At a glance
Kumaramputhur Grama Panchayat is located in Mannarkkad Block, within the Mannarkkad Taluk of Palakkad district. Spanning across the villages of Kumaramputhur and Payyanadam, Kumaramputhur Grama Panchayat covers an area of 37.25 square kilometers. The boundaries of the panchayat are Eranad Taluk to the north; the Kunthipuzha river, and beyond it, Mannarkkad and Karakurussi panchayats to the east; Karimpuzha panchayat to the south; and Kottoppadam and Karimpuzha panchayats along with the Ariyur stream (Ariyur Thodu) to the west.
The name 'Kumaramputhur' can be considered an indication of an ancient connection with the Tamil region. Place names like 'Puthur' and 'Puthur' (Puthoor) are widely found in Tamil Nadu and in the Tamil-influenced villages of Palakkad. Kumaramputhur is a geographical region bordered by the reserved forests of the Western Ghats, the Ariyur stream, and the Kunthipuzha river. Geographically distinct Changaleri, located across the Kunthipuzha, is also included in this Grama Panchayat.
The evergreen forests belonging to the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (Silent Valley National Park) form the northern boundary of the panchayat, which falls under Eranad Taluk. The highest point in the panchayat is Karappadam, situated at an elevation of 330 meters above sea level. Other areas lie at an altitude of more than 55 meters above sea level. The general topography consists of high hills interspersed with plains and valleys. Almost all the hilly areas and slopes are utilized for rubber cultivation. The land features a terrain filled with slopes, plains, garden lands, valleys, and paddy fields.
Originating from the Silent Valley evergreen forests and flowing roughly towards the southwest, the Ariyur stream and the Kunthipuzha river touch the eastern and western boundaries of Kumaramputhur. In addition to these, several other small streams flow parallel to and merge into them, among which the Shanthivaykkal stream is the most prominent. Together, these establish a well-organized natural water flow system here. Rainwater falling on the hilltops flows down into the garden lands and fields in the valleys, moving through small channels into streams and rivers. Besides these, numerous ponds spread throughout the panchayat also function as part of this water storage process.
