Idukki district | |
|---|---|
      Clockwise from top: Sunrise atMunnar,Periyar National Park,Idukki Dam, Tea plantation onCardamom Hills,Mattupetty Dam, andAnamudi peak. | |
| Nickname: The Spice Garden of Kerala[1] | |
 Location inKerala | |
 Idukki district | |
| Coordinates:9°51′N76°56′E / 9.85°N 76.94°E /9.85; 76.94 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Kerala |
| Established | 1972 |
| Headquarters | Painavu |
| Subdivisions | : Taluks (5)
|
| Government | |
| • Collector | V Vigneshwari IAS[2][3] |
| • District Police Chief | Vishnu Pratheep T.K IPS |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,612 km2 (1,781 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 1st |
| Elevation | 1,200 m (3,900 ft) |
| Population (2018)[4] | |
• Total | 1,093,156 |
| • Density | 251/km2 (650/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English[5] |
| • Minority | Tamil |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-KL |
| Vehicle registration |
|
| HDI(2005) |  0.754[6] ( High) |
| Website | www |
Idukki district (ഇടുക്കി;IPA:[iɖukːi]ⓘ) is one of the14 districts in theIndian state ofKerala in the southwest of the country.[7][8] It is the largest district in Kerala and lies amid theCardamom Hills ofWestern Ghats in Kerala. Idukki district contains twomunicipal towns –Kattappana andThodupuzha, andfive taluks.
The district was constituted on 26 January 1972, by takingPeerumade,Udumbanchola,Devikulam taluks of the formerHigh Range division fromKottayam district and the Thodupuzha taluk fromErnakulam district.[9] Its division was previously headquartered atKottayam city but moved toKuyilimala nearPainavu andCheruthoni in June 1976.Malayalam and English are the two official administrative languages in the district.[5]Tamil is the second most spoken language in Idukki district after Malayalam.[10]
Around 66% of Kerala's power needs come from varioushydroelectric power projects in Idukki district.[1] Numerous cash crops and spices are cultivated throughout the district, making itThe Spice Garden of Kerala.[1]A significant area in the district is protected as reserved forests and wildlife sanctuaries.[1] ThePeriyar River is a major river that originates and flows through Idukki. ThePamba 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 thedistricts 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 ofAnamudi, which is also the highest point of elevation in India outside theHimalayas, lies in the northern portion of the district of Idukki.[11] TheIdukki Dam is one of the highestarch dams in Asia.[12]
The major tourism destination of Idukki isMunnar.
The name Idukki was derived from the Malayalam word ‘Idukk’, which meansgorge.[13]
A perfect blend of theMalayali, theTamil and various tribal cultures is found in the Idukki district.[14] 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.[14] The mountain passes likeBodinayakkanur (connecting various mountain ranges) andCumbum (which connects the eastern Tamil country withThodupuzha) have facilitated trade and travel between the Tamil-Pandyan country which lied to east of theWestern Ghats and variousKerala kingdoms west of it during the medieval period.[14]Periyar, the longest river in Kerala, has its source of origin and major portion of its route of flow, in the Idukki district.[14]Pamba, the third-longest river in Kerala, also has its origin in the district of Idukki.[14] During theTravancore Era,Munnar has acted as the summer residence of the British residents in Travancore. Higher peaks likeAnamudi on the eastern border of the Idukki district have acted as a natural boundary between theMalayalam 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.[14] The 17th century Dutch work,Hortus Malabaricus, contains information about the flora and fauna of the region at that time.[14]
Archaeological findings found from the district includedolmens of theNeolithic era in theMarayur area. They are locally known as "muniyara", derived frommuni (hermit orsage) andara (dolmen).[15]
Located on the highest point of elevation on thePeninsular India, theCardamom Hills and its surrounding regions were inhabited by human beings during theMegalithic age itself.[14] Numerous Megalithic monuments have been discovered from the mountainous regions of the district.[14] The remnants of numerousKodumkallaras andKallaras have been found from various places atMarayur inDevikulamtaluk.[14] Megalithic remnants ofKallaras andNadukkallus are also found at Kallarpattom colony inUdumbanchola taluk.[14] HugeKodumkallaras andNadukkallus were discovered from the excavation sites inVandiperiyar region as well.[14] The Megalithic monuments found from Idukki show numerous similarities with the contemporary remnants those discovered fromDeccan Plateau and other parts of theSouth India.[14] Usage of Iron was common in theMegalithic culture of Deccan.