Palakkad Travel Delights
Posted On March 6, 2013
Palakkad is a lovely region in the beautiful Indian state of Kerala and is certainly a must see place in tours to this part of the world. Palakkad is the connecting link between two Indian states viz Tamil Nadu and Kerala and is a lovely land filled with the best of religion, culture, and traditions of Kerala.
One, who comes here to this beautiful town, should surely go shopping in the big bazaar or the Valiya Angadi. Here is where you get the best items like traditional bells, thooku, peacock lamps, and hanging lamps, alongwith the best of utensils and other stuff. There are sarees, Kerala souvenirs, jewellery, and other such interesting items of purchase.Thus, visits to Palakkad should always begin with shopping in this crowded busy area.
Then of course, you have the historical attractions like the Tipus Fort, which is a lovely fort in the town. It was constructed to improve the communication between the neighbouring town of Coimbatore and actually was a construction by Haider Ali who was Tipu Sultan’s father. But the fort was captured by the British in 1784 and later by the Zamorins in 1790. Today the fort is under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India and is really a must see spot in Palakkad tours. With great historical value, and a pleasant ambience the fort has the best to offer to tourists. Evening walks and serene surroundings are the major reasons one would come here and there are children’s parks to keep the young ones busy. There is a small museum and also an auditorium, which are inside the fort.
Then you have the Jain temple here, which is around 3 km from the main city and is on the banks of the River Kalpathy. It is a very ancient temple around 500 years old and has been built by a person who was then the Jain head and was called Inchanna Satur. Mainly dedicated to the Jain sage Chandrakantaswamy the temple has a main division and also has the idol of Chandrakantaswamy and there is a secondary division that has the idols of Jwalamohini and Vijaylakshmi. There is Rishabnathan in the third division and Parswanathan in the fourth. The inner position of the temple is very simple and the plain granite walls that form the main feature add to the beauty within. There is an unadorned main altar and thus the temple has its own charm. There was a population of around 400 Jain families here once upon a time. Today there are even less Jains yet the temple has the same amount of respect and adoration as before.
Then you have the Vadakkantara temple, which is on the way to the Jain temple. With the Goddess Bhagawaty, presiding over the temple this is a lovely construction of ancient times. It is believed that Bhagawati is an incarnation of Kannagi who is a heroine of a famous Tamil epic called Silappadhikaram. Fireworks are an attraction in this temple and this is a regular feature in all temples in Kerala. People look forward to hearing the crackers at the same time everyday and thus the entire atmosphere is very charged and positive here.
Visit the Manapullikaavau, which is believed to be the second of the two most important goddess Bhagawati temples in Palakkad. Revered as a great religious destination this temple is more than 1200 years old. The idol here is believed to be a swayambhu or self created. The main idol was consecrated later. The temple is famous for the Vela festival, which is a major event here in Kerala.
Then of course, you have the Kalpahty Agraharam and the Vishwanatha Swamy temple. With Lord Shiva as the presiding deity here, this was constructed in 1425. It is a small structure and has a gigantic flagpole, which is used well during the Chariot festival celebrated every year. The festival is a major attraction here and goes on for around seven days and people compete with each other to pull the magnificently decorated chariot. It is said that people believe that Lord Shiva himself comes and blesses the chariot.
Go to the Kumarapuram temple, which is a lovely temple on the banks of the River Bharatapuzha. It was a great spot for Vedic learning and Lord Prasanna venkatachalapathy the deity at the temple also had Mangalambal and Alamelu, his two consorts escorting him. This is a temple, which has rites akin to the Tirupati Temple in Andhra Pradesh. Venkatachalpathy is the same as the Lord Balaji in Tirupati and so people revere this temple a lot.
Then of course, there is Malampuzha, which has a lot to offer. One who comes here gets completely taken in by the ambience and enjoys the sight of the beautiful rose garden spanning over 100 acre here. There are many reptiles here and also a ropeway, which is at a height of around 60 feet. There is also a fancy park with around 20 ride options. A KTDC or Kerala Government owned Garden house, which helps you to get motor boats, pedal boats, row boasts, and water scooters. One also comes to see the bare bodied Yakshi or demoness here with the head thrown back and with the fisted hands raised and kept close to her ears. Malampuzha is certainly a great picnic spot and is around 14 km from Palakkad.
The Silent Valley National park is another popular place in Palakkad and is amongst those that have been left untouched by people. With the best kind of flora and fauna, tours to Silent Valley National Park are filled with immense adoration and respect. Situated on the Kundali Hills of Western Ghats this is a great spot near Palakkad.
With greatly interesting sight and beautiful places to enjoy, Palakkad surely comes across as a destination waiting to be explored. Visit this beautiful paradise and enjoy your tours to this part of India.
Visit Palakkad in Kerala in Southern India and enjoy a unique experience filled with pleasures.
