85-778: Thiruvambady is a historic hill town in Kozhikode district in Kerala , India. Thiruvambady is a Panchayat headquarters, and a legislative assembly constituency, situated 35 kilometres (22 mi) from west of Kozhikode . Thiruvambady is well connected by road to nearby places. State Highway 83 passes through Thiruvambady town. A KSRTC bus operating centre is in town, as well as a private bus stand. There are buses to nearby places such as Kozhikode , Mukkam , Omassery , Thamarassery , Koduvally , Pulloorampara , Anakkampoyil , Poovaranthode , Koodaranji , and Kodenchery ; and KSRTC operates many inter-district routes. The nearest railway station
170-701: A "big bazaar." Other travellers who visited Kozhikode include the Italian Ludovico di Varthema (1503–1508) and Duarte Barbosa . Kozhikode and its suburbs formed part of the Polanad kingdom, which was a vassal state to the Kolathunadu of North Malabar , ruled by the Porlatiri . The Eradis of Nediyiruppu at Kondotty in Eranad ( Malappuram district ) wanted an outlet to the sea, to initiate trade and commerce with
255-577: A debate among historians of South India. The derivation of the name "Muziris" is said to be from the native name of the port, "Muciri" (Malayalam: മുചിറി). In the region, the Periyar river perhaps branched into two like a cleft lip, thus speculatively leading to the name "Muciri". It is frequently referred to as Muciri in Sangam poems, Muracippattanam in the Sanskrit epic Ramayana , and as Muyirikkottu in
340-546: A financier that concerns cargoes, especially of pepper and spices from Muziris. The fragmentary papyrus records details about a cargo consignment (valued at around nine million sesterces ) brought back from Muziris on board a Roman merchant ship called the Hermapollon . The discovery opened a strong base to ancient international and trade laws in particular and has been studied at length by economists, lawyers, and historians. The great Tamil epic Cilappatikaram ( The Story of
425-528: A fine variety of hand-woven cotton cloth that was exported from the port of Kozhikode, is thought to have been derived from Calicut . The term for tricolour cats, called calico cats , is as well derived from the fabric name. The ancient port of Tyndis which was located on the northern side of Muziris , as mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea , was somewhere around Kozhikode. Its exact location
510-632: A large lake indicated behind Muziris, and besides which is an icon marked Templ(um) Augusti, widely taken to mean a “Temple of Augustus ". A large number of Roman subjects must have spent months in this region awaiting favourable conditions for return sailings to the Empire. This could explain why the Map records the existence of an Augustan temple. It is also possible that there was a Roman colony in Muziris. Muziris disappeared from every known map of antiquity, and without
595-626: A long wooden boat and associated bollards made of teak and a wharf made of fired brick. The most remarkable find at Pattanam excavations in 2007 was a brick structural wharf complex, with nine bollards to harbour boats and in the midst of this, a highly decayed canoe, all perfectly mummified in mud. The canoe (6 meters long) was made of Artocarpus hirsutus , a tree common on the Malabar Coast , out of which boats are made. The bollards, some of which are still in satisfactory condition, were made of teak. Three Tamil-Brahmi scripts were also found in
680-486: A main railway station, where all passing trains stops. There are other railway stations within the City limits. They are Elathur, West Hill, Vellayil and Kallai. Only local passenger trains stops in these stations. One can travel to almost all destinations within the country from Kozhikode. The history of railways in Kerala dates to 1861 when the first tracks were laid between Tirur and Beypore . Calicut International Airport
765-425: A multi-ethnic and multi-religious town since the early medieval period . The Hindus form the largest religious group, followed by Muslims and Christians . Hindus form the majority at 57.37% of the population with 315,807 members. Muslims form 37.66% of the population with 207298 members. The corporation of Kozhikode has an average literacy rate of 96.8% ( national average is 74.85%). The male literacy rate
850-505: A new airport. Kozhikode Kozhikode ( pronounced [koːɻikːoːɖɨ̆] ), formerly known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the UNESCO's Cities of Literature . It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it
935-421: A place called Velapuram to safeguard his new interests. The fort most likely lent its name to Koyil Kotta the precursor to Kozhikode. Thus the city came into existence sometime in the 13th century. The status of Udaiyavar increased and he became known as Swami Nambiyathiri Thirumulpad, and eventually Samuri or Samoothiri (Zamorin). Europeans called him in a corrupt form as Zamorin . At the peak of their reign,
