District Handbooks of Kerala

PALAKKAD

District Handbooks
of Kerala

PALAKKAD

The Silent Valley

Department of Information & Public Relations

Government of Kerala

DISTRICT HANDBOOKS
OF KERALA

PALAKKAD

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION & PUBLIC RELATIONS

GOVERNMENT OF KERALA

District Handbooks of Kerala

Contents

PALAKKAD

1. Introduction ..............................................................................5

Department of Information and Public Relations

February 2003

2. History .......................................................................................6

Editor - in - Chief
Dr. Venu V . I A S.
(Director)

3. Physical Features ......................................................................7

Compiled by
District Information Officer, Palakkad.

5. Administration .........................................................................13

4. Socio-Economic Conditions .................................................. 11

6. Agriculture ...............................................................................19
Editor
K. Santhosh Kumar
(Information Officer)
Assistants
N.Radhakrishna Pillai
Ajitha Das
(Translators)
Type setting and layout
Karma

7. Co-operation ...........................................................................22
8. Industry ...................................................................................23
9. Water resources .......................................................................26
10. Important Festivals ................................................................29
11. Places of Interest ...................................................................32
12.Barefacts .................................................................................41

Published by the Director, Department of Information and Public Relations, Government of Kerala.

Printed at
Copies
Price

:
:
:

KSAVRC Press, Thiruvananthapuram

15,000
Rs.10

Every care has been taken to ensure the authenticity of the information in this
hand book. However, the Information and Public Relation Department, Government of
Kerala should not be held responsible for error , if any.

INTRODUCTION

FOREWORD
Reference books have always been in great demand in Kerala
and the educated public approach the Information and Public Relations
Department, Government of Kerala, for authentic information on our State
and districts. It is in this context that District Handbooks used to be published. To be abreast of the times, the Department has launched a website,
www.prd.kerala.gov.in and maintains the State Government web portal
www.kerala.gov.in. It has been our sincere endeavour to update these
on a day-to-day basis and popularise the use of computers through out
the State to enable information and services to reach the needy. However, the Department feels that the time is not ripe for a complete switch
over from the print media and hence a new series of District Handbooks
is now published.
I hope that this book would cater to the requirements of the tourists as well as the general public who seek a handy booklet containing
relevant information about the district. Suggestions for improvement of
the publication/the contents of the website/portals are welcome.

Dr.Venu.V, I.A.S.
Director of Information and Public Relations
Thiruvananthapuram,
27th January 2003.

alakkad is one of the fourteen revenue districts of Kerala. Its geographical position, historical background, rural natural, educational
status, tourist attractions and above all, the developmental activities that
are carried out, are wide and varied.

This district, situated almost in the centre of State, has no coastal

line. The district opens the State to the rest of the country through the
Palakkad gap. This 32 to 40 kms. wide natural gap in the 960 kms. long
Western Ghats is perhaps the most influential factor for the unique characteristics of the district such as climate, commercial as well as cultural
exchanges between the State and the rest of the country. Palakkad witnessed invasions of historical importance that have left indelible impressions on the history of Kerala. Bharathappuzha, the longest river in Kerala,
originates from the highlands and flows through the entire district.
The district is one of the main granaries of Kerala and its economy
is primarily agricultural. Agriculture engages more than 65 per cent of the
workers and 88.9 per cent of the district's population is rural in nature.
The proximity and easy approach to Tamil Nadu have caused the admixture of Malayalam and Tamil culture, here.
The district is perhaps the foremost in fostering Carnatic music.
Great musicians like Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar and Palakkad
5

Mani Iyer, who have enriched Carnatic music by their contributions, hailed
from this district.
Forests, numerous streams, several dams and the gardens in them
have made this district a tourist paradise.
Palakkad is part of the erstwhile Malabar district of Madras Presidency. The district accounts for about 11.5 per cent of the total land area
of Kerala, with the share of population is 8.22 per cent. The district has
got two types of climates. Ottappalam, Alathur and Mannarkkad Taluks
are having a climate similar to that of other districts of Kerala, whereas
Palakkad and Chittur are having rather a dry climate similar to TamilNadu.
However the average rainfall is good for cultivation. There are five taluks,
163 villages , four Municipal towns and ninety Panchayaths in the district.
The district is divided into 13 community Development Blocks for the
effective implementation of various development activities.

HISTORY
Palakkad is the land of Palmyrahs and Paddy fields. Along with
Kuttanadu, Palakkad is major paddy growing area of the State. It is often
called as the "gateway of Kerala". The Sahya Ranges bordering the
region and the 32 to 40 km. long gap in the mountains exert a dominant
influence on the climate of the region. This gap is known as 'Palakkad
Gap'. In the past, this land was known as Palkkattussery. Etymologists
trace the word Palakkad from Palanilam meaning the dry area. Palakkad
has a long history dating back to the paleolithic period which was substantiated by a number of megalithic relics discovered from this region. It also
housed the Capitals of two kingdoms such as Palakkad and Kollengode,
which were in prominence till a century back.

many centuries the Malabar

region was ruled by Perumals.
Malabar had been invaded
by many of the ancient South
Indian Rulers. After this the
Malabar was divided among
their Utayavars. The famous
among them were the
Palakkad Fort
"Valluvakonathiri" (Ruler
of Valluvanad) Kollengode Raja (Ruler of Vengunad) and Sekhari varma
(Raja of Palakkad) of Palakkattussery. The Palakkad Region was came
under the control of Kollengode Raja and Sekhari Varma Raja of Palakkad.
When the Kozhikode Samoothiri invaded Palakkad in 1757, the
Palakkad Raja sought the help of Hyder Ali of Mysore. His help forced
the Samoothiri for retreat. Later Hyder Ali subjugated all territories in
Palakkad which were under the possession of Kozhikode Samoothiri. Thus
whole dominion of Palakkad passed into the control of Mysore Sulthan
Hyder Ali Khan and his son Tippu Sulthan. The war between East India
Company and Tippu Sulthan ended with the treaty of 1792 and all the
possession of Tippu in Malabar area ceded to the East India Company
and it formed the Malabar District of the Madras Presidency.

PHYSICAL FEATURES
Location

The ancient history of Palakkad is shrouded. According to William Logan, the author of "Malabar Manual" the Pallava Dynasty of Kochi
might have invaded Malabar in the second or third century. One of their
headquarters was Palakkad, which could be the present Palakkad. For

Palakkad district is situated in the South West Coast of India,

bounded on the North by Malappuram in the East by Coimbatore of
Tamilnadu, in the South by Thrissur and in the West by Thrissur and
Malappuram districts. It lies between 10'21 and 11'14 North latitude and
76'02 and 76'54 East longitude. The total geographical area of the district
is 4480 sq.k.m representing 11.53 per cent of the State's geographical
area. The forest land per cent covers 136257 hectares.

Topographically the district can be divided into two regions.

Based on the physical features, the district is divided into two natural divisions - midland and highland. The midland region consists of valleys and plains. It leads up to the highland which consists of high mountain
peaks, long spurs, extensive ravines, dense forests and tangled jungles.
Midland is thick with coconut, arecanut, cashew, pepper, rubber and paddy
cultivation.The soil is laterite in the hill and mid land regions. Ottappalam
taluk lies completely in the midland and highland regions. The road and
rail links between Kerala and Tamil Nadu pass through the Palakkad gap.
The Western Ghats has an average altitude of 5000 ft. except for
two peaks of more than 6000 ft. The important peaks above an altitude of
4000 ft. are Anginda (7628 ft.), Karimala (6556 ft.), Nellikotta or Padagiri
(5200 ft.) and Karimala Gopuram (4721 ft.)

