Thrikkakara: Temples, Colleges and Daily Life

Key facts

Thrikkakara became a municipality on 30 November 2010; it covers about 28 km² and had 77,319 people in 2011.
The Thrikkakara temple is one of the very few temples in India dedicated to Vamana, and its records include the earliest known mention of Onam, dated to 861 CE.
Thrikkakara’s Onam festival runs for ten days in the Malayalam month of Chingam, from Atham to Thiruvonam.
Model Engineering College and Bharata Mata College are in Thrikkakara.
Kakkanad, within Thrikkakara municipality, houses the Ernakulam Civil Station, Infopark, SmartCity Kochi and the Cochin Special Economic Zone.

Bowls of Kerala curries served for a sadya. Photo: Gangulybiswarup / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Thrikkakara in one paragraph

Thrikkakara was a panchayat until 30 November 2010, when it became a municipality. According to Wikipedia it covers about 28 km² and had 77,319 people in 2011 – a population similar to Kalamassery’s. The name is traditionally explained as *Thiru-kaal-kara*, “the place of the holy foot”, after the Vamana legend. Its northern edge meets Kalamassery around CUSAT and Kangarappady; its eastern half is Kakkanad.

Thrikkakara Temple, Kochi. Open in Google Maps · Directions from Ashraf Gents Hostel

The temple and Onam

The Thrikkakara temple is dedicated to Vamana, the dwarf form of Vishnu who, in the Onam story, pushed King Mahabali down to the netherworld. It is one of very few Vamana temples in India and is counted among the 108 Divya Desams. According to Wikipedia, temple records hold the earliest known mention of Onam, dated to 861 CE.

The temple’s Onam festival lasts ten days in the month of Chingam (August–September), beginning with flag-hoisting on Atham and ending on Thiruvonam with the Aarattu. Those days bring crowds, processions and traffic diversions around the temple. If you are new to Kerala, read Thrikkakara Temple and the Onam connection and Onam for newcomers in Kalamassery.

Temple etiquette: dress modestly, follow the dress code at the gate (men are often asked to remove shirts inside Kerala temples), and ask before photographing rituals.

The colleges

Thrikkakara is a serious student area. Model Engineering College and Bharata Mata College are both here, and the CUSAT campus sits on the boundary with Kalamassery. Students from these colleges often live in a wide arc covering Thrikkakara, South Kalamassery and Edappally. See our guides to Model Engineering College and Bharata Mata College.

The Kakkanad side

Most of Kakkanad falls in Thrikkakara municipality. It is the administrative headquarters of Ernakulam district – the Civil Station houses the Collectorate and the RTO – and the home of Infopark, SmartCity Kochi and the Cochin Special Economic Zone. If you need a driving-licence or district-office errand, you will end up here; see passport and driving licence work.

Kakkanad has a Water Metro terminal, and the Kochi Metro Pink Line from Kaloor to Infopark is under construction, with KMRL targeting full commissioning by August 2027 according to Onmanorama (September 2026). Until then, road is the main way in, and the Seaport–Airport Road from Kalamassery HMT is the usual route from our side.

Daily life and where people live

Older Thrikkakara around the temple feels like a traditional Kerala town, with temple-centred festivals and small shops.
Kakkanad is high-rise flats, IT-park traffic and newer restaurants – and generally higher rents.
Between them, residential lanes house families, students and government staff.
Traffic bottlenecks on the Kakkanad side are common at office hours; plan around them.

If you are deciding between this side and Kalamassery, our comparison Kakkanad or Kalamassery? sets out the trade-offs honestly.

Studying in Thrikkakara, sleeping in Kalamassery

Some Thrikkakara students and Kakkanad workers choose a cheaper shared room in Kalamassery and ride in. Ashraf Gents Hostel is one such option: Ashraf house, NAD Road, at the signal, Kalamassery 683563 – a boys’ hostel and PG for students, staff and working men. Its public profile lists the Seaport–Airport Road within about 3 km, which is the main road link towards Kakkanad. Time the full journey to your own college or office before committing.

The indicative rate is about ₹2,000–3,000 per head per month, negotiable, with one month’s advance, confirmed on +91 90746 23855. See the twin-sharing rooms in the photo gallery.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Thrikkakara famous?

For the Thrikkakara Vamana temple, traditionally regarded as the centre of Onam, whose records hold the earliest known mention of the festival (861 CE).

Is Kakkanad in Thrikkakara?

Yes. Most of Kakkanad, including the Civil Station and Infopark, falls within Thrikkakara municipality.

When did Thrikkakara become a municipality?

On 30 November 2010.

Which colleges are in Thrikkakara?

Model Engineering College and Bharata Mata College are in Thrikkakara, and CUSAT is on its boundary with Kalamassery.

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 7 October 2026. How we write these guides: editorial notes. Map embeds © Google.