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It is the fort which is
situated in the middle of Palakkad town that first welcomes the tourists
to this place. This fort tells the tale of many a subjugation and
surrender. As per the directions of Hyder Ali, the Sultan of Mysore, the
work on this fort was started in the year 1766 under the supervision of
a team of French engineers. Hyder had settlements in Coimbatore, Malabar
and Kochi (Cochin). His intention was to turn the Palakkad fort into a focal
paint of these settlements and rule them. In the war with the English in
1767 the fort was damaged and Hyder Ali reconstructed it on a solid
foundation. Hyder Ali was succeeded by his son Tippu Sultan as the Nawab
of Mysore in 1782 and the fort came under his control. In 1787 the
English and the Kozhikodu Zamorin captured this fort of vital strategic
importance. Knowing this, Tippu sent a strong contingent and drove out
the Zamorin and recaptured the fort.
In the war between the
English and Tippu in 1790, the English again captured the fort.
According to a treaty after 3rd Mysore war, in 1782 the
British got Malabar region and the complete control of the fort therein.
In 1797 the English mended the damaged parts of the fort. The war
between Tippu and East India Company ended with the treaty of 1872 and
all the possessions of Tippu in Malabar were ceded to the British.
Gradually these formed part of the Malabar district of the Madras
presidency.
Palakkad was only a
taluk of old Malabar district of Madras presidency till the linguistic
reorganization of the States in 1956. At present, some government
offices and a sub jail are functioning at this fort.
Kottamaithanam, west of
the fort, is very famous. It is said that it was here Tippu’s cavalry
camped. This maithanam is used for conducting exhibitions and mammoth
meetings. Nearby the fort, there is a children’s park and an open air
stadium called ‘Rappadi’.
Places
to See
Malampuzha is the
‘Vrindavan’ of Kerala. It is 13 kms from Palakkad town. Since the
completion of the dam in 1955, the place has been beautified into a
tourist resort. The dam is located in idyllic surroundings with a hilly
background. The beautiful garden on mughal model below the dam is the
star attraction for the tourists. The small garden on Japanese style is
also very attractive. The gigantic ‘Yakshi’ statue situated
in the garden would cause surprise and wonder to anyone visiting
Malampuzha. The fish-shaped aquarium is an added attraction. The snake
park, the rock garden, the amusement park and the fancy park and the
thrilling rides therein and the garden and fountain are the other
attractions.
Places
to See
Parambikulam in Western
Ghats is about 125 kms from Palakkad. The dam and the wildlife sanctuary
here are renowned. All sorts of animals and birds are seen here. There
is a reservoir also. The place is famous for teak plantations. The
oldest teak tree, ‘Kannimaree’, stands here. There is a national
park here, which is named after Salim Ali, the famous bird observer.
Places
to See
Mailadumpara, in
Chulannur situated 22 kms away from Palakkad town and 5 kms from
Peringothukrish, is also famed. It is here the peacock protection center
is located. Kunjan Nambiar Smrudhi forest is also here.
Places
to See
Kottayi which is
situated 15 kms from the district headquarters is also famous. Chembai
Village which gave birth to Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavather, the maestro
of Karnatic music is in Kottayi. The last resting place of Chembai is
the pilgrim center of music lovers. The birth place of guru Kunju Kurup,
the great Kathakali master is also in Kottayi. The famous Kandethan
temple which attracts people from within and without the district is
also situated here.
Places
to See
Seetharkundu at
Nelliampathy offers a fantastic view of the valley below. The 1000
meters high water falls is one of the major attractions. Legend has it
that during the ‘vanavasa, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana had lived here.
Seetharkundu got its name from the legend that Sita devi during the
vanavasa period with Rama,
took a bath here.
Places
to See
The first popular
Malayalam poet and the father of Thullal Movements, Kunjan Nambiar was
born in Kalakkathu house at Killikkurissi Mangalam of Lakkidi Perur
panchayat in Palakkad district. Every day a number of literary men come
here to pay obeisance to the ever burning lamp and the ezhuthani (pen)
he used for writing. A center imparting training in learning the
poet’s arts form like Ottam Thullal, Parayan Thullal and Seethankan
Thullal is functioning here. Every year May fifth is observed as Kunchan
Day and award is given to the best thullal artist of the State.
It is the Kunjan
Memorial Committee working under the State Cultural Department that
gives initiative to the activities here.
Places
to See
The ever green Silent
Valley is in Palakkad district. The river Kunthi descends from the
Nilgiri hills above the valley, at an altitude of 2000m, traverses the
entire length of the valley and rushes down to the plains through a deep
gorge. The Silent Valley National park, with an area of 90sq. kms is
situated in the north eastern corner of the district. In the
National Park it is estimated that there are more than thousand
kinds of trees. The rarest species of animals and birds are seen in the
valley. The valley has a fair representation of all peninsular mammals.
Places
to See
Meenkara is a
fascinating sport due to the dam, garden, fish ponds and natural beauty.
It is 32 kms, south east of Palakkad town. The dam here was constructed
in the year 1960 across Meenkara river, a sub tributary of Gayathripuzha,
which is the tributary of Bharathapuzha.
Places
to See
This dam and the
surroundings at Muthalamada Panchayat offer a strikingly beautiful
panorama of natural scenery. The work on this dam across Chulliyar, a
tributary of Gayathripuzha was completed in the year 1960.
A view from this dam at the sky kissing Nelliyampathy mountain
ranges is superb.
Places
to See
Pothundy is 38 kms south
of Palakkad town, in Nelliyampathy route. The dam is across Padipuzha
and Meenchadipuzha, the two sub tributaries of Ayilurpuzha, which is the
tributary of Bharathapuzha.
Places
to See
The work on this dam was
completed in the year 1956. it is located 48 kms south of Palakkad town.
The dam is constructed across Cherukunnupuzha, a tributary of Mangalam
river. There are deer, wild elephants and rare species of birds on the
fringes of the reservoir.
Places
to See
The dam is the common
reservoir of Kerala and Tamilnadu. It is 80 kms away from Palakkad town,
and 22 kms interior from Edakkurissi which
is in Palakkad manarcad route. The dam
is constructed across Siruvanipuzha which is the tributary of
Bhavanipuzha. It supplies drinking water to Coimbatore municipality.
There is a water fall from 2000 feet height on the eastern side of the
dam. The scenic beauty of Siruvani is really wonderful.
Places
to See
In ‘Sokanashini’, an
old building at Chittoor Thekkegram village, Thunchath Ramanujan
Ezhuthachan, the father of Malayalam language spent his last years.
People call it gurumadom. Thunchan madom on the banks of
‘Sokanashini’ (destroyer of sorrow) Chittoorpuzha is even today
blessed with the presence of literary men. The ezhuthani (pen) he used
for writing is kept here as a precious memento.
Places
to See
JP Smirthivanam and Deer
Park are located at Walayar reserve forest
which has an area of 100 acres. One can see here deer and other
animals roaming about in their natural habitat. This is situated 22 kms
away from Palakkad town in Palakkad-coimbatore road. Here facilities for
elephant riding are also available.
Places
to See
The villages of Palakkad
district have become the background of the novels of reputed writers
like M.T. Vasudevan Nair and O.V. Vijayan. Kudallur, the birth place of
M.T. Vasudevan Nair is the locale of his novels, ‘Nalukettu’ and
‘Kalam’ (time). In vijayans famous novel, ‘Khasakkinte Ithihasom’
(the epic of Khasakk) the locale is the palakkad village, ‘Thasarak’.
A number of people interested in literature visit these two
places.
Places
to See
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