| Kumbidi | |
| Settlement Type: | village |
| Pushpin Map: | India Kerala |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Kerala, India |
| Coordinates: | 10.8308°N 76.0508°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kerala |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Palakkad |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 20.95 |
| Elevation M: | 11 |
| Population Total: | 22,601 |
| Population As Of: | 2001 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Malayalam, English |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
| Postal Code: | 679 553 |
| Registration Plate: | KL-52 |
Kumbidi is a village in Pattambi taluk of Palakkad district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters and main commercial centre of Anakkara Panchayath. It is situated opposite to Kuttippuram town and adjacent to Thavanur and Tirunavaya towns. Kumbidi town area extends from town centre to the surrounding areas such as Ummathur, Thottazhiyam, Perumbalam, Panniyur, Puramathilssery, Maniyam Perumbalam and Melazhiyam. It is located on the southern bank of Bharathappuzha river (Nila, Ponnani River, or Kuttippuram River). Kumbidi is located about 5 km south of Kuttippuram town. It was a part of Ponnani taluk until 16 June 1969.
Kumbidi is the site for the proposed Kalagramam by The Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, a village for artists and sculptures. It will come up in 5 acres of land on the banks of River Nila, is aimed at accommodating artists and sculptures along with their families and provide them facilities to pursue their creative work.[1] Major offices like Panchayat Office, PHC, Krishi Bhavan, Village Office, SBT, CO-operative Bank etc. are situated at Kumbidi Town. There is one River Gauge Station running under The Central Water Commission(CWC;Govt. Of India) in Kumbidi to examining the quantity and quality of water in the Bharathapuzha River.[2]
Vadakkath Tharavadu at Anakkara, a nalukkettu of architectural beauty, is only 3 km from Kumbidi Town. It gave birth to some of the great personalities of the nation like A.V. Kuttymalu Amma, a freedom fighter and Congress leader. She and her late husband K. Madhava Menon were among the pioneers of the freedom movement under the leadership of the Congress party.[3]
Freedom fighter and member of the Constituent Assembly of India late Ammu Swaminathan (1874-1978) is also a member of this family. Lakshmi Sehgal or Captain Laxmi, an ex-officer of the Indian National Army, is another illustrious member of the Anakkara Vadakkath family. All India Democratic Women’s Association president Subhashini Ali is the daughter of Captain Laxmi.
Yet another famous member of the family is Mrinalini Sarabhai, renowned classical dancer, choreographer and instructor. Ms. Sarabhai is the widow of Vikram Sarabhai, father of the Indian Space Programme. Her daughter Mallika Sarabhai is an activist and Indian classical dancer. It was constructed by P. Govinda Menon and his brother P. Theyunni Menon in 1896, ‘Vadakkath’ mansion is a typical existing example of traditional Kerala style house. G. Susheela, herself a freedom fighter, is the lone member living in this illustrious Tharavad now.
The hills of Anakkara and Kumbidi is becoming a site of great archeological importance because of many recent findings. The archeological excavation gives the evidences of first excavated Iron-Age habitation-cum-burial site in Kerala. Archaeologists have discovered a pre-historic necropolis (cemetery) with megalithic cairn circles dating back 2,500 years, many post holes that probably point to the ancient practice of excarnation, a 'wood-henge'-like ritual monument and a site of primitive astronomical intelligence.
The excavation of the cairn circle and archaeological experimentation with postholes are attracting scholars from the neighbouring States. K. Rajan (Head, Department of Archaeology, Pondicherry University), P. Rajendran (Vice Chancellor of Tamil University, Thanjavur), Athiyaman and Selvakumar (Archaeology Department, Tamil University), P.J. Cherian (Director, KCHR), Hemendran (Director, State Department of Archaeology) are among those who have already visited the site.[4]