Idukki District

Idukki Dam

Idukki means a place with a deep gorge. River Periyar flowed through a canyon between two rocky mountains named Kurava mala and Kurathy mala. The legend folk story from generation of the ancient Adivasi Muthuvan tribe tella that Sita, during her forest sojourn with Rama (the eldest brother of Panja Pandavas), bathed in this canyon river, and on seeing an Adivasi couple - Kuravan and Kurathy watching her naked beauty, she cursed them into became two rocky mountains. Modern technology has bridged these two mountain at the gorge to form the marvellous of Idukki arch dam, the first of its kind in Asia.

When a new district was carved out, it shared the place name of the famous arch dam of Kerala. This beautiful high range district of Kerala is geographically known for its mountainous hills and dense forests. For the people of Kerala, Idukki is always associated with power generation. About 66% of the State's Power needs come from the Hydroelectric Power Projects in Idukki annd associated with several dams. Idukki accounts for 12.9 percent of the area of Kerala and only 3.7 percent of the population of Kerala. Idukki holds the key to solve the Kerala's energy problem. Incesant wind at Ramakalmedu and neighbouring places is estimated to yield above a 1000 MW, more than what the arch dam could yield. It is only waiting to be tapped.

Idukki district was formed on 26 January 1972.The district consists of Devikulam, Udumbanchola and Peermedu taluks of the erstwhile Kottayam district and Thodupuzha taluk (excluding two villages Manjallore and Kalloorkadu) of the erstwhile Ernakulam district. At the time of formation the district headquarters started functioning at Kottayam and from there it was shifted to Painavu in Thodupuzha taluk in June 1976.