Thalassery () (also called Tellicherry) is a city and municipality on the

Malabar Coast The Malabar Coast () is the southwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. It generally refers to the West Coast of India, western coastline of India stretching from Konkan to Kanyakumari. Geographically, it comprises one of the wettest regio ...

Kannur district Kannur () is one of the 14 Districts of Kerala, districts along the west coast in the state of Kerala, India. The city of Kannur is the district headquarters and gives the district its name. The old name, Cannanore, is the anglicized form of th ...

in the state of

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, 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 ...

, India, bordered by the

districts A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...

of Mahe and

Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature. It is the nineteenth large ...

. Thalassery municipality has a population of just under 100,000 as of 2011

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

. 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 Vatakara, also known as Vadakara () (formerly Badagara, ), is a municipality, taluk and a major town in the Kozhikode district in Indian state of Kerala. The municipality of Vatakara covers an area of and is bordered by Mahé to the north and ...

, 15 km (10 mi) from Mahé and 22 km (13 mi) from

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

. 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 The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule ...

, 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 North Malabar refers to the geographic area of southwest India covering the state of Kerala State, Kerala's present day Kasaragod district, Kasaragod and Kannur district, Kannur districts, Mananthavady taluk of the Wayanad District, Wayanad distr ...

. 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 Iritty is a municipality and taluk in Kannur district of Kerala state, India. The town is the main market place for the farmer communities in the surrounding regions. Iritty is at a distance of from Kannur International Airport and one among ...

taluk was formed. The northeastern hilly region of the former Thalassery Taluk, including

Peravoor Peravoor is a town and grama panchayat in Kannur district of Kerala state in India. It is located east of Kannur and north east of Thalassery. Iritty, the nearest municipality, is north of Peravoor. Peravoor is situated in the Western Ghat ...

, Aralam, Ayyankunnu, Kottiyoor, and Kelakam, are within the

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 Sanskrit literature is a broad term for all literature composed in Sanskrit. This includes texts composed in the earliest attested descendant of the Proto-Indo-Aryan language known as Vedic Sanskrit, texts in Classical Sanskrit as well as some ...

was Shwetaranyapura.

Modern history

Thalassery was a trade hub where

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

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

, Portuguese, Chinese,

Arab Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...

, and

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

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 A prince regent or princess regent is a prince or princess who, due to their position in the line of succession, rules a monarchy as regent in the stead of a monarch, e.g., as a result of the sovereign's incapacity (minority or illness) or ab ...

of the Raja of Kolathunad. They had already been trading on the

Malabar coast The Malabar Coast () is the southwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. It generally refers to the West Coast of India, western coastline of India stretching from Konkan to Kanyakumari. Geographically, it comprises one of the wettest regio ...

for much of that century, buying pepper from merchants, and had established a similar post at

Travancore The kingdom of Travancore (), also known as the kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor () or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvanan ...

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 Kadathanadu, also rendered Kadathanad, Katattanad, and, academically, Kaṭattanāṭǔ; alternately known as Vatakara or Badagara, was a kingdom in North Malabar just north of the Korappuzha River, ruled by the Porlathiri dynasty after their d ...

. 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. Boite aluminium de poivre de Tellichery

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. Water-colour painting of Tellicherry

Geography

Thalassery lies on the west coast of the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...

, in the northern part of

Kerala State Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, 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 ...

. The city has Dharmadam Panchayat in the north, Eranholi and Kodiyeri in the east New Mahe in the south and the

Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea () is a region of sea in the northern Indian Ocean, bounded on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, Gulf of Aden and Guardafui Channel, on the northwest by Gulf of Oman and Iran, on the north by Pakistan, on the east by India, and ...

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 British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule ...

, the Mahe River was nicknamed the

English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...

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 Dharmadom or Dharmadam is a census town, census village in Thalassery City in 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 f ...

, 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 A Christian mission is an organized effort to carry on evangelism, in the name of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries. Sometimes individuals are sent and ...

and the educational reforms they brought played an important role in transforming society. Muchilottu Bhagavathy Theyyam

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 Kerala Lalithakala Akademi () is an autonomous cultural organization established in Kerala, India, in 1962. Its primary purpose is to promote and propagate fine arts such as painting, sculpture, and visual arts in the state. The Akademi funct ...

art gallery located in Keezhantimukk, Thiruvangad.

