THRISSUR

The term Thrissur is the abbreviated anglicised from of the Malayalam word "Thrissivaperur" which means the town of the 'Sacred Siva'. The town i

s built on an elevated ground, a

t the apex of which is the famous 'Vadakkumnathan Temple'. A place of great antiquity, Thrissur was also known as 'Vrishabhadripuram' and 'Ten Kailasam' in ancient days.

Thrissur is a city situated in the central region of the state of Kerala, India. It is the headquarters of the Thrissur District. It is known as the 'Cultural Capital of Kerala'. Thrissur city is built around a beautiful hillock atop which the Vadakkumnathan temple which has Shiva as the presiding deity is built. It is the cultural and

spiritual centre, offering an array of festivals, historical and natural sights as well as religious

experiences. Thrissur is the fourth larg

est city in Kerala, and the nearest city to the international airport at Nedumbassery.

It is famous for the Thrissur Pooram festival, the most colourful and spectacular temple festival in Kerala. The festival is held near the Vadakkumnathan temple, in April or May. It has a large number of well-known temples which include the Thiruvambady temple, Vadakkumnatha temple and Paramekkavu temple, and two churches of note, the Our Lady of Lourdes Metropolitan Cathedral and the Basilica of Our Lady of Dolours (Puthan Pally or New Church). It is also the venue of Pulikali during Onam celebrations in Augus

t or September. Thrissur is an important business centre in South India and also one of the leading shopping centers in Kerala for Silks and Gold ornaments.

History

History of Thrissur plays a pivotal role in defining the history of the region of South India. The city held an important position in shaping the political and the social perspectives of the region. The name of the region is derived from Thrissivaperur. From ancient times, the region of Thrissur has occupied an important administrative seat in the Deccan region of India. The region of Thrissur had witnessed the rise and fall of various dynasties that ruled in the southern part of India. In the Sangam period, Thrissur was a part of the Chera Empire that ruled from its capital in the city of Vanchi. Between the 9th and the 12th century, the Kulasekharas of Mahodayapuram ruled the region. It was in the medieval age that the region prospered in culture and became the host of the various communities like the Jews, Muslims and the Christians.

Since the 12th century, the region prospered as a part of Perumpadappu Swarupam who started the Pudu Vaipu Era in the region. The possession of the region of Thrissur changed hands during the mid 14th and 15th centuries. The Zamorins of Calicut emerged as a ruler over the region and continued to occupy Thrissur till the arrival of the Portuguese. The Dutch and the English also seeped into the region to counter the Portuguese occupation of the region.

In 1790, Raja Rama Varma, popularly known as Sak

than Thampuran, ascended the throne of the Kochi kingdom. He rebuilt Thrissur from destruction after attacks from Tipu Sultan's army,clearing the magnificent teak forest around the Vadukunathan Temple. Sakthan Thanpuran is hence known as the architect of Thrissur town. For a brief period, Thrissur was the capital of this kingdom, thus gaining prominence. The Shaktan Thampuran Palace was the abode of the Cochin king. Sakthan Thampuran shifted his residence to Thrissur because of its salubrious climate and for safety from the depredations of the naval powers of the West. Soon Thrissur was built into a flourishing centre of internal trade in the kingdom.

Thrissur has traditionally been a centre of learning. With the decline of Buddhism and Jainism due to the growing supremacy of Brahminism during the revival of Hinduism, Thrissur became an important centre of Sanskrit learning.It is believed that the great Hin

du saint Adi Shankara was born in answer to the prayer made by Arayambal and Sivaguru at Vadakkunnathan temple here. Sankara's disciples Hastamalaka, Thotaka, Padmapada and Sudhachara established four Madoms in the city, namely the Northern Madom, the Middle Madom, the In-Between Madom and the Southern Madom. Thrissur has been visited by other religious icons such as Swami Vivekananda and St. Thomas. Sree Narayana Guru, who

fought against the caste system in Hindu religion, founded his first temple in Koorkanchery.

Geography

The region of Thrissur city is located in the geographical coordinates of 10 degrees 32 minutes north and 76 degrees15 minutes east longitude. Thrissur Municipal Corporation has a population of 317,474 (2001) spread over an area of 101.42 km2. Thrissur city alone accounts for 38% of the urban population in the Thrissur district. Thrissur Development Authority (TDA) area encompasses the Municipal Corporation area and adjoining gram Panchayats. The

total area under Municipal Corporation jurisdiction is 101.42 km2 an

d the area under the Panchayats is 18.83 km2 Together the aforesaid constitute the development area covering 120.25 km2. According to Census 2001, the total population in the TDA is 344,933 i.e., 317,474 persons in the Municipal Corporation area and 27,459 persons in the Panchayat area.

