Kollam: All you need to know about the Constitution-literate district in Kerala

New Delhi: Kollam has become India’s first Constitution-literate district. The announcement of the feat was made by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during a ceremony chaired by Finance Minister KN Balagopal in Kollam on Saturday. This accomplishment was achieved through The Citizen, a Constitution literacy campaign jointly launched by the Kollam district panchayat, District Planning Committee and Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA). The objective of the campaign was to create awareness about various aspects of the country’s laws and citizen rights. According to reports, around 16.3 lakh people, are above ten years of age. They were educated by 2,200 trainers called ‘senators’, who visited schools, offices, auto stands and tribal areas to create awareness.

About Kollam

Kollam, also known as Quilon, is an ancient port city situated on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake in Kerala. It was once a major centre of international trade, particularly in spices and cashew nuts. Earlier, Kollam had also served as an important port for the Chinese, Arabs, and Europeans.

Why Kollam is famous?

Kollam is home to the Thangassery Light House, which is one of the oldest lighthouses in the country. It offers a panoramic view of the city. Apart from this, Kollam is also renowned for its traditional Kerala-style houseboats, known as Kettuvallams, which are used for backwater tourism. The city is also known for its rich cultural heritage and is home to several ancient temples, churches, and mosques, including the famous Sree Maha Ganapathi Temple, Kadakkal Devi Temple, and the St Thomas Orthodox Cathedral.

What is Constitution?

The Constitution is a set of laws and principles on which all citizens can agree as the foundation for how the country should be governed.

It should be mentioned that it took approximately 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days to prepare the Indian Constitution.

While the original copy of the Constitution was handwritten, it has been kept in the Parliamentary Library.

Important points at a glance

Prem Narayan Raizada, a distinguished writer, prepared the original copies of the constitution.

While the Constitution Assembly was formed on December 6, 1946, the first meeting was held in the Constitution Hall (now the Central Hall of Parliament House) on December 9, 1946.

The Indian Constitution is also known as the “bag of borrowings”.

It borrowed provisions from other countries’ constitutions.