Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the
Malabar Coast 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 C ...
in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224
and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second largest metropolitan area in Kerala and the
19th largest in India. Kozhikode is classified as a Tier 2 city by the Government of India.
It is the largest city in the region known as the
Malabar and was the capital of the British-era
Malabar district. In antiquity and the medieval period, Kozhikode was dubbed the ''City of Spices'' for its role as the major trading point for
Indian spices.
It was the capital of an independent kingdom ruled by the
Samoothiris (Zamorins). The port at Kozhikode acted as the gateway to medieval
South India
South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the States and union territories of India, Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and T ...
n coast for the
Chinese, the
Persians
The Persians are an Iranian ethnic group who comprise over half of the population of Iran. They share a common cultural system and are native speakers of the Persian language as well as of the languages that are closely related to Persian.
...
, the
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Wester ...
s and finally the
Europeans.
According to data compiled by economics research firm
Indicus Analytics
Indicus Analytics is an economics research firm based in New Delhi. The company offers research services and data products. Indicus’ clientele includes both national & international corporations (including consulting firms), educational institu ...
in 2009 on residences, earnings and investments, Kozhikode was ranked the second best city in India to live in.
Etymology
The exact origin of the name Kozhikode is uncertain. According to many sources, the name Kozhikode is derived from ''Koyil-kota'' (fort), meaning ''fortified palace''. The name also got corrupted into ''Kolikod'', or its Arab version ''Qāliqūṭ'' and later its anglicized version Calicut.
The
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Wester ...
merchants called it ''Qāliqūṭ'' (
IPA: qˠaːliqˠːuːtˤ).
Chinese merchants called it ''Kūlifo''.
Although the city's official name is Kozhikode, in English it is sometimes known by its anglicised version, ''Calicut''.
[M.G.S. Narayanan, ''Calicut: The City of Truth'' (2006) Calicut University Press, Kozhikode.]
The word ''
calico'', a fine variety of hand-woven cotton cloth that was exported from the port of Kozhikode, is thought to have been derived from ''Calicut''.
[Encyclopædia Britannica (2008). ''calico''] It is the historical capital of Kerala as the history dates back to 1498 AD when Vasco da Gama landed in
Kappad, near Calicut.
History

The ancient port of
Tyndis which was located on the northern side of
Muziris, as mentioned in the ''
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea'', was somewhere around Kozhikode.
Its exact location is a matter of dispute.
The suggested locations are
Ponnani,
Tanur,
Beypore
Beypore or Beypur (formerly Beypoor) is an ancient port town and a locality town in Kozhikode district in the state of Kerala, India. It is located opposite to Chaliyam, the estuary where the river Chaliyar empties into Arabian Sea. Beypore i ...
-
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 eas ...
-
Kadalundi-
Vallikkunnu, and
Koyilandy.
Tyndis was a major center of trade, second only to
Muziris, between the Cheras and the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Medite ...
.
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic ...
(1st century CE) states that the port of ''
Tyndis'' was located at the northwestern border of ''Keprobotos'' (
Chera dynasty).
[Gurukkal, R., & Whittaker, D. (2001). In search of Muziris. ''Journal of Roman Archaeology,'' ''14'', 334-350.] The
North Malabar region, which lies north of the port at ''
Tyndis'', was ruled by the kingdom of
Ezhimala during
Sangam period.
According to the ''
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea'', a region known as ''
Limyrike'' began at ''
Naura Naura may refer to:
* Naura, India, a town in the Nawanshahr district of Punjab
* Naura Ayu (born 2005), Indonesian singer
* NAURA Technology Group, Chinese company that manufactures semiconductor chip production equipment
* Michael Naura (193 ...
'' and ''
Tyndis''. However
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 import ...
mentions only ''
Tyndis'' as ''
Limyrikes starting point. The region probably ended at
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 I ...
; it thus roughly corresponds to the present-day
Malabar Coast. The value of Rome's annual trade with the region was estimated at around 50,000,000
sesterces.
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic ...
mentioned that ''
Limyrike'' was prone by pirates. The
Cosmas Indicopleustes mentioned that the ''
Limyrike'' was a source of peppers.
In the 14th century, Kozhikode conquered larger parts of central Kerala after the seize of
Tirunavaya region from
Valluvanad, which were under the control of the king of
''Perumbadappu Swaroopam'' (Cochin). The ruler of
Perumpadappu was forced to shift his capital (c. CE 1405) further south from
Kodungallur to
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 ...