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#17328868136371020-658: A suburb of Kozhikode, it joins NH 66. It passes through major towns like Kondotty , Perinthalmanna , and Mannarkkad and Malappuram . This stretch connects the city and Calicut International Airport . SH 29 passes through the city. It connects NH 766, Malabar Christian College, civil station, Kunnamangalam , koduvally,Thamarassery,Chellot, Chitragiri and Road to Gudallor from Kerala border. State highway 38 starts from Pavangad near passes through Ulliyeri , Perambra , Kuttiady , Nadapuram , Panoor & Koothuparamba and ends at Chovva in Kannur . The highway is107;km long. It
1105-603: A trace, presumably because of a cataclysmic event in 1341, a "cyclone and floods" in the Periyar that altered the geography of the region. The historians Rajan Gurukkal and Dick Whittakker say in a study titled "In Search of Muziris" that the event, which opened up the present harbour at Kochi and the Vembanad backwater system to the sea and formed a new deposit of land now known as the Vypin Island near Kochi, "doubtless changed access to
1190-412: Is Kozhikode Railway Station , 35 kilometres (22 mi) distant. The nearest airport is Calicut International Airport , 43 kilometres (27 mi) distant. There was a proposal to built Thiruvambady International Airport for Calicut City, later the plan cancelled. Restrictions on larger aircraft landing at the existing airport for safety considerations has been reported as one rationale for building
1275-427: Is 26 kilometres (16 mi) from the city . It began operations in 1988. Domestic services are operated to major Indian cities. It received the status of an international airport in 2006. Muziris Muchiri ( Malayalam: [mujiri] , Tamil: [musiri] ), commonly anglicized as Muziris ( Ancient Greek : Μουζιρίς , Old Malayalam : Muciri or Muciripattanam possibly identical with
1360-452: Is 44.0 km long. This highway passes through Koyilandi , Ulliyeri , Balussery , Thamarassery , Omassery , Mukkam . Buses, predominantly run by individual owners, ply on the routes within the city and to nearby locations. City buses are painted green. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) runs regular services to many destinations in the state and to the neighboring states. The city has three bus stands. All private buses to
1445-515: Is 97.93% and female literacy rate is 95.78%. Pre-modern Kozhikode was already teeming with people of several communities and regional groups. Most of these communities continued to follow their traditional occupations and customs till the 20th century. Brahmins, too, lived in the city mostly around the Hindu temples. Regional groups like the Tamil Brahmins , Gujaratis and Marwari Jains became part of
1530-410: Is a divisive subject among some historians of South India. When KCHR announced the possible finding of Muziris based on Pattanam finds, it invited criticism from historians and archaeologists. Historians such as R Nagaswamy , KN Panikkar and MGS Narayanan disagreed with the identification and called for further analysis. "Whether Pattanam was Muziris is not of immediate concern to us", the chief of
1615-588: Is a matter of dispute. The suggested locations are Ponnani , Tanur , Beypore - Chaliyam - Kadalundi - Vallikkunnu , and Koyilandy . Tyndis was a major center of trade, second only to Muziris , between the Cheras and the Roman Empire . Pliny the Elder (1st century CE) states that the port of Tyndis was located at the northwestern border of Keprobotos ( Chera dynasty ). The North Malabar region, which lies north of
1700-551: Is divided into six zones each under a circle officer. Apart from regular law and order, the city police comprise the traffic police, bomb squad, dog squad, fingerprint bureau, women's cell, juvenile wing, narcotics cell, riot force, armed reserve camps, district crime records bureau and a women's station. It operates 16 police stations functioning under the Home Ministry of Government of Kerala . National Highway 66 connects Kozhikode to Mumbai via Mangaluru , Udupi and Goa to
1785-503: Is exported pepper, which is produced in only one region near these markets, a district called Cottonara. The Periplus reveals how Muziris became the main trade port for the Chera chiefdom. The author explains that this large settlement owed its prosperity to foreign commerce, including shipping arriving from northern India and the Roman empire. Black pepper from the hills was brought to the port by
