Chained here is a restless spirit

The Chain Tree in Wayanad is a stop for many a curious traveller on the Kozhikode-Wayanad* route. The chain hanging from it was not put there by accident neither...
Chain Tree / Changala maram, Wayanad.

The Chain Tree in Wayanad is a stop for many a curious traveller on the Kozhikode-Wayanad* route. The chain hanging from it was not put there by accident neither was it meant to be decoration.ย This tree has a story to tell.

Chain-Tree / Changala maram, Wayanad.

This story dates back to the time when India was under British colonisation and there was noย motor-ableย road through this part of the Western Ghats. It is believed that a tribal youth by the name Karinthandan who knew the way through the dense hilly forests helped an English engineer through these ghats. Once they were out of the thicket, the Englishman is said to have killed his adivasi escort so as to take credit for discovering the-almost-unnavigable-stretch between Kozhikode and what is now Wayanad District.

Legend has it that the spirit of the slain tribesman began to trouble passers by, so that a holy man had to come and tether the troubled soul to a tree. This is supposed to be that tree — The Chain Tree, as the tourism brochures call it. The locals however prefer calling it Changala Maram the Malayalam term for Chain Tree.

The Chain tree or Changala Maram stands in a place called Lakkidi in Wayanad District and can be seen on the left side of the road just after the Ghat Section, if you are travelling from Kozhikode to Wayanad (NH 212)*.

Chain-Tree / Changala maram, Wayanad.

*Kozhikode and Wayanad are districts in Kerala, India
*NH – National Highway (India)

To see pictures of this Ghat Section visit the post – Breathtaking ‘Gateway to Wayanad’

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Dee (Divya): Blogger, Freelance Content Writer & Content Strategist. | ๐Ÿ“ธ Loves tripping.๐Ÿ›ฃ Tipsy from every TRIP!๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿซฃ | ๐ŸžFollow > for intoxicating virtual trips!๐Ÿฅ‚๐Ÿ˜‰
37 Comments on this post.
  • Deepu George V
    24 January 2012 at 7:37 am
    Leave a Reply

    You have written very well about the traditional story behind it. I remember one of my blog visitors asking about the story behind this chain on a post on the same subject. She had been told a completely different story about it by the guide who just wants to escape from caught unaware of the story. During my child hood, I remember that the chain and the tree was the only thing there and during some evenings I have seen โ€œDeepamsโ€ lit there by some local people. Now the face has changed a lot, with sign board saying that it is โ€œChangala Muneeswaran Kovilโ€

  • dNambiar
    24 January 2012 at 7:20 pm
    Leave a Reply

    Thank you so much, Deepu.

    There's a temple beside it, right? I wonder what deity is in there and when that little shrine came up. We should look that up. If you learn anything about it, do blog and share the info.

  • Deepu George V
    25 January 2012 at 5:08 am
    Leave a Reply

    The deity seems to be none other than the same man's spirit (Karinthandan), which I guessed based on the Malayalam name "Changala Muneeswaran Kovil".

  • dNambiar
    25 January 2012 at 8:18 pm
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    Oh…ok. Thanks for the info. Deepu.

  • AmitAag
    17 October 2012 at 5:21 am
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    I'm so thankful to you for the pleasure I find in your posts about trees, and this one is no exception:) Thank you Divya for satisfying my love for trees:)

    • dNambiar
      17 October 2012 at 6:14 am
      Leave a Reply

      I'm so glad to hear that. And I have to thank you for all you continued support. I have yet another tree post coming up and that one is going to blow your mind. ๐Ÿ˜‰
      I'll put it up next week.

  • shovonc
    17 October 2012 at 5:39 am
    Leave a Reply

    A tree of many stories. Lovely.

    • dNambiar
      17 October 2012 at 6:32 am
      Leave a Reply

      Actually this is the only story I and almost everybody else has heard of. But with a mysterious chain hanging there like that, I won't be surprised if people come out with different and more exciting tales about this tree.
      Thank you for the visit, Shovon. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • R Niranjan Das
    17 October 2012 at 7:31 am
    Leave a Reply

    I couldnt have read about this at a better time. Am riding to Wayanad tomorrow and am definitely stopping by at this tree. Have read a lot about this, but never stopped by. Thanks Divya for reminding me about the Chain tree.