[14] Tribals are another culture that was established on the hills of Idukki after theStone Age culture. Although many of the social elements that existed in the Stone Age can be seen in the tribal culture here, the two groups represent two different periods. There is no clear evidence of where the Stone Age people went later. It is also thought that the mountain may have come down due to the weather and difficulties in living conditions. Tribal people found in Idukki areMannan,Muthuvan,Paliyan,Urali,Malayarayan,Malapulayan,Ulladan. According to those who have studied the oral forms and rituals associated with tribal culture, tribal life begins in Idukki in the period 13 – 15 BC.[16] Tribal people who were in contact withTamil culture came to Idukki, from present day Coimbatore, Madurai and Ramanathapuram districts, as evidenced by their language, customs and art forms. According to modern anthropologists, the aborigines here belong to the Proto-Australoid race. Many stories are popular about their (Idukki) mountain climbing. One is that they were given the position of forest chiefs as a reward for helping the Pandya Raja clan. At one point, they had to leaveMadurai and reached Idukki via Kumily via Gudalur inTamilakkam with the help of KingPoonjar. It is also believed that those who were appointed to collect forest products for the local kings settled down here over time. The tribal people here may have migrated here in search of better living facilities. As the number of families in each tribal village increases, a new community is created. The clothing used in the early days was wood made from crushed arayanjil. They also made musical instruments from animal skins. Adivasis have great ability to weave household items using reeds. They worshiped the forces of nature and trees. All the tribes had their own system of administration. The heads of the huts are known as Muppan or Kani depending on the caste. It is king among mannans. Urali are believed to be the first tribe to migrate to the hills of Idukki. Uralis still practice some practices of the Stone Age in a nominal way. It is believed that the black stone placed over the grave after burial is a continuation of the Stone Age grass stone. There are 33 tribal sanctuaries in Idukki including Venmani, Mullaringad, Nadukani, Kurukanadu, Koovakandam, Kannampadi, Muthampadi, East Mattucutta, Vellall, Memarikudi, Poovantikudi. In later times, the people who came to Poovanthikudi,Ayyappancoil who fled from the forest where the Mullaperiyar Dam is located, they left agriculture with the migration of theBritishers,Tamils and theMalayalis. All the adivasi tribes were the owners of a great cultural heritage, the tribals who danced in the inner forests, engaged in handicrafts, organized their lives in their own unique way and created many rare charms of the ancient culture. Almost all the tribal tribes of the Western Ghats were owners of a life identity that was destroyed by various invasions. Most of the land that the British planters found to plantcardamom, tea and coffee was in the lands where the tribal tribes roamed freely. As the mountains were cut down and whitened one by one, each tribal community was pushed back.[17] Each of the tribes has their own language closely related toTamil andMalayalam.
Ancient Roman coins have been found from the regions like Edamaruku nearThodupuzha, indicating ancient trade between theAncient Rome and the region during theClassical Antiquity.[14] Spices might had been imported from the region as a part of the ancientIndian Ocean trade.[14] Idukki district is still known asThe Spice Garden of Kerala.[1]
The literary works of theSangam period help to take a look into the contemporary period.[14] According to those works, early members of theChera dynasty (first few centuries of theCommon Era) had their original headquarters in a region calledKuzhumur atKuttanad in the ancientTamilakam and were sometimes known as theKuttuvans.[14] Some historians have identifiedKuzhumur withKumily inPeerumade Taluk of the Idukki district.[18] TheChera dynasty is mentioned asThe Keralaputras in the inscriptions of the emperorAshoka of theMaurya Empire (322BCE – 184 BCE).[14] The provinceKuttanad in the ancient kingdom ofKeralaputras included the modern-day districts of Idukki,Ernakulam,Kottayam, and parts ofAlappuzha, which could be broadly defined as the region between the riversPeriyar andPamba.[14] It was bounded by theAy kingdom to the south, which included the regions betweenPamba River andKanyakumari (Cape Comorin), and the province ofKudanad, which lies between the riversPeriyar andChaliyar (modern-day districts ofThrissur,Palakkad, andMalappuram), to the north.[14]
It was during the reign ofUthiyan Cheralathan (105–130 CE) that theChera dynasty began to expand towards the northern and the eastern regions ofKuttanad by conquering the provinces ofKudanadu andKongu Nadu.[14] Afterwards the dynasty got split into three branches and fixed their capitals atMuziris,Tyndis, andCaroura, respectively, as seen in the ancientGreco-Roman travelogues as well as theOld Tamil literary works of theSangam period.[14] During the reign ofNarmudi Cheral, the regions included in theKingdom of Ezhimala was also added to the Chera empire.[14]
