Palode Town Road

Palode is a town in Thiruvananthapuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. Palode town is from Thiruvananthapuram city and from Nedumangad municipality. Thenmala Dam is from Palode, and the Ponmudi hills are 35 km. Palode is on the Thiruvananthapuram-Thenmala-Shenkottai State Highway 2 (Kerala). Tenkasi is from Palode.

Palode is surrounded by the Western Ghats and is a gateway for tourism destinations. Places of interest and tourism near Palode include Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Mankayam Ecotourism, Brimore Tourism, and Lower Meenmutty Hydel Tourism Centre Nanniyode. Brimore is away and has a tea estate and plantations.

Demographics

Palode's population in 2023 was estimated to be 18,205. It had a population of 14,922 in 2011, with 7,005 males and 7,917 females. Tht total female population was 53.1%. Scheduled Tribe population was 4.2%. Scheduled caste population was 10.1%. The total literacy rate was 84.3% (2011). The working population of Palode was 38.8%.

History

Palode was once a stronghold of the Venad empire, a medieval kingdom that exerted much dominance in the region. However, the onset of the colonial era saw the once-mighty empire splinter into four provinces, namely Chirava, Tripappor, Ilayidam (Kottarakara), and Perakam (also called Nedumangad).

Geography

Palode is located at 8.7033N 77.0264E. It is northeast from Thiruvananthapuram city. It is a small hamlet on the foothills of the Western Ghats covered by rubber plantations and forest. Vamanapuram river passes through Palode. The town is surrounded by Peringammala, Nanniyode and Pangode Panchayath.

Transport

Road transport

Palode is well connected to major cities in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Thiruvananthapuram-Thenmala SH-2 passes through Palode. Kerala state road transport corporation has a bus depot in Palode connecting major towns and villages in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam District. Thiruvananthapuram is , Kollam is and Tenkasi is away. The main places near Palode are Madathara (), Kallara (), Vithura () and Kulathupuzha (). Palode can be reached by roads from most parts of Kerala. MC Road (State Highway 1) is connected by Karette-Kallara-Palode bus route.

* Thiruvananthapuram city
* Nedumangad
* Kollam
* Thenmala
* Tenkasi
* Madurai
* Thoothukudi
* Attingal
* Punalur 45 km (28 mi)
* Pathanamthitta

Air transport

The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV), away. Cochin International Airport is away.

There is a helipad in Palode.

Rail transport

No railway lines pass through Palode. In phase 3 of the proposed Sabari railway line, there will be a station in Palode. Nearest railway stations near Palode are:

* Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station
* Thenmala railway station
* Punalur Railway station
* Chirayinkil Railway Station
* Varkala Railway Station
* Kollam railway Station

Place of worship

* St George Roman Catholic Latin church
* Assemblies of God Church
* Palode Juma Masjid
* Uma Maheswara Temple Palode
* Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Pacha
* Madan Thampuran Temple
*CSI Palode Church
*Seventh-day Adventist Church Palode
*Pappanamcode Juma Masjid
*St. Joseph Malankara Catholic Church Palode

Places of interest and tourism

Mankayam ecotourism

Mankayam is about northeast of Thiruvananthapuram City, from Palode on the way to Brimore. Mankayam is a popular eco-tourism spot in Kerala. From the hill ranges of Chemunchi the Chittar River flows down through the forest, creating a tributary in the form of the Mankayam River. The picturesque milky cascades are the major tourist attractions at Mankayam. Among the two waterfalls are the Kalakayam and Kurissadi which are among the biggest waterfalls in southern Kerala. The state forest department offers exclusive trekking options.

Brimore tourism

Brimore Marigold Estate is a 900-acre tea, rubber and coffee estate from Palode established by the British in 1880.

Brimore is one of the best trekking spots in Kerala and lies at a height of above sea level. The forest checkpost at Mankayam waterfalls requires a payment of Rs 25 per vehicle. Attractions near Brimore include:

*Ayyappa temple - An old termite mound converted into a granite temple
*Brimore Tea Factory - One of the oldest tea factories in Kerala
*Madame Falls - inside the Brimore estate
*Ramayana Cave - A stream originates from the cave.
*Seetha waterfalls - Safe for bathing a natural bathtub
*Braemore Estate Bungalow
*Braemore Palace
*Braemore Hills

Lower Meenmutty Hydel Tourism Centre, Nanniyode

The lower Meenmutty Hydel Tourism centre is from Palode in Meenmutty and is related to Lower Meenmutty dam. The lower Meenmutty Hydel Tourism project is the only project working under KSEB in southern Kerala.

The center is surrounded by forest, on the shores of the Vamanapuram river. Boating is a common activity here. Another attraction is the garden. Lower Meenmutty Hydel tourism centre has an amusement zone for children, pedal boats and slow boats. There is a small dam in lower Meenmutty Hydel.

Climate

Palode has a climate that lies on the border between a tropical savanna climate (Köppen ''Aw'') and a tropical monsoon climate (''Am''). As a result, its only distinct seasons relate to rainfall rather than temperature. The mean maximum temperature is and the mean minimum temperature is . The humidity is high and rises to about 75% during the monsoon season. Palode has south-west monsoons and gets its first showers in early June. The city receives heavy rainfall of around per year. Palode gets rain from the receding north-east monsoons which hit the October. The dry season sets in by December. The lowest temperature recorded in the city core was on 6 January 1974 and the highest temperature was on 4 April 2007.

Educational institutions

* Iqbal College
* Allama Iqbal Institute of Management (MBA)
* Crescent Central School, Panangode, Palode
* Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Chettachal
* S.K.V Higher Secondary School, Pacha
* N.S.S Higher Secondary School
* Dr Ambedkar Vidya Niketan CBSE Model School, Njaraneeli
* Government UPS Peringamala

Health care

Local hospitals and clinics include:

* Govt. Community Health Centre
* Brothers Medical Centre
* White Hospital
* Peringamala Primary Health Center
* Premier Nursing Home
* Arya Hospital

Government institutions

* Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute
*Kerala State Bharat Scouts and Guides Centre
*Institute of Animal Health & Veterinary Biological Institute
*Chief Disease Investigation Office
* Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research Center (ICAR)
*Government community Health Centre
*Palode Police Station (Circle)
*Kerala State Road Transportation Corporation Palode
*Palode Forest Range Office.
*Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
*PWD Guest House Palode
*Shanthi Kudeeram government public crematorium
*Tribal employment exchange career development center and model samanwaya center

Economy

Most of Palode's economy comes from retail. There are small and big retail shops around Palode. Timber and Wood related business, and tourism are other major parts of the local economy.

Palode is predominantly an agriculture-dependent area and most of the people are directly or indirectly involved in agriculture for their livelihood. With the spread of rubber cultivations in the 1970s and 1980s in the eastern regions of Kerala, farmers of Palode quickly moved over from coconut and paddy cultivation to rubber, attracted by its high return on investment. In the 1990s, a lot of village youth traveled to the Middle East countries in search of jobs. Now, many adults from the village are working abroad and, therefore, remittance is also a good source of income. The flow of remittance has resulted in an increase in the number of concrete buildings, replacing the old thatched and tiled houses.

Palode Mela

The Palode Mela started as a livestock fair named "Kaala Chantha" in 1962, and transformed into a Grameen Mela held for 10 days. It is now the national fest of south Kerala, celebrated in February. More than 50,000 people visit the mela per every year. When the period of cattle rolled the economic position of society, before the time of globalisation and economic liberation, the farmers started this mela as a trade fair.

References

External links

{{Thiruvananthapuram district settlements

Villages in Thiruvananthapuram district