Wayanad is a district with administrative headquarters in the municipality of Kalpetta in the north-east of Kerala state. It is located high on the Western Ghats with altitudes of between 700 and 2100 metres. The district was established as the 12th district in Kerala on 1 November 1980, by carving out areas from the districts of Kozhikode and Kannur. Approximately 885.92 sq.km of district land is under forest. The district of Wayanad is bordered by Karnataka on the north and north-east, Tamil Nadu on the southeast, Malappuram on the south, Kozhikode on the south-west and Kannur on the north-west. Pulpally in Wayanad boasts of Kerala's only Lava-Kusha temple, and Vythiri has Kerala's only mirror temple which is a Jain temple. Ambukuthi Mala's edicts and caves and other evidence indicate that the place is as old as the beginning of the New Age Civilisation.
History: Historians believe that in those parts the human settlements existed at least ten centuries before Christ. Most evidence of the culture of the New Stone Age can be seen in the present Wayanad district in the hills. The Edakkal Caves have Neolithic period rock engravings, which are 6000 years old. This district's known history is only available as from the 18th century. In ancient times the Rajas of the Veda tribe ruled this region. In the 11th century A.D., North Canara Kadamba dynasty dethroned Gangas from Bayalnad. Around that time Wayanad was divided into two parts-Bira Bayalnad and Chagi Bayalnad. One of the Mysore inscriptions says 'this storeyed palace, the double Bayalnad, was an adulteress with black wave waves, as an adulteress with a full-moon crown, an adulteress with endless side-glances, an adulteress with an adorned slim figure. Kadamba Bayalnad emerged as a rule in the 11th century under their ruler Raviyammarasa with Kirttipura in their capital Punnad. Kanthirava (1090 CE) has been identified as Chagi-Bayalnad Ruling. Iravi-Challamma (1108 CE), Bira-Bayalnad ruler.
Tribes in Wayanad: With 8 scheduled tribes including Adiyan, Paniyan, Mullukkurman, Kurichyan, Vettakkuruman Wayanad Kadar, Kattuniakkan and Thachaanadan Mooppan, the Wayanad have the largest tribal population in Kerala. There are a variety of symbolic oral traditions in those cultures.
Agriculture is the core of the district's economy. Many of the District lands are used for agricultural purposes. More than half of its population was engaged in farming to make a living. The district's major agricultural crops are coffee, tea, cocoa, pepper, plantain, vanilla, rice, coconut, cardamom, tea, ginger, and more. Wayanad is renowned for the production of their rice. The district's two rice namely Wayanad Jeerakasala rice and Wayanad Gandhakasala rice have their own distinct properties. Cattle-farming is another source of economy in the district. The tourism sector of the district is very developed and every year a huge chunk of revenue comes from this sector helps in its economy to a great extent.
History: Historians believe that in those parts the human settlements existed at least ten centuries before Christ. Most evidence of the culture of the New Stone Age can be seen in the present Wayanad district in the hills. The Edakkal Caves have Neolithic period rock engravings, which are 6000 years old. This district's known history is only available as from the 18th century. In ancient times the Rajas of the Veda tribe ruled this region. In the 11th century A.D., North Canara Kadamba dynasty dethroned Gangas from Bayalnad. Around that time Wayanad was divided into two parts-Bira Bayalnad and Chagi Bayalnad. One of the Mysore inscriptions says 'this storeyed palace, the double Bayalnad, was an adulteress with black wave waves, as an adulteress with a full-moon crown, an adulteress with endless side-glances, an adulteress with an adorned slim figure. Kadamba Bayalnad emerged as a rule in the 11th century under their ruler Raviyammarasa with Kirttipura in their capital Punnad. Kanthirava (1090 CE) has been identified as Chagi-Bayalnad Ruling. Iravi-Challamma (1108 CE), Bira-Bayalnad ruler.
Tribes in Wayanad: With 8 scheduled tribes including Adiyan, Paniyan, Mullukkurman, Kurichyan, Vettakkuruman Wayanad Kadar, Kattuniakkan and Thachaanadan Mooppan, the Wayanad have the largest tribal population in Kerala. There are a variety of symbolic oral traditions in those cultures.
Agriculture is the core of the district's economy. Many of the District lands are used for agricultural purposes. More than half of its population was engaged in farming to make a living. The district's major agricultural crops are coffee, tea, cocoa, pepper, plantain, vanilla, rice, coconut, cardamom, tea, ginger, and more. Wayanad is renowned for the production of their rice. The district's two rice namely Wayanad Jeerakasala rice and Wayanad Gandhakasala rice have their own distinct properties. Cattle-farming is another source of economy in the district. The tourism sector of the district is very developed and every year a huge chunk of revenue comes from this sector helps in its economy to a great extent.