The ancient Chera empire collapsed due to continuous invasions carried out by theKalabhras, thePallavas, theChalukyas, thePandyas, and theRashtrakutas during the period between 500 CE and 800 CE for nearly three centuries.[14]
Idukki was part of threeNadus (provinces) during the period of theChera Perumals of Mahodayapuram (800 – 1102CE) for nearly three centuries.[14] TheThodupuzha-Muvattupuzha region was part of a province calledKeezhmalanadu during this time, with its headquarters at Karikode nearThodupuzha. TheHigh Range region, which lies to the east ofKeezhmalanadu, was possibly included in two provinces namelyNantuzhanadu[18] andVempolinadu (known asBimbali Desam in Sanskrit).[14] This period saw the decline ofBuddhism andJainism, which were once prominent in the region, along with the growth ofHinduism, in the Thodupuzha region.[14] The tribal cultures may have sustained in the sparsely populated High Range region.[14] The territory of the Chera Perumals of Mahodayapuram got disintegrated into several smallfeudal states by early 12th century CE as a result of the continuous war that occurred between the Chera Perumals and theMedieval Cholas throughout the 11th century CE.[14]
The province Keezhmalanadu of the Chera Perumals of Mahodayapuram attained political autonomy in 1102 CE following the Chera-Chola wars.[14] Remnants of numerous medieval forts have been found from Karikode nearThodupuzha, which was the capital of the kingdom of Keezhmalanadu, many of them belonging to the era between 14th century CE and 16th century CE.[14] Keezhmalanadu included parts of modern-day Taluks of Thodupuzha andMuvattupuzha.[14] ThePortuguese explorers described the region as "The Pepper country" due to the availability and high scale production of good qualityBlack pepper there during the 16th century CE.[14] Keezhmalanadu merged with the Kingdom ofVadakkumkur around 1600 CE.[14]
Vadakkumkur was the northern branch of the erstwhile province ofVempolinadu which attained political autonomy in 1102 CE after the collapse of the Chera Perumals of Mahodayapuram.[14] The rulers of this dynasty were also known by the titlesBimbaleeshas andManikandas in the contemporary Sanskrit works just like theirThekkumkur counterparts.[14] The kingdom ofVadakkumkur originally included the modern-day Taluks ofEttumanoor andVaikom along with a portion of theMeenachil Taluk.[14]
Keezhmalanadu merged with the Vadakkumkur dynasty around 1600 CE.[14] Afterwards the Vadakkumkur kings often used to reside at Karikode near Thodupuzha, which was originally the headquarters of the Keezhmalanadu.[14] Vadakkumkur was a vassal state of theKingdom of Cochin during that time.[14] Vadakkumkur's western boundary was extended up to theVembanad lake and the eastern boundary was theWestern Ghats, which bordered with the medievalPandyan country and the later territory of theMadurai Nayak dynasty.[14] TheDutch Malabar who became an influential power in the territory of Vadakkumkur during the 17th century CE and the first half of the 18th century CE had trade centres in Vadakkumkur.[14]
Vadakkumkur Raja was a part of the combined military alliance formed by the kingdoms ofOdanad (Kayamkulam),Thekkumkur, andCochin against the expansion ofTravancore into the northern territories.[14] As a result, Anizham ThirunalMarthanda Varma, the architect of the modern Travancore, attacked and annexed Vadakkumkur in 1750.[14] The Vadakkumkur Raja sought asylum in the kingdom of theZamorin of Calicut.[14]
It is presumed that a major portion of the High Range region in Idukki district belonged to the Thekkumkur dynasty just after the collapse the Chera Perumals of Mahodayapuram.[14] The provinceVempolinadu (Bimbali Desam) of the Chera Perumals of Mahodayapuram attained political autonomy in 1102 CE following the Chera-Chola wars of the 11th century CE.[14] TheVempolinadu royal family got evolved into two independent branches by the 12th century CE – the southern branch among them later came to be known as the kingdom ofThekkumkur.[14] It included the modern-dayTaluks ofChanganassery,Kanjirappally,Kottayam, andThiruvalla, along with the High Range region of Idukki district.[14]
The High Range region was later handed over to thePoonjar dynasty by the Thekkumkur Rajas.[14] TheDutch East India Company was attracted by enormous growth of black pepper in theHigh Ranges of the Idukki district.[18] According to the treaty signed on 16 June 1664,Dutch Malabar had trade contracts with theThekkumkur Rajas on spices, cinnamon, opium, etc.[18]
