Palakkad (Malayalam: പാലക്കാട്) or Palghat is a municipality and a city in the state of Kerala in southern India.The city is situated about 350 kilometres (217 mi) north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. Palakkad lies near the Palghat Gap, a pass or natural depression through the Western Ghats ranges that run parallel to the west coast of India, and connects Kerala to the plains of the state of
Tamil Nadu to the east. Some etymologists trace the word "Palakkad" from the word Palai nilam, which means "dry lands". The commonly held belief, however, is that the name is a fusion of two Malayalam/Tamil words, Pala, a tree (Alstonia scholaris) that is found abundantly in Palakkad, and Kadu, which means forest. Palakkad, a district embodied with rich Flaura and Fauna also called as the Gateway of Kerala is an important place in the God’s own country as it gives access to the rest of India to the State. The previous name was ”Palghat”, which was contributed by the British Raj. Palakkad is a land of typical Palm trees and widespread extensive green paddy fields. Palakkad, a place brimming with vibrant tradition and culture, where one can find the envelope of Mother Nature is among Kerala’s most picturesque districts and is the main paddy producing region in the state. Palakkad lies near the Palghat Gap, a pass through the Western Ghats that run parallel to the west coast of India linking Kerala to the state of Tamil Nadu. The Silent Valley National Park, a famous tourist spot in the district rises to the Nilgiris, the queen of hills is an eternal spectacle for any visitor. Any visitor to Palakkad will have a blissful feel with the diversified display of nature. Forests like Silent Valley, Attappadi, hill station like Nelliyampathy, historical monuments like Tippu Sulthan fort, traditional Ayurvedic treatment centres, culture of tribes, rivers, dams and temples make Palakkad a place worth visiting.
