Kodanad is a rural riverside village of Ernakulam district in Kerala, South India. It is 18 km from Angamaly. Kodanad is situated on the south bank of Periyar river, about 42 kilometers east of Kochi. The village is a major tourist destination because it houses an Elephant training center.[1]

Kodanad
town
Elephant Kraal at Kodanad
Elephant Kraal at Kodanad
Kodanad is located in Kerala
Kodanad
Kodanad
Location in Kerala, India
Kodanad is located in India
Kodanad
Kodanad
Kodanad (India)
Coordinates: 10°11′N 76°31′E / 10.18°N 76.51°E / 10.18; 76.51
Country India
StateKerala
DistrictErnakulam
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
14,244
Languages
 • OfficialMalayalam, English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
683544
Telephone code0484
Vehicle registrationKL-40
2011 census code627941
Nearest cityCochin

Location

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Transportation

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Kodanad has got private bus services to places inside and outside Ernakulam District and run into several neighbouring towns. There are frequent bus services to Perumbavoor from here. AutoRickshaws are commonly used for small distances. The nearest railway stations are Angamaly and Aluva. The Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery is only 16 km from the Kodanad Elephant training centre. KL-40 is the RTO code for Kunnathunad Taluk and Perumbavoor. Perumbavoor JRTO is at Pattal.

Kodanad is surrounded by many small but populous commuter villages, notably Koovappady, Thottuva, Alattuchira, Panamkuzhy, Cheranalloor, Kurichilakode, Kaprikad, etc. Vallam town, is one of the main interchange points for public transport.

The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport which is about 20 km (12 mi) by road.

History

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In the 1950–60s, Kodanad used to be the largest of several elephant training centres for captured elephants from the adjoining forest regions. They were trained using Mahouts, specially skilled people also known as 'Paappaan' in Malayalam language. In the 1970s, there was a ban to elephant capture by Government of India and from then on, Kodanad was primarily used as a rescue training centre. As of 2017, all the animals have been shifted to nearby Abhayaranyam facility.[citation needed]

Demographics

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According to the 2011 census of India, Kodanad has 3502 households. The literacy rate of the village is 84.63%.[2]

Demographics (2011 Census)[2]
Total Male Female
Population 14244 7036 7208
Children aged below 6 years 1284 655 629
Scheduled caste 2066 1005 1061
Scheduled tribe 106 53 53
Literates 12054 6090 5964
Workers (all) 5842 4052 1790
Main workers (total) 4297 3251 1046
Main workers: Cultivators 397 352 45
Main workers: Agricultural labourers 618 403 215
Main workers: Household industry workers 92 72 20
Main workers: Other 3190 2424 766
Marginal workers (total) 1545 801 744
Marginal workers: Cultivators 116 78 38
Marginal workers: Agricultural labourers 484 232 252
Marginal workers: Household industry workers 114 42 72
Marginal workers: Others 831 449 382
Non-workers 8402 2984 5418

Kaprikkad Ecotourism project

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Kodanad is in the list of Ecotourism destination projects sponsored by the Government of India. As a part of this project, Kaprikkad, a village lying 3 km adjacent to Kodanad on the river bank has been set up in 2006 for entertaining visitors in the most natural and environmental friendly way.

Abhayaranyam Mini Zoo, Kaprikkad

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Most of the animals from Kodanad elephant centre including the elephants have been recently rehabilitated to Kaprikkad, as the part of Ecotourism project named as Abhayaranyam, which is spread across 200 acres of natural forest. The project was inaugurated on 18 February 2011 by the Minister of Forestry and Housing, Shri. Binoy Vishwom. You can find Spotted deer, Sambar deer and young elephants here.[3] Abhayaranyam extends for an area of 2.5 acres on the bank river of river periyar .[4]

Education

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Baselius Augen Public School, Kodanad

Places of worship

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Temples
  • kodanad shiva temple,
  • chettinada saraswathi temple,
  • kunnumpuram ayyappa temple,
  • edavanakavu temple,
  • pancheswara Vishnu temple.
Churches

Nearby places

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References

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  1. ^ Kurian, Shiba (2015). "Kodanad: The land of elephants". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Ernakulam district census data". 2011 Census of India. Directorate of Census Operations. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  3. ^ "Home". abhayaranyam.com.
  4. ^ "Travel".