Cheruthoni

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Cheruthoni River is the major tributary of the Periyar River, the longest river in Kerala state south India.

Although the Cheruthoni River is one of the major tributories of Periyar River (The Big River), Cheruthoni River is now more known for being a hamlet adjacent to the famed `Idukki Arch Dam' and Cheruthoni dam. These dams along with Kulamavu Dam makes the Idukki Hydel resorvoir.

Following the famine in the 1940s the then government allowed farmers to migrate and occupy arable mountain land stretches. Thus, farmers from low ranges, daring malaria, wild animals & inclement weather, trekked up to the high ranges and cleared lands over there for agriculture. Later the region was identified as an ideal spot for a hydro electric project and the Kerala State Electricity Board commenced the project. With the establishment of their offices and the induction of Hindustan Construction Company who constructed the dams on behalf of Kerala Stage Electricity Board, Cheruthoni (the rivulet) became a busy hamlet. During the 1960s, the major population habitating in Cheruthoni were not Keralites but Sikhs (from Punjab, who constituted the entire workforce of Hindustan Construction Company) and manual labourers from neighbouring Tamil Nadu. (In fact, there was a stretch of the street called No. 3, where hundreds of prostitutes catering to the needs of the Sikhs put up their establishments).

Today, Cheruthoni is a small teeming city. Though the place is just a couple of miles away from the Idukki & Cheruthoni dams, due to restrictions on visitors entering these protected premises, not many tourists touch Cheruthoni. Hence, hotel accommodation for outsiders is a problem. The nearest places where good hotel accommodation is available are Kattappana, Thodupuzha, or Kothamangalam. Cheruthoni is well connected by road (Govt. / Private bus service) from Kochi/Eranakulam, Kothamangalam, Kottayam, Kattappana.

Cheruthoni is part of Vazhathope Panchayat, in Idukki District of Kerala (India). Other villages adjacent to Cheruthoni are Vazhathope, Thadiyanpadu, Karimban, Manjappara, Maniyarankudi, Peppara, Manjikkavala, Painavu etc.

Together, the history of this area can be the stuff for Gabriel Garcia novel. The aboriginals, later the encroachers, skilled workers from North India, unskilled labourers from Tamil Nadu, overseeing engineers from Canada, illiteracy, militant communist tradeunionism, superstitions, contageous diseases and communal conflicts, wild beasts and cursing heavens, killings, suicides... the cook of the police sub inspector who later became the Panchayat President and went on the marry the best available girl in the area ... one of the first migrants who was called `Sathyam Vizhungi' (the one who swallows truth) not because he was close to truth but the contrary, the drankard who slept with his daughter and gave birth to a grandson, Vicar of the local parish who used to wink at a particular nun and used get a concealed smile in return, another priest of another church who liked to have personal discussions on religious matters with young boys, the local school teacher who shot mynahs and pinched the girls between their upper thighs for not doing home works.. the man who stabbed his neighbour to death because he wanted to taste the feeling of being a killer, the most politically active and knowledgeable person of the area with a liking for ganja later washing dishes in a local eatery..

During 1960s and 1970s Cheruthoni was politically very active. Trade unionism was at its prime. The communists ruled the roost and stabbed the most. While labourers from neighbouring Tamilnadu laboured and earned a living - and managed some savings too - the Comrades dabbed in politics, survived on contributions, ganja & gooch, grew hair, sported beards and wore red coloured lungis (even red coloured underwears and shirts). The favourite play toy was a `Pitchathi' (knife), though some enlightened comrades liked a lead ball tied in a handkerchief. There was a primary school teacher, a comrade of course, who did not smoke, drink or go to church, but ever carried the lead ball. He never used it, but got shot at and killed a couple of decades later for unknown reasons. His finely cared upper moustache was shaved off. Nobody knows what happened to the lead ball & the moustache (and the handkerchief, ofcourse).