Population
According to the 2001 census the population of the district is
2617072. The density of the population is 584 per Sq. km. Decadal growth
rate for the period 1991-2001 is 9.86 per cent in comparison with the
State figures of + 9.42 per cent. The sex ratio of the district is 1068
females for 1000 males. The District has achieved 84.31 per cent literacy in 2001 calculated on the basis of population above the age of 7
years.

Climate
The district has a humid climate with a very hot season extending
from March to June in the Western Part of the district whereas it is less
humid in the Eastern sector. The most important rainy season is during
South West Monsoon which sets the second week of June and extends
upto September. About 75 per cent of the annual rain is received during
the south west monsoon period. During the period December to May,
practically no rain is received. The temperature of the district ranges from
20'C to 45'C. The maximum temperature recorded at Palakkad was 43'C.
8

Soil
The soil of Palakkad district is mainly of four types, namely, peaty
(kari), laterite, forest and black . Peaty soil is found only in Thrithala firka
of Ottappalam taluk. Laterite is seen in the major portions of all taluks.
Forest soil is confined to Mannarghat and Ottappalam taluks, the narrow
strip of land along the western boundaries of Palakkad and Alathur taluks
and along the southern boundary of Chittur taluk. Black soil is seen mostly
in the eastern sector of Chittur taluk and a small portion of Palakkad
taluk.

Minerals
Low grade iron ore (magnetite) is found at Kollengode, Mannarghat
and Muthalamada. Limestone deposits are found in the Chittur and
Kozhinjampara firkas. Muscovita mica is reported to be present in the
Sholayar villages. A large quantity of limestone deposit is found in Walayar
forest area where the government has started a cement factory.

Rivers
Bharathappuzha, with her tributaries, sprawls across the entire district. The river takes its origin from Anamalai hills and flows through the
districts of Palakkad, Malappuram and Thrissur before emptying into the
Arabian sea at Ponnani. Its four main tributaries are Gayatrippuzha,
Kannadippuzha, Kalpathyppuzha and Thuthappuzha.

Gayatrippuzha
This river originates from Anamala hills and after traversing
through Kollengode, Nenmara, Alathur, Wadakkanchery and Pazhayannur,
joins Bharathapuzha at Mayannur. This tributary has five main subtributaries;Mangalam river, Ayalurpuzha, Vandazhippuzha, Meenkara
ppuzha and Chulliyar.
9

Kannadippuzha
It is also known as Chitturpuzha or Amaravathippuzha. This river,
which also starts from the Anamala hills, flows through Thathamangalam
and Chittur and joins the main river at Parli. There Palar, Aliyar and Uppar
streams combine to this river .

Kalpathyppuzha
Also known as Korayar this river starts from the place called
Chenthamarakulam in the hills, north of Walayar. Kalpathypuzha is formed
by four streams, viz., Korayar, Varattar, Walayar and Malampuzha.

Thuthappuzha
Thuthappuzha, otherwise known as Pilanthol river, starts from the
Silent Valley hills and joins the main river about two kms off Pallipuram
railway station. The important streams which feed this tributary are
Kunthippuzha, Kanjirappuzha, Ambankadavu and Thuppanadippuzha.
The length of Bharathappuzha is 374.40 kms and its catchment
area is 6186 sq.kms.

Bhavani
The Bhavani river originates from the Kunda mountains in the Nilgiris,
makes a circuitous course through the Attappady valley and returns to the
shadow of Nilgiri mountains. The catchment area of the Bhavani river
within Kerala is 220 sq. miles yielding an annual run off of 27,000 million
cubic feet of water. Of the rivers of Kerala, Bhavani river is one among
the three which prefers Bay of Bengal to the Arabian sea.

is under cultivation. Some of the dominant trees in the region are Eppothi
(Macaranga Indica), Mavu (Mangifera) Parangimavu (Ancardium
Occidentale),Pilavu (Atocarpus Integriofolia), Elavu (Cieba Pentandra),
Ezhilampala (Astomia Scholoris), Urakkam Thoongi (Enterolobium
Saman), Mullumurikku (Erythrina Indica) and Aranamaram (Polyalthia
Longifolia). Intermingled with these are other trees like Osboekia Ostandra,
Lantana Sculeata, etc. Rubber and teak plantations are common in the
hills. The midland region gradually merges with the hilly forests.
No animal can be mentioned peculiar to this district. Elephants are
common in almost all parts of the forest. Tiger, leopard, gaur, etc., are some
times found in the thick forests. Sambar and spotted deer are seen in
large numbers.
Nilgiri langur, bonnet monkey, slender loris, jungle cat, different types
of mangoose, jackals, squirrels, hares, etc. are found in the forest. Birds
found in the jungle are crow, kingcrow, mynah, woodpeckers, sunbird,
king fishers, skylark, paradise fly catchers, parrots, peacocks,
pigeons etc. Poisonous and non-poisonous snakes are common in the
district.
The Silent Valley area, 40 kms. from Mannarghat town, has the
distinction of being a rain forest, very rare in the world. It is spread over
an area of about 9000 hectares. This thick forest is rich in some of the
rare species of plants and animals.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

The flora of Palakkad district is characteristically tropical, owing to

the seasonal rainfall, moderate temperature and the mountainous eastern
border. Major portion of the district comes under the midland region and

As in any other part of the State, the social and economic status of
the people in the district is undergoing changes. The breaking up of the
joint family system and the increasing partition of old tharavads have led
to the disappearance of the importance of high-caste Hindus in the society. A survey of the social and economic scene shows that the values

10

11

Flora and Fauna

based on caste and land have been replaced in recent times by those of
education, employment, trade, commerce and industry.

Religion and custom

Hinduism is the predominant religion in the district. Nearly 76 percent of the population belongs to the Hindu community. All the subcastes
of Hindu community are well represented in the district. The Vellodis and
Nedungadis, two sections of the Nair community, peculiar to Malabar
area, are represented in this district also. Sections of the Hindu community, peculiar to this district are Muthuvan, Mannadiar, Guptan and
Tharakan.
Vishnu and Siva are popularly worshipped. Kshethrams and
Ambalams are dedicated to these major deities. The Kavus and Kovils
are dedicated to deities like Ayyappan, Subrahmonyan, Bhadrakali,
Hanuman and even malignant demons. Snake worship has been widely
prevalent in these part. The worship of ancestors is also practised by
Hindus. Offerings are made to departed souls on new moon Sankranthi
days.

The ceremonies connected with, birth, marriage and death differ

from one community to another. The restrictions based on caste and religion are obeservd generally by all communities Irular, Kurumbar,
Mudugar, Eravalas, Malamalasar, Malasar, Kadar, Malayar, etc. are
the tribals living in these forests. Attappady is an important centre of tribal
people. The beliefs, customs and ways of life of these tribal people are
distinct; each class having its own traditional customs and ways of life.

ADMINISTRATION
The present Palakkad district, as an administrative unit, was formed
on the first of January 1957, comprising of Palakkad, Perinthalmanna,
Ponnani, Ottappalam, Alathur and Chittur.

The Muslim is the second largest community . A particular section

of the Muslim community whose mother tongue is Tamil, are known as
Ravuthars. These people came here as traders and soldiers. They belong
to the Hanafi sect of Islam. Most of them reside in Alathur, Chittur, and
Palakkad taluks.The way of life of this particular section is much influenced by the Tamil culture, especially in marriage customs and food habits.

