At a glance
Arakuzha Grama Panchayat is a local self-government institution in Muvattupuzha Taluk of Ernakulam District, within the Muvattupuzha Block, comprising the Arakuzha and Marady Villages. The Panchayat has an area of 29.31 square kilometres.
The boundaries of the Panchayat are as follows: Muvattupuzha Municipality, Marady and Avoly Panchayats to the north; Palakuzha and Manakkad (Idukki) Panchayats to the south; Avoly and Manakkad (Idukki) Panchayats to the east; and Marady and Thirumarady Panchayats to the west.
Arakuzha, which was part of the Vadakkumkoor Kingdom, was included in Kottayam District of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore. Following the integration of the princely states, the region became part of Travancore-Cochin, and later, with the formation of the linguistic states, it became part of Kerala.
Mary Roy, the mother of renowned writer Arundhati Roy, was a native of this place. St. Joseph's L.P. School, established in 1915 by the Carmelite community, was the first school in Arakuzha.
Arakuzha Panchayat has a rich and long-standing cultural heritage. The ancient Christian church situated in the heart of the Panchayat is a prominent testimony to its historical and cultural heritage. During the period of Arakuzha Unniyathiri and the Chettur Karthas, traditional cultural practices such as Kalaripayattu and Yoga are believed to have flourished in the village.
Educational, cooperative and other cultural activities developed in association with the churches, while art forms such as Koothu and Koodiyattam were promoted in connection with temples and sacred groves. Various traditional art forms such as Chendamelam, Pada Pooja, Mudiyettu, Thookkam, Kalamezhuthu, Ammankudam, Sastham Paattu, Thudi, Uduthu and Pullankuzhal continue to be associated with Hindu places of worship.
Similarly, traditional cultural performances such as band music, Chenda and drama are still conducted in connection with Christian church festivals.
More than a century ago, smaller churches were established at Memadangu, Thottakkara, Meenkunnam, Perumballoor and Peringazha, branching out from the ancient Arakuzha Church and providing facilities for worship to the people of these areas.
Near the Arakuzha Forane Church, at the pilgrimage centre of Kurishumala, there is a church dedicated to St. Thomas. Once a year, on New Sunday, thousands of devotees from different communities, including people from India and abroad, visit this pilgrimage centre.
The Peringazha Bhagavathy Temple, Kaippullikkavu in Ward 2, the temple belonging to Mazhuvanchery Illam, the ancient Njalloor Kavu in Ward 4, Poothakkavu Bhagavathy Temple and Mullappadi Paradevatha Temple in Ward 5, the 1,400-year-old Thottakkarakavu in Ward 8, and the ancient Perumakkavu Temple in Ward 9 are important active places of worship and cultural centres in the Panchayat.
