Ottapalam, (also spelled Ottappalam) is a town, taluk and municipality in the Palakkad District, Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ottapalam taluk. Ottapalam is located about 36 km from district headquarters Palakkad. Ottapalam is located along the banks of Bharathapuzha, second longest river of the state. It is one of the major commercial centres in the district. Ottapalam was raised as a municipality in 1934, making it one of the municipalities that were formed before Indian independence and third oldest municipality in the district after Palakkad and Chittur-Thathamangalam. It is one of the major filming locations in Kerala. History The area was formerly known as Ayirur Thekkummuri Desam. The present-day Ottapalam, Pattambi and Cherpulassery areas were part of the medieval Nedunganad kingdom. Nedunganathiripad (Nedungadi) was the main ruler of Nedunganad. The headquarters was at Makovilakam near Kodikunnu, Chembulangad. Nedunaganad was ruled by the Nairs of Kavalappara, Thrikkadeeri, Kannambra, Vattakkavil Perumbada under the leadership of Nedunganathiripad. Ottappalam was the administrative area of Thrikkadeeri Nair. Its north side starts at Ayirur-Vadakkummuri near Mannarkkad and ends at Ayirur-Thekkummuri. After passing Ayirur-Thekkummuri, crossing the 'Ottapalam of Kanniyampuram river', then it comes the place to pay a toll for Kavalappara Nair. Around 1487 AD, the region was annexed to the kingdom of the Zamorin of Calicut. The Zamorin appointed his chieftain at Kavalappara Kovilakam. After the long rule of the Zamorin of Calicut, it became a part of the Kingdom of Mysore around 1766. It came under the rule of East India Company with the Treaty of Seringapatam in 1792. The British formed the Malabar District and built their headquarters at Kozhikode. The headquarters of North Malabar was at Thalassery and that of South Malabar was at Cherpulassery. The headquarters of South Malabar was later changed to Ottapalam. Ottapalam was a part of Walluvanad Taluk of Malappuram Revenue Division in Malabar District with its Taluk headquarters at Perinthalmanna during British Raj. The railway was installed and the town was renamed as Ottappalam. The South Malabar Special Court started functioning at Ottappalam by 1880, and with that Ottappalam became the common name for the town. Gradually, the name Ayirur-Thekkummuri was confined to the land records. Before Indian Independence, present-day Kerala state was scattered in South Canara and Malabar Districts of British India and two princely states namely Cochin and Travancore. The first All-Kerala conference of Indian National Congress was held in 1921 at