Malappuram is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala, with a coastline of 70 km (43 mi). It is the most populous district of Kerala, which is home to around 13% of the total population of the state. The district was formed on 16 June 1969, spanning an area of about 3,554 km2 (1,372 sq mi). It is the third-largest district of Kerala by area, as well as the largest district in the state bounded by Western Ghats and Arabian Sea to the two sides. Malappuram is the third major contributing district to the Gross State Domestic Product of Kerala as of 2019, after Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram. The district is divided into seven Taluks - Eranad, Kondotty, Nilambur, Perinthalmanna, Ponnani, Tirur, and Tirurangadi. Economically booming towns in Malappuram district include Malappuram, Manjeri, Tirur, Ponnani, Perinthalmanna, Kottakkal, Nilambur, Parappanangadi, Tanur, Kondotty, Valanchery, Tirurangadi, Chemmad, Edappal, Wandoor, Areekode, Edakkara, Chungathara, Kalikavu, and Puthanathani. Having 12 municipalities in total, the district has the second-highest number of Municipal towns in the state lying just behind Ernakulam (13).
Wayanad, is an Indian district in the north-east of Kerala state with administrative headquarters at the municipality of Kalpetta. It is the sole Plateau in Kerala. The Wayanad Plateau forms a continuation of Mysore Plateau, which is the southern portion of Deccan Plateau. It is set high on the Western Ghats with altitudes ranging from 700 to 2100 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. About 885.92 sq.km of area of the district is under forest. Wayanad has three municipal towns—Kalpetta, Mananthavady and Sulthan Bathery. There are many indigenous tribals in this area. The Kabini River, which is a tributary of Kaveri River, originates at Wayanad. Wayanad district, along with the Chaliyar valley in neighbouring Nilambur region in Malappuram district, is known for natural Gold fields, which is also seen in other parts of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Chaliyar river, which is the fourth longest river of Kerala, originates in Wayanad plateau. The historically important Edakkal Caves are located in Wayanad district.
Nilambur is a major town, a municipality and a Taluk in the Malappuram district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is located close to the Nilgiris range of the Western Ghats on the banks of the Chaliyar River. This place is also known as 'Teak Town' because of the abundance of Nilambur teaks in this area; Which is a variety of a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. Unlike many Municipalities of India; Nilambur is covered with large amounts of vegetation making it close to nature and hence make it very scenic and inspiring.
Chaliyar River is the fourth longest river in Kerala at 169 km in length. The Chaliyar is also known as Chulika River, Nilambur River or Beypore River as it nears the sea. Pothukal, Chungathara, Nilambur, Mampad, Edavanna, Kavanoor, Perakamanna, Areekode, Kizhuparamba, Elamaram, Cheekkode, Vazhakkad, Vazhayur, Cheruvadi, Edavannappara, Mavoor, Peruvayal, Feroke and Beypore are some of the towns/villages situated along the banks of Chaliyar. It mainly flows through Malappuram district. Its tributaries flow through both the districts of Malappuram and Kozhikode. The bank of river Chaliyar at Nilambur region is also known for natural Gold fields. Explorations done at the valley of the river Chaliyar in Nilambur has shown reserves of the order of 2.5 million cubic meters of placers with 0.1 gram per cubic meter of gold. It originates at Ilambaleri hills of Nilgiri Mountains in Nilgiris district, which is also near Wayanad-Malappuram district border. It flows mainly through the erstwhile region of Eranad, and finally empties into the Arabian Sea at Beypore port, opposite to Chaliyam harbour.
Gudalur is a municipality and taluk in Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Gudalur is one of the major towns in West Tamil Nadu and is located at 52 km from Ooty and 48 km from Nilambur in the hilly terrain of The Nilgiris district. It is situated at the junction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Tea plantations dot the whole region, and the regional economy is heavily dependent on the tea industry. The land was an offspring of the exploration done by the British during the pre-independence period to cultivate tea plantations. Being a satellite town between Ooty and Mysore, both tourist spots, Gudalur has the prospect of developing into another tourist destination. Gudalur is a place where one can see people from the three states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka live together cordially. Tamil is the most spoken and official language in this Taluk. Apart from Tamil language, Malayalam, Moundadan Chetti, Paneya, Telugu, Kannada languages are also spoken by some people.
