Thrikkakara Municipality
Sociocultural and administrative history
Thrikkakara, located southeast of the metropolis of Kochi, has a rich cultural heritage. Thrikkakara, which is part of the two revenue villages of Vazhakala and Kakkanad, is the administrative headquarters of the district. With an area of 28.16 square kilometers and a population of over sixty-five thousand according to the 2001 census, this municipality has many unique features.
The ancient fame of Thrikkakara begins with its association with Onam and the story of Mahabali. The legend of Thrikkakara Appan and the Thrikkakara temple is famous. Thrikkakara was a famous place during the reign of Perumal. Historical records show that it was known as Kalkaranadu at that time.
The origin of the Malayali national festival of Onam is Thrikkakara. When we think of Thrikkakara, we immediately remember the old days when Mahabali ruled the country. The couplets that begin with Even though Maveli ruled the land, all humans were the same remain indelibly etched in our tongues. The capital of Mahabali was Thrikkakara. History records that he had a headquarters spread over an area of about 16 acres. Historians conclude that it was known as Thrikkakara because it was the place where Lord Vishnu touched his feet and that it gradually became Thrikkakara. The temple of Vamanamurthy is located in Thrikkakara.
In the land of Thrikkakara, which is rich in history and legends, Hindus, Muslims and Christians have lived in perfect religious harmony since ancient times. The Pattupurakkal Bhagavathy Temple, the Thuthiyoor Sree Krishnaswamy Temple, the Padamugal Juma Masjid, the Muslim churches at Thrikkakara Kuzhikkattumula and Karimakkad, the Thengod St. Mary's Church and the Ayyanad St. Michael's Church, located in different parts of the municipality, are evidence of this. With the shift of the headquarters of Ernakulam district to Thrikkakara, Thrikkakara gained the tolerance to happily accept and accommodate people of different nationalities and religions who came to live here.
The foundation stone for the comprehensive development of Thrikkakara was laid in 1957 with the laying of the foundation stone for the NGO Quarters. Since then, the development of Thrikkakara has increased step by step. All the central and state government offices that were operating in Ernakulam town were shifted to Thrikkakara and started functioning. The arrival of many housing projects and small and big industries has made Thrikkakara a municipality different from other municipalities.