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#17328868136371870-530: Is one of the busiest route in the district. SH 54 connects the city to Kalpetta . The highway is 99.0 kilometres (61.5 mi) long. The highway passes through Pavangad, Kozhikode , Ulliyeri, Perambra , Poozhithodu, Peruvannamuzhi and Padinjarethara. SH 68 starts from Kappad and ends in Adivaram. The highway is 68.11 kilometres (42.32 mi) long. SH 34 starts from Koyilandy and ends in Edavanna which
1955-470: Is possible to arrive in forty days at the nearest market in India, Muziris by name. This, however, is not a very desirable place for disembarkation, on account of the pirates which frequent its vicinity, where they occupy a place called Nutrias; nor, in fact, is it very rich in articles of merchandise. Besides, the road stead for shipping is a considerable distance from the shore, and the cargoes have to be conveyed in boats, either for loading or discharging. At
2040-630: Is settled mostly around the Jain temple in and around the Valliyangadi. They owned many establishments, especially textile and sweet shops. They must have arrived in Kozhikode at least from the beginning of the 14th century. They belong to either the Hindu or the Jain community. A few Marwari families are also found in Kozhikode who was basically moneylenders. Languages of Kozhikode city (2011) By language, 97.64% of
2125-462: Is the first City Corporation in Kerala after the creation of the state. Established in 1962, Kozhikode Corporation's first mayor was H Manjunatha Rao. Kozhikode corporation has four assembly constituencies – Kozhikode North, Kozhikode South, Beypore and Elathur – all of which are part of Kozhikode . The Kozhikode City Police is headed by a commissioner, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. The city
2210-510: Is the preferred one and is very busy. Another route, is Kozhikode- Manathavady - Kutta -Mysore-Bangalore. The third one, less used, is Kozhikode–Gundlupet– Chamarajanagar – Kollegal –Bangalore. Private tour operators maintain regular luxury bus services to Mumbai , Bangalore , Coimbatore , Chennai , Vellore , Ernakulam , Trivandrum , Ooty , Mysore . etc. and mainly operate from the Palayam area. These are usually night services. Kozhikode has
2295-691: The Fall of Calicut ). The English landed in 1615 (constructing a trading post in 1665), followed by the French (1698) and the Dutch (1752). In 1765, Mysore captured Kozhikode as part of its occupation of the Malabar Coast. Kozhikode, once a famous cotton-weaving centre, gave its name to the Calico cloth . It was ranked eleventh among Tier-II Indian cities in job creation by a study conducted by ASSOCHAM in 2007. Accounts of
2380-686: The Jewish copper plate of an 11th-century Chera ruler. A tantalizing description of Muziris is in Akanaṉūṟu , an anthology of early Tamil bardic poems (poem number 149.7-11) in Eṭṭuttokai the city where the beautiful vessels, the masterpieces of the Yavanas [Ionians], stir white foam on the Culli [Periyar], a river of the Chera, arriving with gold and departing with pepper-when that Muciri, brimming with prosperity,
2465-574: The Kerala State Department of Archaeology ) in 2006-07 and it was announced that the lost "port" of Muziris was found and started the new hypothesis. This identification of Pattanam as the ancient Muziris also sparked controversy among historians. As per texts, Kerala is known to have traded spices since the Sangam era ; it is based on this trade that some historians have implied that only foreign countries needed spices (pepper). Some historians and archaeologists criticized this view starting
2550-749: The Palghat Gap and along the Kaveri Valley to the east coast of India. Though the Roman trade declined from the 5th century AD, the former Muziris attracted the attention of other nationalities, particularly the Persians, the Chinese and the Arabs, presumably until the devastating floods of Periyar in 1341. Earlier Muziris was identified with the region around Mangalore in southwestern Karnataka . Later hypothesis
2635-914: The Third Portuguese Armada and Kingdom of Cochin under João da Nova and Zamorin of Calicut 's navy marks the beginning of Portuguese conflicts in the Indian Ocean . The defeat of the joint fleet of the Sultan of Gujarat Mahmud Begada , the Mamlûk Burji Sultanate of Egypt , and the Zamorin of Calicut with support from the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Diu in February 1509 marks
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2720-456: The samoothiris (Zamorins) in the Middle Ages and later of the erstwhile Malabar District under British rule. Arab merchants traded with the region as early as 7th century, and Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed at Kozhikode on 20 May 1498, thus opening a trade route between Europe and India. A Portuguese factory and the fort was intact in Kozhikode for short period (1511–1525, until
