At a Glance
Chorode Grama Panchayat is a village panchayat located within the Chorode village of Vadakara Block Panchayat, in Vadakara Taluk, Kozhikode District. The area of the panchayat is 12.75 square kilometers. The boundaries of the panchayat are: On the north, Onchiyam and Eramala Panchayats; on the south, Vadakara Municipality; on the west, the Arabian Sea; and on the east, Eramala and Villyappally Panchayats.
This region was once famous for its paddy cultivation. Chorode is entirely a coastal panchayat with a coastline stretching over three kilometers. Today's Chorode Panchayat is composed of two revenue villages: Chorode and Vaikkilasseri. The Chorode Panchayat, formed by combining Chorode and Vaikkilasseri villages, came into existence on December 23, 1945. At that time, there were no elected panchayat members. Panchayat members were nominated by superior officers based on certain considerations. The Panchayat President was called the Bench Magistrate. Peedikakandi Raman Nambiar was the Bench Magistrate. There were five members in the panchayat. Later, the election method of people voting by raising hands was introduced. V. Sukumaran was the first Panchayat President to take office under this system, and Ayattillath Vasudevan Namboodiri was the Vice President.
Chorode is part of the ancient Kadathanadu region. Historical remnants can be found in the nearby areas of Gosaikunnu, which is located on the northern coastline. Lead bullets are often unearthed here when the ground is dug. The three-kilometer-long coastline is generally narrow. Except for the Rayarangoth area in the north and the Kuriyadi area in the south, the width of the coast is between 100 and 150 meters. The laterite rocks rise steeply from the coast, 15 to 20 meters high, and their upper surface appears as laterite grounds with a width of about one kilometer. After the Gosaikunnu in the north (Rayarangoth area), the next two kilometers are sandy terrain. Streams and small waterlogged areas are found here. The Kooriyadi Arakkalnada areas in the south also share this geographical feature. Beyond this elevated coastal land are the paddy fields. Most of the fields have been reclaimed. This wetland might have been a vast river or sea at one time.
Muttungal Kadappuram (beach) and the associated Mithalangadi were a major trade and fishing center in ancient times. The history of the Chendamangalam Ayyappa Temple and the Muttungal Kovilakam (palace) is connected with the Kadathanadu dynasty. There is a Vadakan Pattu (Northern Ballad) about the founding of the Muttungal Kovilakam. The Muttungal Juma Masjid, located a stone's throw from the Kovilakam, is also mentioned in this ballad. The Visheli Palli, located on the Muttungal beach itself, is an ancient tomb (Jaram). Numerous legends associated with the Ramath Puthiya Kavu Temple, the Puthen Theru Ganapathi Temple, and the Vaikkilasseri Paradevatha Temple indicate the antiquity of these settlements. The names of Angadi Mala and its adjacent Kappacheri in Kurikkilad might have been derived from their location in ancient times.
The vast paddy fields extending from Puthoor area in Vadakara Municipality up to Vellikulangara in Onchiyam Panchayat remain a vivid memory for the elders. Massive trees uprooted centuries ago by a strong water current or other means are seen scattered across these fields. The Punchathodu, the only water drainage channel in Chorode Panchayat, divides the Nalom paddy field into two and joins the Kaliyamvalli river in Eramala Panchayat. Mangottupara is an elevated area that stands like an island, surrounded by these paddy fields. This region stretches about one and a half kilometers from Maniaraithazha in the north to Mambarangolithazha in the south, with an average width of one kilometer. The Mangottupara area, which is at least 20 meters above sea level, is a truly dry rocky region. The other parts of the island are laterite grounds.
Coconut is the main agricultural produce. Paddy cultivation is negligible. The handloom industry, which was the livelihood of hundreds of families at one time, was concentrated in Chendamangalam, Vaikkilasseri, and Puthen Theru. Although about 60% of the agricultural land was paddy fields before 1960, it has now shrunk to a negligible amount. The main crop is currently the coconut palm.