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History of Alappuzha city
The history of the district in the Paleolithic age is obscure. It is presumed that the coastal taluks of Cherthala, Ambalapuzha and Karthikapally might have been under water and these areas were formed by the accumulation of silt and sand, later than the other parts of the district. Kuttanadu, one of the taluks of the present Alappuzha district was well known even from the early periods of the Sangam age. The early Cheras had their home in Kuttanadu and they were called 'Kuttuvans', named after this place.
Christianity had a strong foothold in the area even from the Ist century A.D. The church located at Kokkomangalam or Kokkothamangalam in Cherthala is one of the seven churches founded by St. Thomas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. During 9th to 12th century A.D, the district flourished in the field of religion and culture under the second Chera empire.
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Geography and Climate of Alappuzha city
Kerala’s coastal belt, of which aleppuzha is a part is relatively flat, teeming with paddy fields, groves of coconut trees, and heavily crisscrossed by a network of interconnected canals and rivers. The Kerala Backwaters region is a particularly well-recognized feature of Kerala; it is an interconnected system of brackish water lakes and river estuaries that lies inland from the coast and runs virtually the length of the state.Aleppuzha, in kerala, which lies in the tropics, is mostly subject to the type of humid tropical wet climate experienced by most of Earth's rainforests. Meanwhile, its extreme eastern fringes experience a drier tropical wet and dry climate.
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Economy of Alappuzha city
From time immemorial, Alappuzha was known as an important trading and commercial centre. Arabs had carried on trade in coir products and pepper from very ancient times. Coir yarn and fibre are the chief commodities exported from this district. Alappuzha is also an important exporting centre of coconut oil, arecanut, cardamom, sugar and pepper,etc.
The major commodities handled at Alappuzha market are coir, ginger,oil cakes, palmgur, tapioca, etc. Trade is generally carried through inland waterways and by road. Rail movement of goods is done mainly through Chengannur, Mavelikkara and Kayamkulam railway stations and through the stations lying on the Ernakulam - Alleppey rail route. There are several public markets all over the district of which the market at Kayamkulam is the most popular.
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Flora and Fauna of Alappuzha city
The emerald backwaters offer a spellbinding sight with the wobbling ducks and other water birds floating and lounging along the bank overgrown with green vegetation and small colorful flowers. Marine life includes various fishes, prawns, crabs and so on.Apart from its striking backwater destination, Alappuzha is also famous for the yearly Nehru Trophy Boat Race (Snake boat races), pristine beaches, romantic houseboat holidays and coir industry.
The Travancore Chamber of Commerce was established in 1929 at Alappuzha for the promotion and protection of trade, commerce, agriculture and industry. There are several registered associations of manufacturers and merchants in Alappuzha. There are many commercial banks and co-operative societies for financing the traders and industrialists . Alappuzha is an important wholesale and retail trading centre for rice, copra , cocunut oil, pepper, ginger, arecanut, etc.
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