Cheranallur is a census town situated in the Ernakulam district in the state of Kerala in India. Cheranallur is a northern suburb of Cochin. It lies on the banks of the Periyar River. Cheranallur is one of the beautiful locations in Ernakulam along the river sides of Periyar called Varapuzha Lake. Cheranallur is a place surrounded by backwaters and brackish lagoons which are commonplace in Kerala.
Cheranallur used to be a very busy ferry but the opening of the bridge called Varapuzha Bridge has negated the importance of the place. The Cheranallur forming the only junction in this highway is considered to become one of the biggest junctions in the city. This makes Cheranallur a hotspot as it connects Edappally, Kalamassery, Paravur and Ernakulam. The Cheranallur ferry connects Eloor, Mannamthuruth and Cheranallur.
Etymology of Cheranallur
According to tradition, the area was named by its earlier inhabitants who found this place very fertile and beautiful. The name in its local language Malayalam means "Good place to join". The former ruler of this area was known as "Cheranallur Karthavu" - he was one of the influential lords around Cochin area before the Sakthan Thampuran of Cochin.
Demographics of Cheranallur
The census records of 2001 show that the town is inhabited by 26,330 people. The town has a demographical balance with 50% males and 50% females. 11% of the population are children less than 6 years of age. Cheranallur has an average literacy rate of 85% which is much higher than the national average of 59.5% with 87% of the males and 84% of the females are literate.
Religious Centres at Cheranallur
Cheranallur has two famous temples. The Bhagavathy Temple is considered to be as important as Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple. The temple holds two yearly festivals. One lasts for 9 days and another for a single day. The second famous temple of Cheranallur is the Marapparambu Shiva Temple. Chittoor Sreekrishna Swamy Temple and Vishnupuram Temple are also situated in Cheranallur Panchayat. Also there are three churches in Cheranallur; namely "St James Church", "Our lady of Perpetual Help" and "St Mary`s Church".
Transport Services at Cheranallur
Due to its good connectivity and close proximity to major tourist spots, the real estate business has made a paradigm shift to Cheranallur from other areas of Cochin. The wide road provides easy access to the village from the busy High Court junction and Kalamassery. The recently inaugurated Edappally railway over-bridge also connects Cheranallur to Edappally junction.
