Kottakkal 6.08

Kottakkal is a municipal town in Malappuram district in Kerala, southern India having 32 wards. It is located 12 km south-west of Malappuram, the district headquarters, and 12 km from Tirur Railway Station.The National Highway 17 separates the municipality from Edarikkodu grama panchayat on some parts in the west. However, the fast developing Kottakkal urban area is now spread up to different parts of neighboring panchayats such as Edarikkodu.Kottakkal is known for its ayurvedic institute, Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal, as well as its temple festival, Kottakkal Puram, celebrated over seven days during March–April months.HistoryKottakkal, formerly known as "Sweta Durgam" in Sanskrit, "Venkalikotta" and "Venkitta Kotta" in Malayalam, was a military base of the Kingdom of Valluvanadu in the medieval period. It was under the control of the Karuvayoor Moosad, the chief marshal and preacher of the Moopil Nairs. It may be the forts and castles constructed by the Karuvayoor Moosad that were the origin of the name "Kottakkal". The suburbs of Kottakkal were known as Changuvettikkadu and Eyyakkadu .