Palakkad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Palakkad
Palghat
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City
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From top Left to Right : Palakkad Municipal Office, IIT Palakkad, Government Victoria College, Palakkad, Chandranagar roundabout, Night view of Palakkad, Skyline of Palakkad
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| Nickname(s):
Gateway of Kerala
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 Palakkad
Location in Kerala
Palakkad
Location in India
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| Country |  India |
| State | Kerala |
| Region | South Malabar |
| District | Palakkad |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Body | Palakkad Municipality |
| Area | |
| • City | 26.60 km2 (10.27 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 123.32 km2 (47.61 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 84 m (276 ft) |
| Population
(2011)
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| • City | 130,955 |
| • Density | 4,923.1/km2 (12,750.8/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 293,533 |
| Demonym(s) | Palakkadan |
| Language | |
| • Official | Malayalam |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| Postal Index Number |
678 XXX
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| Area code(s) | +91-(0)491 |
| Vehicle registration | KL-09 |
| Climate | Am/Aw (Köppen) |
Palakkad (Malayalam: [pɐːlɐkːɐːɖɨ̆]), also known as Palghat, is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the main city and administrative center of Palakkad District. Palakkad is known for its old Palakkad Fort. This fort is right in the middle of the city. It was captured and rebuilt by Hyder Ali in 1766. Later, the Zamorin took it over in 1784.
The city is about 347 kilometers (216 miles) northeast of Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. The 18th-century Palakkad Fort has strong walls and a moat. It also has a Hanuman temple inside. North of the Kalpathy River, you can find the 15th-century Viswanatha Swamy Temple. This temple is famous for the Ratholsavam chariot festival. The Bharathappuzha River flows through Palakkad. The city is on the northern bank of this river.
Palakkad was part of the Malabar District during British rule. The Palakkad Municipality was created on November 1, 1866. This made it one of Kerala's oldest modern municipalities. Other old municipalities include Kozhikode, Kannur, Thalassery, and Fort Kochi.
Palakkad is home to important educational places. Indian Institute of Technology, Palakkad is the only IIT in Kerala. Government Victoria College, Palakkad is one of the state's oldest colleges, opened in 1888. NSS College of Engineering opened in 1960. Mercy College, Palakkad is a women's college started in 1964. It was the first women's college in Palakkad District.
The Palakkad Railway Division is based here. It is one of India's oldest railway divisions. A special colony for railway employees, called Hemambika Nagar Railway Colony, is also nearby. The only school in Kerala run by the Southern Railway zone is in this colony.
Contents
- What's in a Name?
- A Look Back in Time
- Palakkad's Location and Weather
- Getting Around Palakkad
- People of Palakkad
- How Palakkad is Governed
- Palakkad's Economy
- City Management
- Learning in Palakkad
- Healthcare in Palakkad
- Famous People from Palakkad
- Palakkad's Culture and Festivals
- Media and Entertainment
- Sports in Palakkad
- Images for kids
- See also
What's in a Name?
The name Palakkad is believed to come from two Malayalam words. pāla means the blackboard tree (Alstonia scholaris). kāṭŭ means forest. So, Palakkad likely means "forest of blackboard trees."
A Look Back in Time
The area around Coimbatore was ruled by the Cheras a long time ago. This was between the first and fourth centuries CE. It was an important entry point to the Palakkad Gap. This gap was a key trade route between the Malabar Coast and Tamil Nadu.
Palakkad city was ruled by the Palakkad Rajas. Their main base was in Athavanad, in today's Malappuram district. It is said they traded their lands in Athavanad for the Palakkad-Chittur areas. The Palakkad Rajas' land was also under the Zamorin of Calicut for some time.
How Palakkad Grew
In 1757, the Palakkad Raja asked Hyder Ali of Mysore for help. This was to fight against the Zamorin of Kozhikode. In 1766, Hyder Ali defeated the Zamorin. He then took over Kozhikode. Hyder Ali rebuilt Palakkad Fort in the same year.
