Poovachal
Grama Panchayat

Origin and Name
The place name Poovachal originated as a resting spot for those who carried flowers on their heads from various regions to be used for the rituals in the Royal Palace.

Historical and Social Movements
The Thiruvalanthoor Sree Subramanya Swami Temple is a centuries-old temple in the Panchayat. The activities of the Freedom Struggle and the Renaissance Movement in this Panchayat were centered around Poovachal and Kattakada. The leaders who spearheaded these movements in the Panchayat included Gandhi Ramakrishna Pillai (a key proponent of the abolition of untouchability), Ponnara Sreedhar, Padiyannoor Raghavan Pillai, and Nenmennikara Raghavan.

Education and Culture
The first school in the Panchayat was the C.S.I. Church school, which started in 1910. Kattakada Christian College, a prominent center for higher education in the Thiruvananthapuram district, is located in this Panchayat. The first library here was the Janatha Grandhasala, established in 1951. The lyricist Poovachal Khader, who wrote songs for hundreds of Malayalam films, was born and raised in this Panchayat.

Commerce and Transportation

Kattakada Market (Chantha), a major commercial hub in the hilly regions of the Thiruvananthapuram district, is also located in Poovachal Panchayat. Due to this, the area has historically had good transportation facilities. The first service buses started running in Poovachal Panchayat in the 1930s. During World War II, when a fuel shortage was experienced, vehicles were run by creating a coal gas fuel using charcoal.

Formation of the Panchayat

Poovachal Panchayat was formed in 1953, separating from the Vellanad Village Panchayat. In its early days, the Panchayat consisted of the entire Veeranacavu and Mannoorakkara villages, and the Poonjamcode, Konniyur, and Kuzhakad sections of the Perumkulam village. In 1964, the entire Konniyur section and the Nedumannur section were added. Following the election held in 1963, Shri. N. Madhavan Nair took charge as the first President.

Major Places of Worship
The major places of worship in the Panchayat are:

Thiruvalanthoor Sree Subrahmanya Temple

Veeranacavu, Punnakode, Nadukani Sastha Temples

Perumkulathoor, Panniyode Sree Krishna Swami Temple

Anacode, Pulinkode, Konniyur Bhadrakali Temples