. In the 15th century, the status of Cochin was reduced to a vassal state of Kozhikode, thus leading to the emergence of Kozhikode as the most powerful kingdom in medieval
Malabar Coast.
During the 15th century Kalaripayat was important in the history of
Malabar, some warriors lived, most notably ''puthooram veettil''
Aromal Chekavar and his sister
Unniyarcha who were chieftains of martial arts.
The port at Kozhikode 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)] Kozhikode was the capital of an independent kingdom ruled by the
samoothiris (Zamorins) in the Middle Ages and later of the erstwhile
Malabar District under British rule.
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Wester ...
merchants traded with the region as early as 7th century, and Portuguese explorer
Vasco da Gama landed at Kozhikode on 20 May 1498, thus opening a trade route between Europe and India. A Portuguese
factory
A factory, manufacturing plant or a production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture
Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with t ...
and the fort was intact in Kozhikode for short period (1511–1525, until the
Fall of Calicut). The
English landed in 1615 (constructing a trading post in 1665), followed by the
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
(1698) and the
Dutch (1752). In 1765,
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 of ...
captured Kozhikode as part of its occupation of the Malabar Coast. Kozhikode, once a famous cotton-weaving centre, gave its name to the
Calico cloth
Calico (; in British usage since 1505) is a heavy plain weave, plain-woven textile made from unbleached, and often not fully processed, cotton. It may also contain unseparated husk parts. The fabric is far coarser than muslin, but less coarse an ...
.
["Kozhikode." ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. 18 November 2011.]

It was ranked eleventh among Tier-II Indian cities in job creation by a study conducted by
ASSOCHAM in 2007.
Early Kozhikode in foreign accounts
Accounts of the city and the conditions prevailing then can be gleaned from the chronicles of travellers who visited the port city.
Ibn Battuta
Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Battutah (, ; 24 February 13041368/1369),; fully: ; Arabic: commonly known as Ibn Battuta, was a Berber Maghrebi scholar and explorer who travelled extensively in the lands of Afro-Eurasia, largely in the Muslim ...
(1342–1347), who visited six times, gives the earliest glimpses of life in the city. He describes Kozhikode as "one of the great ports of the district of Malabar" where "merchants of all parts of the world are found here". The king of this place, he says, "shaves his chin just as the Haidari Fakeers of Rome do... The greater part of the Muslim merchants of this place are so wealthy that one of them can purchase the whole freightage of such vessels put here and fit out others like them".
Ma Huan (1403 AD), the Chinese sailor part of the Imperial Chinese fleet under Cheng Ho (
Zheng He) lauds the city as a great emporium of trade frequented by merchants from around the world. He makes note of the 20 or 30 mosques built to cater to the religious needs of the Muslims, the unique system of calculation by the merchants using their fingers and toes (followed to this day) and the matrilineal system of succession.
Abdur Razzak (1442–43) the ambassador of Persian Emperor Sha-Rohk finds the city harbour perfectly secured and notices precious articles from several maritime countries especially from
Abyssinia, Zirbad and
Zanzibar
Zanzibar (; ; ) is an insular semi-autonomous province which united with Tanganyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. It is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of many small islan ...
.
The Italian
Niccolò de' Conti (1445), perhaps the first Christian traveller who noticed Kozhikode, describes the city as abounding in pepper, lac, ginger, a larger kind of cinnamon, myrobalans and zedoary. He calls it a noble emporium for all India, with a
circumference
In geometry, the circumference (from Latin ''circumferens'', meaning "carrying around") is the perimeter of a circle or ellipse. That is, the circumference would be the arc length of the circle, as if it were opened up and straightened out t ...
of .
The Russian traveller Athanasius Nikitin or
Afanasy Nikitin (1468–74) calls 'Calecut' a port for the whole Indian sea and describes it as having a "big bazaar."
Other travellers who visited Kozhikode include the Italian
Ludovico di Varthema (1503–1508) and
Duarte Barbosa.
