Balussery

Geography and Climate

Balussery is located at 11.45°N 75.83°E / 11.45; 75.83. It has an average elevation of 42 m (138 ft). Average temperatures range from 30 to 36 degree Celsius in the summer and as cool as 24 degree Celsius in the rainy season.

Overview

Balussery block has an area of 278.54 km². There are eight Grama Panchayats in the block: Atholi, Balussery, Koorachundu, Kottur, Naduvannur, Panangad, Ulliyeri and Unnikulam. The total population is 212,592: 105,962 males and 106,631 females.

Government offices are situated in the heart of the town. Kerala State Electricity Board has a 33 KV substation (at Manjappalam), a division office/subdivision and a section office here. There are also an employment exchange at Balussery Mukku, a Kerala Police Circle office, a PWD office, a Sub Registrar Office, an Educational Department Office, six co-operative banks, State Bank of Travancore, Canara Bank, Syndicate Bank, Punjab National Bank and Federal Bank.

Regular bus services are available to Kozhikode, Thamarassery, Koyilandy, Koorachundu, Koottalida and Perambra. Mini buses connect the hinterland to Balussery Town. KSRTC operates services to the hilly regions of Balussery, like Mankayam, Koorachundu, Kakkayam, Kallanode, Cheekkilode and Vayalada.

Education

There are three government higher secondary schools located in Balussery. Govt. Vocational Higher Secondary School and GHSS girls high school are near to the town and Kokkallur HSS is just 3 km away from town. There are primary and upper primary schools as well, like Balussery GLP school, A.L.P School Thuruthyad.

There is a central government institute named Adarsha Sanskrita Vidya Peetham, located in Vaikundam. It is one of the prominent Sanskrit Colleges in Kerala.

PT Usha School of Athletics is at Vattoli Bazaar. Saraswathy Vidya Mandir is situated 2 km away from Balussery.

Politics

Balusseri Assembly Constituency is part of Kozhikode (Lok Sabha constituency). In the first decade of Indian independence Balussery supported the Indian National Congress party, but support since then has shifted to the Left Democratic Front Balussery keeps its secular face always. Former Kerala state minister A. C. Shanmukhadas won local elections for 25 years as MLA. Balussery has shown its left support in politics most of the time.

Balussery-Kota and Manjapuzha River

Balussery is home to the Central Fort of Kurumbranad Rajas, the Balussery Kota. It is flanked by a unique temple dedicated to Vettakkorumakan, famed as the largest Vettakkorumakan Temple anywhere. It is 2 km from the bus stand. The Manjapuzha River flows by the side of the temple. There are a number of small temples in near proximity such as Kunnatheru Maha Ganapathy Temple, Ponnaramtheru Maha Ganapathy Temple, Chamundeswary Temple, Vaikundam Vishnu Temple, Chinthramangalam SreeKrishna Temple, Ellath Mookambika Temple and Narasimha Kshethram Nirmaloor. Thekkedathu Nagathan Kavu are also here.

Vayalida hill station

Vayalida hill station is an oddly-located serene hill-station in Balussery in the proximity of Vettakkorumakan Temple.

Kinaloor Estate (Cochin Malabar Estates)

Kinaloor Estate (Cochin Malabar Estates) is a picturesque valley with a mountain on one side and a rubber plantation on the other. There is a vast plain in the middle of the plantation and the mountain which is a proposed site for the KSIDC (SEZ) industrial area.

The Usha sports school is located at Kinaloor estate, Vattoli Bazaar. The school is located here at Kinaloor estate, Vattoli Bazaar around 5 km from Balussery.

Kakkayam power station and Dam site

Kakkayam power station and dam is the sole dam in this region. The power house is around 19 km from Balussery and the dam is around 35 km. Kariyathan Para is a wonderful view point in Kakkayam.

Important Landmarks

Transportation

Balussery connects to other parts of India through Koyilandy town. The nearest airports are at Kannur and Kozhikode. The nearest railway station is at Koyiandy. The national highway no.66 passes through Koyilandy and the northern stretch connects to Goa and Mumbai. The southern stretch connects to Cochin and Trivandrum. The eastern National Highway No.54 going through Kuttiady connects to Mananthavady, Mysore and Bangalore.

Suburbs of Balussery