed by Er. TJ Antony. International ballers and former Indian captains C. V. Pappachan, I. M. Vijayan and Jo Paul Ancheri, and the Under 17 World Cup player K. P. Rahul belongs to Thrissur. The N.I. David Memorial Trophy, an annual inter-club football tournament is held in Thrissur every year. The football championship was started in 1996 by the Superintendent of Police, Thrissur. The city has a floodlit stadium, known as Thrissur Municipal Corporation Stadium. It also has two indoor stadiums, V.K.N. Menon Indoor Stadium and a SAI maintained Thrissur Aquatic Complex with international facilities. Thrissur has contributed many national and international bodybuilding stars to
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 ...
. Chess prodigy Nihal Sarin is from Thrissur.


Media

The first
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...
newspaper which published from Thrissur was ''Lokamanyan'' in 1920. Then came '' Deenabandhu'' edited by V. R. Krishnan Ezhuthachan. ''Ezhuthachan'' started publishing as a weekly in 1941 from Thrissur. It was one of the first periodicals that supported the national movement. As soon as the Quit India movement was started, its editor and staff were sent to jail and publications were banned. Later ''Lokamanyan'' (1920); ''Kerala Chintamani'' (1905); ''Kerala Kesari'' (1924); ''Mahatma'' (1930); ''Gomathy'' (1930) and ''Navajeevan'' of Joseph Mundassery was also published from Thrissur. ''The Express'' started in 1944 from Thrissur with K Krishanan as the editor is known in Central Kerala for its nationalist and socialist views. Major Malayalam newspapers published in Thrissur include '' Malayala Manorama'', '' Mathrubhumi'', '' Madhyamam'', '' Deepika'', '' Kerala Kaumudi'', '' Deshabhimani'', '' Mangalam'', ''Veekshanam'', ''Metro Vaartha'' and '' Janayugom''. A number of evening papers, like ''
General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
'' in Malayalam and '' City Journal'' in English, are also published from the city. Newspapers in other regional languages like
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
,
Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...
, Tamil and Telugu are also available in city. The first cinema hall in Kerala, with a manually operated film projector, was opened in Thrissur by Jose Kattookkaran in 1907. In 1913, the first electrically operated film projector was established in city again by Jose Kattookkaran and was called the ''Jose Electrical Bioscope'' now known as Jose Theatre. A film festival, known as the ViBGYOR Film Festival, is held in the city every year. It is an international short and documentary film festival. Telecom services are provided by various players like Airtel, Vodafone Idea, Jio, and the state-owned BSNL. BSNL is also offering 4G services in Thrissur. The city also has broadband wireless services on the WiMAX platform. Private FM radio stations in the Thrissur are Club FM 104.8 MHz, Radio Mango 91.9  MHz, Red FM 91.1 MHz.
All India Radio All India Radio (AIR), also known as Akashvani (), is India's state-owned public broadcasting, public radio broadcaster. Founded in 1936, it operates under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Ministry of Information and Broa ...
has an AM (630 kHz) and an FM (101.1 MHz) station for the city. The transmitter of the
All India Radio All India Radio (AIR), also known as Akashvani (), is India's state-owned public broadcasting, public radio broadcaster. Founded in 1936, it operates under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Ministry of Information and Broa ...
(630 kHz) was commissioned on 4 November 1956. The station started independent broadcasting in 1974. Thrissur has a
Doordarshan Doordarshan (), abbreviated as DD, is India's State-owned enterprise, state-owned public broadcasting, public television broadcaster. Established by the Government of India on 15 September 1959, it is owned by the Ministry of Information and B ...
studio with a low power transmitter located near the studio.


Transport


Road

The city is connected to the North-South Corridor
National Highway (India) The national highways in India are a network of Limited-access road, limited access roads owned by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. National highways have Overpass, flyover access or some Controlled-access highway, controlled-acces ...
via the four-lane National Highway 544, previously NH 47. The highway traverses through the entire length and breadth of the city from different points and provides access to the nearby cities such of
Kochi Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...
,
Palakkad Palakkad (), Renaming of cities in India, also known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery, is a city and a municipality in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of P ...
and
Coimbatore Coimbatore (Tamil: kōyamputtūr, ), also known as Kovai (), is one of the major Metropolitan cities of India, metropolitan cities in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyy ...
. NH 544 provides two main exit points at Mannuthy and Thalore which is bypass to the Thrissur city. The city is largely dependent on private buses, taxis and auto rickshaws for public transport. State-owned Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) runs inter-state, inter-district and city services. Thrissur has three bus stations, the Shaktan Thampuran Private Bus Stand, Thrissur in Sakthan Thampuran Nagar, Vadakke Stand (Northern Bus Stand) and the Thrissur KSRTC Bus Station near the Thrissur railway station. State Highway (SH 69) Thrissur- Kuttippuram Road, SH 22 KodungallurShornur Road, SH 75 Thrissur – Kanjani – Vadanappally Road are the three state highways which connect city with its suburbs and municipalities.


Railway

The Southern Railway zone of the
Indian Railways Indian Railways is a state-owned enterprise that is organised as a departmental undertaking of the Ministry of Railways (India), Ministry of Railways of the Government of India and operates India's national railway system. , it manages the fou ...
operates the main rail transport system in Thrissur. There are four railway stations in Thrissur city. Thrissur railway station, one of the four A+ railway station in Kerala provides trains to three directions and lies on the busy Shoranur–Cochin Harbour section. It has a satellite station, Punkunnam railway station and two minor stations, Ollur railway station and Mulankunnathukavu railway station. Thrissur railway station also connects to the temple town of Guruvayur by Guruvayur–Thrissur spur line. In addition, Southern Railway is running a suburban railway system connecting Thrissur to
Kochi Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...
and
Palakkad Palakkad (), Renaming of cities in India, also known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery, is a city and a municipality in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of P ...
using Mainline Electrical Multiple Unit services ( MEMU).


Picture gallery

File:Thrissur Museum and zoo - Dec2011- 0216.JPG, Entrance gate of Thrissur Zoo File:Artmuseum.JPG, Archaeological Museum, Thrissur File:St thomas college thrissur.jpg, St. Thomas College, Thrissur File:K. Karunakaran Smaraka Town Hall 02.JPG, Thrissur Town Hall File:Mural Art Museum, Thrissur.jpg, Mural Art Museum File:Sakthan Thampuran palace.jpg, Shakthan Thampuran Palace


See also

* Thrissur Municipal Corporation * Thrissur in popular culture * List of Thrissur Corporation wards * List of people from Thrissur * List of twin towns and sister cities in India * Largest Indian Cities by GDP


References


Further reading

* C A Krishnan (2009), ''Anchuvilakku'' (Malayalam : അഞ്ചുവിളക്ക്). Green Books, Thrissur. * T. R. Venugopalan (2012), ''Sampathum Adhikaravum: Thrissuril Ninnulla Oru Kazcha'', Cosmos Books, Thrissur. * Robert Bradnock, Roma Bradnock (2000), ''South India Handbook: The Travel Guide''. * Sarina Singh (2001), ''South India''. * Karen Schreitmüller (2009), ''India''.


External links


GeoHack - Thrissur

Flats and Apartments in Thrissur

Government Portal for The Thrissur City

Government Portal for the district of Thrissur

All about district of Thrissur

Thrissur Travel Guide 2025
{{Authority control Metropolitan cities in India Tourist attractions in Thrissur district Former capital cities in India Cities and towns in Thrissur district Indian cities articles by quality