Keralapuram

History

Keralapuram lies in between Kollam City, and the historic trade hub Kundara. The Kundara Proclamation by Velu Thampi Dalawa in the year 1809, which is considered to be one of the first events of freedom fight against the British Raj in Kerala, happened at a distance of 3 kilometers from the present day Keralapuram. First industries in Keralapuram are from the cashew industry boom of Kollam.

Keralapuram has a Government High School that established in the year 1946 and a Public Library established in the year 1948. Another piece of history is the famous restaurant Ezhuthanikada Hotel, started by Meeran Saheb in 1948, which is now a local landmark. The vettu cake of this restaurant is very popular across the state of Kerala and among the Malayali diaspora in Middle East.

Location

Keralapuram is located on Kollam Tirumangalam National Highway at a distance of 10.5 km away from Kollam city and 3 km away from Kundara. A sizeable portion of the town falls on Kottamkara Panchayath on the East side of the highway, and remaining portion on Perinad Panchayath on the west side. It is also the junction where Ayoor Road, Mampuzha Road and Edavattom Road meets NH 744.

Thangal Kunju Musaliar College of Engineering (TKMCE), one of the premiere engineering institutes in Kerala, is located 4.3 kilometres from here at Karicode.

Education

• Keralapuram Government High School
• Peniel Public School
• St. Vincent's ICSE School

Hospitals

• ESIC Hospital
• Devans Hospital
• SSR Hospital

Banks / financial institutions

• State Bank of India, Keralapuram Branch
• Indian Bank, Keralapuram Branch
• KSFE Keralapuram
• Kottamkara Service Cooperative Bank

Places of worship

Keralapuram has numerous places of worship, some of them are listed.

• Varattuchira Temple
• Keralapuram Juma Masjid
• Poojappura Temple
• Puthankulangara Temple
• St. Vincent's Convent and Church

Major industries

Keralapuram had several major cashew factories during the cashew boom of Kollam. Some of them are still in operation.

Prominent persons

Some of the prominent persons hailing from the area include

• J. Mercykutty Amma, Former Minister for Fisheries, Harbour Engineering & Cashew Industries
• Kainakary Thankaraj, Prominent movie actor, play director and play actor.
• Keralapuram Kalam, Prominent play director and actor. Two of his dramas became movies.

References

• Large Industrial Establishments in India By India. Labour Bureau

References

1. "Location of Keralapuram".
2. "Polling Booths in Kundara Assembly".
3. "History of Kollam".
4. (1958). "Large Industrial Establishments in India".
5. "About GHS KERALAPURAM".
6. "Kerapuram Public Library".
7. "Try special mutton and cake combo at Ezhuthani Hotel in Kollam".
8. "The Kollam food circuit can be a fine mix of old and new".
9. Nagarajan, Saraswathy. (2019-04-18). "Vettu cake from Keralapuram in Kollam is a 'cut' above the rest". The Hindu.
10. Daily, Keralakaumudi. "ദിവസവും അയ്യായിരം വെട്ടുകേക്കുകൾ എവിടെ പോകുന്നു ? ഗൾഫ്നാടുകളിലും അമേരിക്കയിലും വരെ പ്രശസ്തമായ എഴുത്താണി കേക്ക്".
11. "Keralapuram, Kollam,kerela to TKM College of Engineering".
12. "Archived copy".
13. "State Bank Of India Keralapuram Kollam Branch IFSC/MICR Code Details".
14. "Indian Bank Keralapuram Kollam Branch IFSC/MICR Code Details".
15. (4 April 2022). "Veteran Malayalam actor Kainakary Thankaraj passes away at 77".
16. (15 November 2018). "നാടക നടനും സംവിധായകനുമായ കേരളപുരം കലാം അന്തരിച്ചു".