    • dNambiar
      17 October 2012 at 5:22 pm
      Leave a Reply

      There's not a whole lot to see there. Just this mysterious looking tree with chain on it. But yes a lot of people are curious about it and a whole lot of people don't even notice it while driving by. The tree doesn't exactly stand out. So you might want to look out for a restaurant called Chain Tree. The tree is across the road from that building.
      Are you riding down? Ride safe.
      Have fun. ๐Ÿ™‚

    • R Niranjan Das
      21 October 2012 at 9:06 am
      Leave a Reply

      Found the tree. :). As you said, it doesnt stand out. It is closer to the coffee day there. Yeah, a motorbike ride to wayanad. I have never seen Wayanad so beautiful. It was engulfed in mist, especially nammude thamarassery churam. ๐Ÿ™‚

    • dNambiar
      24 October 2012 at 1:18 am
      Leave a Reply

      Wow, now there's a Coffee Day there? That is so damn cool. Next time I'll be making a stop there. Thanks for the info, Niranjan.
      Oh, I'm sure the churam looked heavenly as always with all that mist. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Meoww
    17 October 2012 at 1:51 pm
    Leave a Reply

    I am curious about the English man who killed the poor chap… Interesting!

    • dNambiar
      17 October 2012 at 5:48 pm
      Leave a Reply

      Well, that's the story. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • TTT
    18 October 2012 at 1:38 pm
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    next time I go via waynad , I am definitely going to check out this tree. your post was very interesting .

    • dNambiar
      18 October 2012 at 11:15 pm
      Leave a Reply

      It's on the way to Kozhikode. Just before the ghat section. There's nothing much else there, though.
      Thank you TTT ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Shrinidhi Hande
    18 October 2012 at 3:19 pm
    Leave a Reply

    we'd driven till Lakkidi viewpoint.. Didn't notice this tree as we were not looking for it

    • dNambiar
      18 October 2012 at 11:18 pm
      Leave a Reply

      Never mind, Shrinidhi. You didn't miss much; it's just a tree with a chain on it. And it doesn't really stand out so most people drive by without noticing it.
      It's the story behind it that I thought that was pretty interesting. ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Tony John
      24 May 2015 at 6:06 am
      Leave a Reply

      The tree is located opposite to the Wayanad Gate Hotel and the new Coffee Day. There are couple of similar trees in the area, so look for the steel chain hanging from the tree and the small temple.

  • Akshay Kumar G
    19 October 2012 at 2:13 am
    Leave a Reply

    Nice to know the story behind the Chain Tree. The Englishman acted like a true cunning Englishman, eh? ๐Ÿ˜€

    Nice to read your older posts, Divya. ๐Ÿ™‚

    • dNambiar
      19 October 2012 at 5:07 am
      Leave a Reply

      If that story is true, Yeah. ๐Ÿ™‚
      After I put up the ghat section post on IB, I thought I had to pull out this one because the two kind-of go together.
      (Moreover it's October, the best time to be talking about spirits, right?)

  • Indrani
    19 October 2012 at 9:06 am
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    I missed this place when i went to Waynaad. Great post, interesting story.

    • dNambiar
      19 October 2012 at 6:00 pm
      Leave a Reply

      It's ok, Indrani, you didn't miss much really. But yeah, the story is interesting. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Sangeeta Raghu
    21 October 2012 at 6:40 pm
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    Very interesting !!

    • dNambiar
      22 October 2012 at 11:38 pm
      Leave a Reply

      ๐Ÿ™‚
      Thank you Sangeeta. Long time, eh. I hope Smera's doing great.