The Samoothiri

Kozhikode and its suburbs formed part of the ''Polanad'' kingdom, which was a vassal state to the ''
Kolathunadu'' of
North Malabar, ruled by the ''Porlatiri''. The
Eradis of
Nediyiruppu at
Kondotty in
Eranad (
Malappuram district) wanted an outlet to the sea, to initiate trade and commerce with the distant lands. and after fighting with the king Polatthiri for 48 years conquered the area around
Panniankara. After this,
Menokki became the ruler of ''Polanad'' and came to terms with the troops and people. After this, the town of Kozhikode was founded close to the palace at Tali. Then, the Eradis shifted their headquarters from Nediyiruppu to Kozhikode. The Governor of Ernad built a fort at a place called Velapuram to safeguard his new interests. The fort most likely lent its name to ''Koyil Kotta'' the precursor to Kozhikode. Thus the city came into existence sometime in the 13th century CE. The status of Udaiyavar increased and he became known as Swami Nambiyathiri Thirumulpad, and eventually Samuri or Samoothiri. Europeans called him in a corrupt form as
Zamorin.
At the peak of their reign, the Zamorins ruled over a region from Kollam (
Quilon) to Panthalayini Kollam (
Koyilandy).
[Varier, M. R. Raghava. "Documents of Investiture Ceremonies" in K. K. N. Kurup, Edit., "India's Naval Traditions". Northern Book Centre, New Delhi, 1997] Following the discovery of sea route from
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...
to Kozhikode in 1498, the Portuguese began to expand their territories and ruled the seas between
Ormus and the
Malabar Coast and south to
Ceylon
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
.
Kallingal Madathil Rarichan Moopan and Pullambil Moopan and Vamala Moopan families were very prominent among those who said that two centuries ago, some
Jenmis in Kozhikode were engaged in
sea trade and
shipping.
According to K.V. Krishna Iyer, the rise of Kozhikode is at once a cause and a consequence of Samoothiri's ascendancy in Kerala. By the end of the century, Samoothiri was at the zenith of his powers with all princes and chieftains of Kerala north of Kochi acknowledging his suzerainty.
The
Sweetmeat Street (''Mittayi Theruvu'') was an important trading street under Zamorin's rule.
The
First Battle of Cannanore that occurred in January 1502 between the
Third Portuguese Armada and
Kingdom of Cochin under
João da Nova and
Zamorin of
Calicut's navy marks the beginning of Portuguese conflicts in the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by ...
.
The defeat of joint fleet of the
Sultan of Gujarat, the
Mamlûk Burji Sultanate of Egypt, and the Zamorin of Calicut with support of the
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia ...
and the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
in
Battle of Diu
The Battle of Diu was a naval battle fought on 3 February 1509 in the Arabian Sea, in the port of Diu, India, between the Portuguese Empire and a joint fleet of the Sultan of Gujarat, the Mamlûk Burji Sultanate of Egypt, and the Zamor ...
in February 1509 marks the beginning of
Portuguese dominance of the
Spice trade and the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by ...
.
The continuous wars between
Zamorin navy under
Kunjali Marakkars and Portuguese in the
16th century CE reduced the importance of Kozhikode as a centre of trade. The Kunjali Marakkars are credited with organizing the first naval defense of the Indian coast.
The Zamorin in the beginning of next century expelled Portuguese with the help of
Dutch East India Company. and In 1602, the
Zamorin sent messages to
Aceh
Aceh ( ), officially the Aceh Province ( ace, Nanggroë Acèh; id, Provinsi Aceh) is the westernmost province of Indonesia. It is located on the northernmost of Sumatra island, with Banda Aceh being its capital and largest city. Granted a s ...
promising the Dutch a fort at Kozhikode if they would come and trade there. Two factors, Hans de Wolff and Lafer, were sent on an Asian ship from Aceh, but the two were captured by the chief of
Tanur, and handed over to the Portuguese.
[Sanjay Subrahmanyam. "The Political Economy of Commerce: Southern India 1500–1650". Cambridge University Press, 2002] A Dutch fleet under Admiral
Steven van der Hagen arrived at Kozhikode in November 1604. It marked the beginning of the Dutch presence in Kerala and they concluded a treaty with Kozhikode on 11 November 1604, which was also the first treaty that the
Dutch East India Company made with an Indian ruler.
By this time the kingdom and the port of Kozhikode was much reduced in importance.
The treaty provided for a mutual alliance between the two to expel the Portuguese from Malabar. In return the
Dutch East India Company was given facilities for trade at Kozhikode and
Ponnani, including spacious storehouses.
