It is the headquarters of Pathanapuram Taluk.Taluk Office was inaugurated on 13.01.2014. It is a part of the Western Ghats and the area is predominant with Spice and Rubber cultivation. Pathanapuram town is about 44 km from the district headquarters of Kollam. Pathanapuram is a mountainous area of 248.32 km2 and has a population of about 165,762 people
The history of Pathanapuram goes back to The
nmala Desom, a small Principality under a local ruler with allegiance to Elayidathu Swaroopam or Kingdom which had its capital at Kottarakkara. In 1764, King Marthandavarma conquered Elayidathu Swaroopam and annexed it to Travancore. Most parts of Pathanapuram taluk were inhabited since before the Indus Valley Civilization, and civilization may have existed in and around Pathanapuram beginning the 1st Century. The name Pathanapuram may have evolved from the fact that the area had a sizeable elephant population and elephants were caught and trained/tamed for work at the elephant cage/camp at the Town. The Old police station area used to be the elephant Camp. The name can be translated as Path =(10)+Ana = (elephant) + Puram = (Town) == Ten Elephant Town. Pathanam means palace or house. Puram means town. Thus the word Pathanapuram means Town with Palace (of the king of Thenmala Desom)or Town with lot of houses. There are seven panchayats in Pathanapuram Taluka viz, Pathanapuram, Piravanthoor, Thalavoor, Vilakkudy, Pattazhy, Pattazhy Vadakkekkara, Punnala (New Panchayat):[1][2]
Pathanapuram Village, 2011 population 31,715
Pattazhy Village, 2011 population 17,342
Pattazhy Vadakkekara Village, 2011 population 14,775
Piravanthoor Village, 2011 population 23,336
Thalavoor Village, 2011 population 23,572
Vilakudy Village, 2011 population 32,677
Punnala Village, 2011 population 12,558
Pidavoor Village, 2011 population 10,087
There are 8 villages in Pathanapuram Taluka. Total population is 1,65,762. There are 40042 houses in this taluk:[3]
Pattazhy - 4,282 Houses
Thalavoor - 5,655 Houses
Vilakudy - 7,524 Houses
Pidavoor - 2,460 Houses
Pathanapuram - 7,495 Houses
Pattazhy Vadakkekkara - 3,649 Houses
Piravanthoor - 5,836 Houses
Punnala - 3,141 Houses
Rail: The nearest rail links to Pathanapuram are situated in Chengannur, Kollam, Kayamkulam, Punalur and Avaneeswaram; all of which are broad gauge rail stations. Air: Pathanapuram is situated 89 km from the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.Cochin (Nedumbassery) Airport is 170 km. Road: The area is well connected to the rest of Kerala by bus services. S. R. T. C. operates about 50 services from Pathanapuram Sub Depot. They include Pathanapuram - Mananthavady Super Fast, Pathanapuram - Sulthan Bathery L/S FP, Pathanapuram - Thrissur L/S FP,Pathanapuram - Eranakulam FP, Pathanapuram - Trivandrum FP (3) & Pathanapuram - Kollam FP. Ordinary services are available to Kollam, Kayamkulam, Adoor, Kundara, Kottarakkara, Kunnicode,Valakom, Punalur,Kulathupuzha, Punnala, Poomkulanji, Pattazhy, Enath, Chakkulathucavu, Padam, Pathanamthitta, Kumaly, Chengannur, Mancode, Pothupara etc. There are two daily services to Bangalore viz, Kallada G4 & S L S. There is one daily service to Coimbatore by A1.