When the Malappuram district was formed on the 16th June 1969,
Ponnani taluk excluding Thrithala firka and the villages of Vadakkekad,
Punnayur and Punnayurkulam and Perinthalmanna taluk consisting of
Mankada firka and Perinthalmanna firka excluding Karkidamkunnu and
Chethalloor amsoms were transferred to Malappuram district. A new
taluk, namely Mannarghat, was formed by grouping 19 villages of the
erstwile Perinthalmanna taluk. While retaining the Trithala firka with
Ottappalam taluk, the villages of Vadakkekad, Punnayur and
Punnayurkulam were brought under Chowghat taluk of Thrissur district.
The Paradur village of Tirur taluk was added to Ottappalam taluk. Recently some portions of Karavarakund village of Malappuram district were
also added to Palakkad.

There is another sect of Muslims known as Pattanis. They are

also called Decanese. They came from Decan with the Mysore rulers
and settled here. Traditionally, they are well-trained horsemen. Their influence in Palakkad can be seen from the fact that a street is named after
them as Pattani street. They also belong to 'Hanafi' sect of Muslims. The
rest of the Muslim community is known as Moppilas.

At present the Palakkad district consists of two revenue divisions,

five taluks and 163 villages. The revenue divisions are Palakkad and
Ottappalam. Palakkad, Alathur and Chittur taluks form the Palakkad revenue division and Ottappalam and Mannarghat taluks form the Ottappalam
revenue division. There are 13 development blocks and 90 panchayats in
the district. The total area of the district is 4480 sq.kms.

12

13

REVENUE DIVISIONS AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCKS

DISTRICT PANCHAYAT
As per the amendment of Indian Constitution, Decentralised planning was implemented in the state. The headquarters of District Panchayat
is at Palakkad Municipal town. The District Panchayat office building
was constructed near to Civil Station.

Basic Statistics

Taluk

Block

Alathur

Alathur
Kuzhalmannam
Attappady
Mannarghat
Chittoor
Kollengode
Nenmara
Ottappalam
Pattambi
Srikrishnapuram
Trithala

312
315
827
359
290
328
640
220
224
219
172

Palakkad
Malampuzha

723
-

Mannarghat
Chittoor

1.

Taluks

2.
3.

C.D Block
Municipalities

13
4

4.

Corporations

--

5.

Panchayats

90

6.

Revenue Villages

7.
8.

Parliamentary Constituencies
Assembly Constituencies

9.

District Panchayats

163
2
11
1

10.

District Panchayats Constituencies

26

11.

Block Panchayats

13

12.
13.

Block Panchayats Constituencies

Grama Panchayats

141
90

14.

Grama Panchayats Constituencies

1178

15.

Municipal Councils

16.

Municipal Constituencies

17.
18.

Corporations
Persons in the Electoral Roll

19.

Total Population

2617072 (2001 Census)

Male

1265794

Female

1351278

4
130

14

Ottappalam

Palakkad

Area (in sq.kms.)

Alathur
The block is situated in the south central part of the district. It
covers an area of 312 sq.kms. Paddy is, by far, the most important crop.
Canals irrigate a net area of 7470 hectars.

Attappady
Attappady is the largest block in the district and is situated on the
north east side over an area of 827 sq.kms. It is covered by hilly highland
region endowed with the tributaries of the river Cauvery. Eventhough
agriculture is the main activity, the net area sown is only about 12 per cent
of the total land.

Chittoor
Chittoor block has an area of 290 sq.kms. and is situated in the
south of the district. It has 19 villages, six panchayats and one town.
About 75 per cent of the people depend on agriculture for their livelihood.
Industry employs less than 8 per cent and the remaining find their employ15

ment in the tertiary sector. The block has a geographical area of 29,000
hectares. There is hardly any forest in the block. It is endowed with good
irrigation facility from the Chittoorpuzha project.

Kollengode
The block, located in the south central part of the district, covers an
area of 328 sq.kms., with 13 villages, consisting of five panchayats.
Agriculture is the main source of livelihood and employment for the majority. Paddy is the main crop, followed by groundnut and coconut. Nearly
70 per cent of the workers are employed in the primary sector, whereas
the secondary sector accounts for 15 per cent. Dairying is a significant
subsidiary occupation.

Kuzhalmannam
Kuzhalmannam block covers an area of 315 sq.kms. It contains 17
villages and eight panchayats. The population primarily depends on agriculture for livelihood. Paddy is the most important crop covering a gross
area of 21,500 hectares. The main source of irrigation is canals and it
accounts for 27,600 hectares.

Malampuzha Gardens is situated here. Paddy is the major crop of the

block which sustains the majority.

Mannarghat
Mannarghat block has one town, 16 villages and eight panchayats,
covering 359 sq.kms. The block is traversed by a network of rivers and
rivulets. Thuthappuzha and its tributaries are a source of irrigation. Cultivable waste land constitutes more than 20 per cent of the area. Rice is
cultivated in 11,540 hectares followed by rubber (2,840 htrs) and cashew
nut (2,270 hectares). Industrially the block is backward.

Nenmara
The block, on the south of the district, covers an area of 640 sq.kms.
The block consists of hill ranges and hence the density of population is
very low. The area available for cultivation is limited due to the undulating
surface of the hills, There is scope for development of dairying. Nelliampathy range is said to be ideal for rearing exotic breed of milch animals.

Ottapalam
The block, on the west of the district, covers an area of 220 sq.kms.
It consists of nine villages and six panchayats. Agriculture continues to
be a major economic activity. Paddy is the leading crop followed by tapioca, coconut and cashewnuts. Irrigated area is only 1,016 hectares; rivers
contributing over 50 per cent followed by wells and tanks.

Malampuzha
The Malampuzha
block is carved out of
Kuzhalmannam, Palakkad
and Kollengode blocks. It
comprises of eight panchayats. Most of the people
are agricultural labourers.

Palakkad

A large number of
Malampuzha Gardens
industrial establishments
like the Indian Telephone Industries, Instrumentation Ltd., Fluid Control
Centres, Malabar Cements etc., are situated in this block. A large number
of other SSI units are also springing up in Kanjikode area. The famous

Palakkad ranks second only to Attappady in area and covers 723

sq.kms. The block, with two towns, 20 villages and constituting 12 panchayats. Economic activities are sustained by a labour force which forms
34 per cent of the population. Agriculture occupies the foremost position
inproviding employment and as a source of livelihood. The net area sown
is 17,200 htrs. whereas forests cover 4,500 hectares. and cultivable land
(waste) 7500 hectares. Paddy occupies the foremost place in terms of

16

17

cropped area accounting for 11,219 acres. Irrigation is available from

canals for 17,656 acres, from wells, 531 acres and from other sources,
168 acres.

Pattambi

Major Agricultural Products

Products
Rice

Area under
cultivation (ha.)

Production in tonne

120809

262494

Pattambi is one among the small blocks of the district and has an
area of 224 sq.kms., comprising of 11 panchayats, !3 villages and two
towns. Agricultural sector continues to be the main source of employment. Apart from paddy, coconut occupies a very important place from
the income point of view. It covers an area of over 2,800 hectares; of
which only 106 hectares are brought under irrigation.

Sugarcane

2488

18137

Pepper

4231

518

Ginger

1198

4243

Cardamom

2949

190

Cashewnut

5750

2069

Srikrishnapuram

Tapioca

7272

148991

Srikrishnapuram covers an area of 219 sq.kms. with ten villages

and six panchayats. Paddy is the important crop, followed by tapioca,
cashewnut, vegetable and coconut.