2805-519: The 13th and 16th century were recovered. In 1983, a large hoard of Roman coins was found at a site around six miles from Pattanam . A series of pioneering excavations from 2007 carried out by the Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR, an autonomous institution) at Pattanam uncovered a large number of artifacts. So far, seven seasons of excavations (2007–14) have been completed by KCHR at Pattanam. The identification of Pattanam as Muziris
2890-488: The 15th century. A few Christians of Thiruvitankoor and Kochi have lately migrated to the hilly regions of the district and are settled there. The Tamil Brahmins are primarily settled around the Tali Siva temple. They arrived in Kozhikode as dependants of chieftains, working as cooks, cloth merchants and moneylenders. They have retained their Tamil language and dialects as well as caste rituals. The Gujarati community
2975-545: The 20 or 30 mosques built to cater to the religious needs of the Muslims, the unique system of calculation by the merchants using their fingers and toes (followed to this day) and the matrilineal system of succession. Abdur Razzak (1442–1443) the ambassador of Persian Emperor Sha-Rohk finds the city harbour perfectly secured and notices precious articles from several maritime countries especially from Abyssinia , Zirbad and Zanzibar . The Italian Niccolò de' Conti (1445), perhaps
3060-483: The Anklet ) written by Ilango Adigal , a Jain poet-prince from Kodungallur (Muziris) during the 2nd century A.D., described Muziris as a place where Greek traders would arrive in their ships to barter their gold to buy pepper, and since barter trade is time-consuming, they lived in homes living a lifestyle that he termed as "exotic" and a source of "local wonder". Concerning Muziris and the Roman spice trade with Malabar,
3145-586: The Cilappatikaram describes the prevailing situation as follows: When the broadrayed sun ascends from the south and white clouds start to form in the early cool season, it is time to cross the dark, billowing ocean. The rulers of Tyndis dispatch vessels loaded with eaglewood, silk, sandalwood, spices and all sorts of camphor. Peutinger Map , is an odd-sized medieval copy of an ancient Roman road map, "with information which could date back to 2nd century AD", in which both Muziris and Tondis are well marked, "with
3230-588: The Haidari Fakeers of Rome do... The greater part of the Muslim merchants of this place are so wealthy that one of them can purchase the whole freightage of such vessels put here and fit out others like them". Ma Huan (1403), the Chinese sailor part of the Imperial Chinese fleet under Cheng Ho ( Zheng He ) lauds the city as a great emporium of trade frequented by merchants from around the world. He makes note of
3315-405: The Kerala Council for Historical Research recently stated to the media. Yet, even the last field report on the excavations (2013) explicitly marks Pattanam as Muziris. While historian and academic Rajan Gurukkal has spoken in favour of the 'salvage of historic relics at Pattanam' by KCHR given the site's disturbance due to continual human habitation and activity, he thinks it [ancient Muziris]
3400-455: The Muslims such as Dawoodi Bohras of Gujarati origin. Many of the Muslims living in the historic part of the city follow matrilineality and are noted for their piety. Though Christianity is believed to have been introduced in Kerala in the 1st century CE, the size of the community in Malabar (northern Kerala) began to rise only after the arrival of Portuguese missionaries towards the close of
3485-604: The Pandya prince came to besiege the port of Muciri on his flag-bearing chariot with decorated horses Riding on his great and superior war elephant the Pandya prince has conquered in battle. He has seized the sacred images after winning the battle for rich Muciri. The author of the Greek travel book Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (1st century AD) gives an elaborate description of the Chera Kingdom . ...then come Naura and Tyndis,
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3570-608: The Pattanam excavations. The last Tamil-Brahmi script (dated to c. 2nd century AD, probably reading "a-ma-na", meaning "a Jaina" in Malayalam) was found on a pot-rim at Pattanam. If the rendering and the meaning is not mistaken, it establishes that Jainism was prevalent on the Malabar Coast at least from the 2nd century. This is the first time that excavators have found evidence relating to a religious system in ancient Kerala. DNA-analyses of skeleton samples discovered from Pattanam confirmed
3655-480: The Periyar river, but geologically it was only the most spectacular of the physical changes and land formation that have been going on [there] from time immemorial". According to them, for example, a geophysical survey of the region has shown that 200–300 years ago the shoreline lay about three kilometres east of the present coast and that some 2,000 years earlier it lay even further east, about 6.5 km inland. "If Muziris had been situated somewhere here in Roman times,
