Mannarkkad
Mannarkkad, formerly known as Mannarghat, is a town in the Palakkad district of Kerala State, South India. It is the headquarters of Mannarkkad Taluk, and is one of the largest revenue Taluks in Kerala. It is situated 40 km north-east of the district headquarters Palakkad, on the way to Kozhikode (NH 213) and in the foothills of the Western Ghats. Silent Valley (a tropical evergreen rain forest with an unbroken evolutionary history of 50 million years) is only 35 km from Mannarkkad.The Mannarkkad gram panchayat comprises of the Mannarkad-I village. The Mannarkkad Taluk, consisting 25 villages, is the first fully computerized Revenue Taluk office, designed as India's first Paperless Government office. All land revenue administrative works are being carried out through on line software called Taluk Suite and Village Suite. Sri A Unnikrishnan is the present Tahsildar of Mannarkkad Taluk.Mannarkkad has memories of the invasion of Tippu Sultan and Mopila riot. In 1921, hundreds of people lost their lives. The former Ruler/Desavazhi of Mannarkkad is known as 'Mannarkkadu Muppil Nair'. He was a 'Samantha' under 'Valluvakonathiri' of Valluvanadu. The famous novel 'PONNI' written by Malayatoor Ramakrishnan, is based on the 'Adivasis' of Mannarkkadu. The Sandalwood smuggler 'Veerappan' used 'Shiruvani Forests' of Mannarkkadu Muppil Nairs as his shelter.