Coconut
Arecanut

48929
3623

Trithala
Trithala lies to the east of the district and is the smallest among all
the blocks. Having an area of 172 sq.kms, it comprises of eight villages
and seven panchayats. Agriculture is the major economic activity and is
also a source of employment. The net area sown is over 44 per cent of
the geographical area. Paddy is the major crop in the block. The next
important crop is arecanut. Presently, irrigation is available to more than
4,400 hectares. Industrially the block is backward.

Tea

237 million
2854

829

2293

Coffee

4650

2050

Rubber

28125

28076

(Source : Farm Guide 2000)

There are a number of agricultural institutions like the Regional
Agricultural Research Station, Soil Testing Laboratory, Fertilizer Quality
Control Laboratory, Mushroom Laboratory and Agricultural Engineering
Workshop.

"Rice bowl of Kerala" is the synonym for Palakkad. The net cultivated area of the district is 284 lakh hectares, ie., 64 per cent of the
geographical area. Major portion of the cultivable land is used for raising
food crops. All food crops together account for about 80 per cent of the
gross cropped area and paddy alone accounts for about 60 per cent of it.
Coconut, groundnut, cotton, sugarcane, pepper, banana and cashewnut
are some of the major cash crops raised.

Seeds of different paddy varieties are produced and distributed

through the five state seed farms in the district situated at Alathur,
Anangandi, Kongad, Kannanur and Muthalamada. At the 325 hectare
farm at Nelliyampathy orange, coffee, cardamom, mango and vegetables
are cultivated. The fruit processing unit in this farm is popular for its
squashes, jams and jellies. The Integrated Seed Development Farm at
Eruthiampathy is mainly intended for multiplication of green manure, seeds,
sugarcane, cotton and groundnut. The Central Orchard, Pattambi and
Horticultural Development Farm, Malampuzha are some of the other im-

18

19

AGRICULTURE

portant institutions where coconut, vegetables, mangoes are cultivated.

Training centres such as RATTC, Malampuzha and F.T.C, Alathur started
functioning for imparting training to agricultural officers and farmers respectively.

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
There are a number of animal husbandry institutions to take care of
livestock and poultry. The district has one District Veterinary Centre, four
veterinary poly clinics, fifteen veterinary hospitals, seventy seven veterinary dispensaries, three mobile farm aid units and one mobile veterinary
dispensary. There is a Regional Poultry Farm at Malampuzha to rear
chicks for the plan schemes, a Government Goat Farm at Naikerpady in
Attappady with a capacity to rear 150 goats and two artificial insemination centres; one each at Vaniamkulam and Irumbakamchola. In addition,
there are 72 KDP subcentres, two Regional Artificial Insemination Centres, one at Palakkad and other at Shornur. The state headquarters of the
Rinderpest Eradication Programme is situated at Palakkad. Eight border
checkposts are installed to protect cattle from this disease.
Live stock Population (1996 Census)
Cattle

Buffaloes

Goats

Sheep

Pigs

363338

35693

162488

490

2239

DAIRY DEVELOPMENT
The Department of Dairy Development is undertaking programmes
aimed at increasing milk production. The dairy farmers are assisted with
necessary inputs under various programmes.

Cattle shows at block and district levels are organised to provide motivation for the farmers. They are also assisted in the construction of model
cattle sheds and supplied with clean milk production kit for hygienic milk
production. Mineral and vitamin supplements are distributed to deserving
farmers at subsidised prices.
Incentives for fodder cultivation on commercial scale is provided to
individual farmers and dairy co-operatives.
Around 140 dairy co-operatives are functioning in the district. The
dairy co-operatives are assisted in the purchase of modern milk testing
equipments, milk cans, chemicals for testing and sanitation, setting up of
cattle feed mixing units, building for small collection cum office rooms,
purchase of furniture, working capital, managerial subsidy for secretaries,
purchase and sale of fodder etc.
Practically oriented training for scientific cattle rearing practices,
milk product manufacture, quality control, fodder production, dairy cooperative managements, etc. are imparted to the farmers at the Dairy
Training Centre at Alathur.
The Malabar Regional Co-operative Milk Producers Union runs a
40,000 litre capacity dairy at Kalleppully and 10,000 litre capacity chilling
plant at Agali. The 100 tonne capacity livestock and poultry feed factory
at Malampuzha is under the management of the Kerala Co-operative Milk
Marketing Federation. There is bull station and fodder farm at Dhoni,
running well, under the control of Kerala Livestock Development Board.

CO-OPERATION

Dairy farm instructors and block level dairy development officers

conduct house visits and advise farmers about the various aspects of
dairying. Farmer's contact programmes and indigenous milk products
manufacture demonstrations are held to benefit dairy farmers and rural
consumers. Assistance is provided for setting up model dairy farm units.

Co-operative movement plays an important role in the socioeconomic sphere of the district. It has flourished in all walks of life.

20

21

A District Co-operative Bank, acting as the financing bank to

primary co-operative institutions, five Co-operative Agricultural and Rural Development Banks, intended for financing agricultural and allied activi-

ties and eight Co-operative Urban Banks for meeting the financial needs
of urban population, are working in the district. There are 86 Service Cooperative Banks and three multipurpose co-operative societies to finance
and serve the agriculturist.
Sixty five Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Co-Operative Societies serve the SC/ST class in the big way. Three Joint Farming Co-Operative Societies also work in the district.
The 47 Employees Co-operative Societies help the employees of
institutions to a great extent. There are 16 co-opeative marketing societies which undertake marketing activities to protect the farmers from the
exploitation of middlemen. The 42 Primary Co-operative Consumer stores
help hold the price line to a great extent. There are 24 Housing Co-operative Societies to help people in acquiring housing plots and in constructing
houses at reasonable rates. People can get inexpensive medical treatment through the four Co-operative Hospitals in the district.
Two hundred and thirty two school co-operative stores and seven
college co-operative stores provide educational supplies and other consumer articles to the students at reasonable rates.
The three motor transport co-operative societies, one Autorikshaw
Drivers Co-operative Society and one Taxi Drivers' Co-operative Society
provide employment to a good number of unemployed people. There are
23 women's co-operative societies, which provide employment
opportunities to the women folk of rural areas. Five co-operative educational institutions help thousands of students who are unable to get admission to regular colleges, to study up to post graduate level and hundreds of
educated persons to get employment with reasonable remuneration. One
printing press is also there in the co-operative sector. All together, a total
number of 591 co-operative institutions play an important role in the socio
economic development of the district.
22

INDUSTRY
The Department of Industries and Commerce has identified the
Kanjikode belt, connecting Palakkad and Coimbatore, as an area for industrial development. The excellent infrastructure facilities like N.H.47,
trunk railway line, nearby airport at Kochi, Kozhikode and Coimbatore,
cheap availability of land labour, power water etc. are the main attractions to industrialists.
The Industries Department acquired about 130 acres in Pudussery
West village in the '60s for an industrial development area. The I.T.I, Tata
phone, Hendez Electronics, Carborandum, 66 K.V. sub station etc. are
situated here. Later, the department acquired about 500 odd acres of land
in Pudussery Central village for a new I.D.A. About 120 acres were
allotted to KSEB for a 220KV sub station and wind farm and the remaining land was allotted to prospective industrialists like KAMCO, MARICO
Industries, Rabfila International, Prima Industries, Patodia Syntex and a
number of S.S.I units.

