Thodiyoor
Grama Panchayat

History

Thodiyoor is a beautiful and peaceful agricultural village. Once part of the agriculturally famous Onattukara region of Travancore, Thodiyoor is now situated in Karunagappally Taluk. The agricultural prosperity of this village is closely connected to the Pallikkal River, which flows along its northern, eastern, and southern boundaries. Before the formation of the Travancore Kingdom, this area was under the rule of the Kayamkulam King. The historic “Puliykkal Fort,” led by Puliykkal Menavan, a trusted commander of the Kayamkulam King, once stood here as a symbol of the village’s legendary past. Preserving this memory, the Puliykkal Fort School (Thodiyoor Government L.P. School) is situated in the center of the Panchayat.

According to legend, the land lying between Thodiyoor Vattakkayal and Malumel Puncha along the banks of the Pallikkal River resembled a cultivated “thoduka” (prepared agricultural field). It is believed that the place came to be known as “Thodi,” and later evolved into “Thodiyoor.” The village includes areas such as Kallelibhagam, Muzhangodi, Puliyoorvanchi, and Vengara. The Panchayat consists of the two villages of Thodiyoor and Kallelibhagam. (“Thodi” means agricultural land.)

Mararikkthottam Temple is one of the most famous temples associated with the region’s history. Legend says that Lord Shiva resided there after the destruction of Kama Deva. Elders say that the place where Kama Deva fled in fear making loud sounds became known as Muzhangodi, the place where his funeral pyre was prepared became Pattathadavu, and the place where ashes from the pyre were scattered became known as Champakkadavu.

It is also believed that Brahmins who traveled by boat from Puliyoor near Chengannur settled in the area later called Puliyoorvanchi, and that Idakkulangara Devi Temple was their family temple. Another legend states that a lower-caste woman named Mala discovered a Devi idol in a paddy field and installed it nearby, which led to the area being called Malumel. The paddy field where the idol was found is now known as “Bhagavathikkandam.”

Administrative History

Thodiyoor Grama Panchayat was formed on 15 August 1953. The first President of the Panchayat was the late Kattur P. K. Gopalan Nair. Thodiyoor is a village Panchayat located in the northwestern part of Kollam district and belongs to the Karunagappally Block. The Panchayat covers an area of 20.61 square kilometers. It is bordered by Thazhava Panchayat in the north, Sooranad and Mynagappally Panchayats in the east, Panmana Panchayat in the south, and Karunagappally Panchayat in the west.

Freedom fighter Mararikkthottath Raghavan Pillai, who fought strongly against the administration of Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer and became a people’s representative while imprisoned, is remembered with pride. Other notable personalities associated with the Panchayat include Neelambeth Parameswaran Pillai (popularly known as Congress Paramu Pillai), Thachayil Krishnan, A. K. Ashan, Chettiyath Chellappan Pillai, Sreekandasseril Sekharappanikkar, and Mararikkthottath Chellappan Pillai.

The visit of Sree Narayana Guru to the Mulamoottil family at Kallelibhagam enriched the region culturally and educationally. Social reformer Ayyankali visited Thodiyoor and, realizing the backward condition of the Harijan community, advocated for starting a school to bring them into the mainstream of society. As a result, the present Thodiyoor Government L.P. School, once locally called “Pulappallikkoodam,” was established. It is regarded as the first Harijan school in Travancore.

S. Sreedharan Pillai, who generously donated land for establishing the Thodiyoor Grama Panchayat Office, Thodiyoor Government L.P. School (Muzhangodi), Thodiyoor Village Office, and Thodiyoor Service Cooperative Bank, also founded Veluthamanal Puthenchantha and greatly contributed to the cultural development of the region