Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and a municipal corporation in the state of
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...
, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the
Kannur district and situated north of the major port city and commercial hub
Kochi
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of ...
and south of the major port city and a commercial hub,
Mangalore
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka– ...
. During the period of
British colonial rule in India, when Kannur was a part of the
Malabar District
Malabar District, also known as Malayalam District, was an administrative district on the southwestern Malabar Coast of Bombay Presidency (1792-1800) and Madras Presidency (1800-1947) in British India, and independent India's Madras State (19 ...
(Madras Presidency), the city was known as Cannanore. Kannur is the sixth largest urban agglomeration in Kerala.
As of 2011 census,
Kannur Municipal Corporation, the local body which administers mainland area of city, had a population of 232,486.
Kannur was the headquarters of
Kolathunadu
Kolattunādu (Kola Swarupam, as Kingdom of Cannanore in foreign accounts, Chirakkal (Chericul) in later times) was one of the four most powerful kingdoms on the Malabar Coast during the arrival of the Portuguese Armadas in India, along with ...
, one of the four most important dynasties on the
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is the southwestern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing ...
, along with the
Zamorin of Calicut,
Kingdom of Cochin and
Kingdom of Quilon. The
Arakkal kingdom
Arakkal Kingdom was a Muslim kingdom in Kannur town in Kannur district, in the state of Kerala, South India. The king was called Ali Raja and the ruling queen was called Arakkal Beevi. Arakkal kingdom included little more than the Cannanor ...
had right over the city of Kannur and
Laccadive Islands
The Laccadive or Cannanore Islands are one of the three island subgroups in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It is the central subgroup of the Lakshadweep, separated from the Amindivi Islands subgroup roughly by the 11th parallel n ...
in the late medieval period. Kannur municipality was formed on 1 November 1866 by the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns Act 1850)
- -
- of the
British Indian Empire, along with the municipalities of
Thalassery
Thalassery (), formerly Tellicherry, is a municipality, Commercial City on the Malabar Coast in Kannur district, in the state of Kerala, India, bordered by the districts of Mahé (Pondicherry), Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kasaragod and Kodagu (K ...
,
Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...
,
Palakkad
Palakkad (), formerly known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery is a city and municipality in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the Palakkad District. Palakkad is most densely populated munici ...
and
Fort Kochi, making them the first modern municipalities in the state. It was upgraded into a municipal corporation in 2015.
Kannur Cantonment is the only cantonment board in Kerala. The
Indian Naval Academy at
Ezhimala
Ezhimala, a hill reaching a height of , is located near Payyanur, in Kannur district of Kerala, south India. It is a part of a conspicuous and isolated cluster of hills, forming a promontory, north of Kannur (Cannanore). The Indian Naval Acad ...
is Asia's largest, and the world's third-largest, naval academy.
Muzhappilangad beach is the longest drive-in beach in Asia and appeared among the top six best beaches for driving in the world in a
BBC ''Top Gear'' article. During
British rule, Kannur's chief importance laid in producing
Thalassery pepper.
History
Pre-history and Ancient era
The earliest evidence of human habitation in the region are rock-cut caves and megalithic burial sites of the
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several pa ...
age. The
Taliparamba
Taliparamba (also known as Perinchelloor and Lakshmipuram) is a Municipality in Taliparamba taluk of Kannur district, Kerala, India. The municipal town spreads over an area of and is inhabited by 44,247 number of people.
Etymology
Th ...
-Kannur-
Thalassery
Thalassery (), formerly Tellicherry, is a municipality, Commercial City on the Malabar Coast in Kannur district, in the state of Kerala, India, bordered by the districts of Mahé (Pondicherry), Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kasaragod and Kodagu (K ...
area abounds in rock-cut caves,
dolmens, burial stone circles and
menhirs, all of
megalith
A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. There are over 35,000 in Europe alone, located widely from Sweden to the Mediterranean sea.
The ...
. Kannur District was the seat of powerful kingdom based at
Ezhimala
Ezhimala, a hill reaching a height of , is located near Payyanur, in Kannur district of Kerala, south India. It is a part of a conspicuous and isolated cluster of hills, forming a promontory, north of Kannur (Cannanore). The Indian Naval Acad ...
in the
Sangam period
The Sangam period or age (, ), particularly referring to the third Sangam period, is the period of the history of ancient Tamil Nadu, Kerala and parts of Sri Lanka (then known as Tamilakam) spanning from c. 6th century BCE to c. 3rd century CE. ...
(1st–5th century CE). The ancient port of ''Naura'', which is mentioned in the ''
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
The ''Periplus of the Erythraean Sea'' ( grc, Περίπλους τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς Θαλάσσης, ', modern Greek '), also known by its Latin name as the , is a Greco-Roman periplus written in Koine Greek that describes navigation and ...
'' as a port somewhere north of
Muziris is identified with Kannur.
Pliny the Elder (1st century CE) states that the port of ''
Tyndis'' was located at the northwestern border of ''Keprobotos'' (
Chera dynasty).
The region, which lies north of the port at ''Tyndis'', was ruled by the kingdom of
Ezhimala
Ezhimala, a hill reaching a height of , is located near Payyanur, in Kannur district of Kerala, south India. It is a part of a conspicuous and isolated cluster of hills, forming a promontory, north of Kannur (Cannanore). The Indian Naval Acad ...
during the
Sangam period
The Sangam period or age (, ), particularly referring to the third Sangam period, is the period of the history of ancient Tamil Nadu, Kerala and parts of Sri Lanka (then known as Tamilakam) spanning from c. 6th century BCE to c. 3rd century CE. ...
.
According to the ''
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
The ''Periplus of the Erythraean Sea'' ( grc, Περίπλους τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς Θαλάσσης, ', modern Greek '), also known by its Latin name as the , is a Greco-Roman periplus written in Koine Greek that describes navigation and ...
