Vadavannur

Vadavannur is a predominantly agricultural village in Chittur Taluk in the Palakkad District of Kerala, India. Vadavannur is also a "Panchayat". Neighbouring "Panchayats" of Vadavannur are Kollengode, Puthunagaram, and Pallasena.

Government

Vadavannur is currently a part of Chittur Assembly Constituency. Due to the recent re-distribution of Assembly Seats in Kerala, Vadavannur will soon become part of Nemmara Assembly Constituency and remain a "Palghat Parliament Constituency".

Facilities

Government institutions include a Primary Health Centre, a Post Office, a Village Office and a "Krishi Bhavan". It has only one Bank, the Vadavannur Service Co-op. Bank. It has two primary/secondary schools (One school named after Late Parakkal Achuthan Menon) and a High School.

Temples

Important Hindu Temples include "Mannathu Bhagvathy Kavu", "Thirlampetta Sivan Temple", "Mazhur Kavu", "Cheermba Kavu", "Puthukkili Kavu Pookunni Siva Temple Mariamman Kovil" both at Pattathalachi and Coundathara.

Prominent Inhabitants

Vadavannur as a village contributed its bit to the struggle for India's independence from Great Britain under Mahatma Gandhi's non cooperation movement. The prominent freedom fighter's are Madathil Pangu Menon, Parakkal Balachandra Menon, Azhakapadath Kochappan Nair, Parakkal Viswanatha Menon, Parakkal Vasudevan Menon,Erath Kutty Krishnan Nair, Thodanchathhe Vasudevan Nair and Pallasena Palaat Thankappan Nair. After India gained its independence in 1947, most of the freedom fighter's kept themselves away from actively involving in any political activities or running for government office. One exception is Parakkal Balachandra Menon who was a Rajya Sabha MP for the Communist Party of India for a brief period until his death. He was the lone MP so far from Vadavannur.

Other prominent persons of the village include Late Pandit Vadekkepat Narayanan Nair who was great scholar in Sanskrit, the late Sri M. G. Ramachandran, the late Sri Prof.Vadekkepat Vijayan the Kathakali exponent, former Chief Secretary of Kerala and presently Chief Information Commissioner is from the Palat family of Vadavannur. Sri T. Balakrishan, Principal Secretary (Industries and Commerce) Government of Kerala is from the Thodanchath family of Vadavannur, Parakkal Balakrishna Menon {P.M} renowned veterinarian from Kollengode, Madathil Vijayan Deputy Director of Customs and Central Exercise and Justice B.M. Thulasidas from Madathil Family.

Festivals

Vadavannur is famous for its festivals, which happen once every two years. It starts from end of January and goes on till early April. The festival season starts with "Kanyar". Then, there is a 7 day long "Kummatti" followed by a 7 day long "Kali-Vela". Some of the prominent villagers in the art of Kanyar Kali are late "Sri Samba Menon", late "Sri Madathil KunjuKutta Menon", late "Sri Marathe Unni Menon", late "Sri Maruthur Raja Krishna Menon", late "Sri Parakkal Sethumadhava Menon", "Sri Vadakkepat Sundaran Nair", late Sri Madathil Rajan.Apart from the said festivals Ayyappan pooja, Mariamman Pooja are also conducted annually with the active participation of all the villagers.

References