Editing Thrissur (section)

== Economy ==
{{Main|Economy of Thrissur}}
Thrissur is home to many Malayaliee entrepreneurs<ref name="The Economic Times">{{cite news|date=4 March 2009|title=South Indian Bank sees sunshine in slowdown|work=The Economic Times|url=http://www1.economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Banking-Finance-/Banking/South-Indian-Bank-sees-sunshine-in-slowdown/articleshow/4222496.cms|url-status=dead|access-date=16 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719043838/http://www1.economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Banking-Finance-/Banking/South-Indian-Bank-sees-sunshine-in-slowdown/articleshow/4222496.cms|archive-date=19 July 2020}}</ref> and is a major financial and commercial hub of Kerala.<ref name="South Indian Bank sees sunshine in slowdown">{{cite news|date=4 March 2009|title=Banking/Finance|publisher=(The Economic Times)|url=http://www1.economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Banking-Finance-/Banking/South-Indian-Bank-sees-sunshine-in-slowdown/articleshow/4222496.cms|url-status=dead|access-date=14 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719043838/http://www1.economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Banking-Finance-/Banking/South-Indian-Bank-sees-sunshine-in-slowdown/articleshow/4222496.cms|archive-date=19 July 2020}}</ref> Historians say that King Sakthan Thampuran invited [[Saint Thomas Christians|Syrian Christian]] families and [[Brahmins]] to settle in Thrissur city from their business centers in adjoining areas. Soon, Thrissur became a flourishing centre of internal trade in Kerala. Thrissur is one of the major manufacturing centers of plain gold and [[rolled gold]] jewellery in South India; up to 70% of Kerala's jewellery is manufactured in Thrissur. There are around 3,000 gold ornaments manufacturing units in the city and 40,000-odd artisans and others work in these units.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/Kerala-shines-in-gold-ornament-export/articleshow/1205891.cms
|title=Kerala shines in gold ornament export
|work=The Economic Times
|access-date=13 December 2010
|date=20 August 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |url        = http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blnus/08091450.htm
 |title      = No impact of recession on gold business'
 |work       = Business Line
 |access-date = 13 December 2010
}}{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}</ref> The industry provides direct and indirect employment to 200,000 people in Thrissur.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=24176
|title=Kerala Hosts First Gem & Jewellery Show
|date=20 November 2008
|publisher=Diamonds Net
|access-date=13 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/06/stories/2008100657330200.htm
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009062826/http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/06/stories/2008100657330200.htm
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=9 October 2008
|title=Exhibition on gold jewellery from November 14
|access-date=13 December 2010
|location=Chennai, India
|work=[[The Hindu]]
|date=6 October 2008}}</ref> The artisans based in these units craft nearly 85 percent of one tonne gold which is used per day in Kerala. About 90 tonnes of gold was being used annually in Kerala for manufacturing of ornaments daily.

[[File:K. Karunakaran Smaraka Town Hall 02.JPG|thumbnail|The Town Hall in Thrissur|left]]

According to the [[Reserve Bank of India]], Thrissur has been regarded as a banking town since the 1930s, when 58 banks were headquartered in the city. In the present, the city remains a significant center for banking and finance, with the headquarters of major banks like [[South Indian Bank]], [[CSB Bank]], [[Dhanlaxmi Bank]], and other financial institutions like [[Manappuram Finance]], [[Kerala State Financial Enterprises]] and [[ESAF Small Finance Bank]].<ref name="The Hindu 3">{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/esaf-to-start-with-10-branches-as-small-finance-bank/article8866748.ece|title=ESAF to start with 10 branches as small finance bank|work=The Hindu|date=18 July 2016|access-date=18 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="About Us">{{cite web|url=http://www.southindianbank.com/content/viewContentLvl1.aspx?linkIdLvl2=5&linkid=5|title=About Us|publisher=South Indian Bank|access-date=1 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.csb.co.in/asp/0100text.asp?pageId=2&headId=27
 |title       = Genesis
 |publisher   = Catholic Syrian Bank
 |access-date  = 15 February 2010
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20100217211409/http://www.csb.co.in/asp/0100text.asp?pageID=2&headID=27
 |archive-date = 17 February 2010
}}</ref> Many [[chit fund]]s, a type of Indian savings and credit system, are located in Thrissur. In 2010, an estimated 3,000 chit fund companies were located in Thrissur, employing approximately 35,000 people.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_chit-fund-companies-on-the-rise_1288173
|title=Chit fund companies on the rise
|newspaper=DNA India
|publisher=DNA
|access-date=15 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/chit-fund-cos-on-the-rise-in-kerala/513907/
|title=Chit fund cos on the rise in Kerala
|work=The Indian Express
|date=7 September 2009
|access-date=15 February 2010}}</ref>