'', a region known as ''
Limyrike'' began at ''Naura'' and ''
Tyndis''. However the
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importanc ...
mentions only ''
Tyndis'' as the ''
Limyrikes starting point. The region probably ended at
Kanyakumari; it thus roughly corresponds to the present-day
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is the southwestern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing ...
. The value of Rome's annual trade with the region was estimated at around 50,000,000
sesterces.
Pliny the Elder mentioned that ''
Limyrike'' was prone by pirates. The
Cosmas Indicopleustes
Cosmas Indicopleustes ( grc-x-koine, Κοσμᾶς Ἰνδικοπλεύστης, lit=Cosmas who sailed to India; also known as Cosmas the Monk) was a Greek merchant and later hermit from Alexandria of Egypt. He was a 6th-century traveller who ma ...
mentioned that the ''
Limyrike'' was a source of peppers.
The kingdom of
Ezhimala
Ezhimala, a hill reaching a height of , is located near Payyanur, in Kannur district of Kerala, south India. It is a part of a conspicuous and isolated cluster of hills, forming a promontory, north of Kannur (Cannanore). The Indian Naval Acad ...
had jurisdiction over two ''Nadu''s – The coastal ''Poozhinadu'' and the hilly eastern ''Karkanadu''. According to the works of
Sangam literature
The Sangam literature (Tamil: சங்க இலக்கியம், ''caṅka ilakkiyam'';) historically known as 'the poetry of the noble ones' (Tamil: சான்றோர் செய்யுள், ''Cāṉṟōr ceyyuḷ'') connotes ...
, ''Poozhinadu'' consisted much of the coastal belt between
Mangalore
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka– ...
and
Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...
.
''Karkanadu'' consisted of
Wayanad-
Gudalur hilly region with parts of
Kodagu (Coorg).
It is said that Nannan, the most renowned ruler of
Ezhimala
Ezhimala, a hill reaching a height of , is located near Payyanur, in Kannur district of Kerala, south India. It is a part of a conspicuous and isolated cluster of hills, forming a promontory, north of Kannur (Cannanore). The Indian Naval Acad ...
dynasty, took refuge at
Wayanad hills in the 5th century CE when he was lost to
Cheras, just before his execution in a battle, according to the
Sangam works.
Early Middle Ages
According to
Kerala Muslim tradition, Kannur along with surrounding
Madayi and
Dharmadom
Dharmadom or Dharmadam is a census town in Thalassery taluk of Kannur district in the state of Kerala, India. This town is located in between Anjarakandi River and Ummanchira river, and Palayad town and Arabian sea. It is known for the 100-ye ...
were home to three of the
oldest mosques in the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, In ...
. According to the
Legend of Cheraman Perumals, the first Indian mosque was built in 624 AD at Kodungallur with the mandate of the last the ruler (the Cheraman Perumal) of
Chera dynasty, who left from
Dharmadom
Dharmadom or Dharmadam is a census town in Thalassery taluk of Kannur district in the state of Kerala, India. This town is located in between Anjarakandi River and Ummanchira river, and Palayad town and Arabian sea. It is known for the 100-ye ...
to
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow v ...
and converted to
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...
during the lifetime of
Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monoth ...
(c. 570–632).
According to ''
Qissat Shakarwati Farmad'', the
''Masjids'' at
Kodungallur
Kodungallur (; also Cranganore, Portuguese: Cranganor; formerly known as Mahodayapuram, Shingly, Vanchi, Muchiri, Muyirikkode, and Muziris) is a historically significant town situated on the banks of river Periyar on the Malabar Coast in ...
,
Kollam,
Madayi,
Barkur,
Mangalore
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka– ...
,
Kasaragod, Kannur,
Dharmadam,
Panthalayani, and
Chaliyam
Chaliyam is a village situated at the estuary of Chaliyar (River Beypore) in Kozhikode district of Kerala, India. Chaliyam forms an island, bounded by the Chaliyar in the north, and River Kadalundi in south, and the Conolly Canal in the ea ...
, were built during the era of
Malik Dinar, and they are among the oldest ''Masjid''s in the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, In ...
. It is believed that
Malik Dinar died at
Thalangara in
Kasaragod town.
[Pg 58, Cultural heritage of ]Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...
: an introduction, A. Sreedhara Menon, East-West Publications, 1978
Ezhimala kingdom was succeeded by
Mushika dynasty in the early medieval period, most possibly due to the migration of
Tuluva Brahmin
Tulu Brahmins or Tuluva Brahmins are the inhabitants of Tulu Nadu, also considered a part of Parashurama Kshetra which extends to Kerala.
They consist of following:
Sthanika Brahmins, also called "Sthanika Tulu Brahmins" or "Tulu Brahmins" ar ...
s from
Tulu Nadu. The ''
Mushika-vamsha Mahakavya'', written by
Athula in the 11th century, throws light on the recorded past of the
Mushika Royal Family up until that point.
The Indian anthropologist
Ayinapalli Aiyappan states that a powerful and warlike clan of the
Bunt community of
Tulu Nadu was called ''Kola Bari'' and the Kolathiri Raja of Kolathunadu was a descendant of this clan.
The kingdom of
Kolathunadu
Kolattunādu (Kola Swarupam, as Kingdom of Cannanore in foreign accounts, Chirakkal (Chericul) in later times) was one of the four most powerful kingdoms on the Malabar Coast during the arrival of the Portuguese Armadas in India, along with ...
, who were the descendants of
Mushika dynasty, at the peak of its power reportedly extended from
Netravati River (
Mangalore
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka– ...
) in the north
to
Korapuzha (
Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...
) in the south with
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channe ...
on the
west and
Kodagu hills on the eastern boundary, also including the isolated islands of
Lakshadweep in the
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channe ...
