History
Nemom Block includes the region of Pallichal, which was the birthplace of Pallichal Pillai- one of the Ettuveetil Pillaimar (Lords of the Eight Houses) and a place where Maharaja Marthanda Varma lived in hiding. It is believed that the name 'Pallichal' originated from the word "Pallikal", which refers to the monasteries of Buddhist monks. When Mahatma Gandhi visited Thiruvananthapuram, Poongodu in Pallichal Panchayat was one of the locations selected for him to deliver a speech. The Thiruvananthapuram–Kanyakumari railway line and National Highway 47 (the old Rajapatha or Royal Road) passing through this block are the major transport routes here.
The anti-untouchability protests led by Ayyankali and the Maruthoor Kanichankode eviction protest against the administration of C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer are notable struggles of this region. Established in 1957, the Thiruvananthapuram Spinning Mills and Peninsula Polymers (Penpol), which exports blood bags abroad, are the major industries operating here.
The "Kaliyoottu Mahotsavam", which is held once every three years and lasts for 50 days at the Vellayani Devi Temple in Kalliyoor Panchayat, is the longest non-pilgrimage-based festival in South India. Vellayani Lake, the only freshwater lake in Thiruvananthapuram district, and the famous "Vellayani Agricultural College" (established in 1955), which experiments with modern agricultural methods adjacent to the lake, are located here. It is said that there are vast deposits of rare gemstones, including chrysoberyl (cats-eye/vaiduryam), in various parts of Kalliyoor. Due to rising farming costs and the reclamation of paddy fields, traditional paddy cultivation here has declined, and has been widely replaced by coconut, pulses, and vegetables.