Palakkad District
The total area of the district is 4,480 km (1,730 sq mi) which is 11.5% of the state's area which makes it the second largest district of Kerala. Out of the total area of 4,480 km (1,730 sq mi), about 1,360 km (530 sq mi) of land is covered by forests. Most parts of the district fall in the midland region (elevation 75–250 m or 246–820 ft), 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 or 820 ft). Attappadi valley of Palakkad district, along with the Chaliyar valley of the neighbouring Nilambur region (Eastern Eranad region) in Malappuram district, is known for natural Gold fields, which is also seen in other parts of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
The climate is pleasant for most parts of the year, the exception is the summer months. There is sufficient rainfall and it receives more rainfall than the extreme southern districts of Kerala. The district has 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 the Malampuzha dam. The largest in volume capacity is the Parambikulam Dam Bhavani River, which is a tributary of Kaveri River, also flows through the district. Kadalundi River has its origin in Silent Valley National Park. The Chalakudy River also flows through district.
Palakkad district have total number of seven municipalities.The largest city in the district is the Palakkad municipality. The municipalities in the district are Palakkad city, Ottapalam, Shornur, Chittur-Tattamangalam, Pattambi, Cherpulassery and Mannarkkad. Out of the total Palakkad District population for 2011 Census of India, 24.09 percent lives in urban regions of district. In total 676,810 people lives in urban areas of which males are 328,012 and females are 348,798. Sex Ratio in urban region of Palakkad District is 1063 as per 2011 Census of India data. Similarly child sex ratio in Palakkad District was 959 in 2011 census. Child population (0–6) in urban region was 70,405 of which males and females were 35,933 and 34,472. This child population figure of Palakkad district is 10.95% of total urban population.
Etymology
In earlier times, Palakkad was also known as Palakkattussery. Many concluded that Palakkad is derived from 'Pala', an indigenous tree which once densely occupied the land; and hence Palakkad or "the forest of Pala trees".Some believe, connecting the ancient Jain Temple in the town, that the sacred language Pali gave the name. In 1757, to check the invasion of the Zamorin of Calicut, the Palakkad Raja sought the help of Hyder Ali of Mysore. Later his son Tipu sultan became the ruler.
Before the Indian Independence, present-day Kerala state was scattered in South Canara, Malabar District of British India, and two princely states namely Cochin and Travancore. The first All-Kerala conference of Indian National Congress was held in 1921 at Ottapalam on the banks of the river Bharathappuzha, which also later demanded a separate state for the Malayalam-speaking regions in future Independent India. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee was formed in that conference. Before that, Malabar District, Cochin, and Travancore had separate Congress committees. Ottapalam is located right in the middle of Kerala state.
History
The region around Coimbatore was ruled by the Cheras during Sangam period between c. first and the fourth centuries CE and it served as the eastern entrance to the Palakkad Gap, the principal trade route between the Malabar Coast and Tamil Nadu. Palakkad city, which lies on the northern bank of the River Bharathappuzha, was ruled by the Palakkad Rajas (Tarur Swaroopam). Palakkad Raja had the right over the Taluks of Palakkad, Alathur, and Chittur. The original headquarters of Palakkad Rajas were at Athavanad, Tirur Taluk, in present-day Malappuram district. It is said that their lands at Athavanad area were given to the Azhvanchery Thamprakkal and the Palakkad-Chittur areas were bought from them instead.
Pattambi-Ottapalam Taluk were ruled by the Zamorin of Calicut, and Mannarkkad Taluk was a part of the Kingdom of Valluvanad, which was also later annexed by the Zamorin. Pattambi – Ottapalam areas were originally a part of Nedunganad (ruled by Nedungadis, which was later annexed by the Kingdom of Valluvanad, which was again followed by the conquest of the Zamorin of Calicut around 15th century C. E. Nedunganad was ruled by a Samanthan Nair clan known as Nedungadis, similar to the Eradis of Eranad and Vellodis of Valluvanad. Other kingdoms in Palakkad district during medieval period included Kollengode and Kavalappara. Both of them became a part of the kingdom of Zamorin of Calicut around 15th century CE. Parts of Palakkad had also become under the Zamorin for sometime.