The Thekkumkur Rajas allied with theKingdom of Cochin and the Kingdom ofOdanad (Kayamkulam) against the military invasions of the kingdom ofTravancore into its northern kingdoms that occurred during the 1740s.[14] As a result, Anizham ThirunalMarthanda Varma, the architect of the modern Travancore, attacked and annexed the kingdom ofThekkumkur into Travancore in 1749 during theBattle of Changanassery, after his annexation ofKayamkulam in 1746.[14] The Thekkumkur king took refuge in the kingdom of theZamorin of Calicut following his defeat in the battle.[14]
In 1157 CE,Kulothunga Chola, who belonged to the lineage of theMedieval Cholas, entered into a war with Manavikrama Kulasekhara Perumal, who belonged to thePandya dynasty ofMadurai.[14] Upon the failure in the battle, Manavikrama appointed his brother Maravarman Sreevallabha as the monarch of thePandya dynasty and left Madurai with his family and some of his trusted servants.[14] Manavikrama crossed theWestern Ghats and sought political asylum inKerala.[14] The ruler ofThekkumkur awarded him a portion of theMeenachil taluk which included the region ofPoonjar along with theHigh Range region in the Idukki district in 1160 CE, which originally belonged to theThekkumkur Rajas.[14] This incident commenced the beginning of thePoonjar dynasty in the region.[14] The territory of Poonjar was annexed by the Kingdom ofTravancore following the annexation of the principalities ofThekkumkur andVadakkumkur in 1749–1750.[14]
Entire portion of the modern-day district of Idukki became part of the erstwhileBritishPrincely state ofTravancore by 1750 CE.[14] This era marked considerable progress and social reformation in all spheres.[14] The social development indicators like the literacy rate were improved considerably during this period.[14] After the Stone Age people and tribals, Anchunadan Tamils migrated to Idukki, Then Travancore farmers, Tamil workers and the Britishers migrated to Idukki. The Cardamom Proclamation of 1822, issued by theRani Uthrittathi Thirunal Gowri Parvathi Bayi, theregent of theBritishPrincely state ofTravancore at that time, paved the way for bringing people from outside for collectingCardamom from the forest of theCardamom Hills in the district.[19] The proclamation, issued onMalayalam Era 15 Medam 997 (which corresponds toCE 28 April 1822), entrusted Tamil workers from neighbouring districts of theMadras Presidency with harvesting cardamom in the region.[19]
TheKannan Devan Hills on theHigh Range region were given on lease on 11 July 1877 by the ruler of thePoonjar dynasty to John Daniel Munroe from London and fortea plantations.[14] This created an influx of a large number of migrant Tamil plantation workers into the region from the neighbouring districts of theMadras Presidency as well as from various parts ofSouthern Travancore especially fromKanyakumari district andShenkottai taluk and the linguistic demographics in the Taluks ofDevikulam taluk andPeerumedu taluk underwent a significant transformation during the last decades of the 19th century CE. Earlier the region was inhabited by various aboriginal tribes like Malavedas, Malayarayas, Muthuvans, and Paliyans, and was sparsely populated.[20] The land and the plantations were later resumed by theGovernment of Kerala through the Kannan Devan Hills (Resumption Of Lands) Act, 1971.[21]
Munnar has acted as the summer residence of the British residents in Travancore. Tradition states that ColonelArthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was the first British man to pass through Munnar duringTipu Sultan's campaign into Travancore in the last decades of the 18th century CE, but this is unsubstantiated.[22] The first survey of the terrain was undertaken by Benjamin Swayne Ward in 1816–1817, who followed thePeriyar River into theWestern Ghats and established a camp at the confluence of three rivers, from which the name ofMunnar is derived.[22]
Munroe, Henry Turn, and his half-brother A W Turner, obtained ownership of theCardamom Hills from the Raja of Travancore and began clearing forest around Devikulam in 1879.[23][20] Munroe formed the North Travancore Land Planting & Agricultural Society in 1879.[24] Soon many other Europeans began establishing tea plantations in the area throughout the 1880s, after A H Sharp, a European planter entered into tea cultivation in the region.[24] Early plantations had few facilities and were mainly huts of straw.[23][20]
In 1897, a separate company,Kannan Devan Hills Corporation (KDHC), was registered to operate the tea estates which was later taken over by the American Direct Tea Trading Company Ltd., who owned 26 estates, most with coffee and some withCinchona, almost all in the area except for a few in the lower areas. The formerKundala Valley Railway throughMunnar, established in 1902, was destroyed by theGreat flood of 99 that occurred in 1924 across the modern-day state ofKerala.[25] Many dams were constructed in Idukki district during the Travancore rule in the region.[14] The transportation facility through the dense forests of Idukki was also improved during the period.[14] The controversialMullaperiyar Dam was also constructed during the period.