Profile of major industries

In Palakkad district, Olavakkode area has been having an industrial
estate since 1957. More than 15 industrial units are engaged in engineering and rubber goods, wooden furniture, electronic equipments, aluminium
alloy utensils, stainless steel tableware, manufacture of splints and veneers, tiles, metal fabrication etc.
At Edathara, there are units engaged in the manufacturing agricultural implements and the biggest among them manufacture 2500 tonnes
of implements per year and markets all over India. Ottappalam in Palakkad
district is the centre of match and veener industry. Shornur has a Government press and an industrial estate. Established in 1996, the industrial
estate has units making agricultural implements, iron castings, household
articles, pharmaceuticals, cutlery, cycle tyres and tubes, vaccum pumps etc.
23

Chittur is yet another centre busy with industrial activity. The Chittur
Co-operative Sugar Mills and Bhagavathy Textiles are prominent industrial units. The first wind farm in the State for generating electricity from
wind has been installed in Kanjikode.

ROAD & RAIL

The district is networked in 1704.28 kms. of roads; sixty seven
kms. of National Highway, 431.04 kms. of State Highway, 1230.94 kms.
of district roads and 42.30 kms. of village roads. It has about 150 kms. of
railway lines of which, 122 kms. are in the broad gauge and 27 kms. are in
the metre gauge.

WATER RESOURCES AND

IRRIGATION
Palakkad district is blessed with irrigation facilities. Dams have
been constructed across almost all the important tributaries of the
Bharathapuzha to provide irrigation facilities to the district. Completed
irrigation projects in Palakkad district are Walayar, Malampuzha, Cheera
kuzhi, Gayathri (Meenkara, Chulliar), Mangalam and Pothundy. The total
ayacaut of all these completed projects is 77,306 hectares. In addition to
this, the construction of two major irrigation projects, viz., Chitturpuzha
and Kanhirappuzha are in progress. The total ayacut of these projects is
54,200 hectares.

Walayar dam
This dam is constructed across the river Walayar, a tributary of
Bharathappuzha. The ayacut is 6476 hectares. This project was started in
1953, partially commissioned in 1956 and completed in 1964.

systems. It has an ayacut of 42,090 hectares. The dam and reservoir are
located about eight kms. from Olavakode railway station and 13 kms.
from Palakkad town. The project was started in 1949 and commissioned
in 1955. Having a catchment area of 145 sq.kms., the reservoir has a
capacity of 8000 m.e.ft. of water. There are two canal systems. The left
bank canal traverses a distance of 32 kms. to irrigate cultivable areas in
the taluks of Palakkad, Chittur and Alathur. The right bank canal with a
length of 32 kms. irrigates areas in Palakkad taluk. The reservoir also
provides drinking water to Palakkad town.

Gayathri Project (Meenkara-Chulliar dams)

This project consists of two storage reservoirs; Meenkara dam
across the Meenakara river and Chulliar dam across Chulliar river. Both
these rivers are tributaries of Bharathappuzha. There is a net-work of
canal systems with a total ayacut of 10,930 hectares of land in Chittur
taluk. The first stage of the project, viz., dam across Meenkara river with
canals, was sanctioned in 1956 and opened for irrigation in 1960. The total
cost of the project is Rs.220 lakhs.

Mangalam dam
This dam is constructed across the Cherukunnappuzha, a tributary
of Mangalam river. There is a canal system with an aycaut of 6,880 hectares, in Alathur taluk. The project and left bank canal were completed
and opened in 1956. Further extension of the right bank canal was continued and the project was fully completed in 1966.

Pothundy dam

The Malampuzha dam is a 6,066 ft. masonry structure built across

Malampuzha, a tributary of Bharathappuzha, with a net-work of canal

This dam is constructed across the tributaries of the Ayalur river

(sub-tributary of Bharathappuzha), namely, Meenchadyppuzha and Padi
puzha. It has an ayacut of 10,930 hectares in Chittur and Alathur taluks.
The Project started in 1958, has been completed and commissioned.

24

25

Malampuzha dam

Chittoorpuzha project
The Chittoorpuzha project envisages extension of irrigation facilities to an additional area of 9,200 hectares by remodelling and reconstructing, whenever necessary, of the four ayacuts in Chitturpuzha and
the existing canal system. The ayacuts are at Moolathara, Thembara
madakku, Kunnakattupathy and Narnee. The total ayacut will be 32,400
hectares.

Kanhirappuzha project
This project on completion will provide irrigation facilities to an area
of 9,720 hectares. This being
constructed across Kanhirappuzha, a sub-tributary of
Bharathappuzha. An expansion programme of the
scheme by constructing a
reservoir across the Thuppanadupuzha is also on the anvil.
This will benefit an additional
area of 4700 hectares in
Garden in Kanhirappuzhadam site
Ottappalam taluk. The total
ayacut of the project will be 21,800 hectares.
The Attappady Valley Irrigation Project is under construction to
provide irrigation facilities to 12,140 hectares.Garden in Kanhirapuzhadam
site

ART AND CULTURE

Palakkad district has a glorious cultural tradition. It is said that
Thunchathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, the father of Malayalam literature
spent his last days in Chittoor Thunchathu Acharya madhom. Kunchan
Nambiar the founder of Thullal, the most popular poet of Malayalam had
his birth in a small village called Killikurissimangalam (Lakkidi) in this
district. Mani Madhava Chakkiar for Koothu and Vazhenkada Kunju
Nair for Kathakali are two famous names to be remembered in this
26

context. The district has become blessed with the birth of Chembai
Vaidyanadha Bhagavather, the exponent of Carnatic Music and Palakkad
Moni Iyer, the inimitable master of Mridangam. C.Sankaran Nair, the first
Malayali President of Indian National Congress belongs to Mankara is
also in this district. The great modern poet of Malayalam literature,
Mahakavi Kumaranasan wrote his famous poetry "Veena Poovu" at
Palakkad. The life and growth of modern literary men P. Kunhiraman
Nair, Olappamanna Subrahmanian Namboothirippad, M.T. Vasudevan
Nair and O.V. Vijayan are intimately connected with Palakkad.
The eminent personalities of the district are late K.P.S. Menon
and K.P. Kesava Menon. Swadesabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai spent his
life in exile at Vadakkenthara near Palakkad town. The former Chief
Election Commissioner T.N. Seshan also belongs to Thirunellavi Village
of Palakkad Town. The former President of India Sri. K.R. Narayanan
was first from Ottappalam Parliament Constituency of Palakkad district.
The first Communist Chief Minister E.M. Sankaran Nampoothiripad belongs to Elamkulathu Mana in Palakkad District. Similarly a number of
politicians are from this district gave their services to the nation.

IMPORTANT FESTIVALS
Chittoor Konganpada
Konganpada is a grand festival of historical importance, celebrated
in the Bhagavathy temple at Chittoor, 10 Kms. from Palakkad town. It is
held every year on the first Monday after the new moon night in Kumbhom
(February-March), to commemorate the victory of Nair's of Chittoor over
the militia of Konganadu (Coimbatore) led by the Chola King, Rajadhi
Raja.
The festival starts with 'Chilambu' on Sivarathi in Kumbhom which
reminds Kongan's (Chola Kings) declaration of war and the frightened
people worshipping Bhagavathy and beseeching her help.
27

Jain festival

Kalpathy Radholsavam

There is an ancient Jain temple at Jainamedu, near Palakkad town.

According to a legend, one Sutar (head of the Jains) built this temple 500
years ago for the Jain sage, Chandranathaswamy. The Jains who came
here from Mysore fled from this place during the invasion of Tippu Sultan.

