Idukki (ഇടുക്കി), IPA: [iɖukːi], is a district in the Indian state of Kerala. It was constituted on 26 January 1972, by splitting the district of Kottayam into two parts. Its division was previously headquartered at Kottayam city, but moved to Kuyilimala near Painavu and Cheruthoni in June 1976. Idukki district lies amid the Western Ghats of Kerala.
The Cardamom Hills or Yela Mala are mountain range of southern India and part of the southern Western Ghats located in southeast Kerala and southwest Tamil Nadu in India. Their name comes from the cardamom spice grown in much of the hills' cool elevation, which also supports pepper and coffee. The Western Ghats and Periyar Sub-Cluster including the Cardamom Hills, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The Vaigai is a river in the Tamil Nadu state of southern India; it passes through the towns of Theni, Dindigul and Madurai. It originates in Varusanadu Hills, the Periyar Plateau of the Western Ghats range, and flows northeast through the Kambam Valley, which lies between the Palani Hills to the north and the Varushanad Hills to the south. The Vattaparai Falls are located on this river. As it rounds the eastern corner of the Varushanad Hills, the river turns southeast, running through the region of Pandya Nadu. Madurai, the largest city in the Pandya Nadu region and its ancient capital, lies on the Vaigai. The river empties into the Palk Strait near Uchipuli, close to Pamban bridge in Ramanathapuram District.
Periyar, IPA: [peɾijɐːr], is the longest river and the river with the largest discharge potential in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the few perennial rivers in the region and provides drinking water for several major towns. The Periyar is of utmost significance to the economy of Kerala. It generates a significant proportion of Kerala's electrical power via the Idukki Dam and flows along a region of industrial and commercial activity. The river also provides water for irrigation and domestic use throughout its course besides supporting a rich fishery. Due to these reasons, the river has been named the "Lifeline of Kerala". Kochi city, in the vicinity of the river mouth draws its water supply from Aluva, an upstream site sufficiently free of seawater intrusion. Twenty five percent of Kerala's industries are along the banks of river Periyar. These are mostly crowded within a stretch of 5 kilometres (3 mi) in the Eloor-Edayar region (Udhyogamandal), about 10 kilometres (6 mi) north of Kochi harbor.
Kothamangalam, IPA: [koːd̪ɐmɐŋgɐlɐm], is a municipality in the eastern part of Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. The town is in the foothills of the Western Ghats mountain ranges. The highway NH-85 Ernakulam – Madurai – Rameswaram passes through Kothamangalam. Kothamangalam is known as the Gateway of Highrange. Kothamangalam is a part of Idukki Lok Sabha constituency.
The Anaimalai or Anamala Hills, also known as the Elephant Mountains, are the range of mountains that form the southern portion of the Western Ghats and span the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in Southern India. The name anamala is derived from the Tamil/Malayalam word aanai or aana, meaning elephant, and malai or mala, meaning hill – thus Elephant Hill.
The Idukki Dam is a double curvature Arch dam constructed across the Periyar River in a narrow gorge between two granite hills locally known as Kuravan and Kurathi in Kerala, India. At 168.91 metres (554.2 ft), it is one of the highest arch dams in Asia. It is constructed and owned by the Kerala State Electricity Board. It supports a 780 MW hydroelectric power station in Moolamattom, which started generating power on 4 October 1975. The dam type is a concrete, double curvature parabolic, thin arc dam.
Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (PNP) is a protected area located in the districts of Idukki and Pathanamthitta in Kerala, India. It is notable as an elephant reserve and a tiger reserve. The protected area encompasses 925 km2 (357 sq mi), of which 305 km2 (118 sq mi) of the core zone was declared as the Periyar National Park in 1982. The park is a repository of rare, endemic, and endangered flora and fauna and forms the major watershed of two important rivers of Kerala: the Periyar and the Pamba.
Chalakudy River or Chalakudy Puzha is the fifth longest river in Kerala, India. The river flows through Palakkad district, Thrissur District and Ernakulam District of Kerala. The total drainage area of the river is 1704 km2. out of this 1404 km2 lies in Kerala and the rest 300 km2 in Tamil Nadu. The length of the river is 145.5 km. Though Chalakudy river in strict geological sense is a tributary of the Periyar river, for all practical purposes it is treated as a separate river by Government and other agencies. The River has gained its name, since it flows along the banks of the Chalakudy Town, the major settlement along the course of the river. It is perhaps the most unpolluted and pristine river in the state and even in India due to the limited amount of industries and wastage disposal around it. Chalakudy River and its basin area were one of the most affected rivers during the 2018 Kerala floods.
