Palakkad

Palakkad is a city in Central Kerala in India. Palakkad is known for its historical background and the remnants of Tippu Sulthan's Fort are still maintained.

'Idli' or steamed rice cake come with four chutneys and sambar in Palakkad

Vegetable shop at Olavakkod

Cute little temple in Olavakkod

Understand

Palakkad lies near a wide low gap or pass in the Western Ghats mountain ranges that separates Kerala from Tamil Nadu. Consequently the city is a major conduit for travel between the two states. Palakkad is 4,480 km² and the population is 2,617,072.

Palakkad is the land of Palmyras and Paddy fields. It is the chief granary of Kerala, often called the Gateway of Kerala. Palakkad lies at the foot of the gigantic Western ghats on the border of Kerala. This city surrounded by mountains, forests and fertile valleys, rivers and mountains streams are rich in flora and fauna.

Malayalam is widely spoken language as the rest of Kerala. However Palakkad is close to the Tamil Nadu border and people understand and speak Tamil well. You won't be very far from a person who speaks perfect English or Hindi just in case you need one.

Get in

Sunset on the road to Palakkad

By plane

The nearest airport is the domestic airport at Coimbatore 50 km away. The nearest international airport is in Kochi. There are three airports in 2-3 hr travel distance (Kochi, Coimbatore and Kozhikode).

By train

Palakkad is well connected and one of the railway divisional headquarters. Serviced by rail from all major cities in India like Hyderabad, Kozhikode, Mangalore, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata.

By bus

You can also reach here by bus from big cities like Kozhikode, Mangalore, Kochi, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Salem. However there is no direct bus from Hyderabad.

By car

Palakkad is well connected to other cities Chennai, Kozhikode, Ooty, Palani, Kodaikanal, Kochi, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Salem and Madurai by road. National Highways NH 47 and NH 217 pass through Palakkad.

Get around

• Bus - Palakkad is well networked by public bus transport. The state runs KSRTC and many private operators operate bus services.
• Autorickshaw - This is cheap way of transportation between attractions. Rickshaw drivers are generally very polite unlike big cities of India. However, if you are a foreigner trying to get around by yourself, agree on fare before boarding.
• Taxi - Local taxis are also available at cheap rates. You will have to bargain.
• Walk - Many attractions in Palakkad like the Tippu's Fort, the Open air Auditorium called "Rapadi", the Stadiums etc are walkable.

See

• Agali Hills. 
• Attappady. Tribal villages. 38 km Home of Irulas and Mudugars 
• Brahmakumaris Yoga Center, Kalpathy., ☏ +91 4912578525. (updated Dec 2015)
• 1 Chulliar Dam. 
• 2 Chittur Gurumadam. 
• Cholanoor Peacock Sanctuary. 
• Dhoni Reserve Forest. 15 km 
• 3 Government Victoria College. Colonial structure. 
• Guru Mandir, West Yakkara. (updated Dec 2015)
• Jain temple (near the Railway Station). 
• 4 Kanhirapuzha Dam, muhammed karakkadan. 
• Killikurrussi Mangalam. 
• 5 Lakkidi. 
• Mahadeva Kshetram (Kiillikkurussimangalam). 
• Malampuzha Gardens, Malampuzha.15km. Spectacular garden, suspension bridge, boating facility, Japanese garden, fantasy water theme park, toy train, acquarium and cable car. Entrance 9AM to 7:30PM. Video cameras are charged ₹1,000. (updated Dec 2015)
• 6 Mangalam Dam. 
• 7 Meenkara Dam. 
• Meenvallam. waterfalls 
• 8 Meenvallam Water Falls, Kalladikode. 
• Museum of Musical Instruments, olavakkod Road, Palakkad. (updated Dec 2015)
• Nelliyampathi. 'Ooty of Kerala' hill station. 
• Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary. 135 km 
• 9 Pothundi Dam. with a garden and good views. 

The Garden near the Pothundy Dam has many statues.

