Palakkad

This article is about the municipality in Kerala, India. For its namesake district, see Palakkad district.

Palghat Palakkad
—  City  —
Palakkad Fort Palakkad Fort
Palghat
Coordinates: 10.77°N 76.65°E / 10.77; 76.65
Country	India
State	Kerala
District	Palakkad
Government
• Chairman	Mr.Abdul Khudoos(Congress)
Area
• Total	1,363 km2 (526 sq mi)
Elevation	84 m (276 ft)
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	678XXX
Telephone code	+91-491
Vehicle registration	KL-9, KL-49 (Alathur), KL-50(Mannarkkad),KL-51(Ottappalam), KL-52(Pattambi),KL-70 (Chittur)
Website	www.palakkad.nic.in

Palakkad  pronunciation , previously known as Palghat, is a large town and municipality in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km² and is the administrative headquarters of the Palakkad District. Palakkad is the seventh most populous town in Kerala and lies near the Palghat Gap, a pass or natural depression through the Western Ghats ranges, and connects Kerala to the plains of the state of Tamil Nadu to the east.Malayalam is the generally spoken language in Palakkad but Tamil is also widely spoken and understood, as it is very close to the Tamil Nadu border. The city is situated about 350 kilometres (217 mi) (342.1 km to be precise; Source Google Map) north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram and 42 kilometres (26 mi) south west of Coimbatore, on the Coimbatore-Cochin National Highway NH 47.

Kerala would have an IIT in Palakkad under the 12th five-year plan. The land belonging to the Instrumentation Limited in Palakkad was finally chosen for the project. Since the IITs are set up by an act of Parliament, the whole process is the centre's prerogative, and the state government has only a limited role.

In February 2010, Palakkad became the first district in India to be declared as a fully Electrified District. There is no house in this district without electricity.

Geography

Nelliampathi mountains as seen from Nemmara village

To the east lies Coimbatore of Tamil Nadu. Palakkad is the gateway to Kerala due to the presence of the Palakkad Gap, in the Western Ghats. Malayalam is the generally spoken language in Palakkad but Tamil is also widely spoken and understood, as it is very close to the Tamil Nadu border. The town is blessed with many small and medium rivers, which are tributaries of the Bharathapuzha River. Of the number of dams in Palakkad district, the largest Malampuzha dam is 12 km from Palakkad town.

Climate

Palakkad has a tropical wet and dry climate. Temperatures remain high throughout the year, with March and April being the hottest months. A very high amount of precipitation is received in Palakkad, mainly due to the South-West monsoon. July is the wettest month, and the total annual rainfall is around 83 inches (211 cm).

Climate data for Palakkad
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	33.0 (91.4)	35.4 (95.7)	37.3 (99.1)	36.5 (97.7)	34.0 (93.2)	29.7 (85.5)	28.3 (82.9)	28.8 (83.8)	30.3 (86.5)	31.2 (88.2)	31.8 (89.2)	31.9 (89.4)	32.35 (90.22)
Average low °C (°F)	21.8 (71.2)	22.6 (72.7)	24.2 (75.6)	25.1 (77.2)	24.8 (76.6)	23.2 (73.8)	22.5 (72.5)	22.9 (73.2)	23.0 (73.4)	23.2 (73.8)	22.9 (73.2)	22.2 (72)	23.2 (73.77)
Precipitation mm (inches)	3.5 (0.138)	6.7 (0.264)	20.4 (0.803)	72.9 (2.87)	151.7 (5.972)	408.2 (16.071)	522.6 (20.575)	317.6 (12.504)	253.9 (9.996)	215.2 (8.472)	111.1 (4.374)	27.6 (1.087)	2,111.4 (83.126)
Source: [1]

Etymology

In earlier times Palakkad was also known as Palakkattuchery. Some etymologists trace the word "Palakkad" from the word Palai nilam, which means "dry lands". The commonly held belief, however, is that the name is a fusion of two Malayalam words, Pala, a tree (Alstonia scholaris) that is found abundantly in Palakkad, and Kadu, which means forest.