3740-686: The Zamorin expelled the Portuguese with the help of the Dutch East India Company . In 1602, the Zamorin sent messages to Aceh promising the Dutch a fort at Kozhikode if they would come and trade there. Two factors, Hans de Wolff and Lafer, were sent on an Asian ship from Aceh, but the two were captured by the chief of Tanur , and handed over to the Portuguese. A Dutch fleet under Admiral Steven van der Hagen arrived at Kozhikode in November 1604. It marked
3825-611: The Zamorins ruled over a region from Kollam ( Quilon ) to Panthalayini Kollam ( Koyilandy ). Following the discovery of the sea route from Europe to Kozhikode in 1498, the Portuguese began to expand their territories and ruled the seas between Ormus and the Malabar Coast and south to Ceylon . Kallingal Madathil Rarichan Moopan and Pullambil Moopan and Vamala Moopan families were very prominent among those who said that two centuries ago, some Jenmis in Kozhikode were engaged in sea trade and shipping . According to K.V. Krishna Iyer,
3910-562: The beginning of Portuguese dominance of the Spice trade and the Indian Ocean . The continuous wars between the Zamorin navy under the Kunjali Marakkar (Fleet Admiral) and the Portuguese in the 16th century reduced the importance of Kozhikode as a centre of trade. The Kunjali Marakkars are credited with organizing the first naval defense of the Indian coast. At the beginning of the 17th century
3995-489: The beginning of the Dutch presence in Kerala and they concluded a treaty with Kozhikode on 11 November 1604, which was also the first treaty that the Dutch East India Company made with an Indian ruler. By this time the kingdom and the port of Kozhikode was much reduced in importance. The treaty provided for a mutual alliance between the two to expel the Portuguese from Malabar. In return the Dutch East India Company
4080-457: The city and lived around their shrines. The Nairs formed the rulers, warriors and landed gentry of Kozhikode. The Thiyyar formed the vaidyars ( Ayurveda Physicians), local militia and traders of Kozhikode. The Samoothiri had a ten thousand strong Nair bodyguard called the Kozhikkottu pathinaayiram (The 10,000 of Kozhikode) who defended the capital and supported the administration within
4165-416: The city and the conditions prevailing then can be gleaned from the chronicles of travellers who visited the port city. Ibn Battuta (1342–1347), who visited six times, gives the earliest glimpses of life in the city. He describes Kozhikode as "one of the great ports of the district of Malabar" where "merchants of all parts of the world are found here". The king of this place, he says, "shaves his chin just as
4250-613: The city. He had a larger force of 30,000 Nairs in his capacity as the Prince of Eranadu, called the Kozhikkottu Muppatinaayiram (The 30,000 of Kozhikode). The Nairs also formed the members of the suicide squad ( chaver ). The Muslims of Kozhikode are known as Mappilas , and according to the official Kozhikode website "the great majority of them are Sunnis following the Shafi school of thought . There are some smaller communities among
4335-517: The coast at that time would have run some 4-5 km east of its present line. The regular silting up of the river mouth finally forced it to cease activity as a port." A series of excavations conducted at Kodungallur starting from 1945, yielded nothing that went back to before the 13th century. Another excavation was carried out in 1969 by the Archaeological Survey of India at Cheraman Parambu, 2 km north of Kodungallur. Only antiquities of
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#17328868136374420-454: The distant lands. and after fighting with the king Polatthiri for 48 years conquered the area around Panniankara . After this, Menokki became the ruler of Polanad and came to terms with the troops and people. After this, the town of Kozhikode was founded close to the palace at Tali. Then, the Eradis shifted their headquarters from Nediyiruppu to Kozhikode. The Governor of Ernad built a fort at
4505-405: The first Christian traveller who noticed Kozhikode, describes the city as abounding in pepper, lac, ginger, a larger kind of cinnamon, myrobalans and zedoary. He calls it a noble emporium for all India, with a circumference of 13 kilometres (8 miles). The Russian traveller Athanasius Nikitin or Afanasy Nikitin (1468–1474) calls 'Calecut' a port for the whole Indian sea and describes it as having
