Historical mysteries of Wayanad
Wayanad is the only place in Kerala with true natives, i.e. those who truly belong to the place or the people apart from immigrants. Those natives are the tribal people or aborigines who belong to different tribes of Wayanad. You can see and experience true ethnic culture among the tribes of Wayanad. The tribes are Kurichyar, Kurumar, Paniyar, Adiyar, Kattunaikar etc. Many stories are being told about the origin of these tribes.Attempts have been made to unravel their history. Prominent personalities like Tipu Sultan, Pazhassi Raja etc. have influenced the history of Wayanad. The Jains who settled here many years ago has also made a big impact with their unique culture. When it was a British Colony, agriculture had become more organized and many people from other places came and settled in Wayanad. All these factors have influenced the place in a big way. It is quite interesting to take a walk along the paths of history and find about the past. The tribal people of Wayanad have been living in the forest for generations. Jungle is their home and they are sons and daughters of the forest. They live in the lap of nature and depend on nature for their food, clothing and shelter. Their natural medicines are unique and are gaining popularity nowadays. Some of the tribals are proficient in carrying out farming in an organized manner. Tribals or Adivasis have a history of arts and crafts like handicraft, music, dance etc. with natural themes and using natural material.

Heritage wonders of Wayanad

Sulthan Bathery Jain Temple
The temple is one among the important ruins reminding of the old period of Jains. It was built in the 13th century and was Tipu Sultan’s Battery (a storage house) giving the name Sultan Bathery to the place.

Edakkal Caves - Since BC 8000
Adventure lovers, outdoor buffs and history freaks will love the journey to Edakkal Caves. You need to climb up the Ambukuthi Mala in Ambalavayal town to reach the fascinating caves. The pictorial inscriptions dating back to 8000 B.C. is a treasure for archaeologists and historians. There is a telescope installed by DTPC to get a good view of the surroundings.

The Stone Age carvings of Edakkal are rare and are the only known examples from south India.

Wayanad Heritage Museum
If you are really interested in knowing about the heritage and culture of Wayanad, a visit to the Museum is a must .You can see many artifacts related to tribals like weapons, pottery, headgear, rock carvings etc. There is also a small theatre nearby.

Muniyaras
It is a burial vault used in ancient times which was discovered by excavations at the foot of Ambukuthi Hill. Many Stone Age tools, pottery etc. were found which can now be seen in the Wayanad Heritage Museum.

Uravu
They are an NGO that works for preserving the indigenous culture of tribes. They promote their crafts like bamboo designs. They have a production centre and a nursery for bamboos as well. There are many useful products made from bamboo displayed here. You can see and buy them at their sales outlets.

Chain tree
It is a huge Ficus Tree tied by a chain and has a legend surrounding it. The story is that a young tribal called Karinthandan guided a British man to Wayanad. To get the credit of discovering the place, he killed the youth and his soul is believed to haunt the travelers. A priest chained his soul to the tree.

Pallikkunnu Church
Established in 1905 by Fr.Jeffrine, a French Missionary, the Church is dedicated to Lourdes Matha. It is interesting that the rituals of this Church are very similar to that of a Hindu Temple. There is a two week Perunal in February every year that draws people from near and far.

Korome Mosque
The 400-year-old mosque is a unique one as it resembles a Nair Tharavadu in appearance. It was built by Nairs which is a surprising fact. Uroos is the annual festival here.

Paingatteri Agraharam
An agraharam is a traditional settlement of Brahmins with homes in rows. Paingatteri Agraharam has Brahmins with roots in Thanjavur in Tamilnadu who had come as cooks to the royal family of Kottayam.

Pazhassi Raja’s Tomb
The Tomb is the memorial of Pazhassi Raja known as the Lion of Kerala. He was a King of North Malabar who fought bravely against the British Army using the guerilla warfare method.

Valliyoor Temple
This is a temple dedicated to Mother Goddess, worshipped in 3 forms namely Vana Durga, Bhadrakali and Jala Durga. It is a tribal worship centre. An annual 15-day festival is held here in March-April.

Seetha-Lava-Kusha Temple
The idols in this temple are sons of Shrirama-Lava and Kusha and this is the only temple that worships them.

Thrissilery Shiva Temple
The architecture of the temple is perfect. This temple is closely linked with the Thirunelly Vishnu Temple. The Jala Durga Shrine here is believed to be created by Parasurama. One interesting fact about the temple tank here is that it always has water and never gets dried.

Thirunelly Temple
It is located in the middle of forests beside a river. It is a typical example of real Kerala Temple Architecture. The idol is Vishnu in Chathurbuja’s form.The place known as Dakshina Kasi has two festivals, one in April and another in August/September.

Papanasini
It is believed to be a soul-cleansing mountain spring and it is located near Thirunelly Temple.

Jain Temples (Ruined)
There are two other Jain Temples, one in Punchavayal and another in Puthenangadi apart from the temple at Sulthan Bathery. The Temple is partly ruined but has a mysterious beauty about it.