Sholayoor
Grama Panchayat

The Attappadi region was once under the rule of the Zamorin Raja of Kozhikode. The British, who came to India for trade and later took control of the country, established tea and coffee plantations in this region.

The remains of Tipu's Fort, which stood as a memorial to the invasion of Tipu Sultan in this area, can still be seen at Kottathara today.

This region was once strongly dominated by the feudal landlord system. In Tamil, the word “Cholai” means forest. Since this area was rich in forests, it later came to be known as Cholayur, which eventually became Sholayoor.

The Panchayat preserves a tribal culture that is centuries old. Even before Mahatma Gandhi introduced the Basic Education Policy in 1937, the first school in the area had already been established in 1935.

During the 1960s, there was only one Panchayat in the entire Attappadi region. The British, who arrived for the commercial expansion of cardamom, coffee, and tea plantations, had built a footpath from Coimbatore through Alanthurai and Koothadippallam to Melthottam and Varadimala. Over time, these difficult routes became less useful, and improved road transport facilities were later developed from Coimbatore through Thadagam to Mankara and extended up to Anakatti.

Today, Sholayoor Grama Panchayat has a large network of roads including metal roads, concrete roads, mud roads, and black-topped roads. The Mannarkkad–Chinnathadakam State Highway passes through the Panchayat.

Anakatti Bus Stand is the main center of road transportation in the Panchayat. Important bridges such as Kodumkara Bridge and Siruvani River Bridge reflect the progress made in the transport sector.

The major markets in Sholayur Panchayat are located at Anakatti and Kottathara. The Panchayat is home to many places of worship belonging to different religions. Around 70 temples, 8 Christian churches, and 2 mosques are situated in various parts of the Panchayat.

Pongal and Diwali are the major festivals celebrated in the region.

The K.P. Murugeshan Memorial Cultural Centre at Anakatti is the main cultural center and library of the Panchayat.