Mullayar River is a tributary of the Periyar River, the longest river in Kerala. It originates at Kottamalai peak in the Periyar Tiger Reserve. The Mullayar flows west through the reserve and joins the Periyar at Mullakudy just at the beginning of the Periyar lake formed by the Mullaperiyar dam.
Cheruthoni (ചെറുതോണി) is a town on the banks of Cheruthoni River, a major tributary of the Periyar River, the second longest river in Kerala state, South India. The area is known by Cheruthoni Dam, which is a part of Idukki reservoir, which provide hydroelectric power to the region.
Idukki is a township in Idukki district near to the district headquarter Painavu in the state of Kerala, southern India. The township consists of the towns of Cheruthony, Painavu, Thadiyampadu, Idukki proper and Vazhathope. Idukki town is an administrative town but the district headquarters is located at Painavu.
Cumbum or Kambam, is a town and municipality in Theni district in the western part of the Madurai Region Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Mullaperiyaru Dam, Mullaiperiyar Dam or Mullaperiyar Dam, IPA: [mulːɐpːeɾijɐːr], is a masonry gravity dam on the Periyar River in the Indian state of Kerala It is located 881 m (2,890 ft) above mean sea level, on the Cardamom Hills of the Western Ghats in Thekkady, Idukki District of Kerala, South India. It was constructed between 1887 and 1895 by John Pennycuick and also reached in an agreement to divert water eastwards to the Madras Presidency area. It has a height of 53.6 m (176 ft) from the foundation, and a length of 365.7 m (1,200 ft). The Periyar National Park in Thekkady is located around the dam's reservoir. The dam is built at the confluence of Mullayar and Periyar rivers. The dam is located in Kerala on the river Periyar, but is operated and maintained by the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. Although the Periyar River has a total catchment area of 5398 km2 with 114 km2 downstream from the dam in Tamil Nadu, the catchment area of the Mullaperiyar Dam itself lies entirely in Kerala and thus not an inter-State river. However, by the principle of estoppel it is considered otherwise. On 21 November 2014, the water level hit 142 feet for first time in 35 years. The reservoir again hit the maximum limit of 142 feet on 15 August 2018, following incessant rains in the state of Kerala.
Periyar or Periyaar may refer to:
Bhoothathankettu is a dam and tourist spot in Ernakulam district in Kerala, India. It is situated outside the village of Pindimana, about 10 km away from the town of Kothamangalam and 50 km away from the main city of Kochi. The original natural dam has been supplemented by a modern dam impounding the Bhoothathankettu Reservoir.
The Ponmudi Dam, in the Idukki district, State of Kerala, India, is a hydroelectric project constructed across the Panniar River, a tributary of the Periyar River which is the longest river in Kerala. Built in 1963, it has a length of 294 metres (965 ft). The hydropower component of the dam has an installed capacity of 30 MW with firm power of 17 MW, generating 158 GWh annually.
Idamalayar Dam is a multipurpose concrete gravity dam located at Ennakal, Ernakulam . near Bhoothathankettu, on the Idamalayar River, a tributary of the Periyar River in Kerala, South India. Completed in 1985, with a length of 373 metres (1,224 ft), the dam created a multipurpose reservoir covering 28.3 km2 (10.9 sq mi) in the scenic hills of the Western Ghats.
Bharathappuzha, also known as the Nila or Ponnani River, or Kuttippuram River, is a river in India in the state of Kerala. With a length of 209 km, it is the second longest river that flows through Kerala after the Periyar. However while considering the total length, Bharathappuzha has a total length of 250 km, of which 209 km flows through Kerala, while the remaining 41 through Tamil Nadu. Hence it is the longest river of Kerala. It flows through Palakkad Gap, which is also the largest opening in the Kerala portion of Western Ghats. Nila has groomed the culture and life of South Malabar part of Kerala. It is also referred to as "Peraar" in ancient scripts and documents. River Bharathapuzha is an interstate river and lifeline water source for a population residing in four administrative districts, namely Malappuram and Palakkad districts, and parts of Palakkad-Thrissur district border of Kerala and Coimbatore, and Tiruppur of Tamil Nadu.
