Official Name: | Vellarikundu |
Settlement Type: | Taluk |
Pushpin Map: | India Kerala#India |
Coordinates: | 12.3675°N 75.2831°W |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | India |
Subdivision Type1: | State |
Subdivision Name1: | Kerala |
Subdivision Type2: | District |
Subdivision Name2: | Kasaragod |
Government Type: | Taluk |
Governing Body: | Balal Grama Panchayat |
Unit Pref: | Metric |
Area Total Km2: | 550.39 |
Population Total: | 181,247 |
Population As Of: | 2011 |
Population Density Km2: | auto |
Demographics Type1: | Languages |
Demographics1 Title1: | Malayalam, English |
Timezone: | IST |
Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
Postal Code Type: | PIN |
Postal Code: | 671534 |
Area Code Type: | Telephone code |
Area Code: | 04672 |
Registration Plate: | KL-79 |
Vellarikund is a town and taluk headquarters in the Hill range of Kasaragod District in the state of Kerala.[1] Vellarikundu is located between Odayanchal and Chittarikkal on Odayanchal-Cherupuzha Road.
'Vellari-' comes from the Malayalam word 'വെള്ളരിക്ക' which means cucumber. '-kund' means low surface or pit. The place was formerly used for harvesting cucumbers.
Vellarikundu is able to connect Mysore and Bangalore by Kanhangad-Panathur-Madikeri Road from Odayanchal. Private and Ksrtc Buses provide routes to Kanhangad, Kasaragod, Mangalore, Mysore, Bangalore, Kannur, Calicut, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta.
The nearest railway station is Nileshwar Railway Station on Mangalore-Palakkad Line. The nearest airport is Mangalore International Airport on North and Kannur International Airport on South.
Vellarikundu Taluk was announced in the Kerala budget of 2013. On 21 February 2014, the new taluk was inaugurated by the Sri Oommen Chandy chief minister of the state. The taluk was created by splitting the Hosdurg taluk.[2]
Kammadam Kavu is a sacred grove near Vellarikkundu with 60 acres of rarer birds and other small animals. It is one of the biggest sacred groves of Kerala.[3]
Vellarikundu is one of the four taluks of Kasaragod district. It was carved out from Hosdurg taluk in 2013.[4]
Vellarikundu taluk has administration over 15 revenue villages. They are: Balal, Bheemanady, Belur, Cheemeni-II, Chittarikkal, Karindalam, Kinanoor, Kodom, Maloth, Palavayal, Parappa, Thayannur, West Eleri, Kallar, Panathady.[5]