# Perinthalmanna

Perinthalmanna is a major town and municipality in Malappuram district, Kerala, India. It serves as the administrative centre for the Perinthalmanna taluk, as well as a revenue division, a community development block, and a police sub-division bearing the same name. It was formerly the headquarters of Valluvanad Taluk, which was one of the two Taluks in the Malappuram Revenue Division of the erstwhile Malabar District during the British Raj. The city is located 23 kilometres (14 mi) southwest of the city of Malappuram at the centre of the Kozhikode–Malappuram–Perinthalmanna–Palakkad National Highway 966.
It is one of the major commercial centers in the Malappuram district but is not a part of the Malappuram metropolitan area.
The city is home to several medical institutions and one of the three branches of Aligarh Muslim University in India, which is popularly known as AMU Malappuram Campus.

## History

Perinthalmanna(peru-major ,thallu-fight or marshal arts manna-area centre) and the neighbouring town of Angadipuram served as the capital of the Valluvanad Swaroopam dynasty. Valluvanad was ruled by a Samanthan Nair clan known as Vellodis, similar to the Eradis of neighbouring Eranad and the Nedungadis of Nedunganad. The rulers of Valluvanad were known by the title Valluvakonathiri or Vellattiri.
According to local legends, the last Cheraman Perumal ruler gave a vast expanse of land in South Malabar to one of the Valluvakonathiri before going on pilgrimage to Mecca. Valluvanad was famous for the Mamankam festivals (held once every 12 years) and chronic wars against the Zamorin of Calicut.
During the last decades of the eighteenth century, the region came under the control of the vast Kingdom of Mysore. The town served as the headquarters of the Valluvanad Taluk in the erstwhile Malabar District during the British Raj. Perinthalmanna, along with the towns of Malappuram, Manjeri, and Tirurangadi, was one of the main centres of the Malabar Rebellion of 1921. Now it is one of the important commercial centre in Malappuram district.
Poonthanam Nambudiri, a prominent 16th century Malayalam poet and the author of Jnanappana, and E. M. S. Namboodiripad, the first Chief Minister of Kerala, were born in Perinthalmanna.
Perinthalmanna became a Grama Panchayat in 1933 under the Malabar District board. The town was later upgraded to a municipality on 10 February 1990. As of the 2011 India census, Perinthalmanna had a population of 49,723 spread over an area of 34 km$^2$ (13 sq mi). Perinthalmanna serves as the headquarters of one of the two revenue divisions in Malappuram district, having jurisdiction over Perinthalmanna, Eranad, and Nilambur taluks. Perinthalmanna is also as the headquarters of Perinthalmanna Block Panchayat and Revenue Divisional Office and Sub Divisional Police Office.

## Geography

The Thuthapuzha, a tributary of the Bharathappuzha (Ponnani River), which is also the longest river of Kerala, passes through Perinthalmanna. The Western Ghats mountain range begins east of Perinthalmanna. Kodikuthimala hillstation is located in the Thazhekode village of Perinthalmanna Taluk, which also shares its boundary with the municipality of Perinthalmanna. Melattur village of Perinthalmanna Taluk is a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
Angadipuram Laterite is a notified National Geo-heritage Monument located about two kilometres (1.2 mi) west of the Perinthalmanna town centre.
Gulmohar flowering trees are widely seen in the Perinthalmanna area.

## Demographics

* Islam (58.54%)
* Hinduism (38.38%)
* Christianity (2.97%)
* Other (0.11%)
The population of Perinthalmanna was 49,723 as of the 2011 census. Males constituted 47.3% and females 52.7%. Malayalam is the most spoken language in the town. Perinthalmanna has been a multi-ethnic and multi-religious town since the early medieval period. Muslims form the largest religious group, followed by Hindus and Christians. The municipality of Perinthalmanna has an average literacy rate of 95.3%, which is higher than the state average of 94.0%.

## Civic administration

The town is administered by the Perinthalmanna Municipality, headed by a chairperson. For administrative purposes, the municipality is divided into 34 wards, from each of which members of the municipal council are elected for five years. As of 2011 India census, Perinthalmanna Municipal Region had a population of 49,723 spreading an area of 34 sq.km. The municipal area is divided into 34 administration wards. These wards are:
* Cheerattamanna
* Manathumangalam
* Kakkooth
* Valiyangadi
* Kulirmala
* Chembankunnu
* Kumaramkulam
* Laksham Veedu
* Idukkumugham
* Manazhi Stand
* Panjama
* Kuttippara
* Manappadi
* Pathaikkara UP School
* Kovilakampadi
* Olingara
* Kizhakkekara
* Thekkekara
* Anathanam
* Padinjarekara
* Kunnappalli South
* Kalathilakkara
* Marukara Parambu
* Valayam Moochi
* Asarikkara
* Thottakkara
* J N Road
* J N Road Central
* Thekkinkode
* Kavungal Parambu
* Puthur
* Sangeetha
* Aalikkal
* Lemon Valley

### Perinthalmanna Municipality election 2020

| S.No. | Party name | Number of councillors |
| 01 | LDF | 17 |
| 02 | UDF | 09 |
| 03 | Independents | 08 |

