Formed in the year 1980 on November 1st, Wayanad is a district in north-east Kerala. It was formed as Kerala’s 12th district. It’s the only district in Kerala that borders both the neighbouring states, Karnataka (Mysore, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu (also known as Coorg) districts) and Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris district).Kalpetta is the district headquarters. Wayanad has three municipal towns, Kalpetta, Sulthan Bathery and Mananthavady. Unlike all other districts in Kerala, Wayanad has no town named after it. That is, there is no Wayanad town. Wayanad district is located in the southern tip of the Deccan Plateau on the Western Ghats at an altitude ranging from 700m to 2,100m. This region was earlier known as Meyakshetra or Maya’s Land. Later, it evolved into Mayanad and then, finally into Wayanad. Folk etymology says that Wayanad evolved from “Vayal Nadu” wherein, “Vayal” meaning ‘paddy field’ and “Nadu” meaning ‘land’. The words together meant ‘the land of paddy fields’.This district is the least populous district in Kerala with the largest number of tribal population. The major parts of this district are covered with thick forests. Therefore, it has many scenic places that attract many.
Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 1973 is 16 km away from Sulthan Bathery. Connecting the Bandipur and Nagarhole parks in Karnataka; and Mudualai in Tamil Nadu, this 345 square kilometre rainforest is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. This Wildlife Sanctuary mainly consists of four major ranges. They are Sulthan Bathery, Kurichiat, Tholpetty and Muthanga. This Sanctuary is now an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
Kuruva Dweep or Kuruva Island is a 950-acre uninhabited island covered with dense and evergreen forests. This island lies on one of the tributaries of river Kabani in the Wayanad district of Kerala. Kuruva Dweep is about 15 km from Manathavady and 58 km from Sulthan Batheri. Kuruva Dweep, being uninhabited and covered with dense and evergreen forests, is home to some rare species of flora and fauna.
Located 16km from Sulthan Bathery, the Edakkal Caves are situated on top of the Ambukuthi Mala or Ambukuthi hills. One has to trek up the Ambukuthi Mala to reach the cave. The structure of Edakkal Caves is such that a big rock got wedged between two bigger rocks to form a cave. Thus, from the cave structure was the name Edakkal Caves was derived which means stone in between (“edai” meaning in between and “kal” meaning stone).
Located near the town of Meppady in the Wayanad district of Kerala is Chembra peak. Rising 2,050 meters above the sea level, Chembra peak is the highest peak in Wayanad. It is visible from almost all parts of Wayanad. Chembra peak can be accessed by foot from Meppady. Chembra pond, a heart shaped pond on the way to the peak is a major tourist attraction. Chembra pond is believed never to have dried up. This pond is also known as ‘Hridhayathadakam’.
Ambukuthi Mala or Ambukuthi Hills as it is also called is a famous hill range in the Wayanad district of Kerala. This principal hill range is located near Ambalavayal, which is 10 km from Sulthan Batheri. The famous Edakkal caves are situated on these hills at a height of about 1,000 meters above sea level. The cave and the surrounding 50 cents of land were acquired by the government and were declared as protected monument on 04-07-1985.
Thirunelli Temple is located about 32 km away from Manathavady, at the base of the Brahmagiri hills. The Brahmagiri Hills are a part of Sahyadri Ranges situated at the borders of Karnataka and so, can be easily accessed from Kutta in Karnataka. Thirunelli Temple is at an altitude of about 900 meters and is surrounded by mountains and forests. The temple, dedicated to Lord Maha Vishnu has many legends surrounding it and is a major pilgrim centre from the earlier times.
Located at the foot of Banasura hill, Banasura Sagar Dam encloses the water from Karamanathodu tributary of the Kabini River. This dam is located at about 21 km from Kalpetta in the Wayanad district of Kerala. The dam was a part of the Indian Banasurasagar Project which was started in 1979. The project consisted of a dam and a canal projects. This project was undertaken with major goals like supporting the Kakkayam Hydroelectric power project and also to satisfy the need of water for irrigation and drinking purposes.
The Jain Temple is just 2 km from Sulthan Bathery in the Wayanad district of Kerala. Built entirely of stones, this temple was constructed in Jain architecture. This temple shows strong influence of the Vijayanagar architecture. A major feature, which makes this temple a unique one, is that no amount of wood was used for its construction. The temple, believed to have been constructed sometime during the 13th century indicates the presence of a Jain colony at the time.
Located on the Ooty main road in the Wayanad district of Kerala, Meenmutty Waterfalls is about 29 km away from Kalpetta. This waterfall is the largest waterfall in Wayanad and the second largest one in Kerala. This waterfall has a height of 300 metres and has the most spectacular and unspoiled natural setting. An interesting aspect of this waterfall is that it’s a three-tier waterfall. The water dropping from 1,000 feet flows through three layers.
Pakshipathalam, lying in the Brahmagiri hill range is the abode of birds. As the name suggests, a wide variety of bird species can be found here. Pakshipathalam is located 1,740 metres above sea level and is very close to Therunelli temple in the Wayanad district of Kerala. One can reach Pakshipathalam only through trekking. Pakshipathalam is 7 km from Thirunelli, which is 32 km from Manathavady in Wayanad. One can avail local busses from Manathavady and reach Thirunelli.
Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary is located at about 24 km from Mananthavadi and 59 km from Kalpetta. This wildlife sanctuary is blessed abundantly with rich flora and fauna. The best time to visit the Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary is between the months, November to May. This wildlife sanctuary contains a large number of animals which include elephants, deer, jungle cat, bison, etc. This wildlife sanctuary also contains tigers. But, their sightings are difficult as they are present deep within the dense forests.