palakkad

Palakkad Fort, better known as Tipu’s Fort, is a popular heritage building in Palakkad district. The fort, constructed in 1766 by the great Mysore king Haider Ali, lies at the heart of Palakkad town and is easily accessible by road. The fort used to be a major centre for the military activities of the Mysorean rulers. A spacious ground, locally known as Kotta Maidanam or Fort Grounds, is located close to the fort. History has it that the ground was once the stable where the animals of Tipu Sultan’s army were kept and reared. Today the ground serves as an excellent location for meetings, sports matches and exhibitions. The major attractions in and around the fort include a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman, a martyr's column, the district sub jail and an open air auditorium maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.
 

Offering pedal boat rides on an artificial canal, this garden lying on the edge of the Malampuzha Dam is famously known as Vrindavan of Kerala. It also houses the famous Yakshi Statue sculpted by the renowned sculptor Kanai Kanhiraman.
 

The Fantasy Park is the first amusement park of Kerala. The park is spread over an area of about 15 acres and is divided into three main areas the dry park, the wet park and the planetarium. It is an ideal weekend getaway and picnic spot. There are exciting rides, games, garden, fountains and other recreational facilities for both children and adults. The Baby Train Ride, Battery Car Ride, wave pool and Water Kiddy Ride are enjoyed by the children. Families enjoy the Oriental Express Train, Go Cart and Pirate Boat. The wet park has the Wave Pool, Malampuzha Falls and Water Blasters rides. Another main attraction of the park is the Digital planetarium to develop interest in astronomy and also to spread education and create awareness relating to space, space exploration and space technology. There is a restaurant in the park with good meals and snacks.
 

Built in the 19th century, Pothundi Reservoir was built for irrigation purpose and is located at a distance of 17 kms from Nelliyampathy. It is one of the famous sources of drinking water in the area and is a popular picnic spot.
 

The ancient temple at Thiruvalathoor has some fine woodwork and stone sculptures. Legend has it that the outer wall of the temple was built by an army of gods who worked at it the whole night but left it unfinished by dawn as they didn’t want to be seen by humans. Despite efforts later on, the work could not be completed and it is believed that humans cannot complete this work. The 4000 stone lamps fixed on the wall and lit up at night is a beautiful sight. Another attraction is the mizhavu an instrument that is commonly used while performing the art forms of Chakyarkoothu and Kutiyattom, said to be the biggest among such existing ones.
 

Dhoni is a small hilly hamlet located at a distance of about 15 kms from Palakkad town and the dense reserve forest surrounding the waterfalls magnifies the beauty of the region. It is an ideal place for trekkers as it requires 3 hours of trekking to reach the top of Dhoni hills. The trekking trail through the wild forest is extremely enchanting, and though the interior regions are rich with wildlife, the route to the waterfalls is safe to tread through. The ideal time to visit the waterfalls is soon after the monsoon as the surroundings are blessed with newly sprouted greenery and the streams are freshly replenished. The ruins of Kavarakunnu bungalow, a colonial mansion built in 1857, can be spotted on the route that leads to the waterfalls. It is recommended that travellers carry food, water and snacks with them since chances of finding food points around this place are very thin.