History
Kangazha is a village in Changanassery Taluk of Kottayam District in Kerala. The village is situated about 26 km east of Kottayam town. The panchayat has an area of 31.19 square kilometres. Its boundaries are Vazhappally Panchayat to the north, Vellavoor and Vazhoor Panchayats to the east, Nedumkunnam Panchayat to the west, and Vellavoor and Anikkad Panchayats to the south.
The first elected governing committee of the panchayat came into existence in 1953. Kangazha is a place where people belonging to different communities live together harmoniously. The panchayat has three ancient Hindu temples, around sixty Christian places of worship distributed across different areas, nine Muslim places of worship, and several other religious institutions.
According to local tradition, the name Kangazha is believed to have originated from the name Kanvazha, associated with the hermitage of Sage Kanva mentioned in Abhijnanasakuntalam. Over time, the name is said to have evolved into its present form, Kangazha.
The social and cultural history of Kangazha is closely associated with two ancient temples. Although the Pathanattukavu Bhagavathy Temple is considered more significant in terms of antiquity, the Shiva Temple holds a prominent position because of its historical prestige and association with regional authority. The Shiva Temple is believed to have been established centuries ago by the King of Thekkumkoor. The village of Kangazha was reportedly entrusted for the administration and maintenance of the temple.
The Kangazha Puthoor Pally, a Muslim mosque, was established about one and a half centuries ago. Christian missionary activities also began in the area around the same period. The Kaanam and Kovoor churches, established by the Church Mission Society (CMS), are around 140 years old. The Kaanam-Kovoor CMS Primary Schools and the Pathanadu Government Lower Primary School are educational institutions that are more than a century old. Kangazha St. Thomas Orthodox Church was established in 1890.
The Changanassery–Manimala and Changanassery–Vazhoor roads are the major roads passing through the panchayat. The Karukachal Bus Stand is the main centre around which road transportation in the area is concentrated. Changanassery Railway Station is the nearest railway station. The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery, while Kottayam is the nearest inland port.
In the public distribution sector, the panchayat has a Maveli Store and a Neethi Store. People belonging to Hindu, Muslim, and Christian communities live together harmoniously in the panchayat, which is home to numerous places of worship. Some of the important religious institutions in the panchayat include Kangazha Mahadeva Temple, Pathanadu Devi Temple, Puthuvakkunnu Devi Temple, St. Mary’s Church, St. Antony’s Church, St. Thomas Church, Kangazha Muslim Jama-Ath, and Mullamkuzhi Muslim Jama-Ath.
Festivals and religious celebrations such as temple festivals and church feasts are celebrated collectively by people belonging to different communities, reflecting the strong tradition of communal harmony in the panchayat.
Pathanadu Government Lower Primary School is the only government school in the panchayat. Other educational institutions in the aided and unaided sectors include Muslim Higher Secondary School, Little Flower Vidyanikethan, Bethany, Vivekananda Mandiram, Devaswom Board High School, CMS High School, Velappan Memorial Upper Primary School, CMS Upper Primary School, and CMS Lower Primary School.
The main healthcare institution in the panchayat is the Edayarickapuzha Community Health Centre. Ambulance services are also available through the Community Health Centre and Pathanadu MSS. A Veterinary Dispensary is functioning at Kaanam to provide veterinary services.
Several Central and State Government institutions as well as private establishments operate in the panchayat. The Village Office and Krishi Bhavan are located at Pathanadu. The Sub Post Office is located at Kangazha, while branch post offices operate at Mundathanam, Edayarickapuzha, and Kaanam.
Branches of the State Bank of India (SBI) operate at Mundathanam and Pathanadu. Kerala Bank and Kangazha Service Co-operative Bank operate in the cooperative banking sector. A branch of the South Indian Bank also functions in the area.