Kasaragod ( and

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 2 ...

: ,

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

: ''Kassergode'', Tulu: ''Kasrod'',

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 ...

: ''Harkwillia'') is one of the 14 districts in the southern

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

n 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 ...

. Its northern border Thalappady is located just 10 km south to

Ullal Ullal or ''Uḷḷāla'' is a City Municipality at Mangalore, educational, commercial & industrial hub in Dakshina Kannada district. It is located 10 km from the Mangalore City centre. Ullal City Municipality along with the Mangalore ...

, which is the southernmost portion of the major port city

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–Ke ...

, on the southwestern

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 m ...

of India. Kasaragod is the northernmost district of Kerala and is also known as ''Saptha Bhasha Sangama Bhoomi'' (The land of seven languages) as seven languages namely,

, Tulu,

Kannada Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...

Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people *Palaiosouda, also known as Marathi, a small island in Greece See also * * ...

, Konkani,

Beary The Beary (also known as Byari) is a community concentrated along the southwest coast of India, mostly in the Mangalore district of the south Indian state of Karnataka. They are an ethnic group of Indian Muslims with their own distinct cu ...

, and

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' The district is situated on the rich biodiversity of Western Ghats. It was a part of the Kannur district of Kerala until 24 May 1984. The district is bounded by Dakshina Kannada district to the north, Western Ghats to the northeast, Kodagu district to the southeast, Kannur district to the south, and

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 Channel ...

to the west. Kasaragod district has the maximum number of rivers in Kerala - 12. Kasaragod town is located on the estuary where the Chandragiri River, which is also the longest river in the district, empties into

. Kasaragod is home to several forts which include

Arikady fort Arikadi fort is a fort located in the Kasaragod district of Kerala, India. It is also known as Kumbla fort. The fort is located at a distance of 2 km from Kumbla on the NH 66 National Highway between kumbala River and shiriya River There is a ...

Bekal Fort Bekal Fort is a medieval fort built by Shivappa Nayaka of Keladi in 1650 AD, at Bekal. It is the largest fort in Kerala, spreading over . Structure The fort appears to emerge from the sea. Almost three-quarters of its exterior is in con ...

, Chandragiri Fort, and

Hosdurg Fort Hosdurg Fort is a fort in Kanhangad which is part of Kasaragod district in Kerala state. Hosdurg Fort with its round bastion looks imposing from a distance. ''Somashekara Nayaka'' from the Keladi Nayaka dynasty of Ikkeri built this fort. The plac ...

(Puthiyakotta Fort).

is also the largest fort in Kerala. The historic hill 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 ...

is located on the southern portion of Kavvayi Backwaters of

Nileshwaram Nileshwaram or Nileshwar or Neeleswaram is a municipality and a major town in Kasaragod District, state of Kerala, India. It is one of the three municipalities in Kasaragod district; the others are Kasaragod and Kanhangad. Nileshwaram is locat ...

Talakaveri Talakaveri or Talacauvery is the place that is generally considered to be the source of the river Kaveri and a holy place for many Hindus. It is located on Brahmagiri hills near Bhagamandala in Kodagu district, Karnataka State. It is locat ...

, which is home to Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary where the 805 km long Kaveri River originates, is located closer to

Ranipuram Ranipuram (also known by its former name Madathumala) is a village and a major tourist attraction in the Kasaragod district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is located near Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala-Karnataka border. Situated at a ...

in Kerala-

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

border.

Robert Caldwell Robert Caldwell (7 May 1814 – 28 August 1891) was a missionary for London Missionary Society. He arrived in India at age 24, studied the local language to spread the word of Bible in a vernacular language, studies that led him to author a tex ...

describes the extent of Malayalam in the late 19th century as extending from Chandragiri fort and Chandragiri river in the north to

Neyyar river The Neyyar River is 56 km long river which flows through the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala in India. It flows from the Agastya Mala (''Agastyarkoodam'') in the Western Ghats. The town Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram district, is s ...

beyond Thiruvanantapuram in the south.

