Parassala (Malaynam:പാറശ്ശാല) is a small town located near the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.It comes under Thiruvananthapuram district at southern tip of Kerala. It is situated 34 km south of state capital Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, bordering Tamil Nadu. Demographics A part of earlier generation of the population were involved in the collecting of palmyra nectar and fermenting to produce alcoholic drinks. The typical nectar collected on pots from atop palmyra trees are also used for making 'karupatti' which is known for its medicinal properties. Three generations before, the people of Parassala have achieved socio-economic development because of the establishment of various educational and health care organizations by various religious groups and government. Health The major hospitals in the town are Govt Taluk Hospital, Saraswathy Multispeciality Hospital and SP Multispeciality Hospital. Then a government Sidha hospital,a government Ayurvedha hospital,a government Veterinary hospital, a government homoeo dispensary and Telhara Homoeo care have given drastic change to the rustic image of this old town. The panchayat also holds a Medical College at Karakonam. Education Prominent educational institutions in Parassala are Government Vocational Higher Secondary School, Evans Higher Secondary School, Teachers Training Institute, Government Women ITI, Saraswathy College of Nursing, CSI Institute of Legal Studies,CSI B.ed College, Samuel LMS Upper primary school and Sree Krishna Pharmacy College. Notable People • Parassala B. Ponnammal, recipient of Padma shri, an elderly woman who was the first female singer in the famous Navarathri Mandapam of Thiruvananthapuram during 2006 comes from this town. Politics Parassala assembly constituency is part of Thiruvananthapuram (Lok Sabha constituency). The former late deputy speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Sundaran Nadar, is from Parassala. The current MLA is C.K.Hareendran. Now, from November 2015, local self election conducted by state election commission and won Left Democratic front and Com. Manju Smitha elected as panchayat President. Parassala comes under Thiruvananthapuram Constituent Assembly and Mr.Shashi Tharoor is the current MP. Religion Parassala Sree Mahadeva Temple is one of the foremost centres of worship in south Kerala and the temple is situated at the tiny village of Parassala adjoining the Kerala Tamil Nadu boundary. Here the deity, Lord Siva is facing the west, which is considered as a rare phenomenon, and devotees even from far off places attend the worship. It was built by Mallen Chembakaraman Delava of Venad royal family. The temple is centuries old and the structure is rare stone architecture and Parvathy devi