Wayanad, One of the fourteen districts in Kerala (India) is situated in an elevatedpicturesque mountainous plateau in Western Ghats. It lies between north latitude 11degree 26’28’’ and 11degree 48’22’’ and east longitude 75 degree 46’38’’ and 76 degree 26’11’’.
The name Wayanad has been derived from the expression ‘Vayal nadu’ – the village of paddy fields.
In the ancient times this land was ruled by the Rajas of the Veda tribe. In later times, Wayanad came under the rule of Pazhassi Rajas of Kottayam royal dynasty. When Hyder Ali became the ruler of Mysore, he invaded Wayanad and brought it under his way. In the days of Tipu, Wayanad was restored to the Kottayam royal dynasty. But Tipu handled entire Malabar to the British after the Sreerandapattam truce that he made with them. This was followed by fierce encounters between the British and Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja of Kottayam. Even when the Rajah was driven to the wilderness of Wayanad he waged several battles with his Nair and Kurichia-Kuruma tribal
Pakshipathalam : Pakshipathalam in Bramha Giri hills at Thirunelly is a challenging tourist spot. It is 7 kms. north-east of Thirunelly temple and is situated 1740m. above mean sea level. To reach ‘Pakshipathalam’, 17 kms. have to be covered through wild forest. The deep rock caves formed among the thick blocks of rocks at the northern top end of the Brahmagiri is the abode of various birds and wild beasts. To go to ‘Pakshipathalam’ special permission has to be obtained from forest department. DTPC (District Tourism Promotion Council) arranges vehicle, guides, camping apparatus etc. to the tourists on hire charges.
Meenmutty Water Fall : 12 kms. east of Meppadi. Water falls to a depth of more than 500m. in 3 steps.Trekking equipments are available at Tourist Information Centre, Kalpetta. .
Sentinal Rock Water Fall: at Soochipara near Meppadi 22
Kuruva Dweep: 950 acres of evergreen forest surrounded by east flowing river, Kabani. Rare species of birds, orchids and herbs are sovereigns of this supernatural kingdom. It is 17kms. east of Mananthavady and 45 kms. north-west of Sulthan Bathery.
Edakkal Caves : The Edakkal Caves are at Ambukutty Mala. It is a pre-historic rock shelter formed naturally out of a strange disposition of three huge boulders making one to rest on the other two with its bottom jutting out in between and serving as the roof. Edakkal literally means a stone in between.
The discovery of the cave and its identification as a prehistoric site were quite accidental by F. Fawcett, the then superintendent of police. An enthusiast in pre-history, Fawcett went around exploring the Wayanad high ranges which eventually led to the discovery of the Edakkal rock-shelter in 1894. He identified the site as a habitat of neolithic people on the basis of the nature of representations on the cave walls, which appeared to him as engravings made of neolithics celts..
Edakkal rock engravings stand out distinct among the magnitude of prehistoric visual archives of paintings and graphic signs all over the world. It is the world’s richest pictographic gallery of its kind.
Pazhassi Memorial:The body of Veera Pazhassi, the Lion of Kerala who organised a guerilla war against the British East Indian Company is buried at Mananthavady, which is 32 km north east of Kalpetta.