Wayanad – A Walk in the Clouds.

Wayanad – A Walk in the Clouds.

Wayanad in the Clouds...

Coordinates 11°36′18″N 76°04′59″E / 11.605°N 76.083°E / 11.605; 76.083

It is the 12th district  of Kerala by carving out areas from Kozhikode and Kannur districts. The region was known as Mayakshetra (Maya’s land) in the earliest records. Mayakshetra evolved into Mayanad and finally to Wayanad. The old meaning of the word says it is a combination of Vayal (paddy) and Naad (land), making it ‘The Land of Paddy Fields’. There are many indigenous tribals in this area. It is set high on the majestic Western Ghats with altitudes ranging from 700 to 2100 m.

Bangalore-Mysore-Wayanad-road-map

History

According to archaeological evidence, the Wayanad forests were inhabited more than 3 millennium. Wayanad was originally ruled by Vedar kings. However after a Kshatriya Prince (Raja of Kumbala) was captured and held hostage in Tirunelli by the Vedars, a combined force lead by the Raja of Kottayam and the Raja of Kurumbranad invaded and annexed Wynad. The Vedar king (Arippan) was killed and most of his subjects were also massacred. However the Raja of Kumbala asked a Nair aristocrat, Nanthillath Nambiar to marry the daughter of the Vedar king who survived the massacre. Nambiar was appointed as the Moopil Nair of Veliyambam, where the surviving Vedars were resettled. It was decided that Wynad should be partitioned between Kottayam and Kurumbranad. The Kottayam Raja was awarded North West Wynad and the Raja of Kurumbranad was awarded South East Wynad. But as a result of disputes between them, the Kurumbranad Raja gave up his country to the Kottayam Raja, except the palace and some landed properties. The Raja of Kottayam divided Wynad in to 10 Swaroopams (Naads) and appointed governors (Usually Nairs with the tile of Vazhunnor) to rule each one of them. These swaroopams were again divided in to Chiefdoms, which were ruled by Moopil Nairs.

Near Banasura sagar dam

Climate

The distance from the mean sea level and forest cover creates a healthy climate in the region. Generally the year is divided into four seasons;

Cold weather (December to February) min of 10 °C (50 °F)

Hot weather (March to May) max of 35 °C (95 °F)

Monsoon (June to November).

The average rainfall is 2,500 millimetres (98 in) per year.

Road to Wayanad

Getting In:

The Kozhikode – Mysore National Highway 212 (NH 212) passes through Wayanad district.

The nearest railway station is at Kozhikode, 75 km from Kalpetta.

Kozhikode airport at Karipur is the nearest airport.

Wayanad is well connected by road to various parts of Kerala and other neighboring states. Buses go frequently between important centers. While travelling from Mysore on NH 212, at a place called Gundlupet the road forks, one goes to Ootyand the other goes to Sultan Batheri, which is a prominent town of Wayanad.

NH 212 passes through Bandipur National Park and then through the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary which is the Kerala state border. The roads are good except for some sections inside the Bandipur Forest.

To see:

Thirunelly temple

• Thirunelli Temple is a very old temple on the foothills of Brahmagiri.

Pazhassi tomb...pronounced as "Parusi" Tomb

• The tomb of Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, popularly known as the Lion of Kerala, was the Raja (king) from the Kottayam Royal Family (to be distinguished from Kottayam District in southern Kerala) from present day Mattanur of Kannur district in northern Kerala, India, during the last decades of the 18th century. He achieved the title Veera (brave) when he fought a guerrilla war against British occupation with the able help of his loyal Kurichiyar tribe. The Pulpally cave near by is where the Pazhassi took refuge until he was captured by the British. He was downed in a ferocious encounter that took place at Mavilanthode in the last days of 1805. Pazhassi’s tomb marks the point where he was cremated. Pazhassi museum is located nearby where a sword, which is believed to be of Pazhassi’s era is kept.

Sulthan Bathery Bus Station

• Sulthan Bathery, earlier known as Ganapativatom, is a quaint town in the Wayanad district of Kerala. The place became known as Sulthan Bathery after Tipu Sulthan of Mysore invaded the region and used the Jain temple here as a battery. During Tipu Sulthan’s invasion in the 18th century an imposing fort was built here; unfortunately no remains of it stand today. This picturesque town is situated at an altitude of 1000 meters above MSL, flanked by majestic hills with patches of cliffs, valleys and plains interwoven with the mountainous terrain. Present day Sulthan Bathery is not only the largest town in Wayanad but also the hub of all tourism and commercial activities in the district. The regional population predominantly comprises of tribals and the economy is essentially agrarian in nature.

Edakkal Caves

• Edakkal Caves, 32 km from Kalpetta near Ambalavayal, is famous for its pre-historic carvings and paintings. Muthanga is a wildlife sanctuary. It is on the way from Mysore to Sulthan Bathery. Wild animals such as bison, elephant, deer, and tiger has been spotted. There are also quite a few wild birds in the sanctuary. The Jain Temple near Koottamunda and the Ananthanatha Swami Temple.

Valliyoorkavu Temple

• Valliyoorkav is a temple of historic and social significance. Pallikunnu Church, 14 km from Kalpetta is a famous Pilgrim centre in north Kerala. Varambatta Mosque is one of the oldest mosque in wayanad and it’s famous for varambata nercha. Mazhuvannur Siva Temple is an ancient Shiva temple near Tharuvana. Karat Siva Temple is a very old temple near Kommayad. Sulthan Bathery is famous for its fort, which was built by Tipu Sultan. The tomb of the chieftain Pazhassi Raja, who fought the British with the help of Kurichiya warriors, is in Mananthavady.