  • Ghazala Hossain
    23 October 2012 at 4:51 am
    Leave a Reply

    What a sad story behinad this interesting picture ๐Ÿ™‚

    • dNambiar
      24 October 2012 at 1:20 am
      Leave a Reply

      Hmm, Yeah. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • ASHOK CETRON
    21 May 2013 at 7:45 am
    Leave a Reply

    เดฎเดฑเตเดฑเต เดœเดฟเดฒเตเดฒเด•เดณเดฟเตฝ เดจเดฟเดจเตเดจเต เดตเดฏเดจเดพเดŸเตเดŸเดฟเดฒเต‡เด•เตเด•เต เดŽเดคเตเดคเตเดจเตเดจเดตเดฐเต† เดตเดฏเดจเดพเดŸเตป เดจเดจเตเดฎเด•เดณเดฟเดฒเต‡เด•เตเด•เต เด•เตˆเดชเดฟเดŸเดฟเดšเตเดšเต เดธเตเดตเต€เด•เดฐเดฟเด•เตเด•เตเดจเตเดจ เด†เดฆเตเดฏเดชเดŸเดฟ เด†เดฏเดฟเดŸเตเดŸเดพเดฃเต เด‡เดจเตเดจเตเด‚ เดšเด™เตเด™เดฒ เดฎเดฐเดคเตเดคเต† เดžเดพเตป เดจเต‹เด•เตเด•เดฟ เด•เดพเดฃเตเดจเตเดจเดคเต. เด† เดชเตเดฐเดฆเต‡เดถเดตเตเด‚ เดšเด™เตเด™เดฒ เดฎเดฐเดตเตเด‚ เด’เดจเตเดจเตเด‚ เดคเดจเตเดจเต† เดญเต€เดคเดฟ เดœเดจเด•เด‚ เด†เดฏเดฟ เด’เดฐเดฟเด•เตเด•เดฒเตเด‚ เด…เดจเตเดญเดตเดชเตเดชเต†เดŸเตเดŸเดฟเดŸเตเดŸเดฟเดฒเตเดฒเต†เดจเตเดจเต เดฎเดพเดคเตเดฐเดฎเดฒเตเดฒ,เดตเดฏเดจเดพเดŸเตเดŸเดฟเดฒเต‡เด•เตเด•เต เด•เดŸเด•เตเด•เตเด‚เดชเต‹เดดเต†เดฒเตเดฒเดพเด‚ (เด•เดพเดฑเดฟเดฒเดพเดฃเต†เด™เตเด•เดฟเตฝ) เด…เดตเดฟเดŸเต† เด•เตเดฑเดšเตเดšเต เดธเดฎเดฏเด‚ เดšเต†เดฒเดตเดดเดฟเด•เตเด•เดพเดจเตเด‚ เดžเดพเตป เดถเตเดฐเดฎเดฟเด•เตเด•เดพเดฑเตเดฃเตเดŸเต.เด’เดฐเต เดธเตเดตเดพเดจเตเดคเตเดตเดจเดคเตเดคเดฟเดจเต เด…เดชเตเดชเตเดฑเด‚ เดฎเดฑเตเดฑเตŠเดฐเต เดตเดฟเดชเดฐเต€เดค เด…เดจเตเดญเดตเดตเตเด‚ เด‡เดคเตเดตเดฐเต† เด‰เดฃเตเดŸเดพเดฏเดฟเดŸเตเดŸเตเด‚ เด‡เดฒเตเดฒ.เด’เดฐเดฟเด•เตเด•เตฝ เดฐเดพเดคเตเดฐเดฟ เดเด•เดฆเต‡เดถเด‚ เดฐเดฃเตเดŸเต เดฎเดฃเดฟเดฏเต‹เดŸเตเด•เต‚เดŸเดฟ เด…เดคเตเดตเดดเดฟ เด•เดŸเดจเตเดจเตเดตเดฐเตเดฎเตเดชเต‹เตพ เดชเต‹เดฒเตเด‚ เด•เดพเดฑเดฟเตฝ เดจเดฟเดจเตเดจเตเด‚ เด‡เดฑเด™เตเด™เดฟ เด† เดฎเดฐเดšเตเดšเตเดตเดŸเตเดŸเดฟเตฝ เด•เตเดฑเดšเตเดšเต เดธเดฎเดฏเด‚ เดšเต†เดฒเดตเดดเดฟเด•เตเด•เตเด•เดฏเตเดฃเตเดŸเดพเดฏเดฟ.