Kalpathy Viswanadha swamy

temple is the oldest Siva temple in Malabar.
It was built in 1425 A.D. by H. Kombi Achan,
the then Raja of Palakkad.

Nellikulangara Vela

Kalpathy is linked to Kasi because

the main deity is Siva and the temple is on
the banks of the Neela Nadi just as Kasi
is on the banks of the Ganges.

To invoke the blessings of Nellikulangra Bhagavathy, the people of

Vellanghi and Nenmara conduct a festival on 20th Meenam (March-April)
every year. This is the famous Vellanghi Vela. This beautiful temple is in
the Vellanghi village of Chittur taluk.
The flag hoisting ceremony in connection with the vela is held jointly
by the residents of Vellanghi and Nenmara on ninth Meenam. On all days
following the flag hoisting till the eve of the vela, Kummatti, Karivela,
Andivela and similar other folk rituals are performed. These three ceremonies together are known as Kanyar. The pomp and splendour of the
festival would put it in second place, perhaps only to the Pooram festival
of Thrissur.

Ottappalam Nercha festival

The other deities consecreted in

the temple are Sri Visalakash Sametha
Kalpathy Ratholsavam
Viswanadhaswamy, Vinayaka, Valli
Devayani Sametha Subrahmanyaswamy, Gangadhara, Dakshinayana
Murthy, Simhanasundari, Nataraja, Surya Bhavara, Kala Bhairavan,
Chandikeswaran, Nandeeswaran and Pradesh Handi.
The rituals in the temples were coducted earlier by Kerala Brahmins, the Nambuthiris. But now, Tamil Brahimins are in charge. The
centre of attraction of the festival is Kalpathy Sri Viswanadha swamy
temple. The festival is celebrated in the month of November.

Juma prayers are held in Ottappalam mosque on Fridays. To commemorate the death anniversary of a saintly person by name Uthman
Auliya, an annual festival is held in January-February. The special feature
of this festival is the grand procession which ceremoniously brings various things such as rice, coconuts etc. to the mosque as offerings. On the
next days, a feast is held where the various articles received will be cooked
and distributed to the poor.

On the seventh day (28th day of Alpasi), the deity from Viswanadha
swamy temple is taken out and installed in the chariot. There are three
chariots in this temple; one for the main deity Shri Viswanadha swamy
and Goddess Parvathy, the second for Visweswara and the third for Lord
Subrahmanya.

Sivarathri festival at Kallekulangara Bhagavathy

temple

Vela.

This festival is conducted for nine days and ends with an arat of
the deity Hemambika in Kalpathy river.

Kachamkurichy temple is an important Vishnu temple. The arat

festival here in the month of May attracts many people.

28

29

Manappullikavu Vela
The important festival of Manappullikavu at Yakkara is the annual

Arat festival in Kachamkurichy Temple.

Navarathri festival in Pallavur Siva Temple, Amavasi festival in

Thrippalur Siva Temple, Pooram festival in Kongad Bhagavathy temple
and Radhotsavam at Kodumbu Subrahmanya temple are some of the
important festivals which attract a large number of devotees. Mahamakom
is also held in the Kodumbu temple once in twelve years.

PLACES OF TOURIST INTEREST

Palakkad, which lies at the foot of the Western Ghats, the dreamy
land of misty mountains with its ever green tropical forests, dams, wild life
sanctuaries, rivers, rare birds and animals, historical monuments, places
of worship and traditional Ayurvedic treatment centres has tremendous
scope and immense potential to become one of the the best tourist destinations in the country. The district is gifted with the beauty of virgin and
verdant Nelliampathy hills, the precious and unique Silent Valley National
Park, the famous Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, Attappady hills and
more than half a dozen dams like Malampuzha, Mangalam, Pothundi,
Kanjirappuzha, Siruvani and Parambikulam.

The annual average rainfall in the area is 47.244 mm. The temperature
varies between 150 C in December and 300 C in April, the mean temperature being 220 C .
The Pothundi reservoir glints in the distance like sapphire in a sea
of emerald.
Seethakundu at Nelliyampathy offers a fantastic view of the valley
below. The 1000 metre high waterfall is one of the major attractions.
Seethakundu got its name from the legend that Sita Devi, during the
vanavasa period with Sri Rama, took a bath here. During Deepavali, a
large number of devotees gather here.

Malampuzha

Nelliampathy, 52kms. from Palakkad town and about nine kms.

from Nenmara, adjoins the Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary where leopards, elephants, bisons and deers abound. The total area is about 82 sq.
kms. The highest peak in the range is Nellikotta, also called Padagiri. It is
1585.08 meters above sea level. The other major peaks are Vellachimudi,
Valiyavana, Mayanmudi and Vela Vanchan, each about 1200 meters high.

Malampuzha Garden is the Vrindavan of

Kerala. Malampuzha
exudes the charm of the
harmony of nature, a perfect synchronization of
the grandeur of the
mountains blending with
Rock garden at Malampuzha
the serenity of rivers. It
is 12 Kms. from Palakkad. There are lush green lawns, innumerable
flower beds, glittering pool, fountains and avenues.There is a fresh water
aquarium also.A snake park and a children's park with a toy train which
await the pleasure and delight of children. The reservoir is ideal for boating and fishing. The Garden House has a unit of water ports, A small
garden in the Japanese style gives a touch of exotic charm to the landscape. So does the hanging bridge across the river, another items of
interest in the part is the imposing concrete sculpture of YAKSHI done by
the renowned artiste Kanai Kunhiraman. The Passenger ropeway is the
first of its kind in South India, offers adventurous and delightful air journey

30

31

Nelliampathy
The beautiful cool hills of Nelliampathy is in the midst of the majestic Western Ghats. It is the queen of Palakkad hills, clothed with the original beauty of picturesqe mountains and enchanting valleys, interspersed
with the panoramic tea, coffee, cardamom and orange plantations. The
bracing climate and green magic of nature will provide an exhilerating and
unforgetable experience.

of 20 minutes across the gardens, giving a soul stirring view of the garden. There is a road train for amusement ride on wheels. There is also
telescope tower in the garden providing a terrestrial view upto 40 miles.
The first rockgarden emerged from the Master creator Padmasree Neck
Chand Saini of Chandigarh, in South India is at Malampuzha. Modelled
after Appu Ghar of Delhi and Essel world of Bombay, the first amusement Park of Kerala named fantsay park is at Malampuzha.
The most interesting features in the making of the garden is that
whole place is made of unwanted and broken pieces of bangles, tiles,
used plastic cans, tins and other waste materials.

Pothundy
Pothundy is 38 kms. south of Palakkad town. An irrigation project
was commissioned here in 1968 with an estimated cost of Rs. 234.25
lakhs, consisting of an earthen dam with a spill way section across the
tributaries of Ayalur river. Its 10kms. right bank canal and 8kms. left bank
canal irrigiate an area of 5,465 hectares in Chittur and Alathur taluks. The
project also provides water supply to Nenmara and Ayalur villages.