During theTravancorean administration, theBritishPrincely state of Travancore was divided into four revenue divisions- theNorthern division headquartered atKottayam, theCentral division headquartered atKollam, theSouthern division headquartered atThiruvananthapuram, and theHigh Range division with its headquarters atDevikulam.[26]
TheHigh Range division in the northeastern part of Travancore included the Taluks ofDevikulam andPeerumade.[26]Thodupuzha region was however included in the northernmost division of theBritishPrincely state ofTravancore.[26]Kottayam was the headquarters of the northernmost revenue division in Travancore which also included theTaluks ofNorth Paravur,Kunnathunad,Muvattupuzha,Meenachil,Changanassery,Kottayam,Vaikom, andCherthala in 1931, in addition to Thodupuzha.[26]
At the time of the integration of the state ofTravancore andCochin into the state ofTravancore-Cochin in 1949 following the integration of theBritishPrincely states ofTravancore andCochin into theDominion of India, the erstwhile revenue divisions were reorganised intodistricts and theDivan Peshkars gave way toDistrict Collectors, paving the way for the birth of the Kottayam district on 1 July 1949, which had also included the modern-day district of Idukki in it.[27]
The erstwhileKingdom of Cochin was reorganized intoThrissur district and Taluks ofNorth Paravur andKunnathunad were transferred to that district.[28] Similarly theCherthala Taluk was transferred into the newly formedKollam district on 1 July 1949.[28] TheHigh Range division of the erstwhile Travancore was merged with the remaining Taluks of the erstwhile Kottayam division to form the Kottayam district as a part of the inauguration of the new Indian state ofTravancore-Cochin on 1 July 1949.[28] The new district of Kottayam at that time contained eight Taluks – Changanassery, Kottayam, Vaikom, Meenachil, Muvattupuzha, Thodupuzha, Devikulam, and Peerumede.[28] Hence Idukki was a part of the Kottayam district at the time of the formation of the state Kerala in 1956.
Apart from theKanyakumari district, theDevikulam taluk in present-day Idukki district had a slightTamil-majority in the late 1940s.[29] TheTravancore Tamil Nadu Congress (TTNC) had requested to merge it with theMadras State as a part of the upcoming States Reorganization Act of 1956.[29] However, in the 1951 Linguistic Census of the state of Travancore-Cochin, it was found that nearly half of the total Tamil-speaking population in Devikulam taluk at that time was born outside the state of Travancore-Cochin and most of them were immigrants from theMadras Presidency, who were brought into the region by the British officials mainly as tea plantation workers to theCardamom Hills.[30]
Furthermore, some quick decisions were taken byPattom Thanu Pillai, who was the first prime minister of Travancore, to ensure that the taluk of Devikulam will retain in the modern-state ofKerala, as the region had a greater economic importance in the future coastal state of Kerala.[29] Pattom came up with a colonisation project to re-engineer the demography ofCardamom Hills.[29] His colonisation project was to relocate 8,000Malayalam-speaking families into the Taluks ofDevikulam andPeermade.[29] About 50,000 acres in these Taluks, which had become Tamil-majority area by the 1940s, were chosen for the colonisation project.[29] As a victory of the Colonisation project done by post-independence Travancore, these two Taluks and a larger portion ofCardamom Hills retained in the state ofKerala, after theStates Reorganisation Act, 1956.[29]
Following the formation of the new Indian state ofKerala according to theStates Reorganisation Act, 1956, many jurisdictional changes were done in the state.[31] Two new Taluks, namelyKanjirappally (from Changanassery and Thiruvalla) andUdumbanchola (from Devikulam and Peerumede) were carved out on 1 October 1956 in the Kottayam district.[31] After a month, a new Taluk calledKuttanad was carved out from Changanassery andAmbalappuzha.[31] The Kuttanad Taluk was transferred into the newly formedAlappuzha district on 17 August 1957.[31] The Taluks of Thodupuzha and Muvattupuzha were transferred into the newly formedErnakulam district on 1 April 1958.[31]
The land and the plantations in theKannan Devan Hills in theHigh range region were resumed by theGovernment of Kerala through the Kannan Devan Hills (Resumption Of Lands) Act, 1971.[21] On 26 January 1972, the district of Idukki was formed by the separation of the threeHigh Range Taluks, namely Devikulam, Udumbanchola, and Peerumede, from Kottayam district.[1][32] The High Range region was merged with the Thodupuzha taluk ofErnakulam district to form the district of Idukki. It was the largest district of Kerala by area at that time. In 1998,Kuttampuzha village was transferred into theErnakulam district, making Idukki the second largest district in Kerala, only after toPalakkad.
