Pilathara is a suburb town of Payyannur in the Kannur district of Kerala, India. This region is noted for its cultural, traditional and religious characteristics. The Government Medical College, Kannur aka Pariyaram Medical College is just 4 km away from Pilathara. Pazhayangadi and Mathamangalam are located south and north of Pilathara respectively. It comes under Payyanur taluk and Cheruthazham village. Kannur International Airport is the nearest airport of about 50 km away. The nearby railway station is at Pazhayangadi, just 8 km away from Pilathara town.

Pazhayangadi, is a small township, approximately 23 km (14 mi) north of district headquarters Kannur, 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Payyanur and 14.5 km (9.0 mi) west of Taliparamba in the Indian state of Kerala. In the local language of Malayalam it literally means "Old Market". The town is bounded by the Madayi Hills (Madayippara) on the west and by the Pazhayangadi River on the south. Ezhimala, a range of hills, that is believed to be home to a variety of medical herbs including mrithasanjeevini, and a very ancient recorded history, is situated nearly 8 km west of Pazhayangadi. Pazhayangadi town is spread over Madayi and Ezhome Grama Panchayats. Madayi Hill offers a splendid scene of Ezhimala which means a chain of seven mountains, where the Indian Naval Academy is situated.