Malampuzha Dam - 10 Things to Know Before Visiting

There are many attractions within the dam premises. The main attraction is the dam itself, you can climb to the top and enjoy the views of the garden in front and the massive Western Ghat Mountains behind. Once on top, it is difficult not to admire the massive volume of water stopped by man. The garden with the massive statue of Yakshi (mythical beings of Hindu mythology), cable car ride, fish-shaped Aquarium, Rock Garden, and boating are some of the additional attractions on the premises.

The Rock gardens at the Malampuzha Dam is made of unwanted and broken pieces of bangles, plastic cans, tins, and other waste materials. The garden was sculpted by Nek Chand Saini, the Indian artist who is famous for the Rock Garden he built in Chandigarh in Punjab State.

The gardens at the Malampuzha Dam are well landscaped and decorated with sculptures and fountains. The garden houses the large and famous statue of Yakshi. The unconventional statue was created by Kanai Kunhiraman, the renowned sculptor of Kerala. The garden is set towards the front side of the dam, on either side of the main canal. There are two suspension bridges that facilitate passage in between. There is also an artificial canal in the garden which offers pedal boat rides.
 
The passenger ropeway at the Malampuzha Dam is the first in Southern India. It has 64 two-seater chairs and operates at a height of 20 meters. A 20-minute ropeway ride comes with uninterrupted views of the Malampuzha Gardens and the entire reservoir site below. The ropeway has its own time and fee that is apart from that of the dam. The operating hours are from 10.00 AM to 12.30 PM and 2.00 PM to 6.30 PM. Adults are charged at 40 per head.

Located near the main entrance of the Malampuzha Gardens is the snake rescue and rehabilitation center run by the Kerala Forest Department. It was set up in 1984 and you can see a variety of snakes here such as Viper and Cobras including King Kobra, Forsten’s Cat Snake, the Brown Vine Snake, Krait, Indian Rock Python, Wolf Snake, Trinket Snake, and Water Snakes. The park also breeds a species of crocodile and American Green Iguana.

There is also a small Japanese Garden, a Children’s Park, a fish-shaped aquarium, a telescopic tower, and a swimming pool in the dam premises.

The dam is 38 meters high and is across the Malampuzha River, a tributary of Bharathapuzha, the largest river in Kerala. The total catchment area of the dam is 145 square kilometers with a capacity of 8,000 square meters of water. The dam provides drinking water to Palakkad and surrounding areas, and the canal systems irrigate 21,245 hectares of farmlands in summers. These canal systems are the first large-scale irrigation system attempted in Kerala state. Palakkad, otherwise a dry land became highly productive to be named the rice bowl of Kerala due to the supply of water from the Malampuzha Dam.
 
The dam acts as the reservoir for a small 2.5MW power station owned by Kerala State Electricity Board. The station utilizes the water released for irrigation through the left canal together with the spill. The station is usually operated only in the months of November to January as that is when the canals provide water to the farmlands.

The dam project started in 1949 and was completed in 1955. This was before the Kerala state was formed when Palakkad belonged to the Madras Presidency. The inauguration of the dam was done by K Kamaraj, the then Chief Minister of Madras. Soon after the inauguration of the dam, Kerala State was formed and Palakkad and the dam became a part of the newly formed Kerala. The Malampuzha Gardens in front of the dam was made by the Kerala state administration, and later various other attractions such as Rock Gardens, Aquarium, Snake Park, and Rope Way were added

In 2005, major renovation works were carried out in the dam and the surrounding attractions as part of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations. The entire garden was demolished and a new one was made, the dam was repainted and huge LED hoardings were placed on top of the dam. As a result of these improvements, the dam and the garden is illuminated at night on Weekends and on Public Holidays with colorful lights.

The best time to visit Malampuzha Dam is from September to December. During this period, the dam is filled with water, and the surrounding area is lush and green. The dam's spillway is also open during this time, and visitors can watch as water gushes over. 

In any month of the year, it will be better to be at the Malampuzha Dam premises on weekends and public holiday evenings as it will be colorfully lighted.

1. Plan your visit for the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat of the day.
2. Plan to spend at least half a day at the dam, so you can explore all the different areas.
3. Take more money than what you require for the entrance fee. Many of the activities inside the dam premises have their own independent entrance fee.

1. Malampuzha Dam is the largest reservoir in the state of Kerala
2. The reservoir is fed by the Malampuzha River, which flows through the Western Ghats mountains and is a tributary of Bharathapuzha - the largest river in Kerala

Most tourists spend between 1-2 hours exploring the area but this can change to half a day if you plan to do some of the numerous activities that are available at the dam premises.

The dam is a well-known tourist spot in Kerala so it will not be difficult to find the place. There are buses available from Palakkad Town directly to the dam area, the town is roughly 10 km away. The nearest major railway station is in Palakkad, connected well to the rest of the parts of the country.

Adults' entrance fee is priced at INR  25 and for children below 12 years, it is INR 10. Children below 3 years of age has free entry.

The dam is open daily throughout the year from 9 AM to 8 PM