Mananthavady

Mananthavady is a municipality and taluk in the Wayanad district of Kerala, India.It is the Largest Town in Wayanad and also largest municipality of Kerala in terms of area. The town is located on the banks of Mananthavady River, a tributary of the Kabini River. The Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha is headquartered in the town, and the district hospital in Mananthavady is the only major treatment facility for the tribal communities of Wayanad.

Mananthavady
Town
Mananthavady
Location in Kerala, India
Mananthavady
Mananthavady (India)
Coordinates: 11°48′N 76°0′E
Country India
StateKerala
DistrictWayanad
Government
  BodyMunicipality
  Member of ParliamentRahul Gandhi (Indian National Congress)
Elevation
760 m (2,490 ft)
Population
 (2011)
  Total45,477
  Density472/km2 (1,220/sq mi)
Languages
  OfficialMalayalam, English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
670645 Mananthavady town, 670643 Kaniyaram
Telephone code04935
ISO 3166 codeIN-KL
Vehicle registrationKL-72
Sex ratio983 /
Literacy85.77%
Mananthawady Bus Station

The area had once been ruled by the Pazhassi dynasty and the tomb of Pazhassi Raja is an important heritage site located in the heart of the town. Mananthavady had also been a major army camp for the British during their campaign against Pazhassi. Vestiges of the colonial period can still be seen around Mananthavady.

Mananthavady has been referred to as Hosenkadi in a dictum scribbled under a copper artefact found at the Ananthanathaswamy Temple at Varadoor. The dominant view on the etymology is that the word is derived from "Mane Eytha Vady" (English: "The place where an arrow was shot at the deer"). This view is strengthened by the existence of a place called Ambukuthy, literally "the location where the arrow pierced", on the outskirts of the town.[1]

Location

Pakshipathalam watch tower

Mananthavady is located 28 kilometres (17 mi) north-east of the district headquarters of Kalpetta, 38 km (24 mi) from sultan Bathery, 80 km (50 mi) east of Thalassery and 92 km (57 mi) north-east of Kozhikode (via Kutyady).

Mananthavady is the nearest municipality in Kerala to Mysore, 105 km (65 mi) away via Kartikulam, Bavali and H D Kote through Nagarhole National Park.

Education

The Government College Mananthavady was established in 1981, and was the only centre for higher learning in North Wayanad for more than a decade. In 1995, Mary Matha Arts & Science College opened in the government-aided sector.

The two private colleges are P.K.K.M. College of Applied Science and W.M.O. Imam Gazzali Arts & Science College.


All of the above colleges are affiliated with Kannur University, which has a campus in Mananthavady providing instruction in teacher education, zoology, and rural and tribal sociology.

In 1999, Government Engineering College, Mananthavady, opened as the first engineering college in Wayanad district.It is located in Thalapuzha which is 7.3 km (4.5 mi) from Mananthavady.This institution is the only Engineering college in the Wayanad district,It is affiliated to Kerala Technical University, and offers bachelor's and master's degree courses in computer science, electronics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, network security and communications engineering.

Schools

SNM School, Varayal
  • MGM HSS, Mananthavady
  • Mananthavady GVHSS, Mananthavady
  • Thalappuzha GHSS, Thalappuzha
  • Fr. G. K. M. H. S. S , Kaniyaram
  • Sacred Heart HSS, Dwaraka
  • Amrita Vidyalayam, Mananthavady
  • St. Patrick's ICSE ISC
  • S.C.H.S.S Payyampalli
  • St. Joseph HSS, Kallody
  • Hill Blooms CBSE School, Mananthavady
  • Govt High School, Kattikkulam

Public libraries

  • Pazhassi Smaraka Granthalayam, Mananthavady
  • Solidarity Library
  • Anjukunnu Pothujana Grandhalayam
  • Tagore Smaraka Grandhalayam Kommayad
  • Kaniyaram Prabhath Reading room and Library

Places of interest

Post office road

Post office road or Thazhe angadi is a suburb of Mananthavady, known for its temples, rivers, bridges and other attractions.

Boys Town

Boys town (15 km [9.3 mi] north of Mananthavady) has a herbal garden, nature care centre, and sericulture unit. These were established by the Wayanad Social Service Society and Gene Park (an Indo-Danish project for promoting herbal gardening).

Kuruva Islands

Kuruvadweep (17 kilometres [11 mi] east of Mananthavady) is a 3.8 km2 (950-acre) protected river delta system.

