Wayanad is a district in the north-east of the Indian state of Kerala, with administrative headquarters at the municipality of Kalpetta. It is the only plateau in Kerala. The Wayanad Plateau forms a continuation of the Mysore Plateau, the southern portion of Deccan Plateau which links the Western Ghats with the Eastern Ghats. It is set high in the Western Ghats with altitudes ranging from 700 to 2,100 meters. Vellari Mala, a 2,240 m (7,349 ft) high peak situated on the trijunction of Wayanad, Malappuram, and Kozhikode districts, is the highest point in Wayanad district. The district was formed on 1 November 1980 as the 12th district in Kerala, by carving out areas from Kozhikode and Kannur districts. An area of 885.92 km2 in the district is forested. Wayanad has three municipal towns—Kalpetta, Mananthavady and Sulthan Bathery. There are many indigenous tribes in this area. The Kabini River, a tributary of Kaveri River, originates at Wayanad. Wayanad district, along with the Chaliyar valley in the neighbouring Nilambur in Malappuram district, is known for natural gold fields, which are also seen in other parts of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Chaliyar river, which is the fourth longest river of Kerala, originates on the Wayanad plateau. The historically important Edakkal Caves are located in Wayanad district.
Kalpetta is a major City, Town and municipality in the Wayanad district of the Indian state of Kerala. Kalpetta is the headquarters, Capital of Wayanad district, as well as the headquarters of Vythiri taluk. It is a bustling city, town surrounded by dense coffee and tea plantations and mountains. It lies on the Kozhikode-Mysore National Highway NH 766 at an altitude of about 780 m above sea level. Kalpetta is 72 km from Kozhikode and 140 km from Mysore.
Sultan Bathery is a town and municipality in the Wayanad district of Kerala, India, near its borders with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Once known as a strategic location in the Malabar region, Sultan Bathery is now the largest town in Wayanad, and is the headquarters of the Sultan Bathery taluk.
Pookode Lake is a scenic freshwater lake in the Wayanad district in Kerala, South India. A major tourist destination in the district, Pookode is a natural freshwater lake nestling amid evergreen forests and mountain slopes at an elevation of 770 meters above sea level. It is 15 km away from Kalpetta. It is the smallest and highest elevation freshwater lake in Kerala.
The Edakkal caves are two natural caves at a remote location at Edakkal, 25 km (15.5 mi) from Kalpetta in the Wayanad district of Kerala in India. They lie 1,200 m (3,900 ft) above sea level on Ambukutty Mala, near an ancient trade route connecting the high mountains of Mysore to the ports of the Malabar Coast. Inside the caves are pictorial writings believed to date to at least 6,000 BCE, from the Neolithic man, indicating the presence of a prehistoric settlement in this region. The Stone Age carvings of Edakkal are rare and are the only known examples from South India besides those of Shenthurini, Kollam, also in Kerala. The cave paintings of Shenthurini (Shendurney) forests in Kerala are of the Mesolithic era.
Kottathara or Venniyode is a gram panchayat of Wayanad district, Kerala State, India.
Ambalavayal is a village in Wayanad district in the state of Kerala, India. The Wayanad Heritage Museum is located in the village.
Chundale is a village in Wayanad district in the state of Kerala, India. Chundale is located near Kalpetta, the district headquarters of Wayanad.
Panamaram is a town,village in Wayanad district in the state of Kerala, India.
Thovarimala Ezhuthupara is a remotely located rock shelter in the Wayanad district of Kerala in India. Pre-historic stone age petroglyphs dating from around 1000 BC and after had been discovered here at a height of 500 m on Thovarimala. One can see the stone age rock engravings on the walls of these natural caves from top of Thovarimala. The rare historic treasure at Thovarimala throwing light into human habitation in the Wayanad area since ancient times, is yet to receive the protection of agencies like Archaeology Department, which preserves the Edakkal Caves just five kilometers away. The carvings, found on the upper side of the cave, depict few geometrical figures, an arrow, and one carving closely resembles a female genital organ. Recently more writings were located in this cave. The name Ezhuthupara means "writings on the stone."
Vythiri is a small village, town and tourist destination located in the Wayanad district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the three Taluks in the district with the other two being Mananthavady and Sulthan Bathery.
Meenangadi is an old town situated on the highway NH 766 between Kalpetta and Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad District, in Kerala, India. This place is one among the Provinces where the existence of Dolmens provide an historical evidence of earlier civilisation. Coffee bean, Black pepper, Ginger, Rice and Areca are the major crops cultivated in this area. Meenangadi is famous for its Fish Market and Cattle Market. The nearest railway station is at Kozhikode at 87 km and airport is Kannur International Airport with 94 km from Meenangadi. Meenangadi is surrounded by, Ambalavayal Panchayat, Kalpetta Taluk towards west, Gudalur Taluk towards East, Mananthavady Taluk towards west. Kalpetta, Sultan Bathery, Kozhikode are the nearby Cities and towns to Meenangadi.
Kerala's first carbon neutrality project launched in Meenangadi in June 2016. Upon achieving the goals of the project, Meenangadi will be the first village in India to go completely carbon neutral. Meenangadi has a population of 33450 According to 2011 Census with two Villages Purakkadi and (Part)Krishnagiri.
Wayanad District has four types of administrative hierarchies:
The district capital of Wayanad is Kalpetta town. Kalpetta has very good road connectivity with the rest of Kerala and neighboring South Indian cities. National Highway 766 (India) NH766 connects Kalpetta with Kozhikode and Mysore. State Highways connect Kalpetta with Ooty in Tamil Nadu and Madikeri in Karnataka.
The economy of Kalpetta depends upon industries, agriculture, tourism, banking, trade and shopping etc.
The Wayanad District of Kerala, India has a wide variety of tourist attractions ranging from religious sites to natural, and historical sites. This district is divided into three towns, Kalpetta, Sultan Bathery and Mananthavady. All Major Tourism destinations in the district are maintained by the District Tourism Promotion Council.
Kayakkunnu is a village near Nadavayal, Mananthavady in the Wayanad District of Kerala, India. The village is part of the Panamaram Panchayath, and the assembly constituency is Mananthavady. It is an agricultural area and its main crops include rice, coffee, pepper, ginger, cardamom, vanilla, rubber, areca nut, and coconut. The nearest towns are Nadavayal and Panamaram. Kayakkunn is situated midway along the Mananthavady–Gudalur interstate road.
Kalpetta State assembly constituency is one of the 140 state legislative assembly constituencies in Kerala state in southern India. It is also one of the 7 state legislative assembly constituencies included in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency. As of the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, the current MLA is T Siddique of Indian National Congress.
The 2022–23 Kerala Premier League was the tenth season of the Kerala Premier League. The regular season featured 22 teams and played in multiple venues.
