Pandanad

Pandanadu (also known as Pandavar Nadu) is a village in Chengannur taluk in Alappuzha district, in Kerala, India.^[1] According to the 2001 Indian census, Pandanad has a population of 12,466 people.^[2]

Pandanad Pandavar Nadu
village
Pandanad Show map of Kerala Pandanad Show map of India
Coordinates: 9°20′17.883″N 76°34′36.3612″E
Country	India
State	Kerala
Taluk	Chengannur
Government
• Type	Panchayat
Area
• Total	3.97 sq mi (10.29 km2)
Population  (2001)
• Total	12,466
• Density	3,107/sq mi (1,199.8/km2)
	(Will be higher in 2011)
Time zone	UTC+5.30 (IST)
Post code	689124, 689506
Area code	0479
Vehicle Code	(KL-30)
Website	alappuzha.gov.in

Geography

A major portion of the village is located on the banks of the Pampa River. The river divides the village into two; Pandanad North and Pandanad West. Pandanad West is 4 km (2 mi) from Chengannur, the nearest town, and 4 km (2 mi) from Mannar. Pandanad North is 6 km (4 mi) from Thiruvalla.

Constituent villages

• Muthavazhy
• Vanmazhy
• Keezhvanmazhy
• Pandanad West
• Pandanad North
• Prayar
• Premattakara

Flora

Sugarcane is cultivated in most of the area. However, there are many farms that cultivate pepper, banana, tapioca and coconut palm. Much of the land is rural, and has a rich undergrowth. The more common trees are coconut palms, mahogany and teak.

Boat racing

Pandanadu has 5 Palliyodams (Snake Boats) owned by different "Karas" (locality) viz Pandanad, Keezhvanmazhy, Vanmazhy, Muthavazhy and Prayar. Among which Keezhvanmazhy has the biggest one . Keezhvanmazhy palliyodam was awarded the mannam trophy in 1996, 2015 and second prize in 2008 aranmula utharattati boat race.

Schools

A number of schools are located at both parts of the Pandanad Panchayat. They are Swami Vivekanda Higher Secondary School, R.K.V. L.P. School, M.A.M. School, Govt. JBS Pandanad, Keezhvanmazhy.

Demographics

In 2001, the Pandanad Panchayat had a total population of 12,466,^[2] of which males constituted 47.03% of the population and females 52.97%. Pandanad has an average literacy rate of 85.27%, which is higher than the national average ^[3] of 74.02%; with a male literacy of 85% and female literacy of 77%. There are no scheduled tribes in the Pandanad Village, but there are 1921 people belonging to scheduled caste in the village. Pandanad's two most common religions are Hinduism and Christianity. Pandanad, being a part of Middle Travancore, has been influenced by the Travancore family and the Pandalam royal family, which led to the development of a number of temples in the area, which attracts many devotees from within and outside the state.

Temples

Legends tell of how Pandanad was formed by the Pandavas, hence the name Pandava Nadu. Pandanad had many temples that claim origins from the Pandava. Many of these temples attract residents from surrounding states and are believed to be powerful temples.

List of Temples in and around Pandanad

Deity	Name of the Temple	Location
Durga	Adichikkavu Sree Durga Devi Kshetram	Pandanad West
Durga	Karingattukavu Devi Temple	Prayar, Pandanad North
Durga	Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple	Padanad
Durga	Cheruvally Bhagavathy Temple Muthavazhy (pulipra)	Pandanad East
Durga	Alummoottil Nada Devi Temple	Keezhvanmazhy, Pandanad
Durga	Sree Kartyayni Temple	Keezhvanmazhy, Pandanad
Shiva	Anandeshwaram Mahadeva Temple	Pandanad West
Vishnu	Trikkanvapuram Maha Vishnu Temple	Keezhvanmazhy, Pandanad
Vishnu	SreeKrishna Swami Temple	Keezhvanmazhy, Pandanad
Vishnu	Sreemankulangara Temple	Vanmazhy, Pandanad East
Vishnu	Pancha Pandava Temple
Vishnu	Trichittattu (Believed to be Erected by Yudhishthira)
Vishnu	Tripuliyoor (Believed to be Erected by Bhima)
Vishnu	Tiruaranmula (Believed to be Erected by Arjuna)
Vishnu	Thrikkaippurathu Mahavishnu Temple	Prayar, Pandanad North
Krishna	Sree Gosalakrishna Temple(Believed to be Erected by Nakula)	Thiruvanvandoor (adjoining village)
Murugan	Kumaramanglam Subramanyaswami Temple	Muthavazhy, East of Pandanad

Kumaramanglam Subramanyaswami Temple

Kumaramanglam Subramanyaswami Temple in Muthavazhy, Pandanad, Kerala, India is dedicated to Murugan and has great historic and architectural importance. The temple dome is believed to be over 2000 years old and is made from iridium.^[4] This temple had been added to the list of protected memorials in India. This temple also claims an ancient snake boat that could hold over 80 people. Cheruvally Bhgavathy Temple also called Pulipra temple located at the easternmost part of pandanad in Muthavazhy,

Churches

The Churches in the region hold parentage in the arrival of St.Thomas the Apostle in AD 52. There are a various Christian denominations in the area that maintain more than one church in the region. Maramon Convention (a Christian Convention) was started in Kallissery, a town near the Kadavil Malika. With the rise of the Pentecostal Movement in India, many Marthoma, Orthodox, Pentecostal denominations and churches were also started in the region.

Denomination	Name of the Church	Location
Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church	Pandanad St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church Immanuel Marthoma Church Pandanad Marthoma Valiya Palli Jerusalem Marthoma Church Prayar St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church Nakkada Sehion Marthoma Church Prayar Umayattukara Mar Thoma Church	Pandanad, Pandanad West Pandanad North Prayar, Pandanad North Pandanad, Pandanad West Kallissery, Pandanad North
Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church	Yordhanpuram St. Gregorious Orthodox Church(Kalikunnu Palli) St. Mary's Orthodox Church Umayattukara St Thomas orthodox Valiyapally	Vanmazhy Pandanad West Kallissery
Knanaya-Syrian Orthodox church	Kallissery Knanaya Valiyapally	Kallissery
Syro-Malabar Catholic Church	St. Theresas Catholic Church	Pandanad West
Syro-Malankara Catholic Church	St. Thomas Church	Prayar, Pandanad North
Pentecost Church	The Pentecost Mission (TPM) Assemblies of God Church of God Brothern Church IPC Church	Pandanad Parampathur Padi Pandanad Palli Padi Pandanad Mithramadam Junction Pandanad Parampathur Padi Illimala Palam