Kumbanad
Kumbanad is a village situated on the Thiruvalla - Kozhencherry road, in the Pathanamthitta district of State of Kerala, in India. It is situated on the pilgrimage route to Sabarimala. Kumbanad stretches from Podipara in the West to Muttumon in the East, a distance of over 2 km.
Kumbanad originally was a family name and later become the name of the place.
Places to see
The famous Pamba river is 4 kilometres away. The Aranmula temple is 5 kilometres away.
Transport
Connected to Pathanamthitta, Tiruvalla, Chengannur, Kozhencherry, Guruvayoor, Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, by private and Government operated KSRTC buses. Aranmula Uthrattathi vallamkalli(Snakeboat race) is the main attraction during the onam festival which generally falls in the month of september. Kumbanad has been included as one of the new staions in the draft plan for the Tiruvalla - Sabarimala railway line.
Interesting facts
Kumbanad has a high bank density. This is due to a high influx of money from non-resident Indians. There are a total of 16 banks in this small Travancore town. You won't see so many banks in a small village anywhere else in the world. It is interesting to note that there is no jewelry shop in this town.
Almost every house in Kumbanad has a family member either in the Middle East, Far East (Malaysia, Singapore etc.), Great Britain, Australia or North America. Lots foreign money is coming to the town. That is the reason for the influx of banks.
According to a survey conducted by Economic times News paper , there were more than 200 people who got more than one cror Rupees in the bank as F.D (it was in 1998, imagine what will be the number by now?). Kumbanad got the lowest ratio of granding loans, infact people in kumbanad dosen't know what is loan, they go to bank only for depositing their money, even they don't want to withdraw their money.
Kumbanad is a Christian center. The world famous Hebronpuram convention (IPC Convention) is held here annually in the month of January. The largest Kerala brethren (Plymouth Brethren) Conference is held here last week of December every year. Kumbanadu (Mar Thoma) Valia Pally is the oldest church in the town. The Bethany Bible School is located in Kumbanad.
Fellowship Mission Hospital is the major hospital in Kumbanad Township. The famous Dharmagiri mandiram is situated on the outskirts.
Noel Memorial High School and the Brethren English Medium High School are the main schools in Kumbanad.
Neighboring towns are Arattupuzha, Muttumon, Mallappally, Puramattom, Pullad, Koipuram, Eraviperoor, and Pullad.
Kumbanad is a part of Aranmula legislative assembly segment and Mavelikara Lok Sabha segment.