Idukki
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Idukki (ഇടുക്കി; इडुक्की ) is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala in the southwest of the country. Its headquarter is Painavu. It is the largest district in Kerala and lies amid the Cardamom Hills of Western Ghats in Kerala.
Variants
Etymology
The name Idukki was derived from the Malayalam word ‘Idukk’, which means gorge.[1]
Location
Geography
The Idukki district forms a high altitude plateau with rugged mountainous terrain, several river valleys and deep gorges. The entire northern part of the district forms a sub plateau higher than the rest of the district, this region includes the tallest peaks like Anamudi and includes the areas around Munnar, Pallivasal, Kanthalloor, Vattavada and Mankulam. The Pambar river valley (Marayoor, Keezhanthoor) forms an eastern sloping rain shadow region of the Western Ghats. The eastern frontier of the district (Kumily, Kattapana, Nedumkandam, Rajakumari and Ramakkalmedu) constitutes the Cardamon hills. The western part of the district is covered by forests and hills bordering the eastern regions of Ernakulam and Kottayam district like Neriyamangalam, Vannapuram, Thommankuthu, Moolamattom, Vagamon and Kuttikanam. Places like Thodupuzha, Koothattukulam, Udumbanoor and Muttom are situated in the semi elevated Thodupuzha River plains with scattered hills. The Periyar river basin in the district which includes Vandiperiyar, Ayyapankoil, Rajakkad, Idukki, Cheruthoni and Adimaly is an elevated plateau crisscrossed by river valleys and lies between the high peaks of the western and eastern parts of the district. The southern region is entirely covered with the forests of the Periyar National Park.
Anamudi and Meesapulimala, the two highest peaks in India south of the Himalayas, are located in Idukki district. Anamudi is situated in the Kuttampuzha Panchayat of Adimali Block in the Kannan Devan Hills village of Devikulam taluk. Thirteen other peaks in the district exceed a height of 2,000 m (6,600 ft). Periyar, Thodupuzhayar, Muthirappuzhayar, and Thalayar are the important rivers of the district. Idukki Dam, Asia's largest arch dam, is located in the Idukki Township. The dam is located at the point where the Periyar flows through the gorge formed between two high and massive rocks known as 'Kuravan' and 'Kurathi'.
The district was constituted on 26 January 1972, by taking Peerumade, Udumbanchola, Devikulam taluks of the former High Range division from Kottayam district and the Thodupuzha taluk from Ernakulam district.[7] Its division was previously headquartered at Kottayam city but moved to Kuyilimala near Painavu and Cheruthoni in June 1976. Malayalam and English are the two official administrative languages in the district.[3] Tamil is the second most spoken language in Idukki district after Malayalam.[8]
Around 66% of Kerala's power needs come from various Hydroelectric Power Projects in Idukki district. Numerous cash crops and spices are cultivated throughout the district, making it The Spice Garden of Kerala. A significant area in the district is protected as reserved forests and wildlife sanctuaries. The Periyar River is a major river that originates and flows through Idukki. The Pamba River is another important river that originates from Idukki district.
Though it is the largest district in the region in terms of area, it has the lowest population density among the districts of Kerala. There are only two municipalities in the district and the urban population is comparatively much lower than the rural population, due to its mountainous nature. The 2,695 metres (8,842 ft) high peak of Anamudi, which is also the highest point of elevation in India outside the Himalayas, lies in the northern portion of the district of Idukki. The Idukki Dam is one of the highest arch dams in Asia.
The major tourism destination of Idukki is Munnar.
History
A perfect blend of the Malayali, the Tamil and various tribal cultures is found in the Idukki district.[2] The temples and other older buildings in the High Range and the surrounding regions in Idukki have significant influences from the medieval era Tamil-Pandyan architectural styles.[3] The mountain passes like Bodinayakkanur (connecting various mountain ranges) and Cumbum (which connects the eastern Tamil country with Thodupuzha) have facilitated trade and travel between the Tamil-Pandyan country which lied to east of the Western Ghats and various Kerala kingdoms west of it during the medieval period.[4]
Periyar, the longest river in Kerala, has its source of origin and major portion of its route of flow, in the Idukki district.[5]
Pamba, the third-longest river in Kerala, also has its origin in the district of Idukki.[6]
During the Travancore Era, Munnar has acted as the summer residence of the British residents in Travancore. Higher peaks like Anamudi on the eastern border of the Idukki district have acted as a natural boundary between the Malayalam kingdoms and the contemporary Tamil kingdoms in the past, thereby reducing invasions into the region from the neighbouring Tamil country as well as from other parts of the Indian peninsula. [7]
The 17th century Dutch work, Hortus Malabaricus, contains information about the flora and fauna of the region at that time.[8]
इडुक्की
इडुक्की ज़िला भारत के केरल राज्य का एक ज़िला है। ज़िले का मुख्यालय पाइनावु है। सन् 2018 मेंं केरल मेंं सौ साल की सबसे भीषण बाढ़ आयी थी, जिसमेंं इडुक्की जिला सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित हुआ था। इस जिले की सीमा समुद्र तट से नहींं लगती हैं। ज़िले का अधिकतर भूक्षेत्र पश्चिमी घाट में स्थित है और इसका अधिकांश भाग वन से ढका हुआ है।
External links
References
- ↑ https://idukki.nic.in/en/history/
- ↑ Sreedhara Menon, A. (January 2007). Kerala Charitram (in Malayalam) (2007 ed.). Kottayam: DC Books. ISBN 9788126415885.
- ↑ Sreedhara Menon, A. (January 2007). Kerala Charitram (in Malayalam) (2007 ed.). Kottayam: DC Books. ISBN 9788126415885.
- ↑ Sreedhara Menon, A. (January 2007). Kerala Charitram (in Malayalam) (2007 ed.). Kottayam: DC Books. ISBN 9788126415885.
- ↑ Sreedhara Menon, A. (January 2007). Kerala Charitram (in Malayalam) (2007 ed.). Kottayam: DC Books. ISBN 9788126415885.
- ↑ Sreedhara Menon, A. (January 2007). Kerala Charitram (in Malayalam) (2007 ed.). Kottayam: DC Books. ISBN 9788126415885.
- ↑ Sreedhara Menon, A. (January 2007). Kerala Charitram (in Malayalam) (2007 ed.). Kottayam: DC Books. ISBN 9788126415885.
- ↑ Sreedhara Menon, A. (January 2007). Kerala Charitram (in Malayalam) (2007 ed.). Kottayam: DC Books. ISBN 9788126415885.