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Emporium of spices, cradle of India’s circus performers - here the past and present blend seamlessly.
In North Kerala lies an area which Marco Polo described as the “great province of Malabar”. Today, much of this richness lies buried in past grandeur, a past replete with the trading visits of European voyagers calling on the ancient port of Kozhikode, on their regular journeys of commerce, lured by timber, ivory, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and other spices.
Interestingly, Kozhikode has lent its English name, Calicut, to ‘calico’, a fine hand-woven cotton cloth said to have originated in this city. Kozhikode was also Vasco da Gama’s first halt in India. He first set foot on the sands of Kappad beach on Mary 27, 1498, a landing commerated by a small stone monument on the beach. This event marked the beginning of new epoch in world history, especially in the history of Kerala. Against the backdrop of bitter rivalries between local rulers began a period of unbroken strife among foreign powers for the domination of the trade in Malabar.
Hardly 10 minutes from the spot where Vasco da Gama landed is the Kappad Beach Resort. It has all amenities, including a swimming pool, and is a comfortable base for those traveling in and around the area. Just 15 minutes from the city centre is Dolphin’s Point, where one can see dolphins playing in the sea in the morning.
Located at East Hill, the Pazhassiraja Museum, run by the State Archaeological Department, has ancient murals, antique bronzes and old coins, as well as models of temples and megalithic monuments. Situated next to it is the Art Gallery, which has on display paintings of Raja Ravi Varma and Raja Raja Varma.
Six kilometers away is Kallai, once the bustling nerve-centre of Kozhikode’s timber trade. Today, hard times have fallen on the timber trade and Kallai is just a shadow of its busy past.
The Kozhikode area is also home to the Mappila khalasis, famous for their expertise in lifting heavy weights. Till today, when machines fail, the khalasi teams do the impossible with little more than a wooden pole used as a dower or winch and leveraged by hawsers and pulleys. The Mappila khalasis were traditionally employed in launching the 400 tonne Arab dhows built at the Beypore docks and now specialize in hauling heavy wrecks. Eleven kilometers from Kozhikode is the small coastal town of Beypore famous today for centuries as a ship-building centre and still is known today for its country crafts called uru built by traditional shipbuilders known as khalasis.
An exciting fact about the ship-building industry in Beypore is the way in which the craft are built and the variety which can be found. The flat bottomed zambuk, the majestic breek (both Indian and Arabian designs), the boom which boasts of an enormous cargo carrying capacity, and the bahala with its beautiful and intricate carvings and arches, all made using traditional tools and techniques. Even more incredible is the number of people dependent on this industry. More than 500 families are directly and indirectly dependent on the ship-building industry.
The district of Mallapuram, which literally means a terraced place atop hills, figures prominently in history as the place which frequently questioned British authority. Most of the famous Mappilla revolts of Malabar, which took place between 1792 and 1921, occurred in areas now in Mallapuram district.
Mahe: French Legacy
Between Thalasseri and Vadakara is Mahe, a small and beautiful trading town on the west coast established by the French in the 17th century. It is under the administrative control of the Union Territory of Pondicherry, and several historical hangovers of French influence are evident.
Mahe is a drinkers’ paradise. Not only is the town chock-full of bars and wine shops, liquor is much cheaper here, thanks to low excise duties.
Parassinikadavu: Living History
At Parassinikadavu, on the banks of the Valaptanam river, 18 kilometers from Kannur, is the Sri Muthappan temple, dedicated to Lord Muthappan, believed to be the incarnation of Lord Shiva. This is the only temple in Kerala where Theyyam, the ritual dance form of North Kerala, is performed daily. The temple’s non-conformist nature is evident in the unusual custom of offering dried fish and toddy to the deity.
There is also a Kathakali club in the temple which will arrange shows for a fee. More importantly, non-Hindus are allowed entry into the temple for the Theyyam shows, unlike the practice in other temples in Kerala. Also near the temple is the Parassinikadavu Snake Park.
For an example of medieval temple architecture, visit the Truchambaram Vishnu temple at Taliparambu. Said to date back to the 10th century, this temple offers sights of stone walls, murals, and woodcraft.
The Malabar Towns both on the banks of the backwaters, and those at a distant from the sea, provide a rich trading zone that utilized Kerala’s backwater and lake highways as well as the coastline. The ambience in the towns of the Malabar region is a reminder of the past that has seamlessly merged into the present: a living history.
Kannur: Cradle of Circus
This sea coast town in northern Malabar was for many centuries the capital of the Kolathiri Rajas, the rivals of the Zamorins of Kozhikode. It is importance as a premier port. Marco Polo referred to Kannur as a great emporium of spices.
Today, Kannur is known for its handloom and beedi industries. The St. Angelo’s Fort, a huge triangular structure built with laterite with a moat and strong flanking bastions, is situated here. The Dutch captured the fort from the Portugese in 1663 and sold it to Ali Raja of Kannur in 1772. The British in turn captured it in 1970. They rebuilt it and made it the most important military base in Malabar for their soldiers during the British colonial rule.
Every time you visit a circus, think of Thalasseri, a small town around 20 kilometers south of Kannur, from here come most of India’s circus artistes. The gymnastic tradition was introduced in schools here by German missionaries.
Thalasseri: Colonial Echoes
An interesting place to stay at Thalasseri is the Aysha Manzil Heritage Home. It is a 138-year-old colonial styled Malabari bungalow, sitting atop a hillock overlooking the Arabian Sea. The house was built in 1862 by an Englishman named Murdock Brown, who introduced the English tea-time favourite, the tea cake, in India. Incidentally, the first of these was baked in a local bakery in Thalasseri
The house reflects the lifestyle of an era gone by, complete with period furniture, wooden floors, and other valuable antiquities. The place offers paying-guest accommodation, with the lady of the house providing delicious, authentic Malabar cuisine. This place has been widely acclaimed abroad, and the Moosa family runs special courses in Malabar cuisine.
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