.
An
Old Malayalam inscription (
Ramanthali inscriptions), dated to 1075 CE, mentioning king Kunda Alupa, the ruler of
Alupa dynasty of
Mangalore
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka– ...
, can be found at
Ezhimala
Ezhimala, a hill reaching a height of , is located near Payyanur, in Kannur district of Kerala, south India. It is a part of a conspicuous and isolated cluster of hills, forming a promontory, north of Kannur (Cannanore). The Indian Naval Acad ...
near Kannur. The
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
inscription on a copper slab within the
Madayi Mosque in Kannur records its foundation year as 1124 CE.
In his book on travels (''
Il Milione''),
Marco Polo recounts his visit to the area in the mid 1290s. Other visitors included
Faxian, the Buddhist pilgrim and
Ibn Batuta, writer and historian of
Tangiers. The
Kolathunadu
Kolattunādu (Kola Swarupam, as Kingdom of Cannanore in foreign accounts, Chirakkal (Chericul) in later times) was one of the four most powerful kingdoms on the Malabar Coast during the arrival of the Portuguese Armadas in India, along with ...
in the late medieval period emerged into independent 10 principalities i.e.,
Kadathanadu (
Vadakara
Vatakara, also spelled Vadakara (formerly Badagara), , french: Bargaret, is a Municipality in the state of Kerala, India. Vatakara is located between Kannur and Kozhikode. The municipality of Vatakara covers an area of and is bordered by M ...
),
Randathara or Poyanad (
Dharmadom
Dharmadom or Dharmadam is a census town in Thalassery taluk of Kannur district in the state of Kerala, India. This town is located in between Anjarakandi River and Ummanchira river, and Palayad town and Arabian sea. It is known for the 100-ye ...
),
Kottayam
Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south ...
(
Thalassery
Thalassery (), formerly Tellicherry, is a municipality, Commercial City on the Malabar Coast in Kannur district, in the state of Kerala, India, bordered by the districts of Mahé (Pondicherry), Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kasaragod and Kodagu (K ...
),
Nileshwaram, Iruvazhinadu (
Panoor
Panoor is a Municipality in the district of Kannur in the state of Kerala, India. The town is the main market place for the farmer communities in the surrounding regions. Panoor is one of the main suburbs of the City of Thalassery. Panoor got mu ...
,
Kurumbranad etc., under separate royal chieftains due to the outcome of internal dissensions.
The
Nileshwaram dynasty on the northernmost part of
Kolathiri dominion, were relatives to both Kolathunadu as well as the
Zamorin of
Calicut
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...
, in the early medieval period.
Kannur was an important trading center in the 12th century, with active business connections with
Persia and
Arabia. The port at
Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...
held the superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while Kannur,
Kollam, and
Kochi
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of ...
, were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather.
[''The Portuguese, Indian Ocean and European Bridgeheads 1500–1800''. Festschrift in Honour of Prof. K. S. Mathew (2001). Edited by: Pius Malekandathil and T. Jamal Mohammed. Fundacoa Oriente. Institute for Research in Social Sciences and Humanities of MESHAR (Kerala)]
Era of European influences
Kannur served as the
East India Company military headquarters on India's west coast until 1887.
The modern town is referred to as Kannur Town. Kannur, as a district and surrounding areas, were mostly ruled by the famous
Kolathiri Rajas. When the state of Kerala was formed the district took the name Kannur since the administrative offices were established here. Before that, Kannur was the headquarters of
Chirakkal taluk
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
of
Malabar District
Malabar District, also known as Malayalam District, was an administrative district on the southwestern Malabar Coast of Bombay Presidency (1792-1800) and Madras Presidency (1800-1947) in British India, and independent India's Madras State (19 ...
in the
Madras Presidency. During the period of
Company rule in India
Company rule in India (sometimes, Company ''Raj'', from hi, rāj, lit=rule) refers to the rule of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent. This is variously taken to have commenced in 1757, after the Battle of Plassey, whe ...
, the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Sou ...
preferred Madras and Cochin as their major stations and Kannur started to lose its old glory. The people of Kannur are still waiting for their old glory to get back and they feel they are being sidelined because the state administration is located the exact opposite side of the state. Part of the original city of Kannur was under Kerala's only Muslim Royalty called the Arakkal and this area is still known as city.
The Portuguese explorer
Vasco da Gama arrived at
Kappad Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...
in 1498 during the
Age of Discovery
The Age of Discovery (or the Age of Exploration), also known as the early modern period, was a period largely overlapping with the Age of Sail, approximately from the 15th century to the 17th century in European history, during which seafa ...
, thus opening a direct sea route from Europe to South Asia. In 1501 a Portuguese factory was planted here by
Pedro Álvares Cabral
Pedro Álvares Cabral ( or ; born Pedro Álvares de Gouveia; c. 1467 or 1468 – c. 1520) was a Portuguese nobleman, military commander, navigator and explorer regarded as the European discoverer of Brazil. He was the first human ...
, and in 1502 da Gama made a treaty with the Raja.
The
St. Angelo Fort
St. Angelo Fort (also known as Kannur Fort or Kannur Kotta) is a fort facing the Arabian Sea, situated 3 km from Canannore (Kannur), a city in Kerala state, south India.
History
In 1498, during Vasco da Gama's visit to India, the lo ...
at Kannur was built in 1505 by Dom
Francisco de Almeida, the first Portuguese Viceroy of India. The Dutch captured the fort from the Portuguese in 1663. They modernised the fort and built the bastions Hollandia, Zeelandia, and Frieslandia that are the major features of the present structure. The original Portuguese fort was pulled down later. A painting of this fort and the fishing ferry behind it can be seen in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. The Dutch sold the fort to king Ali Raja of Arakkal in 1772.
