Basic information

Head quarters

4480 sq km

Hindu, Muslim, Christian


Population Density
584 persons/sq km


Came into existence
January 1, 1957

Palakkad, Alathur, Ottappalam, Mannarkkad and Chittur

Revenue Division
Palakkad and Ottappalam

Tourist attractions
Malampuzha, Silent Valley, Nelliyampathi, Parambikulam, Palakkad fort

4 m above sea level

Telephone code

palakkad Palakkad or Palghat which is nicknamed as ‘The Granary of Kerala’ is a district of Kerala. It is surrounded by Tamil Nadu state in the east and north, Thrissur district in the south west and Malappuram district in the North West. Earlier Palakkad was known by the name Palakkattussery. People believe that the name Palakkad was derived from the Malayalam words ‘Pala’ which is a tree commonly found in Palakkad and ‘Kadu’ which means forest. Long back Palakkad was ruled by the Chera kings.

The presence of Palakkad Gap in the Western Ghats makes Palakkad the gateway to Kerala. A large portion of this district is covered by forests and there are hills and peaks also. Some of the main peaks in this district include Anginda, Karimala, Nellikotta etc. There are many tributaries of Bharathapuzha that flow through Palakkad. Many dams are also built here and the largest dam is the Malampuzha dam. The dam which is large in terms of capacity is the Parambikulam dam. The temperature here is hot and is one of the hottest places in Kerala.

The main occupation of the people here is Agriculture. The main crop grown is rice together with some other crops such as sugarcane, groundnut, tomato, jasmine etc. In hilly places rubber is cultivated. The main items for export include mango and tamarind. There are several industries in Palakkad which includes both public and private sectors. Besides, Palakkad is soon going to have an Infotech industry with the establishment of the Kinfra IT Park.

The majority community found here is Hindus together with Muslims and Christians. The Hindus include different caste varieties such as Namboothiris, Nair, Iyer, etc. Many people who have migrated from Tanjore of Tamil Nadu long back have settled in Palakkad and are commonly called as the Tamil Brahmins. Muslims are found largely in Malappuram border and the Christians are those who have migrated from Thrissur, Idukki and Kottayam. There are many pilgrim centers here and fairs and festivals are also conducted regularly. Some of the festivals celebrated include Valiya Arattu, Puthur Vela, Pattambi Nercha etc. A festival of the Tamil Brahmins is the Kalpathi Ratholsavam.

There are many educational institutions in Palakkad which includes schools, colleges etc. A famous college here is the Government Victoria College where many famous personalities have completed their studies. There are engineering colleges as well as the Chembai Memorial Music College besides other various colleges.

Palakkad is well connected with other places by roadways and railways. Palakkad junction railway station is a major station of Southern Railway. It is from Shornur in Palakkad district that the trains from Tamil Nadu are diverted to the North and South of Kerala.There are many interesting places to visit in Palakkad. Some of the attractions in Palakkad include the Palakkad Fort, Malampuzha dam and gardens, Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, Silent Valley National park, Nelliyampathy etc. All these picnic spots and hill stations are attracted by a large number of tourists.

How to get there

Ph : 123456

Ph : 123456

Ph : 123456