wayanad

Wayanad in Kerala and India
Coordinates:11.605°N 76.083°E
Country:India
State:Kerala
Headquarters:Kalpetta
Member of
Parliament:M I Shanavas
Collector:P.P.Gopi
Population
• Density:780,619
• 369 /km2 (956 /sqmi)
Time zone:IST (UTC+5:30)
In thenorth-east of Kerala,India, was formed on
November 1, 1980 at the 12th district bycarving out areas from Kozhikode and Kannur districts.Kalpetta is the
district headquarters as well as the only municipal town in the district. The region was known as Mayakshetra
(Maya's land) in theearliest records. Mayakshetra evolved into Mayanad and finally to Wayanad. The Folk etymology of the word says it is a combination of Vayal ( paddy field) and Naad (land), making it 'The Land of Paddy Fields'. There are many indigenous tribals in this area. It is set high on the majestic Western Ghats with altitudes ranging from 700 to 2100 m.

Edakkal caves

Edakkal Caves are two natural caves located 1,200 metres above sea level on Ambukutty Mala 25 km from Kalpetta in the Wayanad district of Kerala in India's Western Ghats. They lie besides an ancient trade route

connecting the highmountains of Mysore to the ports of Malabar coast. Inside the caves are pictorial writings believed to be dating to at least 5000 BC, from the Neolithic man, indicating the presence of a
prehistoric civilization or settlement in this region. The Stone Age carvings of Edakkal are rare and are the only known examples from south India.
Petroglyphs These are not technically caves, but rather a cleft or rift approximately 96 feet (29 m) by 22 feet (6.7 m), a 30- foot-deep (9.1 m) fissure caused by a piece of rock splitting away from the main body. On one side of the cleft is a rock weighing several tons that covers this cleft to form the 'roof' of the cave. The carvings are of human and animal figures, tools used by humans and of symbols yet to be deciphered, suggesting the presence of a prehistoric settlement. The petroglyphs inside the cave are of at least three distinct types. The oldest may date back to over 8,000 years. Evidences suggest that the Edakkal caves were inhabited several times at different points in history.