Later, Hyder Ali's son, Tipu Sultan, fought against the British East India Company. This led to wars. Tipu eventually gave the Malabar District to the British in the 1790s. Palakkad remained under British rule until 1947.
The Palakkad Municipality was officially formed on November 1, 1866. This was an important step in the city's modern development. By 1951, Palakkad was the second-largest city in the old Malabar District. In 1956, when Kerala state was formed, Palakkad district was created. It included parts of the Malabar District and the Cochin Kingdom.
Palakkad's Location and Weather
Palakkad is often called the "gateway to Kerala." This is because of the Palakkad Gap in the Western Ghats mountains. The city is in central Kerala. Malayalam is the main language spoken here.
Two rivers flow through the city: the Kalpathi River and the Kannadi River. Both are branches of the Bharathappuzha River. The largest dam in Palakkad district, Malampuzha Dam, is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the city.
Palakkad is well-connected to other major cities. It is about 347 kilometers (216 miles) northeast of Trivandrum. It is 144 kilometers (89 miles) from Kochi and 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of Coimbatore. Major roads like NH 544 and NH 966 connect Palakkad to these cities.
Palakkad's Climate
Palakkad has a tropical climate. This means it is warm all year round. March and April are the hottest months. The city gets a lot of rain, especially during the South-West monsoon. July is the wettest month. The total yearly rainfall is about 100 centimeters (39 inches).
| Climate data for Palakkad (1981–2010, extremes 1943–2005) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 37.6 (99.7) |
40.0 (104.0) |
41.4 (106.5) |
41.8 (107.2) |
41.2 (106.2) |
40.4 (104.7) |
33.6 (92.5) |
33.8 (92.8) |
35.8 (96.4) |
36.2 (97.2) |
38.0 (100.4) |
36.6 (97.9) |
41.8 (107.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 32.7 (90.9) |
35.2 (95.4) |
37.3 (99.1) |
36.6 (97.9) |
34.5 (94.1) |
29.9 (85.8) |
28.8 (83.8) |
28.9 (84.0) |
30.4 (86.7) |
31.5 (88.7) |
31.6 (88.9) |
31.5 (88.7) |
32.4 (90.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.0 (71.6) |
22.4 (72.3) |
24.1 (75.4) |
25.0 (77.0) |
24.8 (76.6) |
23.2 (73.8) |
22.6 (72.7) |
23.0 (73.4) |
23.0 (73.4) |
23.1 (73.6) |
23.1 (73.6) |
22.3 (72.1) |
23.2 (73.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 15.6 (60.1) |
15.8 (60.4) |
18.6 (65.5) |
18.8 (65.8) |
19.2 (66.6) |
19.0 (66.2) |
18.8 (65.8) |
19.2 (66.6) |
19.4 (66.9) |
15.8 (60.4) |
16.1 (61.0) |
14.0 (57.2) |
14.0 (57.2) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 3.6 (0.14) |
3.6 (0.14) |
15.7 (0.62) |
61.3 (2.41) |
125.1 (4.93) |
250.6 (9.87) |
403.2 (15.87) |
190.3 (7.49) |
154.9 (6.10) |
196.1 (7.72) |
102.3 (4.03) |
21.3 (0.84) |
1,838 (72.36) |
| Average rainy days | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 5.9 | 18.7 | 20.0 | 15.8 | 9.2 | 10.1 | 4.7 | 0.9 | 90.1 |
| Average relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST) | 46 | 39 | 38 | 52 | 60 | 79 | 82 | 81 | 75 | 73 | 65 | 56 | 61 |
| Source: India Meteorological Department | |||||||||||||
Getting Around Palakkad
Travel by Air
The closest international airport is Coimbatore International Airport. It is about 62 kilometers (39 miles) from Palakkad. Cochin International Airport and Calicut International Airport also serve the city. There is also a plan for a small domestic airport in East Yakkara.
Travel by Train
The Palakkad railway division is based in the city. It is one of the oldest railway divisions in India, started in 1956. It manages railway tracks in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Mahé.
