Geography
Nagalassery Grama Panchayat is located in the Thrithala Block of Ottappalam Taluk in Palakkad district. Spread across Nagalassery Village, the Panchayat has an area of 26.20 square kilometres.
The boundaries of Nagalassery Panchayat are:
- Thrithala Grama Panchayat to the north
- Thrissur district’s Kadangode Grama Panchayat and Kadavallur Grama Panchayat to the south
- Thirumittacode Grama Panchayat to the east
- Chalissery Grama Panchayat, Pattithara Grama Panchayat, and Kadavallur Grama Panchayat to the west.
Nagalassery and Kothachira were formerly regions under the Ponnani Taluk in the Malabar district of the old Madras State. Nagalassery consisted of seven desams (local regions), while Kothachira consisted of three desams. These two regions were merged during the village reorganisation of 1961 to form Nagalassery Village. On January 1, 1961, the area comprising Nagalassery Village became Nagalassery Panchayat.
At the time of its formation, the Panchayat was administered by a Special Officer. Later, after elections were held, a new governing body came into existence on December 20, 1963. C. K. Nair was the first Panchayat President.
The Kattilmadam at Chalappuram is under the special attention of the Department of Archaeology. In addition to this historical monument, the “Pathinettarakkinarukal” (Eighteen-and-a-half Wells) seen in the Tiruthippara region are believed to be remnants of the Jain culture that once existed here.
Kootanad serves as the central hub of Nagalassery Panchayat. Nearby is Mezhathur, the birthplace of V. T. Bhattathiripad. The Panchayat is home to numerous places of worship, including around eighteen temples, a similar number of mosques, and a Christian church located in the Thozhukkad area.
On the northern side of the Panchayat lies Mudavannur Hill, while Kothachira Hill stretches along the southern side. Between these two hills, the Oottupara and Mailanchi hill ranges extend intermittently in an east-west direction.