The High Range region is still sparsely populated and various cash crops and spices are extensively cultivated there.[1] Now various hydroelectric power projects in the district of Idukki contributes around 66% of the total power needs of Kerala.[1] TheMullaperiyar Dam still remains as the source of theinterstate dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.[33] In September 2023, Idukki regained its status as the largest district in the state after the addition of 12718.5095 hectares of land which was a part of Kutampuzha village in Ernakulam district to Idamalakudi village in Idukki.[34]
The Idukki district forms a high altitude plateau with rugged mountainous terrain, several river valleys and deep gorges.[35] The entire northern part of the district forms a sub plateau higher than the rest of the district, this region includes the tallest peaks likeAnamudi and includes the areas aroundMunnar,Pallivasal,Kanthalloor,Vattavada andMankulam. ThePambar river valley (Marayoor,Keezhanthoor) forms an eastern slopingrain shadow region of the Western Ghats. The eastern frontier of the district (Kumily,Kattapana,Nedumkandam,Rajakumari andRamakkalmedu) constitutes theCardamon hills. The western part of the district is covered by forests and hills bordering the eastern regions ofErnakulam andKottayam district likeNeriyamangalam,Vannapuram,Thommankuthu,Moolamattom,Vagamon andKuttikanam. Places likeThodupuzha,Koothattukulam,Udumbanoor andMuttom are situated in the semi elevatedThodupuzha River plains with scattered hills. ThePeriyar river basin in the district which includesVandiperiyar,Ayyapankoil,Rajakkad,Idukki,Cheruthoni andAdimaly 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 thePeriyar National Park.[citation needed]
Anamudi andMeesapulimala, 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 theKannan 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 largestarch dam, is located in theIdukki 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'.[36]
Idukki has a large area of dense forest cover andshola forests. It is highly vulnerable to floods and drought and is considered aclimate change hotspot in Kerala, along with the districts of Alappuzha, Palakkad, and Wayanad.[37] Researchers attribute the increasing frequency in landslides in Idukki to climate change anddeforestation.[38][39] Changes in rainfall patterns caused by climate change, coupled with deforestation and large-scale construction projects, are among the contributing factors that led to the August 2020 landslide that killed 65 people, including plantation workers.[40]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 47,666 | — |
| 1911 | 99,564 | +7.64% |
| 1921 | 108,751 | +0.89% |
| 1931 | 187,680 | +5.61% |
| 1941 | 244,296 | +2.67% |
| 1951 | 331,422 | +3.10% |
| 1961 | 574,844 | +5.66% |
| 1971 | 758,166 | +2.81% |
| 1981 | 955,241 | +2.34% |
| 1991 | 1,055,023 | +1.00% |
| 2001 | 1,129,221 | +0.68% |
| 2011 | 1,108,974 | −0.18% |
| 2018 | 1,093,156 | −0.21% |
| source:[41] | ||
According to the2018 Statistics Report, Idukki district has apopulation of 1,093,156.[4] The2011 Census places it at 416th among the 640districts of India.[42] The district has a population density of 251 inhabitants per square kilometre (650/sq mi). Itspopulation growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was −1.93% due to emigration and low fertility rates. Idukki has asex ratio of 1,006females for every 1,000 males,[42] and aliteracy rate of 92.2 percent. 4.69% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 13.12% and 5.03% of the population respectively.[42]
Malayalam and English are the two official administrative languages in the district.[5] Around four-fifth of the people in Idukki district speakMalayalam as their mother tongue. The Taluks ofDevikulam andPeerumedu have a considerableTamil minority population. However Malayalis are majority in these taluks as well.[10] The aboriginal tribes in the district speak their own dialects such asMalavedan,Malaryan,Muthuvan, andPaliyan, which are closely related to theMalayalam andTamil.[10]