Etymology

Until the 16th century CE, Kasargod town was known by the name ''Kanhirakode'' (meaning, 'The land of ''Kanhira'' Trees') in

. ''Kasaragod'' is the Kannada version of ''Kanhirakode''. Tulunad, where Tulu is traditionally spoken, is said to be bound on the south by the Chandragiri river and fort, thus including Kasaragod city within the Tulunad region. Historian N. Shyam Bhat states that at present, the Tulu country can linguistically be said to extend to the south up to the river Chandragiri or Payaswini, and culturally up to the Kavvayi river in the south, as the region between the Chandragiri and Kavai (Kavvayi) rivers presents the characteristics of a twilight zone between the

and Tulu speaking countries.

History

Ancient period

The Ancient Tamil Works of Sangam Age records that the area covering the district was part of Puzhinadu, which consists of the coastal belt from

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 l ...

. Politically the area was part of the

Ezhimala Kingdom Mushika dynasty, also spelled Mushaka, was a minor dynastic power that held sway over the region in and around Mount Ezhi (Ezhimala) in present-day North Malabar, Kerala, India. The country of the Mushikas, ruled by an ancient lineage of the Heh ...

with its Capital at

in present day Kannur district. The most famous King of Ezhimala was Nannan whose kingdom extended up to Gudalur and northern parts of Coimbatore. Poozhinad, along with Karkanad which included the eastern regions of Ezhimala dynasty (

Wayanad Wayanad () is a district in the north-east of Indian state Kerala with administrative headquarters at the municipality of Kalpetta. It is the only plateau in Kerala. The Wayanad Plateau forms a continuation of the Mysore Plateau, the southern ...

- Gudalur region with some portions of

Kodagu Kodagu (also known by its former name Coorg) is an administrative district in the Karnataka state of India. Before 1956, it was an administratively separate Coorg State, at which point it was merged into an enlarged Mysore State. It occupies ...

), had its capital at

. The Mooshaka Kings were considered descendants of Nannan. By the 14th century, Mooshaka Kingdom was known as Kolathirinad and the Rulers as Kolathiris. The Kolathunad Kingdom at the peak of its power reportedly extended from

Netravati River The Netravati River or Netravathi Nadi has its origins at Bangrabalige valley, Yelaneeru Ghat in Kudremukh in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka, India. This river flows through the famous pilgrimage place Dharmasthala and is considered one ...

(

) in the north to Korapuzha (

) in the south with

on the west and

hills on the eastern boundary, also including the isolated islands of

Lakshadweep Lakshadweep (), also known as Laccadives (), is a union territory of India. It is an archipelago of 36 islands in the Arabian sea, located off the Malabar Coast. The name ''Lakshadweep'' means "one lakh islands" in Sanskrit, though the Lac ...

in Arabian Sea.

Medieval period

Ramacharitam The ''Ramacharitam'' is a Sanskrit epic poem written in ''Arya metre'' by Sandhyakar Nandi (c. 1084 - 1155 CE) during Pala Empire. This work simultaneously narrates the story of the Ramayana and the Pala king Ramapala. Manuscripts A palm-leaf ma ...

'', probably the oldest literary work written in

Old Malayalam Old Malayalam, inscriptional language found in Kerala from ''c.'' 9th to ''c.'' 13th century AD, is the earliest attested form of Malayalam. The language was employed in several official records and transactions (at the level of the Chera Peruma ...

, which dates back to the 12th century CE, is thought to have been written in Kasargod district as its manuscripts were discovered from

and the poem mentions about

Ananthapura Lake Temple Ananthapadmanabhaswamy Temple or Ananthapura Lake Temple is a Hindu temple built in the middle of a lake in the little village of Ananthapura, around 6 km from the town of Kumbla in Manjeshwaram Taluk of Kasaragod District of Kerala, Sou ...

Kumbla Kumbla is a small town in Kasaragod district of Kerala state in India. It is located 12 km north of Kasaragod town. History The original name "Kanvapura" was derived from the name of Maharshi Kanva. Since then the name has morphed into ...

in detail.http://sdeuoc.ac.in/sites/default/files/sde_videos/SLM-MA-Mal-Aadyakala%20Malayala%20kavitha%20%281%29.pdf Kasaragod was known to the

Arabs 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, ...

by the name ''Harkwillia''.

Malik Dinar Mosque Malik Dinar Mosque is the second oldest mosque in India, situated in Thalangara in Kasaragod town of Kerala state, India. History Over the years, Kasaragod acquired the considerable importance as a centre of Islam on the west coast. It is the ...

at Kasaragod town is one of the oldest mosques in the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...