The city has two railway stations. Palakkad Junction is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the main bus stand. Palakkad Town railway station is in the city center. Work is being done to improve the Town Railway Station.
Travel by Road
Palakkad has good road connections to all major cities. National Highway 544 goes through the city. It connects Salem to Ernakulam. National Highway 966 starts from Kozhikode and joins NH 544 near Chandranagar.
Other important roads include the Palakkad – Ponnani road. State Highway 52 connects to Pollachi. State Highway 27 connects to Meenakshipuram.
Palakkad city has four bus stations. These include the Palakkad KSRTC bus terminal and three private bus stands.
People of Palakkad
| Religions in palakkad | ||||
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| Religion | Percent | |||
| Hindus | 68% | |||
| Muslims | 27.9% | |||
| Christians | 3.8% | |||
| Others | 0.3% | |||
In 2011, Palakkad had a population of 130,955 people. There were 63,833 males and 67,122 females. Most people in Palakkad can read and write. The literacy rate is 94.20 percent. This means almost everyone can read and write.
Most people in Palakkad are Hindus, making up 68% of the population. Muslims are 27.9%, and Christians are 3.8%.
How Palakkad is Governed
Local Government and Laws
Palakkad city is represented in the Kerala State Assembly by two elected members. One is from the Palakkad Assembly constituency and the other from the Malampuzha Assembly constituency. The city is also part of the Palakkad Lok Sabha constituency. This means it elects a member to the national Parliament every five years.
The main office for the Palakkad District is in the city. The District Collector, Mrunmai Joshi IAS, leads this office. Other important offices, like the District Court, are also in the city. The Palakkad taluk office manages a large area with many people.
The Palakkad District Police has its headquarters in the city. There are several police stations that serve the city. These include North, South, and Traffic police stations.
Palakkad's Economy
Palakkad is important for business because of the Palakkad Gap and its closeness to Coimbatore. Many companies have set up their businesses here. British Physical Laboratories (BPL) was started in Palakkad in 1963.
Market Road is one of the oldest and longest roads for trade. It is about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) long. This area is known as Valiyangadi, or "Big Bazaar." Many wholesale shops are found here.
The Kanjikode area of Palakkad is the second-largest industrial hub in Kerala. It has many companies like Indian Telephone Industries Limited (ITI) and Pepsi. Other companies include Saint-Gobain India Private Limited and Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML). This makes Kanjikode a major industrial area in Kerala.
Palakkad city is growing fast in business. New shops, restaurants, hotels, and malls are opening. Many new homes, like villas and apartments, are also being built.
City Management
Palakkad was declared a city on July 3, 1866. The Palakkad Municipality was formed on November 1, 1866. Over the years, the city council has grown. Now, Palakkad Municipality has 52 wards. The Municipal Chairperson leads the city. The current Chairperson is K.Priya Ajayan.
Future Plans for Palakkad
There are plans to make Palakkad Municipality a Municipal Corporation. This would include the city and nearby areas. These areas include Hemambika Nagar, Marutharode, Mathur, Pirayiri, Pudussery West, Pudussery Central, and Puthupariyaram. The total population of this larger area is about 293,566 people.
Learning in Palakkad
Palakkad has many important schools and colleges. These offer great chances for higher education. Government Victoria College, Palakkad was started in 1866. It is one of the oldest colleges in Kerala.
Indian Institute of Technology, Palakkad is the only IIT in Kerala. It has two campuses: a temporary one at Ahalia Campus and the Nila campus. Government Medical College, Palakkad started in 2014. It is the first government medical college in the district.
NSS College of Engineering is one of the oldest engineering colleges in Kerala. It was founded in 1960. Chembai Memorial Government Music College is a famous place for learning Carnatic music. It is named after the great musician Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar. Mercy College, Palakkad is a women's college established in 1964. It was the first women's college in Palakkad District.
Ahalia Campus is a large campus for education and health. It has three hospitals, one medical college, one school, and five colleges. These colleges include engineering, pharmacy, and management. Basel Evangelical Mission Higher Secondary School, Palakkad was started in 1858. It is one of the oldest schools in Kerala. Government Moyan Model Girls Higher Secondary School is one of the largest government schools in the state.
