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This is a list of places of interest and historical significance inKozhikode (Calicut).
Kozhikode Beach is the most popular retreat for locals.[citation needed] Uddanda, a Sanskrit poet in Zamorin's court, wrote in hisKokila Sandeśa: "The ocean, the father of the goddess of riches [Indira is a synonym of Lakshmi] seeing that his daughter has settled down in Kukkatakroda [Sanskrit for Kozhikode], is embracing the place, presenting it with a shipful of jewels".[1] Several national leaders likeMahatma Gandhi,Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan,Indira Gandhi andKrishna Menon have delivered addresses here. The 'Beach Road' was renamed Gandhi Road from Evan's Road after Mahatma Gandhi's visit in January 1934. Two dilapidated piers can be seen extending into the sea. The 'Iron Screw-pile' pier to the north was built in 1871, 400 ft long (120 m) with a 'T' end. Numerous cranes on these piers once loaded spices and other goods destined to foreign ports.
Vallyaangadi is a centuries-old market[2] still functioning as one of the main commercial centres of the city. Merchants and accountants still use a unique system of finger-code language as noted by Ma Huang ofZheng He's fleet in 1403. Legend has it that the first secretary of the Zamorin, Mangat Achan, after a long penance had the goddess of wealth Lakshmi appear before him. He then made her promise to wait until he returned but went home and committed suicide. Unable to break her promise, Lakshmi stayed permanently in Veliyangadi.
Mananchira is a large tank in the heart of the city.Mananchira or Mana Vikraman Tank was the drinking water source for the entire palace complex. Surrounding the Mananchira are several important institutions. The town hall was constructed in 1891 by salt merchants and has been an important stage for several popular agitations and ceremonies during the freedom movement and thereafter. ThePattalapalli or 'Military Mosque' was originally built for the Mysore soldiers who had surrounded the palace during the Mysore invasion. Once the main courtyard of the Zamorin ruler's palace, the Mananchira ground along with the older Ansari Park has been developed into a well-maintained park called 'Mananchira Square'.
S.M. Street is a shopping and commercial lane immediately north of Mananchira Square. The nameSweetmeat is thought to have been derived from a kind of sweet (locally called 'halwa') which was called 'sweetmeat' by European traders.[3] S.M. Street, like the lanes of Veliyangadi, is about 600 years old and was most likely occupied by the residences and shops of sweet manufacturers from Gujarath. A now-abandoned Parsi cemetery called Anjuman, most likely built in the 17th century, is located here and finds mention inWilliam Logan'sMalabar.[4]
Sarovaram is an eco-friendly bio-park in Kozhikode city. It is a project meant for conservation of the wetlands through eco-friendly tourism interventions by sustainable methods. This is one of the 27 wetlands of natural importance identified by the Government of India for conservation under NationalWetland conservation program. The wetlands are rich with 7 mangrove spices, 29 mangrove associates and fauna ranging from protozoa to Otter. It is also a congenial habitat for 20 types of water birds, 2 bird associated with water, 3 birds associated with waterlogged reeds and 9 land birds. The 11 km long canal connects Korappuzha and Kallai rivers and brings in periodic influx of saline water which makes the habitat ideal for mangrove, fisheries and other biota.
The Tali Siva temple was one of the two Brahmanical royal temples patronized by the Zamorin (the other being the ValayanaattuKavu) and to this day remains one of the most important spiritual and cultural centres in Kozhikode. The temple's date of origin is uncertain but was most likely built during the foundation of the city itself in the 12th century or before. The temple is surrounded by gigantic walls of 'elephant belly' (aana palla) type with broad base and narrower neck at the top. One of the two tanks attached to the temple can be seen to the right. The temple hosts the annual 'competition for scholars' calledRevathi Pattathanam attended by eminent scholars and philosophers of BharatiyaMimamsa, Prabhakara Mimamsa,Vedanta Mimamsa andVyakarana. The temple was also the site for the famous anti-caste agitation of 1911 organized by Krishna Vakil (editor ofMithavadi) and advocate Manjeri Rama Ayyar for the rights of 'low-caste' people to use the road between the tank and the temple.
Mishkal Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Kerala. The Mosque was built by an Arab merchant, Nakhooda Mishkal, nearly 650 years ago. It is named Mishkal Mosque after him. It is located in Kuttichira, a part of Thekkepuram region in Kozhikode city. In 1510, the mosque was partially burned in a Portuguese attack. The top floors of the mosque still display some of that damage. Mishkal Mosque originally had five stories. It was reconstructed after the fire in 1510 and now has four stories. Typical for similarly aged mosques of the region, it has no cupolas and minarets and heavily employs timber. According to some historians, Kerala's temple architecture influenced the architecture of old mosques in Kerala which have gopuram-style entrance arches and no minarets.
