Nilambur
Nilambur is a major town, a municipality and a Taluk in the Malappuram district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is located close to the Nilgiris range of the Western Ghats on the banks of the Chaliyar River. This place is also known as 'Teak Town' because of the abundance of Nilambur teaks in this area; Which is a variety of a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. Unlike many Municipalities of India; Nilambur is covered with large amounts of vegetation making it close to nature and hence make it very scenic and inspiring. In the British records, Nilambur and its surroundings are collectively described as Nilambur Valley. The bank of river Chaliyar at Nilambur region is also known for natural Gold fields. Explorations done at the valley of the river Chaliyar in Nilambur has shown reserves of the order of 2.5 million cubic meters of placers with 0.1 gram per cubic meter of gold. The hilly forested area of Nilambur Taluk forms a portion of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve of rich biodiversity. Nilambur is located about west of Ooty and southwest of Gudalur town, and northeast of Manjeri, on Ooty-Gudalur-Nilambur-Calicut road. The m high Mukurthi peak, which is situated in the border of Nilambur Taluk and Ooty Taluk, and is also the fifth-highest peak in South India as well as the third-highest in Kerala after Anamudi () and Meesapulimala (), is the highest point of elevation in Malappuram district. It is also the highest peak in Kerala outside the Idukki district. The high Anginda peak, which is located closer to Malappuram-Palakkad-Nilgiris district border is the second-highest peak. Vavul Mala, a high peak situated on the trijunction of Nilambur Taluk of Malappuram, Wayanad, and Thamarassery Taluk of Kozhikode districts, is the third-highest point of elevation in the district. The Nilambur Taluk has several small and medium-sized tributaries of Chaliyar river. Etymology It is believed that Nilambur was derived from Nilambapuri, the old name of Nilambur Kingdom. History The teaks for the construction of Uru, a kind of ships those were used for maritime trade through Beypore port, were usually taken from Nilambur Teak Forests. The oldest teak plantation of the world in the Conolly's plot is just from the town. It was named in memory of Henry Valentine Conolly, the then Malabar district collector. Teak Museum at Nilambur is maintained by the Kerala Forest Research Institute which was established for the memory of the oldest known Teak plantation in the world. The town is also famous for Nilambur Kovilakam, where the Nilambur Rajas resided and ruled the land. Nilambur Rajas were vassals to the Zamorins of Calicut, based at Nilambur. The Nilambur–Shoranur line is among the shortest as well as picturesque broad gauge railway lines in India. It was laid by the British in colonial era for the transportation of Nilambur Teak logs into United Kingdom through Kozhikode. During British rule, Nilambur's chief importance laid in producing teaks. In the old administrative records of the Madras