In 1757, to resist the invasion of the Zamorin of Kozhikode, the Palakkad Raja sought the help of the Hyder Ali of Mysore. In 1766, Hyder Ali defeated the Zamorin of Kozhikode – an East India Company ally at the time – and absorbed Kozhikode into his state. The Hyder Ali rebuilt Palakkad Fort in 1766. The smaller princely states in northern and north-central parts of Kerala (comprising Malabar District) including Kolathunadu, Kottayam, Kadathanadu, Kozhikode, Tanur, Valluvanad, and Palakkad were unified under the rulers of Mysore and were made a part of the larger Kingdom of Mysore. His son and successor, Tipu Sultan, launched campaigns against the expanding British East India Company, resulting in two of the four Anglo-Mysore Wars.
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Tipu ultimately ceded the Malabar District and South Kanara to the company in the 1790s as a result of the Third Anglo-Mysore War and the subsequent Treaty of Seringapatam; both were annexed to the Bombay Presidency (which had also included other regions in the western coast of India) of British India in the years 1792 and 1799 respectively. Later in 1800, both of the Malabar District and South Canara were separated from Bombay presidency to merge them with the neighbouring Madras Presidency. Palakkad was under British Raj until 1947.
The municipality of Palakkad was formed on 1 November 1866 according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850) of the British Indian Empire, along with the municipalities of Kozhikode, Kannur, Thalassery, and Fort Kochi, making them the first modern municipalities in the modern state of Kerala.
Present-day Palakkad district was a part of Malabar District before the formation of Palakkad district. Thrithala Revenue block of present-day Pattambi Taluk was a part of the Ponnani taluk. Rest of Pattambi Taluk, Ottapalam, and Mannarkkad Taluks were included in the Valluvanad Taluk of Malappuram Revenue Division in Malabar District. The remaining three Taluks of current Palakkad district (Palakkad, Alathur, and Chittur) together formed the Palghat Taluk of Malabar District during British Raj.
At the time of 1951 Census of India, Palakkad was the second-largest city in the erstwhile Malabar District after Kozhikode. At that time only two towns in Malabar was treated as cities: Kozhikode and Palakkad. Following the formation of the state of Kerala in 1956, the erstwhile Taluk of Palakkad in Malabar District was divided into three: Palakkad, Alathur. Palakkad district was formed by taking parts of the erstwhile Malabar District. On 16 June 1969, Perinthalmanna taluk and Ponnani taluk were separated to form Malappuram district. On same day, Parudur village of Tirur Taluk was transferred to Palakkad district. Later some years, the Silent Valley National Park of Karuvarakundu village in Eranad Taluk (now Karuvarakundu is a part of Nilambur Taluk) of Malappuram district was transferred Mannarkkad Taluk in Palakkad district.
Administration
Kerala Legislative Assembly seats
There are 12 legislative assembly seats in Palakkad.
| Sl no. | Constituency | Member | Party | Alliance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thrithala | M. B. Rajesh | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 2 | Pattambi | Muhammed Muhsin | CPI | LDF |
| 3 | Shornur | P. K. Sasi | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 4 | Ottapalam | P. Unni | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 5 | Kongad | K. Shanthakumari | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 6 | Mannarkkad | N. Samsudheen | IUML | UDF |
| 7 | Malampuzha | Prabhakaran | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 8 | Palakkad | Shafi Parambil | INC | UDF |
| 9 | Tarur | A. K. Balan | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 10 | Chittur | K. Krishnankutty | JD(S) | LDF |
| 11 | Nenmara | K. Babu | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 12 | Alathur | K. D. Prasenan | CPI(M) | LDF |
Members of Lok Sabha
There are two Lok Sabha seats in Palakkad district.
| Sl. No | Constituency | MP | Party | Alliance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palakkad | V.K Sreekandan | INC | UDF |
| 2 | Alathur | K. Radhakrishnan | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 3 | Ponnani (Thrithala only) |
E. T. Mohammed Basheer | IUML | UDF |
Subdistricts (Taluks)
- 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.
| Subdistrict | Area (in km) |
Population (2011) |
Villages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pattambi | 369 | 467,722 | 18 | |
| Ottapalam | 477 | 462,970 | 24 | |
| Mannarkkad | 1,209 | 384,393 | 25 | |
| Palakkad | 713 | 612,116 | 30 | |
| Chittur | 1,136 | 437,738 | 30 | |
| Alathur | 571 | 444,995 | 30 | |
| Sources: 2011 Census of India, Official website of Palakkad district | ||||
