Kumbla
Grama Panchayat

Kumbla Named after the river said to resemble the shape of a “Kumbha” (sacred pot), is a land that bears witness to the history of the Ballal and Mayippadi dynasties, as well as to the struggles against British rule. It is also remembered for the spirit and leadership of freedom fighters and social reformers such as Sridevappa Alva, Sundara Kumbala, and Swami Anandatheertha.

This region is a confluence of diverse languages and cultures including Kannada, Malayalam, and Tulu. Traditional art forms and cultural practices such as Yakshagana and Kambala continue to thrive here even today.

Kumbla is also known as the ancestral village of former Indian cricket captain Anil Kumble. In earlier times, it was a prominent port town that exported handloom products, rice, and dried fish to foreign countries.

The region also includes Mogral, where Kerala’s only Unani hospital is located, and through which National Highway 17 passes. In 1963, the first Grama Panchayat governing body was established under the leadership of M.C. Abdul Khader Haji as President.

Before the formation of the Panchayat system, the people of this region followed a unique democratic practice in which leaders were selected through a public hand-raising method.