The district of Malappuram, which literally means a terraced place atop hills, was carved out of the districts of Calicut and Palghat in 1969. Although Malappuram lags behind the State’s other districts in terms of standards of literacy and education, paradoxically the district has contributed in no small measure to Kerala’s cultural traditions. It has been a centre for Hindu-Vedic learning and teaching and Ponnani enjoyed a similar status as an important centre for education in the philosophy of Islam.

Malappuram district is bounded by Kozhikode district in the north, The Nilgiris on the east, Arabian Sea on the west and Thrissur and Palakkad districts on the south. Malappuram figures prominently in history as the place which frequently questioned the British Colonial Authority. Most of the famous Mappilla revolts of Malabar, which took place between 1792 and 1921, occurred in areas now under Malappuram district. House of the Valluvanad dynasty of Chieftains who ruled over the area in ancient and medieval times, Malappuram has always enjoyed the status of a military headquarters. The Zamorin of Calicut, for instance consolidated his conquests and built a Palace of the then important Malabar Sea port of Ponnani in Malappuram.

Air : The nearest airport is at Calicut, 36 km. away. 
Rail : The main railway station is at Calicut. 
Road : Malappuram is linked by motorable roads to several towns in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.