British Rule
The arrival of
British in
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 C ...
can be traced back to the year 1615, when a group under the leadership of Captain
William Keeling arrived at Kozhikode, using three ships.
It was in these ships that Sir
Thomas Roe went to visit
Jahangir, the fourth
Mughal emperor
The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled ...
, as
British envoy.
Travancore
The Kingdom of Travancore ( /ˈtrævənkɔːr/), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. A ...
became the most dominant state in Kerala by defeating the
Zamorin of
Kozhikode in the battle of
Purakkad in 1755.
Kozhikode came under British Rule after the
Mysorean conquest of Malabar in the late 18th century CE.
The British later also formed a regiment called the
Thiyyar Regiment to meet their military operations in
Malabar.
Kozhikode was the capital city of
Malabar District, one of the two districts in the western coast (
Malabar Coast) of
Madras presidency
The Madras Presidency, or the Presidency of Fort St. George, also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision (presidency) of British India. At its greatest extent, the presidency included most of southern India, including th ...
. During the
British rule, Malabar's chief importance lay in producing
pepper
Pepper or peppers may refer to:
Food and spice
* Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plant
** Black pepper
* ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae
** Bell pepper
** Chili ...
,
coconut,
tiles, and
teak. Kozhikode 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, making it the first modern municipality in the state.
Post Independence
Kozhikode Municipality was upgraded into
Kozhikode Municipal Corporation in the year 1962, making it the second-oldest Municipal Corporation in the state.
Climate
Kozhikode has a
tropical monsoon climate
An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ...
(
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 ...
''Am''). A brief spell of pre-monsoon
Mango showers hits the city sometime during April. However, the primary source of rain is the
South-west monsoon that sets in the first week of June and continues until September. The city receives significant precipitation from the
North-East Monsoon that sets in from the second half of October through November.
Demographics
Total Population under Municipal Corporation limits is 550,440.
Males form 47.7% and females 52.3%.
Kozhikode has been a multi-ethnic and multi-religious town since the early
medieval period. The
Hindus form the largest religious group, followed by
Muslims
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 Abra ...
and
Christians
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
.
Hindus form the majority at 57.37% of the population with 315807 members.
Muslims form 37.6% of the population with 207298 members.
The corporation of Kozhikode has an average
literacy rate of 96.8%
(
national average is 74.85%). The male literacy rate is 97.93% and female literacy rate is 95.78%.
Pre-modern Kozhikode was already teeming with people of several communities and regional groups. Most of these communities continued to follow their traditional occupations and customs till the 20th century. Brahmins, too, lived in the city mostly around the Hindu temples. Regional groups like the
Tamil Brahmins, Gujaratis and
Marwari Jains
Rajasthan, a state in western India, has had a close historical connection with Jainism. Southwestern Rajasthan was the main centre for Svetambara Jainism. Major Digambara centres are in the northern and eastern parts of Rajasthan. Central an ...
became part of the city and lived around their shrines.
The
Nairs formed the rulers, warriors and landed gentry of Kozhikode.The
Thiyyas formed the ''vaidyars'' (
Ayurveda Physicians), local militia and traders of Kozhikode. The Thiyyas were also heavily recruited into the Zamorin's army.
Samoothiri army was called as Lokar,which constituted of warriors of Thiyyar and Nair caste soldiers.Zamorin also had an army called the 'Thiyyarpada' (Thiyya Army),which is formed by Thiyyar warriors. The
Samoothiri had a ten thousand strong Nair bodyguard called the Kozhikkottu pathinaayiram (The 10,000 of Kozhikode) who defended the capital and supported the administration within the city. He had a larger force of 30,000 Nairs in his capacity as the Prince of Eranadu, called the Kozhikkottu Muppatinaayiram (The 30,000 of Kozhikode).
The Nairs also formed the members of the suicide squad (
chaver
Chaver may refer to:
*Chaber (also spelled chaver), a Hebrew term meaning "associate", "friend", or similar
*Chaver, a Malayalam term meaning "martyrs" or " suicide attackers"
People with the surname Chavers include:
* P.W. Chavers (1876–1933) ...
).