Theyyam

Theyyam Theyyam is a Hindu religious ritual practised in the North Malabar Region of Kerala and some parts of Karnataka. Theyyam is a ritual performance involving extended chanting of mantras and ceremonial preparations that typically span 8 to 10 hou ...

(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 Kali (; , ), also called Kalika, is a major goddess in Hinduism, primarily associated with time, death and destruction. Kali is also connected with transcendental knowledge and is the first of the ten Mahavidyas, a group of goddesses who p ...

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 The Sangam literature (Tamil language, Tamil: சங்க இலக்கியம், ''caṅka ilakkiyam''), historically known as 'the poetry of the noble ones' (Tamil language, Tamil: சான்றோர் செய்யுள், ''Cā ...

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 "Vasanavikruti" is a short story written by Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar. It is considered by historians and literary experts as the first short story in Malayalam literature Malayalam, the lingua franca of the Indian state of Kerala and the ...

was written by

Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar (1860 – 14 November 1914) was a Malayali essayist and short story writer, and a prominent landlord of Malabar district. Vengayil family Nayanar was born in an aristocratic Nair family known as "Vengayil" in Chir ...

in Thalassery. Indulekha, the first major Malayalam novel was published from Thalassery. Veenapoovu, the poem by

Kumaran Asan Mahakavi Kumaran Asan (12 April 1871 – 16 January 1924) was a poet of Malayalam literature, Indian social reformer and a philosopher. He is known to have initiated a revolution in Malayalam poetry during the first quarter of the 20th century, ...

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 Sreenivasan (born 6 April 1956) is an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, dubbing artist and producer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. Sreenivasan has starred in over 225 films. Sreenivasan wrote the screenplays of films such a ...

hails from Thalassery. William Logan was said to be fluent in

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 ...

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

and

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...

. He is remembered for his 1887 guide to the

Malabar District Malabar District, also known as British Malabar or simply Malabar was an administrative district on the southwestern Malabar Coast of Bombay Presidency (1792–1800), Madras Presidency (1800–1950) and finally, Madras State (1950–1956) in ...

, 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 Hermann Gundert (Stuttgart, 4 February 1814 – 25 April 1893) was a German missionary, scholar, and linguist, as well as the maternal grandfather of German novelist and Nobel laureate Hermann Hesse. Gundert is chiefly known for his contribu ...

, 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 Biryani () is a mixed rice dish originating in South Asia, made with rice, meat (chicken, goat, lamb, beef) or seafood (prawns or fish), and spices. To cater to vegetarians, the meat or seafood can be substituted with vegetables or pane ...

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

basmati rice Basmati () is a variety of long, slender-grained aromatic rice which originates from the Indian subcontinent, mainly in the regions of Nepal, Punjab, Haryana, Sindh and many other states and provinces of India and Pakistan.Porridge Porridge is a food made by heating, soaking or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, fruit, or syrup to make a sweet cereal ...

s such as (ragi porridge) are also popular. Thalassery biriyani in dining table

The spice trade from the Malabar coast which began around 1500 BC is still active.

Cricket

In 1800,

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (; 1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was a British Army officer and statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures in Britain during t ...

made Thalassery (then Tellicherry) his base. Wellesley and his colleagues played cricket in the town maidan, often watched by bystanders, who would help the English officers whenever they were short of players. They played were from the

dhobi Dhobi known in some places as Dhoba, Rajaka, a Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, scheduled caste in India and the greater Indian subcontinent whose traditional occupations are Clothes washing, washing, ironing, and Farmworker, agricultur ...

community and the fishermen who lived along the beach. In 1830, the Tellicherry Cricket Club (TCC) was formed. By the 1930s Thalassery had become a major cricket centre. Many teams used to visit the town for matches. The earliest record of a cricket match in Thalassery is a report in ''

Malayala Manorama '' Manorama'' is a morning newspaper in Malayalam published from Kottayam, Kerala, India by the Malayala Manorama Company Limited. Currently headed by Mammen Mathew, it was first published as a weekly on 14 March 1888, and currently has a rea ...