. According to ''

Qissat Shakarwati Farmad ''Qissat Shakarwati Farmad'' (alternatively ''Qissat Shakruti Firmad'', literally ''"Tale of the Great Chera Ruler"'') is an Arabic manuscript of anonymous authorship, apparently written in Malabar Coast, south India.O. Loth, ''Arabic Manuscripts ...

'', 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 Th ...

, Kollam,

Madayi Madayi (a.k.a. Madai). is a Census Town and Grama panchayat in Kannur district of Kerala state, India. Bhagavathy shrine, Madayi Kavu (Thiruvar Kadu Bhagavathi Temple) where devotees worship Bhadrakali, is located here. The Goddess is on ...

Barkur Barkur (also spelt Barcoor) is an area in the Brahmavara taluk, Udupi district of Karnataka state in India, comprising three villages, Hosala, Hanehalli, and Kachoor. The area is located on the bank of River Seetha. It is also referred to ...

, Kasaragod,

Kannur Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and a municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the major port city and commercial hu ...

Dharmadam 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-yea ...

, Panthalayini, 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 east. ...

, were built during the era of

Malik Dinar Malik Dinar ( ar-at, مالك دينار, Mālik b. Dīnār, Malayalam: മാലിക് ദീനാര്‍) (died 748 CE)Al-Hujwiri, "Kashf al-Mahjoob", 89 was a Muslim scholar and traveller. He was one of the first known Muslims to have co ...

, and they are among the oldest ''Masjid''s in the

. It is believed that

died at

Thalangara Thalangara is a part of Kasaragod Town, the district headquarters of the Kasaragod district in the South Indian state of Kerala. Malik Deenar Jama Masjid and Dargah is located here. Its economy is dependent on remittance from expatriate workers ...

in Kasaragod town.Pg 58, Cultural heritage of

: an introduction, A. Sreedhara Menon, East-West Publications, 1978 Many Arab travelers visiting Kerala between the 9th and the 14th centuries visited Kasaragod, being an important trade centre then. Duarte Barbosa, a Portuguese traveler who visited

, near

Kasargod Kasaragod () is a municipal town and administrative headquarters of Kasaragod district in the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1966, Kasaragod was the first municipal town in the district. It is the northernmost district of Kerala and ...

in 1514 recorded that rice being exported for coir to

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

. According to Barbosa, the people in the southwestern Malabar coast of India from

Chandragiri Chandragiri is a suburb and neighbourhood of Tirupati and located in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a part of Tirupati urban agglomeration and a major growing residential area in Tirupati It is the mandal headqua ...

in the north to

Kanyakumari Kanniyakumari (; , referring to Devi Kanya Kumari), also known as Cape Comorin, is a city in Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent and the southernmost city in mainland Ind ...

in the south spoke a unique language, which they called as "Maliama" (

). Until the 16th century CE, Kasargod town was known by the name ''Kanhirakode'' (may be by the meaning, 'The land of ''Kanhira'' Trees') in

. The

dynasty, who swayed over the land of southern

Tulu Nadu Tulunad or Tulu Nadu, also called Bermere sristi or Parashurama Srishti, is a region and a proposed state on the southwestern coast of India. The Tulu people, known as 'Tuluva' (plural 'Tuluver'), speakers of Tulu, a Dravidian language, ar ...

wedged between Chandragiri River and

(including present-day Taluks of

Manjeshwar Manjeshwar is a town and a minor port in Kasaragod district at the northern tip of Kerala. It is situated at a distance of from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, north of district HQ Kasaragod and south of Mangalore city in neighbour ...

and Kasaragod) from ''Maipady Palace'' at

, had also been vassals to 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 ...

kingdom of

North Malabar North Malabar refers to the geographic area of southwest India covering the state of Kerala's present day Kasaragod, Kannur, and Wayanad districts, and the taluks of Vatakara, Koyilandy, and Thamarassery in the Kozhikode District of Kerala and t ...

, before the Carnatic conquests of

Vijayanagara Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana and Mahar ...

. The Kumbla dynasty had a mixed lineage of

Malayali The Malayali people () (also spelt Malayalee and also known by the demonym Keralite) are a Dravidian ethnolinguistic group originating from the present-day state of Kerala in India, occupying its southwestern Malabar coast. They are predomin ...