Ottappalam
This was the centre of political as well as tenant movements in
south Malabar of the erstwhile Malabar povince of Madras Presidency.
The festival at Chathan Kandar kavu is very famous one in Ottappalam.
The legend goes that the temple was built by the local Kanjoor Namboothiri
family at a place where a scheduled cast person called Chathan found a
stone bleeding while he was sharpening his knife on it. The deity of this
temple is Durga. The annual festival is Thalapoli which is celebrated on
Avittam day in Meenam (March-April)

Nilgiri Plateau in the north and

overlooks the plains of
Mannarkkad in the south. The
river Kunthi descends from the
Nilgiri hills above, an altitude of
2000m., traverses the entire
length of the valley and rushes
down to the plains through a
deep gorge. River Kunthi never
turns brown; it is crystal clear,
perennial and wild.
The core of the Nilgiri
Biosphere Reserve, the Silent
valley National Park, is probably one of the most magnificent gifts of nature to mankind,
a unique preserve of tropical
rain forests in all its pristine
The Silent Valley
glory with an almost unbroken
ecological history. Thanks largely to its difficult terrain and remoteness,
the extent of degradation is minimal in comparison with other sanctuaries.
Sairandhri Vanam, meaning the forest in the Valley as referred to
in the Mahabharatha and the river Kunthi give a mythological dimension
to the National Park. The Silent Valley is seldom silent; it has an inexplicably unique character about it, with the dense forest, the music of the birds
and its quiet majesty.

The Silent Valley National Park, with an area of 90 sq. kms, is

situated in the north eastern corner of the district. It rises abruptly to the

The forest belongs to the biogeographical class of the Malabar Rain

Forests and harbour about 1000 species of plants. The flowering plants
here include 966 species belonging 134 families and 599 genera. The dicotyledons are 701 in number distributed among 113 families and 430
genera; monocotyledons are 265 distributed among 21 families and 139
genera.

32

33

Silent Valley

The valley has a far representation of all peninsular mammals. They

are Lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Bonnet Macaque, Tiger, Leopard
(Panther), Leopard Cat, Jungle Cat, Fishing Cat, Common Plam Civet,
Small Indian Civet,Brown Plam Civet, Ruddy Mongoose, Stripe necked
Monogoose, Wild Dog, Sloth Bear, Otter, Flying Squirrel, Malabar Giant
Squirrel, Indian Pangolin (Scaly ant eater), Porcupine, Wild Boar, Sambar,
Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Gaur and Elephant. Birds include rare species such as Indian Black-crested Baza, Bonellis Hawk Eagle, Rufous
Bellied Hawk eagle, Shaheen Falcon, Short-Eared Owl, Penisular Scops
Owl, Ceylon Frog Mouth, Great Indian Hornbill, Nilgiri Laughing Thrush,
House Marin, Rufous Bellied-Shortwing, Malay Bitten etc. About 170
species have been recorded, of which 31 are migrants.
The tropical evergreen forests occurring within a narrow strip above
the equator is perhaps the most endangered natural habitat. Extremely
fragile, it has suffered most from human interference. In species diversity, it is the richest habitat. That there is very little soil erosion and that the
rains are transformed into perennial streams and rivers may be attributed
to the thick canopy and closely packed tree stumps. In fact, scarcity of
water is rarely felt. The evapotranspiaration from these forests is much
higher than from any other surface. This cools the atmosphere, helping
easy condensation of water vapour-the orgin of the much-awaited summer rains.

Mangalam
Located 48 kms. south of Palakkad town, Mangalam is manily occupied by settlers from other parts of the State. Mangalam dam is located
near the NH47, about 14kms. south of Wadakkancherry village. The dam
is constructed across Cherukunnappuzha, a tributary of Mangalam river.
It is located in picturesque surroundings. The reservoir fringers on the
forest area where there are deers, wild elephants and a variety of birds.
There are beautiful parks and lawns adorned with statues.
34

Siruvani Project
The Siruvani Project
is in Sholayar panchayat.
The dam, constructed
across Siruvani, is for supplying drinking water to
Coimbatore Municipality.
The dam is surrounded by
reserve forests. The disSiruvani Dam
tance from Edakkurissi to Siruvani Dam is 22 kms. The scenic beauty of
Siruvani is simply enchanting. Muthukulam hill is situated on the eastern
side of the dam. There is a natural water fall in the hill.

Meenkara
Meenkara is a fascinating spot by virtue of the dam, garden, fish
ponds and natural beauty. It is 32 kms. south east of Palakkad town.

Parambikulam wildlife
sanctuary
Tucked away in the valley between the Anamalai Ranges of Tamil
Nadu and the Nelliampathy ranges of
Kerala on the majestic Western Ghats
is the Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary,
a fine example of serene, tranquil and
undisturbed eco system. Situated in
Palakkad district, it was originally a
small tract of reserve forest of 48 sq.km.
However, owing to growing wildlife
needs, it was expanded in 1962 and today it is a vast expanse of greenery of
285 sq.kms. in area.
35

'Kannimaram' a giant teak in

Parambikulam

Ideally suited to the growth of teak, the tract encouraged large

scale teak plantations through artificial regeneration in the early 20's. This
was, however abandoned when a full-fledged wildlife department was
formed in 1985. 9000ha.of teak plantations in the sanctuary are being
managed in such a way as to restore the forest's original status. A giant
teak tree 40m high and 6.4m in girth is a standing monument of the past
aptly named 'Kannimaram'.
Topography. Several streams originate from the hill ranges and
flow down westward to join the river Chalakudi. The terrain is most
undulating with a valley in the basin. The Karimala Gopuram is the highest peak (1444m), the average elevation is about 600m.

Nangu, Vediplavu, Kalpine, Aini, Kambakam, Vellapine, Vellagil, Pathiri,

Nedunar, etc.
Lower canopy predominantly consists of Vetti Kara, Nasagam,
Marotti, Kurukutti, cheru, Muthalvu etc. Undergrowth comprises
Antidesma, Calamas, Glycosmis, Kxora species etc.
Semi-evergreen forests.(extent 30sq.kms.) Both evergreen and
moist deciduous species are found in these areas.
Moist deciduous forests.(extent 70 sq.kms.) Top canopy:
Manjakadambu, Vaka, Pala, Elavu, Vembu, Rosewood, Avaal, Venteak,
Venga, Teak, Maruthi, Pathiri etc.

Climate. The Sanctuary receives much heavier rains between

June and August. The eastern part of the sanctuary receives more rain in
October-November. Temperature drops substantially and mist envelopes
the sanctuary in the morning hours.

Lower Canopy: Arampuli, Pezhu, Konna, Kodapunna, Murukku,

Kanjiram, bamboos, etc.

Dams and Lakes. Three dams have been built by the Tamil Nadu
Government under the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project. The reservoir offers several kinds of aquatic fauna.

Top canopy: Teak, Vengal, Muzhukanjiram, Maruthi, Vaka,

Mulluvenga, Rosewood, etc.

Forest types. Natural forests are classified as follows

1. West coast tropical evergreen forests.
2. West Coast semi evergreen forests.
3. South Indian moist deciduous forests.
4. South Indian dry deciduous forests.

Southern dry deciduous forests. (extent 15 sq.kms)

Middle & lower capony: Veppu (neem), Manjanathi, Sandal, etc.

with moistpatches of Dendorcalamus and Bamboosa arun - dinact. Undergrowth is chiefly at Lantana and Heli ncteres besides grass.
Fauna - Mammals: Bonnet macaque, Lion tailed macaque, Nilgiri
hangur, lions, Tiger, Leopard, Jungle cat, Civet, Mongoose, Fox, Bear, Elephant, Gaur, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Barking deer, Wild boar, Pangolin
etc.

5. Moist bamboo brakes.

Tropical evergreen forests. (Area 50sq.kms approximately)

A wide variety of trees grow here the top canopy consists of Pall, Puunna,

Administration : The sanctuary is healded by a Divisional Forest

Officer with headquarters at Thunacadavu and is under the direct control
of the Field Director, Project Tiger. There are four ranges with 13 sections.