เด…เดชเตเดชเต‹เดดเตเด‚ เดˆ เดชเดฑเดžเตเดžเดคเดฟเดจเต เด…เดชเตเดชเตเดฑเด‚ เดฎเดฑเตเดฑเตŠเดจเตเดจเตเด‚ เด…เดจเตเดญเดตเดชเตเดชเต†เดŸเตเดŸเดฟเดŸเตเดŸเดฟเดฒเตเดฒ.เด…เดคเต เด’เดฐเตเดชเด•เตเดทเต† เด•เดพเดฐเตเดฏเด™เตเด™เตพ เดจเดฎเตเดฎเตพ เด•เดพเดฐเตเดฏเด™เตเด™เตพ เดจเต‹เด•เตเด•เดฟ เด•เดพเดฃเตเดจเตเดจเดคเดฟเดจเต เด†เดพเดจเตเดชเดพเดคเดฟเด•เด‚ เด†เดฏเตเดณเตเดณ เดญเดฒเดฎเดพเดฏเดฟเดฐเดฟเด•เตเด•เตเด‚ เดฒเดญเดฟเด•เตเด•เตเด•เดฏเต†เดจเตเดจ เดฎเดจเดถเดพเดธเตเดคเตเดฐเดธเดฟเดฆเตเดงเดพเดจเตเดค เดชเตเดฐเด•เดพเดฐเดตเตเด‚ เด†เด•เดพเด‚…!
    เด…เดคเต เดŽเดจเตเดคเตเดคเดจเตเดจเต† เด†เดฏเดพเดฒเตเด‚ เดšเด™เตเด™เดฒ เดฎเดฐเดคเตเดคเดฟเดจเตเดฑเต† เดšเดฐเดฟเดคเตเดฐเด‚ เด•เต‚เดŸเดฟ เด’เดจเตเดจเต เดชเดฐเดฟเดถเต‹เดงเดฟเด•เตเด•เตเดจเตเดจเดคเต เดจเดจเตเดจเดพเดฏเดฟเดฐเดฟเด•เตเด•เตเด‚.เดชเดฃเตเดŸเต เดฌเตเดฐเดฟเดŸเตเดŸเต€เดทเตเด•เดพเตผ เดญเดฐเดฟเดšเตเดšเดฟเดฐเตเดจเตเดจ เด•เดพเดฒเดคเตเดคเต เดตเดจเดชเตเดฐเดฆเต‡เดถเด™เตเด™เดณเดพเตฝ เด’เดฑเตเดฑเดชเตเดชเต†เดŸเตเดŸเต เด•เดฟเดŸเดจเตเดจเดฟเดฐเตเดจเตเดจ เดธเดฎเตเดชเตฝเดธเดฎเตƒเดฆเตเดงเดฎเดพเดฏ เดตเดฏเดจเดพเดŸเตเดŸเดฟเดฒเต‡เด•เตเด•เต เด’เดฐเต เดตเดดเดฟ เด‰เดฃเตเดŸเดพเด•เตเด•เดพเตป เดธเดนเดพเดฏเดฟเดšเตเดš เด†เดฆเดฟเดตเดพเดธเดฟ เด†เดฏเดฟเดฐเตเดจเตเดจ เด•เดฐเดฟเดจเตเดคเดฃเตเดŸเตป เดŽเดจเตเดจเดฏเดพเดณเต†,เด†เดตเดถเตเดฏเด‚ เด•เดดเดฟเดžเตเดžเดถเต‡เดทเด‚ เดฌเตเดฐเดฟเดŸเตเดŸเต€เดทเตเด•เดพเตผ เด•เตŠเดจเตเดจเตเด•เดณเดžเตเดž เด’เดฐเต เดšเดฐเดฟเดคเตเดฐเด‚(เด•เดฅเดฏเดพเดฃเต‹ เดŽเดจเตเดจเตเด‚ เด…เดฑเดฟเดฏเดฟเดฒเตเดฒ) เด•เต‚เดŸเดฟเดฏเตเดฃเตเดŸเต.