Aluva’s History: Temple Town, Rail Junction, Metro Terminus

Ashraf Gents Hostel

Key facts

A widely cited etymology links Aluva to the legend of Shiva holding the halahala poison (alam) in his mouth (vaa), according to Wikipedia.
The Shoranur–Cochin metre-gauge railway, with a station at Aluva, opened to passengers on 16 July 1902 and was converted to broad gauge by 24 October 1935, according to Wikipedia.
Sree Narayana Guru founded the Advaita Ashram at Aluva in 1913.
The Marthanda Varma Bridge over the Periyar at Aluva opened on 14 June 1940; a parallel bridge opened on 22 June 2002.
Aluva metro station, the northern terminus of Kochi Metro Line 1, was inaugurated on 17 June 2017 and opened to the public on 19 June 2017.

The Aluva Manappuram Siva temple with its tiled roof on the sandy riverbank. Photo: Vis M / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

The name and the river

The best-known explanation of the name is a Shiva legend. Shiva drank the *kalakootam* or halahala poison to save the world, and Wikipedia records the belief that the name joins *alam* (poison) and *vaa* (mouth). The Aluva Mahadeva temple and the sandbanks of the Manappuram are the centre of that tradition, and the annual Sivarathri gathering on the river is among Kerala’s largest. The colonial-era spelling Alwaye still appears on some signs and documents.

Wikipedia also cites archaeological evidence of settlement from about 250 BC. It also says the land stretching to Kakkanad and Alangad was continuous until 1341 CE. The Mangalappuzha branch, which splits off at Aluva, is described as an important trade route. We report these claims as Wikipedia gives them; they are not dated to the day.

Travancore’s summer town

Before independence Aluva was part of the Kingdom of Travancore, and the riverside palace served as the royal family’s summer residence. Wikipedia also notes that some members of Kochi’s Jewish community kept holiday homes on the Periyar here in the 20th century. We could not find a reliable construction date for the palace, so we leave it out. In 1913 Sree Narayana Guru founded the Advaita Ashram at Aluva, making the town a centre of social reform.

Rails and bridges

The town’s second identity came with transport. The Maharaja of Cochin, Rama Varma (ruled 1895–1914), pushed for a railway to his capital and, according to Wikipedia, sold temple ornaments to help pay for it. The metre-gauge Shoranur–Cochin line was built from 1899 by the Madras Railway on Cochin’s behalf, partly through Travancore territory between Angamaly and Edappally. It opened to goods on 2 June and to passengers on 16 July 1902, with stations at Aluva and Kalamassery. It was converted to broad gauge by 24 October 1935. Aluva station (code AWY) is now among the busiest in the Kochi area. Wikipedia gives its 2018–19 earnings as about ₹63.38 crore.

The road crossing followed. Work on the Marthanda Varma Bridge began in 1937, with JB Gammon as contractor, and the bridge opened on 14 June 1940. A second bridge of the same shape opened alongside it on 22 June 2002 at a cost of about ₹8 crore, making the crossing four lanes. In 1956 the Aluva taluk was formed from parts of four older taluks.

Timeline

Date	What happened	Source
16 July 1902	Shoranur–Cochin metre-gauge railway opens to passengers, with a station at Aluva	Wikipedia: Shoranur–Cochin Harbour section
1913	Sree Narayana Guru founds the Advaita Ashram at Aluva	Wikipedia: Aluva
1921	Year given in Wikipedia’s infobox as Aluva’s establishment (as a municipality)	Wikipedia: Aluva
24 October 1935	Line converted to broad gauge	Wikipedia: Shoranur–Cochin Harbour section
14 June 1940	Marthanda Varma Bridge opens	Wikipedia: Marthanda Varma Bridge
1956	Aluva taluk formed	Wikipedia: Aluva
22 June 2002	Parallel Marthanda Varma Bridge opens	Wikipedia: Marthanda Varma Bridge
17 / 19 June 2017	Kochi Metro inaugurated; Aluva becomes the northern terminus	Wikipedia: Kochi Metro
August 2018	Periyar floods hit Aluva and the river towns	See our 2018 floods page

Some sources date Aluva municipality to 1921, but Wikipedia’s main text does not say so explicitly, so treat that year with caution. We also left out a palace construction date because we could not verify it.

The metro terminus

On 17 June 2017 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Kochi Metro’s first section, Aluva to Palarivattom, and it opened to passengers on 19 June. Aluva became the line’s northern end, about a kilometre from the railway station, with Pulinchodu, Companypady, Ambattukavu and Muttom between it and Kalamassery. Our metro arrival page tells that story and the station names are explained separately. Aluva’s colleges have their own histories, such as Union Christian College. Sivarathri in recent years is in our 2023–2025 archive, and the floods in August 2018 around Eloor, Aluva and Kalamassery.

Why this history matters near the NAD signal

Residents of the NAD side still use Aluva for long-distance trains, KSRTC buses and the metro’s first stop, and their postal division is named after it. Ashraf Gents Hostel, a men-only hostel at Ashraf house, NAD Road, Kalamassery, carries “Aluva” in its own address. Daily stays for men arriving late by train are possible: see daily rooms and confirm the nightly rate on +91 90746 23855. Practical links: Aluva town guide and the Kalamassery history archive.

Frequently asked questions

Why was Aluva called Alwaye?

Alwaye is the colonial-era spelling of the same name. Wikipedia notes that some signs and websites still use it.

When did the railway reach Aluva?

The Shoranur–Cochin metre-gauge line, with a station at Aluva, opened to passengers on 16 July 1902. It was converted to broad gauge in 1935.

When was the Marthanda Varma Bridge built?

Work began in 1937 and the bridge opened on 14 June 1940. A parallel bridge opened on 22 June 2002.

When did Aluva get the metro?

Kochi Metro was inaugurated on 17 June 2017 and opened to the public on 19 June 2017, with Aluva as its northern terminus.

Who founded the Advaita Ashram at Aluva?

Sree Narayana Guru, in 1913.

Sources

Facts about Ashraf Gents Hostel come from the hostel’s own profile and photos; rates are indicative and confirmed on the call. Last reviewed 8 October 2026. How we write these guides: editorial notes. Map embeds © Google.

Cite this guide: Ashraf Gents Hostel. “Aluva’s History: Temple Town, Rail Junction, Metro Terminus.” Published 8 October 2026. https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/aluva-history/ Plain-text (Markdown) version · quoting with a link back is welcome.