Attappadi, a tribal taluk located in the Palakkad district of Kerala, India, spans an area of 735 square kilometers (284 square miles). It was established as a separate taluk from Mannarkkad in February 2021. Attappadi is also referred to as Attappady, translating to “Paddy Field” in Malayalam. Attappadi is renowned for its stunning natural scenery, the revered mountain peak “Malleeswaran” at the Malleeswaram Temple, and its deep religious connections. The region is also famous for its natural gold fields, as well as its proximity to the Chaliyar valley in the Nilambur region of Malappuram district.
Attappadi houses one of the largest tribal settlements in Kerala, with tribes comprising 44% of the population as of 2011. The reserve area is currently home to the Irulas, Mudugas, and Kurumbar tribes. The Kurumba tribes reside in the thick forests of the Attappady valley and speak a tribal language known as Kurumba bhasha, which is purely oral and lacks a written script. This language shows influences from Tamil and Malayalam.