เดฎเดฐเดฃเดชเตเดชเต†เดŸเตเดŸเตเด•เดดเดฟเดžเตเดž เด•เดฐเดฟเดจเตเดคเดฃเตเดŸเดจเตเดฑเต† เด†เดคเตเดฎเดพเดตเตโ€Œ เด…เดคเตเดตเดดเดฟ เดชเต‹เด•เตเดจเตเดจ เดตเดพเดนเดจเด™เตเด™เดณเต† เดคเตเดŸเตผเดšเตเดšเดฏเดพเดฏเดฟ เด…เดชเด•เดŸเดชเตเดชเต†เดŸเตเดคเตเดคเดฟเดฏเต†เดจเตเดจเตเด‚,เด’เดŸเตเดตเดฟเตฝ เด† เด†เดคเตเดฎเดพเดตเดฟเดจเต† เดฎเดฐเดคเตเดคเดฟเตฝ เดฌเดจเตเดงเดฟเดšเตเดšเต เดชเตเดฐเดถเตเดจเด‚ เดชเดฐเดฟเดนเดฐเดฟเดšเตเดšเตเดตเต†เดจเตเดจเตเด‚ เด•เต‡เดŸเตเดŸเตเดตเดฐเตเดจเตเดจเต.
    เดธเดนเดพเดฏเด‚ เดšเต†เดฏเตเดคเดฏเดพเดณเต†, เด•เดพเดฐเตเดฏเดธเดพเดงเตเดฏเดคเตเดคเดฟเดจเตโ€Œ เดถเต‡เดทเด‚ เด•เตŠเดจเตเดจเต เด•เดณเดฏเตเด• เดฎเดพเดคเตเดฐเดฎเดฒเตเดฒ, เด†เดคเตเดฎเดพเดตเดฟเดจเต† เดชเต‹เดฒเตเด‚ เดฌเดจเตเดงเดฟเด•เตเด•เดพเตป เด•เดพเดฃเดฟเดšเตเดš เดฎเดจเต‹เดญเดพเดตเดคเตเดคเต‹เดŸเต เดฏเต‹เดœเดฟเด•เตเด•เตเดตเดพเตป เด•เดดเดฟเดฏเตเดจเตเดจเดฟเดฒเตเดฒ.เด…เดฆเตเดฆเต‡เดนเดคเตเดคเต‹เดŸเต เดšเต†เดฏเตเดคเดคเต เดคเต†เดฑเตเดฑเดพเดฏเดฟเดฐเตเดจเตเดจเต เดŽเดจเตเดจเต เด†เตผเด•เตเด•เต†เด™เตเด•เดฟเดฒเตเด‚ เดคเดฟเดฐเดฟเดšเตเดšเดฑเดฟเดตเต เด‰เดฃเตเดŸเดพเดฏเดฟเดฐเตเดจเตเดจเต†เด™เตเด•เดฟเตฝ เดฌเดจเตเดงเดจเด‚ เด’เดดเดฟเดตเดพเด•เตเด•เดฟ เดชเดฐเดฟเดนเดพเดฐเด‚ เด†เดฏเดฟเดฐเตเดจเตเดจเต เดšเต†เดฏเตเดฏเต‡เดฃเตเดŸเดฟเดฏเดฟเดฐเตเดจเตเดจเดคเต เดŽเดจเตเดจเตเด‚ เดชเดฒเดชเตเดชเต‹เดดเตเด‚ เดคเต‹เดจเตเดจเดฟเดฏเดฟเดŸเตเดŸเตเดฃเตเดŸเต.
    เดŽเดจเตเดคเตŠเด•เตเด•เต†เดฏเดพเดฏเดพเดฒเตเด‚ เดตเดฏเดจเดพเดŸเดฟเดจเตเดฑเต† เดจเดจเตเดฎเดฏเตเด‚, เดชเตเดฐเด•เตƒเดคเดฟ เดฎเดจเต‹เดนเดพเดฐเดฟเดคเดฏเตเด‚, เด•เตเดณเดฟเดฐเตเดฎเดฏเตเด‚ เดžเดพเตป เด’เดŸเตเดŸเต‡เดฑเต† เด‡เดทเตเดŸเดชเตเดชเต†เดŸเตเดจเตเดจเต…เด’เดชเตเดชเด‚ เดŽเดจเตเดคเตŠเด•เตเด•เต†เดฏเต‹ เด“เตผเดฎเตเดฎเด•เตพ เด‰เดฑเด™เตเด™เตเดจเตเดจ เดšเด™เตเด™เดฒ เดฎเดฐเดคเตเดคเต†เดฏเตเด‚…