The Muslims of Kozhikode are known as
Mappila
Mappila Muslim, often shortened to Mappila, formerly anglicized as Moplah/Mopla and historically known as Jonaka/Chonaka Mappila or Moors Mopulars/Mouros da Terra and Mouros Malabares, in general, is a member of the Muslim community of same n ...
s, and according to the official Kozhikode website "the great majority of them are
Sunnis following the
Shafi school of thought
The Shafii ( ar, شَافِعِي, translit=Shāfiʿī, also spelled Shafei) school, also known as Madhhab al-Shāfiʿī, is one of the four major traditional schools of religious law (madhhab) in the Sunnī branch of Islam. It was founded by A ...
.
There are some smaller communities among the Muslims such as
Dawoodi Bohras of Gujarati origin. Many of the Muslims living in the historic part of the city follow
matrilineality and are noted for their piety.
Though
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesu ...
is believed to have been introduced in Kerala in the 1st century CE, the size of community in
Malabar (northern Kerala) began to rise only after the arrival of the Portuguese missionaries towards the close of the 15th century. A few Christians of
Thiruvitankoor 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 ...
have lately migrated to the hilly regions of the district and are settled there.
The
Tamil Brahmins are primarily settled around the Tali Siva temple. They arrived in Kozhikode as dependants of chieftains, working as cooks, cloth merchants and moneylenders.
[Narayanan.M.G.S., Calicut: The City of Truth(2006) Calicut University Publications] They have retained their
Tamil language
Tamil (; ' , ) is a Dravidian language natively spoken by the Tamil people of South Asia. Tamil is an official language of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the sovereign nations of Sri Lanka and Singapore, and the Indian territory of Pud ...
and dialects as well as caste rituals. The
Gujarati community is settled mostly around the
Jain temple in and around the Valliyangadi. They owned many establishments, especially textile and sweet shops. They must have arrived in Kozhikode at least from the beginning of the 14th century. They belong to either the Hindu or the Jain community. A few
Marwari families are also found in Kozhikode who was basically moneylenders.
Civic administration
The city is administered by the Kozhikode Corporation, headed by a mayor. For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 75
wards,
[ ] from which the members of the corporation council are elected for five years. Recently neighbouring suburbs
Beypore
Beypore or Beypur (formerly Beypoor) is an ancient port town and a locality town in Kozhikode district in the state of Kerala, India. It is located opposite to Chaliyam, the estuary where the river Chaliyar empties into Arabian Sea. Beypore i ...
,
Elathur,
Cheruvannur and Nallalam were merged within the municipal corporation.
Kozhikode Corporation is the first City Corporation in Kerala after the creation of the state. Established in 1962, Kozhikode Corporation's first mayor was H Manjunatha Rao. Kozhikode corporation has four assembly constituencies – Kozhikode North, Kozhikode South, Beypore and Elathur – all of which are part of
Kozhikode.
Kozhikode Municipal Corporation Election 2020
Law and order
The
Kozhikode City Police
The Kerala Police is the law enforcement agency for the Indian state of Kerala. Kerala Police has its headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. The motto of the force is "Mridhu Bhave Dhrida Kruthye" which means "Soft in Temperament ...
is headed by a commissioner, an
Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. The city is divided into six 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 16 police stations functioning under the Home Ministry of
Government of Kerala.
Transport
Road
National highways
National Highway 66 connects Kozhikode to
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...
via
Mangaluru,
Udupi and
Goa to the north 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 ...
and
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 I ...
near
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
to the south along the west coast of India. This highway connects the city with the other important towns like,
Kasaragod,
Kanhangad,
Kannur
Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a Cities in India, 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 a ...
,
Thalassery,
Mahe,
Vadakara,
Koyilandy
Ramanattukara,
Kottakkal,
Kuttippuram,
Ponnani,
Kodungallur,
North Paravur
North Paravur. formerly known as Paravur or Parur, is a municipality and suburb in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a northern suburb of the city of Kochi and is situated around 20 km from the city centre. It i ...
,
Ernakulam
Ernakulam () is the Central Business District of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Many major establishments, including the Kerala High Court, the office of the Kochi Municipal Corporation ...
,
Edapally and proceeds to
Alappuzha
Alappuzha or Alleppey () is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha district in state of Kerala, India. The Backwaters of Alappuzha are one of the most popular tourist attractions in India which attracts millions of domestic and internat ...
,
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
and terminates at the southern tip of India,
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 I ...
.
National Highway 766 connects Kozhikode to
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 ...
through
Kollegal in
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 ''Kar ...
via
Tirumakudal Narsipur,
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 of ...
