Asamannoor
Grama Panchayat

Ashamannur Grama Panchayat is a Grama Panchayat located in the Koovappadi Block of Kunnathunadu Taluk of Ernakulam District in the limits of Ashamannur Village. The Panchayat, which has an area of ​​21.27 sq km, is bounded by Vengoor, Kottapadi, Rayamangalam and Matakuzha Panchayats in the north, Payipra, Rayamangalam and Nellikuzhi Panchayats in the south, Rayamangalam Panchayat in the west, and Nellikuzhi and Kottapadi Panchayats in the east. Ashamannur Panchayat came into existence in 1953 with six wards and 7 members. In the first ward, there was one general seat and one reserved seat. The term was three years. The first president was K. Keshavappisharody and then S.N.N. Nair. Administrator rule came into effect from 1957. Elections were held again in 1963. In addition to the seven members, there was one woman member by nomination. The woman representative was Bhanumathi Balakrishnan. Ashamannur Panchayat was once the abode of Jains. Their culture and traditions have had a decisive influence on the cultural tradition of this area.

The rock complexes on the hilltops located on the southern border of the panchayat, the cave temple there and the carvings there give authenticity to that fact. This stone temple is one of the rare rock temples left in Kerala today. The government declared it as a protected historical monument in 1965. It is surprising that there is a well on this hilltop that always provides fresh water. Ashamannur Grama Panchayat is a land area of ​​21.27 square kilometers, including more than 15 small and large hills, their small valleys and flat areas on the hilltops, from the highest point between Periyar and Muvattupuzha rivers, to the north-east. The Periyarvalli High Level Canal passes through the southern part of the southern half. This canal passes through a tunnel that is very deep below ground level and is about one kilometer long through the Methala Hills.

Before independence, the three regions of Travancore, Cochin and Malabar were largely isolated from each other. During the reign of Maharaja Marthanda Varma, Travancore expanded from Alangad in the north to Paravur in the south. Before that, the present-day Travancore region belonged to many small princely states like Kollam, Kayamkulam and Ambalapuzha. Around 1100 AD, Vembolinadu was divided into two parts, Thekkumkur and Vadakkumkur. Thekkumkur, Vadakkumkur and many other princely states became part of Travancore. The Asamannur Panchayat area was in Vadakkumkur. Thus, the people of Asamannur Panchayat, who were once the people of Vadakkumkur, then Travancore and later Thirukochi, became Keralites. The main areas of Ashamannur Panchayat are Methala, Ekkunnam, Thalapunja, Cherukunnam, Punnayam, Ashamannur, Payyal, Panichayam, Nooleli and Odakalli.

The ancient stone temple is located in the Methala area. The stone temple is one of the rare stone temples left in Kerala today. The surrounding area is known as the stone area because of the stone temple built between the rocks. The shrine is located in a cave under a large rock 35 meters high. The idols of Padmavati Devi and Mahavira Jain made of five metals were installed in the shrine. An idol of Parshwanatha is carved on one side of the upper rock. Today, Hindu worship is carried out in this ancient Jain temple. Padmavati Devi is worshipped as Parvati Devi, Mahavira Jain as Shiva, and Parshwanatha as Brahma.

The temple, which had a lot of land, is now the seat of the Pisharat. Many of the rituals of the Pisharats are related to Jainism. Jain devotees still come here from far away places to worship. In 1965, the government declared it a protected historical monument. It is surprising that there is a well on this hilltop that always provides clear water. This festival is celebrated here for eight days after hoisting the flag on the Karthika star in the month of Vrischika. There is a hill called Kazhuvettummol in the Ashamannur area. The remains of the killing stones that were once used to kill many people can still be seen here.

There are various stories about the origin of the place name Odakkali, the headquarters of Ashamannur Panchayat. It is said that the present name Odakkali was associated with the name of a Muslim named Odakkali. There is no doubt that this area was once full of wild grass and was a haven for thieves and robbers. The sources say that the first trader in Odakkali, which was a deserted area, was a Muslim who sold only lime. Even after independence, the ripples of most of the movements that emerged in Kerala were visible in this panchayat. The most important of these was the farmers' movement. The farmers' movement was able to mobilize most of the people of this panchayat in the state-wide struggles against feudalism and achieve the goal of making agricultural land farmers. The old people of this area were literate and had high views.

Since ancient times, Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities have lived in harmony. It continues to be so even today. Chandramana Sreedharan Namboothiri, the master of Kerala's unique classical art form Kathakali, an expert in Sanskrit and astrology, Darpanagovindan Namboothiri, who won the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award in 1994 for his Kathakali performance, and M.K. Sankarannam Namboothiri, a young musician known nationally in classical music, are residents of Punnayam in that panchayat.