The Kerala backwaters are a network of brackish lagoons and canals lying parallel to the Arabian Sea of the Malabar coast of Kerala state in south-western India. It also includes interconnected lakes, rivers, and inlets, a labyrinthine system formed by more than 900 km (560 mi) of waterways, and sometimes compared to bayous. The network includes five large lakes linked by canals, both man made and natural, fed by 38 rivers, and extending virtually half the length of Kerala state. The backwaters were formed by the action of waves and shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range. In the midst of this landscape there are a number of towns and cities, which serve as the starting and end points of backwater cruises. There are 34 backwaters in Kerala. Out of it, 27 are located either closer to Arabian Sea or parallel to the sea. The remaining 7 are inland navigation routes.
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.
Anaimalai Tiger Reserve, earlier known as Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park and as Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary, is a protected area in the Anaimalai Hills of Pollachi and Valparai taluks of Coimbatore District and Udumalaipettai taluk in Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu, India. The Tamil Nadu Environment and Forests Department by a notification dated 27 June 2007, declared an extent of 958.59 km2 that encompassed the erstwhile IGWLS&NP or Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary, as Anaimalai Tiger Reserve under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the Reserve presently includes a core area of 958.59 km2 and buffer/peripheral area of 521.28 km2 forming a total area of 1479.87 km2.
Tirunelveli district is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu state in India. It is the largest district in terms of area with Tirunelveli as its headquarters. The district was formed on 1 September 1790 by the British East India Company, and comprised the present Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi, Tenkasi and parts of Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram district. As of 2011, the undivided district had a population of 3,077,233.
The Jalaput Dam is a hydroelectric dam built on the Machkund River, a tributary of the Godavari River in India which rises in the Mudugal hills of Alluri Sitharama Raju district District and nearby Ondra Gadda it becomes the boundary between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. This Dam is the most ignored one in India, currently, it is in dilapidated condition. For over 48 km the river runs nearly north along a meandering course through the Padwa Valley. About 48 km south of Jeypore, it winds westward along the edge of the Plateau and then suddenly tums at a short angle to the south-west down a steep descent popularly known as Duduma Falls.
Vithura, also known as the Hill City Of Trivandrum, is located 36 km from Thiruvananthapuram capital of the Kerala state in India. Vithura is the culmination of the crossroads to many tourist, cultural, and religious centres. Surrounded by the Western Ghats (Sahyadris), Vithura is a prime tourist spot. The village is rich with a very scenic beauty and a good climate year-round. The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram campus, one of the leading public science universities in the country, is situated here.
Coimbatore district is one of the 38 districts in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. Coimbatore is the administrative headquarters of the district. It is one of the most industrialized districts and a major textile, industrial, commercial, educational, information technology, healthcare and manufacturing hub of Tamil Nadu. The region is bounded by Tiruppur district in the east, Nilgiris district in the north, Erode district in the north-east, Palakkad district, Idukki district and small parts of Thrissur district and Ernakulam district of neighboring state of Kerala in the west and south respectively. As of 2011, Coimbatore district had a population of 3,458,045 with a sex-ratio of 1,000 and literacy rate of 84%.
Pollachi is a town and a taluk headquarters in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu state, India. Located about 40 km (25 mi) to the south of Coimbatore, it is the second largest town in the district after Coimbatore. Pollachi is a popular marketplace for jaggery, vegetables and cattle. As of 2011, the town had a population of 90,180. Another name for Pollachi is "Mother of Nature".
Dharapuram is a town situated along the banks of Amaravati River in Tiruppur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Dharapuram is one of the oldest towns in South India and was the capital of Kongu Nadu under the Cheras, Western Ganga Dynasty and later Kongu Cholas, at which time it was known as Viradapuram. Amaravathi River flows through the town. As of 2011, the town had a population of 67,007. The city houses famous temples including Agatheeswarar Temple, Kaadu Hanumanthasamy temple and many others.
Udumalai, also known as Udumalaipettai and Udumalpet, is a town in Tiruppur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Udumalaipettai is located 535 km south west from the state capital, Chennai and 72 km away from Coimbatore, the second largest city in the state.
Valparai is a Taluk and hill station in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, India. It consists of Anamalai Tiger Reserve. It is located 3,474 feet (1,059 m) above sea level on the Anaimalai Hills range of the Western Ghats. There are a total of 56 estates here. The game of football is very popular here. State level competitions are held every year. The foothill starts exactly from Monkey Falls which is at a distance of 38 kilometres (24 mi) to Valparai. The route to Valparai from the foothills consists of 40 hairpin bends. The Kerala state border town of Malakkappara is at a distance of 27 kilometres from Valparai. While major portions of the land are owned by private tea companies, large forest areas continue to be out of bounds.
Lakkavalli is a small town / Hobli in Tarikere Taluk of Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka state, southern India. Lakkavalli is the site of a dam across the Bhadra River; the dam is used for irrigation and power production and agriculture. Lakkavalli is malnad hobli of Tarikere taluk since it belongs to Malnad region. The biodiversity of the place is well known since the British. The Kuvempu University, which is one of the premier learning centre, is just 7 km from here. The state highway T-M Road passes through the village. A Jain Matha exists here and it is headed by Bhattaraka Swasti Sri Vrushabasena.
Kottur-Malayandipattinam or Kottur is the biggest panchayat town in Anaimalai_taluk of Coimbatore rural district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Its short name is KM Pattinam. The name Kottur-Malayandipattinam is used to distinguish it from other places of the same name in south India, with Malayandipattinam (malai-yandi-pattanam) being the name of the southern part of the town and named after being surrounded by western ghats. It is famous for buying elephant ivory 100 years before, kottur Tamil meaning of kottu is elephant ivory and it also means the end of town.
Navamalai is a small village in the panchayat town of Kottur-Malayandipattinam in Coimbatore District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It has one of the hydroelectric power houses of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board known as Aliyar Power House, because it is one of the main hydro-electric power production bases built along the river Aliyar.
Aliyar ( Reservoir is a 6.48 km2 reservoir located in Aliyar village near Pollachi town in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, South India. The dam is located in the foothills of Valparai, in the Anaimalai Hills of the Western Ghats. It is about 65 kilometres from Coimbatore. The dam offers some ideal getaways including a park, garden, aquarium, play area and a mini Theme-Park maintained by Tamil Nadu Fisheries Corporation for visitors enjoyment. The scenery is beautiful, with mountains surrounding three quarters of the reservoir. Boating is also available.
Upper Solaiyar or Upper Sholayar Dam is located 20 km (12 mi) from Valparai, a hill station in the Anaimalai Hills of the Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu India. As it is a part of the hydroelectric project of Tamil Nadu, special permission is required to visit the dam.
The Amaravathi Dam is a dam constructed across the Amaravathi River. It is located at Amaravathinagar, 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of Udumalpet on SH 17 in the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, Tirupur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The associated Amaravathi Reservoir is 9.31 square kilometres (3.59 sq mi) in area and 33.53 metres (110.0 ft) deep. The dam was built primarily for irrigation and flood control and now also has four megawatts of electrical generating capacity installed. It is notable for the significant population of mugger crocodiles living in its reservoir and catchment basin.
Bharathappuzha, also known as the Nila or Ponnani 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. 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. The fertile Thrissur-Ponnani Kole Wetlands lie on its bank.
Aliyar is a village located near Pollachi Town in Coimbatore district in Tamil Nadu, India.
Kalathur is a panchayat village in Peravurani panchayat Union of Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Kalathur is a part of the Pattukkottai taluk of Thanjavur district and located 67 kilometres (42 mi) south of Thanjavur connected via State Highway 29.
