Cherthala

Cherthala, also known as Shertallay, is a small town, in Kerala, India, which is almost 35 km from Cochin and 23 km before Alleppey on the Cochin-to-Alleppey Road Route and Railway Route. Cherthala is in Alleppey District, of which Alleppey is the district headquarters. Cherthala is a Major Taluk consisting of many small towns and several villages of which Cherthala is the Taluk headquarters.

One can travel to the town by train commuting through the Kochi to Alapuzha rail route. The Cherthala town can be reached by road through Kochi or Vaikom or Kottayam as well as from Alleppey. The nearest Airport is the Kochi International Airport about 50 kilometer north east and the nearest seaport is Cochin Harbour about 35 kilometers north west of the town.

The main industry here is the coir industry. Famous people from here include former Chief Minister of Kerala A. K. Antony, Vayalar Ravi, the present Cabinet Minister and the famous poet Vayalar Rama Varma. The Ancient Karthiyayini Devi temple is in the center of the town around which the town has developed. The Artunkal church near Cherthala is a famous pilgrim center. The Vayalar martyr's memorial, various hi-tech designer coir manufacturing units are landmarks of this small town.

The people are friendly, religious and politically conscious. The Muttom Church is about 1000 years old, the Arthinkal pilgrims sanctuary built by the Portuguese are all land marks of this town. 112 men from this village took part in the World War II demonstrates the patriotic spirit and heritage.

St. Thomas, one among the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ reached Cherthala just 19 years after the crucifixion and established a church in Kokkothamangalam here. Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru, the founder Acharyaof Santhigiri, hails from Cherthala. Itti Achyuthan Vaidyar of Thyckal here has originally prepared the legendary botanical bible "Hortus Malabaricus" (published in 1678) for Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede, the Dutch governor of the former princely state of Cochin between 1670 and 1677.

Another mysterious, historical evidence from Cherthala is the recent discovery of ancient ship ruins excavated in Thyckal; the ship building technology is far superior from that of Europeans or Arabs but the carbon dating dates it beyond 1000 AD!.

Politically conscious and fairly well educated new generation is quite enterprising too. Cherthala is the home land of present day stalwarts in Indian Politics and other arenas, A.K Antony - an uncorrupted three times Chief Minister of Kerala, Vayalar Ravi, Union Cabinet Minister for NRI affairs, K R Gauri, ex-minister and a veteran communist, Vellappalli Natesan (Gen. Secretary of SNDP yogam), S D Shibulal, Founder director of Infosys (the second richest Keralite/Malayalee), S L Puram Sadanandan (communist and Cine-Drama writer) and Cine Actor Rajan P. Dev etc.

This palm fringed constituency is academically and culturally in the forefront. There are 6 affiliated Colleges (including an Engineering College and a Nursing College), one Poly technique and several higher secondary and high schools, Nursing Schools and 4 high quality health care delivery facilities each having 100 to 200 beds are available.

Hotels available - Marari beach resort of Casino group and various backwater resorts. Food and beer - Hotel Karthiyayini, Cherthala TB(tourist Bungalow).

Villages in Cherathala Taluk

Colleges

• Nair Service Society College (NSS College)
• Sree Narayana College (SN College)
• St. Michael's college
• KVM College of Engineering & Information Technology
• College of Engineering, Cherthala

Hospitals

• Govt. Hospital Cherthala
• SNMM Hospital (X-Ray Hospital)
• KVM Hospital
• Sacred Heart Hospital
• Visitation Hospital Arthunkal
• Dharmagiri Hospital Cherthala

Hotels and Resturant

• Karthiyayini Hotel and Restaurant (Bar attached) - Near NH bypass - ph:Tel:0478 2813212 2812437
• Cherthala Restaurant - Near Court jn
• Huts Restaurant - Near NH bypass