Palakkad

Palakkad is a vast expanse of verdant plains interspersed with hills, rivers, mountain streams and forests. The gateway to Kerala from the north, a 40 kilometre break in the mountains known as the Palakkad Gap gives access to this land situated at the foot of the Western Ghats. The pass acts as a corridor between Kerala and neighbouring Tamil Nadu and played a major role in the trade contacts between east and west coasts of peninsular India. Deriving its name from the Malayalam words Pala (Alsteria scholaris) and Kadu (forest), this place was once a beautiful stretch of forest covered with the sweet-scented flowers of the Pala tree. A potpourri of Tamil and Kerala culture, some of the finest Carnatic musicians hail from this region which continues to be a largely agrarian society.

Palakkad is prime among Kerala's most picturesque districts, thanks to its distinctive palmyra trees and extensive green paddy fields. Palakkad lies near the Palghat Gap, a pass or natural depression through the Western Ghats ranges that run parallel to the west coast of India, and connects Kerala to the plains of the state of Tamil Nadu to the east. The Silent Valley National Park that abruptly rises to the Nilgiris is an everlasting marvel to the tourists. The abundant forest wealth,dams,wild life sanctuaries,rivers,rare birds and animals,historical monuments,traditional ayurvedic treatment centres have given Palakkad an exquisite and outstanding touch.

Located near a wide low pass in the Western Ghats mountain ranges, Palakkad is the land of Palmyras and Paddy Fields and is famous as the chief granary of Kerala. This is the area which links Kerala to Tamil Nadu and perhaps does so in a cultural sense too, since the language spoken in the villages here is Tamil, unlike the rest of the state where Malayalam is prevalent. Some other locations that can be visited in the area include the Palakkad Fort, Silent Valley National Park, Pothundy Dam,