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Kannur
There is no evidence of the Paleolithic man having lived in this region. Nevertheless, rock-cut caves and megalithic burial sites of the Neolithic age have come to light in certain parts of the district.
The Thaliparamba- Kannur-Thalassery area abounds in rock-cut caves, dolmens, burial stone circles and menhirs, all of megalithic burial order.
It can be assumed that the first batch of Aryan immigrants into the State entered the district through the Tuluva region.
Mooshaka Kings and Kolathiris
Early in the 9th century A.D., the Cheras re-established their political supremacy in Kerala under Kulasekhara Varman. This second line of Chera emperors ruled till 1102 A.D with their capital at Mahodayapuram. The bulk of the area, comprising of the present Kannur district, seems to have been included in this empire. A separate line of rulers known as the Mooshaka kings held sway over Chirakkal and Kasaragod areas (Kolathunad) with their capital near mount Eli. It is not clear whether this line of rulers was attached to Mahodayapuram or whether they ruled as an independent line of kings in their own right. By the 14th century A.D., the old Mooshaka kingdom had come to be known as Kolathunad and the rulers known as Kolathiris and had come into prominence in north Kerala.
The Kolathiris were a power to reckon with the time of the arrival of the Portuguese towards the end of the 15th century. They were political and commercial rivals of the Zamorins of Kozhikkode.
During the medieval age, several Arab scholars visited the west coast. Balipatam, Srikantapuram, Dharmadom, bekal and Mount Eli (Ezhimala) are some of the places, which figure prominently in their travelogues.
Vasco Da Gama
Through Vasco Da Gama, the famous Portuguese navigator, did not visit Kannur on his way to Kozhikkode in May 1498, he established contacts with the Kolathiri ruler. His ships which had left kozhikkode on August 29, 1498 were contacted by the boats sent by the Kolathiri was to gain wealth and power with the help of the Portuguese, the same way the Zamorin had acquired with the help of the Arabs. In winning the alliance of the Kolathiri, Vasco Da Gama, in turn, had successfully exploited the jealousies of the native princes and won for the Portuguese a virtual monopoly of the pepper trade.
Francisco De Almedia was sent from Portugal with specific instructions to erect forts at strategic points. He started constructing the Kannur Fort in 1505 and it was named St. Angelo.
On March 16, 1506, the Portuguese effectively intercepted an armada of Turks and Arabs, whom the Zamorin had launched against Kannur. The Portuguese navy under Lorenzo Almedia engaged the Zamorin’s fleet in battle and the Portuguese ships won a decisive victory. This naval victory resulted in the establishment of Portuguese naval supremacy in the Indian seas.
Portuguese Ascendancy
An important political development, which took place at this juncture, was the alliance between the Kolathiri and the Zamorin who were till then sworn enemies. The Zamorin was able to convince the Kolathiri of the real motives of the Portuguese in India and the perils inherent in his policy of befriending them.
The Portuguese followed a policy of religious persecution and forcible conversion. They therefore clashed with most of the native princes and chieftains.
In 1558, the Koalathiri came openly into the field against the Portuguese by providing active support to the Kunjali Marrikkars of Kozhikkode. The Kolathiri and the Zamorin fought a common war against the Aportuguese and they besieged the fort of St. angelo at Kannur, in 1564. But the Portuguese continued to maintain a precarious foothold at Kannur till 1663 when the fort was captured by the Dutch in February that year.
Arrival of the English East India Company
The English East India Company got its first foothold in the district towards the closing years of the 17th century, when it acquired a site at Thalassery for the erection of a fort and a factory.
The disintegration of the Kolathiri’s dominion started in the latter half of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century following dissensions in the royal family by the extensive surrender of territory to consorts of the ruling members.
In spite of the many difficulties it had to face in the initial stages, the trade of the English East India Company prospered during the latter part of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century, by their liberal trade policies. Further, unlike the Portuguese, they refused to interfere in the religious and caste affairs of the local population.
Mysorean Conquest
In 1725, the French captured Mayyazhi and renamed it as Mahe in honor of the French captain Francois Mahe De Labourdonnais.
The most important episode in the political history of north Kerala in the second half of the 18th century is the conquest of Mysore by the two muslim rulers, Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan. Haidar Ali conquered Malabar in 1773.
In January 1788, Tippu Sultan descended on Kerala with a large army and founded a new capital at Feroke for his Malabar province.
The treaties of Seringapatanam, signed on February 22 and march 18, 1792, formally ceded Malabar to the British.
The British entered into agreements with the rajas of Chirakkal, Kottayam and Kadathanad and all of them acknowledged the full sovereignty of the Company over their respective territories.
The British Government divided the province of Malabar into two administrative divisions – the Northern and Southern, presided over by a superintendent each at Thalassery and Cherpulasseri, under the general control of the supervisor and chief magistrate of the province of Malabar who had his headquarters at Kozhikode.
