Pattambi

Pattambi, which is situated on the bank of Nila river, is an important town in Valluvanad area. The most important festival, Pattambi Nercha, is celebrated in February-March every year and people irrespective of caste and religion, take active participation, which is very famous in Valluvanad. Like other towns in Valluvanad, people in the old generation depended on agriculture, but now gulf money is the main source of income in many families.

Pattambi is surrounded by a number of small villages and bus services are available to every corner. As the Shornur - Mangalapuram railway track lies on the north and Bharathapuzha flows on the south, development works cannot be undertaken in a big way and hence all such works are concentrated at Mele Pattambi on the Palakkad road. Sree Neelankanta Govt. Sanskrit College, where Sanskrit is a main language, is an important educational institution, which is situated on the Cherpulassery road. The Oriental High School, in memory of Punnassery Nambi, is situated at Perumudiyur, which is one of the oldest educational institutions. In addition to the above, a Govt. High School, a couple of English Medium High Schools and a number of parallel colleges, technical institutions including computer centres operate in the town and surrounding areas. Sevana Hospital on Palakkad road and Nila Hospital on Pallipuram road are two main hospitals here.

Guruvayur is just one-hour drive from Pattambi. There is a Guruvayurappan temple on the bank of Bharathapuzha. The Nhangattiri Bhagavaty temple is also situated on the bank of Bharathapuzha, approx 3 Kms from the town on the Guruvayur road. Kaithali Mahadeva temple, Perumudiyur Shiva temple, Panthakkal temple and various mosques and churches are here for worship of various communities. Though bus services are available for various long distance destinations, train service is limited and very few superfast trains provide a halt at Pattambi. Though Delhi-bound Mangala express train stops here, there is no halt for Netravathi Express, West Coast Express, Intercity Express, etc. and many associations and political parties are still trying for it. The bridge across the Nila river connects the town to western end of Palakkad district and parts of Thrissur district like Kunnamkulam and Guruvayur. It has been decided recently to construct a new bridge across the Nila river as the present bridge is in a weak condition.

A long pending demand by various organizations and political parties for the formation of Pattambi Taluk, is now realised. Now, the people at the western border of the district can save their time and money, who would otherwise had to travel to Ottapalam, which the present Taluk headquarters.