'' in 1890. It's about a match between Thalassery and the neighbouring town of Kannur. Thalassery Stadium, located close to the sea, hosts

Ranji Trophy The Ranji Trophy is a premier domestic first-class cricket championship played in India and organized annually by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The teams representing regional and state cricket associations participate. BCCI ...

cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

matches quite often. Wellesley is believed to have introduced this game in Kerala in the 18th century for British soldiers garrisoned in the Tellichery Fort. India's first cricket club, which was later named the Town Cricket Club, was formed in 1850 at Tellichery by Wellesley. The Tellichery Cricket ground was the hub of cricket activities during this period. An exhibition match was conducted in there to raise funds during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Education

The educational renaissance of Malabar started from Thalassery due to the influence of European missionaries. Government Brennen College, Thalassery, founded in 1862, is one of the oldest educational institutions in India.

Kannur University Kannur University is a multi-campus public university established in 1996 to provide development of higher education in Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad districts of Kerala, India. It serves the region of North Malabar. It was established after the ...

Thalassery Campus is located at Palayad, 6 km north of Thalassery. The Basel Evangelic Mission Parsi High school is an English Medium school (established 1856) in Malabar. Dr.

was a tutor there. Kaikose Ruderasha, a

Parsi The Parsis or Parsees () are a Zoroastrian ethnic group in the Indian subcontinent. They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, w ...

, donated funds to build the institute with the assistance of German missionaries. Other educational institutions include

Sports Authority of India The Sports Authority of India, SAI, was set up in 1984 to carry forward the legacy of the 1982 Asian Games held in New Delhi under the Department of Sports. SAl has been entrusted with promoting sport in India and achieving sporting excellen ...

Centre, Nettur Technical Training Foundation, St Joseph's Higher Secondary School, Sacred Heart Girls High School, and Basel Evangelical Mission Parsi High School.

Transport

Thalassery Railway Station Thalassery railway station (station code: TLY) is an NSG–3 category Indian railway station in Palakkad railway division of Southern Railway zone. It is a railway station serving the City of Thalassery in Kerala. It lies in the Shoranur–Manga ...

operates under the Palakkad Railway Division of the Southern Railway. It is a Class 'A' railway station. It is on the

Shoranur Shoranur is a town and municipality located on the banks of the Bharathapuzha River, in the Palakkad district of Kerala. The town is spread over an area of 32.28 km². Geography Shoranur is located at . It has an average elevation of 49 ...

–

Mangalore Mangaluru (), formerly called Mangalore ( ), is a major industrial port city in the Indian state of Karnataka and on the west coast of India. It is located between the Laccadive Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bengaluru, the st ...

line. No direct line connects Thalasery to Mysore, although a feasibility study for such a route was funded in 2013. The nearest airport is

Kannur International Airport Kannur International Airport is an international airport serving the city of Kannur, the Mahé district, Mahé district of Puducherry and the rest of northern Kerala in India. It is located in Mattanur, east of Kannur and east of Thalassery. ...

, located 24 km east from the town.

Calicut International Airport Kozhikode International Airport , also known as Calicut International Airport (locally referred to as Karipur Airport), is an international airport serving the cities of Kozhikode and Malappuram in the state of Kerala, India. It also serves ot ...

100 km,

Mangalore International Airport Mangalore International Airport (also known as Mangaluru International Airport) is an international airport serving the coastal city of Mangalore in the state of Karnataka, India. It is one of only two international airports in the state, t ...

170 km and

Cochin International Airport Cochin International Airport , popularly known as Kochi International Airport or Nedumbassery Airport, is an international airport serving the city of Kochi, Kerala, in southwestern India. It is located at Nedumbassery, about northeast of th ...

