Kalakad forest, almost an extension of the silent valley of Kerala, is an evergreen forest, home for the lion tailed monkeys: It is a declared Tiger reserve. Many of the rivers in Tirunelveli district originate here. A small dam on Pachiyar river constructed recently has water throughout the year even when other places run dry! On top of the mountain at a height of about 3000 feet an old bungalow is there, constructed and frequented by them during hot summer months, as plenty of water was always there with a very nice climate. Even now one can go there, but with permission from forest authorities in Tirunelveli. Though a very very narrow motorable road had been laid some time back, it is in a very bad shape and only a very skilled driver on a good vehicle can drive through it. While driving the vehicle will almost never see sunlight as tall trees on both the side cover the road. Many falls, such as “Thaengai Uruli, Thalaianai, Karungal kasam, Netteringal, Sengaltheri” are situated in these forests.

There is a big and ancient temple with Lord Satyawageeswarar and Gomathi Ambal as presiding deities. One can see and listen to musical stone pillars in this temple. The Rajagopuram of this temple has 9 tiers. After a lot of gap between the last known Kumbabishekam performed in 1935, recently in 2000 Kumbabishekam was carried out for all the sannidhis: However the Rajagopuram was left out due to paucity of funds. Work is progressing now on this and with the blessings of the Lord the villagers hope to complete it by 2010.

One of the schools was established in the year 1911 in memory of the coronation of king Edward Seventh, known shortly as ECM higher elementary school, though it is being run now as a high school for girls, by Kuntrakkudi Adheenam. There is a Govt high school, K.A.M.P Meerania High school, and another private English medium high school: Two more high schools are situated in surrounding villages. However there is no higher education facility in Kalakad.

Records indicate that U.Ve. Saminatha Iyer visited this place and he was lucky enough to get a full copy of ‘ Pathu Pattu’ that he was searching. A great carnatic musician, Kalakad Rammanarayana Bhagawathar was born here. As early as in the sixties, an outsider, a veterinary doctor from of SankaranKoil remarked, “I find almost in every house of the main streets, minimum one graduate, either a male or a female!”. And Sankarankoil is a much bigger place than Kalakad!

As is the case with almost all the villages in India, the natives of Kalakad are slowly leaving Kalakad and settling throughout the world, looking for greener pastures. The river that was existing till a few years back is not at all visible now as it is fully covered by bushes now and it serves only a sewage water drainage stream.

The challenge that Kalakad faces now is to come out of all such issues and regain its past glory, and offer a happy, contended living for its residents and a place worth visiting many times for all others.

So what are you waiting for?