36

37

6. Reed brakes.

The sactuary is accessible by road. Buses ply between Pollachi

and Parambikulam. Pollachi is 60 kms. away and has a Railway Station.
The nearest airport is at Coimbatore, 100 kms. away. Visitors can have
boat rides in the Parambikulam lake and tour the sanctuary with the help
of guides. There is a forest rest house at Thunacadavu. The Parambikulam
Project also provides accommodation. There are several hotels in Pollachi
and Coimbatore.
J.P. Smrithi Vanam: Loknayak J.P. Smrithi Vanam and Deer Park
is in an extent of 10 acres of reserve forest at Walayar in the border of
Kerala and Tamilnadu on the side of N.H 47. Deers and other animals
move freely in this park. Facilities for elephant ride provided. The distance from Palakkad town is 22 Kms.
Mayiladumpara peacock sanctuary. Myiadumpara Choolannur
peacock sanctuary is 30kms. away from Palakkad. It is well known as a
grove abounding in peacocks.
Palakkad Fort: Palakkad Fort, situated in the Palakkad town, is
beautiful and best preserved forts in Kerala. The sober silence of the
granite wall reminds the old tal of valour and courage. It was constructed
in 1766 by Hyder Ali of Mysore and his son Tippu Sulthan. In 1790 the
fort was taken over and re-modified by the British East India company.
The fort is protected by the Archeological Survey of India. Martyr's
Column Open Air Auditorium called "Rappadi" and Tourism Information
Centre of Distric Tourism Promotion council are there in the spacious
Fort Maidan. The children's park and Vatika' are just on the side of the
Fort. The fort was situated in the middle of Palakkad Gap with an area of
15 acres.
Kottayi :It is 15 kms away from Palakkad. Kottayi is the native
place of the Palakkad Chembai Vaidyanaha Bhagavathar, the doyen of
Karnatic Music.
38

Meenvallom:
There are 10 steps of
water falls at Meen
vallom, the originating
point Thuppanadu
river. The height of the
falls varies from 5 to
45 metres. The distance from Palakkad is
37 kms.

A leather instrument making unit at Peruvempu

Attappadi: Attappadi is a tribal abode. Irular, Mudugar and

Kurumbar are the main tribal groups. They live in forest in closely built
huts called 'Ooru' (hamlet) The Government have finalised some concrete programmes to uplift the tribals.
Peruvmpu Peruvmpu in Palakkad Taluk, is famous for making
leather musical instruments like chenda, maddhalam, thakil,deca,
tabala, edakka, thimila, udukku etc.

Kanjirappuzha
Kanjirappuzha dam is situated 24 kms. from Palakkad. The water
spread of the dam lies in a single stretch. An evergreen forest, by name
'Vettilachola', is immediately beyond the reservoir which is surrounded
by hills and during rainy season, the mountain will be covered with mist.
All this makes the area extremely beautiful and picturesque. There are
three islands in the reservoir with plenty of fish (including commercial
varieties) grown by the Fisheries Department.

Thunchan Gurumadhom
Across the lush green fields, two kms. from Chittur town on the
banks of river, Sokanashini, an old building where Thunchath Ramanujan
39

Ezhuthachan, regarded as
the father of Malayalam
language, lived in the 16th
century.

tors with hundreds of children brought here for a ritualistic initiation into
learning.

People call it
Gurumadhom and it is
here that he transcreated
the two great Sanskrit epThe entrance to the Thuchan Gurumadom
ics, the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata, for the common people with the subtle and meaningful mingling of Sanskrit and Dravidian strems of the prevailing language and
literature. Ezhuthachan evolved an altogether new texture for the
Malayalam language.

Kalakkath Kunchan Nambiar represents an age and its culture in

the field of Malayalam literature. He was the native of Killikurissi
mangalam in Palakkad. Now, the Kunchan Smarakam is a national monument and is being governed by a committee appointed by the Government.

Kunchan Smarakam

As the story goes, Thunchath Ezhuthachan, on his way back from

his sojourn in Tamil Nadu, had a stop-over here with his disciples. The
tranquility of the place made him settle down here for the rest of his life.
Occupied by Tamil Brahmins who perhaps are the descendents of the
disciples of the Acharya, the gramam still has an old look and on both
sides of the building are temples of Sree Rama and Siva.
The street with long arrays of Agraharams has all the charm of
antiquity that we should love to preserve.
At the Gurumadhom,
a Srichakra and a few
idols worshipped by him,
the stylus, the wooden slippers and a few old manuscripts are exhibited. It is
on Vijayadasami day that
the memorial gets the
maximum number of visi-

Kunchan Smarakam

40

A three year course on Ottan Thullal, Seethankan Thullal and

Parayan Thullal was started with the help of artistes attached to this
monument. The smarakam celebrates Navarathri festival with much pomp
and grandeur. Every year, May 5th is celebrated as Thunchan Day. A
library and an auditorium are attached to this monument.

BAREFACTS
District

Palakkad

Area ( in sq.km.)

4480

Population

2,617,072

Male

1,265,794

Female

1,351,278

Sex ratio : Females/1000 /1068 males :/

Density of Population

584

Per Capita Income (in Rs)

18031

Literacy rate

84.31%;
41

Male
Female

89.73%;
79.31%

Coastal line in km.

Nil

Water bodied area in ha.

10,920

Forest area in ha.

136257

Assembly Constituencies

Temperature
Max 33.3 35.5 37.5 36.6 33.6 29.7 28.1 28.7 30.4 31.2 32.1 32.1
Min 21.7 22.6 24.1 25.1 24.6 23.2 22.2 22.9 23

Relative Humidity
Max 69

2. Pattambi

3. Ottappalam

4. Sreekrishnapuram

5. Malampuzha

6. Palakkad

7. Mannarkkad

8. Chittoor

9. Kollengode

10. Kuzhalmandam

Head Quarters

67

70

78

81

89

Mini 19.4 17.9 20.5 27.5 27.5 28.3

1. Thrithala

92

91

88

85

78

72

28.7

28

28.1 28.1 25.9 21.8

Source : Meteorological Centre, Thiruvananthapuram

Educational Institutions
Schools

11. Alathur
Taluk

23.2 22.9 22.1

No. of Villages

Govt.

PrivateAided

PrivateUnaided

Total

L P School

186

350

545

U P School

64

159

13

236

High School

58

77

15

150

Palakkad

Palakkad

30

HSS

34

17

51

Chittoor

Chittoor

31

Vocational H.S.S.

17

24

Alathoor

Alathoor

29

Mannarkkad

Mannarkkad

25

Ottappalam

Ottapalam

41

Accessing Palakkad
Telephone access code : + + 91-491
Air : Nearest airport : Coimbatore (55km)

WEATHER
Rail : Palakkad Junction Railway Station (5km from the city) is a
major rail head of Southern Railways.

Monthly rainfall (m.m)

Month

Jan

Rainfall 0.1

Feb Mar

Apr M a y

Jun

29.3

85.3

508.2

205

43.1

42

Jul

Aug Sep

Oct

Nov Dec

290.6 464.3 160.1

13.7

82.7

34.4

Road : Palakkad is connected by an excellent network of roads to

all the major cities in India.
43

Important Phone Numbers

District Collector

0491-533266 (O)
98470-29014 (Cell)
0491-533026 (R)

Superintendent of Police

535008 (O)
98460-15609 (Cell)
533276 (R)

DTPC Information Counter

538996

District Information Office

533329

Guest House Malampuzha

815207

44

45