Karukutty

History

Located on the southern border of the erstwhile Cochin kingdom, Karukutty has been influenced by the cultures of both Travancore and Cochin kingdoms and has been cited in ancient Portuguese records. Remnants of an old fort, referred to locally as Kottathendu (കോട്ടത്തെണ്ട്), can be seen here. The fort - Nedumkotta (നേടുംക്കോട്ട) was built jointly by the Travancore and Cochin kingdoms to resist invasions by Tipu Sultan. Numerous other artifacts and vessels used by natives to store their treasures and valuables have also been excavated. There is a popular saying that goes "Karukutty kandaal maru kutty venda" (കറുകുററി കണ്ടാല്‍ മറുകുററി വേണ്ട). It roughly translates to "If you have reached Karukutty, then you need not go looking else where" – a sign of the self-sufficient and prosperous nature of the locality. The name itself literally translates to dark woodlands, suggesting the dense vegetation that covered this region till the 12th century.

Administration and Local Self Government

Karukutty panchayat was formed on 28 December 1961. The village was originally part of Kunnathunadu taluk, Kottayam district and later became part of Aluva taluk when Ernakulam district was formed on 1 April 1958. P V Ouseppukutty Pynadath became the first president of the panchayat in 1961. After the elections in 1964, an eight member administrative council took charge under the leadership of P C Sani.

Chronological list of presidents of Karukutty panchayat

1. P. V. Joseph
2. P. C. Sani
3. Thomas Aikkareth Master (1980)
4. C. T. Devassikutty (1988)
5. P. J. Skaria
6. Mary
7. Mrs Shiny George Chittinappilly
8. Shaju V Thekkekkara

Geography

Spread over an area of 33.57 km² in central Kerala, the terrain is primarily of five types - plain land, valley, high land, sloped terrain and hilltops.

Borders

East: Mookkannoor panchayat
North: Chalakudy River and Koratty panchayat
West: Parakkadavu panchayat
South: Angamaly municipality

Water Sources

An 18 km long network of canals and creeks along with 27 public ponds and over 200 private tanks serve as the primary water source for the panchayat.

Culture and Community

The panchayat has 9 libraries, of which, 2 of them are A grade libraries with more than 10,000 books.
Various social organizations such as NSS, SNDP,Mela Samskarika Vedi and KPMS along with many other Christian organizations contribute actively to the social and cultural upliftment of the region.

Commerce and Transport

Karukutty is situated on the northern edge of the Ernakulam district, bordering Thrissur. National Highway 47 runs from north to south along a 4 km stretch on the western side of the panchayat. The border also used to serve as a geographically centered Excise and Sales Tax check post for the state of Kerala.
Karukutty has a railway station (Station code KUC) that serves hundreds of passengers travelling between their offices and homes on passenger train services running between Ernakulam and Shornur/Guruvayur. It is also a major stop over for long distance buses plying to locations such as Bangalore, with a choice of hotels and eateries lined along the highway.

Tourism

Karukutty has bountiful natural resources and the numerous brooks flowing through lush greenery themselves provide an excellent tourist opportunity. Major destinations in the panchayat include

Schools

Religion and Pilgrimage

A majority of the population of this village are Christians. The first church in Karukutty, St. Xavier Church, was established in 1829 and this paved way for the development of numerous other churches and parishes across the village. Traditional Christian culture and beliefs are an integral part of the village. Syrian Roman Catholicism is numerically the largest Christian denomination in this village. Over time, the number of other Christian denominations such as Jacobites and Marthoma Protestants are increased due to migration. There is also significant number of Hindu believers and a small yet important Muslim community that peacefully co-exists here, each faithful to their respective beliefs and customs.

Between November and February, the village turns colourful with festivals, feasts and processions of the various communities that reside here. These festivals serve to unite the various denominations, across barriers of community, religion and culture.

Major religious centers in Karukutty include