Chengara facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chengara
|
|
---|---|
Village
|
|
![]() A view of Chengara Junction
|
|
Country | India |
State | Kerala |
District | Pathanamthitta |
Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
PIN |
689664
|
Telephone code | 0468 |
Vehicle registration | KL-83 |
Nearest city | Konni, Pathanamthitta |
Literacy | 99% |
Lok Sabha constituency | Pathanamthitta |
Chengara is a small village in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, India. It is known for its beautiful nature, including hills and a pleasant climate. Studies have even shown that Chengara has some of the cleanest air around! This village is mostly surrounded by large rubber plantations owned by Harrisons Malayalam Limited.
Chengara is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the main district town, Pathanamthitta. It's also about 110 kilometers (68 miles) from Kochi and just over 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Thiruvananthapuram, which is the capital city of Kerala. The closest towns are Konni (about 6 km or 3.7 miles away) and Pathanamthitta (about 10 km or 6.2 miles away). There's even a medical college in Konni, only 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) from the village.
Contents
Weather in Chengara
Chengara has a tropical climate, meaning it's warm most of the time. There are three main seasons here. These are a humid summer, a monsoon (rainy) season, and a mild winter. April is usually the warmest month.
In May, the village often gets strong thunderstorms, and it stays quite humid. The monsoon season lasts from June to August. Most of the heavy rain falls in June and July, with June being the wettest month of the year.
People of Chengara
Chengara has a population of just over 1,500 people. The village has a very high literacy rate of 99%. This means almost everyone can read and write!
Schools in Chengara
G.C.S.L.P. school is the only school right in Chengara. It is owned by the Chengara Service Co-operative Society Ltd. This school teaches students from first to fifth grade.
For older students, the nearest higher secondary school is St. George Vocational Higher Secondary School in Attachackal. Many students from Chengara also travel to schools in nearby towns like Pathanamthitta and Kozhencherry. If students want to learn technical skills, they go to special institutes around Pathanamthitta.
Chengara's Economy
The economy in Chengara mainly relies on agriculture, which means farming. Rubber plantations are a very important way for people to earn money here. Chengara is one of the biggest places in Kerala for producing rubber. This is because of its hilly land, high humidity, and plenty of rainfall.
Other important crops grown in Chengara include cocoa, coconut, tapioca, and pepper. Many people from Chengara also live and work in other countries. They send money back home, which helps the local economy.
Culture and Traditions
Religions in Chengara
People in Chengara follow different religions. The main religions are Christianity and Hinduism. There are several churches in the village, such as Bethel Marthoma Church, St George Orthodox Church Chengara (also known as Chengara Pally, established in 1979), St Patrick's Malankara Catholic Church, and Bethel Brethren Assembly and Pentecost Church (IPC). The Hindu temple in the village is called Chengara Siva Parvathi Temple.
The Bethel Marthoma Church holds a special event called the Chengara Convention every January. This church belongs to the Ranni-Nilackal Diocese of the Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church.
St. George Orthodox Church, Chengara (also known as Chengara Pally or ചെങ്ങറ പള്ളി) is an old church in Chengara. It is the main church for the Thumpamon Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
Feast of St George
The Feast of St. George is a special celebration held by St George Orthodox Church every year. It takes place from May 1st to May 5th. St. George is the patron saint of the church, meaning he is its special protector.
Sports and Fun
Cricket is the most popular sport in Chengara. Every year, a cricket tournament is held during the mid-summer holidays. Other popular sports that people enjoy playing are football, volleyball, and badminton.
Interesting Places to Visit
- Orakuzhi is a small waterfall located at the edge of the village, near the Kizhakkupuram area. It's a popular spot for young people to hang out.
- Meemooti Thodu is another waterfall in Chengara. It can be dangerous because the water falls from a great height over rocks.
- Harrisons Malayalam Rubber Plantation covers a very large area of Chengara, more than 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares). It has many unpaved roads that are used by trucks and bullock carts.
- Chemmani Rubber Plantation covers about 300 acres (120 hectares) in Chengara.
Getting Around and Services
Staying Connected
You can use mobile phone services from many different companies in Chengara. The main service providers include BSNL, Airtel, Idea, Vodafone, and Jio. The village also has a cable network. This network provides Malayalam TV channels and major channels in other languages.
Transportation
Both government buses (from Kerala State Road Transport Corporation or KSRTC) and private buses connect Chengara to nearby towns.
The Attachakal–Malayalapuzha road and Attachakal–Kumblampoika road both pass through Chengara. If you are coming from Konni, these roads are the easiest way to reach places like Vadaserikara and Ranni. This route can also be used to get to Sabarimala.
Chengara Junction is a key point on the Attachakal–Chengara–Kumblampoika road. This road connects the villages of Attachakkal, Chengara, Puthukulam, and Kumplampoika. It starts at Attachakal junction and ends at Kumplampoika, covering a total distance of about 13.4 kilometers (8.3 miles).
The closest railway station is Chengannur, which is about 34 kilometers (21 miles) away. Thiruvalla railway station is also nearby, about 41 kilometers (25 miles) away.
The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, which is about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Chengara. Cochin International Airport is a bit further, around 124 kilometers (77 miles) away.
Local Organizations
Chengara has several important organizations and services:
- Chengara Service Co-operative Society
- Chengara Pravasi Association (for people from Chengara living abroad)
- Chengara Post Office
- Olive Mart supermarket
- Ration shop Chengara (a shop that sells food and other goods at fair prices)
The Chengara Land Struggle
Chengara has been mentioned in the news because of a land struggle. This event is known as "Chengara Samaram." It happened on a rubber plantation about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) outside the village.
In 2007, a group called the Sadu Jana Vimochana Samara Vedi (SJVSV), led by Laha Gopalan, started a protest. Hundreds of workers moved onto the Kumbazha Estate, which belonged to Harrison Malayalam Limited. They were asking for 5 acres (2 hectares) of land for farming and money to help them start. They set up tents and began to use the rubber trees on the land. The group claimed they were occupying about 200 hectares (490 acres) of land.
Many well-known people, like Medha Patkar and Arundhati Roy, visited the protest to show their support. The government later identified land in 10 districts to give to 1,495 families who didn't have land. This was part of a plan called the "Chengara Package." Some families, however, did not want the land they were offered because they felt it wasn't good for living or farming. The protest leaders said they would not leave the land until all families received suitable land. Some families have even built permanent homes and started farming on the land they occupied. The protest group also set up a library and a school there.