Mattannur

History

Historically, this area was under the rule of Kottayam royal family called the Puralisans. King Pazhassi Raja, who helped the English in the war against Tipu Sultan, had to fight against the English who had leased Kottayam to the King of Kurumbranad. The importance of this struggle is enhanced by the fact that masses of people of all castes, religions, farmers, traders and artisans joined Pazhassi in the struggle against the British. After the heroic death of Pazhassi in 1805, the British took over the administration and demolished Pazhassi fort. There are many myths about the origin of the place. Some people say that Mattannur came from Motannur, which means the town of Mottakunn (Knoll). Another sect believes that Mattanur is an evolution of this area, which was recorded as Pattinikad in the old survey records. Mattanur Panchayat came into existence in 1962 by joining Pazhassi, Kolari and Porora villages. The first election was held in 1963 and K. T Madhavan Nambiar was the first president. In 1978, the governing body was dissolved. The governing body came into existence in 1979 with Mukundan as the president of the Panchayat. In 1990, Mattanur was elevated as a municipality.

Geography

The area has the typical midland characteristics of Kerala, with undulating terrain that is mainly used for agriculture. The geographical area of the municipal town stretches between the Irikkur River (a portion of the Valapattanam River) in the north and the Anjarakandy River in the south. The town is located at the foothills of the western shoulders of the Western Ghats, rising at the east side, while the western boundary contains gradual sloping terrain leading to the Lakshadweep Sea. The Thalassery–Coorg Road (SH30) passes through the Mattanur municipal town.

Most-observed species

• Mango

  Mangifera indica L. · Magnoliopsida
  2,174
• Red-whiskered Bulbul

  Pycnonotus jocosus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,863
• Brahminy Kite

  Haliastur indus (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  1,533
• Large-billed Crow

  Corvus macrorhynchos Wagler, 1827 · Aves
  1,532
• House Crow

  Corvus splendens Vieillot, 1817 · Aves
  1,503
• Golden Shower

  Cassia fistula L. · Magnoliopsida
  1,381
• White-throated Kingfisher

  Halcyon smyrnensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,367
• White-cheeked Barbet

  Psilopogon viridis (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  1,357