Pazhassi Revolt.
While the British were busy with the political settlement of the district, a serious revolt was headed by Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja of the padinajare Kovilakom of the Kottayam family. The potent cause of the revolt was the unpopular revenue policy followed by the East India Company in Malabar. He stopped all collections of revenue in Kottayam. The Raja further threatened to cut down all the pepper vines if the Company’s officers persisted in revenue collection.
In April 1796, a determined effort was made by the British to capture the Raja in his own palace at Pazhassi. This was in vain.
On December 18, the British Commissioner issued a proclamation forbidding the people to assemble or to assist the Pazhassi Raja and warning them that if they did so, they would be considered as irreconcilable enemies of the Company and that their property would be confiscated.
On December 30, a futile attempt was made to reconcile the differences between the Raja and the Company.
On 8th January 1797, Pazhassi Raja’s men launched daring attack on the havildar’s guard stationed at pazhassi and the whole party except one man was killed. In the battles fought on three successive days, -9th, 10th and 11th March 1797, the detachment made by the Company forces was overpowered by the swords, spears, bows and arrows of Pazhassi Raja’s men. As the situation was full of perils, reconciliation with the Pazhassi Raja became a matter of political expediency.
While South Canara and other part of South India were being brought under British imperial control, following the fall of Seringapatnam (1799), Pazhassi Raja raised the standard of revolt a second time and shook for a while the very foundations of British power.
Colonel Stevenson’s efforts early in 1801 cut off the Pazhassi Raja from his adherents in South Malabar and by May the British troops had made much headway and with every port both above and below the ghats in British hands and the whole country disarmed, the Pazhassi Raja became a wanderer in the jungles accompanied by his wife and immediate attendants.
On May 24, 1804. Colonel Macleod issued a proclamation warning the people that they would be treated as rebels if they failed to furnish information about rebel movements and if they helped the Pazhassi troops with arms, ammunition or provisions. Finally the proclamation of June 16 offered rewards for the apprehension of Pazhassi Raja, two other members of his family and his principal lieutenants and declared their estates and properties confiscated from that date.
On 1st November, Baber took direct charge of the operations and on November 30, 1805 he surrounded and shot the Raja dead in an operation on the banks of a nullah. The Raja’s body was cremated with “customary honours”. With the death of Pazhassi Raja, the resistance movement in north Kerala came to and end.
Tellicherry (Thalassery)which lies between Mahe and Kannur on the National highway
17 can be termed as the commercial capital of Kannur district. Thalassery is probably a more important commercial centre than the district head-quarters itself. Along the coast, next to Mahe, it’s a pleasant, unhurried place.
Town was built in 1683 by the British for the pepper and cardamom trade and was their first settlement on the Malabar Coast. A fort was built there in 1708 and was attacked unsuccessfully by the Indian ruler and military commander Hyder Ali of Mysore in 1781. Tellicherry is still a major port for the export of pepper, coffee, sandalwood, and coconuts. It has a thriving furniture industry as well as coffee-curing, rope- and mat-making, and other industries. Government Brennen College is a famous educational institution.
Highlights of the town.
Herman Gundert, the German Missionary, wrote the 1st Malayalam Dictionary when he was residing in Tellicherry.
Tellicherry is very famous for Circus.
Chandumenon, who wrote Malayalam's first Novel "Indulekha" was a son of Tellicherry.
NTTF (Nettur Technical Training Foundation) - one of the premier institutions spread all over India, which produces the best Tool room personnel, was founded by Rev. Karunakaran in the year 1961, in Tellicherry, with the patronage of Swiss Missionaries. The institute is situated on the road to Anjarakandy.
Dharmadam Island is a small island full of coconut palms and green bush extending to 5 acres, 100 meters away from main land at Dharmadam. The island (private land) is a beautiful sight from the Beach.
The tourism potential for Kannur district is high. The St. Angelos Fort in the Kannur Cantonment, which was constructed in 1505, is a symbol of Portuguese architecture and attracts plenty of tourists. The Thalassery Fort is an important tourist centre. Kannur beach and Ezhimala are known for scenic beauty. Places of historic importance, like the house of Gundert, who composed the first Malayalam-English Dictionary and the mosque at Madayi constructed in 1124, using marble brought from Mecca attract many tourists.
Fort St. Angelos
Fort St. Angelos is in the west of Kannur town. It was built in 1505 by the first Portuguese Viceroy, Don Francisco De Almeida, with the permission of the Kolathiris, on a promontory jutting into the Lakshadweep sea.
The Dutch captured the fort in 1663 and sold it to the Ali Raja of Kannur in 1772 and in 1790 it came into the possession of the British.
The British rebuilt it and made it their most important station in Malabar.
This fort is in a fairly good state of preservation, though parts of it have collapsed. A few obsolete guns are see at the place. The fort is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.