Transport

Air

The nearest international airport is Coimbatore International Airport, which is about 62 km from Palakkad. Coimbatore airport has connecting flights to Malaysia, Singapore, Sharjah, Colombo and to Gulf and South-east Asia. Other nearby airports are Kozhikode Airport about 103 km & Cochin International Airport which is about 111 km from Palakkad.

There has been a proposal for a mini domestic airport at East Yakkara with respect to setting up domestic airports for enhanced air connectivity by the civil aviation ministry of India. 60 acres has been identified for the project at East Yakkara Palakkad.

Railways

There are two railway stations serving Palakkad - Palakkad Junction is a broad gauge railway junction (located at Olavakkode, which can be called a satellite town, about 4 km from the heart of the main town) and Palakkad Town railway station located in the heart of the Palakkad town. Close to Palakkad Junction is the office of Palakkad Railway Division. The cities of Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Ernakulam are connected by the broad gauge line. Pollachi, Dindigul and Madurai were connected by a metre gauge line starting from the Palakkad Junction railway station through Palakkad Town station. Under the policy "Project Unigauge", meter gauge tracks have been dismantled for conversion to broad gauge. As a result, trains on the Palakkad - Pollachi - Dindigul route have been indefinitely suspended till the broad gauge conversion is completed.

Road

Palakkad is well connected by roads. The National Highway 47 from Salem to Trivandrum via Coimbatore,Palakkad,Trishur,Kochi and the Palakkad – Kozhikode National Highway 213 pass through the district. Another important road is the Palakkad – Ponnani which connects NH 47 and NH 17.

Apart from the National Highways, Palakkad is well connected through State Highways to nearby districts and towns in Kerala.

Demographics

In the 2011 census, Palakkad had a population of 2,810,892. Males constituted 49% of the population. The average literacy rate of the area is 81%, much higher than the national average of 59.5%. Malayalam is the most spoken language. Tamil is spoken and understood by a significant proportion of the population due to and presence of Tamil speaking communities like Iyers, Gounders and proximity to Tamil Nadu.Apart from Tamil and Malayalam, languages like Hindi and English are also spoken by many people.

File:Malampuzha

garden

Places of interest

View from outside the northern wall of Palakkad Fort.

• Palakkad Fort – Fort dating from 1766, built by Hyder Ali of Mysore. In 1784, after a siege which lasted eleven days, the British Colonel Fullerton stormed the Fort. Later it fell into the hands of the Zamorin’s troops, but was recaptured by the British in 1790. This well-preserved fort is also known as Tipu's (Tipu Sultan, son of Hyder Ali) Fort. Today there is a functioning jail and Hanuman Temple in the fort grounds.

Paddy fields in Palakkad

• Jain Temple of Jainimedu – Situated on the western border of Palakkad town and not far from the railway station, this is an historic Jain Temple. The area around the temple is known as Jainimedu. This is one of the few places in Kerala where vestiges of Jainism in Kerala have survived without substantial damage. The granite walls are devoid of decoration. The temple, 32 feet (9.8 m) long and 20 feet (6.1 m) wide, consists of four divisions with images of Jain Thirthankaras and Yakshinis in three of them. Kumaran Asan wrote his monumental poem Veena Poovu (the fallen flower) at a Jain house here during his brief stay with his master Sri. Narayana Guru.^{[citation needed]}

• Kalpathi One of the 21 Agraharams of Palakkad District on the banks of the Kalpathy river, famous for its annual Ratholsavam (Temple car Festival) and annual music festival. One of the oldest settlements of Tamil Brahmins in Kerala, it dates back to the 15th century.

• Malampuzha Dam and Gardens - Situated about 8 km from Palakkad Town, Malapuzha Dam was completed in 1955 and is the largest reservoir in Kerala. The spot is also known for its scenic beauty and sprawling gardens. It is one of the major attractions in this part of Kerala. Kava : kava is a beautiful part of Malampuzha Dam where people used to go there for watching the beauty of nature. This place shows a beautiful face of Malampuzha.