| Religion | Percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinduism | 48.86% | |||
| Christianity | 43.42% | |||
| Islam | 7.41% | |||
| Other or not stated | 0.31% | |||
According to the 2011 census,Hindus make up 48.86% (541,854) of the population, withChristians at 43.42% (481,507) andMuslims at 7.41% (82,206).[43]
| Talukas | Hindus | Christians | Muslims | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devikulam | 63.21 | 30.50 | 6.08 | 0.21 |
| Udumbanchola | 48.14 | 48.32 | 3.15 | 0.39 |
| Thodupuzha | 40.57 | 45.15 | 14.03 | 0.25 |
| Peerumade | 51.51 | 41.28 | 6.91 | 0.3 |
Idukki district was the first in India to get connected to a super-fast broad band system as a part of theDigital India campaign.[44] It was also the first to get BSNL 4G in whole country, taking the number of 4G operators in the district to four, includingVodafone Idea Ltd,Jio, andBharti Airtel.
Munnar was the summer resort of the British Government in the south. The town is situated at the convergence of three mountain streams, namelyMuthirappuzha, Nallathanni, and Kundala. Munnar has some of the largest tea plantations in the world. This hill station, which is more than 5,000 feet above sea level, is a tourist attraction noted for its scenic landscapes.[45] Most of the native flora and fauna of Munnar have disappeared due to severe habitat fragmentation resultant from the creation of the plantations. However, some species continue to survive and thrive in severalprotected areas nearby, including the newKurinjimala Sanctuary to the east, theChinnar Wildlife Sanctuary,Manjampatti Valley, and the Amaravati reserve forest ofIndira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary to the northeast, theEravikulam National Park andAnamudi Shola National Park in the north, and thePampadum Shola National Park to the south. ThePalani Hills National Park is proposed to come up to the east of Idukki. These protected areas are especially known for severalthreatened andendemic species including theNilgiri tahr, thegrizzled giant squirrel, theNilgiri wood-pigeon, theelephant, thegaur, theNilgiri langur, thesambar, and theneelakurinji (that blossoms only once in twelve years).[46][47]
The former Kundala Valley Railway in Munnar was destroyed by a flood in 1924, but tourism officials are considering reconstructing the railway line to attract tourists.[25]
Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary came into existence in 1976. It is located in the Thodupuzha and Udumbanchola taluks in Idukki district. It has an area of 105.364sq.km. The altitude ranges from 450 to 1272 m. The highest peak is Vanjur Medu (1272m).
The major rivers flowing through the area are thePeriyar and the Cheruthoniar.[48]
Eravikulam is another wildlife sanctuary proclaimed as a National Park. It supports the largest population ofNilgiri tahr in the world. Anamudi peak is on the southern part of this park.Most of the park is grassland and the average altitude is more than 5000 feet abovesea level. Heavy rain and gushing winds make the area inaccessible during the monsoon season. The famous Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) grows here. It has a flowering cycle of 12 years.[49] Twenty-six species ofmammals have been recorded in the park including the largest surviving population ofNilgiri tahr,[50] estimated at 750 individuals. The otherungulates aregaur,Indian muntjac andsambar deer.Golden jackal,jungle cat,wild dog,dhole,leopard and tiger are the main predators. Some little-known animals such asNilgiri langur,stripe-necked mongoose,Indian porcupine,Nilgiri marten,small clawed otter,ruddy mongoose, anddusky palm squirrel are also found.[51]Elephants make seasonal visits.
132 species of birds have been recorded which include endemics likeblack-and-orange flycatcher,Nilgiri pipit,Nilgiri wood pigeon,white bellied shortwing,Nilgiri flycatcher and Keralalaughingthrush.