Pakshi Pathalam

Pakshi Pathalam is a hiking site about 7 km (4.3 mi) from Thirunelli temple, near Kattikkkulam. The trails feature an ancient cave on a hillock with birdwatching.

Pazhashi Memorial

Pazhassi kudeeram is the tomb of Pazhassi Raja, who died while fighting the British Raj. This museum is located half a kilometre from the bus station.

Wildlife sanctuaries

Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary is located 24 km (15 mi) towards Coorg.

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1973, and borders the protected area network of Nagarhole and Bandipur on the northeast and Mudumalai of Tamil Nadu on the southeast. Rich in bio-diversity, the sanctuary is an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which has been established with the specific objective of conserving the biological heritage of the region. The sanctuary is very rich in flora and fauna.

Valliyoorkavu Temple

Valliyoorkkavu is a temple located 3 km (1.9 mi) from the town, dedicated to the mother goddess which is worshipped in three principal forms of Vana Durga, Bhadrakali and Jala Durga. It is the most important place of worship for the tribal communities. An annual 15-day festival held in March is the grandest of all festivals in the district, and is the largest congregation of tribal peoples in the district.

Minor attractions

  • The Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Art Gallery is located on the Mysore Road. It regularly hosts exhibitions of various Indian artists and organizes cultural events.
  • A Latin church is situated at the heart of the town, and dates to the colonial past.
  • Paalamandhapam Devi Temple and Malakkari Temple Koolivayal are located 12 km (7.5 mi) from Mananthavady, towards Panamaram town.
  • Thrissilery Siva Temple is a well-known shrine in Wayanad situated in Thrissilery. There is a Jala Durga temple in the same complex.
  • Muthireri kavu is a temple associated with Kottiyoor Vysakha Mahotsavam, situated in the small village of Muthireri, about 8 km (5.0 mi) from Mananthavady.
  • Holy Trinity CSI Church Mananthavady is an 18th-century church in Wayanad, located near the municipal bus stand.

Transportation

The nearest railway station is at Vatakara, 65 km (40 mi) away. A Thalassery–Manathavady–Mysore railway line is being planned. The nearest airport is Kannur International Airport at Mattannur, 66 km (41 mi) away. Mysore Airport is 109 km (68 mi) away, followed by Kozhikode International Airport at 120 km (75 mi) and Bengaluru International Airport at 290 km (180 mi).

The Thalassery–Bavali Road passes through Mananthavady and is the town's main road, allowing connection to Mysore, Karnataka. The road to Mysore through Nagarhole National Park has been declared a National Highway by the central government; it is parallel to the Kabini River ,night travel in this road is regulated so that the road is closed from 6PM to 6AM. The highway goes from Kainatty (at the junction of NH 212[766]) to Mysore via Bavali, Jayapura.[2] Another road permits access to Gonikoppal, Kodagu district, 60 km (37 mi) away via Kartikulam, Tholpetty forest, Kutta and Ponnampet.[3]

Climate

Climate data for Mananthavady, Kerala
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 27.2
(81.0)
29.0
(84.2)
30.6
(87.1)
30.4
(86.7)
29.4
(84.9)
25.8
(78.4)
24.4
(75.9)
24.9
(76.8)
25.9
(78.6)
26.7
(80.1)
26.6
(79.9)
26.5
(79.7)
27.3
(81.1)
Average low °C (°F) 16.7
(62.1)
18.0
(64.4)
19.6
(67.3)
20.7
(69.3)
20.9
(69.6)
19.8
(67.6)
19.4
(66.9)
19.4
(66.9)
19.3
(66.7)
19.4
(66.9)
18.6
(65.5)
17.0
(62.6)
19.1
(66.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 3
(0.1)
9
(0.4)
20
(0.8)
101
(4.0)
186
(7.3)
515
(20.3)
1,096
(43.1)
565
(22.2)
211
(8.3)
203
(8.0)
82
(3.2)
19
(0.7)
3,010
(118.4)
Source: Climate-Data.org[4]

See also

References

  1. http://lsgkerala.in/mananthavadypanchayat/
  2. "Centre Agrees to Upgrade 1,656km of State and National Highways". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  3. P. P.Chandran (April 2003). "Wayanad District" (PDF). District Handbooks of Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram: Department of Information and Public Relations, Government of Kerala. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2011. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  4. "Climate: Mananthavady", Climate-Data.org. Web: .
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