Thrissur

This article is about the country. For other uses, see Thrissur (disambiguation).

Thrissur
Trichur, Thrissivaperur
Metropolis
Clockwise from top:
Thrissur city, Metharapolitha Cathedral, Cape of Kodungallur, Athiralpalli waterfalls, Clock tower, Sakthan Thampuran Palace, Vadakkunnathan Temple
Thrissur is located in Kerala
Thrissur
Thrissur
Thrissur (Kerala)
Thrissur is located in India
Thrissur
Thrissur
Thrissur (India)
Coordinates: 10°31′39.4″N 76°12′51.8″E / 10.527611°N 76.214389°E / 10.527611; 76.214389[1]
Country India
StateKerala
DistrictThrissur
Government
 • TypeMayor–council government
 • BodyThrissur Municipal Corporation
 • MayorM. K. Varghese (LDF – Independent)
 • Deputy mayorRajasree Gopan (LDF – CPI(M))
 • Police commissionerR Ilango [1] IPS
 • Member of ParliamentSuresh Gopi (BJP)
Area
[2]
 • Metropolis101.42 km2 (39.16 sq mi)
 • Rank4th
Elevation
39.58 m (129.86 ft)
Population
 (2011)[3]
 • Metropolis315,957
 • Rank113th
 • Density3,115/km2 (8,070/sq mi)
 • Metro
[4]
2,406,791
Demonym(s)Thrissurkaran (male)
Thrissurkari (female)
Thrissurkar (plural)
Languages
 • OfficialMalayalam, English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
680xxx
Telephone codesThrissur: +91487xxxxxxx,
Irinjalakuda: +91480xxxxxxx,
Wadakkancherry: +914884xxxxxx,
Kunnamkulam: +914885xxxxxx
Vehicle registrationKL-08
Literacy rate97.24%
GDP(2020)US$3.654 (equivalent to $4.3 in 2023)Billion[5]
Importancecultural capital of Kerala
ClimateAm/Aw (Köppen)
Precipitation3,100 millimetres (120 in)
Avg. summer temperature35 °C (95 °F)
Avg. winter temperature20 °C (68 °F)
Websitehttps://thrissur.nic.in/

Thrissur (Malayalam: [t̪riʃ(ː)uːr] ⓘ), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and the 21st largest in India.[6][7] The city is built around a 65-acre (26 ha) hillock called Thekkinkadu Maidanam which seats the Vadakkunnathan temple. It is located 304 kilometres (189 mi) north-west of the state's capital city, Thiruvananthapuram. Thrissur was once the capital of the Kingdom of Cochin, and was a point of contact for the Assyrians, Greeks, Persians, Arabs, Romans, Portuguese, Dutch and English.

Thrissur is also known as the cultural capital of Kerala because of its cultural, spiritual and religious leanings throughout history.[8] The city centre contains the Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy, Kerala Lalithakala Akademi and Kerala Sahitya Academy.[9] The city hosts the Thrissur Pooram festival, the most colourful and spectacular temple festival in Kerala.[10][11] The festival is held at the Thekkinkadu Maidan of Vadakumnathan Temple in April or May, in the Malayalam month 'medam'.[8]

Religion is important and varied in Thrissur. The city has historically been a centre of Hindu scholarship, and Christianity, Islam and Judaism are believed to have entered the Indian subcontinent through Thrissur and its surrounding areas. Thrissur has a large number of well-known temples including the Vadakkumnathan temple, Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple, and Paramekkavu temple. There are three major Catholic churches, the St. Antony's Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane, Our Lady of Lourdes Syro-Malabar Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral and Our Lady of Dolours Syro-Malabar Catholic Basilica, the largest Christian church in India.[12][13] Thrissur is home to the Academy of Sharia and Advanced Studies an Islamic institute that is unusual in that it teaches Sanskrit and aspart of the Sanskrit syllabus it includes study of several key Hindu texts.[14][15][16][17][18][19]

The city is the headquarters of four major scheduled banks, South Indian Bank Ltd, Catholic Syrian Bank, Dhanalakshmi Bank and ESAF Small Finance Bank[20] as well as several chit funds.[21] The city is also a big centre for silks and gold jewellery. Thrissur attracts the largest number of domestic tourists in Kerala.[22]

Thrissur is also a major academic hub and is home to several educational institutions, including the Kerala Kalamandalam, Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala University of Health Sciences, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sree Kerala Varma College, St Thomas College, Jawahar Bal Bhavan Thrissur, Kerala Institute of Local Administration, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Kerala Police Academy, Police Dog Training Centre, Kerala Fire and Rescue Services Academy, Excise Academy and Research Centre, Government College Of Music And Performing Arts, Government College of Fine Arts, Government Law College, Government Engineering College, Government Medical College and Vaidyaratnam Ayurveda College.[23][24][25]

  1. ^ "Thrissur Pooram disruption: City Police Commissioner Ankit Asokan transferred".
  2. ^ "തൃശ്ശൂര്‍ കോര്‍പ്പറേഷന്‍".
  3. ^ "Kerala (India): Districts, Cities and Towns - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
  4. ^ "Thrissur City" (PDF). Census2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  5. ^ https://metroverse.cid.harvard.edu/city/7864/overview
  6. ^ "Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011" (PDF). Census India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 November 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  7. ^ "Comparative study of decadal growth of state/districts 1991–2001, 2001–2011" (PDF). Census India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  8. ^ a b "Thrissur". Thrissur Municipal Corporation. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  9. ^ "Literary and cultural societies". Kerala Government. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  10. ^ "Festivals and Fairs of Thrissur". Kerala Government. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  11. ^ "Tourism". Thrissur Corporation. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  12. ^ "Pilgrimage". Thrissur Corporation. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  13. ^ "Catholic Syrian: God's Own Bank". Forbes India. Archived from the original on 30 April 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  14. ^ "Kerala: Islamic Institute Starts Sanskrit Course, Sets Example Amid Saffronisation Debate". www.outlookindia.com/. 13 November 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  15. ^ "Islamic Institute in Kerala to teach Bhagvad Gita, Sanskrit Hindu texts as part of its syllabus". www.oneindia.com/. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  16. ^ "Hindu texts, Sanskrit in Islamic school". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  17. ^ "Islamic institution in Thrissur teaches students Sanskrit, Gita, Upanishads". The South First. 13 November 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  18. ^ Web Desk (13 November 2022). "Kerala Islamic institute teaches Sanskrit and Upanishads". english.madhyamam.com. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  19. ^ Bureau, I. N. (14 November 2022). "Kerala's Islamic institution teaches Sanskrit, Hindu scriptures". Indianarrative. Retrieved 19 February 2023. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  20. ^ "With RBI nod, ESAF is now 'scheduled bank'". @businessline. 28 December 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  21. ^ "Chit fund cos on the rise in Kerala". The Indian Express. 7 September 2009. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
  22. ^ "Tourist statistics" (PDF). Kerala Tourism. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
  23. ^ "History". Kerala Agricultural University. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  24. ^ "About Us". Kerala Institute of Local Administration. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  25. ^ "Educational Institutions". Thrissur Corporation. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2010.