Healthcare in Palakkad
The first government medical college in the district, Government Medical College, Palakkad, is in the city. The District Hospital on Court Road is one of the biggest district hospitals in Kerala. There are also private hospitals that serve the city.
Rajiv Gandhi Co-Operative Multispeciality Hospital is located in Kallekkad. Ahalia Campus is a large campus with health facilities. It has three hospitals and one medical college. These include an eye hospital, an Ayurvedic medical college, a diabetes hospital, and a women and children's hospital.
Famous People from Palakkad
- E Sreedharan
- P. R. Pisharoty (Father of remote sensing in India)
- K. Sankaranarayanan (former Governor of Maharashtra and other states)
- T. N. Seshan (former Chief Election Commissioner)
- Vidya Balan (actress)
- K P Kesava Menon (writer and freedom fighter)
- Sudev Nair (actor)
- E. K. Niranjan (military officer)
- V P Menon (civil servant)
- Kunjan Nambiar (poet)
- Olappamanna (poet)
- M T Vasudevan Nair (writer and filmmaker)
- O V Vijayan (writer and cartoonist)
- Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri (poet)
- Malayattoor Ramakrishnan (writer)
- Shashi Tharoor (politician and writer)
- O M C Narayanan Nambudiripad (scholar)
- Anita Nair (writer)
- A. V. Vasudevan Potti (scholar)
- K. S. Sethumadhavan (filmmaker)
- Shankar Mahadevan (singer and composer)
- M. G. Ramachandran (actor and politician)
- P. Unnikrishnan (singer)
- Rajesh Hebbar (actor)
- K. S. Sethumadhavan (filmmaker)
- Lakshmy Ramakrishnan (actress and director)
- O.Rajagopal (politician)
- Shyamaprasad (filmmaker)
- P. U. Chitra (athlete)
- Vidya Vox (singer)
- Rahul Sadasivan (filmmaker)
Palakkad's Culture and Festivals
Palakkad is a city where people of all religions live together peacefully. There are many temples, mosques, and churches. Manappullikavu Vela is one of the biggest festivals in the city. It brings large crowds together. Elephants and fireworks are major attractions.
Kalpathi Ratholsavam is an annual festival in Kalpathy. Kalpathy is the first heritage village in Kerala. Chariots are the main highlight of this festival. Many other festivals are celebrated in the city, bringing people together.
Heritage villages, also called Agraharams, are important here. There are about 24 such villages around the city. Tamil Brahmins, who moved from Tamil Nadu many years ago, live in these villages. A Jain temple is located in Jainamedu. This is one of the few places in Kerala where old Jainism remains can be seen.
Sree Emoor Bhagavathy temple in Kallekulangara is believed to have been built by Parasurama. The Holy Trinity English Church near Palakkad Fort was built in 1855. The only Urdu Juma Masjid in Kerala is on Diara Street.
Media and Entertainment
Major Malayalam and English newspapers have printing centers in Palakkad. These include Malayala Manorama and Mathrubhumi. There are also local news channels. The Palakkad Press Club is on Robinson Road.
A private FM radio station operates in Palakkad. There is a demand for a government FM station too. The city has 8 cinema halls that show movies in Malayalam, English, Tamil, and Hindi. More multiplex screens are being built.
Sports in Palakkad
Palakkad has a history of producing great athletes. The Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium in the city center was once used for major sports events. However, it needs repairs now. There are plans to renovate it with modern facilities.
Fort Maidan, also known as Kota Maidanam, is a multi-use stadium in Palakkad. It is mainly used for cricket matches. It can hold up to 10,000 people. In 2003, Ranji Trophy cricket matches started being played here. The city also has an indoor stadium near Government Victoria College, Palakkad. A synthetic running track is available at the Government Medical College, Palakkad.
Images for kids
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Growing Skyline of Palakkad city
See also
In Spanish: Palakkad para niños
