Palakkad at a glance

Palakkad, previously known as Palakkattussery, is a large town and municipality in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 sq.m and is the administrative headquarters of the Palakkad District. Palakkad is the seventh most populous town in Kerala and lies near the Palghat Gap, Malayalam is the generally spoken language in Palakkad as it is the official language. The city is situated about 350 kilometres (217 mi) north of state capital Thiruvanantha- puram and 54 kilometers south west of Coimbatore, and 66 km north east of Thrissur on the Salem-Kanyakumari National Highway NH 47.

Kerala would have an IIT in Palakkad under the 12th five-year plan. The land belonging to the Instrument- ation 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.

Geography

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 as it is the official language. 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).

Transport

The nearest international air- port is Coimbatore International Airport, which is about 62 km from Palakkad.Other nearby airports are Kozhikode Airport about 103 km & Cochin International Airport which is about 111 km from Palakkad.

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, 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.

Palakkad is well connected by roads. The National Highway 47 from Salem to Trivandrum via Coimbatore, Palakkad, Trishur, Kochi, Alappuzha, Kollam 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.

Places

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.

Kalpathy

Kalpathy, 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. These Brahmins speak both Malayalam and Tamil.

Malampuzha

Malampuzha Dam and Gardens Situated about 8 km from Palakkad Town, Malamp- uzha 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.

Holy Places

1) Manappullikavu temple : Hindu religious place situated near the N.H.47 on the eastern side of the town.

2) Viswanatha Swamy Temple or locally as kundukovil is a famous Hindu temple located in the Kalpathy village of Palakkad.

3)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 the town.

Education

n budget 2014 by NDA government, a new Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has been sanctioned for the state to be set up in Palakkad. 650 Acres of land has been identified for setting up this premium institution and it is under the consideration of MHRD.
A new medical college has been started under SC/ST corporation at West Yakkara. Total number of seats sanctioned for MBBS course is 100. An investment of 500 crores is expected from the government towards the development of this institution in the upcoming years.