Maniyur (gram panchayat)

As of the 2001 India census, Maniyur had a population of 20,846 with 9,985 males and 10,861 females.[1]

[4]

South -Thurayoor panchayath, Payyoli Municipality

North-Villyappally panchayath, Thiruvallur Panchayath, Vatakara Municipality

West-Payyoli Municipality, Vatakara Municipality

East-Thiruvallur Panchayath, Cheruvannur Panchayath, Thurayur Panchayath

Maniyur village connects to other parts of India through Vatakara city on the west and through Payyoli town on the south. National Highway No. 66 passes through Vatakara and the northern stretch connects to Mangalore, Goa and Mumbai. The southern stretch connects to Cochin and Trivandrum. The eastern Highway going through Kuttiady connects to Mananthavady, Mysore and Bangalore. The nearest airports are at Kannur and Kozhikode. The nearest railway station is at Vatakara.

[5]

Maniyur is one of the 36 grama panchayats in Kozhikode district in which women are the chairperson.[6][3]

This panchayat has the legacy of starting a public educational institution long before the beginning of the twentieth century when the national movement was gaining its strength. There are many schools here which were established in the late 19th century. Mantharathoor UP School is the oldest school in the panchayat. This school is more than one hundred years old. Records show that this institution, the first primary school in the panchayat, had a liberal approach towards student's admission. The second primary school in Maniyur Panchayath, Palayad LP school was established in 1880. All other primary schools were established approximately 50–100 years ago. Maniyur Panchayat Secondary School was established in 1966.

There are many primary schools that were started during the tenure of the Malabar District Board. Most of the primary schools were upgraded during 1955–1959. This universalization of the schools helped the minority communities and the scheduled caste communities to get access to education. People across the society came forward to establish these schools, inculcating higher values. It is important to note that at a time when even untouchability existed, all sections of the community were allowed to attend school.

In the past, agriculture was Maniyur's main source of livelihood, with the area under cultivation stretching more than 2,000 acres. Later it was reduced to 300 acres. Cherandathoor Chira, the largest collection of paddy in the panchayat, is known as the paddy field of Vadakara. Under the leadership of B Sureshbabu, who took over the administration in 2010, efforts were made to reclaim the paddy and by 2016 the cultivation had expanded again to cover 900 acres.[11]