Thalassery

Thalassery () (also called Tellicherry) is a city and municipality on the Malabar Coast in Kannur district in the state of Kerala, India, bordered by the districts of Mahe and Kozhikode. Thalassery municipality has a population of just under 100,000 as of 2011 census. Thalassery Heritage City has an area of . Thalassery has an altitude ranging from above mean sea-level. It is located 25 km (15 mi) from Vadakara, 15 km (10 mi) from Mahé and 22 km (13 mi) from Kannur.

Tellicherry municipality was formed on 1 November 1866 according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in City act 1850) of the British Indian Empire, making it the second oldest municipality in the state. At that time, the municipality was known as Tellicherry Commission and Tellicherry was the capital of North Malabar. G. M. Ballard, the Malabar collector, was the first president of the municipal commission. A European barrister, A. F. Lamaral, would later become the first Chairman of Thalassery municipality. Thalassery grew into a prominent place during European rule, due to its strategic geographic location. Thalassery has played a significant historical, cultural, educational and commercial role in the history of India, especially during the colonial period. On 9 February 2014, Thalassery taluk was split in two and Iritty taluk was formed. The northeastern hilly region of the former Thalassery Taluk, including Peravoor, Aralam, Ayyankunnu, Kottiyoor, and Kelakam, are within the Iritty Taluk area.

Etymology

The name ''Thalassery'' likely originated from a combination of the Dravidian words ''Thala'' (Head) and ''cheri'' (low lying settlement), meaning 'starting place of a settlement' or 'head of a settlement'. It could also have emerged from ''Talakkathe cheri'', a combination of ''Talakkathe'' (upper or north) and ''Cheri'' (settlement).

The second volume of the 1885 administration manual of the former Madras Presidency cites, which includes information on the research of regional legends and folklore, indicates that the name ''Thalassery'' in ancient Sanskrit literature was Shwetaranyapura.

Modern history

Thalassery was a trade hub where Dutch, British, Portuguese, Chinese, Arab, and Jewish traders had considerable influence in the spice market.

The British established a trading post and built a factory at Tellicherry in 1694, having gained permission from Vadakkalankur, the prince regent of the Raja of Kolathunad. They had already been trading on the Malabar coast for much of that century, buying pepper from merchants, and had established a similar post at Travancore ten years earlier.

In 1761, the British captured Mahe, which lies adjacent to Thalassery, and the settlement was handed over to the ruler of Kadathanadu. The British restored Mahe 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 Mahe. In 1783, the British agreed to restore to the French their settlements in India, and Mahe was handed over to the French in 1785.

After the annexation of Malabar, the British called upon Thalassery, the royal families and other major Nair and Namboothiri feudal lords to return, but this was heavily opposed by some local rulers. Along with heavy taxation and laws that curbed free movement, the appeal resulted in multiple uprisings against the British with heavy casualties to British forces. Thousands of soldiers were killed, but the resistance was eventually defeated.

Geography

Thalassery lies on the west coast of the Indian subcontinent, in the northern part of Kerala State. The city has Dharmadam Panchayat in the north, Eranholi and Kodiyeri in the east New Mahe in the south and the Arabian Sea on the west. The palm-fringed terrain has a scenic coastline and features four rivers, canals and hills with orange-hued rock. One of the four rivers is the Mahe River (Mayyazhipuzha). During the British Raj, the Mahe River was nicknamed the English Channel because it separated British-ruled Thalassery from French-ruled Mahe. Other rivers are Kuyyali River, Ummanchira River and Anjarakandi River. Muzhappilangad Beach, the sole beach where driving is possible in Kerala (with a 4 km long drivable area), is located within 6 km from the downtown part of Thalassery.

