| Palakkad പാലക്കാട് |
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| — district — | |
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| Coordinates | |
| Country | India |
| State | Kerala |
| Headquarters | Palakkad |
| Collector | K.V. Mohan Kumar |
| Population • Density |
2,617,482 • 584 /km2 (1,513 /sq mi) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) |
| ISO 3166-2 | IN-KL-PKD |
| Website | www.palakkad.gov.in |
Palakkad District (Malayalam: പാലക്കാട് ജില്ല) is one of the 14 districts of the Indian state of Kerala. 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 and on the east by Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. The district is 13.62% urbanised.[1] The district is nicknamed "the granary of Kerala".
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In earlier times Palakkad was also known as Palakkattussery. 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.
In earlier days, Palakkad along with most parts of Kerala were under the rule of the Chera kings (Perumals). With the decline of Chera dynasty, parts of this district were ruled by Palakkad Rajas who were believed to be a branch of Zamorins (Samudiri Rajavamsam) of Calicut who later declared independence. Some parts were under Kollengode Rajas of Vengunad and the Valluvanad part of the district was ruled by Valluvakonathiris (who are considered to be descendants of a branch of Pallava dynasty who might have ruled parts of Kerala at an earlier date). For a brief period, some areas of the district near Chittur came under the attack of the nearby Kongu king when the local people resisted the Kongu invasion successfully.
Palakkad was a part of the Malabar District of Madras Presidency (during the British Raj, until 1947), then came under the princely state of Cochin and Madras state (from 1947 to 1956). It was made a separate district of Kerala when the state was formed in 1956.
To the east lies Coimbatore city of Tamil Nadu. It is a predominantly rural district. Palakkad is the gateway to Kerala due to the presence of the Palakkad Gap, in the Western Ghats. The total area of the district is 4480 km² which is 11.5% of the state's area. Out of the total area of 4480 km², about 1360 km² of land is covered by forests. Most parts of the district fall in the midland region (elevation 75–250 m), except the Nelliampathy-Parambikulam area in the Chittur taluk in the south and Attappadi-Malampuzha area in the north, which are hilly and fall in the highland region (elevation >250 m). Some of the notable peaks in the district are Anginda (2325 m), Karimala (1998 m), Nellikotta or Padagiri (1585 m) and Karimala Gopuram (1439 m).
The climate is hot and humid for most part of the year. Palakkad is one of the hottest places in Kerala. There is sufficient rainfall. The district is blessed with many small and medium rivers, which are tributaries of the Bharathapuzha River. A number of dams have been built across these rivers, the largest being Malampuzha dam. The largest in volume capacity is the Parambikulam Dam[2]
The present Palakkad district, as an administrative unit, was formed on the first of January 1957, composed of Palakkad, Perinthalmanna, Ponnani, Ottappalam, Alathur and Chittur. When the Malappuram district was formed on the 16th June 1969, Ponnani taluk (excluding Thrithala firka (tehsil) and the villages of Vadakkekad, Punnayur and Punnayurkulam and Perinthalmanna taluk consisting of Mankada firka and Perinthalmanna firka excluding Karkidamkunnu and Chethalloor amsoms) was 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. 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 km².
The district is divided into five taluks.[3]
| Taluk | Population (2001 est.) |
|---|---|
| Alathur | 421909 |
| Chittur | 425575 |
| Mannarkkad | 355680 |
| Ottappalam | 842286 |
| Palakkad | 571622 |
| Total | 2617072 |
The district includes four municipalities, which each belong to a taluk. The municipalities, with population estimates for 2001,[3] are:
Sreekrishnapuram, Kuzhalmannam and Kollengode Constituencies have been removed and Kongad, Shoranur, Nemmara and Tarur Constituencies were created during the 2011 General Election, as a result of delimitation for the Kerala Legislative Assembly, increasing the total number of seats coming under Palakkad district to 12.
Under the amended Indian Constitution, decentralised 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.
Agriculture is the main occupation. The most prominent crop is rice. Palakkad is known as the Rice Bowl of Kerala. But in recent times, rice cultivation has become unremunerative due to high wages and low prices. Hence, farmers have turned to other crops and the area under rice cultivation has decreased drastically. In the areas bordering Tamil Nadu, crops such as sugar cane, groundnut, tomato, jasmine etc. are cultivated. Rubber is the main crop in the hilly regions. Vegetables like pumpkin, ash gourd, bitter gourd, brinjal, etc. are now cultivated extensively. Tamarind, Neem, Mango and Palm trees are seen in abundance in Palakkad, as in Tamil Nadu. The district is a major centre of export for mangoes and tamarind. Jaggery, which is unrefined sugar, is made from sugarcane in Chittur Taluk.