Lakkidi View Point

• Lakkidi, the entry-point to Wayanad on the road from Kozhikode, receives one of the highest rainfalls in India.

• Pookode lake is a famous tourist centre near Lakkidi. For the adventurous the Chembra peak and Banasura, both over 2000 m high, provide tough challenges.

• Kuruva Dweep (10 km from Mananthavady) is a unique and fragile delta system on the Kabini River. An important and unusual pilgrim centre for sociologists and educationists is Kanavu a centre for alternative education which help the adivasis (tribals) to adapt to the challenges without losing their cultural moorings.

• Ananthanatha Swami Temple, (also known as ParswanathaSwamy Jain Temple at Puliyarmala) is a beautiful Jain temple located at Puliyarmala, 6 km from Kalpetta. Pakshipathalam is a very popular trekking spot on the Kerala-Karnataka border.

• Soochipara, Kanthapara, and Meenmutty are waterfalls in the Meppadi-Ambalavayal region.

• Thovarimala Ezhuthupara is 5 km from Sulthan Bathery have 400M trekking to reach Thovarimal Ezhuthupara we can see stone age pictorial writing on a rock

• Meenmutty Falls is 29 km from Kalpetta in Wayanad District . It is Kerala’s second largest waterfall and the one most unspoiled in its natural setting.

Tree House

• Tree Houses…Welcome to the Tree houses. Almost every tree house dweller has a regular room on the ground, just in case. There is a (rope lift) cage, which is pulled with the help of two people to move up. Remember Phantom comics and the tree house with rope lifts, it gets  very real here.

Tree House

The tree house gives some great views.  The only way to get down is to shout from the top and ask them to let you down.

Beautiful Wayanad

Flora and fauna

The flora of Wayanad is characteristic of the Western Ghats and the plantation crops grown in the cool climate. A major portion of the district is covered by coffee. Trees of the wild type like rose-wood, anjili (Artocarpus), mullumurikku (Erthrina), several species of caussia and many other non-descript varieties are still preserved here and there, to give shade to the coffee plants. These trees give a rebalance of wilderness to the landscape of Wayanad. In a majority of coffee plantations, the age-old species are replaced by the silver-oak which is suited to the cold climate. This tree grows quickly and its cultivation is widespread among coffee plantations for shade and for giving support to pepper. It is used for the plywood industry and thus is economical to the farmers. Eucalyptus grandis, a shorter variety of eucalyptus, whose fragrant smell suffuses the very air around it, is cultivated on a large scale in centain parts of the district. Eucalyptus oil is extracted on commercial basis from its leaves.

Tourist Map Wayanad

Of the 20,864 hectares of reserve forest, the major portion is teak plantation. Arecanut palms and jack trees are also grown here. Tea is grown as an industry in large estates. The soil and climate of Wayanad are suitable for horiculture on commercial basis. For promoting the cultivation of vegetables and raising of orchards, the Kerala Agricultural University is running a Regional Agricultural Research Station at Ambalavayal.

Wayanad

With the clearing of forests, the diverse and buzzling animal life, characteristic of the forests of Western Ghats, has vanished from Wayanad. One can still see the bonnet monkeys, loris, mongooses, jungle cats, squirrels, jackals, hares, etc, in the limited forest areas. The World’s longest venomous snake, King Cobra is also found here. Elephant, bear and other wild animals from the neighbouring wild life sanctuaries of Karnadaka and Tamil Nadu, stray into the Begur forest range and the forests around Muthanga, which is 20 kilometres away from the town of Sulthan Bathery. Karapuzha dam near menangadi-10km, Banasurasagar dam 20km from vythri. Today large game is found only in region that border with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Here there is the one of the largest concentration of wild Asiatic elephants in whole world. Tiger, bison, sambhar, spotted deer, boar, leopard, wild dog and other large mammals are also present in fairly decent numbers.

Education

The recently established professional colleges like the Government Engineering College in Mananthavady and Veterinary College in Pookode is set to change the traditional way of life of Wayanad in the professional education sector.

There are many educational institutions in Wayanad. A few are

• Govt. Engeneering College, Mananthavady

• St.Maries College, Sulthan Bathery

• WMO Arts & Science College, Muttil

• Kendriya Vidhyalaya, Kalpetta

• WMO CBSC School, Muttil

Banasura Hill Resort:

Banasura - 95% Mud & 5% Cement

Banasura Hill Resort is tucked away at an altitude of 3500 feet above sea level. It is set amidst the mesmerizing mist-clad hills of Wayanad in the Malabar region of Kerala, India. A sprightly stream gurgles perennially through the property, and a tumultuous waterfall cascades thunderously down a rocky wedge. Nature plays the perfect host at Banasura Hill Resort. The ambience that the resort exudes is irresistibly appealing to every lover of Nature. Every dawn here is an invitation to explore and unravel. Every night a beckoning to surrender to the sublime silence of the sylvan surroundings.

Spread across 35 acres of verdant terrain, Banasura Hill Resort has earth rooms, twin villas and suites. Set against the bewitching backdrop of the Banasura Hill, this resort is for the discerning traveler who looks for a more enriching experience than a mere vacation. Your holiday in Kerala will be incomplete without spending quality time at this luxurious eco-resort that places as much importance on taking care of the environment as it places on taking care of its guests.

At Banasura, the emphasis is on providing that little extra care that makes every guest feel pampered. The attention that Banasura Hill Resort pays to detail is evident in every aspect of hospitality, from the courteous but unobtrusive staff, to the quality of the furnishings and fixtures and the authenticity of the cuisine. What Banasura offers you is an aura of luxury and comfort in a resort that is small enough to be intimate and homely, but spacious and expansive enough to let you feel absolutely unconfined.

http://www.banasura.com/