,
Nanjangud,
Gundlupet
Gundlupet also known as Land of Tigers (''Gundlupētē'' in Kannada) is a municipal town situated in the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka, India. It is also known as "''The flower pot of India''". It is situated 60 km away from NH 76 ...
,
Sulthan Bathery,
Kalpetta and
Thamarassery.
National Highway 966 connects Kozhikode to
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 municipal ...
through
Malappuram,
Perinthalmanna. It covers a distance of . At Ramanattukara, a suburb of Kozhikode, it joins NH 66. It passes through major towns like
Kondotty,
Perinthalmanna, and
Mannarkkad and
Malappuram. This stretch connects the city and
Calicut International Airport.
State Highways
SH 29 passes through the city. It connects NH 212, Malabar Christian College, civil station,
Kunnamangalam, Thamarassery, Chellot, Chitragiri and Road to Gudallor from Kerala border.
State highway 38 starts from
Pavangad near passes through
Ulliyeri,
Perambra,
Kuttiady,
Nadapuram,
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 ...
&
Koothuparamba
Kuthuparamba is a town and a municipality in the Kannur district, state of Kerala, India. It is about 24 km south east of Kannur and 14 km east of Thalassery.
History
Kuthuparamba was part of Kottayam dynasty under the reign of Pa ...
and ends at
Chovva
Kannur South or Chovva or Thottada is a residential suburb in Kannur District of Kerala, India,Kannur
Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a Cities in India, 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 a ...
. The highway is107;km long. It is one of the busiest route in the district.
SH 54 connects the city to
Kalpetta. The highway is long. The highway passes through
Pavangad, Kozhikode, Ulliyeri,
Perambra, Poozhithodu,
Peruvannamuzhi
Peruvannamuzhi or Peruvannamoozhy is a village in Chakkittapara Panchayath Kozhikode district, Kerala, India. Peruvannamuzhi forms part of the newly inaugurated Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary and is rich in flora and fauna.
Tourism
The main attract ...
and Padinjarethara.
SH 68 starts from
Kappad and ends in Adivaram. The highway is long.
SH 34 starts from
Koyilandy and ends in
Edavanna which is 44.0 km long. This highway passes through
Koyilandi,
Ulliyeri,
Balussery,
Thamarassery,
Omassery,
Mukkam.
Buses
Buses, predominantly run by individual owners, ply on the routes within the city and to nearby locations. City buses are painted green.
Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) runs regular services to many destinations in the state and to the neighboring states. The city has three bus stands. All private buses to the suburban and nearby towns ply from the Palayam Bus Stand. Private buses to adjoining districts start from the Mofussil Bus Stand on Indira Gandhi Road (Mavoor Road). Buses operated by the KSRTC drive from the KSRTC bus stand on Indira Gandhi Road. KSRTC Bus Stand Kozhikode is the largest bus stand in Kerala having a size of 36,036.47 meter square. There are also KSRTC depots in
Thamarassery,
Thottilpalam,
Thiruvambady
Thiruvambady is a major hill town and a suburb in southeastern Kozhikode district in Kerala, India. Thiruvambady is a Panchayat headquarters, and a legislative assembly constituency, situated from the district headquarters of Kozhikode.
...
and
Vatakara
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 ...
.
There are three routes available to Bangalore. Kozhikode–
Sulthan Bathery-
Gundlupet
Gundlupet also known as Land of Tigers (''Gundlupētē'' in Kannada) is a municipal town situated in the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka, India. It is also known as "''The flower pot of India''". It is situated 60 km away from NH 76 ...
–
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 of ...
–
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 ...
is the preferred one and is very busy. Another route, is Kozhikode-
Manathavady
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" ...
-
Kutta-Mysore-Bangalore. The third one, less used, is Kozhikode–Gundlupet–
Chamarajanagar–
Kollegal–Bangalore.
Private tour operators maintain regular luxury bus services to
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...
,
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 ...
,
Coimbatore,
Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of ...
,
Vellore,
Ernakulam
Ernakulam () is the Central Business District of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Many major establishments, including the Kerala High Court, the office of the Kochi Municipal Corporation ...
,
Trivandrum
Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
,
Ooty
Ooty (), officially known as Udhagamandalam (also known as Ootacamund (); abbreviated as Udhagai), is a city and a municipality in the Nilgiris district of the South Indian States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu. It is located ...
,
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 of ...
. etc. and mainly operate from the Palayam area. These are usually night services.
