Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

stores, TV showrooms and repair shops and here is one place for artwork in houses and
numerous furniture marts. Furniture business was again completely absent in 1951. Thus
it is clear that practically everything that can be found in major urban centre are available
in the region, and Chemmad has practically become the trade centre for a very large area
from Edarikkode to Vallikkunnu. This growth of trade has meant that a number of people
are employed, or are doing their own business in the market centers in jobs ranging from
head load labor to managing and running big restaurants and stores. The capital
developing in the area has thus concentrated on commerce rather than industry.
Panchayat
Table LX
Population in trade and commerce1971-1991
1971 Census 1991 Census
Male Female Total male female Total
%ge
variation
Tirurangadi 983 1 984 2124 17 2141 117.58
Thenhippalam 682 1 683 1423 40 1463 114.20
Parappanangadi 1148 24 1172 2257 56 2313 97.35
Vallikkunnu 718 12 730 1115 41 1156 58.36
Munniyur 766 1 767 1639 12 1651 111.25
Nannambra 321 - 321 982 3 985 206.85
All the areas have expanded substantially in terms of trade and commerce. The growth of
Thenhippalam and Munniyur appears to be due to the development of the University and
the choice of the National Highway. Vallikkunnu was comparatively less prone to
commercialization. It should be noted that there has also been a tendency for the more
agrarian regions to commercialize faster when compared to traditional commercial
centers like Tirurangadi and Parappanangadi. This bears out the observation made earlier
on the dispersal of mini-urban centers.