Sulthan Bathery

Sulthan Bathery, Tipu Sultan’s Weapon Battery

Heritage sites, Kerala, Sulthan Bathery

Sulthan Bathery is located at a distance of about 100 km from Kozhikode on the National Highway 212, at a height of about 1,000 m above sea level. It is a pristine town situated in the Wayanad district of Kerala and is surrounded by towering hills with patches of cliffs, valleys and plains.

Earlier, Sulthan Bathery was known as Gnanpativatom, which was changed after Tipu Sultan of Mysore invaded the Malabar region and deserted his weapons battering in an ancient Jain temple of this place. Hence it came to be known as Sulthan Bathery which is a corrupt form of Sultan’s battery.

During the 18^th century Tipu Sultan built a magnificent fort at this place, which now is in the state of ruins. At present, a police station is built on the mounds of this fort. Now, Sulthan Bathery is not only one of the largest towns of the district but also is one of the top tourist attractions in Wayanad.

The population of this town comprises of mainly tribals and their chief occupation is agriculture.  One can admire the scenic beauty of this town from a distance while travelling from Kalpatta to the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary at Muthanga.  This historic town of Wayanad lies close to the Kerala and Karnataka border.

Attractions

There are plenty of attractions in Sulthan Bathery some of which are mentioned below

Jain Temple- It is one of the top tourist attractions of Sulthan Bathery, which was built during the 13^th century. The temple has been a lone observer of the bygone historic era of this town, when the place was visited by the Jains and Hindus to worship, which was later utilized to store ammunition by Tipu Sultan’s army. The temple also includes few skillful stone carvings.

Edakkal Caves- These ancient caves are located on the Ambukuthi Mountains at a distance of about 16 km from the town of Sulthan Bathery. The Eddakal Caves comprises of three caves, located at a height of about 1,000 m above sea level. These caves are said to be one of the oldest sites of human settlements on earth.  These caves include primeval stone scripts and several carvings resembling the weapons, animals and humans of the early ages. These carvings are said to be more than 7,000 years old.

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary- Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Muthanga lies on the route to Mysore from Sulthan Bathery. The sanctuary is one of the top tourist attractions of Kerala. The entire region of this sanctuary is home to different varieties of flora and fauna among which some are of the endangered species. Domestic as well as international tourists come to this sanctuary throughout the year.

Ganapathi Temple- Another chief attraction of Sulthan Bathery is the ancient Ganapathi Temple, which was built during the 8^th century. The temple is located at the centre of the town and is very much popular among the Hindu devotees. This temple is also the reason as to why the place was earlier called as Ganapativattom.

How to Reach

By Air: The nearest airport to this town is Calicut Airport, located at a distance of about 105 km.

By Road: The town is easily accessible by road from several major cities of India. The National Highway 212 links this place with cities like Mysore, Calicut and Bangalore.

By Train: The nearest railway station to this town is Kozhikode Railway Station, located at a distance of about 98 km.

Source: http://www.keralatourismpackages.co.in/blog/sulthan-bathery-kerala/