About Village
Kurichi was part of Neelamperur. Neelamperur was once a place full of water like the blue sea. The area to its east was also a hilly region. In ancient times, this place was known as Kurinchithinai . Kurinji means hill and Thinai means area . Kurinji later became Lopich Kurichi. That is how this place got its name. This is how the Kurichis, the soldiers of Pazhassi, got their name. Those in Kurichi (mountain) are Kurichis. Kurichi+ ar = Kurichiyar. There are many places in Kerala including Thikkurissi, Killikurissi, Kalladakurichi and Manavalakurichi. There is even a place called Kurichi in Tamil Nadu. Malayattoor Hill was known as Kurinjimudi till 1898.
Demography
The village is home to over 40,000 people in 10,000 homes. It is also the village with the highest number of Scheduled Castes in Kottayam district. More than half of the population belongs to this category. There are more than 22 colonies here. Sachivothampuram Colony, the first Scheduled Caste Colony established in Travancore, is located in this village. The slave trade in the Changanacherry market has existed for centuries. Slaves were brought from Kuttanad to the Changanassery market and sold. Ajanubahu and Anandan Isaac, a strongman who had collaborated with the Dalit movement, forcibly freed slaves from the Changanassery market in 1924 and settled them in Muttakulam (now Sachivothamapuram). With the emergence of a law and order problem in the area under the leadership of Anandan Isaac, the local civic leaders intervened and the matter came to the attention of the King and the Diwan. By this time many Dalit colonies had been established in Kochi. Following this, it was decided to set up colonies for the lower castes in Travancore as well. Ready. By this time, Anandan Isaac had been taken into police custody and was being placed under house arrest on the floor known as No. 9. At the request of the citizens of Kurichi, a decision was taken in 1936 to establish a colony here and to build houses for it. The colony was established in 1938 under the name Sachivothamapuram with the adjective Sachivothaman along with the CP name, accommodating a total of 120 families, initially comprising 40 families and later 80 families on an area of 112 acres. Diwan Sir C.P. Although the colony was inaugurated by Ramaswamy, the Maharaja of Chithirithirunal suggested the name Sachivothampuram for the colony. 75 cents each for land and house (25 cents for house and 50 cents for cultivation) one well for 4 houses, night school for children to study (this school is now known as Harijan Welfare UP School) and eight rooms for raising cattle , a weaving mill(weaving mill now Govt. ITC) and also established a temple (Major Sri Ramaswamy Temple).The son-in-law of Ayyankali, became the warden of the colony. TT.Keshavan also appointed Shastri.
Geography
The village boundary is the same as the gram panchayat boundary. West Neelamperur Grama Panchayat, South-East-West Vazhappally Grama Panchayat, North-East Wakathanam Grama Panchayat and North-West Kottayam Municipality (formerly Nattakam Grama Panchayat) share borders.
Socio-Economic
There are Hindu and Christian churches in the village. There is no mosque in this village as there is no Muslim population at all. Idanadu Ittalayappa Temple, Major Sri Ramaswamy Temple and Chiravammuttam Sree Mahadeva Temple are temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board. The temples of Cheruparakavu Devi Temple, Trikapaleswaram Shiva Temple, Mullaikkal Bhagavathy Temple, Krishnankunnu Parthasarathy Temple, Sankarapuram Sree Mahadeva Temple, Elankavu Devi Temple, Ithithanam Sri Krishnaswamy Temple and Thekkanal Bhadrakali Temple are under private trusts. Elankavu Devi Temple is located in this village and hosts the famous Ithithanam Gaja Mela in Central Travancore. During the Makaravilakku, brutal Kathakali is performed at the Indanattu Indalayappa Temple. The idol of Lord Krishna in the Krishnankunnu Parthasarathy temple is enshrined in the Ambalappuzha temple.
Ecology
There are several natural pools in Kurichi village. When all these are added together, it comes to 110 acres, but everything is lying fallow. The main rivers of the village are the Chalachira river which flows through Ithithanam and the Kottayam Changanassery river which flows through Kurichi. In the past, boats and moored boats used to reach Ithithanam from Alappuzha via Chalachira stream. Before the spread of road transport, Kottayam changanacherry river was the main mode of transport with the Changanassery region. These streams reach Kodurat.
Tourism
The tradition of Kurichi in Kathakali is something special to say. Ramanattam, the beginning of Kathakali, has a long tradition. That is, it has been a center of Kathakali since ancient times. Krishna Pillai from Poovakulam house, Kittan Pillai from Ikkarathazhuveettil, Parameswaran Pillai, Kurichi Krishnapillai, Kochappi Ramanmar, Ayyappa Kurup who was born in Thiruvanchikulam house and later settled in Vechoor, Kurichi Kunjanpanikar and many others were famous in Kathakali. P.S. Kumaranasan was famous in Arjuna nritham or Mayilpeelithookkam is a native of Kurichi. After his death, this art form continued to be passed on to his son. Ithithanam Bhasi was a native who was famous in the art of storytelling.