Dec 05, 2008 04:47 PM
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In the summer holidays we use to go & visit the places(mostly forest areas) in kerala. We stayed in Nedumkayam for 4 days. Nadumkayam is also a very nice place to see. Nedumkayam, is just 18 km from Nilambur town, is noted for its rich rain forests. Mostly in this place, the rainfall will be very high. Nilambur is renowned for the oldest teak plantation in the world, it is just 2 km from town. Here we visited the world's first TeakMuseum, vast rain forests, waterfalls and ancient kovilakoms - residences of maharajas.
The oldest teak tree, Kannimari, is a rare attraction at the Conolly Plot. The plot extends across 2.31 hectares beside the ChaliyarRiver at Aruvakode, where a country boat ferries visitors across. This place is famous for boating.
The world's first Teak Museumis Just 4 kilometres away from the town, on the Nilambur - Gudallur road. The museum is a sub-centre of the Kerala Forest Research Institute. Which give information on all aspects of the teak to visitors.
From the wooden rest house built here by the British, elephants and deer can be seen. We have to get permission from the Forest Department to enter the forest zone. Very Heavy restrictions are imposed in a measure to save the existing forest land. From the half hour journey, through the dense forests, by jeep takes one to Mancheri, the home of the Cholai Naikars, a primitive tribe. Really the places are so beautiful to see, mostly the people who are very much interested in nature can come a enjoy.
Yet another tribal settlement of this region is on the hilltops of Valamthode which can be reached only from Kozhikode through the Areekode - Mukkam road. Valamthode is about 27 km from Nilambur, beyond the Chaliyar river. It’s a beautiful place to see & it will be really exiciting to wach the beautiful thick forest.
The teak plantation is named after H.V. Conolly, the Malabar District Collector during the British rule, who was instrumental in planting teak in the entire Nilambur area. Chathu Menon, a forest officer under Conolly, organised the hectic task of planting the saplings. Chathu Menon was laid to rest in the teak garden in Conolly's Plot.
Nilambur town is also famous for a cluster of kovilakoms the residences of the local rajas of earlier days. These structures, are famous for their beautiful frescoes and artworks in wood. The Nilambur Pattu an ancient festival which is noted for its Kalampattu or ritual powder drawing on floor falls in the month of February.
Getting there:
Location: 40 km from Malappuram town, Malappuram district, north Kerala.
Nearest railway station: Nilambur is the terminus of the Shornur - Nilambur railway line.
Nearest airport: Kozhikode, about 26 km from Malappuram town.