During the 17th century, Kannur was the capital city of the only
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
Sultanate in Kerala, known as
Arakkal
Arakkal Kingdom was a Muslim kingdom in Kannur town in Kannur district, in the state of Kerala, South India. The king was called Ali Raja and the ruling queen was called Arakkal Beevi. Arakkal kingdom included little more than the Cannanore ...
, who also ruled the
Laccadive Islands
The Laccadive or Cannanore Islands are one of the three island subgroups in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It is the central subgroup of the Lakshadweep, separated from the Amindivi Islands subgroup roughly by the 11th parallel n ...
in addition to the city of Kannur.
Arakkal Kingdom
Arakkal Kingdom was a Muslim kingdom in Kannur town in Kannur district, in the state of Kerala, South India. The king was called Ali Raja and the ruling queen was called Arakkal Beevi. Arakkal kingdom included little more than the Cannanor ...
and
Chirakkal kingdom were two vassal kingdoms based in the city of Kannur. The island of
Dharmadom
Dharmadom or Dharmadam is a census town in Thalassery taluk of Kannur district in the state of Kerala, India. This town is located in between Anjarakandi River and Ummanchira river, and Palayad town and Arabian sea. It is known for the 100-ye ...
near Kannur, along with
Thalassery
Thalassery (), formerly Tellicherry, is a municipality, Commercial City on the Malabar Coast in Kannur district, in the state of Kerala, India, bordered by the districts of Mahé (Pondicherry), Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kasaragod and Kodagu (K ...
, was ceded to the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Sou ...
as early as 1734, which were claimed by all of the
''Kolattu Rajas'',
''Kottayam Rajas'', ''
Mannanar
The Mannanar () were a Thiyya dynasty of Malabar, a well known ruler, in the present-day Kannur and Kasaragod districts of India. The ruins of Mannanar palace can still be seen at the foot of the Ghats borders of Coorg. The Mannanar palace ...
'' and
'' Arakkal Bibi'' in the late medieval period, where the British initiated a factory and English settlement following the
cession.
Then the East India Company
captured the fort Kannur in 1790 and used it as one of their major military stations on the
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is the southwestern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing ...
. During the period of
British colonial rule
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
, Kannur was part of the
Madras province in the
Malabar District.
In 1761, the British captured
Mahé, and the settlement was handed over to the ruler of
Kadathanadu.
The British restored
Mahé to the French as a part of the 1763 Treaty of Paris.
In 1779, the Anglo-French war broke out, resulting in the French loss of
Mahé.
In 1783, the British agreed to restore to the French their settlements in India, and
Mahé was handed over to the French in 1785.
Initially the British had to suffer local resistance against their rule under the leadership of
Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, who had popular support in
Thalassery
Thalassery (), formerly Tellicherry, is a municipality, Commercial City on the Malabar Coast in Kannur district, in the state of Kerala, India, bordered by the districts of Mahé (Pondicherry), Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kasaragod and Kodagu (K ...
-
Wayanad region.
The guerrilla war launched by
Pazhassi Raja, the ruler of Kottayam province, against the East India Company had a huge impact on the history of Kannur. Changes in the socio-economic and political sectors in Kerala during the initial decades of the 20th century created conditions congenial for the growth of the Communist Party. Extension of English education initiated by Christian missionaries in 1906 and later carried forward by government, rebellion for wearing a cloth to cover upper parts of body, installing an idol at Aruvippuram in 1888, Malayali Memorial in 1891, establishment of SNDP Yogam in 1903, activities, struggles etc. became factors helpful to accelerate changes in Kerala society during a short time. These movements eventually coalesced into the
Indian independence movement
The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947.
The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged from Bengal ...
.
Very soon, ideas about socialism and
Soviet Revolution
The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...
reached Kerala. Such ideas got propagated in Kerala through the works of
Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai,
Sahodaran Ayyappan
Kumbalathuparambu Ayyappan (August 21, 1889 – March 6, 1968), better identified as Sahodaran Ayyappan , was a social reformer, thinker, rationalist, journalist, and politician from Kerala, India. A vocal follower of Sree Narayana Guru, he was ...
,
P. Kesavadev
P. Kesava Pillai (20 July 1904 – 1 July 1983), better known by his pen-name P. Kesavadev, was a novelist and social reformer of Kerala, India. He is remembered for his speeches, autobiographies, novels, dramas, short stories, and films. '' Oda ...
and others. By the beginning of the 1930s, some other useful developments were taking place. Important among them was Nivarthana Agitation in Travancore. That was the demand of people suppressed so far as untouchables and weaker sections for participation in government. This brought to the forefront struggles like proportional representation in government and reservation of jobs. This imparted a new enthusiasm among oppressed masses.
File:Cannonore fort & Bay'; a watercolor by John Johnston, c.1795-1801.jpg, Cannonore fort & Bay'; a watercolor by John Johnston, c.1795-1801
File:City of Cannanore, 1572.jpg, A portrait of Kannur drawn in 1572, from Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg
Frans Hogenberg (1535–1590) was a Flemish and German painter, engraver, and mapmaker.
Hogenberg was born in Mechelen in Flanders as the son of Nicolaas Hogenberg. 's atlas ''Civitates orbis terrarum'', Volume I
Geography and climate
Kannur has an elevation of along the coast of the
Laccadive Sea, with a sandy coastal area. The city has an -long seashore and a -long beach at
Payyambalam. Kannur is located north of
Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...
, south of
Kasargod and
Mangalore
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka– ...
, west of the
Western Ghat regions of
Kodagu and
Wayanad, and east of the
Laccadive Sea.
Mappila Bay harbour at
Ayikkara. On one side, there is
St. Angelo Fort
St. Angelo Fort (also known as Kannur Fort or Kannur Kotta) is a fort facing the Arabian Sea, situated 3 km from Canannore (Kannur), a city in Kerala state, south India.
