Kasaragod Kerala

Take a trip to the land of forts, rivers, hills and beautiful sea shores. Kasargod lies in the northernmost  region of the state of Kerala, and is spread in an area of about 1992 sq. km. This enchanting spot is surrounded by the Arabian Sea in the west and the Western Ghats in the East. The place is nurtured by coconut palms, rolling grassy hills and crystal clear rivers flowing into the sea. Kasargod consists of 11 rivers out of 44 of the whole state (Kerala). It is very rich in water, forests and mineral resources, and holds great historical significance.

Major Attractions

Bekal Fort is a major attraction of the place. It is 11 km. from Kasargod city and is the biggest fort of Kerala. This giant fort is in designed in the shape of a keyhole. It is surrounded by beaches and backwaters, so you can enjoy a boat cruise and other water sports near the fort. You can also watch the exotic Arabian Sea from its tall observation towers.  The fort was built by the rulers of the ancient Kadampa dynasty, but it has witnessed the kingdoms of the Kolathiri Rajas, the Vijayanagar empire, Tipu Sultan and the British East India Company as well.

The famous Madiyan Kulom temple is also a good place to visit. It is situated in Ajanur village in Kasargod district. The temple is devoted to goddess Bhadrakali. There are some other deities also in the temple like Kshetrapalan, Bhagavathi and Bhairavan. The temple is decorated like a bride during festivals, i.e. during the months of Edavam (May, June) and Dhanu (December, January).

You can also visit the famous Ananthapura Lake Temple. This is the only lake temple in Kerala and the original seat of Ananthapadmanabha Swami (of Sri Padmanbha Swami Temple) Thiruvananthapuram. Ananthapura lake temple is 5 km. from Kumbla.

While visiting Kasargod, you should not miss the Chandragiri Fort. It is situated over the Chandragiri river. The fort was built in the 17th century by Sivappa Nayak of Bednore. Sivappa is still alive in the tales of the city, for having established his authority over the area and building a chain of forts. The Chandragiri river is the traditional boundary between Kerala and the Tuluva Kingdom. There is a beautiful bridge over the river at Thekkil.

Cheruvathur is an interesting tourist spot. It was the palace of illustrious poets and scholars of the Kuttamath Kunniyur family. You can also visit Edneer Mutt that belongs to the Sankaracharya tradition. Presently it is a famous art learning centre.

Kammatam Kavu is much visited for its evergreen forest range, spread over 50-60 acres of land. Take a safari ride in this forest range, it can be a marvelous experience.

Flora And Fauna

Kasargod district has a thick but non-uniform vegetation. The fauna category falls under the evergreen monsoon forest range. The soil here is loose and sandy. Plants are few and mostly provided with special xerophytic adaptations. You can find mangroves alongside the rivers and backwaters. Some areas also have open grass lands and medicinal plants.

Waterways flowing towards the Arabian Sea, are famous for rich marine life. Kasargod has about 24 species of mammals including elephants, wild bison, leopard, wild dogs, mongoose, pangoline, jungle cats, Malabar giant squirrels, flying squirrels, fox, porcupine, bonnet macaques, langur, leppard cats, deer, wild boar, slender loris, hares, squirrels, bats etc.

There is a wide variety of birds here. It is blessed with about 200 species of birds including great Indian horn bill, paradise flying catcher, green barbet, peacock, trogon, wood pegeon, malabar grey horn bill, white bellied tree pie, heart spotted wood pecker etc. There are reptiles,amphibians and about 100 species of butterflies as well.

Shopping

Kasargod is known for its coir, handlooms as well as Tobacco products.

Climate And Best Time To Go

The place is known to have a diverse climate. Its climate is classified as warm, humid and tropical. The average temperature lies between 23.6  to 31.2 degrees. The south west monsoon period starts towards the end of May or the beginning of June, and the North-East monsoon period is October-November. The weather is dry during December to February. March to May is the hottest season. The place is worth visiting in the months of August-March.

How To Go

The nearest airport is at Mangalore (50 km) while Kochi airport is 420 km.  Another airport is at Kozhikode (Karipur International Airport). Kasargod has its own railway station which is well connected with all the major parts of the state. One can easily get around by road or waterways.