The Bharathapuzha River, commonly referred to as the Nila, is a 209 km long river that traverses through the districts of Malappuram, Palakkad, and Thrissur in the state of Kerala, India. It is the second longest river in Kerala, following the Periyar, and eventually merges into the Arabian Sea and the Laccadive Sea.
The river originates in the Anaimalai Hills and flows through the Palakkad Gap, which is the largest opening in the Kerala portion of the Western Ghats. It also sustains 11 reservoirs, with the Malampuzha dam being the largest.