Palode is a town in Thiruvananthapuram district in the Indian state of Kerala.[1][2] Palode town is 35 km (22 mi) from Thiruvananthapuram city and 17 km (11 mi) from Nedumangad municipality. Thenmala Dam is 38 km (24 mi) from Palode, and the Ponmudi hills are 35 km. Palode is on the Thiruvananthapuram-Thenmala-Shenkottai State Highway 2 (Kerala). Tenkasi is 75 km (47 mi) from Palode.
Palode is surrounded by the Western Ghats and is a gateway for tourism destinations. Places of interest and tourism near Palode include Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute,[3][4] Mankayam Ecotourism,[5] Brimore Tourism, and Lower Meenmutty Hydel Tourism Centre Nanniyode.[6] Brimore[7] is 11 km (6.8 mi) away and has a tea estate and plantations.
Palode's population in 2023 was estimated to be 18,205. It had a population of 14,922 in 2011,[8] with 7,005 males and 7,917 females. Tht total female population was 53.1%. Scheduled Tribe population was 4.2%. Scheduled caste population was 10.1%. The total literacy rate was 84.3% (2011). The working population of Palode was 38.8%.
Palode was once a stronghold of the Venad empire, a medieval kingdom that exerted much dominance in the region. However, the onset of the colonial era saw the once-mighty empire splinter into four provinces, namely Chirava, Tripappor, Ilayidam (Kottarakara), and Perakam (also called Nedumangad).
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Palode is located at 8.7033N 77.0264E. It is 35 km (22 mi) northeast from Thiruvananthapuram city. It is a small hamlet on the foothills of the Western Ghats covered by rubber plantations and forest. Vamanapuram river passes through Palode. The town is surrounded by Peringammala, Nanniyode and Pangode Panchayath.
Palode is well connected to major cities in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Thiruvananthapuram-Thenmala SH-2 passes through Palode. Kerala state road transport corporation has a bus depot in Palode connecting major towns and villages in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam District. Thiruvananthapuram is 35 km (22 mi), Kollam is 66 km (41 mi) and Tenkasi is 75 km (47 mi) away. The main places near Palode are Madathara (13 km (8.1 mi)), Kallara (17 km (11 mi)), Vithura (14 km (8.7 mi)) and Kulathupuzha (28 km (17 mi)). Palode can be reached by roads from most parts of Kerala. MC Road (State Highway 1) is connected by Karette-Kallara-Palode bus route.[1]
The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV), 35 km (22 mi)away. Cochin International Airport is 225 km (140 mi)away.
There is a helipad in Palode.[9]
No railway lines pass through Palode. In phase 3 of the proposed Sabari railway line, there will be a station in Palode. Nearest railway stations near Palode are:
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Mankayam is about 45 km (28 mi) northeast of Thiruvananthapuram City, 11 km (6.8 mi) from Palode on the way to Brimore. Mankayam is a popular eco-tourism spot in Kerala.[citation needed] From the hill ranges of Chemunchi the Chittar River flows down through the forest, creating a tributary in the form of the Mankayam River. The picturesque milky cascades are the major tourist attractions at Mankayam. Among the two waterfalls are the Kalakayam and Kurissadi which are among the biggest waterfalls in southern Kerala. The state forest department offers exclusive trekking options.[citation needed]
Brimore Marigold Estate is a 900-acre tea, rubber and coffee estate 13 km (8.1 mi) from Palode established by the British in 1880.
Brimore is one of the best trekking spots in Kerala and lies at a height of 300 metres (980 ft) above sea level. The forest checkpost at Mankayam waterfalls requires a payment of Rs 25 per vehicle. Attractions near Brimore include:
The lower Meenmutty Hydel Tourism centre is 4 km (2.5 mi) from Palode in Meenmutty and is related to Lower Meenmutty dam. The lower Meenmutty Hydel Tourism project is the only project working under KSEB in southern Kerala.
The center is surrounded by forest, on the shores of the Vamanapuram river. Boating is a common activity here.[citation needed] Another attraction is the garden. Lower Meenmutty Hydel tourism centre has an amusement zone for children, pedal boats and slow boats. There is a small dam in lower Meenmutty Hydel.[citation needed]
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Palode has a climate that lies on the border between a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) and a tropical monsoon climate (Am). As a result, its only distinct seasons relate to rainfall rather than temperature. The mean maximum temperature is 34 °C (93 °F) and the mean minimum temperature is 21 °C (70 °F). The humidity is high and rises to about 75% during the monsoon season. Palode has south-west monsoons and gets its first showers in early June. The city receives heavy rainfall of around 1,827 mm (71.9 in) per year. Palode gets rain from the receding north-east monsoons which hit the October. The dry season sets in by December. The lowest temperature recorded in the city core was 17.8 °C (64.0 °F) on 6 January 1974 and the highest temperature was 38.0 °C (100.4 °F) on 4 April 2007.
