Palakkad: the gateway to Kerala from Mainland

After retirement I moved from Calcutta to Palakkad. Now I am in Delhi. During the Last 20 years I have been to some of the Beautiful places in Palakkad District, there are numerous of them. During the last one year I have taken some photos of places some 10 Km from my house there. I am also enclosing a photo of a mini pooram festival in my village Karimba. In almost every village there are poorams like this. These poorams culminate in the very famous Trichur Pooram.

I am giving this to let you know that every nook and corner of Kerala is beautiful, though facilities for tourists are not available. My house was on the foothill of the beautiful Meenvallam water falls. It is a little known, beautiful Waterfall deep in the forest. It is a 10 step fall of which only two are visible. Others are inaccessible to ordinary folks. I am giving the photos of ordinary unnamed spots around my house there, not known to outside world.

Palakkad is a land of palm trees and paddy fields. It is known to be rich in flora and fauna. Etymologically Palakkad is derived from the words Pala and Kadu. Pala is a tree with sweet scented flowers and Kadu meaning forest. Pala tree’s fine smell goes beyond 500 meters.

The Rice Bowl of Kerela

Palakkad becomes the point of entry for the north east monsoon into Kerala through the Palakkad mountain pass which is a very wide one (about 40 km). This ‘rice bowl of Kerala’, has vast stretches of lush green paddy fields. The high ranges and the weather of the place has also gifted the place with not just velvet carpets of several tea and coffee estates (Sholayar, Attappadi etc), but also orange estates at Nelliampathy – probably the only ones in the state. Silent Valley, the dense green natural forest, belongs to this district. There is also a well maintained wildlife sanctuary at Parambikulam.

Oldest naturally growing Teak at Parambikulam

Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is tucked away in the valley between the Anamalai ranges of Tamil Nadu in the east, and the Nelliampathy ranges of Kerala on the other. This virgin valley that is the pride of Palakkad district is a glorious tribute to untouched nature.

Here is found the largest and the oldest naturally growing (about 450 years now) teak tree in the world, 40 metre high and 6.4 m in girth and named “KANNIMARAM ” stands as a monument of the past. Teak in English is derived from the Malayalam word “Tekku”.

Unfortunately there is no direct access to this place from Kerala. You have to access it from Tamilnadu. It is very difficult to make roads from Palakkad. Since it is very difficult I have not gone there but I am giving a photo taken by my young friend Biju.

Rightly, Kerala Govt. in order to promote Tourism, named Kerala as God’s Own Country. But Swami Vivekananda Named it “Lunatic Asylum” seeing the abominable untouchability practiced by the High casts. (Even My great grand father had 6 slaves bought for his work.) They were not allowed to come near to the higher caste. If a low cast come near a Brahmin with his Prasad from the temple it will become impure. If a Syrian Christian touches it, then it will become pure again. Matriarchal systems of the Nairs and Marriage system of Namboodiri Brahmins were also ridiculous. That is past.

Here’s some more pleasant pics before I talk further about Malayalies.

Now, the Malayalies are all over India and the world. They work very hard and diligently everywhere. The only place they don’t work and don’t allow others to work is Kerala. Even recently there was a harthal (strike). It is a perennial problem. Even Tourist is not spared. For work in the field they are bringing Bengalis and men from Orissa. Land Mafias, liquor mafias, fake swamis, rape, political murders etc. are daily seen in news papers. Youngsters flee from this place to wherever they can found peace.

You decide whether Kerala is God’s own Country or a still a lunatic asylum.

Traditionally all Malayalies, irrespective of religion, believe that a benevolent King (Maha Bali) who ruled Kerala till Vamanavathar of Maha Vishnu. During his Rule Kerala was real Utopia. No one tell lies, no gossip, and no cheating in Mesurement. All were happy and everything was in plenty. In fact it was once God’s Own country only then.
Maha Bali happened to be the grand son of Prahalad (the Vishnu Bhakta). But Vaman came and asked this King Maha Bali who is very honest, and kind that he wants some land in his kingdom – only enough to cover the three foot steps of him. The benevolent King agreed. With two steps he covered the whole land. When asked for the rest of the land, the honest king showed him his head. Thus Vaman shoved him to Pathal below.

Malayalies are at a loss to think why Vishnu as Vaman destroyed Maha Bali, he being the grandson of Prahalad (a Vishnu Bhakta). But Maha Bali asked for a boon from Vaman that he should be allowed to visit his subjects every year at a time, astrologically speaking, when the sun is in Leo Rasi and the Moon is in Kumba Rasi in Shravana Nakshatra – and that will be a full moon. (In August September.) Malayalees, regardless of Religion, observe (Shravana) Onam festival with great pomp.

Parasuram Avatar came next. He throw his Axe and Kerala came up from the sea. My question is, does Kerala go down to Sea after Maha Bali’s rule, so that Parasuram can bring it up again?