| Voice of Idukki : Shirjesh
Idukki District
Area, Population & Sex Ratio
Geographical Area : 4476.0 Km2
Population in Idukki (Census 2011)
Total Population
Total : 11,07,453
Male : 5,51,944
Female : 5,55,509
Under 6 population
Total : 1,00,107
Male : 51,132
Female : 48,975
Disabled population
Total disabled population : 36143
In seeing : 16070
In speech : 2523
In hearing : 3122
In movement : 9076
Mental : 5352
Rank ( VoiceOfBharat.org Analysis
)
Backwardness : 400
Sex Ratio Rank : 491
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : C
(HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 - 2006)
Disability : 254 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 16 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Brief About Idukki District
History and Heritage
The district was formed on January 26, 1972 carving out of Devikulam,
Peerumedu and Udumbanchola taluks from Kottayam district and Thodupuzha
taluk from Ernakulam district. It extends by 115 kms. from south
to north and 67 kms. From east to west. The area of the district
is 5019 Sq. kms. For revenue administration the district is sub
divided into four taluks viz., Devikulam, Peermade, Udumbanchola
and Thodupuzha. For purposes of developmental activities it is divided
into eight blocks Arudai, Devikulam, Elamdesom, Idukki, Kattappana,
Adimali, Nedumkandom and Thodupuzha. The district is bounded by
Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts on the south, Thrissur and
Coimbatore districts on the north, Madurai, Ramanad and Thirunelveli
districts on the east and Ernakulam and Kottayam districts on the
west,
Though the district
cannot boast of a history of the rise and fall of a few dynasties,
it played a significant role in the spiritual development of the
country, especially the south. The Ramayana gives a graphic description
of the flora of the Pamba Valley.
It is believed that
the name Sabarimala derived from Sabari Ashram which was located
at Sabari Peedom near Sabari Mala, one of the famous Pilgrim centres.
The Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala is supposed to be the place
where a great Jain or Buddhist monk attained Nirvana. (Now Sabarimala
is in Pathanamthitta district). The archaeological evidence of the
Mangaladevi Temple 15 kms. from Thekkadi in the dense forest bespeaks
of an equally shrouded antiquity. May be, with its undulating hills
and valleys and the perennial rivers the district formed a recluse
for the spiritual seekers of ancient India.
But the history of
the present population of the district is very recent. It is a history
of colonisation braving inclement weather, wild animals and epidemics.
It is also a history of the exploitation of labour and labour struggles.
Settling in the district began in all seriousness during the Ministry
of Sri T.K.Narayana Pillai, as a sequence to the grow-more-food
campaign in the State. These migrants who constituted a few planters
and a cross section of the people became the nucleus of the present
population. In the days of Shri Pattom Thanu Pillai it became a
systematic colonisation. Kallar Pattom colony in Udumbanchola taluk
bears the imprint of his name. That the earliest human habitation
of the district started from Tamil Nadu in the first two decades
of the present century can be gauged from the story that while Maharaja
Sri Mulam was personally supervising the construction of the Dam
on Mullaperiyar river he felt thirsty and a shepherd called Ankur
Rautar gave him milk hot from the udder of the sheep. The delighted
Maharaja gave him title over extensive forest land which his descendants
sold to land owners in Tamil Nadu and with the help of cheap labour
they were converted into Cardamom or Tea Plantations. The area around
Munnar developed from the time when the British made it their summer
resort. Here too the immediate accessible population was from Tamil
Nadu and Munnar became a Tamil pocket in Kerala.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Flora
and Fauna
The district has at
present about 260907 ha. forest area. However, the sylvan wealth
of the district and the animal life are fast disintegrating due
to deforestation, indiscriminate felling of trees, encroachment
and poaching. All kinds of wild animals with the exception of lions
abound in the forests of Idukki. The grasslands of Peermade are
a haven of carnivores like the tiger and the leopard. This is chiefly
so, as they are a natural upon. Bison, wildbear, languor and monkeys
are a few other common denizens of the jungle. The Thar (striped
goat) seen in Marayur region and Rajamala is found nowhere else
in the world. The forest glades of Idukki resound in day time with
the sweet voices of birds. They include the small wild parrots,
mynas, red horned sparrows and a host of other nondescript species.
The valuable trees
growing in the forests are teak, rosewood, deodars, sandal etc.
The Forest Department has reared large Eucalyptus Plantations in
the hilly tracts.