| Climate data, Palode (1981–2010, extremes 1901–2012) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 35.8
(96.4) |
36.3
(97.3) |
37.7
(99.9) |
38.0
(100.4) |
35.8
(96.4) |
35.8
(96.4) |
33.7
(92.7) |
34.0
(93.2) |
35.4
(95.7) |
35.2
(95.4) |
34.3
(93.7) |
35.5
(95.9) |
38.0
(100.4) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 34.4
(93.9) |
34.8
(94.6) |
35.4
(95.7) |
35.1
(95.2) |
34.6
(94.3) |
32.8
(91.0) |
32.1
(89.8) |
32.3
(90.1) |
33.0
(91.4) |
32.8
(91.0) |
33.1
(91.6) |
34.1
(93.4) |
35.9
(96.6) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 32.4
(90.3) |
32.8
(91.0) |
33.5
(92.3) |
33.3
(91.9) |
32.6
(90.7) |
30.4
(86.7) |
30.1
(86.2) |
30.3
(86.5) |
30.9
(87.6) |
30.9
(87.6) |
31.0
(87.8) |
32.0
(89.6) |
31.7
(89.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.4
(81.3) |
27.8
(82.0) |
28.9
(84.0) |
29.2
(84.6) |
28.9
(84.0) |
27.1
(80.8) |
26.7
(80.1) |
26.9
(80.4) |
27.2
(81.0) |
27.2
(81.0) |
27.1
(80.8) |
27.3
(81.1) |
27.6
(81.7) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 22.3
(72.1) |
22.9
(73.2) |
24.3
(75.7) |
25.1
(77.2) |
25.1
(77.2) |
23.8
(74.8) |
23.3
(73.9) |
23.4
(74.1) |
23.5
(74.3) |
23.5
(74.3) |
23.2
(73.8) |
22.6
(72.7) |
23.6
(74.5) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 20.2
(68.4) |
20.9
(69.6) |
22.1
(71.8) |
23.0
(73.4) |
22.6
(72.7) |
22.0
(71.6) |
21.7
(71.1) |
21.8
(71.2) |
22.1
(71.8) |
22.1
(71.8) |
21.6
(70.9) |
20.3
(68.5) |
19.7
(67.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 17.8
(64.0) |
18.1
(64.6) |
20.2
(68.4) |
20.3
(68.5) |
20.1
(68.2) |
20.0
(68.0) |
20.2
(68.4) |
18.2
(64.8) |
20.8
(69.4) |
20.1
(68.2) |
18.9
(66.0) |
18.2
(64.8) |
17.8
(64.0) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 19.9
(0.78) |
23.7
(0.93) |
32.8
(1.29) |
123.0
(4.84) |
191.6
(7.54) |
305.7
(12.04) |
189.4
(7.46) |
135.7
(5.34) |
182.9
(7.20) |
281.2
(11.07) |
216.3
(8.52) |
58.8
(2.31) |
1,761.1
(69.33) |
| Average rainy days | 0.9 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 6.9 | 8.6 | 16.3 | 13.6 | 9.7 | 9.2 | 12.0 | 10.0 | 3.3 | 94.7 |
| Average relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST) | 64 | 63 | 66 | 73 | 75 | 80 | 79 | 77 | 77 | 80 | 78 | 69 | 73 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 260.4 | 248.6 | 254.2 | 201.0 | 192.2 | 129.0 | 136.4 | 164.3 | 180.0 | 173.6 | 165.0 | 217.0 | 2,321.7 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 8.4 | 8.8 | 8.2 | 6.7 | 6.2 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 7.0 | 6.4 |
| Source 1: India Meteorological Department (sun 1971–2000) | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Tokyo Climate | |||||||||||||
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Local hospitals and clinics include:
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Most of Palode's economy comes from retail. There are small and big retail shops around Palode. Timber and Wood related business, and tourism are other major parts of the local economy.
Palode is predominantly an agriculture-dependent area and most of the people are directly or indirectly involved in agriculture for their livelihood. With the spread of rubber cultivations in the 1970s and 1980s in the eastern regions of Kerala, farmers of Palode quickly moved over from coconut and paddy cultivation to rubber, attracted by its high return on investment. In the 1990s, a lot of village youth traveled to the Middle East countries in search of jobs. Now, many adults from the village are working abroad and, therefore, remittance is also a good source of income. The flow of remittance has resulted in an increase in the number of concrete buildings, replacing the old thatched and tiled houses.
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The Palode Mela started as a livestock fair named "Kaala Chantha" in 1962, and transformed into a Grameen Mela held for 10 days. It is now the national fest of south Kerala, celebrated in February. More than 50,000 people visit the mela per every year. When the period of cattle rolled the economic position of society, before the time of globalisation and economic liberation, the farmers started this mela as a trade fair.[clarification needed]
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