• Seetharkundu water falls (Near Nelliyampathy). 
• 10 Silent Valley National Park, mail@silentvalley.gov.in. 80 km. 'Evergreen forest' with many rare species. Advance reservation by telephone is needed. Please contact: Phone: +91-4924-222056, +91 4924 253225, +91 8589 895652 
• 11 Sholayar Forest. Coffee and Tea estates. 

• Siruvani. 
• Thiruvalathoor. 
• Tippu's Fort. 
• 12 Walayar Dam. 25 km. 
• Walayar Deer Park (Jayaprakash Narayan Smrithivanam) (beside the NH 47, 22 km from Palakkad town). You can see deer and other small animals roaming about in their natural habitat. The park is in a poor condition due to lack of investment. The park spreads over 110 acres of forest area, mainly teak plantation. There are plans to convert it into a safari park, providing more amenities for the deer and other animals and also to the visitors. (updated Jul 2018)

Other places around Palakkad

• 13 Ayalur Temple, Ayalur (33 km from Palakkad, bus for every 30 minutes). Car festival during winter 
• 14 Chulanur Peafowl Sanctuary. 
• Hemambika/Emoor Bhagavathi temple and Siva Temple (near Olavakkod, 6 km from Palakkad). Bus available every 5 min from Palakkad Town Bus Stand. Board Rly Colony bus and alight at Kallekulangara bus stop. 
• Kakkayur Kottamala Ayyappa Temple, Kakkayur (15 km from Palakkad). The giant walls of this temple is at least 1½ times taller than an elephant, built of stones unbelievable in size. There are no stone quarry nearby from where this has could have been taken. These stones are laid one on top of another without any sealing in between. They have been standing like that for centuries just on gravity. Also on the walls are writings in some very old language. 

Pothundy Dam

• Kakkayur Siva Temple, Kakkayur (15 km from Palakkad). 
• Meenkulathhi Amman Temple, Pallasena (15 km from Palakkad). 
• 15 Nellikulangara Temple, Nemmara (28 km from Palakkad). 
• 16 Pothundy Dam (on the way to Nelliyampathy, 38 km from Palakkad). It is a reservoir built across Ayalur river as an irrigation project in 1968. It provides water to Nenmara and Ayalur villages. It is in a valley just below the Nelliyampathy Hills. 
• Tripallavoor siva temple, Pallavur (20 km from Palakkad). 

Do

• Alampallam Radhotsavam. April. The biggest chariot in Kerala. 
• Chinakathur Pooram. Every March-April. A spectacular festival. 
• Chittur Konganpada. Usually in March. The celebrations commemorate the victory of the Chittur Nairs over the militia of nearby Konganadu during 918 AD. It is said that there was constant fight in the Palakkad region between the Kerala kingdoms on the western side and the princely state of Konganad on the eastern side of the Western Ghat mountains. On the third day of the Konganpada festival 101 rounds of the kathina vedi (ironpipe crackers) commemorates the historic victory. Later, there is a kolam procession of little boys dressed as girls carried on the shoulders of men. At night men engage in mock fights wearing buffalo head masks to symbolise the dead buffaloes of the Konganpada (Kongan militia). 
• Kalpathy Rathotsavam. Celebrtated during mid of November every year. Colourful Temple car festival where all the streets of the village will be lightened and the procession of Ratha's will take place. 
• Kunissery Kummatti. In March/April every year (on Punartham of Meenam). A traditional Indian festival. 
• Nemmara Vela. April 2nd/3rd every year. A traditional Indian festival. 
• Walk in the paddy fields, Azhchapparamba Junction, Thrissur Road. (updated Dec 2015)

Buy

Deep frying Banana Chips at a shop in Palakkad.

Banana chips and jackfruit chips cooked in coconut oil are good take home food from Palakkad. Freshly fried chips will have a better taste and durability compared to packed chips. If you don't find shops deep frying chips, you can go with packed chips which are available at bakery shops and general shops in Palakkad.

