Edava
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Edava ഇടവ Edava |
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|---|---|
| village | |
 Edava
 Edava
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| Coordinates: 8°46′02″N 76°41′24″E / 8.7671°N 76.6901°ECoordinates: 8°46′02″N 76°41′24″E / 8.7671°N 76.6901°E | |
| Country |
 India
|
| State | Kerala |
| District | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Government | |
| • Body | Gram panchayat |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Total | 48,054 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| PIN | 695311 |
| Telephone code | 0470 |
| Vehicle registration | KL-16 |
| Nearest city | Varkala |
| Literacy | 98.97% |
| Lok Sabha constituency | Attingal |
| Vidhan Sabha constituency | Varkala |
Edava (Malayalam: ഇടവ) is a coastal village in Thiruvananthapuram district in the state of Kerala, India. Edava is located near the tourist spot Varkala.
Edava was the frontier of the erstwhile Province of Travancore: Venad. This village is on the northwest boundary of Thiruvananthapuram district adjacent to the Arabian Sea and situated between two municipalities, Varkala to the south and Paravur to the north. The railway line between Trivandrum and Kollam passes through this village. Edava may be the only village in Kerala with two railway stations: Edava and Kappil. There is a road (TA Majeed Road) connecting Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram.
Edava has witnessed important historical events in Kerala. Historical references show that during the rule of Queen Umayamma one `Mughal Sardar' attacked Venad in the year 1680. His reign extended from the South of Thovala to Edava.
In the year 1726, Queen of Attingal gave permission to the British East Indian Company to build a Pandakasaala (warehouse) near what is now called Vettakkada, close to the Arabian Sea. But even before the setting up of this Pandakasaala, Denmark traders had constructed a trading hub over there. K P Padmanabha Menon, in his seminal work, Kerala History, has quoted English army captain Alexander Hamilton as saying that during the first leg of 18th century: "Here on the beach side, Denmark traders have a small warehouse with coconut-thatched roof. It is in a dilapidated condition. Their trading, likewise, is nominal." This location at Vettakkada is still named Paandiyala, a worn-out usage of Paandakasaala, which is the Malayalam for warehouse.
The first printing press in the erstwhile Travancore, or perhaps in Kerala, with facility to print in Arabic script, was established in Edava in 1936. It was called Coronation Memorial Press and was situated at what is now called Press Mukku. Its establishment coincided with the coronation ceremony of Travancore King. Orders for books, in Arabic, used to come from even far-flung places such as the present-day Pakistan.
Edava's secular credentials are impeccable and sublime, with Hindus and Muslims living in harmony without making any ripples in the placid social waters of this pristine village. There is no wonder because the village is just a microcosm of a larger Kerala. Edavites love to wake up to devotional songs from temples and call for prayers from mosques. The villagers, cutting across religious believes, give in to the colorful charms of all the major temple festivals in the village, without providing any room for nefarious elements to disturb this glorious tradition. Of particular mention is the festival at Palakkav Temple, a prominent village temple situated on the Varkala-Paravoor road, which is celebrated by all the villagers cutting across religious lines with gaiety and fervor. Murthaba - a delicious dish of minced meat and vegetables, sold by make-shift traders during the Palakkav temple fest within the vicinity of the temple - stands as a delectable testimony to the secular credentials of this village. This dish was introduced to Edava by those Muslim expatriates who had traveled to countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, etc. in the 18th and 19th century in search of livelihood. The Murthaba (the dish is now sold during the festivals of other temples as well) is a slight variation of Murtabak from either Indonesia or Malaysia. The Palakkav temple festival remains incomplete without this fare, which has almost come to symbolize the festival that runs for many days with its lengthy colorful procession and bedecked elephants.
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Wikipedia