Chelari also known as the Mele Chelari (upper side) and Thazhe Chelari (lower side). is a census town and a Tenhipalam panchayat in Tirurangadi taluk in Malappuram district of Kerala, India, with a population of 19,483 as per 2001 census, consisting of 9,586 males and 9,897 females.forms a portion of the Malappuram metropolitan area as of 2011 Census. Chelari Airport, the first Airport in the Malabar region. is the main commercial place in Tenhipalam panchayat

Chelari Town is situated in the north-west region of Malappuram district, about 35 km away from district headquarters Malappuram and 11 km north of Taluk headquarters Tirurangadi. It shares its borders with Chelembra panchayat in north, Pallikkal and Peruvalloor panchayats in east, Kadalundi River separates Vallikkunnu panchayat in west. In Southern side it shares border with Mooniyoor panchayat. It is located 24 km south of Kozhikode on the Mangalore–Edapally national highway 66.

Locally, Chelari is divided into two parts is Thazhe Chelari Thrissur side is Mele Chelari (upper side) and Thazhe Chelari (lower side) also known as the (Weast Chelari and East Chelari) , the part where the national highway begins and the part where it ends. Mele Chelari. The road from Mele Chelari goes through Alungal, Chenakkalangadi, Pallippuraya, Nechinathil, Kolathode and terminates at Irumbothingal Kadavu.

Chelari is well connected with all parts of Kerala by road. National Highway 66 passes through Tenhipalam. All rural localities in the panchayat are well connected to the arterial national highway by good quality roads. Minibuses operate from rural areas to nearest small towns such as Chemmad, Kondotty . Private buses operate between Thrissur and Kozhikode. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses, which operate between Kozhikode and various southern towns and cities in Kerala also have stop at the university on route to Tenhipalam. There are seven towns and one corporation in the 35 km circle around Thenhipalam.

The nearest railway stations are Vallikkunnu (station code VLI), Parappanangadi and Feroke, which are located 10 km (6.2 mi) west, 12 km (7.5 mi) southwest and 16 km (9.9 mi) northwest respectively from the centre of Chelari. The major railway station of Kozhikode is located 20 km (12 mi) away.

Calicut International Airport at Karipur is located 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Chelari

Chelari Airport was an airstrip built in 1962 in Chelari, it was owned by Birla group, they used this airport for traveling to their factory in Calicut, it was located in Chelari,

Chelari is also known for head office of the Samastha Kerala Islam matha Vidyabhysaa Board, which is sometimes called as Chelari Samastha. It has more than 10,000 madrassas throughout the world. St Paul’s English medium Higher Secondary School-Kohinoor also located in Thenhipalam.

The main campus of the University of Calicut is located in near Chelari . Government Model Higher Secondary School is functioning inside Calicut University Campus. A Government Vocational Higher Secondary School is also functioning at Chelari which imparts vocational education in addition to Higher Secondary Education.

• Anees Nadodi Actor

• On 17 January 1969, Plane crash Douglas C-47A VT-DTH (cargo plane) in Chelari Airport

• Chelari Airport