Eat

Rice and Chicken at Olavakkod

Due to its traditional Tamil-Brahmin culture, Palakkad has maintained a slight distance from Malabar cuisine, focusing more on vegetarian Tamil foods. In snacks, you can take egg puffs, banana chips and jackfruit chips, while parotta with some masala or biryani is usually taken in dinner. You can also eat dosa, idli or vada. Kalan, a vegetarian dish, is unique to Palakkad.

• 10/10 Restaurant, West Yakkara (3 km). (updated Jul 2015)
• 20/20 Fast Food, Yakkara Junction (5 km). (updated Jul 2015)
• Aryas Vegetarian Restaurant, Near Town Railway Station. (updated Dec 2015)
• Fort Palace Hotel. Veg and non-veg. 
• Hotel Indraprastha, English Church Road. Veg and non-veg. ₹45. 
• Hotel Kapilavasthu. Vegetarian. 
• Hotel NoorJehan. Authentic Kerala style Muslim dishes. 
• Hotel Royal Treat. Veg and non-veg. 
• Hotel Sri Chakra, ☏ +91 491-2570901. ₹150 for lunch. 
• Indian Coffee House, Opp. KSRTC, ☏ +91 491 2524910. (updated May 2015)
• Indian Coffee House, Opp. Post Office, Olavakkod Junction. 7:30AM to 10PM. (updated Dec 2015)
• K R Bakes. Veg and non-veg. 
• Kudumbashree Caffe, Abudhabi Complex, Near Stadium (1 km). (updated Jul 2015)
• Magic Oven Cafe, Near Stadium. (updated Jul 2015)
• Manis Cafe, Near Railway Police Station, Olavakkod. Specialists in Elayada or Leaf-covered-rice-cake (updated Dec 2015)
• Noor Jahan Open Grill, Near Stadium. (updated Jul 2015)
• Old NMR Restaurant, Harikkara Street, Santhi Nagar, Sultanpet, ☏ +91 98477 70853. 10:30AM to 9:30PM. (updated Jan 2021)
• Adaminte Biriyani Kada, College Rd, Parakkunnam, Palakkad, ☏ +91 94478 38250. Very tenderly cooked beef is their specialty. ₹120. (updated Jan 2021)

Sleep

Railway Retiring Rooms are very cheap in Palakkad. For ₹200, they give you lockable rooms with air conditioning.

• Railway Retiring Room, at Palakkad Junction Railway Station (Olavakkod). ₹200 A/c. (updated Dec 2015)
• A.V.Tourist Home, G.B.Road, ☏ +91 4912504193. (updated Dec 2015)
• Hotel Chanakya, Chandra Nagar (near BPL Factory). ₹500 - 1500. 
• Hotel Gazala. 
• Hotel Kairali, Near Stadium Bus stand. ₹1000 - 3000. 
• Hotel Malabar, Near Stadium Bus stand. Delicious & ethnic veg & non-veg cuisine. 
• India Lodge, Near Railway Police Station, Olavakkod. ₹100 for single room. (updated Dec 2015)
• Indraprastha Hotel, English Church Road, ☏ +91 4912534641 2539531, info@hotelindraprastha.com. ₹800. (updated Apr 2015)
• Kairali Resort (Kairali Resort), Olassery, ☏ +91 4923-222623. Check-in: noon, check-out: noon. Kairali Resort, Kodumbu Olassery Road, Palakkad 9000. 
• Landmark Residency, ☏ +91 4912555708. ₹675. (updated Dec 2015)
• Malang Lodge, Kannara Street, Near Noorajahan Hotel, G.B.Road cross, ☏ +91 4912529665. ₹125. (updated Dec 2015)
• Sri Chakra International, Chandranagar. ₹1,500. (updated Apr 2015)

Go next

• Agali Hills Hill Station
• Nelliyampathi a hill station in the Western Ghats, 60 km from Palakkad.
• Parambikulam wild life sanctuary and boating
• Silent Valley National Park
• Malampuzha Gardens