Gardens near the Malampuzha Dam, with the canal visible

• Chembai Gramam: Chembai Gramam (Village) is situated in Kottayi. Chembai is the birthplace of the doyen of carnatic music, the late Sri Chembai Vaidhyanatha Bhagawathar. Known by his village name Chembai, or simply as Bhagavatar, he was born to Anantha Bhagavatar and Parvati Ammal in 1895.[1] Chembai was noted for his powerful voice and majestic style of singing. His first public performance was in 1904, when he was nine. He was a recipient of several titles and honours. He was known for his encouragement of upcoming musicians, and also for his ability to spot new talent. He was responsible for popularizing compositions like Rakshamam, Pavana Guru, among others. The music critic 'Aeolus' describes him as "the musician who has meant the most to Carnatic Music in the first fifty years of the 20th century" Some of his prominent disciples include Yesudas, T. V. Gopalakrishnan, V.V.Subramaniam, P.Leela, among others. Many memorial music festivals are held in his honour annually since his death in 1974, the most important being the annually celebrated Chembai Sangeetholsavam.
• Nemmara : Nenmara is 24Km away from palakkad town, which contains the beauty Nelliyampathy Hills and the carpet of paddy fields. Nenmara known as the Land of Festivals. The annual festival Nenmara Vallangi Vela held here attracts tourists from other countries also. This place is situated on the valley of nelliyampathy hills. Nelliyampathy is 29Km away from Nenmara town. The Pothundi Dam is only 6 km from nenmara on the way of nelliyampathy. Nemmara and Vallanghy the two parts make the town. This is a cultural town in palakkad where people used to celebrate ancient culture of the place. Ayalur vela, Pallavur Aarattu, Cheramangalam Vela, Melargode vela, kaipenchery Vela, koodalur vela, koothanda Vela are some annual festivals celebrated here around 6 km from Nenmara.
• Dhoni : Dhoni is situated around 15 kilometers from Palakkad town in Kerala, India. It is famous for Dhoni Waterfalls and the Western Ghat forests. Dhoni is bordered by Western Ghats on north. It is also a popular trekking spot for tourists. The Dhoni farm of KLD Board an Indo-Swiss project is situated there and is set amidst a beautiful location and is relatively unknown for its tourist potential.

Local Festivals

• Nemmara Vallangi Vela: This is held at Vallanghy Nellikulangara Bhagavathi Temple every year. Nenmara Vallanghy Vela festival attracts many people from inside and outside part of kerala. This is famous for the fireworks held here and the infrastructure which make here called 'Aanapanthal'. The Panchavadyam, pandimelam and elephant procession are also the attractions of this festival.
• Kavassery Pooram : It is held at Parakkatu Bhagavathi Temple at kavasserry 32 km from palakkad.
• Vadakkanthara Vela : It is held at Vadakkanthara Thirupurakkal bhagavathi temple once in 3 years,the previous one in the year 2012.
• Manappullikavu Vela: It is held in the Cheruppil Kavu situated 2 km from Palakkad railway station. The Goddess is "Cheruppil amma". It is a 41 day festival. Various famous art forms are performed on these days. One of the famous rituals is "Pana" which happens once in every 5 years.
• Bajanotsavam: It is held in the first fortnight of August every year at the New Kalpathy Manthakkara Ganapathy temple Kalyana Mandapam

• Kalpathy Ratholsavam: It is a famous temple car festival held during the second week of November every year. The 10 day long festival also includes a music festival.
• Koduvayur Ratholsavam: It is a famous temple car festival held during the Thirvathira star of December or January every year. The 3 day long festival also includes a stage program.

• Puthur Vela and Nirtha Sangeetholsavam: Vela is the Sree Rama Pattabhishekam conducted as the finale of the rendition of Kamba Ramayanam Pavakuthu .. tradition has it that the Devi back after destruction of the demons and in rage is appeased by the presentation of the Ramayan and the coronation of the Rama and blesses the village for the next year! The Nirtha Sangeetholsvam which has started since over a decade is already known in the Art and Culture scene of India as one of the major festivals, even at par with festivals like Kajarahoo! Almost all leading exponents of Indian art and dance has graced the stage at Puthur. The festival takes place in March–April every year.

