Palakkad travel information, Kerala

The tourist destination of Palakkad known as the granary of Kerala is a land of valleys, hillocks, rivers, forests, mountain streams, dams and irrigation projects. Situated at the foot of the Western Ghats, Palakkad is the gateway to Kerala from the north. Palakkad derives its name from the Malayalam words Pala (a tree Alsteria scholars) and Kadu (forest), which goes to prove that this place was once a beautiful stretch of forests covered with the sweet-scented flowers of the Pala tree.

Palakkad (the other name Palghat is a contribution of the British Raj) is prime among Kerala's most picturesque districts, thanks to its distinctive Palmyra trees and extensive green paddy fields. Palakkad has probably the biggest mountain pass in the world (30-40 Kms) separating the two folds of the Western Ghats on the border of Kerala with Tamil Nadu. Palakkad is rightfully therefore known as the Gateway of Kerala, giving the rest of India access to the State. For precisely the same reasons, Palakkad had to bear the brunt of invasions from the bordering kingdoms in the past. Palakkad is a melting pot of different cultures and ethnic denominations, enriching its life, arts & culture.

History of Palakkad
There are many views on how Palakkad (or "Palghat" the anglicised version) got its name. One view is that the word 'Pala' (barren land) together with 'Kadu' (jungle) gave the land its name.

Yet others believe that it is connected with the ancient Jain temple in the town: 'Pali' being the sacred language of the Jains, giving the land its name as 'Palighat', which over the years changed to Palakkad. However, most believe that Palakkad is derived from 'Pala', an indigenous tree which once densely occupied the land, and hence Palakkad or "the forest of Pala trees."

Not much is known about Palakkad's ancient history. It dates back to the Paleolithic period, and several megalithic relics have been found in the region. At the turn of the first millenium AD, for several hundred years the Perumals ruled the land. Later their governors called Utayavars took possession of this land and divided it among themselves. William Logan, the Scottish author of the celebrated Malabar Manual, suggests that one of the hubs of the Pallavas of Kanchi who invaded Malabar in the second and third centuries was Palakkad.

One of the earliest records about Palakkad has a chronicle of a war victory in AD 988 when the king of Palakkad, Nedumpurayur Nadudayavar, stopped an invasion by the forces of the King of Kongunadu at Chittur. Even today, a festival is celebrated in memory of this victory at Chittur. The Nedumpurayur royal family was later known as Tarur Swaroopam and finally as Palakkad Raja Swaroopam.

In 1757, to check the invasion of the Zamorin of Calicut, the Raja of Palakkad sought the help of Hyder Ali of Mysore, who freed all parts of Palakkad invaded by the Zamorin. Eventually, Haider helped himself to Palakkad and later his son Tipu Sultan was the unquestioned ruler of this region. But after his defeat to the British, Tipu ceded all his Malabar territories to the British following the treaty with the English East India Company in 1872. Palakkad formed part of the Malabar District of the Madras Presidency thereafter

Tourist Attractions in Palakkad

Palakkad Fort, situated in the town close to Fort Maidan, is the best-preserved fort today in Kerala. Hyder Ali of Mysore constructed it in 1766. Today, this Palakkad Fort, popularly known as Tippu's Fort, is one of the protected monuments in Palakkad town. It is square in shape, with walls of immense thickness and with strong bastions at all four corners and in the middle. The old drawbridge has since been replaced by a permanent one.

Malampuzha Gardens is one of the biggest tourist attractions of Palakkad in Kerala. This Vrindavan of Kerala brings in tourists from the state & other states every year. The garden has lush green lawns, innumerable flowerbeds, glittering pools and fountains. The natural grandeur of the garden is enhanced by fresh water aquarium, Snake Park and children's park with a toy train.

Another major attraction of Palakkad is the Udankhatola - South India's only Passenger Ropeway. Fly over the garden at 60 ft. height to have the best panoramic view of the beautiful gardens nestled below the Blue Mountains. Unique by nature, extremely safe and economical too, you are assured that this twenty minutes sky ride in Palakkad will be an unforgettable experience.

Festivals of Palakkad

Palakkad is also a place of temple festivals. The temples that dot the landscape of Palakkad have carved their own niche' in the arts & culture of this region.

Kalpathy Car Festival (Kalpathy Ratholsavam)

Kalpathy Viswanatha swamy temple is the oldest Siva temple in Malabar. It was build around 1425 AD. by Kombi Achan, the then Raja of Palakkad. Kalpathy Car Festival is based on vedic Tamil Brahmin culture. The main centre of the festival is Kalpathy Sree Viswanathaswamy temple.

Manappullikavu Vela

Manappullikavu Vela is a major festival held every year at the Manappullikkavu Bhagavathy Temple. It is believed that the temple is about 1200 years old. It is different from other Bhagavathy Temples by way of rites and rituals. Namboodiries, that is, the Kerala Brahmins perform the daily rituals according to tantric traditions. Both Saiva and Vaishnava traditions are observed in the poojas.

Nenmara-Vallengi Vela

Nenmara-Vallengi Vela is a renowned festival of Palakkad attracting people from far and wide. It is held annually on the Pooram day of the Malayalam month Meenam. The Festival starts with the hoisting the sacred flag.

How to Reach Palakkad:

Air: nearest airport Coimbatore (55 kms)

Rail: Palakkad junction railway station (5 km from the city) is a major railhead of the southern railways.

Road: Palakkad is connected by excellent network of roads to all the major cities in India

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