235 km could be alternate choices. Kanyakumari-Mumbai NH-66 passes through Thalassery. Kozhikode is 66 km from Thalassery. Mangalore is 150 km from Thalassery. Interstate highway, Thalassery-Coorg Road ( SH-30) is a major road linking Kerala to

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

district of

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

State. Interstate buses ply on this route in a frequency of one in an hour. The hill stations

Virajpet The town of Virajpet also spelled as Virajapete () is township of the district of Kodagu, in India's southern States and union territories of India, State of Karnataka. It is the main town of the ''Virajpet taluka'', south of the district, and b ...

and

Mananthavady Mananthavady is the Grade 3 municipality in the Wayanad district of Kerala, India. The municipal boundaries are defined by Tirunelli Panchayat to the north, Kabani River to the east and south, and Thavinhal Panchayat to the west. Mananthavady i ...

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

are 82 km away from the town. Regular buses to

Bengaluru Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

, which is at a distance of 310 km from Thalassery, operate on a daily basis. The Thalassery-Mahe bypass, a six-lane highway inaugurated by Prime Minister

Narendra Modi Narendra Damodardas Modi (born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician who has served as the Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India since 2014. Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Par ...

in March 2024, significantly enhances connectivity between Muzhapilangad in

district and Azhiyoor in

district.

Tourism

The Thalassery carnival, the beach fest in Muzhappilangad beach and Dharmadam beach are notable attractions. The area's four rivers (Anjarakkandi, Dharmadam, Koduvally and Mahe) around Thalassery town and other beaches in the area also attract visitors. Muzhappilangad beach is a 5.5 km long beach where it is possible to drive vehicles. This beach was listed as one of the top 10 drive-in beaches in the world by a BBC survey. It is an important center of Kalari Payattu and health tourism. Other visitors come to experience Theyyam and explore the area's history, such as Tellicherry Fort. Thalassery Pier (''Kadalpaalam''), Overbury's Folly,

Pazhassi Dam The Pazhassi Dam also called Kulur Barrage is a stone masonry diversion structure in Kannur district, Kerala, India. It is named after king Pazhassi Raja, a patriot who died a heroic death in the war. The dam is constructed across the west flowi ...

and Reservoir garden and Malayala Kala Gramam, New Mahe,(7 km from Thalassery) are other attractions. A shipwreck is visible near the Thalassery shore.

Political violence

The area is an epicenter of political violence between the RSS and Communists.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (abbreviated as CPI(M)) is a Communism in India, communist List of political parties in India, political party in India. It is the largest communist party in India in terms of membership and electora ...

(CPI(M)) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have been fighting in this area for supremacy for the last 50 years. Clashes in 2008 left seven people dead, and many have been injured. The High Court of Kerala called this manslaughter a "compelling sport" and suggested permanent deployment of Central Armed Police Force, Central forces in the affected areas.

Notable residents

*Pazhassi Raja, Veera Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja *

*William Logan (Malabar Manual), William Logan *Janaki Ammal *Vainu Bappu *Ayyathan Gopalan *Ayyathan Janaki Ammal *Sanjayan, Sanjayan (Prof. Mannikoth Ramunni Nair) *Oyyarathu Chandu Menon *M. N. Vijayan *

*Moorkoth Ramunni *Moorkoth Kumaran *Vagbhatananda * Keeleri Kunhikannan *:ml:ആനന്ദതീർത്ഥൻ, Anadhatheerthan *K. Raghavan *Pinarayi Vijayan *V. Muraleedharan *Kodiyeri Balakrishnan * N. Prabhakaran *V. P. Sathyan *C. K. Vineeth *

*Eranjoli Moosa, Eranholi Moosa *Shaan Rahman *Deepak Dev *Vineeth Sreenivasan *Dhyan Sreenivasan *Sushin Shyam *Chundangapoyil Rizwan *Kakuzhi Kunjibappu Gurukkal *Salman Nizar

Climate

Thalassery experiences a tropical monsoon climate under the Köppen climate classification. The wet season starts in June as the southwest monsoon first hits the coastal Kerala and continues until the end of September. A brief pre-monsoon mango showers interval occurs sometime during April. Precipitation from the northeast monsoon sets in during the second half of October through November.

References

External links

GeoHack - Thalassery
* Thalassery – Land of 3Cs Town
Thalassery
* The Map of Thalassery Town
Google Maps
{{Authority control Thalassery, Cities and towns in Kannur district Populated coastal places in India