HISTORY

Malappuram has a rich and eventful history and preserves the cultural wealth of the good old days. It has a violent past with Zamorin's rule, Mamankam festival, Vellattiri’s revenge and the resultant Chaver Pada (suicidal squad), the British rule and indiscriminate oppression of the masses in connivance with exploiting landlords, the National and the Khilafat Movement and the Malabar Rebellion of 1921 which was suppressed by the Malabar Special Police.

This place still has the ruins of an ancient fort built by Tipu Sultan. Malappuram was the headquarters of European and British troops and later it became the headquarters of the Malabar Special Police. The hill country has also contributed much to the cultural heritage of Kerala. It was a famous centre for Hindu-Vedic learning and Islamic philosophy. The temples and the mosques of this district are well-known for their spectacular festivals. Along with historic monuments and diverse natural attractions, a range of cultural and ritual art forms add to its value as a destination worth visiting.

The land of great poets and writers, political and religious leaders, this district has carved a place of it’s own in the history of Kerala. The Kings of Valluvanad, the Zamorins, the Kings of Perumpadappu Swarupam and the Kings of Vettathunadu, were the early rulers. The Portuguese, Mysore Sultans and the British had their sway over this place, partly or wholly. Nevertheless, the unique social and cultural heritage is preserved.

The birth place of Thunchathtu Ezhuthachan, the father of the Malayalam language, now called Thunjan Parambu, is in Tirur. It is the hallowed ground where hundreds of children are initiated into the wonders of writing when they first trace the letters of the Malayalam alphabet in sand taken from that revered spot which was Ezhuthachan's home.The festival that the entire city anticipates with great enthusiasm is Onam, which marks Kerala's New Year and harvest season, and comes around in August-September.

GEOGRAPHY

Malappuram's central location is [show location on an interactive map] 11°02′27″N, 76°04′58″E. The district has a geographical area of 3550 km² and an average elevation of 40 metres (131 feet).The Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu in the east and the Arabian Sea in the west, provide natural boundaries. In the north, it is bounded by Kozhikode and Wayanad and in the south, by Palakkad and Thrissur districts.The topography of Malappuram consists of three natural divisions; lowland, midland and highland. The low land stretches along the sea coast, the midland in the centre and the highland region towards the east and north eastern parts, rich with evergreen forests, ravines, hills and dales, rivers and brooks. The topography of the district is highly undulating; starting from the hill tops covered with thick forests on the east along the Nilgiris, it gradually slopes down to the valleys and the small hills, before finally ending on the sandy flat of luxuriant coconut groves and palm fringed coasts in the west.

The district has a dry season from December to February, hot season from March to May, the Southwest Monsoon from June to September and the North East Monsoon from October to November. The South West Monsoon is usually very heavy and nearly 75% of the annual rains is received during this season. The climate is generally hot and humid. The range of average dailytemperature varies between 20 °C and 30°C. The average annual rainfall is 2900 mm.