4590-524: The first markets of Lymrike, and then Muziris and Nelkynda , which are now of leading importance. Tyndis is of the Kingdom of Cerobothra ; it is a village in plain sight by the sea. Muziris, in the same Kingdom, abounds in ships sent there with cargoes from Arabia, and by the Greeks ; it is located on a river, distant from Tyndis by the river and sea 500 stadia , and up the river from the shore 20 stadia... There
4675-501: The first week of June and continues until September. The city receives significant precipitation from the North-East Monsoon that sets in from the second half of October through November. This city has winter (December-February) hotter than summer (June-August), while spring (March-May) is the hottest season. The total population under Municipal Corporation limits is 550,440. Males form 47.7% and females 52.3%. Kozhikode has been
4760-613: The gateway to medieval South Indian coast for the Chinese , the Persians , the Arabs , and finally the Europeans. According to data compiled by economics research firm Indicus Analytics in 2009 on residences, earnings and investments, Kozhikode was ranked the second-best city in India to live in. In 2023, Kozhikode was recognised by UNESCO as India's first City of Literature . The exact origin of
4845-402: The historical and cultural significance of Muziris. The idea of the project came after the extensive excavations and discoveries at Pattanam by the Kerala Council for Historical Research. The project also covers various other historically significant sites and monuments in central Kerala. The nearby site of Kottappuram , a 16th-century fort, was also excavated (from May 2010 onwards) as part of
4930-955: The hypothesis that the city was located just there. It was an important trading port for Christian and Muslim merchants arriving from other countries. Muziris was a key to the interactions between South India and Persia, the Middle East, North Africa, and the (Greek and Roman) Mediterranean region. Pliny the Elder , in his Natural History , hailed Muziris as "the first emporium of India". The important known commodities exported from Muziris were spices (such as black pepper and malabathron ), semi-precious stones (such as beryl ), pearls, diamonds, sapphires , ivory, Chinese silk , Gangetic spikenard and tortoise shells. The Roman navigators brought gold coins, peridots , thin clothing, figured linens, multicoloured textiles, sulfide of antimony , copper, tin, lead, coral, raw glass, wine, realgar and orpiment . The locations of unearthed coin-hoards from Pattanam suggest an inland trade link from Muziris via
5015-466: The local diet of rice. Pliny the Elder gives a description of voyages to India in the 1st century AD. He refers to many Indian ports in his The Natural History . However, by the time of Pliny, Muziris was no longer a favoured location in Roman trade dealing with South India . To those who are bound for India, Ocelis (on the Red Sea ) is the best place for embarkation. If the wind, called Hippalus (south-west Monsoon), happens to be blowing it
5100-518: The local producers and stacked high in warehouses to await the arrival of Roman merchants. As the shallows at Muziris prevented deep-hulled vessels from sailing upriver to the port, Roman freighters were forced to shelter at the edge of the lagoon while their cargoes were transferred upstream on smaller craft. The Periplus records that special consignments of grain were sent to places like Muziris and scholars suggest that these deliveries were intended for resident Romans who needed something to supplement
5185-487: The medieval Muyirikode ) was an ancient harbour and an urban centre on the Malabar Coast . Muziris found mention in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea , the bardic Tamil poems and a number of classical sources. It was the major ancient port city of Cheras . The exact location of Muziris has been a matter of dispute among historians and archaeologists. However, excavations since 2004 at Pattanam in Ernakulam district of Kerala have led some experts to suggesting
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#17328868136375270-428: The moment that I am writing these pages, the name of the King of this place is Celebothras . Ptolemy placed the Muziris emporium north of the mouth of the Pseudostomus river in his Geographia . Pseudostomus (literally, "false mouth", in Greek ) is generally identified with the modern-day Periyar River . This Greek papyrus of the 2nd century AD documents a contract involving an Alexandrian merchant importer and
5355-401: The most dominant state in Kerala by defeating the Zamorin of Kozhikode in the battle of Purakkad in 1755. Kozhikode came under British Rule after the Mysorean conquest of Malabar in the late 18th century. The British later also formed a regiment called the Thiyyar Regiment to meet their military operations in Malabar . Kozhikode was the capital city of Malabar District , one of
