Chengalayi
Grama Panchayat

The vast rocky areas seen on the plateaus of the hills in Chengalayi Panchayat are presumed to have been early human settlements. The caves found here, believed to date back to the Neolithic period, are evidence of this. In the early days, people lived only in limited areas. The rest of the region was dense forest. These areas were connected by single pathways. The bullock cart path that ran from Valakkai to Parippai later developed into a road. The vast rocky areas seen on the plateaus of the hills in Chengalayi Panchayat are presumed to have been early human settlements. The caves found here, believed to date back to the Neolithic period, are evidence of this. Land properties were mainly inherited or acquired from Karakkattil, Kallyattu, and others, including Devaswam and Brahmaswam. A long riverside on one side, lines of hills, and dry fields are some special features of this panchayat. People have been engaged in agriculture here since ancient times.They were engaged in agriculture. In the hilly areas, cultivation of cardamom was common, and rice, wheat, millets, maize, sesame, and other similar products were the main sources of income. In the lowland areas, paddy farming was predominant. Changes in land ownership brought about by agricultural reforms, the growth of peasant movements, the rise of national movements, increased awareness among people, as well as changes in transport, trade, culture, and education following independence, along with migration from Travancore, brought huge transformations in land use and farming. Population gradually moved from the lowlands to the midlands and higher slopes. During this time, three major rubber plantations were established at Niduvallur, Parippai, and Marutheni. Alongside this, crops like cinnamon and cashew began to be cultivated. Chengalady developed into a better commercial center where farmers could sell their agricultural products.Even farmers from the hilly areas would come to Chengalayi to sell their produce. Water routes made it very convenient to transport hill produce to the main trade center, Valapattanam, using small boats and larger vessels. The earliest transport facilities in the panchayat included the boat services from Chengalayi to Valapattanam and land vehicles like bullock carts and carts with wheels. Bullock carts were used to carry goods. Another major transport route from the old days was the Kavumpai-Karivellur road passing through the panchayat. The early residents here were only Hindus. Among them, the Nambiar and Thiyyar communities owned land and did farming. Those who worked in the fields mainly belonged to the lower castes. They lived in sheds known as "Chalakkunnukal." Agriculture was considered the main means of livelihood.. People belonging to the Christian community later migrated from the Thiruvithamkoor region. The main celebrations in this panchayat were related to agricultural activities. Festivals like Niraputhari, Pooram, and Onam are noteworthy here. In temples and sacred groves, Theyyams and dance performances were held alongside festivals. Very ancient temples and churches are among the unique features of this panchayat. Notable ones include Chuzhali Bhagavathi Temple, Niduvaloor Mahavishnu Temple, Sree Krishna Temple, Perungkon Pulimpidav Bhagavathi Temple, Cheramkunnu Christian Church, and Therlayi Malik Deenar Mosque. The wood carvings and murals in Perungkon Temple are both exquisite and very old. Therlayi is the first Muslim place of worship in this panchayat. This panchayat also has prominent libraries like Chendhalayi Gramaodharana Library and Thaliparamba Taluk libraries. In the early days, people here primarily practiced agriculture.