NILAMBUR KOVILAKAM HISTORY /നിലമ്പൂർ കോവിലകം HISTORY

NILAMBUR KINGDOM OR NILAMBUR KOVILAKAM WAS AN FORMAL FUDAL CITY -STATE IN PRESENT -DAY KERALA STATE, INDIA , SITUATED NEAR NILGIRI RANGE OF THE WESTERN GHATS . IT WAS RULED BY SAMANTHA KSHATHRIYAS WHO WERE THE VASSALS OF THE ZAMORINS OF CALICUT, WITH THE CAPITAL LOCATED 25 KILLOMETERS NORTH OF MANJERI IN PRESENT DAY MALAPPURAM DISTRICT . FAMOUS VETTAKORUMAKAN KOVIL(FAMOUS FOR PATTUTSAVAM) AND NILAMBUR KOVILAKAM ARE SITUATED ON THE BANKS OF CHALI RIVER AND NILAMBUR IS KNOWN FOR ITS UNIQUE TEAK PLANTATIONS AND THE TEAK MUSEUM. THE NILAMBUR-SHORANUR RAILWAY LINE WAS BUILT BY THE BRITISH TO CARRY WOODS AND OTHER PRODUCTS FROM THESE FORESTS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD . THE AREA WAS AN ANCIENT TRIBAL SETTLEMENT , AND IN NILAMBUR FOREST'S THE REMAINS OF ANCIENT TEMPLES CAN BE FOUND ,. CHOLANAIKKANS ONE OF THE MOST PREMITIVE TRIBES IN SOUTH INDIA AND ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING HUNTER -GATHERER TRIBES,NUMBERING ONLY 360 IN 1991,FIRST CONTACTED IN THE 1960'S, ARE SEEN IN THE KARULAYI AND CHUNKATHARA FOREST RANGES NEAR . DURING THE MYSORE INVASION OF KERALA THE DYNASTIC RULE CAME TO AN END.