5440-580: The name Kozhikode is uncertain. According to many sources, the name Kozhikode is derived from Koyil-kota (fort), meaning "fortified palace". Koil or Koyil or Kovil is the Malayalam / Tamil term for a Hindu temple , referring to the Tali Shiva Temple . Both the terms kōyil and kōvil are used interchangeably. The Tamil name of the city is Kaḷḷikkōṭṭai. The name also got corrupted into Kolikod , or its Arab version Qāliqūṭ ( IPA : qˠaːliqˠːuːtˤ) and later its anglicised version Calicut. Chinese merchants called it Kūlifo . The word calico ,
5525-454: The north and Kochi and Kanyakumari near Thiruvananthapuram to the south along the west coast of India. This highway connects the city with the other important towns like, Kasaragod , Kanhangad , Kannur , Thalassery , Mahe , Vadakara , Koyilandy Ramanattukara , Kottakkal , Valanchery , Kuttippuram , Ponnani , Kodungallur , North Paravur , Ernakulam , Edapally and proceeds to Alappuzha , Thiruvananthapuram and terminates at
5610-447: The population speaks Malayalam and 0.91% Tamil as their first language. The city is administered by the Kozhikode Corporation, headed by a mayor. For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 75 wards , from which the members of the corporation council are elected for five years. Recently neighbouring suburbs Beypore , Elathur , Cheruvannur and Nallalam were merged within the municipal corporation. Kozhikode Corporation
5695-431: The port at Tyndis , was ruled by the kingdom of Ezhimala during Sangam period . According to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea , a region known as Limyrike began at Naura and Tyndis . However Ptolemy mentions only Tyndis as Limyrike ' s starting point. The region probably ended at Kanyakumari ; it thus roughly corresponds to the present-day Malabar Coast . The value of Rome's annual trade with
5780-431: The presence of people with West Eurasian genetic imprints in Muziris in the past. This is considered to be an indication of the huge international importance the ancient port-city once held in the past. However, the ASI was more sceptical, suggesting that more research is required to confirm the Eurasian presence in the site. The Muziris Heritage Project is a tourism venture by Tourism Department of Kerala to reinstate
5865-457: The region was estimated at around 50,000,000 sesterces . Pliny the Elder mentioned that Limyrike was prone by pirates. The Cosmas Indicopleustes mentioned that the Limyrike was a source of peppers. In the 14th century, Kozhikode conquered larger parts of central Kerala after the seize of Tirunavaya region from Valluvanad , which were under the control of the king of Perumbadappu Swaroopam (Cochin). The ruler of Perumpadappu
5950-426: The rise of Kozhikode is at once a cause and a consequence of Zamorin's ascendancy in Kerala. By the end of the 15th century, the Zamorin was at the zenith of his powers with all princes and chieftains of Kerala north of Kochi acknowledging his suzerainty. The Sweetmeat Street ( Mittayi Theruvu ) was an important trading street under Zamorin's rule. The First Battle of Cannanore that occurred in January 1502 between
6035-402: The rumbling ocean roars, is given to me like a marvel, a treasure. . Akananuru describes Pandya attacks on the Chera port of Muciri. This episode is impossible to date, but the attack seems to have succeeded in diverting Roman trade from Muziris. It is suffering like that experienced by the warriors who were mortally wounded and slain by the war elephants. The suffering that was seen when
6120-567: The second most populous metropolitan area in Kerala and the 19th largest in India. Kozhikode is classified as a Tier 2 city by the Government of India. It is the largest city in the region known as the Malabar Coast and was the capital of the British-era Malabar district . It was the capital of an independent kingdom ruled by the Samoothiris (Zamorins). The port at Kozhikode acted as
6205-441: The shifting and mingling crowd of a boisterous river-bank, where the sacks of pepper are heaped up-with its gold deliveries, carried by the ocean-going ships and brought to the river bank by local boats, the city of the gold-collared Kuttuvan (Chera chief), the city that bestows wealth to its visitors indiscriminately, and the merchants of the mountains, and the merchants of the sea, the city where liquor abounds, yes, this Muciri, were
6290-501: The site with the Mediterranean, Red Sea and Indian Ocean rims. Major finds include ceramics, lapidary-related objects, metal objects, coins, architectural ruins, geological, zoological and botanical remains. The major discoveries from Pattanam include thousands of beads (made of semi-precious stone), shards of Roman amphora, Chera-era coins made of copper alloys and lead, fragments of Roman glass pillar bowls, terra sigillata, remains of