    • dNambiar
      19 January 2016 at 1:43 am
      Leave a Reply

      Athu seriya. It depends on how you look at it. I didn't find it spooky either. The story is spooky but then again, Karinthandan's story may or may not have happened but the tree is a symbol of what Wayanad was, long long ago — a wild and gorgeous paradise that was kind of cut off from what is the rest of Kerala now.

      A little bit of History, a lot of intrigue and an interesting stop near the scenic Thamarassery Churam that we all love and never get tired of.

      Thank you Ashok for the beautiful comment.
      I'm so sorry I missed it. Hence the late response to the comment.

      Veendum visit cheyyu, Ee blogine. ๐Ÿ™‚
      Nanni, once again. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Tony John
    24 May 2015 at 6:30 am
    Leave a Reply

    I visited the Chain tree last week during my trip to Wayanad. I stayed in Hotel Wayand Gate, opposite to the tree. I could see the tree from the room and it looked no different from any other trees in the area except for the small temple built around the tree. But the hotel people insisted on visiting the tree and claimed it is one of the major tourist spots in Wayand. I went near the tree and found the steel chain sunken into the trunk of the tree but still didn't look anything important to attract the visitors. Then I took a tea from the small country tea shop next to the tree and the lady over there asked if I know the history of the tree. Probably she read from my face that I was curious what is so attractive there for the people to stop by and take lot of phones. She explained the touching story of Karinthandan and the English engineer who cheated and killed him after taking his guidance to explore the unknown routes through the ghats. After I came back to the room, I read a few historical site and came to know more about the legend associated with the tree and learnt a lot of interesting things about. I have shared my findings and the historical developments of the Chain tree in my travel experience here – http://www.indiatravelblog.com/resources/3318-Chain-Tree-Wayanad.aspx

    Once you learn the legend behind it, you will really admire the Chain Tree. Until then it is just a tree with a chain hanging on it.

    • dNambiar
      19 January 2016 at 1:52 am
      Leave a Reply

      Hi John,
      That's right, it is just another tree until you hear the story behind it. We not how much of it is true but it sure is a symbol of the History of the land.

      Thank you for coming by.
      And thank you for that link. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Kokila Gupta
    1 July 2015 at 5:40 am
    Leave a Reply

    Interesting !
    churam means road ?

    • dNambiar
      19 January 2016 at 1:54 am
      Leave a Reply

      Churam means mountain pass or ghat section.
      The drive through there is beautiful; a totally doable thing from Bangalore. You should to that, sometime. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • umashankar
    18 January 2016 at 2:24 am
    Leave a Reply

    That was an interesting clip. Our countryside is full of such fascinating tales. Many of the stories are so complex that it would need a trilogy to do justice to the details, nothing less.

    • dNambiar
      19 January 2016 at 1:59 am
      Leave a Reply

      I'm sure.
      It sure adds mystery to that place. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Thank you, USP.

  • academic writing services
    13 May 2016 at 9:39 am
    Leave a Reply

    I have heard about this chain tree. many people believes that in this chain tree spirit lives. But i don't know is it true or not. Currently i am working on my academic essay writing with help of academic writing services.

  • Wayanad Ghat Section — A breathtaking gateway| Tipsy from the TRIP
    18 January 2017 at 12:04 am
    Leave a Reply

    […] When you are driving through the Wayanad Ghat Section, make sure to also make a stop at the Chain Tree or Changala Maram. It is located just after the Ghat Section if you are coming up the hills, or just before the Ghats […]

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