Palakkad About this soundpronunciation (help·info), also known as Palghat, is a city 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. The city is situated about 350 kilometres (217 mi) north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram and 54 kilometers south west of Coimbatore, and 66 km north east of Thrissur on the Salem-Kanyakumari National Highway NH 47.
Palakkad District is one of the 14 districts of the Indian state of Kerala. Also, it is the largest district in Kerala from 2006. The city of Palakkad is the district headquarters. Palakkad is bordered on the northwest by the Malappuram District, on the southwest by the Thrissur District, on the northeast by The Nilgiris District, and on the east by Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. The district is 24.4% urbanized according to the census of 2011. The district is nicknamed "the granary of Kerala" and "Rice bowl of Kerala".
Transport
Air
The nearest international airport is Coimbatore International Airport, which is about 62 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, Kollam, Mangalore, Kozhikode and Ernakulam are connected by the broad gauge line. Train services to Pollachi, Dindigul and Madurai are through the broad gauge line through Palakkad Town station.
Road
Palakkad is well connected by roads. The National Highway 47 from Salem to Ernakulam via Coimbatore, Palakkad and Thrissur – Kozhikode National Highway 213 via Malappuram pass through the district.
Demographics
As per Census 2011, population of Palakkad in 2011 is 130,955; of which male and female are 63,833 and 67,122 respectively. Total literates in Palakkad city are 112,479 of which 56,065 are males while 56,414 are females. Average literacy rate of Palakkad city is 94.20 percent of which male and female literacy was 96.83 and 91.73 percent. Hindus form 68% of the population with 89098 members. Muslims constitute 27.9% of the population with 36620 members. Christians constitute 3.8% of the population with 5006 members.
The metropolitan area of Palakkad includes Hemambikanagar, Marutharode, Palakkad municipality, Pirayiri, Pudussery Central, Pudussery West, and Puthuppariyaram. Its urban / metropolitan population is 293,566 of which 143,650 are males and 149,916 are females. The literacy rate of Palakkad Metropolitan Area is 92.14%, much higher than the national average of 59.5%. Malayalam is the most spoken language, followed by Tamil speakers. Since, a lot of Tamil migrants are residing in the city and it also the reason that the city located 5 km closure to the Indian state Tamilnadu, on the way to Coimbatore.
Administration
Main article: Political Divisions of Palakkad District
Taluks; Alathur, Chittur, Mannarkkad, Ottappalam, Palakkad and Pattambi.
Members of Parliament;
Palakkad - V.K Sreekandan - United_Democratic_Front_(Kerala)(UDF)
Alathur - Ramya Haridas - United_Democratic_Front_(Kerala)(UDF)
Under the amended Indian Constitution, decentralized planning has been implemented in the state. The headquarters of the District Panchayat is at Palakkad Municipal town. The District Panchayat office building is near the Civil Station.
Noted personalities
Main article: List of people from Palakkad district
Anita Nair
E Sreedharan (Eminent Engineer, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation)
Kunchan Nambiar
K. P. Kesava Menon (Idealist, Founder of Mathrubhoomi)
Methil Devika
M. T. Vasudevan Nair
O. V. Vijayan
Shashi Tharoor
T. N. Seshan (Former Chief Election Commissioner)
Vallathol Narayana Menon (Ponnani, Old Palakkad District)
P. R. Pisharoty (Kollengode, Father of remote sensing in India)
Education in Palakkad
Main article: Education in Palakkad district
IIT Palakkad
Victoria College
Government Medical College, Palakkad
MES Kalladi College, Mannarkkad
District Public library, Palakkad
Sree Neelakanta Government Sanskrit College Pattambi
NSS College, Ottapalam
NSS College, Nenmara
Chembai Memorial Government Music College
Government College, Chittur
NSS College of Engineering
Government Engineering College, Sreekrishnapuram
Al-Ameen Engineering College, Shornur Palakkad
Karuna Medical College, Vilayodi Palakkad
Yuvakshetra Institute of Management Studies, Mundoor
Mercy College, Palakkad
VTB college [sreekrishnapuram]
Tourist attractions
Main article: Tourist attractions in Palakkad district
Nenmara Vallanghy Vela
Kalpathi Ratholsavam
Chinakathur pooram
Kollemcode Palace
Mannur Kayamakunnathu Kaavu Vela
Mudappallur Vela
Palakkad Fort – Situated in the heart of town, this is the most beautiful and best preserved fort in Kerala, recalling many old tales of valor and courage. The fort, which dates back to 1766, was built by Hyder Ali of Mysore. In 1784, after a siege which lasted for eleven days, British Colonel, William Fullarton (1754–1808), 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 Fort", after Tipu Sultan the son of Hyder Ali. It is under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India.
Malampuzha Dam - A large irrigation dam on the Bharatapuzha river, on the valley of Western Ghats. There are beautiful gardens, an amusement park for children and a boating facility on the reservoir.
Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary - Sprawling over 285 square kilometres (110 square miles), it is 135 kilometres (84 miles) from Palakkad and adjacent to the Indira Gandhi National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. Besides being an abode to elephants, wild boar, sambar, bison, guar, crocodiles, and a few tigers and panthers, it has a rich assortment of semi-tropical plants and trees. Trekking in the forest is allowed with prior permission. Boating can be done at the lake. The Cannimare Teak Tree, which is said to be Asia’s largest, is here near Thunakadavu.
Silent Valley National Park – A thick rain forest, with many rare species, it has been declared a National Park. It is 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Palakkad. It is popularly known as the "Evergreen Forest" and noted for its eerie silence because of the lack of cicadas, which are common elsewhere. It is an important biosphere reserve in the Western Ghats and the home of tribal people. The valley is a habitat for the rare lion-tailed macaque. The park is also a protected area for tigers.
Nelliyampathi – Known as the "Ooty of Kerala", about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Palakkad and 29 kilometres (18 miles) from Nemmara Town. It is a hill station in the forest between a series of ridges cut off from one another by valleys of dark evergreen forests
Dhoni – A reserve forest area about 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) from Palakkad. This forest has many interesting sights including a small but splendid waterfall. The site can be reached after a fairly long climb of three hours from the base of the Dhoni hills.
Kanjirapuzha Dam
Kanjhirapuzha Botanical Garden
Kanjhirapuzha ayurveda plantion and garden - 37.4 kilometres (23.2 miles) from Palakkad town, it was built for large area irrigation purposes.
Kottayi - A village in Palakkad district which is 16 kilometers from Palakkad town. It is the birthplace of Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar.
Places of worship
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Jainimedu Jain temple
Manapulli kaavu
Kayamakunnathu Temple Mannur
Chinakkathoor Temple, Palappuram, Ottapalam
Thiruvalathoor Siva Temple
Kachamkurichi Temple (near the Nelliyampathy Hills)
Kumarapuram Lord Prasanna Venkatachalapathy Temple
Thrithala Siva Temple
Thiruvegappura Sankara-narayanan Temple
Panniyur Temple
Vadakkan-thara Bhagavathy Temple
Thirupuraikkal Temple
Kalpathy Temple
Akalur Narasimha Swamy Temple
Thandalod Siva Temple
Cherapuram Siva Temple
Mudappallor Azhikulagara Temple
Kottukulangara Bhagavathy Temple-Kannady
Nurani Sri Poorna Pushkalambal Sametha Hariharaputhra Swamy Temple
Ayyappan Kavu, Kottayi
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palakkad
