Eagle flying over the landscape - Kerala

Eagle flying over the landscape near Kakkadampoyil - Kozhikode - Malappuram

Kakkadampoyil - This rural settlement is about 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the city of Calicut (Kozhikode). There are many indigenous tribal groups in this area. It is set high on the Western Ghats, with altitudes ranging from 700 to 2100 m. Kakkadampoyil stands on the Western top of the Western Ghats with dense forest, and deep valleys. The Cherupuzha  is one of the important tributaries of Chaliyar River. 

Places of Interest near Kakkadampoyil

Thusharagiri 

Thusharagiri is 48 km from Kozhikode and is one of the recently identified tourist centres. The waterfalls and streams amidst the hilly regions are really a feast to the eyes. Two streams originating from the Western Ghats meet here to form the Chalippuzha River. The river diverges into three waterfalls creating a snowy spray, which gives the name, 'Thusharagiri'. The word Thusharagiri means the snow capped mountain. Of the three, the highest waterfall is the Thenpara that falls from an altitude of 75 metres. The nearest town Kodencherry is around 11 kilometres  from Thusharagiri. The other main towns situated here are Thiruvambady which is 18 km away and Thamarassery which is 17 km away. One has to purchase all necessary things for trekking from here.

Nilambur

Nilambur is a municipality and a taluk in the Malappuram district of Kerala, South India. It is famous for its forests, especially its wildlife habitats, rivers, waterfalls and teak plantations. It is situated close to the Nilgiris range of the Western Ghats on the banks of the Chaliyar River. It is about 40 kilometres from Malappuram city and 24 kilometres from Manjeri on the Kozhikode–Ooty road. Nilambur is also an Assembly Constituency.

Nilambur is also home to the oldest teak plantation in the world, called Conolly's Plot. It is claimed that the world's tallest or biggest teak tree is in the Nilambur Teak Preserve. Nilambur is also famous for its bamboos. The name "Nilambur" means 'Place of Nilimba' . This region is suitable for planting teak and grows well here. Teak grown here is having good quality and hence Nilambur Teak has good demand all over the world. 

Kids playing in the rice field - Kerala

Location: Kizhuparamba - Areekode - Malappuram- Kerala - india

Kizhuparamba is a village and Panchayath on the northern boundary of Malappuram District In Kerala, India. Kizhuparamba is situated on the banks of the Chaliyar river and in the border of Malappuram and Kozhikode districts. Kizhuparamba Panchayat was formed on 1 August 1977 from the former Urngattiri Panchayat. Kerala State Highway (SH) 34 (Koyilandi-Edavanna) passes through Kizhuparamba. The name Kizhuparamba is derived from Keezhparamba which means "Low land" in Malayalam language. "Keezh" means "low" and "Paramba" means "land". It is believed that Tippu Sultan (1782–1799)'s army has used Kizhuparamba in their route from Feroke to Mysore. There was a very old route from Perunkadavu(Kuniyil)-Thrikkalayur-Kodityathur-Thamarassery-Mysore.

Evening view - Kerala

Kerala is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956.The state has an area of 38,863 km² (15,005 sq mi) and is bordered by Karnataka to the north and northeast, Tamil Nadu to the south and southeast, and the Arabian Sea on the west. The city of Thiruvananthapuram is the state capital. The city of Kochi and Kozhikode are other major cities.

Kerala (Keralam) the land of kera (coconut) is also known as God's own country. Beautiful beaches, kettuvallams over enchanting backwaters… monsoon showers, misty mountains of the Western Ghats, fairs and festivals.....

Kerala lies along the coastline, to the extreme south west of the Indian peninsula, flanked by the Arabian Sea on the west and the mountains of the Western Ghats on the east. The Western Ghats, bordering the eastern boundary of the State, form an almost continuous mountain wall, except near Palakkad where there is a natural mountain pass known as the Palakkad Gap.

There are 44 rivers in the state, of which 41 originate from the Western Ghats and flow towards west into the Arabian sea. Only three tributaries of the river Cauvery ( Kabani, Bhavani, Paampar ) originate in Kerala and flow east into the neighbouring States.

In the Midland Plains of central region, the hills are not very steep and the valleys are wide. The valleys have been developed as paddy fields and the elevated lands are converted into estates of rubber, fruit trees and other cash crops . Tea and coffee estates have cropped up in the high ranges.

The Coastal Belt strip is comparatively plain. Extensive paddy fields, thick groves of coconut trees and beautiful backwaters, interconnected with canals and rivers. Alappuzha an old sea port town of this region is known as the 'Venice of the East'. 

Monsoon Season picture -2012 (Kerala)

Monsoons bring to Kerala two rainy seasons-the southwest monsoon or the Edavappathi, bringing rains during June-September, and the north east monsoon or the Thulavarsham during October to December.The rainforest areas of the state have humid tropical wet climate while the extreme eastern fringes experience a drier tropical wet and dry climate .Kerala receives an average annual rainfall of 3107 mm.   Southwest monsoon is the main rainy season in Kerala begins by the end of May or early June with the outset of the southwest monsoon winds  North East Monsoon in Kerala Also known as Thulaavarsham  hits Kerala during the return of the southwest monsoon winds. These rains are in the months of October and November.       

A view of chaliyar river from Pavanna

A view of chaliyar river from Pavanna ( Areekode , Malappuram , Kerala , India )

Chaliyar River:  

Chaliyar is the fourth longest river in Kerala (169 km).  Nilambur,Edavanna, Areekode, Kizhuparamba, Cheruvadi, Mavoor, Peruvayal, Feroke and Beypore are some of the towns / Panchayaths  situated along the banks of Chaliyar. The river has two names -  Chaliyar and Beypore River. The river meets the Arabian Sea at the southern part of which is known as Chaliyam and northern part as Beypore. Thus the river gets the names Chaliyar and Beypore River.  The Chaliyar originates in the Western Ghats range at Elambalari Hills located near Cherambadi town in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu and flows through Malappuram District for most of its length and then for around 17 km it forms the boundary between Malappuram District and Kozhikode District before entering the city of Kozhikode for its final 10 km journey and finally empties into the Arabian Sea. Some of the Chaliyar's tributaries originate from Wayanad District .Near the origin of river are the Meenmutty Falls at coordinates. Chaliyar is one of the rivers which doesn't get dried up in the drought season.Many other rivers in Kerala get dried up during march and April.  

Areekode:   

Areekode is a small town ( Panchayath) located on the banks of Chaliyar River in Eranad Taluk of Malappuram district,Kerala .  it is encircled by hills and hillocks capped in green.  Near places are Mukkam, Nilambur, Manjeri, Kondotty and Near Panchayaths are Keezhupramba, Urangattiry, Kavanoor.  Areekode boasts to have a vibrant history, refined culture and a highly educated population. It is a village of football players and football lovers.

Freshwater fishes of kerala

Freshwater fishes of kerala ( This fishes from Chaliyar River )

Freshwater fish are fish that spend some or all of their lives in fresh water, such as rivers and lakes, with a salinity of less than 0.05%. Around 175 primary freshwater fishes are found in Kerala. The indiscriminate collection of ornamental fish from water bodies and the steady decline of paddy fields and wetlands that provide breeding grounds for several species have raised the diversity of threats faced by freshwater fishes in Kerala.

Ten major rivers of Kerala

• Chandragiri

  • Kabini

    • Chaliyar

      • Bharatapuzha

        • Chalakudy

          • Periyar

            • Pambar

              • Pampa

                • Achenkovil

                  • Neyyar

Link-

Freshwater fishes under siege

Several fresh water fish species under threat