CENSUS OF INDIA, 1951 VOLUME XIII • TRAV ANCORE-COCHIN PART lA-REPORT by U. SIVARAMAN NAIR, M. A., ph. D., F. A. SC., F. N. lo, Superintendent of Census Operations, Travancore-Cochin Price Rs. 2-8-0. PUBLISHED BY THE· MANAGER OF PUBLICATIONS, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA PUBLICATIONS BRANCH, CIVIL LINES, DELHI 1953 () o -€)- c - -.., ., POPULATION DENSITY ---....-_ _J Below ;sao 300- 500 TRAVANCORE COCHI! STATE 500 - no Seal. 1 Inch - 20 Mile. '50-1000 1000-ISOO ....,..~.J.J STATE 1500-11000 _~u Rural N ......"ou"· ... 20 DO-1500 G··. am~ Abo.. eSOO Alrlcultul"lll Urban 13-21 Cod. Number of Taluk PRINTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GOVERNMENT PRESSES AT THE GOVERNMENT CENTRAL i>RZSS-t T R I VAN D RUM. CONTENTS PAGE MAP OF TRAVANCORE-COCHIN~ ,STATE Frontispiece PREFATORY NOTE i 1 INTRODUCTORY 1 2 CHAPTER I-GENERAL !pOPULATION 8 3 CHAPTER II-RURAL POPULATION 29 4 CHAPTER Ill-URBAN POPULATJ:ON 34 5 CHAPTER -:e,IV-AGRICULTURAL ~ CLASSES 43 6 CHAPTER V-NON-AGRICULTURAL CLASSES 52 7 CHAPTER~ _VI-FAMILIES, SEXES AND PRINC:IPAL AGE GROUPS 64 PREFATORY NOTE The 1951 Census Report consists of four The success of the census enumeration goes volumes:- entirely to the energy and enthusiasm of the 1. Part I-A. Report District Collectors, the Tahsildars, Municipal Commissioners and the Divisional Forest Officers. 2. Part I-B. Subsidiary Tables I feel extremely happy to record that these 3. Part II Tables officers devoted themselves to the work whole­ 4. Administrative volume heartedly and with ability. They have laid me Parts I-B and II contain the results of the under a deep sense of obligation. processing of census enumeration slips. Part I It is difficult for me to express adequately -Report-is a brief study of the main popula­ my appreciation of the work done by the large tion characteristics as revealed by census data. army of Census Supervisors and Enumerators. This study confines itself to the population of They have carried out their census duties the state as a whole and contains only brief effiCiently in the face of serious difficulties, per­ references to district figures. The statements sonal inconveniences and even financial loss at made and conclusions drawn in the Report are times. They have brought credit to themselves . wholly mine and do not necessarily represent and to the state. the views of Government. The enumeration of the personnel of the Army, Detailed figures far taluks within the four Navy and Air Force in this state was kindly districts of the state have been assembled and undertaken by Officers of the respective Services. published in the four District Census Handbooks. The enumeration in the Co chin Harbour area was These handbooks contain besides the district arranged by the Administrative Officer, Cochin tables, a description of the district and its popu­ Port. It is a pleasure for me to place on record lation, a Gazetteer and certain essential statistics my appreciation of their services. relating to every village in the district. The estates devoted to plantation crops in this I take this opportunity to record my deep state cover a large area of the hilly tract. The sense of gratitude to the Government of Travan­ proprietors and managers of these estates have core-Cochin for their generous assistance at all placed me under a deep debt of gratitude by stages of census work. I must particularly readily undertaking the responsibility for enu­ express my obligations to Sri K. G. Menon, meration in their estates and discharging it in I. C. S., and Sri V. N. Rajan, I. C. S.-the two a praise-worthy manner. Chief Secretaries to the State Government during the tenure of my appointment as Census The Superintendent of Government Presses, Superintendent-for their help and prompt action Trivandrum and his staff have been extremely on my numerous and often troublesome requests. helpful in the printing of the large volume of census materials. It was only the personal The Secretaries to Government, Revenue interest taken by the Superintendent and the Department, with whom, I had a great deal to assistants detailed for this work, at a time when do, were uniformly helpful to me. To them, the Press was working at high pressure, that I tender my sincere thanks. prevented possible dislocation of census work. The heads of almost all the departments of The elegance of the printing and get up of the Government have helped me in my work and I census volumes are due to their initiative and am deeply indebted to them all. I shall be failing skill. To them, I tender my warm acknowledg­ in my duty if I do not record my gratitude to ment. the Director of Public Instruction, the Director There was great difficulty in housing the of Public Health and the Chief Conservator of Tabulation Office. Brigadier, P. N. Kripal, Forests who readily supplied the basic man­ General