Climate

Thrissur city enjoys a tropical climate. The region lies in the south western coastal state of Kerala in India. The best time to visit Thissur city is from October to February. The hot season from March to May is followed by southwest monsoon from June to S

eptember. October and November form the post monsoon or retreating monsoon season. The average annual rainfall is 3,159 mm. The southwest monsoon generally sets in during the last week of May. After July the rainfall decreases. On an average, there are 124 rainy days in a year.

The climatic conditions in Thrissur do not face a drastic change in the summer and winterseason. The maximum average temperature of the city in the summer season is 35 degree Celsius while the minimum temperature recorded is 22.5 degrees Celsius. The winter season records a maximum average of 32.3 degree Celsius and a minimum average of 20 degree Celsius. The city is drained in the monsoonal season by heavy showers. Cold climatic conditions do not prevail in the city of Thrissur.

Culture and Literature

Thrissur, often hailed as the Cultural Capital of Kerala, is built around a hillock crowned by the famous Vadakkunnathan temple, believed to have been founded by the legendary saint Parasurama. This Shiva temple is a classic example of the Kerala style of architecture and houses several sacred shrines. Asia's highest church, the Basilica of Our Lady of Dolours (Puthan Pally), Our Lady of Lourdes's Metropolitan Cathedral of Syrian Catholics is noted for its imposing interior. Its main attraction is an underground shrine which is a masterpiece of architectural design. The [[Sacred Heart Latin Church of Latin Catholics and the Marth Mariam Big Church, Indian headquarters of Chaldean/Assyrian Church of the East, are also situated at Thrissur. The district also houses the headquarters of the Malabar Independent Syrian Church in Thozhiyoor. The ancient port of Muziris or Kodungaloor is the cradle of Christianity and Islam in India. This is where St. Thomas arrived in India. Later he established the first church in India at Palayur. Kodungaloor houses the first Muslim mosque of the country built by Cheraman Perumaal, a Hindu king who accepted Islam. It is believed that Aadi Shankara spent his last days here.

The major cultural attraction is the Thrissur Pooram festival, celebrated during April and May. The Elephant - Umbrella Display competition is spectacular, as richly caparisoned elephants carrying ceremonial umbrellas take the deity around the main temple. The passionate drum concerts and the spectacular firework displays are all part of the Pooram celebration. Another attraction of this city is the "Puli Kali" ("Puli" means 'tiger' and "Kali" means 'play') on the fourth day of Onam celebrations (Nalaam Onam). It is a procession of different clubs from all over the city. Participants with tiger-striped body paint captivate the onlookers with their energetic dances. The festival attracts thousands to the city. Thrissur is widely acclaimed as the land of elephant lovers.

Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi and Kerala Lalithakala Akademi are headquartered at Thrissur. Kerala Sahitya Akademi was established to promote the growth of Malayalam language and literature. Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi promotes dance, music, drama and folk arts of Kerala. Kerala Lalitakala Akademi was established to promote fine arts and artistic heritage.

Jose Theater, the first theatre in Kerala equipped with a movie projector, is in this city. Malayalam, Tamil, English and Hindi movies are shown in the eight major theatres. For the last few years, the city has been hosting the International Film Festival of Thrissur (IFFT). Around 100 films from 35 countries are shown. It is the second largest film festival in Kerala; the largest is in Thiruvananthapuram. In 2006, another International Film Festival started in Thrissur, nathe mely Thrissur International Film Festival (TIFF).

Thrissur can easily be called the cradle of Indian Communism. Famous thinkers such as Joseph Mundassery, C. Achuthamenon and many others were from this city. Current Books and House of Knowledge were two prominent bookstores in the 1950s to 80s of Thrissur history. A land of famous writers, artists, musicians and journalists as well, Thrissur boasts of having benefited from the best of men and women. All belonging to Thrissur District, Ouseppachan and Johnson are well-known film musicians and Sathyan Anthikkad, a noted film director ,Noted Film-stage actor and social reformist Sri. Bharath Premji.

Thrissur is also the birth place of Kerala's Indian Coffee House movement. The first ICH of the state was opened in Thrissur in 1959 with Advocate T.K. Krishnan and Nadakkal Parameswaran Pillai as founders. The laid-back business culture of Thrissur is well known amongst the rest of Kerala. Known for their quick-witted repartee and accents, the Thrissurians still maintain a daily working schedule of 10 am - 7 pm. Thekkinkadu Maidan is full of card players and evening political debates take place here every day.