About Village
Haripad Village is in Karthikappally Taluk of Alappuzha District located between Alappuzha and Kollam on the National Highway 66. Haripad is known as the land of festivals and rituals. It is a home to around twenty places of worship. It is the land of snake boats, rich history, and religious harmony. Haripad is a place that has to be visited to experience the rich cultural heritage. The small town is popular for its paddy fields, swaying coconut trees and backwaters with abundant aquatic life. Its natural beauty and charm still remains untouched even after the influence of urbanization. Haripad Village is bordered on the east by Pallippad Village and to the north Veeyapuram and Cheruthana Villages, Karthikappally & Kumarapupram Villages to the West and on the south by Pallippad and Karthikappally Village. Haripad is close to the Arabian Sea. It is known as the land of art, artists, land of snake boats, land of music, dance and drama. It is also popularly known as KSHETRA NAGARI (Town of Temples) in which Harippad Temple and Mannarasala Temple are situated. It is believed that the currently worshiping idol of Lord Subrahmanya was brought from Kandalloor with escort of snake boats and Valla Sadya. ‘Payippad Jalolsavam’,which attracts even the foreigners, is being celebrated in memory of the procession of bringing the idol. The Rajiv Gandhi Combined Cycle Power Plant (NTPC, Kayamkulam) is located near Haripad Village. It is presumed that Haripad derived its name from either Aripad (Ari meaning Rice) or "Harigeethapuram". Some scholars say that it means place near water (ari = arike pat = place).
Demography
The Haripad Census Town has population of 15,588 of which 7,262 are males while 8,326 are females as per report released by Census India 2011. Population of Children with age of 0-6 is 1314 which is 8.43 % of total population of Haripad (CT). In Haripad Census Town, Female Sex Ratio is of 1147 against state average of 1084. Moreover Child Sex Ratio in Haripad is around 915 compared to Kerala state average of 964. Literacy rate of Haripad city is 96.88 % higher than state average of 94.00 %. In Haripad, Male literacy is around 98.10 % while female literacy rate is 95.84 %.
Geography
Haripad Village is situated in Harippad town and municipality in Alappuzha District of Kerala State in India. Its coordinates are Latitude: 9°28′0″N and Longitude: 76°45′0″E, and lies at an elevation of 13 meters. It is bordered on the east by Pallippad Village , Veeyapuram & Cheruthana Villages to the north Kumarapuram & Karthikappally Villages to the West and on the south by Pallippad & Karthikappally Villages. Harippad is close to the Arabian Sea. Haripad Railway station is located in the heart of Harippad town, near Harippad Village. Kayamkulam Junction is one of the major Railway stations which is at a distance of 14 kilometers. Distance from Harippad to both Kochi and Trivandrum Airports is 116 km.
Socio-Economic
The Majority of the People in Harippad Village belongs to normal economic living standards. Most of them are farmers, merchants and agricultural labourers. They represents several different religions and political parties
Ecology
Being located in southwestern India, the summer months are characterized by moderately high temperature and high humidity. Monsoon brings rains between late April and July with the best weather being from November to March. As Harippad locates close to the coast, heavy annual rainfall is received.
Tourism
Haripad is known as the land of festivals and rituals. It is home to around twenty places of worship. It is the land of snake boats, rich history, and religious harmony. Haripad is a place that has to be visited to experience the rich cultural heritage. The small town is popular for its paddy fields, swaying coconut trees and backwaters with abundant aquatic life. Its natural beauty and charm still remain untouched even after the influence of urbanization. The two most famous temples in Haripad Village are Subrahmanya Swamy temple and Mannarasala Temple. The Haripad Subrahmany Swamy Temple is one of the oldest temples in Kerala. Dedicated to Subrahmanya Swamy, it is believed that the temple was established even before the advent of Kaliyuga. It is believed that Lord Vishnu appeared as a saint to consecrate the temple. In 1096 of the Malayalam, the temple caught fire, but the golden flag mast (erected 1067) and the Koothambalam were saved from the fire. The current temple was built during the period of King Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, who reigned from 1930 to 1949 The Mannarasala is a Nagaraja temple situated in Haripad Village. Like most snake temples, it is nestled in a forest glade, and has over 30,000 images of snakes along the paths and among the trees. It is the largest such temple in Kerala. Devotees believed that offering prayer to Nagaraja will cure all sins (nagadosham). Manarasala is famous for its beliefs, tradition, and rituals. This is one of the temples in Kerala where the priest is a brahmin lady. The brahmin lady called by name Mannarasala Amma lead her entire life serving the serpent god and temple. Sri Ramakrishna Asram at Haripad is the first one in the State of Kerala established in 1913. Payipad Jalotsavam’ is a festival celebrated to cherish the memory of Subrahmanya Swamy idol brought from a place on the banks of Kayamkulam Lake, now known as Kandalloor. This holy procession was done with the escort of Vallams (boats). This festival attracts a lot of tourists. The religious procession was halted at the eastern boundary of Haripad, Nelpurakadavu. ‘Aranazhikakshetram’ is a temple there in the memory of that event. Paddy fields, bridges, water streams, ponds, sand laden paths, cash crops, small forests etc. adds to the beauty of Harippad. Legacy of artists who excelled in all the 64 art forms graces Harippad. The contribution of Harippad to Kerala’s art culture is immense. Harippad stands upfront in arts and culture world with the presence of famous personalities. Kerala Varma Koyi Thampuran known as Kerala Varma and Kalidasa of kerala, was settled at Anandhapuram Palace. He has also written ‘Mayoorasandesham’ on the line of Kalidasa’s MeghaDooth (aka Meghaduta). In this poetry he has used the peacocks of Harippad Subrahmanya Swami Temple to send his messages to his wife, the Maharani, in Thiruvananthapuram. Kizhakedath Kochupilla Warrier the guru of famous musician Swathi Thirunal, Ramankutti Bhagavathar the guru to disciples in large number, Malabar Gopalan Nair, female musician Kamalakshi Amma, Haripad Gopinath, Sheshadri Iyer who was a scholar of over 18 languages, K R Haripad who created ‘Kathaprasangam’(Lyrical Narrative) from Harikatha etc were personalities who made Harippad world famous.