Rail
The history of railways in
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 C ...
dates to 1861 when the first tracks were laid between
Tirur
Tirur is a Municipality in Malappuram district in the Indian state of Kerala spread over an area of . It is one of the business centers of Malappuram district and is situated west of Malappuram and south of Kozhikode, on the Shoranur–Mang ...
and
Beypore
Beypore or Beypur (formerly Beypoor) is an ancient port town and a locality town in Kozhikode district in the state of Kerala, India. It is located opposite to Chaliyam, the estuary where the river Chaliyar empties into Arabian Sea. Beypore i ...
.
Air
Calicut International Airport is from the city at
Karipur in
Kondotty, which is in the
Malappuram district. It began operations in 1988. Domestic services are operated to major Indian cities. It received the status of an international airport in 2006.
Economy

Calicut is one of the biggest economic hubs in Kerala. Service sector dominates the economy followed by industries. Nedungadi Bank, the first and oldest bank in the modern 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 C ...
, was established by
Appu Nedungadi at Kozhikode in the year 1899.
Cyberpark, a Government of Kerala organisation, plans to build, operate and manage IT parks for the promotion and development of investment in IT and ITES industries in the Malabar region of Kerala. It would be the third IT hub 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 C ...
. The two IT parks might create a total 100,000 direct job opportunities. The first project is the development of Cyberpark hub in Kozhikode with its spokes at Kannur and Kazargode IT parks.
Other planned projects include the Birla IT park (at Mavoor) and Malaysian satellite city (at Kinaloor) where KINFRA has plans to set up a industrial park. In 2012, Kozhikode was given the tag of "City of Sculptures" (Shilpa Nagaram) because of the architectural sculptures around the city. Currently there are many IT companies running in UL
Cyberpark, Government
Cyberpark and Hilite Business Park.
Shopping

The city has a strong mercantile aspect. The main area of business was once ''Valiyangadi'' (Big Bazaar) near the railway station. As time progressed, it shifted to other parts of the city. The commercial heart has moved to
''Mittai Theruvu'' (Sweetmeat Street or S. M. Street), a long street crammed with shops that sell everything from
saris to cosmetics. It also houses restaurants and sweetmeat shops. Today, the city has multiple shopping malls. Focus Mall (First mall of Kerala ),
HiLITE Mall, Gokulam Mall, Address Mall and RP Mall are a few among them.
LuLu Group International
LuLu Group International is an Indian Emirati-based multinational conglomerate company that operates a chain of hypermarkets and retail companies, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It was founded in 2000 by M. A. Yusuff Ali from ...
's Lulu Mall is under construction in the areas of Mankavu.
Music
In addition to the Malabar Mahotsavam, the annual cultural fest of Kozhikode, every year since 1981 the Tyagaraja Aradhana Trust has been conducting a five-day music festival in honour of
Tyagaraja. The festival is complete with the Uncchavritti, rendering of Divyanama kritis,
Pancharatna Kritis, concerts by professional artistes and students of music from morning to late in the evening.
Kozhikode has a tradition of
Ghazal
The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
and
Hindustani
Hindustani may refer to:
* something of, from, or related to Hindustan (another name of India)
* Hindustani language, an Indo-Aryan language, whose two official norms are Hindi and Urdu
* Fiji Hindi, a variety of Eastern Hindi spoken in Fiji, and ...
music appreciation. There are many Malayalam Ghazals. The late film director and play back singer
M. S. Baburaj, from Kozhikode was influenced by
Ghazal
The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
and Hindustani.
Media
Radio
The Kozhikode radio station of
All India Radio has two transmitters: Kozhikode AM (100 kilowatts) and Kozhikode FM
ividh Bharathi(10 kilowatts). Private FM radio stations are
Radio Mango 91.9 operated by Malayala Manorama Co. Ltd.
Radio Mirchi operated by Entertainment Network India Ltd. and
Club FM 104.8 operated by Mathrubhumi group and
Red FM 93.5 of the SUN Network. AIR FM radio stations are Kozhikode – 103.6 MHz; AIR MW radio station is Kozhikode – 684 kHz.
Television

A television transmitter has been functioning in Kozhikode since 3 July 1984, relaying programmes from
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders wi ...
and
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
Doordarshan
Doordarshan (abbreviated as DD; Hindi: , ) is an Indian public service broadcaster founded by the Government of India, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one of Prasar Bharati's two divisions. One of India's largest b ...
