Purathur

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Purathur is part of Alapad Village on the south side of the Chazhur-Alapad road. Alapad village comprises of Purathur, Alapad and Pullu (North Pullu and South Pullu). Pullus were not connected to mainland earlier. There was no road connection between Alapad and Pullu South and then Pullu South to Pullu North. Hence during monsoon floods for 3-4 months Pullus used to be isolated from main land except by the contacts by country boats.
Alapad has a developed health centre with some in-patient facility. A well organised co-operative society of paddy farmers, another co-op. socy. of Milk producers, and also a co-op. society of women for producing this and that which can be sold in the market.
There is no Upper Primary and High schools in Alapad Village. Villagers send their children for upper primary and high school education to Chazhoor traditionally. But with new road connections to Pallippuram-Ammadam on the North East side and Pazhuvil on the South West side students go to schools there also.

Alapad is a village of farmers and toddy producers (tappers). Before independence, the lands were occupied by Jamindars (Janmi in Malayalam) who had the right to save or punish, kill or set fire on huts of peasants at their will, expell the farmers from land as and when they wish. The communists changed the world of the farmers when they organised farmers and agricultural workers with the promise of ownership to land and freedom from the enslavement of Jamindars. They also organised toddy tappers which in itself was an event of epic dimensions. Toddy tappers became leaders of all other fighting communities in the society. The result, the farmers got ownership of the land they ploughed, agricultural labours whose hutments were often pulled down or set fire on false accusations got ownership of their huts and a small piece of land that held it, Tappers got all the facilities and better wages modern industrial workers enjoyed.

This was the reason why Alapad was nick-named as 'Moscow'.

The second and third generation of those farmers and tappers who fought for a better future are now spread all over the world by the strength of education they received.

Alapad is part of the 'rice bowl' of Trichur, Kerala. It produces lot of paddy in two harvests. Today most of the youth from the traditional agricultural labour families migrate to cities for better jobs, equipped with modern education. So, there is shortage of manpower when it is needed in the field. Labours from distant districts, even from other States of the country supplement to this requirement. Complete automation of farming is considered a solution.

There is no industry in the village. Most of the families depend mainly on the remittances they receive from migrated people.

Festivities are celebrated together by the people of Alapad. They participate in the festival functions of Roman Catholic Church, Hindu (family) Temples, Perungottukara Utsavam etc. Population of about 3000 people consists of 20% Christians, 5% Muslims and the rest Hindus. Girls read to their post graduation and higher studies more than the boys. Boys eye jobs in the Gulf. Some reach Europe and America also.

Land has lot of coconut trees (most of them old, needs replacement), Mango Trees, Jackfruit trees, Tamarind Trees, banana plants etc.