Religious Places

• Vadakkanthara Thirupurakkal Bhagavathy temple is a popular Bhagavathy temple in Palakkad town situated at Vadakkanthara.Meenkulathi Bhagavathi and Perungottukavu Bhagavathi Temple is an another famous Temple in Palakkad.Prad.
• Manappullikavu temple : Hindu religious place situated near the N.H.47 on the eastern side of the town.
• C.S.I Church of Hope : The only remaining presbytirian church in Palakkad town which was built by the Basel mission missionaries on 1910 situated in Mepparamba (also known as Melparamba) on the western side of the town. The congregation started in 1866.
• C.S.I Holy Trinity Church : The Anglican church situated in the Fort Maidan area of Palakkad town. The only church in Palakkad where the English worship is held. The congregation started in the 18th century.
• C.S.I Robinson church Palakkad : The Basel Mission church which was renovated recently and is named after Mr.Robinson, who was the collector of Palakkad during the British days. The congregation dates backs to 18th century.
• The Hanuman temple situated inside the Palakkad fort is another important place of worship.
• Nallekavu Ayyappan Temple situated in Chitali, about 17 KM from Palakkad is a very powerful temple. Two thirds of the temple is surrounded by a beautiful pond.
• Sri Ayyappankavu Temple situated in Kottayi, about 16 km from Palakkad town (viz. Pudur,LG) is a famous temple in Palakkad. An important festival of this temple is uthram-atham vilakku maholtsavam, which is held in the month November every year.

Notable Educational Institutions in Palakkad

• KCPHSS Kavassery, Alathur.
• MES English Medium Higher Secondary School , Olavakkod ,meshss.org
• Government Engineering College, Sreekrishnapuram
• NSS College of Engineering, Palakkad
• NSS College Nemmara, Nenmara Palakkad
• Government College Chittur, Chittur Palakkad
• Government Victoria College, Palakkad
• Government arts and science college, kozhinjampara
• Bharathmatha HSS, Chandranagar, Palakkad
• Mercy College, Palakkad
• Co-Operative Arts & Science College, Olavakkode
• Grace College of Pharmacy, Palakkad
• Jawahar Navodaya Vidhyalaya, Malampuzha, Palakkad
• Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kanjikode
• Kendriya Vidyalaya, Olavakkode
• BEM HSS, PALAKKAD - Basel Evangelical Mission Higher Secondary School
• Pandit Motilal Government Higher Secondary School, Palakkad
• Government Moyans Model Girls Higher Secondary School, Tharekkad
• Kanikamatha Convent Higher Secondary School, Palakkad
• Holy trinityschool, kanjikode, palakkad
• St. Thomas Convent School, Palakkad
• G.H.S.S BIG BAZAAR
• Government Polytechnic College Kodumbu, Palakkad
• Government Higher Secondary School, Kottayi
• C.A.Higher Secondary School Kuzhalmannam
• Sree Neelakanta government Sanskrit college
• Government Boys Higher secondary School, Chittur
• M N K M H S Chittilancherry
• M.E.S Kalladi College Mannarkkad.
• Co-Operative College Mannarkkad

Tourist destinations in Palakkad

• Palakkad Fort
• Malampuzha Dam
• Malampuzha Snake Park
• Malampuzha Rock Garden
• Nelliyampathy Hills
• Silent Valley National Park
• Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
• Pothundi Dam
• Dhoni Waterfall
• Chulanur Peacock Sanctuary
• Mangalam Dam
• Kanjirappuzha Dam
• Varikkassery Mana

See also

• Palakkad District
• Palghat (Lok Sabha constituency)
• Olavakkode
• Nenmara-Vallanghi Vela
• Nelliyampathi
• Pothundi Dam
• Ottapalam

External links

• http://www.palakkad.gov.in - Official Website of Palakkad District Administration
• http://www.palakkadtourism.org - Palakkad District Tourism-Information