### Law and order

The municipality comes under the jurisdiction of the Perinthalmanna Police Station, which was formed on 1 September 1988. The station has the jurisdiction over the revenue villages of Perinthalmanna, Pathaikara, Angadipuram, Elamkulam, Aliparamba, Anamangad, Arakkuparamba, Thazhekode, and parts of Pulamantol and Valambur.
The border police stations are headquartered at Kolathur, Mankada, Melattur, Koppam, Nattukal and Cherpulassery.
Perinthalmanna is also the headquarters for one of the six subdivisions of Malappuram District Police. The police stations at Perinthalmanna, Kolathur, Mankada, Melattur, Pandikkad, and Karuvarakundu come under jurisdiction of Perinthalmanna subdivision of district police. Perinthalmanna Traffic Enforcement Unit also comes under the subdivision.

## Courts

The court complex at Perinthalmanna has the following courts:
* Judicial First Class Magistrate Court II, Perinthalmanna
* Munsiff Magistrate Court, Perinthalmanna
* Fast Track Special Court (POCSO)

## Elected representatives

Perinthalmanna assembly constituency consists Perinthalmanna Municipality and surrounding panchayats of Melattur, Vettathoor, Thazhekkode, Aliparamba, Elamkulam and Pulamanthole. It is part of the Malappuram Lok Sabha constituency. The current MLA, Najeeb Kanthapuram, and MP, Abdussamad Samadani, are from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), respectively.

## Nearby places
### Neighbourhoods

* Valiyangadi
* Cheerattamanna
* Manathumangalam
* Kakkooth
* Ponniakurussi
* Pathaikkara
* Jubilee
* Kunnappally
* Eravimangalam
* Olinkara

### Towns and villages

* Angadipuram (2.8 km)
* Chungam, Pattikkad (4.7 km)
* Kolathur (12 KM)
* Anamangad (7.7 km)
* Elamkulam (9.2 km)
* Valambur (8.4 km)
* Thazhekkode (10 km)
* Vettathur (12 km)
* Melattur (12 km)
* Keezhattur (11 km)
* Pulamanthole (12 km)
* Aliparamba (15 km)

## Notable people

* Manjalamkuzhi Ali – the current MLA from the constituency
* Vinay Govind – film director
* Paloli Mohammed Kutty – politician and social worker
* K. P. A. Majeed – former Chief Whip of the Government of Kerala
* Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair
* Poonthanam Nambudiri – author of the poem Njanappana
* Mersheena Neenu – actress
* Neralattu Rama Poduval
* Melattur Sahadevan – Carnatic music vocalist
* V. Sasikumar – politician and union leader
* Nalakath Soopy – MLA for 26 years from 1980 to 2006 and former Minister for Education
* P. Sreeramakrishnan – former Speaker of the Kerala Legislature
* Vazhenkada Vijayan – retired principal of Kerala Kalamandalam

## Perinthalmanna Block

Perinthalmanna Block Panchayat is the rural local body responsible for the block-level administration of the following Gram panchayats:
* Aliparamba
* Angadipuram
* Elamkulam
* Keezhattur
* Melattur
* Pulamantol
* Thazhekode
* Vettathur
Perinthalmanna Block Panchayat is divided into 17 divisions, with each member elected from a division. The divisions are as follows:
| Ward no. | Name | Ward no. | Name |
| 1 | Nenmini | 10 | Kunnakkavu |
| 2 | Chemmaniyode | 11 | Elamkulam |
| 3 | Melattur | 12 | Pulamanthole |
| 4 | Karyavattoom | 13 | Kuruvambalam |
| 5 | Vettathoor | 14 | Pariyapuram |
| 6 | Arakkuparamba | 15 | Thirurkkad |
| 7 | Thazhekkode | 16 | Angadippuram |
| 8 | Aliparamba | 17 | Pattikkad |
| 9 | Anamangadu | | |

## Transportation
### Air

The nearest airport to Perintalmanna is Karipur Airport, 45 km (28 mi) from Kondotty.

### Rail

The Nilambur–Shoranur line has three stations near Perinthalmanna: a major station at Angadipuram, which is located 2.5 km (1.6 mi) west of the town, and two minor stations at Pattikkad and Cherukara.
Trains are available from here to Nilambur, Shornur, Palakkad, Kottayam, and Kochuveli.

### Road

Perinthalmanna is situated at the centre of Kozhikode–Malappuram–Perinthalmanna-Palakkad National Highway 966. Additional notable roads in Perinthalmanna include:
* Pattambi Road, Cherpulassery Road, Valanchery Road, Nilambur Road, Kozhikode Road, Palakkad Road, and Ooty Road
* Shornur–Perinthalmanna State Highway 23 – ends by joining National Highway 966 at Perinthalmanna
* Perumbilavu–Nilambur State Highway 39
* State Highway 53 – connects Palakkad to Perinthalmanna via Cherpulassery
* Valanchery–Nilambur State Highway 73
The town is facilitated by a KSRTC Sub Depot, and three private bus stands.