Unlike southern Kerala, the region of Thalassery does not have lagoons, although many rivers flow through it. Thalassery however has a large area of mangroves, which is now being protected. The coast has no delta formation. The coastal plain is only a few kilometres in width and is bordered by highlands. The north of Thalassery is Dharmadam, an island area surrounded by two rivers and the sea. On the eastern side, hilly areas start from Kuthuparamba.

Demographics

As of the 2001 India census, Thalassery had a population of 92,558, making it Kerala's eighth largest city in population. Males constituted 47% of the population and females 53%. The city had an average literacy rate of 86%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. Both male and female literacy were 86%. In Thalassery, 10% of the population were under 6 years of age.

The Thalassery urban agglomeration consists of the Thalassery municipality and panchayaths of Eranholi, Kadirur, Dharmadam, Muzhappilangad, Pinarayi and New Mahe with a present population of around 300,000.

Hindus made up 61.37% of the population, followed by Muslims (34.30%), and Christians (3.64%).

Culture

Thalassery is nicknamed the city of three Cs -- Cake, Cricket and Circus. The first bakery in Kerala was established in the city and cricket was first played in India here. The British had considerable impact on local culture. As an ancient trade center, the trading and business relations that existed with the Europeans and the Arabs brought people and ideas from many other lands. The European Christian missionaries and the educational reforms they brought played an important role in transforming society.

The Government of Kerala has included Thalassery in its heritage city project. The project includes the preservation of historical structures.
Thalassery cuisine (a blend of Arabian, Persian, Indian and European styles of cooking) is popular around the world. Thalassery biryani is popular as an ethnic brand, and Tellicherry pepper is also used in Europe.

Painting and sculpture exhibitions are frequently held at the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi art gallery located in Keezhantimukk, Thiruvangad.

Theyyam

Theyyam (or Thirayattam) is a ritual performance art form that depict the cultural heritage of North Malabar, especially of ancient Kolathunad. Theyyam depicts Shiva bhutaganas, Kali and other deities and cultural heroes and ancestors of the region. The drama is enacted based on ancient stories and the language used is "Tottam pattu", north Malabar dialect of Malayalam. Theyyam is usually held from October to May every year. The colour of Theyyam, is typically red. Velan, a reporter and prophet endowed with supernatural powers in Veriyatal is described in the Sangam literature 500 CE. It could have been a tribal ritual art which evolved under Buddhism and the Brahminic revival of Hinduism. This art form is called, variously, "Kaliyattom" or "Theyyam" or "Tirayattom", depending on the locality.

Literature and journalism

The first Malayalam short story Vasanavikriti was written by Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar in Thalassery. Indulekha, the first major Malayalam novel was published from Thalassery. Veenapoovu, the poem by Kumaran Asan was also published from Thalassery. Thinker and orator M N Vijayan spent a lifetime in Thalassery. Thalassery is also home to writer N. Prabhakaran. Actor and screenwriter Sreenivasan hails from Thalassery.

William Logan was said to be fluent in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu. He is remembered for his 1887 guide to the Malabar District, popularly known as the ''Malabar Manual''.

Rajyasamacharam and Paschimodayam (the first two Malayalam newspapers) were published from Illikunnu, Nettoor in Tellicherry in 1847 by Hermann Gundert, who was the editor of the journal and was a religious propagator from the Basel Evangelical Mission Society (BEMP). Rajyasamacharam started publishing from Illikkunnu in Thalassery City.

Circus

Vishnu Pant Chhatre's Great Indian Circus, established in 1880 in Bombay, was the first circus establishment in India. A tour of Thalassery led to the meeting of Chhatre with Keeleri Kunhikannan, a martial arts trainer. Keeleri Kunjikannan established the first dedicated circus school in India in 1901. He is known as "the father of Kerala Circus". A circus academy was inaugurated in Thalassery in 2010.

Cuisine

Thalassery is known for its biryani (in local dialect, biri-yaa-ni) Unlike other biriyani cuisines, Thalassery biryani uses Kaima/ Jeerakasala rice instead of the usual basmati rice

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