Pala () is a municipality in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is located north of the district headquarters in Kottayam and about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. Pala also serves as the headquarters of Meenachil Taluk. As per the 2011 Indian census, Pala has a population of 22,056, and a population density of .
Pala is on the banks of the Meenachil River and is a major hub of Syrian Christian culture in Kerala.
Demographics
Indian census, Pala had a population of 22,640. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Pala has an average literacy rate of 98%, higher than the national average of 73%: male literacy is 98.5%, and female literacy is 97.8%, still much higher than the state average. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. Christians make up 65.09% of the population, Hindus 34.19%, Muslims 0.1%, other religions 0.05% and 0.15% not stated.
Politics
Pala is a municipality since its formal inauguration on December 1, 1949. the current municipal chairperson of Pala municipality is UDF-backed Independent Diya Binu Pulikkakandam, who is also the youngest municipal chairperson in the country. The vice-chairperson of the municipality is Maya Rahul, another UDF-backed independent.
Pala falls under the Kottayam Lok Sabha constituency and Pala Assembly constituency. It is represented by Mani C Kappan in the Legislative Assembly and by K. Francis George in the Lok Sabha.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Ward !! Ward Name !! Councilor Name
! !! Party !! Alliance
|-
| 001 || Paramalakunnu || Adv. Betty Shaju Thuruthel
|
| rowspan="3" | LDF
|-
| 002 || Mundupalam || Shaju Thuruthen
|
|-
| 003 || Market || Josin Bino
|
|-
| 004 || Kizhathadiyoor || Sonia Chitted
|
|UDF
|-
| 005 || Plathanam || Georgekutty Cheruvallil
|
| LDF
|-
| 006 || Kanattupara || Sebastian J. Panaikkal
|
| UDF
|-
| 007 || Pulimalakunnu || Jiji Baiju Kollamparambil
|
| LDF
|-
| 008 || Kaveekunnu || Riya Chiramkuzhy
|
| rowspan="3" | UDF
|-
| 009 || Kochidappadi || Siji Tony Thottathil
|
|-
| 010 || Moonnani || Biju Varikkani
|
|-
| 011 || Monastri || Ruby Anto Padinjarekere
|
| LDF
|-
| 012 || Chethimattom || Tony Thaiparambil
|
| UDF
|-
| 013 || Murikkumpuzha || Biju Pulikkakandam
|
| rowspan="3" | Others (later joined UDF)
|-
| 014 || Parippil Kunnu || Adv. Binu Pulikkakandam
|
|-
| 015 || Palapurayidom || Diya Binu Pulikkakandam
|
|-
| 016 || Kannadiyurumbu || Tomin Vattamala
|
| rowspan="2" | LDF
|-
| 017 || 12th Mile || Sanil Raghavan
|
|-
| 018 || Mukkalikunnu || Lisikutty Mathew Kandathiparambil
|
| UDF
|-
| 019 || Pala || Maya Rahul
|
| Others (later joined UDF)
|-
| 020 || Lalam|| Biji Jojo Kudakachira
|
| rowspan="2" | LDF
|-
| 021 || Vellappadu || Leena Sunny Purayidom
|
|-
| 022 || Arunapuram || Rajitha Prakash
|
| rowspan="3" | UDF
|-
| 023 || College Ward || Princy Sunny
|
|-
| 024 || Kottaramattom || Biju Mathews
|
|-
| 025 || Nelliyani || Biju Palupadavil
|
| rowspan="2" | LDF
|-
| 026 || Puthenpallikunnu || Roy Francis
|
|}
Sports
The Municipal Stadium is the centre of sports in Pala.
The 61st Kerala State Schools Athletics Championships was held at the stadium in 2017. At least 2500 students from 100 schools attended the sports meet. The 63rd Kerala State Athletics Championship was also held at the stadium in the month of October, 2019.
See also
- Bharananganam
- Kattappana
- Thodupuzha
- Erattupetta
- Cherpunkal
- List of people from Pala
- Places of worship in Pala
- Meenachil
- Meenachil River
- Pala (State Assembly constituency)
- Ullanadu