[[File:South indian bank head office.JPG|thumb|right|[[South Indian Bank]] headquarters in Thrissur City]]

The city is a hub for the [[Ayurveda|Ayurvedic]] drug-manufacturing industry. Out of the 850 ayurvedic drug-manufacturing companies in Kerala, about 150, including some of the largest in the state like [[Oushadhi]], [[Vaidyaratnam Oushadhasala]], [[KP Namboodiris]], are located in and around the city.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.pharmabiz.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=26402&sectionid=50
|title=Thrissur – The nerve-centre of Ayurveda
|publisher=Pharmabiz.com
|access-date=13 December 2010}}</ref> [[Thrissur Ayurveda Cluster]], another initiative by a group of Ayurvedic manufacturers of Thrissur, has developed a cluster in KINFRA Park in [[Koratty]] in Thrissur District.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/news/centre-to-partfund-ayurveda-testing-facility-in-thrissur/264507/
|title=Centre to part-fund Ayurveda testing facility in Thrissur
|work=The Financial Express
|date=23 January 2008
|access-date=13 January 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/06/10/stories/2005061003711700.htm
 |title        = Centre sanctions Rs 29 cr for ayurveda cluster in Thrissur
 |work         = Business Line
 |access-date   = 13 January 2010
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20100323102726/http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/06/10/stories/2005061003711700.htm
 |archive-date = 23 March 2010
 |url-status     = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://cii.in/WebCMS/Upload/Mr%20T%20Balakrishnan.pdf
|title=Ayurvedic Industry – Challenges And Opportunities
|publisher=CII
|access-date=13 January 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://cii.in/WebCMS/Upload/Mr%20A%20K%20Krishnakumar.pdf
|title=Ayurveda Sector in India: Challenges, Potential & Way Forward
|publisher=Global Ayurveda Summit 2010
|access-date=13 January 2010}}</ref>

Retail businesses in Thrissur include [[Kalyan Group]], [[Jos Alukkas]], [[Jos Alukkas|Joy Alukkas]] and Josco Group.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/localContentView.do?tabId=16&programId=1079897624&contentId=8267335&district=Thrissur&BV_ID=@@@
|title=Thrissur, the new textile capital
|publisher=Manorama Online.com
|access-date=25 November 2010}}</ref> [[Infopark, Thrissur|InfoPark Thrissur]], the fourth technology park in Kerala, is situated in Thrissur District.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/koratty-it-park-set-to-begin-operations/394389/
|title=Koratty IT park set to begin operations
|work=Business Standard
|date=11 May 2010
|access-date=19 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.keralait.org/search_result.php?project_id=1&location_id=4
 |title        = InfoPark Thrissur
 |publisher    = Kerala IT
 |access-date   = 19 May 2010
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20100706090012/http://www.keralait.org/search_result.php?project_id=1&location_id=4
 |archive-date = 6 July 2010
 |url-status     = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/article136596.ece
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814165030/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/article136596.ece
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=14 August 2014
|title=Koratty Infopark first phase inauguration on Oct
|work=The New Indian Express
|date=8 October 2009
|access-date=19 May 2010}}</ref> Tourism has also contributed heavily to the economy of Thrissur. Domestic tourists generally use the city as a hub to explore the highly promoted tourism industry of the state of Kerala. The city with its temples, old churches and its culture, is ranked first in the number of domestic tourists visiting Kerala.<ref name="Tourist statistics" />