Endemic butterflies confined to the shola-grass land ecosystem like thered disk bushbrown and Palni four-wing are among the 101 species in the park.
Pampadum Shola National Park is the smallestnational park in Kerala state,South India.[52][53] The park is administered by the Kerala Department of Forests and Wildlife, Munnar Wildlife Division, together with the nearbyMathikettan Shola National Park,Eravikulam National Park,Anamudi Shola National Park,Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and theKurinjimala Sanctuary.[54] The park adjoins the Allinagaram Reserved Forest within the proposedPalani Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park. The Western Ghats, Anamalai sub-cluster, including these parks, is under consideration by theUNESCOWorld Heritage Committee for selection as aWorld Heritage Site.[55]
Kurinjimala Sanctuary protects the approximately 32 km2 core habitat of the endangeredNeelakurinji plant inKottakamboor andVattavada villages inDevikulam Taluk, Idukki district ofKerala State inSouth India.[56]
This district has severalprotected areas includingPeriyar Tiger Reserve in the south,Kurinjimala Sanctuary to the east,Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary to the northeast,Eravikulam National Park andAnamudi Shola National Park to the north andPampadum Shola National Park to the south. These protected areas are well known for severalthreatened andendemic species includingtiger,Nilgiri tahr,grizzled giant squirrel,Nilgiri wood-pigeon,elephant, gaur, sambar deer,purple frog andneelakurinji.[57][58]
Thommankuthu (തൊമ്മൻകുത്ത്) is a scenic waterfall nearThodupuzha in the district. Thomankoothu waterfalls is not a single waterfall but a series of 12 falls over a distance of 5 km.[59] It is one of the major eco-tourism centers in Idukki, Kerala.
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Painavu town is the administrative headquarters of the Idukki district. The district is divided into two revenue divisions- Idukki and Devikulam.[60]
There are 2 municipal towns in the district. They are:[61]
There is aLok Sabha constituency in Idukki:Idukki.
There are fiveKerala Legislative Assembly seats in Idukki district.[62]
| Sl no. | Constituency | Member | Party | Alliance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Devikulam | A. Raja | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 2 | Udumbanchola | M. M. Mani | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 3 | Thodupuzha | P. J. Joseph | KEC | UDF |
| 4 | Idukki | Roshy Augustine | KC(M) | LDF |
| 5 | Peerumade | Vazhoor Soman | CPI | LDF |
The district is divided into two revenue divisions which together incorporate fiveTaluks within them.[60]
| Thodupuzha | Idukki[60] |
| Devikulam | Udumbanchola | Peerumade[60] |
Idukki district is divided into 68 revenue villages for the ease and decentralisation of its revenue administration.[60] They are further incorporated into 5taluks as eludicated below.[60]
Culture in Idukki is mixed since it consists of migrated people from other parts ofKerala such asKottayam and native tribals. The presence of a large number of tribal populations is peculiar to Idukki District.Kovilmala, near Kattappana in Idukki is home to one of the still ruling tribal kings in India, Kovilmala Raja Mannan.Kovilmala is the headquarters of Mannan community who preserves certain customs, traditions, and form of governance, making them a unique tribal unit.[64] The system of governance here is a democratic monarchy in which a king is elected by the people to rule.[65]
Around 66% of Kerala's power needs come from various Hydroelectric Power Projects in Idukki district.[1] The first and oldest dam in Kerala isMullaperiyar. It was inaugurated in 1895. The largest dam in Kerala isIdukki Dam, which also one of the largest arch-dams in Asia. The dam was commissioned in 1976.[66]
At present, there is no railway in and to Idukki district of Kerala. The nearest railway stations are Kottayam (station code – KTYM), Aluva (Alwaye, station code – AWY), Ernakulam South (Ernakulam Jn., station code – ERS) and Ernakulam North (Ernakulam Town, station code – ERN).There was a rail line that existed in the district during colonial period called,Kundala Valley Railway. It got destroyed in theGreat flood of 99 in 1924. The under-constructionSabarimala Railway project connectingAngamaly toPunalur will pass through the Idukki district.[67]
Sathram Airstrip is an airstrip which was inaugurated on 17 February 2021 but there are no commercial operations happening there. PracticallyCochin International Airport at Nedumbassery in Ernakulam district is the one which is nearest.[68][69][70]
The major towns of the district include:
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