History
In 1498, during Vasco da Gama's visit to India, the lo ...
(built in 1505) and on the other side is
Arakkal palace
The Arakkal Museum is a museum dedicated to the Arakkal family, the only Muslim royal family in Kerala, India. The museum is actually a section of the ''Arakkalkettu'' (Arakkal Royal Palace). The durbar hall section of the palace has been conv ...
.
Muzhappilangad Beach, the longest Drive-in Beach in Asia, is located in Kannur. Vayalapra Lake is near
Madayi.
Climate
Kannur experiences a very wet
tropical monsoon climate (''Am'' under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
.) In the months of April and May, the average daily maximum temperature is about . Temperatures are moderate in December and January: about . Like other areas on the
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is the southwestern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing ...
, this city receives heavy rainfall during the
Southwest monsoon. The annual average rainfall is , around 68 per cent of which is received in summer.
[Climate: Kannur (Cannanore)](_blank)
CalicutNet.com
Civic administration
Kannur municipality was formed on 1 November 1866 according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850)
of the
British Indian Empire, along with the municipalities of
Thalassery
Thalassery (), formerly Tellicherry, is a municipality, Commercial City on the Malabar Coast in Kannur district, in the state of Kerala, India, bordered by the districts of Mahé (Pondicherry), Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kasaragod and Kodagu (K ...
,
Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...
,
Palakkad
Palakkad (), formerly known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery is a city and municipality in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the Palakkad District. Palakkad is most densely populated munici ...
, and
Fort Kochi, making them the first modern municipalities in the state. It was upgraded into a
Municipal Corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. The term can also be used to describe municipally ...
in the year 2015.
The city is administered by the
Kannur Municipal Corporation, headed by a mayor. The corporation is headed by a Mayor and council, and manages 78.35 km
2 of Kannur city, with a population of about 232,486 within that area.
For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 55
wards, from which the members of the corporation council are elected for five years.
Kannur Municipal Corporation is divided into six zones: Kannur town,
Pallikunnu
Pallikkunnu is a small township in Kannur, Kerala state, in South India. It is in Kannur corporation, on the National Highway between Kannur and Taliparamba. It is three kilometers away from Kannur city.
Pallikunnu houses several educational ...
,
Puzhathi
Kannur North is a suburb of Kannur city in the state of Kerala, India.
Commercial Area
Kannur North is a busy commercial area of Kannur city. Many transport companies and wholesale dealers have opened their offices here. Marble merchants a ...
,
Edakkad
Edakkad is part of the Kannur Municipal Corporation in Kannur District of Kerala state, in India.
History
Edakkad grama panchayat of Kannur in ancient times was referred to as Madhya-adavi (in Sanskrit'' Madhya'' means middle and ''Adavi'' mea ...
,
Elayavoor, and
Chelora
Chelora is a village in Kannur district in the state of Kerala, India 8 km from Kannur town and on the Kannur-Mysore Highway. The Kannur International Airport is 15 km from Chelora.
Kadakkara Sri Dharmasastha Temple and Valannur Sri R ...
.
Kannur Corporation is the fifth City Corporation in Kerala after the creation of the state. Established in 2015, Kannur Corporation's first mayor was E. P. Latha. Kannur corporation has two assembly constituencies –
Kannur and
Azhikode – both of which are part of
Kannur parliamentary constituency.
Kannur Municipal Corporation Election 2020
Kannur Municipal Corporation Election 2015
Law and order
The Kannur City Police is headed by a commissioner, an
Indian Police Service
The Indian Police Service ( IPS) is a civil service under the All India Services. It replaced the Indian Imperial Police in 1948, a year after India became independent from the British Raj.
Along with the Indian Administrative Service ( ...
(IPS) officer. The city is divided into some zones each under a circle officer. Apart from regular law and order, the city police comprise the traffic police, bomb squad, dog squad, fingerprint bureau, women's cell, juvenile wing, narcotics cell, riot force, armed reserve camps, district crime records bureau and a women's station.
[
] It operates several police stations functioning under the Home Ministry of
Government of Kerala
Government of Kerala is the subnational government of the Indian state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who selects all the other ministers. The chief minister and their most senior ministers belong to the supreme decisio ...
.
Demographics
According to the 2011 census of India, Kannur city has a population of .
Males constitute 46.2% of the population and females 53.8%. Kannur has an average literacy rate of 96.23%, higher than the national average of 74.04%. Male literacy is 98% and female literacy is 94%. In Kannur, 12% of the population is under six years of age.
The
Anglo-Indian community in Kannur live mainly in the
Kannur Cantonment of Burnacherry and its surrounding areas of Thillery, No.3 Bazaar and Camp Bazaar.
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry ( Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam wa ...
is the administrative and local language.
Education
Indian Naval Academy is situated in
Ezhimala
Ezhimala, a hill reaching a height of , is located near Payyanur, in Kannur district of Kerala, south India. It is a part of a conspicuous and isolated cluster of hills, forming a promontory, north of Kannur (Cannanore). The Indian Naval Acad ...
, Kannur. Naval cadets are trained here in 2500 acres vast campus. Kannur District has five
Kendriya Vidyalaya
The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan () is a system of central government schools in India that are instituted under the aegis of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. , it has a total of 1,248 schools in India, and three abroad in Mo ...
at Kannur, Keltron Nagar, Payyanur, Ezhimala, and Thalassery, Peringome.
Kannur University was established by Act 22 of 1996 of the
Kerala Legislative Assembly. The university by the name "Malabar University" had come into existence earlier by the promulgation of an ordinance by the governor of Kerala, on 9 November 1995. The university was inaugurated on 2 March 1996 by
A. K. Antony, the
Chief Minister of Kerala
The chief minister of Kerala is the chief executive of the Indian state of Kerala. In accordance with the Constitution of India, the governor is a state's '' de jure'' head, but '' de facto'' executive authority rests with the chief minist ...