People
The
population of the district, according to 2001 census, is 1,128,605.
The density of population is 252 per sq. km.
Most
of the Harijans work as agricultural labourers in the tea and cardamom
estates. Ayyappancoil and Pampadumpara of Udumbanchola taluk, Kumali
of Peermade taluk, Kuttampuzha, Mannamkandam and Marayur of Devikulam
taluk, Vannappuram, Vazhathope and Velliyamattom of Thodupuzha taluk
are the concentrations of Harijans. Mannans, Mala Arayans, Urali,
Muthuvans, Hill Pulaya, Paliyan and Ulladan are the different groups
of tribals in the district. All these tribes are not aborigins.
The Muthuvans of Marayoor, Kanthaloor and Vattavada panchayats speak
Tamil dialects. Their tribal legends show that they were the loyal
servants of a section of the royal dynasty of Madurai and they carried
the idols of Madurai Meenakshi for the fleeing royal members on
their backs which are known in Tamil as 'Muthuku'. Thrown out from
power at Madurai the surviving members of the Madurai Royal family
established the Poonjar dynasty in Kerala, and the servants who
came with them with the idols on heir backs settled in the forests
near Tamil Nadu, and are now known as Muthuvans. They are agriculturists.
The Mala Arayans of Vannappuram, Velliyamattom, Udumbannoor and
Arankulam panchayats are also agriculturists. They look like the
plains-dwellers, and believe that they were a section of the Arayans
of the coastal belt of Kerala who migrated to the forest and came
to be known as Mala Arayans.
Christians
constitute the majority among the population of the district. They
settled in the High Ranges in the course of their search for pastures
anew. Behind the agricultural development of Idukki there is the
untold hardship of this hard working people in the early days of
settlement. Though there are many rich estate owners among them,
the majority are middle class farmers earning their livelihood through
their struggle against soil and climate.
Muslims
are confined to certain pockets of the district. The municipality
of Thodupuzha has a large Muslim population. They are mostly small
traders and business men. In Munnar there are a few rich Muslims
engaged in flourishing business. The Muslims of Kumily hailed from
Tamil Nadu. Some of them have cardamoms estates of their own and
the others are engaged in trade. In Peermade there is a large number
of Muslim families. The name "Peermade" derived from the name of
a Muslim Saint "Pir Mohammed".
Nairs
form a small portion of the population of Idukki. The eastern part
of Thodupuzha has a considerable Nair population. They are mostly
engaged in agriculture.
In
Udumbanchola taluk Ezhava are numerically second to the Christians.
Most of them are small farmers. In Thodupuzha and Peermade taluks
too their numerical strength is comparatively high.
Devikulam
and Peermade taluks a large concentration of Tamilians who are mainly
labourers in tea and cardamom estates. This population is slightly
fluctuating in nature as they are having their permanent settlements
in Tamil Nadu. Most of the cardamom estates are owned by Tamilians
living in Cumbum, Gudalur and other towns in the adjoining Madurai
district.
Topography
and Climate
Sprawling
over an area of 5,061 sq. kms. the district is marked by undulating
hills and valleys. The high ranges vary in altitude from 2500 ft.
above mean sea level in Kulamavu to more than 5,000 ft. above M.S.L.
in Munnar. The highest peak in Kerala, Anamudi is in the district.
It is 8,841 ft. high. The different levels of elevation promote
the growth of diverse flora. Except a bit of midland region in the
western portions of Thodupuzha taluk all the remaining areas consisting
of Devikulam, Peermade and Udumbanchola taluks and the eastern portion
of the Thodupuzha taluk are entirely highland region. Granite hills
touching the skies and being skirted round with thick rain-fed sylvan
forest render a terrific charm to the district. There are eleven
peaks in Idukki which exceed a height of 6000 ft. above M.S.L. The
highland region is having a comparatively cold climate. In peaks
above an elevation of 2400 metres the temperature at times falls
down to near freezing point in the writer. Occurrence of mist is
usual in the highland region lying over an elevation of 1300 metres
above M.S.L.
The
annual rainfall in the district varies from 250 to 425 cms. But,
it is recorded that the annual rainfall had gone upto 700 CMS in
certain years. The eastern and northeastern regions of the district
get very low rainfall in contrast to other areas. This may go up
to 150 CMS at Marayur, Kanthalloor, Vattavada and Thalayar regions.
Marayur and Kanthalloor are virtually rain shadow areas, lying in
the eastern side of the Western Ghats.
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