Hidden Gems on India – Kozhikode: Gateway to the Malabar Coast

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Kozhikode (pronounced as Ko-yee-code) also known as Calicut, is a city in the state of Kerala in southern India on the Malabar Coast. Kozhikode is the largest urban area in the state. During classical antiquity and the middle ages, Kozhikode was dubbed as the “City of Spices” for its role as the major trading point of Eastern spices. It was the capital of an independent kingdom ruled by the Samoothiris (Zamorins) in the middle ages and later the capital 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 dropped anchor at Kozhikode on 20 May 1498, thus opening a trade route between Europe and Malabar.

Etymology

While the city has been known in history under different names, the exact origin of the name “Kozhikode” is uncertain. According to many sources, the name Kozhikode is derived from?Koyil-kota?(fort), meaning?fortified palace.?Koil?or?Kōyil? or?Kōvil? is the?Malayalam/Tamil?term for a?Hindu temple, referring to the?Tali Shiva Temple. The name also got altered into?Kolikod, or its Arab version?Qāliqū??and later its anglicized version Calicut.?The?Arab?merchants called it?Qāliqū? and the Chinese?merchants called it?Kūlifo. Tamils called it as Kallikottai.

The city is officially named Kozhikode in Malayalam, and in English, it is known by its anglicised version,?Calicut. The word?calico, which is a fine variety of hand-woven cotton cloth that was exported from the port of Kozhikode, is thought to have been derived from?Calicut.

In 1948, both the State Government and the Central Government published a notification declaring their intention to alter the name of the Municipality of Calicut to ‘Kozhikode’ and invited objections to the proposal. Apart from a lone petition, there were no other objections. Hence, the city of Calicut was reborn as ‘Kozhikode’.

Kozhikode is a town with a long recorded history. It was the capital of Malabar during the time of Sri Samoothiri Maharajas, who ruled the region before the British took over. Accounts of the city and the conditions prevailing then can be gleaned from the chronicles of travellers who visited the port city:

• Vasco Da Gama: Vasco Da Gama, landed at Kozhikode and docked at Kappad (18 km north) in May 1498, among the leaders of a trade mission from Portugal. He was received by Sri Samoothiri Maharaja himself. This opened the trade between the European countries and especially Portugal.
• Ibn Battuta:?He visited Kozhikode six times in five years (1342-1347) and gave a glimpse of how life was in Kozhikode during that time. In brief, he described Kozhikode as “the greatest port in the Malabar District; and that, merchants from all over the world were found there.”
• Ma Huan: He was a Chinese voyager during the 1400s AD who said that the city of Kozhikode is a ‘great emporium’ of trade.
• Abdur Razzak: He was the ambassador of the Emperor of Persia who said that he found the harbour of Kozhikode to be a very secure place.
• Niccolo de’ Conti: An Italian voyager who described the city as abundant in pepper, ginger, cinnamon, lac, zedoary etc. He called Kozhikode a noble emporium with just an eight mile circumference.

The Kozhikode Municipality was formed in November 1866 according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850), making it the first modern municipality in the state. Thereafter in 1962, the Kozhikode Municipality was upgraded into?Kozhikode Municipal Corporation, making it the second-oldest Municipal Corporation in the state. According to a data compiled by an economics research firm?in 2009 on residences, earnings and investments, Kozhikode was ranked as the second-best city in India to live in.

The city also witnessed several movements as part of the struggle for Indian independence. A branch of the?All India Home Rule League?founded by?Ms. Annie Besant?started functioning from Kozhikode.

On 7 June 2012, Kozhikode was given the tag of “City of Sculptures” (Shilpa Nagaram) because of the various architectural sculptures located in various parts of the city.

Recently, on November 1st, 2023, Kozhikode was added in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network (UCCN) which was created in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development and includes 350 cities. These cities have been handpicked to represent seven creative fields — crafts and folk arts, design, film, gastronomy, literature, media arts, and music. Kozhikode was included in the category of literature being a home to several prominent personalities of the state’s literary and cultural world. The first Malayalam novel Kundalatha was born in Kozhikode in 1887.

Furthermore, India's legendary athlete PT Usha was also born in the Koothali village in?Kozhikode.

Kozhikode cuisine?also offers fare for every palate. Vegetarian fare includes the sadya (the full-fledged feast with rice, sambhar, pappadum, pickles and seven different?side dishes.) However, the non-vegetarian food offered in the city is a unique mix of Muslim and Christian preparations. Some popular dishes include the Kozhikode Biryani or the Malabar Biryani which is usually served with a sweet and spicy date pickle, Ghee Rice with meat curry, a whole host of sea-food preparations (prawns, mussels, mackerel, and sea-fish) and paper thin Pathiris to provide accompaniment to spicy gravy.

Other well-known Kozhikode specialities are crisp and wafer-thin Banana Chips fried in freshly cold pressed coconut oil, and the ubiquitous Kozhikode Halwa which is an integral part of Kerala?cuisine made out of wheat flour and palm jaggery, and cooked in coconut oil.

Places to Visit in Kozhikode

Kozhikode is home to a number of historical and cultural attractions, including:

• Kappad Beach:?This is the historic beach where Vasco da Gama landed in 1498. The beach is also known for its beautiful sunsets and is a popular tourists spot.
• Mananchira Square:?This is a popular public square in Kozhikode, known for its beautiful gardens, musical fountain, and shopping malls.
• Tali Shiva Temple?or?Tali Mahakshetram:?This ancient Hindu temple is one of the oldest temples in Kozhikode dedicated to Lord?Shiva. The temple was built by?Swamy Thirumulapad. It is a treasure house with numerous deities and beautiful architecture. This is a two storied sanctum which is in the form of a chariot and is decorated with mural paintings which attracts thousands of devotees from all over India.
• Beypore Beach:?This beach is known for its beautiful sunsets and its traditional boat-building industry.
• Sargaalaya:?This is a museum dedicated to the history and culture of Kerala. The museum has a collection of artefacts, paintings, and sculptures that depict the rich heritage of the state.