. The objective of the
Kannur University Act 1996 was to establish in the state of Kerala a teaching, residential and affiliating university so as to provide for the development of higher education in
Kasargod and
Kannur revenue districts and the
Mananthavady
Mananthavady is a municipality and '' taluk'' in the Wayanad district of Kerala, India.
Etymology
The popular view on the etymology is that the word is derived from "Maane Eytha Vady" (English: "The place where an arrow was shot at the deer") ...
Taluk of
Wayanad district.
Kannur University is a multi-campus university.
Government Brennen College, the first college in Kannur, established in the year 1862, provide education to more than 2500 students.
Government College of Engineering, Kannur was established in 1986 near
Dharmasala, Kannur as a center for imparting engineering education in northern Kerala.
The college is among the top ten engineering colleges of the state, providing higher studies in the field of technical education.
The
Government Medical College, Kannur
Government Medical College Kannur, Pariyaram or Pariyaram Medical College was established in March 1993 at Pariyaram in Kannur district, Kerala state, South India
South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists ...
was established in 1993 at
Pariyaram
Pariyaram is a Grama Panchayat consisting of two villages viz. Pariyaram census town and Kuttiyeri village. Pariyaram is a small town on National Highway (NH 66) between Taliparamba and Payyanur in Kerala state of India. Mini villages of Thiru ...
to serve Kannur city and surroundings. The thirteenth
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Campus is located at
Dharmashala, Kannur
Dharmashala is a small town and headquarters of the Anthoor Municipality in Kannur district of the North Malabar region in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located near National Highway 66 between Kannur and Taliparamba. It is located abou ...
north of Kannur City.
Media
Many local cable television channels are available in Kannur. The most popular cable channels are City Channel, City Gold, City Juke, Network Channels, Zeal Network, Kannur Vision, World Vision, Worldvision Music, Chakkarakkal, Gramika channel Koothuparamba and Kannurone
All India Radio
All or ALL may refer to:
Language
* All, an indefinite pronoun in English
* All, one of the English determiners
* Allar language (ISO 639-3 code)
* Allative case (abbreviated ALL)
Music
* All (band), an American punk rock band
* ''All'' (All ...
is broadcast in Kannur at 101.5 MHz.
Private FM radio stations in Kannur include:
Radio Mango 91.9 (Malayala Manorama Co Ltd),
Club FM 94.3 (Mathrubhumi Printing And Publishing Co Ltd),
Red FM 93.5 (Sun Network) and
Best FM 95.0 (Asianet Communications Ltd)
A number of newspapers are published from Kannur, including the ''
Malayala Manorama
''Malayala Manorama'' is a morning newspaper in Malayalam published from Kottayam, Kerala, India by the Malayala Manorama Company Limited. Currently headed by Mammen Mathew; it was first published as a weekly on 22 March 1888, and currently has ...
,
Mathrubhumi,
Madhyamam,
Deshabhimani
''Deshabhimani'' is a Malayalam newspaper and the organ of the Kerala State Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). It started as a weekly in Calicut on 6 September 1942 and converted to a daily in 1946. The paper now has ten diff ...
,
Deepika,
Rashtra Deepika
''Deepika'' (; known as ''Nasrani Deepika'' till 1939) is an Indian Malayalam-language newspaper, which is one of the oldest newspapers published in India. Started in 1887, it is the oldest Malayalam newspaper now in circulation. Deepika publis ...
,
Chandrika,
Kerala Kaumudi
''Kerala Kaumudi'' is a Malayalam language daily newspaper published from Kerala, India. It was founded in 1911 by C. V. Kunhiraman as a periodical. His son K. Sukumaran later served as the newspaper's editor. Kerala Kaumudi Daily is among the ...
,
Mangalam
Mangalam is a census town in Tiruppur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Geography
Mangalam is located at . It has an average elevation of 32 metres (104 feet).
It is located 1 kilometer toward the South from District headqua ...
,
Janmabhumi
''Janmabhumi'' is an Indian Malayalam-language daily newspaper, owned by Mathruka Pracharanalayam Ltd. and headquartered in Kochi, Kerala. It was launched as an evening paper from Kozhikode on 28 April 1977. From 14 November 1977 onwards it w ...
, Veekshanam,
Thejas
''Thejas'' is a Malayalam language Indian online news website and formerly a newspaper that was established in 2006. It was initially a morning newspaper published from Calicut. Owned by Intermedia Publishing, a private limited company in the ...
'', ''
Siraj'', Suprabhaatham,
Janayugom
''Janayugom'' is a Malayalam daily newspaper published in Kerala, India. It is the official organ of the Kerala State Council of the Communist Party of India. It is the first newspaper in India using free software. Originally started in 1947 as ...
and
The New Indian Express
''The New Indian Express'' is an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper published by the Chennai-based Express Publications. It was founded in 1932 as ''The Indian Express'', under the ownership of Chennai-based P. Varadarajulu Naid ...
.
Kannur Cuisine
The Kannur cuisine depicts it culture and heritage. It is famous for
Malabar biriyani
The Thalassery cuisine refers to the distinct cuisine from Thalassery town of northern Kerala, which has blended in Arabian, Persian, Indian and European styles of cooking as a result of its long history as a maritime trading post.
Thalasse ...
. The city of is also famous for
Haluva called as ''Sweet Meat'' by Europeans due to the texture of the sweet. Another speciality is
banana chips, which are made crisp and wafer-thin. Other popular dishes include seafood preparations (prawns, mussels, mackerel) . Vegetarian fare includes the
sadya
Sadya ( ml, സദ്യ) is a meal of Kerala origin and of importance to all Malayalis, consisting of a variety of traditional vegetarian dishes usually served on a banana leaf in Kerala as lunch. Sadya means banquet in Malayalam. Sadya is ...
