Alappuzha
Alappuzha
Alleppey | |
|---|---|
Clockwise from top left: Alappuzha houseboat, Alappuzha Beach, Vembanad Lake, Mount Carmel Cathedral, Jain temple, Mullakkal Temple, State Highway 11 (Kerala) | |
| Nickname: "Venice of the East" | |
Alappuzha Alappuzha | |
| Coordinates: 9°29′N 76°20′E / 9.49°N 76.33°E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Alappuzha district |
| Government | |
| • Body | Alappuzha Town |
| • Municipal Chairperson | Jayamma (CPIM) |
| Area | |
• Total | 65.57 km2 (25.32 sq mi) |
| Population | 240,991 |
| • Rank | 6th |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English[4] |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 688001 |
| Telephone code | 0477 |
| Vehicle registration |
|
| Sex ratio | 1079 ♂/♀ |
| Website | alappuzha |
Alappuzha (Malayalam: [aːlɐpːuɻɐ] ⓘ) or Alleppey is a municipality and town on the Laccadive Sea in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It is the district headquarters of the Alappuzha District, and is located about 130 km (80.8 mi) north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Alappuzha has a population of 240,991 people, and a population density of 3,675/km2 (9,520/sq mi).
Alappuzha dates back to the Sangam era, and was mentioned by Pliny the Elder as far back as the 1st century AD as Baraces.[5] Later in the 16th and 17th centuries, the town flourished as an important hub for trading spices with various European powers including the Dutch and the Portuguese. Under the rule of Raja Kesavadas, a port was constructed and canals for transport were laid throughout the city, and the town experienced rapid development. However, by the late 18th century, the region had come under British rule and experienced a decline in its status as a centre for commerce and culture.[6]
Today, Alappuzha is a prominent tourist destination in Kerala. The town is famous for its waterways and backwaters, and has been described as the "Venice of the East" for the small canals winding through its historic centre. Its also known as the Tarshish land of Kerala[7] It plays a role as one of the primary access points for the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race during the festival of Onam.[8][9] Alappuzha is also a hub for coir manufacturing, and has a thriving coir industry.[10]
- ^ "Grama Panchayaths" (PDF). lsgkerala.gov.in.
- ^ "Table - 3 : Population, population in the age group 0-6 and literates by sex - Cities/Towns (in alphabetic order): 2001". Archived from the original on 25 February 2004. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ "Cities and Towns in Alappuzha (Kerala, India) - Population Statistics, Charts". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ "The Kerala Official Language (Legislation) Act, 1969" (PDF). Archived from the original on 20 April 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ "History | District Alappuzha, Government of Kerala | India". Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "History of Alappuzha". www.alappuzhaonline.in.
- ^ "History | District Alappuzha, Government of Kerala | India". Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Nehru Trophy Boat Race."The History of NTBR ::::". Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-05."
- ^ "Tourist Places in India, Best Places to Visit in India". Maps of India.
- ^ "coir industry ":: About Coir ::". Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-05."