Malampuzha

Malampuzha, a part of Palakkad district in Kerala is located on the foothills of the Western Ghats and has a tremendous amount of dense, green foliage to enjoy. The beautiful green foliage of this place creates a serene and almost surreal experience for everyone who visits here. 

One of the biggest draws to this particular city is an irrigation dam that was built in 1955. This irrigation dam allows this city to take advantage of its beautiful setting. It helps to irrigate the landscape making it remain green at all times. This reservoir also adds to the water activities that are possible in the area. Tourists are drawn to this area for its natural beauty and relaxing atmosphere. 

A wide variety of amusement opportunities exist in Malampuzha, thus it has become one of the finest places to visit in India. No matter what activities you are looking to participate in, Malampuzha can deliver.

If you are drawn to breathtaking views, this gem of a city has plenty such sights to offer, thanks to the greenery as well as the Ghats themselves. If you want to experience some exotic animals, this area can provide you with that possibility. Water activities and relaxing gardens are also possible in the area. 
Location: 10 km from Palakkad town, North Kerala. 
Attractions: Dam, amusement park, boating facilities, rock garden and ropeway.

Malampuzha, a little township on the foothills of the Western Ghats takes its name from the River Malampuzha. Nurtured by this tributary of Kerala's longest river, the Bharathappuzha, Malampuzha is a lush green town is a major tourist attraction for its trekking trails and the large irrigation dam.

Around the reservoir of the dam are beautiful gardens and amusement parks. Boating facilities are available on the lake. Other attractions in the Malampuzha garden are the beautiful rock garden, the fish-shaped aquarium, the snake park, the ropeway which takes you on an aerial tour of the park, and the gigantic Yakshi (an enchantress) sculptured by Kanai Kunhiraman, a renowned sculptor of Kerala.

The most interesting feature of the rock garden is that the whole place is made of unwanted and broken pieces of bangles, tiles, used plastic cans, tins and other waste materials. The garden is a master work of sculptor Padmasree Neck Chand Saini. His rock garden in Chandigarh is world famous and attracts thousands of tourists every year.

Getting there:

Nearest railway station: Palakkad.
Nearest airport: Coimbatore, about 55 km from Palakkad town

:: Topography Topographically the district can be divided into two regions: the low land comprising the midland and the high land formed by the hilly portion. The soil is laterite in the hill and mid regions. Midland soil is thick with Coconut, Areca nut, Cashew, Pepper, Rubber and Paddy cultivation in abundance..

:: ClimateThe district has a humid climate with a very hot season extending from March to June in the Western part of the district; whereas it is less humid in the Eastern sector. The maximum amount of rains occurs during the South West Monsoon, which sets in the 2nd week of June and extends up to September. About 75% of the annual rain is received during the south west monsoon period. During the period from December to May, practically no rain is received. The temperature of the district ranges from 20 C to 45 C. :: Language The language spoken by the people of the district is Malayalam; but Tamil which is next in importance is also common among the people in Chittur Taluk and Palakkad Taluk. Nearly 25 percent of the people speak Tamil and have it as their mother tongue. Konkani,Tulu and Kannada speaking families are also occasionally seen in the district. :: How to get there By air The nearest airport is Coimbatore, 55 km away. To the south is Cochin Airport,160 km away. Trivandrum International Airport is 382 km away. By rail Palakkad Junction Railway Station, 5 km from the city, is a major railhead of the Southern Railways By road Palakkad is connected by good motorable roads to all the major towns of Kerala and neighbouring Tamil Nadu. There are long-distance KSRTC bus services to/from Trichur, Guruvayoor, Cochin , Calicut , Kottayam and Trivandrum . Inter-state services, including those of the Tamil Nadu government's Thiruvalluvar Transport Corporation operate buses from Chennai,Madurai,Trichy,Ooty,Palani and Pollachi daily.. :: Attractions Malampuzha Garden  The Malampuzha Garden known as the Vrindavan of Kerala, exudes the charm and harmony of nature with a perfect synchronization of the grandeur of the mountains blending with the serenity of rivers. The lush green lawns, innumerable flower beds, glittering pools, fountains and avenues spur the rosyness of one's mind. The reservoir & Garden House The reservoir offers amusement facilities for boating and fishing. The Garden House has a unit of water sports. Pedalboats, rowboats, water scooters and motorboats can be hired from 10.00 -18.00 hrs. The well maintained swimming pool is closed on Tuesdays. Aquarium & Snake Park A fish shaped fresh water aquarium, a snake park and a children's park with a toy train, await to amuse and delight the children. The Road Train  The Road Train for amusement ride on wheels takes one through the vast expanse of the Malampuzha Garden and its vicinity. Japanese Garden  A small garden constructed in the Japanese style gives a touch of exotic charm to the landscape. So does the hanging bridge across the river. Passenger Ropeway  The Passenger ropeway, the first of its kind in South India , offers an adventurous and delightful air journey of 20 minutes across the gardens, giving a soul stirring view of the gardens and the distant hills that kiss the heavens and the blue strip of the reservoir. Telescopic Tower The telescopic tower in the garden provides a terrestrial view of up to 40 miles. Thread Garden  This is a marvellous and astounding work of art created by years of hard work by several labourers, using only embroidery colour threads without the aid of needles or any special devices. The Thread Garden has an abundant collection of charming life-like models of plants and flowers exquisitely arranged and housed in a large indoor glass chamber built very close to the Fantasy Park. Rock Garden The first rock garden that emerged from the Master creator Padmashree Nek Chand of Chandigarh , in South India is at Malampuzha.The most interesting feature in the making of this wonder garden is that the whole place is made of unwanted and broken pieces of bangles, tiles, used plastic cans, tins and other waste materials. Fantasy park The Fantasy Park at Malampuzha is modelled after Appu Ghar of Delhi and Essel World of Bombay and is the first amusement Park of Kerala.The Park has thrilling rides over 8 acres of beautiful landscape with gardens and fountains. There is a hygienic restaurant and ice cream parlour within the park. The water merry-go-round, striking car, paratrooper, pirate boat, dragon coaster, tora tora, mini tele combat, jumping horse, scooter ride, caterpillar, etc are a few among the entertainment options at this fun world. The park is located in the enchanting backdrop of the mountain ranges of Malampuzha with the majestic mountain peaks of the Western Ghats overlooking it.The park, developed by Neo Tech Amusements and Resorts (P) Ltd bagged the award for "Best Innovative Tourism Product in the State - 1998" instituted by Kerala Tourism. The park is said to entertain on an average one thousand visitors a day. Sculpture of YakshiAnother item of interest in the park is the imposing concrete sculpture of yakshi, done by the renowned Kanai Kunhiraman.This noted sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman has been awarded the Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram for the year 2005, instituted by the State Government for Malayali artists for their contributions to painting and sculpture. Mr. Kunhiraman is the first sculptor to be presented with this award. His works include the famous `Yakshi and `Nandi statues at Malampuzha in Palakkad, `Sagara Kanyaka at Shankhumukhom in Thiruvananthapuram, `Tamil Woman in Artist Village , Cholamandalam, Chennai, and statues at Veli Tourist Village , Thiruvananthapuram. He is also credited with designing a majority of statuettes for well-knownHe also has given shape to bronze statues of numerous leading personalities of history including Sri Narayana Guru, Sri Chitra Tirunal, Pattom Thanu Pillai, Mannathu Padmanabhan, Vikram Sarabhai, Dr. Palpu, Mamman Mappila, E.M.S. Namboodiripad and Rabindranath Tagore.