.
Kannur cuisine is a blend of traditional
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...
,
Persian,
Yemenese and
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
food culture.
This confluence of culinary cultures is best seen in the preparation of most dishes.
''Kallummakkaya'' (
mussels)
curry
A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included.
There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in trad ...
, ''irachi puttu'' (''irachi'' meaning meat), ''parottas'' (soft flatbread),
''
Pathiri
Pathiri ( ml, പത്തിരി, pronounced ) is a pancake made of rice flour. It is part of the local cuisine among the Mappilas of Malabar region in Kerala State of Southern India.
Today, pathiri is still a popular dish among the Muslim ...
'' (a type of rice pancake)
and ''
ghee'' rice are some of the other specialties. The characteristic use of spices is the hallmark of Kannur cuisine—
black pepper,
cardamom
Cardamom (), sometimes cardamon or cardamum, is a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genera '' Elettaria'' and '' Amomum'' in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indonesia. They ar ...
and
clove are used profusely.
The Kerala version of ''
biryani'', popularly known as ''kuzhi mandi'' in
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry ( Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam wa ...
is another popular item, which has an influence from
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the north and Oman to the northeast and ...
. Various varieties of ''biriyanis'' like
Thalassery ''biriyani'', and Kannur ''biriyani'', are prepared here.
The snacks include ''
unnakkaya'' (deep-fried, boiled ripe banana paste covering a mixture of cashew,
raisins and sugar),
''
pazham nirachathu'' (ripe banana filled with
coconut grating,
molasses or sugar),
''
muttamala'' made of
eggs,
''
chatti pathiri
Chatti pathiri is a layered pastry made in the Malabar region, of Kerala, India. It is made in both sweet and savoury variations. The dish is similar to the Italian lasagna, but instead of pasta, pastry sheets / pancakes made with flour, e ...
'', a dessert made of flour, like a baked, layered ''chapati'' with rich filling, ''arikkadukka'', and more.
Transportation
Kannur has a good road network connecting to
Mangalore
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka– ...
,
Bangalore
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
,
Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude o ...
,
Kodagu and
Cochin
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of ...
. The
railway station
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in Track (rail transport), tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the ...
is also well connected to all parts of India. The Kannur International Airport which is about 26 km from the city began operations on 9 December and is the fourth international airport in the state. Other nearby airports are at
Calicut
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...
,
Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude o ...
and
Mangalore
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka– ...
.
Kannur is on
National Highway 66 or (formerly National Highway 17) between
Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...
and
Mangalore
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka– ...
. This highway is scheduled to be expanded to four lanes. A bypass for Kannur city is proposed under the NH widening project.
Kannur is connected to
Kodagu,
Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude o ...
and
Bangalore
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
in Karnataka by the Kannur-
Coorg-
Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude o ...
Highway. This highway is upgraded to National Highway in 2017.
Kannur railway station
Kannur Railway Station, also formerly known as Cannanore, is the largest railway station serving the City of Kannur in Kerala. It lies in the Shoranur–Mangalore section of the Southern Railways of the Indian Railways. It is the largest rail ...
is one of the major stations of the
Southern Railway zone, under the jurisdiction of the . All trains including the
Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express and
Garib Rath stop at Kannur. Six daily trains and around 15 weekly or bi-weekly trains connect Kannur to the capital
Thiruvananthapuram. Kannur is well connected through rail with
Mangalore
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka– ...
and
Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...
.
Kannur South railway station and
Edakkad
Edakkad is part of the Kannur Municipal Corporation in Kannur District of Kerala state, in India.
History
Edakkad grama panchayat of Kannur in ancient times was referred to as Madhya-adavi (in Sanskrit'' Madhya'' means middle and ''Adavi'' mea ...
railway stations are located under Kannur Corporation limits. Chirakkal railway station is located north of the city. Only passenger trains halt at these three stations.
Kannur International Airport in
Mattanur inaugurated on 9 December 2018. It is the fourth international airport in Kerala. The airport has a runway
(the longest in the State) and state of the art passenger terminal as well other amenities. It is well connected by a comprehensive network of roads and a proposal for railway line has also been mooted. In the 2016–17 Union Railway budget, were dedicated for under Extra Budgetary Resource (EBR) in which a part of the bill will be borne by the State Government towards the railway line.
Notable people
Literature:
Sukumar Azhikode
Koloth Thattarath Sukumaran, popularly known as Sukumar Azhikode (26 May 1926 – 24 January 2012) was an Indian academic, orator, critic and writer of Malayalam literature, known for his contributions to Malayalam language and insights on Indian ...
,
Oyyarathu Chandu Menon
Oyyarathu Chandu Menon (popularly known as O. Chandu Menon) (1847–1899) was a Malayalam language novelist. He is the author of '' Indulekha'', the first major novel in Malayalam published in 1889.
Life
Chandu Menon was born on 9 January 1847 i ...
,
Cherusseri Namboothiri,
N. Prabhakaran,
T. Padmanabhan
Thinakkal Padmanabhan (born 5 February 1931), popularly known as T. Padmanabhan, is an Indian short story writer of Malayalam literature. He is a recipient of several awards including the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the highest literary award of ...
,
T. K. D. Muzhappilangad
Sports:
Jimmy George,
V. P. Sathyan,
Denson Devadas,
C. K. Vineeth,
Sahal Abdul Samad
Sahal Abdul Samad (born 1 April 1997) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or winger for Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters and the India national team.
Club career Early life and youth career
Sahal was born i ...
