Introduction :

This small city on the Coimbatore(Tami Nadu)- Thrissue highway is worth a stop to see the remains of the fort of Tipu Sultan. Among the more fertile and thickly forested districts of Kerala, Palakkad is supposed to have derived its name from the pala (Alsteria Scholaris) tree and kadu(forest). The whole area is said to have been once covered by pala trees.
Palakkad district has got its own characteristics in many fields. Its geographical possition, historical background, rural nature, educational status, tourist attractions and above all developmental activities are vivid and varied.
Palakkad district provides the inlet for the rest of India to the state through a 32 to 40 m wide natural gap. In the 960 km long Western Ghats this gap is perhaps the most influential factor in the unique charecteristics of the district. It has also contributed to the commercial as well as cultural exchanges between State and the rest of the country.

Physiography :

The district which lies at the foot of the colossal Western Ghats has only midland and highland areas. Much of the area is made up of plains, interspersed with a few hillocks. The plains are so fertile and productive that the district is considered the Granary of Kerala. Along with Idukki, Palakkad is the other district in Kerala which has the rare distiguishing characteristic of not having a sea coast.
Kerala's longest river Bharathappuzha flows through the district. During the hot season its wide sandy bed is dry except for some miles from its origin. Being too shallow and rocky for water transport, the Bharathappuzha has little commercial significance but holds a special place in the cultural psyche of the State.