Aloor, Kerala

Aloor is a revenue village in Chalakudy taluk of the Irinjalakuda Revenue Division in Thrissur district. Its sub registrar office is situated in Kacheriparambu, Kallettumkara. Aloor falls under the Thrissur Lok Sabha and Irinjalakuda Assembly constituency.

The Aloor desom in Brahminical traditions is an integral part of Irinjalakuda grama and southern parts of Aloor Panchayat belong to Avittathur grama. From 800 AD to 1102 AD, this area was under the Mahodayapuram Chera dynasty. An inscription of Rajasimhaperumanadikal of the 11th century from the Thazhekad church in Aloor panchayath proved this fact. From 1342 to 1762 this area was part of Arunadu.

In 1762, the Kingdom of Cochin formed Mukundapuram taluk by adding Mapranam nadu (Velllos nad) and parts of Nandilathnadu to Mukundapuramnadu (Muriyanad); it also formed Kodassery taluk with headquarters at Chalakudy. Karoor Muir, consisting of Karoor, Vellanchira, and Thuruthiparambu, were part of Kodassery taluk; other areas were part of Mukundapuram taluk. Sakthan Thampuran divided old Mukundapuram taluk into six properties. They were Thazhekkad, Aripalam, Mukundapuram (Nadavarambu), Mapranam, Palathingal (Nandikkara), and Pudukkad. Pudukkad was used for administrative and revenue purposes.

Revenue villages in Aloor Panchayat, namely Kallettumkara, Thazhekkad, and Aloor, came into existence in 1080 M.E. (1905 A.D.). The Aloor village office is located in Vazhiyambalaparambu, Aloor, since December 1980; before that it was in Kacheriparambu, Kalletumkara.

At the time of Firka subdivisions villages in Aloor Panchayat fall into two Firkas—Irinjalakuda and Chalakudy.

Malayalam is the mother tongue of almost all natives of Aloor. It has some similarities with the accent of Malayalam generally spoken in Thrissur district, but not as thick in an accent as the language spoken by Thrissur town natives. The vocabulary used is similar to other desoms of Aru. The literal meaning of the word "Aloor" signifies "place with people" or "place inhabited by people" ("Aal" in Malayalam means "human" and "ur" or "oor" means "town" in old Malayalam and Tamil).

A primary school, managed by the parishioners, was established on the premises of the Aloor church in 1894; it is now St. John Berchmens Convent Lower Primary School. In 1942, the first high school, Rajarshi Memorial Higher Secondary School Aloor, was established; it was later upgraded to a higher secondary school in 1998. Other educational institutions in the area include Sree Narayana Vilasam Vocational Higher secondary School Aloor, St. Joseph's EMHS, Aloor (Thazhekkad village), St Marys UP School Karoor, Fathima Matha LP School Vellanchira, L F LP School Kombidijamakkal, CLPS at Sholayar near Vellamchira. For higher education, the main institutes nearby are Sahrdaya College of Advanced Studies and Sahrdaya College of Engineering and Technology. Parents with high ambitions send their children to schools in nearby towns like Irinjalakuda, Chalakudi, and Thrissur. The low capacity in the schools in Aloor is one of the reasons for children in Aloor to seek admission in nearby towns. Sangama Grama Madhava, a mathematician and astronomer, was from Irinjalappilly, Aloor.

Many Aloorians, quite similar to other Keralites, go abroad, or to other cities outside the state, to earn their means of livelihood. Many educated youths from Aloor have become successful business owners, IT professionals, skilled blue-collar workers, or unskilled workers, in places such as the Middle East, North America, or in Indian cities, like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore.

Christian, Hindu, and Muslim religions co-exist harmoniously in Aloor. Up to the census of Cochin State in 1901, there were no Muslims in Aloor, Kallettumkara, and the Thazhekkad muris of Mukundapuram taluk. There were 199 Muslims speaking Tamil in Kuzhikkattussery muri as per the census of Cochin state 1901.

98% of the Christians belong to Syro Malabar Catholic Church; it is in communion with the Universal Catholic Church.