. Doordarshan has its broadcasting centre in Kozhikode at Medical College. The Malayalam channels based on Kozhikode are the
Shalom Television, Darshana TV and
Media One TV. All major channels in Malayalam viz.
Manorama News,
Asianet,
Surya TV,
Kairali TV,
Amrita TV,
Jeevan TV, and
Jaihind
Jai Hind (, , ) is a salutation and slogan that originally meant "Victory to Hindustan", and in contemporary colloquial usage often means "Long live India" or "Salute to India". Coined by Champakaraman Pillai and used during India's independenc ...
have their studios and news bureaus in the city.
Satellite television services are available through
DD Direct+,
Dish TV,
Sun Direct DTH and
Tata Sky.
Asianet Digital TV is popularly known as ACV telecasts daily city news. Spidernet is another local channel. Other local operators include KCL and Citinet.
The Calicut Press Club came into existence in 1970. It is the nerve centre of all media activities, both print and electronic. Begun with around 70 members in the roll, this Press Club, became a prestigious and alert media centre in the state with a present membership of over 280.
Education
There are 1,237 schools in Kozhikode district including 191 highschools.
Kozhikode is home to two premier educational institutions of national importance: the
Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK), and the
National Institute of Technology Calicut (NITC). Other institutions include
National Institute for Research and Development in Defence Shipbuilding (NIRDESH),
Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), and National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) are also based in Calicut.
The
University of Calicut
The University of Calicut, also known as Calicut University, is a state-run public university headquartered at Tenhipalam in Malappuram district of the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1968, it is the first university to be set up in nor ...
is the largest university in Kerala and is located in
Thenjipalam, about south of Calicut. This university was established in 1968 and was the second university set up in Kerala. Most of the colleges offering tertiary education in the region are affiliated to this university. The
Calicut Medical College was established in 1957 as the second medical college in Kerala. Since then, the institution has grown into a premier centre of medical education in the state. Presently it is the largest medical institute in the state with a yearly intake of 250 candidates for the undergraduate programme.
The
Government Law College, Kozhikode situated in
Vellimadukunnu
Silver Hills, or ''Vellimadukunnu'' is a residential area in the city of Kozhikode (Calicut), in India.
See also
* Government Law College, Kozhikode
* Kovoor Town
* Kuttikkattoor
* Chevayur
Kozhikode East is a suburb of Kozhikode ...
on the out skirts of kozhikode town, is owned by the Government of Kerala and affiliated to the University of Calicut. The college caters to the needs of the north Malabar region of Kerala it is the third law college in kerala state founded in 1970.
Main colleges in calicut city:
Zamurians Guruvayoorappan College, Malabar Christian college, Farook College, Devagiri College, Providence college for women, Govt. Arts & science college, Meenchantha, West Hill
Government Engineering College, Kozhikode,
Kerala Government Polytechnic College, Kozhikode.
In 1876, a school for young Rajas was started in Kozhikode. This was later thrown open to all caste Hindu boys. In 1879, it was affiliated to the University of Madras as a second-grade college and with this, collegiate education in the district received a fillip. Secondary education recorded appreciable progress since 1915. The erstwhile Malabar district, of which the present Kozhikode district formed a part, holds a high rank among the districts of Madras Presidency in secondary education.
Twin/sister cities
Calicut's sister city or twin city is
*
Tver
Tver ( rus, Тверь, p=tvʲerʲ) is a city and the administrative centre of Tver Oblast, Russia. It is northwest of Moscow. Population:
Tver was formerly the capital of a powerful medieval state and a model provincial town in the Russia ...
, Russia
See also
*
North Malabar
*
South Malabar
*
Kozhikode East
*
Kozhikode North
*
Kozhikode South
*
List of people from Kozhikode
This is a list of notable people from Kozhikode.
Literature
* S.K. Pottekkatt - Writer
* Thikkodiyan - Writer
* N.N. Kakkad - Writer
* P. Valsala - Writer
* Akbar Kakkattil - Writer
* Punathil Kunjabdulla
Politics
* V.K. Krishna Men ...
References
Sources
*
Further reading
* (English translation of the original Arabic version written by Zainudheen Makhdoom in sixteenth century CE)
*
External links
Kozhikode District official website
{{Authority control
Metropolitan cities in India
Cities and towns in Kozhikode district