Alathur
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Alathur is a town, taluk and gram panchayat in Palakkad District, Kerala, India.[2] It is the administrative headquarters of the Alathur Taluk and is situated about 24 km from the district headquarters Palakkad through National Highway 544.Gayathripuzha River , one of the tributary of Bharathapuzha, flows through Alathur.[3] Alathur is one among the 20 Parliamentary Constituencies in Kerala.[4] A Mini Civil Station is also located here which provides government related services.[5]
Key Information


Economy
[edit]The main occupation in this area is agriculture. Rubber is grown on hilly land and rice paddies are located on the plains. Coconut, Ginger, banana, pumpkin, bitter gourd and eggplant are also grown.
There is very little industry in Alathur Taluk. Alathur town was once well known for its beedi cottage industry but production has declined due to anti-smoking efforts. Agarbatti is also produced by the cottage industry. Recently some industrial development such as steel smelting has arisen near Manjalur in Erimayur Panchayat. Historically there were a number of rice mills in the area but their numbers have declined.
Demographics
[edit]As of 2011 Census, Alathur had a population of 26,720 with 12,808 males and 13,912 females. Alathur census town has an area of 19.62 km2 (7.58 sq mi) with 6,096 families residing in it. 11% of the population was under 6 years of age. Alathur had an average literacy of 89.95% higher than the national average of 74.04% and lower than state average of 94.00%; male literacy was 95.14% and female literacy was 85.27%.[6]
Educational institutions
[edit]There are a number of schools up to the higher secondary level within Alathur Taluk. There are two colleges for arts and science and one engineering college.
A S Mohammed Kutty Sahib Memorial High Secondary School (A S M M H S S) is a public institution that has been operating in the area for over a century. The school also houses a very old Gandhiji statue which has become a landmark.
The school was established by the Nellikkalidam Family (Swaroopm), and the School used to be called N.E. High School (NEHS), until being bought by Mr. Mohammad Kutty; later since the land reforms act, the swaroopam suffered financially and the school was bought by Mr. Mohammad Kutty, who has since then been running a Beedi rolling business
BSS Gurukulam Higher Secondary School, is also located here.
Located Taluk Hospital at Alathur town, Healthcare Professional Institution in Alathur is established by Crescent Medical Centre Ltd. The Crescent School of Nursing was started in 2001 and Crescent College of Nursing was started in 2005. The Crescent Nursing Institution runs General Nursing & Midwifery (GNM) Diploma course and BSc. Nursing Degree Course.
Transportation
[edit]The National Highway No.544 passes through the entire length of Alathur Taluk. Because of this, the region is well connected by road to all parts of Kerala including the state capital. A number of private and government buses ply on this road between Thrissur and Palakkad.

Alathur does not have a railway connection due to the presence of the mountainous terrain at Kuthiran towards Trissur. A recent government decision to revive an old plan to construct the Kollengode–Trissur railway line may come as a blessing to Alathur.
Healthcare
[edit]Alathur town has a Government-run Community Health Centre. The major private healthcare facility Crescent Hospital, which was established in 1997 and is a multi-specialty hospital with all basic medical departments and trauma care. That hospital also has psychiatric and geriatric facilities.