Nair The Nair , also known as Nayar, are a group of Indian Hindu castes, described by anthropologist Kathleen Gough as "not a unitary group but a named category of castes". The Nair include several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom histo ...

s and

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. They also claimed their origin from Cheraman Perumals of Kerala. Francis Buchanan-Hamilton states that the customs of Kumbla dynasty were similar to those of the contemporary

kings. The

Kolathiri Kolathiri or Kolathiri Rājā (King of KolathunāduA. Shreedhara Menon (2007), ''A brief History of Kerala'', DC Books, Kottayam or King of Cannanore in foreign accounts) was the title by which the senior-most male along the matrilineal line of ...

Dominion emerged into independent 10 principalities i.e.,

Kadathanadu Kadathanadu (Vatakara) was a former feudatory (of Kolathunad) city-state in present-day Kerala, on the Malabar Coast. The region is most known for being the area where the events of the ''Vadakkan Pattukal,'' a set of warrior ballads from Kerala, ...

(

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 Ma ...

), 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-yea ...

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 List of districts of India, districts of Mahé, India, Mahé (Pondicherry), Kozhikode ...

, 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 Kurumbranad (Kurumbuzhai Nadu or Kurumbiathiri Swaroopam) was a kingdom, located in present-day Kerala state, South India, on the Malabar Coast. Once a powerful kingdom, it had important commercial centres such as Mapayil, Puthuppanam and Vatakara ...

etc., under separate royal chieftains due to the outcome of internal dissensions. Many portions of the present-day

Hosdurg taluk Hosdurg is one of four taluks that constitute the Kasaragod District, Kerala. Others are Kasaragod, Manjeshwaram and Vellarikundu taluks. In the north, it borders Kasaragod taluk; in south, the Kannur District; in the east, Vellarikundu tal ...

(Kanhangad) and

Vellarikundu Vellarikundu is a town and taluk headquarters in the Hill range of Kasaragod District in the state of Kerala. Vellarikundu is located between Odayanchal and Chittarikkal on Odayanchal- Cherupuzha Road. Transportation Vellarikundu is able to conn ...

were parts of the

dynasty, who were relatives to both

as well as

Zamorin The Samoothiri (Anglicised as Zamorin; Malayalam: , Arabic: ''Sāmuri'', Portuguese: ''Samorim'', Dutch: ''Samorijn'', Chinese: ''Shamitihsi''Ma Huan's Ying-yai Sheng-lan: 'The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores' 433 Translated and Edited b ...

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 l ...

, in the early medieval period. The areas north to the Chandragiri river (present-day Taluks of Manjeshwaram and Kasaragod) were ruled by the Kumbala dynasty. According to local legends, the region between Talapadi and Kavvayi rivers which constituted the erstwhile Kasaragod taluk, consisted of 32 Tulu and 32

villages.

kingdoms focused on Kasaragod in the 16th century CE. The

Vijayanagara empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana and Mahar ...

attacked and annexed Kasaragod from the

Raja ''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested f ...

with

as one of the capital in the 16th century. During the decline of the Vijayanagara empire, the administration of this area was vested with Ikkeri Nayakas. At the onset of collapse of the Vijayanagara empire, ''Venkappa Nayaka'' declared independence to Ikkery. Kumbla, Chandragiri, and Bekal are considered to be the chain of forts constructed or renovated by

Shivappa Nayaka Shivappa Nayaka (ಶಿವಪ್ಪ ನಾಯಕ) (r.1645–1660), popularly known as Keladi Shivappa Nayaka, was an Indian king and ruler of the Keladi Nayaka Kingdom. The Keladi Nayakas were successors of the Vijayanagara Empire in the coa ...

. The Chandragiri Fort is built on the southern bank of the estuary of Chandragiri River, just opposite to Kasaragod town. The

Bekal Bekal is a small town in the Kasaragod district on the West coast of the state of Kerala, India. Location Bekal is a town located south of Kasaragod town and north of Kanhangad on the State Highway 57. Bekal Fort is the largest fort in Ker ...

, Pallikkara, which is situated in the midway between Kasaragod and

Kanhangad Kanhangad () is a town, located in the Kasaragod District, state of Kerala, India. Location The area contains villages around Kanhangad town with Kasaragod as the northern border, Nileshwar, popularly known as the 'cultural town' of Kasar ...

, and is also largest fort in Kerala, was built in 1650 by

Keladi Keladi is a temple town in Sagara Taluk of the state of Karnataka in India. Keladi is located about 8 km from the town of Sagara. History It is the place whence the ''Ikkeri'' chiefs derived their origin, which is thus related: Two broth ...

