Mal: തിരുവല്ല tiruvalla
‘Sri Vallabha’ Town, Kerala
From Sri Vallabha and Mal: tiru ‘eminent’, ’holy’, ‘auspicious’, ‘prosperous’;
Thiruvalla is named after its temple. This ancient temple is dedicated to Sree Vallabha, Lord Vishnu [Skt: vallabha ‘beloved’, ‘husband’ (of Lakshmi)] with a raised idol bearing a lotus, a chakra and a conch shell.
The temple has Kathakali dance performances on most nights as a ritual offering following evening puja.
Thiruvalla has an ageing population as the result of migration: over half of the population is over 60 and it is part of the Kerala NRI belt with 52 bank branches to handle dollar remittances.
