KANNUR
GENERAL INFORMATION
| District
Area |
2966
sq. km. |
 |
| District
Population |
22,44,819 |
| Altitude |
Sea level |
| Temperature |
Mean Max.
32.6 deg. C
Mean Min. 21.4 deg. C |
| Rainfall
(annual) |
344 cm. |
| Clothing |
Tropical
Cottons |
| Tourist
Season |
August to
March |
Formerly a major port area, this is
now a city known for its handloom and beedi industries. Some of Kerala’s finest
weavers come from this district. Kannur is also the headquarters of the country’s
largest and best-run beedi cooperative, which produces the famous brand, Kerala Dinesh
Beedi.
The district is bound in the east
by the Western Ghats, in the west by the Arabian Sea, in the north by the Kasargode
District and in the south by the Mahe region of the Union Territory of Pondicherry.
Kannur district is endowed with
sufficient number of rivers. Valapattanam river which originates from Western Ghats is the
longest river in the district. Most of the rivers are navigable. Anjarakany, Kuppam, Mahe
and Thalassery are the other rivers. Kannur district has extensive forest areas which may
be classified under two heads namely reserve forests and vested forests.
This sea coast town in the Northern
Malabar area was the capital of the Lilathiri Rajas, the rivals of the Zamorin of Calicut.
Its importance as a premier port of ancient Kerala was known to the Arabs and the
Persians. In the 15th century, the Portuguese arrived in Kannur to establish
one of their earliest settlements. A reminder of this is the St. Angelo’s Fort built
in 1505 by the first Portuguese Viceroy. It is still a landmark of Kannur. Kannur’s
history abounds with the activities of colonial powers. The Portuguese factory built by
Cabral in 1501 was captured by the Dutch in 1663. In 1708 the British built
a fort at
Tellicherry just outside Kannur. The nearby town of Mahe was developed as a trading centre
by the French in the 18th century. Around1792, after the Mysore wars , the
British took over Kannur.
HOW TO GET THERE
:
| Air |
The nearest airport
is at Karipur ,Calicut, about 93km south. |
| Rail |
Kannur railway
station is an important rail head of the Southern Railway and is well linked to major
towns up country as well as within the State. |
| Road |
Kannur is accessible
by road. |
PLACES OF INTEREST
:
Ezhimala
About 55km from Kannur town ,at a
height of 885 feet is Ezhimala, an isolated but conspicuous cluster of hills where an
ancient mosque with sculptured stone pillars can be seen. Ezhimala and its surrounding
areas are also known for some rare medicinal herbs used in Ayurvedic formulations. The
combination of high hills and sandy beach make Ezhimala a beautiful picnic spot.
Mahe
Between Tellicherry and Badagara is
Mahe, a small 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.
Sree
Muthappan Temple
At Parassinikadavu on the banks of
the Valapatanam river, 18 kms. from Kannur is the Sree 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 also 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
on request. The performance begin after 11 p.m. and lasts 4½ hours. Also near the temple
is the Parassinikadavu Snake Park.
 |
Tellicherry Tellicherry is a small town around 20km.
south of Cannanore (Kannur) from where most of India’s circus artist come .The
gymnastic tradition was introduced in school here by German missionaries. Rev. Dr. Herman
Gundert who compiled the first Malayalam Dictionary spent a lifetime around Tellicherry in
his educational and literary work. He also built a church on Nettur Hill in 1889. |
Fort St. Angelo is
in the west of Kannur town. It was built in 1505 by the first Portuguese Viceroy, Don
Francisco De Almeida, with the permission of the Kolathiris, on a promontory jutting into
the Lakshadweep sea. The Dutch captured the fort in 1663 and sold it to the Ali Raja of
Kannur in 1772 and in 1790 it came into the possession of the British. The British rebuilt
it and made it their most important station in Malabar. This fort is in a fairly good state
of preservation, though parts of it have collapsed. A few obsolete guns are seen at the
place. The fort is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. |
Fort St. Angelo 
|
 |
House of Herman Gundert Places of historic importance, like the
house of Gundert, who composed the first Malayalam-English Dictionary and the mosque at
Madayi constructed in 1124, using marble brought from Mecca attract many tourist. |
Payyambalam
Beach Resort
The Payyambalam beach
is one of the beautiful beaches in this State and is an ideal place to spend evenings,
irrespective of seasons. It is very near Kannur town. The mortal remains of Swadeshabhimani
Ramakrishna Pilla, A K Gopalan, K P Gopalan and Pamban Madhavan are laid to rest
near this resort. |
 |
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