Vengola
Grama Panchayat

Vengola Grama Panchayat is a village panchayat situated in Kunnathunad Taluk of Ernakulam District, within the revenue villages of Vengola and Arakkappady, and forms part of the Vazhakulam Block Panchayat. The Panchayat covers an area of 35.65 square kilometres.

The boundaries of Vengola Grama Panchayat are:

• East: Mazhuvannoor Grama Panchayat, Rayamangalam Grama Panchayat, and Perumbavoor Municipality
• South: Mazhuvannoor and Kizhakkambalam Grama Panchayats
• West: Kizhakkambalam, Vazhakulam, and Kunnathunad Grama Panchayats
• North: Vazhakulam Grama Panchayat and Perumbavoor Municipality

Vengola is characterized by numerous hilly areas interspersed with paddy fields and streams connecting them, while level terrain is relatively limited. The old Aluva–Muvattupuzha Road passed through Vengola, and it also served as an important pedestrian route connecting Kothamangalam and Kuruppampady with Ernakulam. This strategic location provided excellent connectivity between the eastern highland regions of the district and urban centers such as Ernakulam and Aluva.

As a result, Vengola became home to many traders engaged in the purchase and sale of agricultural commodities such as paddy, cashew nuts, pepper, and ginger. At one time, Vengola Junction was the largest hill-produce trading center in Kunnathunad Taluk.

The commissioning of the Periyar Valley Canal in 1965 greatly improved irrigation facilities in Vengola Panchayat. This enabled the cultivation of single-crop, double-crop, and even triple-crop paddy fields. Traditionally, Vengola was a leading center for vegetable cultivation. Farmers from Vengola were among the largest suppliers of vegetables to the Perumbavoor vegetable market. Tapioca (cassava) was also one of the major crops cultivated in the Panchayat.

With its extensive hilly terrain and large stretches of fallow land, Vengola had a strong tradition in animal husbandry. Until 1967, the uncultivated lands of Chundamala served as a significant grazing resource and contributed substantially to livestock rearing in the area.

The establishment of Travancore Rayons in Perumbavoor and the growth of timber mills in the region created employment opportunities for many industrial workers from Vengola. The first industrial establishment in Vengola was the Excellent Saw Mill, which was established at Allapra in 1960.