,
Tintu Luka,
Chundangapoyil Rizwan
Political leaders:
M. V. Raghavan,
Pinarayi Vijayan,
K. Karunakaran
Kannoth Karunakaran (5 July 1918 – 23 December 2010) was an Indian politician and member of the Indian National Congress (INC). He served as the Chief Minister of Kerala four times during the late 1970s through the mid 1990s. He is the ...
,
E. K. Nayanar
Erambala Krishnan Nayanar (9 December 191919 May 2004) was an Indian Communist politician of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M). He served three terms as the Chief Minister of Kerala (1980–1981, 1987–1991 and 1996–2001) fo ...
,
K. K. Shailaja
K. K. Shailaja (born 20 November 1956) is an Indian politician and former Health Minister of Kerala who hails from Kannur district.
Shailaja currently serves as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing Mattanur constituency ...
,
E. Ahamed,
Kodiyeri Balakrishnan
Kodiyeri Balakrishnan (16 November 1953 – 1 October 2022) was an Indian politician of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He was the secretary of the CPI(M) Kerala State Committee from 2015 to 2022. He stepped down from the position of st ...
,
E. P. Jayarajan,
Kadannappalli Ramachandran
Kadannappalli Ramachandran (born 1 July 1944) is an Indian politician and President of Congress (S), and the current MLA of Congress (S) representing the Kannur constituency in Kannur, Kerala.
Career
Ramachandran was the Minister for Devas ...
,
K. Sudhakaran
Actors:
Sreenivasan,
M. N. Nambiar,
Malavika Mohanan,
Samvrutha Sunil
Samvritha Sunil (born 31 October 1986) is an Indian actress who appears in Malayalam films. She made her debut in 2004 through the film ''Rasikan'' directed by Lal Jose before which she had also appeared as a junior artist in the film '' Ayal ...
,
Mamta Mohandas,
Vineeth,
Vineeth Kumar,
Deepak Parambol,
Sanusha,
Sanoop Santhosh,
Nikhila Vimal
Nikhila Vimal is a South Indian actress who predominantly works in Malayalam film industry and has acted in a few Tamil and Telugu films.
She debuted in Tamil with the film ''Vetrivel'' (2016), playing the role of Latha. She went on to appea ...
,
Nivetha Thomas,
Sreekala Sasidharan,
Sneha Paliyeri,
Anju Aravind,
Athmiya Rajan
Athmiya Rajan is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Malayalam- and Tamil-language films.
Personal life
Athmiya was born in Kannur, Kerala. She completed her graduation in Nursing from Shree Devi College of Nursing, Mangalore. She mar ...
,
Sruthi Lakshmi,
Parvathy Nambiar
Parvathy Nambiar is an Indian actress and dancer known for her work in Malayalam Cinema
Malayalam cinema is an Indian film industry of Malayalam-language motion pictures. It is based in Kochi, Kerala, India. The films produced in Mala ...
,
Ganapathi S Poduval
Ganapathi S. Poduval is an Indian actor who entered the Malayalam film industry as a child actor. He is well known for his roles in the movies ''Vinodayathra'' and '' Pranchiyettan & The Saint''. He also played a major role in the movie '' Ch ...
,
Madonna Sebastian
Madonna Sebastian is an Indian actress and playback singer who primarily works in Tamil and Malayalam films. She made her acting debut with 2015 Malayalam film ''Premam,'' and Tamil with '' Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum'' (2016), and in Telugu with ' ...
,
Sana Khan,
Santhosh Keezhattoor
Santhosh Keezhattoor (a.k.a. Maranan, will die in 9/10 movies) is an Indian film & theatre actor. He had acted in many leading and supportive roles. He won acclaim though doing character roles. Before entering into the film industry, he was wo ...
Filmmakers:
Bejoy Nambiar,
Salim Ahamed
Salem Ahamed is an Indian film director, screen writer and producer. After working for a long time as a travel consultant, he joined as a creative director and script writer in a television channel. His directorial debut, '' Adaminte Makan Abu' ...
,
Vineeth Sreenivasan,
Dhyan Sreenivasan
Music (Composers):
Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri,
Kannur Rajan,
Deepak Dev
Deepak Devraj Komath (born 30 April 1978), better known as Deepak Dev, is an Indian music composer, best known for his compositions in Malayalam cinema. He started his career in the Film Industry through the movie '' Chronic Bachelor'' (2003) di ...
,
Ifthi,
Shaan Rahman
Shaan Rahman (born 30 December 1979) is an Indian composer and singer, best known for his compositions in the Malayalam cinema. Shaan made his debut as a music director in the 2009 film '' Ee Pattanathil Bhootham'' directed by Johny Antony. He ...
,
Sushin Shyam
Sushin Shyam is an Indian music composer who works predominantly in the Malayalam film industry. He is also the keyboardist of the Indian folk metal band The Down Troddence. He started gaining popularity in 2018 with the films '' Varathan'' an ...
,
Sayanora Philip
Music (Playback singers):
Vineeth Sreenivasan,
Shaan Rahman
Shaan Rahman (born 30 December 1979) is an Indian composer and singer, best known for his compositions in the Malayalam cinema. Shaan made his debut as a music director in the 2009 film '' Ee Pattanathil Bhootham'' directed by Johny Antony. He ...
,
Sushin Shyam
Sushin Shyam is an Indian music composer who works predominantly in the Malayalam film industry. He is also the keyboardist of the Indian folk metal band The Down Troddence. He started gaining popularity in 2018 with the films '' Varathan'' an ...
,
Sayanora Philip,
Arun Alat
Cinematographer:
K. U. Mohanan
Dancer:
Shamna Kasim
See also
*
Kannur North
*
Kannur East
*
Places of worship in Kannur district
References
External links
Official websiteOfficial website (Alternative URL)
{{Authority control
Metropolitan cities in India
Former Portuguese colonies
Cities and towns in Kannur district
Populated coastal places in India