Panchayats in Alathur Taluk
[edit]Alathur is one of the six Taluks of Palakkad district.
Politics
[edit]The Alathur assembly constituency is part of the Alathur Lok Sabha constituency.[7]
Alathur assembly constituency (A.C.) elects one representative to the Kerala state assembly (Vidhan Sabha). It has approximately 150,000 (1.5 lakh) registered voters.[when?] Elected members have most often been from the Communist Party of India (Marxist).[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Kerala (India): Districts, Cities and Towns - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
- ^ "Reports of National Panchayat Directory". Ministry of Panchayati Raj. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
- ^ "Gayathripuzha River, India Tourist Information". www.touristlink.com. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ "Parliamentary constituencies in Kerala and Assembly segmants". keralaassembly.org. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ Keralam, Digital. "Mini Civil Station Alathur, Palakkad". Digital Keralam. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
- ^ Kerala, Directorate of Census Operations. District Census Handbook, Palakkad (PDF). Thiruvananthapuram: Directorate of Census Operations, Kerala. p. 150,151. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Assembly Constituencies – Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies" (PDF). Kerala. Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2008. Retrieved 19 October 2008.
- ^ "Alathur Election and Results 2018, Candidate list, Winner, Runner-up, Current MLA and Previous MLAs". Elections in India. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
External links
[edit]- - Koduvayur community website. Koduvayur is 17 km west of Alathur.
Alathur
View on GrokipediaGeography
Location and Boundaries
Alathur is located in Palakkad district, Kerala, India, serving as the administrative headquarters of Alathur taluk. The town lies in the central part of the district at coordinates 10°38′45″N 76°32′37″E.[7] It is positioned approximately 25 kilometers east of Palakkad city, connected primarily via National Highway 544.[8] Alathur taluk includes villages such as Erimayur, Kavasseri, Melarcode, and Tarur, with the police station jurisdiction covering these areas.[9] The taluk forms part of Palakkad district's eastern-central zone, adjacent to neighboring taluks including Chittur to the southeast and Ottapalam to the northwest, and near the district boundary with Thrissur to the southwest.[10] Nearby urban centers include Ottapalam and Shoranur.[11]Climate and Environment
Alathur experiences a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen classification Am), typical of inland Kerala, with high humidity, elevated temperatures year-round, and pronounced seasonal rainfall concentrated in the summer monsoon period. Average annual temperatures hover around 26°C, with daytime highs frequently exceeding 35°C during the pre-monsoon hot season from March to May, when peaks of 37–41°C have been recorded, making it one of Kerala's warmer locales due to the influence of the Palakkad Gap channeling dry continental air. Nighttime lows rarely drop below 20°C even in the relatively cooler post-monsoon months of December to February.[12] Annual rainfall averages approximately 1,750 mm, significantly less than Kerala's statewide figure of over 3,000 mm, owing to its position east of the Western Ghats, which create a partial rain shadow effect despite the gap's moderating winds. The southwest monsoon (June–September) accounts for about 60–70% of precipitation, with June often the wettest month at over 200 mm; dry spells and water scarcity are recurrent in non-monsoon periods, exacerbated by sandy soils and intensive agriculture drawing on groundwater. Northeast monsoon rains (October–December) contribute modestly, while February–May sees minimal precipitation under 50 mm monthly.[13] Environmentally, the area features semi-deciduous forests interspersed with paddy fields, rubber plantations, and coconut groves, supporting biodiversity including teak, rosewood, and local fauna like deer and birds, though deforestation for cultivation has reduced forest cover. Groundwater levels fluctuate markedly, with over-extraction for irrigation leading to seasonal depletion, prompting local initiatives like rainwater harvesting and plastic bans to enhance sustainability. Air quality remains generally good outside peak agricultural burning seasons, but dust from laterite mining and highways poses localized concerns.[13][14]History
Early Settlement and Regional Context
The region around Alathur in Palakkad district preserves traces of prehistoric human occupation, with archaeological evidence pointing to Neolithic settlements in the Gayathripuzha Valley. Excavations have uncovered 13 posthole sites featuring socket remains for wooden pillared structures, likely mandapas or halls, dated between 4000 and 1000 B.C. These findings, accompanied by Mesolithic artifacts and nearby megalithic monuments, indicate early agrarian communities exploiting the area's granite plateaus, river valleys, and water resources for semi-permanent habitation.[15] Subsequent ancient history in Palakkad, encompassing Alathur, remains enigmatic, with limited records suggesting external influences such as possible Pallava dynasty incursions from Kanchi in the 2nd or 3rd century A.D., potentially establishing 'Palakada' as a regional outpost.[16] For centuries thereafter, the area fell under the sway of the Perumals of Kerala, followed by local chieftains including the Valluvakonathiri and Kollengode Rajas, reflecting a feudal structure amid fragmented polities.[16] In broader regional context, Alathur's location in the Palakkad plains positioned it within ancient trade corridors via the Palakkad Gap, bridging the Western Ghats and Tamil plains, which facilitated cultural and economic exchanges under early Chera overlordship. Jain monastic settlements dotted the Alathur taluk, as attested by inscriptions referencing local donors like Valanciyar, with structures possibly among Palakkad's earliest, though these waned after 18th-century Mysorean disruptions.[17] This mosaic of indigenous, migratory, and religious settlements underscores the area's role as a transitional zone in Kerala's early socio-economic landscape.Administrative Evolution
The area encompassing Alathur was initially administered as part of the Palghat taluk within the Malabar District of the Madras Presidency during the British colonial era. Judicial administration in the region gained formal structure with the establishment of the Munsiff Court of Alathur in 1862, extending jurisdiction over what would later become the taluk boundaries and underscoring its early administrative significance.[18] The reorganization of states on linguistic lines in 1956 led to the formation of Kerala on November 1, marking a pivotal shift in regional governance. In this process, the erstwhile Palghat taluk was trifurcated, with Alathur taluk emerging as one of the new subdivisions carved out from its territory, alongside Palghat and contributions to Chittur taluk.[19] On January 1, 1957, Palakkad district was officially constituted as an administrative unit under the Government of Kerala, incorporating Alathur taluk as one of its foundational divisions, initially alongside Palakkad, Perinthalmanna, Ponnani, Ottappalam, and Chittur taluks.[16] Alathur was designated as the taluk headquarters, overseeing revenue, judicial, and local governance functions for its constituent villages.[20] Subsequent district-level adjustments, such as the bifurcation of Ottappalam taluk in 2013 to form Pattambi taluk, did not alter Alathur's boundaries, preserving its status as a stable taluk within Palakkad's six-taluk structure.[21] The taluk now administers 29 villages, reflecting continuity in its rural-focused governance framework.[22]Demographics
Population and Growth Trends
As per the 2011 Census of India, the population of Alathur census town in Palakkad district, Kerala, was 26,720, consisting of 12,808 males and 13,912 females.[2] This yielded a sex ratio of 1,086 females per 1,000 males, higher than the state average of 1,084.[23] The town's population grew from 24,796 in the 2001 Census to 26,720 in 2011, reflecting a decadal growth rate of 7.76%.[24]| Census Year | Population | Decadal Growth (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 24,796 | - |
| 2011 | 26,720 | 7.76 |