St. Joseph's Syro Malabar Catholic Church, Aloor, is the first parish church in Aloor muri of Mukundapuram taluk. The Nazrani community of Aloor built a small prayer hall made of bamboo and palm leaf in the land donated by its members in 1858 and used it for their usual prayer necessities. In 1868, the Aloor church was recognized by the Vicariate Apostolic of Verapoly. Aloor parish is one of the 83 parishes between the Bharathappuzha and Periyar rivers, during the erection of the syro-Malabar hierarchy, and Trichur Vicariate in 1887. The Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Irinjalakuda was erected in 1978 and Aloor parish was placed under the new eparchy. Fatima matha church, Vellanchira, St. Thomas Church Anathadam, Vyakulamatha Church Kalvarikunnu and Prasadavaranatha Church are the parishes separated from Aloor parish. St. Mary's Church, Aloor East is a filial church with a Priest in charge, which is a part of Aloor St. Joseph parish.

Thazhekad Church,[1] dedicated to Marth Mariam, is the first church founded in Aloor panchayath. In the floor of the cross in front of the church is an inscription indicating the church's founding in the year 800 A.D. This community was primarily under the jurisdiction of Ambazhakad and later under the parish of Marth Mariam church, Velayanad. The old church was ravaged by Tippu Sultan's army, during his invasion of to Cochin and Travancore, between 1789 and 1791. The church was rebuilt in 1911 as St. Sebastian's church due to the presence of holy icon of St. Sebastian. The church is famous for the feast of Kurisu Muthappan (St. Sebastian) on 2 and 3 May every year. The Archdiocese of Thrissur declared this church as the pilgrim shrine in 1917.

In 1861, Fr. Yohannan Chittilappilly, a Syrian Catholic priest who lost his church at Thrissur in Roccos schism,was granted permission by the Vicariate of Verapoly to construct a new church on Thazhekkad proverty situated in the northern area of Velayanad parish. But instead of reconstructing the ravaged Thazhekad church, he sought the help of the Anti Rocos faction of Syrian Catholics and constructed Infant Jesus Church at Kallettumkara with their support. The Bishop of Verapoly,raised this church to parish status in 1861, incorporating a wider area of Kallettumkara, Muriyad, parts of Kaduppassery and Thazhekkad muris of the then Thazhekkad territory, and parts of Kodakara of Mukundapuram taluk.

St. Mary's rosary church, Karoor (1905), Fatima matha church, Vellanchira (1953), Our Lady of Grace Church, Thuruthipparambu (1966) & Blessed Mariam Thressia filial church, Sholayar (2006) are the other churches in Aloor village. St. Mary's Church, Kuzhikkattussery (1904), St. Alphonsa church, Vallakkunnu (2008), St. Antony's filal church, Thazhekkad south (2006), and St. Mary's filal Church, Kannikkara (2006) are located in Aloor panchayath area. Now these 11 parishes and 4 filial churches of the Syro Malabar Catholics in Aloor panchayath fall under the Syro Malabar Catholic eparchy of Irinjalakuda.

Irinjalappilly chengumkavu bhagavathy temple has a history over centuries. Sreedhanakkavu temple near kombodinjamakkal, Aanikkulangara Sri Durga temple at Sholayar, Palappetty temple near Vellamchira, Muthappan Bagavathy temple at the Edathadan centre, two kilometers from Aloor Junction are the important temples. Thalappoli, ulsavam, and shashti are celebrated with various festivities.

The Jaram and masjid at Kombodinjamakkal (Thazhekkad village) date back to January 1790 of Tipu sultan, the ruler of Mysore. "Chandanakkudam Nercha" (on Makaram 16) to the jaram is very famous in this region.

Under the Köppen climate classification, Aloor features a tropical monsoon climate. The region lies in the southwestern coastal state of Kerala, resulting in a tropical climate; there are only minor differences in temperatures between day and night, and over the year. Summer lasts from March to May, followed by the South-west monsoon from June to September. From October to November, it is the post-monsoon or retreating monsoon season. From December to February, in the winter, it is slightly cooler and windy due to winds from the Western Ghats.[2]

Pindiperunnal-Ambuperunnal, or known as the feast of St. Sebastian, is a common festival in all churches in Aloor panchayath. Thazhekad church is known for the feast of Kurisu Muthappan (St. Sebastian) on 2 and 3 May every year. Irinjalappilly chengumkavu bhagavathy temple and Edathadan Muthappan Bagavathy temple celebrate Thalappoli with various festivities. Chandanakkudam Nercha on Makaram 16 at the Jaram and masjid at Kombodinjamakkal is widely known in this region.