Punalur

Punalur is a small scenic town located on the borders of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The town is known for being the pioneer in bringing Kerala’s industrial revolution that happened with the setting up of the Punalur Paper Mills. The river Kallada flows through Punalur. The place derives its name from ‘Punal’ meaning water in Tamil and Malayalam and ‘Ooru’ meaning place. Hence it translates into “town of water”. The administrative headquarter of the Western Ghats is situated here and is known as Pathanpuram Taluk, which is another gateway to the Western Ghats. This town is also known as the ‘lap of the Western Ghats’. It is the fifth largest city in the south.

Punalur is famous for its pineapples, plywood, pepper and timber. It is also famous for its suspension bridge which was constructed was back in the 19th century by a British national. The authorities have declared this suspension bridge as a monument of national importance. Though the bridge is not in use now, renovation has been done to protect it. Punalur also has a bio-reserve known as Agasthyamalai.