6375-467: The southern tip of India, Kanyakumari . National Highway 766 connects Kozhikode to Bangalore through Kollegal in Karnataka via Tirumakudal Narsipur , Mysore , Nanjangud , Gundlupet , Sulthan Bathery , Kalpetta and Thamarassery . National Highway 966 connects Kozhikode to Palakkad through Malappuram , Perinthalmanna . It covers a distance of 125 kilometres (78 mi). At Ramanattukara,
6460-466: The state. Kozhikode Municipality was upgraded into Kozhikode Municipal Corporation in the year 1962, making it the second-oldest Municipal Corporation in the state. Kozhikode has a tropical monsoon climate ( Köppen climate classification Am ). A brief spell of pre-monsoon Mango showers hits the city sometime during April. However, the primary source of rain is the South-west monsoon that sets in
6545-778: The suburban and nearby towns ply from the Palayam Bus Stand. Private buses to adjoining districts start from the Mofussil Bus Stand on Indira Gandhi Road (Mavoor Road). Buses operated by the KSRTC drive from the KSRTC bus stand on Indira Gandhi Road. KSRTC Bus Stand Kozhikode is the largest bus stand in Kerala having a size of 36,036.47 meter square. There are also KSRTC depots in Thamarassery , Thottilpalam , Thiruvambady and Vatakara . There are three routes available to Bangalore. Kozhikode– Sulthan Bathery - Gundlupet – Mysore – Bangalore
6630-406: The superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while Kannur, Kollam , and Kochi , were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather. In the 15th century, Kozhikode was visited several times by ships from China, which became known as Ming treasure voyages . Kozhikode was the capital of an independent kingdom ruled by
6715-683: The two districts on the western coast ( Malabar Coast ) of Madras presidency . During the British rule , Malabar's chief importance lay in producing pepper , coconut , tiles , and teak . Kozhikode municipality was formed on 1 November 1866 according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850) of the British Indian Empire , making it the first modern municipality in
6800-418: Was Muziris. Had it been elsewhere, Pattanam wharf and colony would’ve found a mention in available records," he says. Archaeological research has shown that Pattanam was a port frequented by Romans and it has a long history of habitation dating back to 10th century BC. Its trade links with Rome peaked between 1st century BC and 4th century AD. A large quantity of artifacts represents the maritime contacts of
6885-419: Was besieged by the din of war. The Purananuru described Muziris as a bustling port city where interior goods were exchanged for imported gold. It seems that the Chera chiefs regarded their contacts with the Roman traders as a form of gift exchange rather than straightforward commercial dealings. With its streets, its houses, its covered fishing boats, where they sell fish, where they pile up rice-with
6970-525: Was forced to shift his capital (c. CE 1405) further south from Kodungallur to Kochi . In the 15th century, the status of Cochin was reduced to a vassal state of Kozhikode, thus leading to the emergence of Kozhikode as the most powerful kingdom in medieval Malabar Coast . During the 15th century Kalaripayat was important in the history of Malabar , some warriors lived, most notably puthooram veettil Aromal Chekavar and his sister Unniyarcha who were chieftains of martial arts. The port at Kozhikode held
7055-461: Was given facilities for trade at Kozhikode and Ponnani , including spacious storehouses. The arrival of British in Kerala documented in the year 1615, when a group under the leadership of Captain William Keeling arrived at Kozhikode, using three ships. It was in these ships that Sir Thomas Roe went to visit Jahangir , the fourth Mughal emperor , as British envoy . Travancore became
7140-490: Was no more than a colony of merchants from the Mediterranean. "The abundance of material from the Mediterranean suggests that traders arrived here using favorable monsoon winds and returned using the next after short sojourns," he says. Feeder vessels transported them between their ships and the wharf, but it would be incorrect to say that it was a sophisticated port in an urban setting. The place did not have any evolved administration nor any sophistication. "I believe it [Pattanam]
7225-555: Was that it was situated around present day Kodungallur , a town and Taluk in Thrissur district. Kodungallur in central Kerala figures prominently in the ancient history of southern India from the second Chola period as a hub of the Chera rulers . But later, a series of excavations were conducted at the village of Pattanam in between North Paravoor and Kodungallur by Kerala Council for Historical Research (an autonomous institution outsourced by
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