Officer Commanding the Indian Army power required for census operations. Unit at Trivandrum came to my rescue by placing at my disposal a number of barracks to accom­ to record my great appreciation of the services modate the Tabulation Office. To the Brigadier rendered by Sri K. Parameswara Menon. and his staff, who gave me all facilities in my The work that fell upon my Head Clerk, work, I am deeply indebted. Accountant and the Typists was extra-ordinarily Sri P. S. Narayanaswamy, B. A., L. T., was heavy. They shouldered the responsibilities my Deputy Superintendent in charge of the Tabu­ placed on them to my entire satisfaction and lation Office. His enthusiasm, tact and initiative I have the greatest admiration for their excellent , are responsible for the efficient manner in which performance. the tabulation-work was conducted in the state. Whatever success I may claim in my experi­ r wish to record my gratitude to Sri N arayana­ ment with Census, is due to the prompt, sway and his staff - the Technical Assistants, critical and always sympathetic help unstintedly the Supervisors, the Compiler-Checkers and given by Sri R. A. Gopalaswamy, I. C. S., Sorters-for the great pains they took in the Registrar General, India. I wish to place on efficient discharge of their duties. record my gratitude to him. I wish to make mention of the meritorious Sri D. Natarajan, Assistant Census Commis­ service rendered by each and every member of sioner, has helped me a good deal. His experi­ my office staff. My Personal Assistant, Sri K. ence in census work was always available and Parameswara Menon, M. A., always stood by me to him I offer my grateful thanks. in the discharge of my duties as Superintendent of Census. With an eye for absolute efficiency, Sri P. N. Kaul, the Tabulation Officer, has thoroughness and prompt disposal Sri Menon, has given me very substantial help. He has checked give~ me of his very best during the few years the tables with scrupulous care and pointed out we worked together. I take this opportunity several mistakes in some of the tables. For this great help, I am deeply grateful to him. U. SIVARAMAN NAm~ Superintendent of Census Operations. INTRODUCTION 1. The Importance of the 1951 Census census. The most important change made at this census is the abandonment of the collection 1. Census history in Travancore-Cochin goes and tabulation of data for separate castes or as far back as 1816. In Travancore, censuses communities and the emphasis laid on the gather­ were subsequently conducted in 1836, 1854 and ing of economic data relating to every citizen. 1875; in Cochin, censuses were taken in 1820, The only exception is in regard to Scheduled 1836, 1849, 1858 and 1875. From 1881, censuses Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Anglo-Indians. The in both states synchronised with the Indian caste and community tables which were a serious Censuses. As the earlier attempts at popula­ head-ache to previous Superintendents (and per­ tion count do not appear to have been very syste­ haps served little purpose) were dropped. matically organised, the first regular systematic census is believed to be that of 1875. The pre­ 5. Emphasis was rightly laid on the collec­ sent census is thus the eighth decennial (and the tion of economic data, because basic data on the ninth systematic) census to be held in this state. economic life of the nation, essential for proper planning were sadly lacking. As the census was 2. The 1951 Census will go down in census the only administrative effort reaching every history as a memorable event. To it belongs household in the country it was decided that at the distinction of having been the first census the census special attention should be devoted to be taken after India's attainment of independ­ to the collection of economic data. Three ques­ ence. It is also the first census of the integrat­ tions (questions 9, 10 and 11) out of a total of ed state of Travancore-Cochin. (The states of 14 in the census questionnaire were set apart to Travancore and Cochin were integrated with gather information relating to the economic sta­ effect from 1st July, 1949.) tus and means of livelihood of each citizen. 3. From the legal and constitutional point 6. The National Register of Citizens prepared of view the 1951 census marks a new develop­ for the first time at this census represents the ment. Previously, censuses were conducted result of an administrative effort of immense under the authority of Acts passed by the legis­ magnitude and usefulness. The Register, com­ latures in the two states, though of course, the piled in separate parts for each village and ward operations were carried out under the general in town or city, contains the names of all persons guidance of the Census Commissioner to the enumerated at the census arranged by house­ Government of India.