Palakkad District
Largest district known as the Gateway to Kerala and Rice Bowl of the state. Features fertile plains, the famous Palakkad Gap, pristine forests, and rich agricultural heritage with diverse cultural influences.
Area
4,480 sq km
Population
2.8 million
Headquarters
Palakkad
Economy
Rice cultivation, agriculture, textiles, plywood industry, hill station tourism
Climate
Tropical climate, cooler in hill areas, distinct dry season
Best Time to Visit
October to March for plains, year-round pleasant in hills
History
Palakkad district was carved from the southeastern region of the former Malabar District on January 1, 1957, and derives its name from "Pala" trees (Alsteriascholaris) that once densely occupied the land, literally meaning "Forests of Pala tree." The region holds strategic importance due to the Palakkad Gap, a 24-30 kilometer wide low mountain pass in the Western Ghats with average elevation of 140 meters that has served as the principal trade route between Kerala and Tamil Nadu since around 3000 BC, used by Arab traders to facilitate commerce during the flourishing ancient trade period. Historical significance increased when the Palakkad Raja sought help from Hyder Ali of Mysore in 1757 to check Zamorin invasions, leading to Tipu Sultan's rule and the rebuilding of Palakkad Fort in 1766, until the region passed to British control following Tipu's defeat in 1792 during the third Anglo-Mysore war. The municipality was formed on November 1, 1866, making it one of Kerala's oldest, while modern agricultural development established the district as Kerala's "Rice Granary" with about 83,000 hectares under paddy cultivation accounting for 40% of the state's total paddy area.
Geography
As Kerala's second-largest district covering 4,480 square kilometers (11.5% of the state), Palakkad is strategically located in the central region with the famous Palakkad Gap providing the crucial gateway between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, bordered by Malappuram (northwest), Thrissur (southwest), Nilgiris (northeast), and Coimbatore of Tamil Nadu (east). The district encompasses diverse terrain from fertile plains ideal for extensive rice cultivation to Western Ghats foothills with about 1,360 square kilometers covered by forests, creating three distinct geographical zones that benefit from the gap's climate influence allowing moisture-laden southwest monsoon winds into western Tamil Nadu. The gap serves as a vital transport corridor with both National Highway 544 and the Jolarpettai-Shoranur railway line passing through it, while functioning as an inlet for northeast monsoon in the 960km Western Ghats range, moderating temperatures around Coimbatore region and generating rainfall that supports Palakkad's recognition as Kerala's agricultural heartland and granary.
Culture
Palakkad's culture reflects its unique position as Kerala's gateway, blending traditional Malayalam culture with significant Tamil influences due to historical connections and the Palakkad Gap's role as a cultural corridor between the two regions. The district's agricultural heritage forms the cultural backbone, with rice-growing villages organized through Padasekhara Samitis that coordinate farming activities and community cooperation, while traditional farming practices, folk arts, and temple festivals celebrate the agricultural cycles that have sustained communities for generations. The region maintains strong connections to classical Tamil culture alongside Malayalam traditions, evident in local dialects, cultural practices, and religious observances that reflect centuries of cross-cultural exchange through the strategic gap. Modern cultural identity encompasses the district's role as home to prestigious educational institutions including the Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad (first IIT in Kerala), Government Victoria College (opened 1888), and NSS College of Engineering (opened 1960), while preserving traditional elements through temple festivals, classical arts, and agricultural celebrations that honor the district's heritage as both Kerala's rice granary and cultural bridge between diverse South Indian traditions.