Mannancherry
Grama Panchayat

Mannanchery is a region that does not have many widely documented legends or ancient historical accounts associated specifically with the origin of its place name. Nevertheless, the region is home to several places of considerable historical and cultural significance, including the historic Madathumkara Shiva Temple, the Mannanchery Thrikkovil Temple, and the Aryad Muslim place of worship, which is widely believed to have been established between AD 1500 and 1600. There are no other Muslim places of worship in the neighbouring areas that can claim such antiquity.

A number of legends are associated with the Madathumkara Temple. It is traditionally believed that the temple served as a resting place for people travelling to Ananthapuri for Murajapam. The Mannanchery Thrikkovil Temple originally belonged to the Tharananallur Namboothiri family and was later transferred to the Chirattakattu family.

The original site of the Poonjilikkavu Temple was at Ambalakkadavu. It is said that the deity was later re-consecrated and the temple was established at Kavungal. The Valiyakalavoor Sree Krishna Swami Temple is one of the ancient temples of Kerala. It is traditionally regarded as one of the 108 temples consecrated by Lord Parasurama. The 108 temples associated with Parasurama are traditionally characterized by circular sanctums (Vatta Sreekovil), and this temple also follows that architectural style.

The Njanthirikkal Sreekovilakam is another very ancient temple. In earlier times, it was customary for the reigning ruler, who was the owner of the temples, to entrust the administration of temples to junior members of the royal family. Mannanchery was a land of numerous temple complexes during that period. The temples and sacred groves at Madathumkara, Mannanchery, Kavungal, Kalavoor, Valiyakalavoor, Kalloonkal, Virusheri, Shanmukham, Kanakkur, Ambanakulangara, Manaveedu Valiyaveedu, Njanthirikkal and several other places bear testimony to this rich religious heritage.

The Muslim places of worship in Mannanchery are equally significant in terms of antiquity. The Aryad Muslim Juma Masjid, widely believed to have been established between AD 1500 and 1600, is located here. The mosque is a notable example of ancient Islamic architectural traditions.

Another important Muslim place of worship is the Mannanchery Juma-Ath Mosque, situated close to Vembanad Lake. There is credible evidence that the old Mannanchery market (Angadi) was once located on the land adjoining this mosque. The site is still known as “Angadi Sthalam” (market place). The present Mannanchery market was established later as a result of a subsequent development. The canal connecting the two locations came to be known as Angadi Thodu.

It is also believed that goods transported by boats through this canal, which was under government control, were subject to a toll. The place where the toll was collected came to be known as “Chungam,” a name that continues to be used even today.

The Ponnad Juma-Ath Mosque is also believed to be of comparable antiquity to the Mannanchery Juma-Ath Mosque, and possibly even older. In addition to these, the region has several other Juma-Ath mosques, including the Ambanakulangara Juma Masjid, Padinjare Juma Masjid and Mannanchery Town Juma Masjid, along with numerous other prayer mosques.

The region is also rich in Christian places of worship. The major churches include Kalavoor Cherupushpam Church, Mannanchery Nithyasahaya Matha Church and Valiyakalavoor Lourdes Matha Church. In earlier times, during the annual feast of Cherupushpam Church, large-scale sales of vegetable seeds, tubers and household articles used to take place. For the local people, this has now become only a memory of the past.

Mannanchery also made a significant contribution to the Indian national freedom movement. Many people from the village participated in the Indian freedom struggle and, as part of it, in the Punnapra–Vayalar Struggle in Travancore. Among those who participated in the freedom struggle were Muhamma Ayyappan, Satyagrahi Kesavan, P. K. Vasu, Gopalan, Narikkattu Velu, Karicharambil Thampi, Koonampulikkal Vasu and Puthenpuraykkal Divakaran.

The region of Kannarkad, which occupies an important place in the history of the Punnapra–Vayalar Struggle, is located here. P. Krishna Pillai, one of the prominent leaders of the Communist movement, died here on 19 August 1946 after being bitten by a snake.

Mararikulam, where firing took place in connection with the Punnapra–Vayalar Struggle, is situated to the west of Mannanchery Grama Panchayat. The gathering at which the fighters of the Punnapra–Vayalar Struggle were organized and called upon to participate in the struggle was held at the Valiya Veedu Temple ground within this panchayat.

During the period when the Settlement Register, an important historical record of Travancore, was being prepared, the princely state was known as Thiruvithamkoor. This village was then known as Aryad North Village No. 2 of Cherthala Taluk in Kottayam District.

When Village Unions were formed in the State of Travancore in 1948, Mannanchery Village Union was also among them. The area under the jurisdiction of the Village Union extended across the southern Aryad village, covering the region north of what is now the Alappuzha Municipal boundary.

As a result of the land reform measures initiated in Kerala in 1959, the traditional system of landownership and landlordism gradually came to an end here, as it did in other parts of the State.