The only big city in the district is the district head quarters, Palakkad.The retail giant Panthaloons BIGBAZAR opened their first showroom of Kerala in this city.Joby's mall,the biggest mall of the city is one of the biggest of the state itself. All major jeweleries of the state has at least one showroom in the town. Biggest brands such as The Raymond, Woodlands, Reebok, Peter England, Scullers, Indigo nation, John Miller, Basics life, Derby, Cotton County, Koutons, Bombay Dyeing, has their own exclusive showrooms in the city.
In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Palakkad one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640).[4] It is one of the two districts in Kerala currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).[4]
There are various industries in the district. The Public Sector companies[5] and Instrumentation Limited have plants in Kanjikode, 12 km from Palakkad town. Other large companies are the BPL group, Coca Cola and Pepsi. There is an Industrial Area in Kanjikode with a number of medium industries.
Established in 1976, the Palakkad unit of ITI Limited manufactures large digital switches and digital trunk exchanges in collaboration with M/s Alcatel of France. A highly productive plant by virtue of its structure, it has a modern facility for PCB manufacture (including multi-layer boards) assembly and automated testing facilities with SMT line and environmental test lab. ITI Palakkad is accredited with ISO 9000 (Manufacturing) and ISO 14000 (Environmental Management System) quality standards.
Fluid Control Research Institute (FCRI), a state of art facility for calibration, testing and measurement of various parameters related to fluid flow is also located in Kanjikode.
According to the 2011 census Palakkad district has a population of 2,810,892,[6] roughly equal to the nation of Jamaica[7] or the US state of Utah.[8] This gives it a ranking of 138th in India (out of a total of 640).[6] The district has a population density of 627 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,620 /sq mi) .[6] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 7.39 %.[6] Palakkad has a sex ratio of 1067 females for every 1000 males,[6] and a literacy rate of 88.49 %.[6]
The main religion is Hinduism, with many castes represented:Namboothiri (Malayali Brahmin), Iyer , Nair (including Menons and Panickers), Pisharody (Malayali Vaishnavite ambalavasi), Hindu Vaisya Castes (Moothan, Guptan, Mannadiar and Tharakan), Ezhava, Ezhuthachan,, Chettiar,Mudaliyars- Chittur Vadakkathara (equivalent to Telugu Naidu), Pathukudi as well as artisan communities such as Bronzesmiths (Moosari),carpenters (Asari), goldsmiths (Thattan), blacksmiths (Kollan) and potters (Kusavan). There are some tribal peoples living in the forest areas within the Palakkad district. Namboothiris are temple priests. Once upon a time they were highly influential landlords. A few Namboothiri families were also known for their knowledge in astrology and medicine.Nair's were traditionally the warrior caste. They are now actively involved in many professional fields within India and also abroad. The Late Sri M. G. Ramachandran who was a famous Tamil Actor and later the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, was from a Nair family in Palakkad district. Ezhavas and Ezhuthachans were mostly farmers, the educated among them are into all fields of work now.
Malayalam is widely spoken. As Palakkad district is very close to Tamil Nadu, a significant percentage of the population (nearly 25%) speak Tamil.[9] There is also a significant community of Telugu speakers, descended from the members of an invading army who decided to settle in the area.
Tamil Brahmins of Palakkad (Palakkad Iyers) are people who settled in Palakkad district after migrating from the Tanjore district in the State of Tamil Nadu, at the invitation of Palakkad's ruler. They were settled in 96 villages called Agraharams in different parts of the district. They are basically priests. As part of their cultural heritage, they introduced Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam dance to the area. Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, Palghat Mani Iyer, and M. D. Ramanathan are some of the prominent local names in the field of Carnatic music.
The Tamil Brahmins of Palakkad migrated from Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu centuries ago
Palakkad also has a Moothan community, who are followers of Hinduism and reside primarily in Moothanthara. They are believed to have come from the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu in historic times. They engage in business and commerce.
Muslims are in the majority in the areas bordering Malappuram district. Here almost every family has male relatives working in the Gulf region. Due to the remittances from these people, the area has improved economically in the recent years.
The earliest Christians in the district were from Thrissur, who settled at Melarcode around 1550 CE as traders of coconut oil and spices. Later on, Christians from Idukki and Kottayam districts migrated to Palakkad and made the hilly terrains of the district their homes.
Languages used in the district include Allar, a Dravidian language with 350 speakers;[10] and Aranadan, also Dravidian, kept alive by the low education level of its 200 speakers.[11]
Palakkad Junction is an important station on the Southern Railway. Places like Pollachi, Dindigul and Madurai are connected by the meter gauge track beginning here. The trains on the meter gauge are the lifeline for the people of the district, bringing vegetables, fish and dairy products. The office of the Palakkad Division of the Southern Railway is situated near Palghat Junction Railway Station. The trains coming from Tamil Nadu are diverted to north and south Kerala from Shoranur station in Palakkad District. From here there is train service to Calicut, Ernakulam, Trivandrum, Shoranur and Nilambur.
