Wayanad is one of the Kerala's 14 districts. It is situated in the beautiful plateau in Western Ghats.
Wayanad derives its name from the expression 'Vayal nadu' - the village of paddy fields. In ancient times this land was ruled by the Rajas of the Veda tribe. In later times, Wayanad came under the rule of Pazhassi Rajas of Kottayam royal dynasty. Under Hyder Ali it became a part of Mysore. In the days of his son, Tipu Sultan Wayanad was restored to the Kottayam dynasty. The British troops were defeated several times through guerilla attacks. When Wayanad fell into the hands of British it began a new chapter in its history. The Britishers opened up the Plateau for cultivation of cash crops and laid roads. On November 1, 1980 North and South Wayanad joined together to form the present Wayanad district.
Wayanad's altitudes of 750-2100m are covered with spice plantations, paddy fields and jungle. Villages are mainly populated by Adivasi tribal peoples whose traditional identities are still sustained. Wayanad's plantations are reputed to produce the best pepper in the world. The dramatic landscape of Wayanad offers ample opportunities for forest and mountain trekking through forests, to waterfalls and climbs up the hills and mountains.
The local language is Malayalam but Kannad is also spoken in areas that border Karnataka. English is spoken by people associated with travel and tourism. Read more