Malabar District, also known as Malayalam District, was an administrative district on the southwestern Malabar Coast of Bombay Presidency (1792-1800) and Madras Presidency (1800-1947) in British India, and independent India's Madras State (1947-1956). It was the most populous and the third-largest district in the erstwhile Madras State. The British district included the present-day districts of Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Chavakad Taluk and parts of Kodungallur Taluk of Thrissur district, and Fort Kochi area of Ernakulam district in the northern and central parts of present Kerala state, the Lakshadweep Islands, and a major portion of the Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu. The detached settlements of Tangasseri and Anchuthengu, which were British colonies within the kingdom of Travancore in southern Kerala, also formed part of Malabar District until 1927. Malayalam was administrative as well as most spoken Lingua franca of Malabar District during British Rule. Jeseri, a distinct dialect of Malayalam, was spoken in the Laccadive Islands. Malabar District merged with the erstwhile state of Travancore-Cochin (1950-1956) to form Kerala according to the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. On the same day, the present Kasaragod district of South Canara District was also attached to Malabar, and the Laccadive&Minicoy Islands of Malabar were reorganised to form a new Union Territory. Malabar was trifurcated to form the districts of Kannur, Kozhikode, and Palakkad, on 1 January 1957.
Chembra Peak is a mountain in the state of Kerala, India, with an elevation of 2,100 m (6,890 ft) above sea level. The highest peak in the Wayanad hills and one of the highest peaks in the Western Ghats, adjoining the Nilgiri Hills and Vellarimala, it is located in the Wayanad district of Kerala, near the town of Meppadi and 8 km (5 mi) south of Kalpetta.
O' Valley or Ouchterlony Valley is a Town Panchayat in the Gudalur Taluk of The Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The name is a contraction of an older name after a James Ouchterlony, who established coffee plantations in the area. This panchayat area is surrounded with beautiful mountains and the waterfalls from the mountains add to the visual treat. One can enjoy by seeing cardamom, clove, pepper, tea and coffee plantations on the way to O' Valley. The place being located between Mudumalai National Park and New Amarambalam Reserved Forest, is famous for its flora and fauna. The place is surrounded by valleys, streams and water falls of which the sound is very soothing and is a mesmeric effect.
Pandalur is the headquarters of Neliyalam Municipality and Pandalur taluk.
Vellarimala Hills is a mountain range in Kerala, India, spread across Thiruvambady Panchayat in Kozhikode district and Meppadi Panchayat in Wayanad district.
Devala is a town in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. It is situated at about 16 km from Gudalur on the Gudalur–Pandalur road. It is close to the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, with Nilambur on the Kerala side.
Thrikkaipatta is a village in Wayanad district in the state of Kerala, India Wayanad District is a district in the north-east of Kerala state, India with headquarters at the town of Kalpetta.
Gudalur taluk is a taluk of Nilgiris district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Gudalur.
Pandalur taluk is a taluk of Nilgiris district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Pandalur.
Eranad refers to the erstwhile province in the midland area of Malabar, consisting of Malappuram and nearby regions such as Anakkayam, Manjeri, Kondotty, Nilambur, etc. Currently Eranad Taluk is a Taluk in Malappuram district. Eranad was ruled by a Samanthan Nair clan known as Eradis, similar to the Vellodis of neighbouring Valluvanad and Nedungadis of Nedunganad. The rulers of Eranad were known by the title Eralppad/Eradi. They also used the title Thirumulpad.
The Malabar Coast is the southwestern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain slopes. The term is used to refer to the entire Indian coast from the western coast of Konkan to the tip of the subcontinent at Kanyakumari. The peak of Anamudi, which is also the point of highest altitude in India outside the Himalayas, and Kuttanad, which is the point of least elevation in India, lie on Malabar Coast. Kuttanad, also known as The Rice Bowl of Kerala, has the lowest altitude in India, and is also one of the few places in the world where cultivation takes place below sea level.
Wayanad district, which is home to Edakkal Caves, has human settlement from prehistoric era. Wayanad is the sole Plateau in Kerala.
The Banasura laughingthrush is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is found in shola habitat in a small section of the Western Ghats in southwestern Karnataka and northern Kerala. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the black-chinned laughingthrush.
South Malabar refers to a geographical area of the southwestern coast of India covering some parts of the present-day Kerala. South Malabar covers the regions included in present-day Kozhikode Taluk of Kozhikode district, whole area of Malappuram district, Chavakkad Taluk of Thrissur district, and Palakkad district excluding parts of Chittur Taluk. The Fort Kochi region of Kochi city also historically belongs to South Malabar. The term South Malabar refers to the region of the erstwhile Malabar District which lies south to the river Korapuzha and bears high cultural similarity with both the Cochin as well as the North Malabar region.