Modern period

Francis Buchanan, the family doctor of Arthur Wellesley, visited Kasaragod in 1800. In his travelogue, he recorded information on places like Athiraparambu, Kavvai,

and

Hosdurg Hosdurg is one of four taluks that constitute the Kasaragod District, Kerala. Others are Kasaragod, Manjeshwaram and Vellarikundu taluks. In the north, it borders Kasaragod taluk; in south, the Kannur District; in the east, Vellarikundu talu ...

and Vellarikundu is part of Kolathunadu (south of Chandragiri river) and Kasargod and Manjeshwaram is in the

region (north of Chandragiri river). On 19 January 1801, Francis speaks of visiting a Siva temple at Pulla (Pallikere), beyond which, the country rises into open rising lands, all the way to Chandragiri river and Chandragiri fort, which he describes as the northern border of the Malayala. He says that the country on the north of the Chandragiri fort and river is called by Hindus as Tuluva, the Tulu country. According to Stuart (1895) “The Kasargod taluk originally formed the southern portion of the ancient Tulua kingdom and was separated from the kingdom of Kerala by the Chandragiri river which was formerly called “Perumpula”; the river on which the fort stands is shallow but very wide and formed the southern boundary of the ancient Tulva kingdom. The nayars and the other females of the Kasargod taluk of south Canara, are prohibited from crossing the river.” In 1763,

Hyder Ali Hyder Ali ( حیدر علی, ''Haidarālī''; 1720 – 7 December 1782) was the Sultan and ''de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born as Hyder Ali, he distinguished himself as a soldier, eventually drawing the at ...

raided Bedanoor (Bidnur), the capital of the Ikkery Naiks. His son

Tippu Sultan Tipu Sultan (born Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu, 1 December 1751 – 4 May 1799), also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore based in South India. He was a pioneer of rocket artillery.Dalrymple, p. 243 He i ...

raided much of Malabar region in Kerala. As per the

Treaty of Seringapatam The Treaty of Seringapatam (also called Srirangapatinam or Srirangapatna), signed 18 March 1792, ended the Third Anglo-Mysore War. Its signatories included Lord Cornwallis on behalf of the British East India Company, representatives of the Niz ...

of 1792, Tippu surrendered Malabar, except

Kanara Kanara, also known as Karavali is the historically significant stretch of land situated by the southwestern coast of India, alongside the Arabian Sea in the present-day Indian state of Karnataka. The region comprises three civil districts, ...

to the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

. The British occupied Kanara only after the death of Tippu Sultan. it is said that ''Kinavoor Molom'' (Sree Dharma Shashtha Temple) is belonging to ''Karinthalam'' (one of 64 Brahmin villages in old Kerala). Before the formation of Kerala, Kasargod was a part of

South Canara South Canara was a district of the Madras Presidency of British India, located at . It comprised the towns of Kassergode and Udipi and adjacent villages, with the capital in Mangalore city. South Canara was one of the most heterogeneous areas of ...

district of erstwhile Madras Presidency. Initially

was included in the Bombay presidency. Later on 16 April 1862, South Canara was transferred to Madras Presidency and Kasaragod taluk was formed by replacing the erstwhile

taluk. However, in the 19th century CE, Kasargod Taluk witnessed many struggles to separate the region from South Canara and to merge it with 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 ...

as it was the only Malayalam-majority region in South Canara. Kasaragod was the second-most populated Taluk in

only after to

Mangalore taluk Mangalore taluk is a ''taluk'' (subdistrict) in the Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka on the western coast of India. Mangalore is the administrative headquarters of the ''taluk''. It is made up of Mangalore City Corporation, Ullal City Muni ...

, and also the second-largest Taluk. Kasargod became a part of Kannur district of

following the reorganization of states and the formation of Kerala on 1 November 1956. Later Kasargod was divided into two Taluks for the ease of administration - Kasargod and Hosdurg. Kasargod was declared a district in 1984. The inclusion of Kasaragod with Kerala has been a contentious issue as there is a sizeable population that speaks Tulu and Kannada. At the time of 1951 Census of India, only 72.0% of the district's population chose their mother tongue as

. 14.2% chose Tulu and 6.3% chose Kannada. But it is noted that as per the 2011 census report only 8.8% and 4.2% of the total population in the district speak Tulu and Kannada respectively as their mother tongue. In 2012, the Second Oommen Chandy ministry appointed a commission under the leadership the former Chief Secretary P. Prabhakaran to study about the backwardness and issues faced by this northernmost district of Kerala and to draw up special package for the district. In 2013, two more Taluks, namely Manjeshwaram and Vellarikundu were formed in the district.

