KASARGODE

GENERAL INFORMATION

District Area	1,991 sq. km.
District Population	1,07,508
Altitude	Sea level
Temperature	Mean Max. 36.5 deg. C Mean Min. 27.25 deg. C
Rainfall	344cm (Annual)
Clothing	Tropical Cottons
Tourist Season	August to March

Kasargode,  the northern-most district of Kerala, is known for its Coir and Handloom Industries. Fishing is a prime source of livelihood. A district with a rare and different beauty, Kasargode is poised for growth in the area of tourism. Kasargode is known as the land of Gods, forts, rivers, hills and beautiful sea shores. The fort at Bekal is the largest and the best preserved.

Kasargode offers a variety of patterns in the temple architecture, the unique style of Madhur Mahaganapathy temple, the typical Kerala style of the historic Malik Deenar Great Juma Masjid and many other structures speak, in silence, of the rich cultural heritage of the region.

The district has water, forest and mineral resources. It is flanked by the forest-covered Western Ghats in the East and the Arabian Sea in the West. Demarcating the North and South are two rivers - the Talapadi and the Trikaripur. Grey rocks and barren land amidst dense vegetation, as well as calm lagoons, are visible through the coconut palms along the coast belt.

HOW TO GET THERE :

Air	The nearest airport is at Mangalore, 50 km away. Cochin airport is 420 km south.
Rail	Kasargode has a railway station which is linked to several important towns.
Road	Mortorable roads connect Kasargode to towns in  Kerala and the neighbouring Karnataka.

PLACES OF INTEREST :

Bekal Fort

The largest and the best preserved fort in Kerala, Bekal Fort is 16 km South on the National Highway. The beautiful Bekal beach, with the historically and archaeologically significant  Bekal fort in the background, is now being developed into an international tourist destination. You can savour the touch of history as you view the serene Lakshadweep sea from the tall observation towers of the fort. Once huge cannon emplacement perched on the hill top. This fort belonged in ancient times to the Kadanpa dynasty and later came under the Kolathiri Rajas. Still later, it became part of the Vijayanagar empire. In the late 18th century, Tipu Sultan captured it. An old mosque near the fort is believed to have been built by him . After he was overthrown by the British, the fort came under the East India Company.

Manjeshwaram

At Manjeshwaram, a quaint little cashew - rich town at the northern tip of the district which is home to 15 mosques, is the birth place & memorial of Govinda Pai, the grand patriarch of Kannada literature.

Nileshwaram

The cultural centre of the district was the seat of Nileshwar Rajas, patrons of art and culture for centuries. In and around Nileshwar, there are several 'Kavus' where nature, God and man commune in serene silence. Major among them in Mannampurathu Kavu, where the grand final of the annual temple festival of the region takes place . A Folklore centre of the Archaeological Department of the State functions in the Palace of Nileshwar Rajas. The town is famous for a yoga centre which has been flourishing for decades.