Puthencruz

Puthenkurish is a town in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala near Kolenchery town en route to Muvattupuzha. It is a part of the Greater Cochin area. Puthencruz is one of the fastest developing villages in Ernakulam district. Puthencruz plays a pivotal role in connecting different smaller villages and other surrounding towns to Ernakulam as it lies in the outer ring of Ernakulam City. Puthencruz is rapidly developing into a city and will be at the pivot of expansion of the Ernakulam municipal area.

Etymology
The name Puthencruz is a Portuguesisation of the Malayalam word പുത്തൻകുരിശ് (puthan kuriśŭ), which means New Cross. The settlement was previously known as 'Pannikkuzhy kara'. The origin of the name of the place is synonymous with the establishment of a new cross by the Syrian Christians who were the parishioners of Kolenchery St. Peter's & St. Paul's Syrian Jacobite Church in the year 1816 AD. Kolenchery Church was built in the 7th century, and has many subsidiary ones like Kurinji and Poothrikka. When the new cross was established as a belief by the locals to get rid of an infectious disease called "Masoori", the procession of the main festival from the mother church of Kolenchery extended up to Pannikuzhy kara, the people started to tell that "the procession shall extend to the Puthen Kurisu". The name of the place in time changed to Puthankurisu, and was Portuguesised to Puthencruz. Earlier names of this place was also termed as 'Puttumanoor' and 'Puliyirangum Kara' in many records. There is a very ancient temple which was known as 'Chaarapparambathu Bhagavathy Temple' later came to known as 'Puthenkaavu Bhagavathy Temple'.

Demographics
India census, Puthencruz had a population of 23878 with 12026 males and 11852 females.

Colleges

 * St.Thomas Arts & Science College
 * Patriarch Ignatius Zakka First Training College, Malecruz-Puthencruz
 * Muthoot institute of Technology and Science, Varickoli
 * BTC Public School, Puthencruz
 * Mar Athanasius Memorial Higher Secondary School
 * M.G.M High School www.mgmhs.in
 * Government Upper Primary School, Puthencruz
 * Hagia Sophia Public School
 * R.M.H.S.S vadavucode
 * G.L.P.S Vadavucode
 * G.U.P.S Puttumanoor

Temples

 * Chaarapparambathu Bhagavathy Temple, also known as Puthenkaavu Bhagavathy Temple

Churches

 * Sharon Fellowship Church, Karimugal
 * St.peter's and St Paul's Orthodox Syriac Church
 * India Pentecostal Church of God, Kothamangalam
 * Mar Ignatious Alias Chapel
 * Little Flower Syro- Malabar Catholic Church https://goo.gl/maps/nC8EiPigFt9EGt127  https://goo.gl/maps/MAfVA28bGvYz7c9A8
 * St. George Roman (Latin) Catholic Church https://goo.gl/maps/VYqaw93VRcUd9N4b8
 * Mar Athanasius Patriarchal Cathedral

Religious Institutions

 * Patriarchal Center - Headquarters of Jacobite Syriac society Christian Church in India
 * St. George's Dayro, Malecruz

Financial institutions

 * State Bank of India
 * Union Bank of India
 * Federal Bank
 * Vadavucode Farmers Co-operative Bank Branch
 * South Indian Bank
 * Kerala State Financial Enterprises
 * Servants Co-operative Bank
 * Aditya birla capital (Stock Broking)

Government institutions

 * Electricity Board
 * BSNL Office
 * Registration Office
 * Village Office
 * Krishi Bhavan
 * Post Office
 * Grama Panchayath Office http://lsgkerala.in/puthencruzpanchayat/vadavucode-puthencruz/

Other organisations

 * Puthencruz Cultural Center (PCC), a local initiative for raising social and environmental awareness