Palakkad has a medium grade network of roads. The Salem-Kanyakumari National Highway 47 and the Palakkad-Kozhikode National Highway 213 pass through the district. Another important road is the Palakkad - Ponnani road which connects NH 47 and NH 17.
The nearest Airport is at Coimbatore which is 60 km from the town. It offers connections to all parts of India. Air Deccan, SpiceJet, JetLite, Kingfisher airlines, Goair, Paramount airways, Indian Airlines and Air India are the major operators.
One of the main festivals is the "Valiya Aarratu" festival which is celebrated by the Moothan community for seven days in the Malayalam month of the Medam Masam Punertham Star. On the day of Valiya Arrattu, worshipers are served food, Annadhanam (meals) are given as Prasadam. The materials for organizing this event are fully sponsored by the devotees of Karnaki who, by and large, are merchants.
In the months of March and April, after the harvests, festivals called Vela are celebrated in many villages. These festivals consist of a parade of caparisoned elephants, a traditional orchestra of percussion instruments (called Panchavadyam, Thayambaka, Pandimelam, etc.) and fireworks. These festivals are very popular, attracting people from the neighboring districts. Nemmara Vallangi Vela, Chinakkathur Pooram of Palappuram and Vayilliamkunnu Pooram of Kadampazhipuram, "Akathethara Thekkethara KARTHIKA VELA" are the most prominent among them. Vishnu Vela of Thumbalamkad is one of the most entertaining festivals in Palakkad. This is celebrated on Vishu day, April 14 (Medam onnu). The Vela season comes to an end with Mangalam Vela, which usually happens in the month of May.
Every Year Meenam (Malayala masam)the great Thenur Vela is one of the most entertaining festivals in Palakkad. are celebrated in many villages. These festivals consist of a parade of caparisoned elephants, a traditional orchestra of percussion instruments (called Panchavadyam, Thayambaka, Pandimelam, etc.) and fireworks. These festivals are very popular, attracting people from the neighboring districts.
Another important festival is the Kalpathi Ratholsavam. This is a festival of the Tamil Brahmins. The deities of the various temples are taken out on a procession in chariots. It is believed that the God goes out to see his people on these days
The Navrathri Festival celebrated annually in Kodunthirapully Village is also famous. This village has the distinction of having two groups that celebrate the same festival, one on Ashtami and the other on Navami (different days in the festival cycle), often with a lot of competitive edge. The festival culminates with a parade of caprisoned elephants, panchavadyam, a fireworks display and musical stage shows.
Pattambi Nercha - Celebrated in Pattambi and nearby areas on the second Sunday of February in remembrance of Aloor Valiya Pookoya Thangal.
Another very famous festival is the "Puthur Vela". It is the annual festival held during the month of April by the Puthur "Sree Thirupuraykal Bhagavathy Kshetram" where 15 elephants unite for the famous "Kudamattom" performance. Thayambaka and panchavadhyam provide the music for the festival.
The annual Ultsavam at the Thiruvegappura Maha Kshetram is a large attraction to devotees.
The annual Sivarathri festival in East Vennakkara of the Palakkad municipality is in honor of Shiva.
There are a number of schools and colleges, including engineering colleges. Government Victoria College (3) was founded in 1866 and has many eminent persons as its former students. They include E. M. S. Namboodiripad, (the first Chief Minister of Kerala and Communist Party leader), T. N. Seshan, former Chief Election Commissioner, E. Sreedharan, the architect of Konkan Railway and Delhi Metro, writers like O. V. Vijayan and M. T. Vasudevan Nair and cartoonist Ravi Shankar.
The NSS College of Engineering (4) is an institution founded in 1960 by the Nair Service Society. The undergraduate admission into this engineering college is based on merit ranking in the Kerala engineering entrance exam. A sizeable number of seats are also reserved for students belonging to socially deprived castes and religious minorities, such as Muslims. The major engineering departments are Civil, Electrical and Electronics, Mechanical, Electronics & Communication, Instrumentation & Control and Computer science Engineering.
The Chembai Memorial Music College, Government College Chittur, and NSS Colleges at Ottapalam and Nemmara are some of the older colleges in Palakkad.MES College Mannarghat, Run by Muslim Educational Society,Jamia Hasaniyya Islamiyya, Kallekkad, Islamic Central School Ottapalam, Katampazhipuram High School Royal dental college chalissery, Karuna Medical College Chittur, Arabic College Parli.
Some of the notable and older schools of the districts include, Government Moyan Model Girls Higher Secondary School, Pandit Motilal Nehru Government (PMG) School, Basel Evangelical Mission Higher Secondary School (Mission School), Kanikkamatha Convent English Medium Higher Secondary School, Bharatha Matha Higher Secondary School, Vyasa Vidhya Peethom Central School.
| Malappuram district | Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu | |||
| Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu | ||||
| Palakkad district | ||||
| Thrissur district |
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