Poomangalam
Grama Panchayat

🏛️ History and Legend Behind the Name

Poomangalam was once a constituency in the former Cochin Legislative Assembly. This village was once a settlement of potters who marketed earthenware centered around the Kodungallur port. The flower designs carved on the clay pots made here were exquisitely beautiful. The name 'Poomankalam' (flower-patterned clay pot) gradually evolved into Poomangalam.

🛕 Major Places of Worship and Ancient History

The Elambalakkattu Temple, renowned among the 108 Durga temples for its distinctive architectural elegance, the Payammal Temple, famous as the sole Shatrughna temple, the Pathiyamkulangara Temple, St. Antony's Church at Aikkarakkunnu constructed in a modern style, the Sacred Heart Church (Seminary) at Arippalam, and the Kalparambu Church built in an architectural style similar to ancient Hindu temples all shed light on the ancient history of this village. Small shrines (Kottils) built by those who were denied entry into temples to perform their rituals are now gradually transforming into family temples.

🌾 Social Transformation and Peasant Movements

Since ancient times, most of the agricultural land here consisted of paddy fields. The majority of the land was held by a few landlord families. As a populace solely engaged in agriculture turned to other fields, traditional customs began to disappear. Nevertheless, folk art forms and games like Thuyilunarthupattu, Udukkupattu, Nanthoonippattu, Aivarkali, Kolkali, Kuthirakali, and Darikankali were widely prevalent here.

The new awakening brought about by the Renaissance movements and the Freedom Struggle across Kerala made a significant impact in this village as well. Agricultural workers and tenant farmers organized protests here against the feudal system that persisted until the 1950s.

🎓 Educational Advancement

Public education began at the start of the last century with the establishment of a primary school by the Kalparambu Christian Church. In 1909 AD, this school was handed over to the government and came to be known as J.B.S. Vadakkumkara. Known today as G.U.P. School Kalparambu, it is the first school in the Panchayat and its only government school.

In 1919, St. Mary's L.P. School was established by the Edakkulam Church. S.K.V. L.P. School, S.N.G.S.S. U.P. School in Edakkulam, and A.M. L.P. School in Arippalam were also established. In 1942, the Kalparambu Christian Church established B.V.M. U.P. School, which was upgraded to a high school in 1947. The first batch of students in 1950 achieved a 100% pass rate in the SSLC examination for this school. After the formation of the Poomangalam Panchayat in 1977, un-aided schools such as Vidyajyothi English Medium U.P. School in Arippalam and Holy Cross Convent L.P. School in Kalparambu came into existence.

📚 Libraries and Cultural Societies

Rural reading rooms and libraries have contributed significantly to the cultural growth of the Panchayat. The former Edakkulam Rural Reading Room and the Jaihind Library in Arippalam were the earliest major reading centers. Numerous cultural troupes, such as the Edakkulam Kala Samithi—which began operating in the 1950s by staging plays that paved the way for social change—and Kairali Theatres in Arippalam, spearheaded the cultural movement here.