Geography
Kalady Grama Panchayat is an area under Ponnani Block in Ponnani Taluk of Malappuram District. The Grama Panchayat was formed on 2 October 2005. The Panchayat, which has an area of 16.98 sq km, is divided into 18 wards. The boundaries of Kalady Grama Panchayat are Tavanur and Thriprangode Panchayats to the north, Vattamkulam Panchayat to the east, Anakkara Panchayat of Palakkad district to the south, Edappal, Vattamkulam, Panchayats, Ponnani Municipality to the west, and Ponnani Municipality and Thriprangode Panchayat to the west. Kalady Grama Panchayat is formed by incorporating the areas that were previously part of Tavanur Panchayat.The literacy rate of the people of the panchayat, which has a population of 25872, is 98.63 percent. The Bharathapuzha river, which flows through the panchayat, is one of the important water sources of the panchayat. Paddy, kavung, banana, coconut and pepper are the main crops of the panchayat. In the northwestern part of the panchayat, there is Manoor Lake, in the Parappuram side, there is Moorika Lake and in the Pothanur side, there is Ale Lake. All these belong to the Ponnani Kol area. There are also 5 public ponds as water sources. The main source of drinking water in the panchayat is wells. There are 39 public wells in the panchayat. Water required for agriculture is obtained from the second sub-canal at Nariparamba of the Irrigation Department. The hilly areas in the panchayat are Manoor Kunnu, Thirutti Kunnu, Mammiliyam Kunnu, and Kolathara Kunnu. The people also use 250 public drinking water taps for clean water. 124 street lights installed in various wards make the panchayat streets passable at night. The nearest airport that the residents of the panchayat rely on for foreign travel is Karipur. The nearest railway station to the panchayat for rail transport is Kuttippuram. As a port, Ponnani Port is located close to the panchayat. Bus traffic is concentrated at the bus stands near the panchayat, namely Kuttippuram Bus Stand and Ponnani Bus Stand. NH 17 and NH 66 pass through Kalady panchayat. Thrissur Kuttippuram State Highway is another major road passing through the panchayat. The bridges here are symbols of progress in the transportation sector. Manikka Bridge and Kundayar Bridge are the main bridges here. Although there are no large-scale industries in this village, medium-sized industrial units such as holo-brick manufacturing, oil mills, and rice mills are operating in the panchayat. Small-scale industries include avil manufacturing and confectionery manufacturing. Traditional sectors include fishing, pappada making, pottery making, and basket making. There are one HP petrol pump each in Annakkampad Indian Oil Corporation, Nariparamba and Kandanakam. There are 10 ration shops operating in the general distribution area of the panchayat. There is also a Maveli store in the general distribution area.
This village was located at the southern tip of Vettathnadu, which was a vassal state of the Zamorin. It consisted of four parts: Trikkanapuram, Pothanur, Tavanur and Kalady. Kalady Panchayat was located in Tavanur on the banks of the Nila. The trees, bamboos, etc. required for the mamangam were provided by the Kalaparamba Tharavattukars of Kalady Cherikall. Today, the majority of the people living in Kalady Panchayat are Hindu and Muslim. Their various places of worship are located in the panchayat. There are 14 temples and 7 churches located in various places in the panchayat. The main temples are Kalady Shiva Temple, Nariparamba Subrahmanya Temple, Pathirapilly Shiva Temple and Kolatharakunnu Temple. Juma mosques are located at Parappuram, Kadanchari, Kalady, Pothanur and Nariparamba. The main festivals of the panchayat are Thaipuyam festival at Nariparamba and Thrikkovil Subrahmanya temples and Shivaratri festival at Pathirapilly and Kalady Shiva temples. The Kolatharakunnu temple festival and the Kandanakam Vettakkaran Kavu temple festival are also celebrated in the panchayat. Padmini, who was the new spring of Indian painting and passed away untimely, was born in Kadanchari in Kalady panchayat. The people here were experts in ancient martial arts. The main sports committee in Kalady is the Vallabhatta Kalari Sangam, which is famous in Kerala itself. The main institutions working in the panchayat in the field of health care are the Government Ayurveda Dispensary in Kalady and the Government Homeo Dispensary in Nariparamba. Sub-centers of the primary health center are functioning in Kalady, Mangattur, Kandanakam, Pothanur and Kottikunnu. Ambulance services of Edappal Vyapaari Vyasayi Samiti, Edappal Welfare Association and Seva Bharathi are available in the panchayat. A veterinary hospital is functioning in Kalady and a sub-centre in Mangattur under the Animal Husbandry Department. Kalady Board Elementary School is the first school in the panchayat in the field of formal education, This is the present-day Kalady GLPS. Apart from this school, Kadanchari GHSS, Pothanur GUPS, and Nariparamba GLPS are functioning in the government sector in the panchayat. 3 LP schools and 2 UPS schools are functioning in the aided sector. Five schools are functioning in the unaided sector, providing educational facilities to the students of this area. The main banking institution is the Cooperative Bank operating in Kadanchery and Kalady.
The first library in this panchayat was the rural library established in 1947. Other libraries in the panchayat are functioning at Nariparambu and Kundayar. The Electricity Board office is functioning at Kandanakam. Another important institution operating in Kandanakam is the Regional Workshop of KSRTC. The Water Authority Office is located in Nariparambi. The Village Office is located in Kadanchari. An Agricultural Bhavan is functioning at Parappuram for agricultural services. The Sub Post Office is functioning in Kalady. Branch Post Offices are located in Kadanchari and Nariparambi.