Thalassery Fort
The British arrived in Thalassery in 1683 and erected a goods shed there. They shifted their commercial capital to Thalassery from Kozhikkode, following obstruction from the Dutch.
In 1700, the British built the Thalassery Fort on a small hill called Tiruvellapadkunnu and in 1708, it was strengthened by increasing its height and with bastions. The fort is a square structure built of laterite and is distinguished by its massive ventilated walls and strong flanking bastions. It was here that Haider’s captain was imprisoned.
The famous St. John’s Anglican church is behind this fort.
Snake Park at Parassinikkadavu
The snake Park at Parassinikkadavu is situated 18kms away from Kannur town. It is one of the known snake parks in the country.
The park is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of snakes, most of which are becoming extinct gradually.
There is a large collection of poisonous and non-poisonous snakes.
Payyambalam Beach Resort.
The Payyambalam beach is one of the beautiful beaches in this State and is an ideal place to spend evenings, irrespective of seasons. It is very near Kannur town.
The mortal remains of Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pilla. A.K. Gopalan, K.P. Gopalan, Pamban Madhavan and K.G.Marar are laid to rest near this resort.
Ezhimala
Ezhimala, the capital of the ancient Mooshika kings, is considered to be an ancient historical site. It is a conspicuous, isolated cluster of hills, forming a promontory, 38 kms. north of Kannur.
A flourishing sea port and centre of trade in ancient Kerala, it was on eof the major battle fields of the Chola-Chera war of the 11th century.
It is believed that Lord Budha had visited Ezhimala. An old mosque, believed to contain the mortal remains of Shaikh Abdul Latif, a Muslim reformist, is also located here. The hill is noted for rare medicinal herbs.
Bordered by sea on three sides, Ezhimala is set to occupy a prominent place in the naval history of the country, consequent to the proposal for commissioning the Naval Academy here.
Mopppila Bay
Moppila Bay is a natural fishing harbour, lying near Fort St. Angelos. A sea wall projecting from the fort separates the rough sea and inland water.
The bay was famous during the Kolathiris’ regime as a commercial harbour that linked Kolathunadu with Lakshadweep and foreign countries, in imports.
Today, Moppila bay has turned into a modernized fishing harbour, developed under the Indo-Norwegian Pact.
Muzhuppilangad Beach
It has a length of 4.5 kms. The special feature of this beach is that the vehicles can be driven without getting stuck into the sea sand. This is why the beach is considered to be the only drive in beach in the State. This beach which extends from Muzhuppilangad to Moithu Bridge is considered as swimmers’ paradise since there are no waves in this part due to the rocks here and there and the sea is not deep. This beach is 15 kms away from Kannur in the south direction and 8 kms away from Thalassery in the north direction. A tourist can reach this beach through five panchayat roads starting from the National Highway. The transportation to this beach will be improved as the coastal road is completed. In order to turn this beach into a drive in beach and arrange water sport facilities through exploiting to the maximum the natural specialties there, the District Tourism Promotion Council has chalked out projects and they are being implemented. Children’s park and huts to enjoy the natural beauty of Dharmadam Isle have been constructed. Steps have been taken to identify the safe places for sea bath and illuminations. Facilities like cafeteria and toilet will be provided.
Dharmadam Isle
This small Island which is situated in the sea like a green spot just 100 m away from shore, becomes a blissful experience to tourists. This isle is full of coconut trees. There is only a well here as the symbol of human presence. One can reach this place by boat from southern part of Moithu bridge in the national highway. During ebb time one can reach here by foot. From this isle one can see the rocks around and the beauty of Muzhuppilangad beach and the distant beauty of Thalassery town. When Dharmadam isle was an important trading center, this isle was in the possession of Chirakkal king. Later it passed into the hands of the English and now it is in the hands of private individuals.
Government have taken steps to acquire this isle from private individuals with the intention of making this isle an important tourist center.
Parassinikkadavu Temple
It is a famous temple in south India. It is situated 20 kms away from Kannur. It is famous for its natural beauty. Boating facilities are available for tourists.
Pazhassi Dam Site
This dam site is 11 kms away from the birth place of Pazhassi Raja and 37 kms away from Kannur. The dam site is across the Kuyilurpuzha. It is a very beautiful spot. Boating facilities are arranged to attract tourists.
PaithalMala
It is 44 kms away from Thaliparampu and 4500 feet above the sea leve. These huge mountains lay spread over 500 acres of land. This is a dense forest area. One can go by bus upto Pottanplavu. From there jeep can be driven for six kms. After that, 2 km walk by foot. North of Paithalmala is Kudaku forest. At the base of the mountain, a tourist information center and dormitory have been constructed.
The Residence of the Gundert
The Gundert Bungalow is situate at Illikkunnu, 2 kms away from Thalassery near the National Highway. It was here that Gundert, the German missionary and the plyglot resided for 20 years from 1839. he made invaluable contributions to the Malayalam language.
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