The Bhagavaty temple on a hillock on the southern side of Kallayi river is one of the two pre-Calicut temples known to historians, built at least two centuries before the foundation of the city. This area must have come under the territory of Porlathiri during the reign of Ceraman Perumal. It is a typical Chera period structure with a squaregarbhagriha andmandapa and probably had acurrambalam andprakara (outer walls) that are no more. Two granite slabs dating to the 10–11th century AD were recovered recently carrying three inscriptions inVattezhuthu, an old Malayalam language. One is a record of a land grant of the Chera king Ravi Kota, who was crowned in 1021 AD.[5] Mentioned in the inscription are functionaries likeAdhikarar (officials),Alkoyil (king's representative) andPoduval (temple secretary) andavirodham (a system of unanimous resolution),kalam (an old measure), etc. The second inscription dating back to 883–913 AD records a decision by theTaliyar andTali Adhikarikal of 'Panriyankarai' to conduct sevenTiruvakkiram (sacred feast) at the shrine ofPatari (female deity). The third inscription records a unanimous decision to transfer some land belonging to the daughter of the Chief Queen of Cheraman Perumal for the conduct ofTiru amritu (sacred feast).
This Siva temple has anapsidalgarbhagriha, decorated with typical Chola pillars and pilasters,panjaras andvyalimukhas. The central shrine has escaped any repair or change and is relatively well preserved. An inscription unearthed records a land grant given to Tirumannur Patarakar in the eighth regnal year of Raja Raja Chola. The record has been dated to 1044 AD. The deity appears to have been a Jain Tirthankara (since the rules of Thirukkunavaye, the premier Jain shrine of Kerala in Kodungalloor, are cited in the punitive clauses). The Jain temple must have been converted into a Siva temples sometime in the 11th century before the arrival of the Zamorins.[6] The apsidal shrine and other features are attributable to this period.
Kappad (Kappakkadavu) Beach is located 16 km to the north of Kozhikode along theKannur road at Pookkad. It is the site whereVasco Da Gama landed on 27 May 1498 with three vessels and 170 men. A monument erected here commemorates this event.
Beypore is a small port town situated 10 km south ofKozhikode at the mouth ofChaliyar river. Beypore is known for its ancient shipbuilding industry that constructed theUru, trading vessels more popular during the medieval periods and still used by the Arabs and others for commerce and tours.[7] The place was formerly known as Vaypura and Vadaparappanad. Tippu Sultan named the town "Sultan Pattanam". It is one of the important ports of Kerala and has been a major trading centre for 1.061centuries. The dilapidatedKovilakam (palace) of the Parappanad Rajas and a small Basheer Museum (former house of the writerVaikom Muhammad Basheer) can be found here. Towards the sea shore is a big complex that includes a port, a boat yard, a fish landing platform, breakwater project, marine ware shop, ship- breaking unit, etc. There are two man-made extensions to the sea to facilitate easy access for fishing boats. The 2 kmbreakwater made of stone is another attraction. TheBeypore Lighthouse is located to the south of the Chaliyar.The Marine Cemetery, an awareness monument dedicated to endangered fish species, is located at the Beypore beach.
Thusharagiri Falls is a waterfall inChembukadavu Thusharagiri offers endless scope for trekking, rock climbing and wildlife sanctuary visits. It is around 50 kilometres (31 mi) from Kozhikode. The nearest town Kodencherry is around 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Thusharagiri. The other main towns situated here are Thiruvambady andThamarassery.
TheMarakkars were admirals of the Zamorins, who valiantly resisted the Portuguese on the high seas. Kunhali Marakkar built a fort on the southern bank of the Moorad river. This fort was completely destroyed by the Portuguese at a later time. The place where the fort stood is known today as Kottakkal, 46 km south of Kozhikode. A small hut that belonged to Kunhali Marakkar with collections of ancient swords, cannonballs and knives can be seen here.
A small peninsula with the Moorad river on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west is located approximately 3 km towards the south of the town. This area is known as the Sandbanks. It is a well-known viewpoint.
Sargaalaya, the art & craft village at Iringal is designed as an initiative to put Kerala's traditional arts & crafts on the tourism trail. The craft village is set up on 20 acres of land on the banks of the Moorad River, just 200 meters off Kozhikode – Kannur National Highway near Vatakara. The craft village has 27 cottages where a hundred or more artisans can work. Apart from showcasing crafts & craftsmen from across Kerala, Sargaalaya has a Crafts Design & Technology development centre that provides training for craftsmen on the latest techniques of production & encourages innovation in the traditional system.
