Palakkad the district of Kerala is a multifarious district known for its history, natural resources, standard of education, tourist destinations and more over due to its rapid development in every field of economic development.
Located in the heart of the state, the district adjoins Kerala to rest of the Indian States. The district has its own historical importance and has witnessed the development of Kerala since its inception when Kerala came into existence. Because of its location in the centre of the state the district enjoys all the developments which took place in the state. The economy of the district is an agricultural economy where almost 65% of the total population is engaged in the agricultural activities for their livelihood. Most of the population resides in the rural areas.
Bharathapuzha is the main river which serves as the major source of irrigation for the development of the agricultural activities. The river originates from the high lands of the district and flow through out the district. Apart from this the district is blessed with beautiful forests, several dams and gardens that add beauty to the geographic features of the district.
The district depicts the period of Hyder Ali, which indicates the invasions of the Mysore and the arrival of British government to this region. With an objective of providing Western Education to the people of the region, The Victoria College was established in 1866 in Malabar. The king of Palakkad had constructed a Jain temple with an objective of providing shelter to the people who were exploited by the King of Mysore for following their religious rituals, some five hundred years ago.
The history of Palakkad is quite suspicious and there is not any clear mention about its history, except one of the historical record Malabar Mannual written by William Logan. In this book Logan has stated that the district of Malabar might be invaded by the rulers of Pallava dynasty from Kanchi. They had established their headquarters at Palakadu which at present is called as Palakkad. The region of Malabbar had been under the dominance of the rulers of various dynasties. For many centuries it had been under the control of Perumals. To maintain their rule over the region they had appointed certain powerful Utayavars who had the control of their individual territories.
After decline of Palakkad’s came the rule of Perumals, they divided their kingdom into separate Chieftans, The Valluvakonathiri (ruler of Valluvanad), the rulers of Vengunad (Kollengodu Rajas) and Sekhari Varma (Raja of Palakkad) were the prominent rulers of this region.
After invasion of Palakkad by the Zamorin of Kazhikkode in 1757 the then ruling ruler of Palakkad seek the help from Hyder Ali of Mysore to stop the invasions by the Zomarians. After which Hyder dominated his control on all those areas of Palakkad which were under the control of ruler of Palakkad. Thus, the rule Palakkad passed away in the hands of Hyder Ali, after him his son Tippu Sultan got the throne of his empire. In 1872, the war between Tippu Sultan and the East India Company ended with the Treaty of 1872.
Statistical Facts about Palakkad:
Area ( in sq.km.)
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4480
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Population
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2,617,072
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Males
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1,265,794
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Females
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1,351,278
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Sex ratio : Females/1000
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1068
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Density of Population
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584
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Per Capita Income (in Rs)
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18031
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Literacy rate
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84.31%; (Male 89.73%; Female 79.31%)
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Coastal line in km.
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Nil
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|
Water bodied area in ha.
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10,920
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Forest area in ha.
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136257
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Assembly Constituencies
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1. Thrithala
2. Pattambi
3. Ottappalam
4. Sreekrishnapuram
5. Malampuzha
6. Palakkad
7. Mannarkkad
8. Chittor
9. Kollankode
10. Kuzhalmandam
11. Alathur
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Geography: Palakkad district lies between north latitude 10° 46` and 10° 59` and east longitude 76° 28` and 76° 39`. It is bounded on the east by the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, on the north and northwest by Malappuram district and on the south by Thrissur district of the state.
Tourist Destinations: Palakkad Fort, Fantasy Park, Malampuzha Garden, Thiruvalathoor, Dhoni, Kottayi, Kollengode, Lakkidi, Siruvani, Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, Nelliyampathy, Silent Valley National Park, Chittur Garumadam etc.
Connectivty: Being located in the heart of the state. The district is well connected by all the means of transport.
Airways: The nearest airport is Coimbatore, 55 km away from Palakkad. To the south is Cochin Airport, 160 km away.
Railways: There are two railway stations in Palakkad. The main railway station, Palakkad Junction, is 5 km from the city centre.
Roadways: All season motorable roads connect Palakkad to all the major towns of Kerala and the neighboring states.
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