Wikisangamotsavam-2013/Details

Malayalam Wikipedia is approaching the completion of its 11th year of existence. Being at the top of Indian language communities by several measures and counts, it is a time of celebration and self-appraisal for the contributors and stake-holders of Malayalam Wikimedia community. Come December, ml wikimedia team is all set to gather together and make it into history by conducting the WikiSangamotsavam - 2013.

The land, people and community

Malayalam is the principal language of Kerala, a state of India. Kerala is known for its magnificent landscapes, well educated population and highly remarkable socio-economic welfare indices. It is often called "The God's own Country". Due to its overwhelming number of expatriate diaspora living in almost all parts of the world, Malayalam is also popular in many other parts of world.

• More on Kerala

Conference Venue

Y.M.C.A Hall, Alappuzha

• Find in Open Street Map
• Find in Google Map

How to reach there?

The city is accessible by air, rail, road and water.

By Air

Cochin International Airport, which is 78 kilometers to the North, is the closest airport. Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, 159 kilometers to the South, is the other airport that links the district with other countries. International tourists utilize this facility to reach Alappuzha. The other nearest airports are at Kozhikode 236 kilometers and Coimbatore 254 kilometers. There is also a helipad in the city which however is reserved for government uses.

By Train

One major rail line passes through Alappuzha. The railway station is about 4 kilometres away from the center of the town. Alappuzha Railway Station is linked by rail to cities like Thiruvananthapuram, Cochin, Coimbatore, Chennai, Bokaro Steel City and Mumbai. A total of four trains originate from Alappuzha to cities like Kannur, Chennai, Dhanbad, and Tatanagar. Since Alappuzha is a prime destination, many trains from important cities, like Banglore, Manglore, Kozhikode, and Amritsar, pass through this station.

• Trains from Alappuzha

By Road

Alappuzha is also well connected by road. The town service is served by white and brown coloured private buses with routes starting from Erattakulanagra Temple at Ambalappuzha till Kalavoor. These buses connect the city with the surrounding suburbs. National Highway NH 47 passes through the city connecting the city to other major cities like Coimbatore, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kollam, and Trivandrum. The state run Kerala State Road Transport Corporation|KSRTC runs buses connecting Alappuzha to these cities.

• NH 47

By Boat

The presence of a lot of backwaters and canals makes water transport a popular means of transport. National Waterway-3 passes through Alappuzha. There is an SWTD boat jetty in the city that lies opposite to the KSRTC bus stand. It is served by regular boat services to major towns like Kottayam and Kollam besides to other small towns and jetties. Taking an SWTD boat is a cheaper alternative to houseboats for enjoying the scenic beauty of Alappuzha.

• Alappuzha Government Ferry Details

The Festival

The malayalam (ml) community has been meticulously conducting regular outreach programs and meet-ups for many years. Some of them were annual gatherings of active contributors belonging to various locations of South India. WikiSangamotsavam is the annual gathering of Malayalam Wikimedia community. Its a festival to connect the Wikipedia users and its readers in a single forum. WikiSangamotsavam 2013 which is being conducted in Alapuzha, is the second of its sort. The first WikiSangamotsavam was conducted in Kollam, a southern district in Kerala. Anyone, who is interested in Wikimedia activities may participate in these events.

The Stakeholders

To see the organizers and sponsors, click the below links

• Organizers
• Sponsors

The Guests

The Program

• Click Here to see the Schedule
• Click Here to see the Warm up events
• Click Here to see the outreach activities

To Participate

• Click Here to participate in this event

What's so special about this place?

Alappuzha is an important tourist destination in India. A town with picturesque canals, backwaters, beaches, and lagoons, it was described as the Venice of the East by Lord Curzon. The Backwaters of Alappuzha are the most popular tourist attraction in Kerala. A houseboat cruise in these backwaters is a delightful experience. It connects Kumarakom and Cochin towards north and Kollam to the South. Alappuzha is also the access point for the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race, held on the Punnamada Lake, near Alappuzha, held on the second Saturday of August every year, is the most competitive and popular of the boat races in India. The Mullackal Chirap is also one of the attractions of Allapuzha which is the festive season held ten colourful days every year in the month of December.

Other attractions in Alappuzha are Alappuzha Beach, offering one of the most beautiful views of the Laccadive Sea, Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple, Mannarasala Temple, Chettikulangara Devi Temple, Haripad Subrahmanya Swamy Temple, Mullakkal Temple, Edathua Church, Alappuzha CSI Christ Church (oldest Anglican church in Kerala) and Champakulam Valia Palli. Krishnapuram Palace also attracts many tourists. The tasty Ambalappuzha payasam is a popular dessert.

Kuttanadu is a region near in Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam Districts, which is well known for its picturesque vast paddy fields and its geographical peculiarities. It's the region with the lowest altitude in India, and one of the few places in the world where farming is carried out below sea level. It’s also one of the historically important places in the ancient history of South India.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Click Here to see FAQ