Geography

The district is the northernmost district of the State of Kerala. Kasargod is located at . It has an average elevation of 19 metres (62 feet).

or Madathumala (1016m) peak is the highest peak in the Kasargod district of Kerala, located in the Ranipuram Wildlife Sanctuary.

Climate

Kasaragod has a

tropical climate Tropical climate is the first of the five major climate groups in the Köppen climate classification identified with the letter A. Tropical climates are defined by a monthly average temperature of 18 °C (64.4 °F) or higher in the cool ...

Rivers

Kasaragod district has the largest number of rivers in Kerala - 12. All of them are west-flowing rivers. The longest of them is Chandragiri River (105 km long). Kasaragod town is located on the estuary of Chandragiri river. It empties into the

. The Chandragiri Fort is built on its bank. The river originates at Pattimala in

(Coorg). The smallest river of Kerala is also in the district.

Administration

Kasargod district consists of two revenue subdivisions- Kasargod and Kanhangad. For sake of rural administration, 38 Gram Panchayats are combined in 6 Blocks, which together form the Kasargod District Panchayat. For the sake of urban administration, 3 municipal towns are there. For the representation of Kasargod in Kerala Legislative Assembly, there are 5 assembly constituencies. These are included in the

Kasaragod (Lok Sabha constituency) Kasaragod (Casrod) Lok Sabha constituency ( ml, കാസർഗോഡ് ലോക്സഭാ മണ്ഡലം ) is one of the 20 Lok Sabha (parliamentary) constituencies in Kerala state in southern India. Assembly segments Kasaragod Lok Sab ...

. The district is further divided into 128 villages which together form 4 subdistricts.

Revenue divisions

Manjeshwaram and

subdistricts (Taluks) are included in the Kasaragod revenue subdivision whereas the remaining two Taluks are included in the Kanhangad subdivision. Subdistricts of Kasaragod

Political divisions

Local Self Governance in Kasaragod District

State legislature

Parliament

Transport

The

National Highway 66 The following highways are numbered 66: Australia * Barkly Highway (Northern Territory) * Riddoch Highway Canada * Alberta Highway 66 * Highway 66 (Ontario) Finland * Kantatie 66 (Orivesi — Lapua) France * A66 autoroute Germany * Bunde ...

which connects the western coast of India from Mumbai to

passes through coastal area of the district connecting the major coastal towns of

, Uppala,

, Kasaragod, Udma,

, and Thrikaripur. It enters the district at Thalappady and goes out through Payyanur. There are Roads in Kerala, State highways starting/ending at Kasaragod and

. Total length of Roads in Kerala, Major District Road (MDR) is around 1460 km and it accounts for around 11.2 km of MDR for every 10,000 people in the district. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has stations to operate its service in the district. The railway goes through coastal area. Kasaragod railway station lies in Palakkad railway division of southern zone on

-Shoranur line. Kasaragod district is home to Kerala#Water transport, 3 out of 13 minor ports in Kerala-

, Kasaragod, and

. The nearest international airports are situated at Mangalore International Airport, Mangalore (65 km away) and Kannur International Airport, Kannur (110 km away).

Demographics

According to the 2018 Vital Statistics published by the Government of Kerala, Kasargod district has a Demographics of India, population of 1,390,894, roughly equal to the nation of Trinidad and Tobago or the US state of New Hampshire. The 2011 Census of India, gives the district a ranking of 375th in India (out of a total of Districts of India, 640). The district has a population density of . Its Family planning in India, population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 8.18%. Kasaragod has a sex ratio of 1080 Women in India, females for every 1000 males, and a Literacy in India, literacy rate of 90.09%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 4.08% and 3.74% of the population respectively. The Kerala Tulu Academy, which promotes Tulu language and literature, is functioned at Hosangadi in district. Kasaragod district majorly consists of

speakers who form 82.69% of the population. Tulu and

speakers concentrated in the Northern parts of the district like

, Uppala, Enmakaje, Badiyadka,

and Seethangoli form a significant linguistic minority with 8.77% and 4.23% each. Other languages spoken here include

(1.76%) and Konkani language, Konkani (1.29%).

