History

When you turn left or right from Kaikatty, Nelliyampathy, it is believed that the entire Nelliyampathy hills formerly belonged to Vengunad Kovilakam of Kollengode (a minor Malabar principality) and the State of Cochin. Plantations in this region have a long history dating back to the 19th century, when the State of Cochin awarded some title deeds to construct plantations. The estates were primarily held by the British, who also began the coffee crops. However, Nelliyampathy was well-known for oranges rather than coffee during the early part of the 20th century. The oranges grown in the local orange orchards were so well-liked by the British that some were even sent to the queen. The State of Cochin established a farm here in 1943 to provide food.

The most well-known early settler in the Nellies, Arthur Halls, always believed that there were other settlers in the hills where only indigenous people roamed until the planters opened the region to settlement. By the time Arthur Hall arrived in the Nellies in 1877, it appeared that coffee had been grown in the later-named Shernelly, halfway up the ghat, and Nelikolam Estates, the latter of which was on the plateau, without any apparent shade. As the founder of planting in the Nellie, Arthur Hall began his work at Cotengady, close to Padagiri. Two Britishers named Mr. Holmes and Mr. Macanzey were given leases on substantial sections of virgin forest in the Nelliyampathy hills in 1889. When the 1890s arrived, there

The Vengunad Kovilakam of Kollengode (a principality), who had leased out extensive portions of this virgin forest region to the government during the 19th century, was the original owner of the entire Nelliyampathy hills. Two Britons named Arthur Hall and W.R.M. McKenzie were given a lease on a portion of the Nelliyampathy hills in 1889, and they used it to start a commercial farming operation. Later, in 1896, they sold a Finlays company—the John Muir-founded Amalgamated Tea Estates Company Ltd, which was later bought by The Amalgamated Coffee Estate Pvt. Ltd.—the leasing rights to the site. A Gold Medal was awarded to The Amalgamated Tea Estates Company Ltd. during the 1900 Paris Exhibition.
Later, separate pieces of the estate were sold to other parties.

Seethargund is a vista located 8 kilometres from Nelliyampathy. According to legend, Seethargund was the resting spot of Lord Rama, Laxman, and Seetha during their exile.

Seetharkundu, a rest stop on the way to Nelliyampathy, provides beautiful views of the natural world and a bird's-eye perspective of around one-third of Palakkad town and the surrounding areas. The 100-foot-tall Seetharkundu waterfall is one of the biggest draws in this area.

There are numerous myths and legends associated with Seetharkundu. It is thought that the principal figures of the Ramayana, Lord Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana, lived here during their Vanavasa era (period of exile in the forest). There are some magnificent wooden carvings and murals in this Agasthya temple.

Viewpoint Seetharkundu exploration
The distance to Seetharkundu Viewpoint after arriving in Nelliyampathy is 4 kilometres. Poab's Estate, which covers hundreds of acres in Nelliyampathy, contains the viewpoint. Up until Poab's Estate, where vehicles can still be accessed, a one-kilometer hike will take you to the lookout. The hike is quite challenging because one side of the trail has steep hills without any fencing. The area is home to numerous coffee and spice plantations, which fill the air with a tantalising perfume.

After the ten-minute trek, the view is spectacular, and it takes guts to approach the edge because there is a steep drop below. In the absence of any security barriers or walls, the powerful blow of

Kesavanpara viewpoint is one of Nelliyampathy's other attractions. Here, the movie Mrigaya, starring Mammootty, was filmed.