Education

Kasargod district comes under the jurisdiction of Kannur University. * The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute at Kasaragod was established in 1916. * Government College Kasaragod was established in 1957. * The Central University of Kerala was established in 2009.Description on official website
/ref>Prospectus of Central University of Kerala
/ref> * Malik Deenar Institute of Management Studies is located at Seethamgoly, Kasaragod. * Lal Bahadur Shastry college of engineering, Kasaragod, was established in 1993. * College of Engineering Trikaripur was established in 2000. * Khansa Women's College For Advanced Studies, Kasaragod * Jamia Sa Adiya Arts and Science College, Kasaragod * Sharaf Arts & Science College, Padanna * Zainab Memorial B.Ed Centre, Kasaragod * Peoples Arts & Science College, Munnad, Kasaragod * Co-operative Arts & Science College, Badiadka, Kasaragod * St. Gregorios College of Engineering, Perla, Kasaragod

Backwardness

Kasaragod district is the northernmost district of Kerala, which is far away from Thiruvananthapuram, the state headquarters, which is located in the southernmost tip of state. Manjeshwaram town is located about 600 km north of the state headquarters Thiruvananthapuram, about 30 km south of

, about 350 km west of Bangalore, the headquarters of the neighbouring state

, and about 950 km south of Mumbai city. In 2012, the Second Oommen Chandy ministry appointed a commission under the leadership of the former Chief Secretary P. Prabhakaran to study about the backwardness and issues faced by this northernmost district of Kerala and to draw up a special package for the district. In 2013, two more taluks, namely Manjeshwaram and Vellarikundu were formed in the district. Before it the district had only two Taluks. The decision to implement a gas-based powerplant at Cheemeni was taken by the Second Chandy ministry, second Chandy government. A government medical college was allowed for Kasaragod district, as a part of the government's new policy to establish at ensure availability of at least one Government Medical College in all the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts of the state in 2013.

Tourism

* Ananthapura Lake Temple, Ananthapuram Lake Temple *

* Chandragiri Fort * Edayilakkad, Edayilakkad Island * Kanwatheertha beach * Kappil beach * Kottanchery hills *

* Mayipady palace *

Estuary beach. *Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Kasargode, Our Lady of Sorrows Church *Pallikkara beach * Ranipuram, Ranipuram Hill Station * Valiyaparamba, Valiyaparamba Island

Notable people

* Ambikasuthan Mangad - Malayalam writer * Anil Kumble - former Indian cricketer, coach, and commentator * Arya (actor), Arya - Indian actor * Asif Kottayil - Indian footballer * Bellikoth Raghunath Shenoy - Indian economist * D. K. Chowta - Indian businessman * E. Chandrasekharan - minister of

* Harikumar Pallathadka - Right to Information Act, 2005, RTI activist * K. K. Venugopal - Attorney General of India * Kanayi Kunhiraman - Indian artist * Kavya Madhavan - Indian actress * Kayyar Kinhanna Rai - Indian independence activist * Kesavananda Bharati - social reformer * Mahima Nambiar - actress * Mavila Vishwanathan Nair - Indian banker * Mirshad Michu - Indian footballer * Mohammed Rafi (footballer), Mohammed Rafi - Indian footballer * Mohammed Azharuddeen - Indian cricketer * P. Kunhiraman Nair -

poet * Prakash Bare - actor * Pallathadka Pramoda Kumari - scientist * Roopesh Shetty - actor in the Cinema of Karnataka, Kannada, Tulu film industry, radio jockey in

, and model * Santhosh Echikkanam - Malayalam short story writer * Sara Aboobacker - Kannada writer * Sathya (Tamil actor), Sathya - Indian actor * Vysakh - Malayalam film director

References

External links

Official District Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kasaragod District Kasaragod district, States and territories established in 1984 1984 establishments in Kerala Districts of Kerala

Etymology

History

Ancient period

Medieval period

Modern period

Geography

Climate

Rivers

Administration

Revenue divisions

Political divisions

State legislature

Parliament

Transport

Demographics

Education

Backwardness

Tourism

Notable people

See also

References

Further reading

General

History

Languages

District Census Handbooks

External links