Among the 14 districts in Kerala, Kozhikode a.k.a. Calicut owns a unique culture in every aspect. We are all familiar with the arrival of Vasco Da Gama in Kappad which is located in Kozhikode and this gave Kozhikode a space in the history of India. The topography of Kozhikode district, braced by the Arabian Sea can explain its relevance in the field of trading also. In the ancient days, Kozhikode was one of the major ports that had kept strong relationships with many foreign countries including China, Myanmar and so on. The presence of Kozhikode can be seen in the cruise diaries of the early ages held by various tourists then. The world famous “Malabar Manual” by William Logan proves it correct.
Vasco Da Gama
Before knowing about Kozhikode, let’s find out the origin of the Malabar region to which Kozhikode belong to. Malabar region was considered as the administrative district of the Madras Presidency in British India. As discussed in the above section, the strong coastal trade paved the way in making the Malabar region one of the trade attractive spot in the early era. It was after the end of Chera dynasty in the late 12th century, Zamorins came into rule. The alliance created by the Zamorins with the Muslim Arabs have influenced the culture of Kozhikode even now.
Kozhikode is also the land of Thacholi Othenan, a legend who lived in the 16th century. In the “Vadakkan Pattukal” which is known as the Malayalam Ballads that always praised heroes existed in that period, held the name of Thacholi Othenan also. The existence of Vadakkan Pattukal proves the presence of Kozhikode in the field of literature.
Talking about art, Kozhikode has a strong root in folk arts. They included Thirayattom. The sacred groves still witness the beauty of these folk arts. The “mappilapattu” and “Oppana” are also valuable assets and also the cultural heritage of Kozhikode.
Without mentioning Zamoothiri Raja or the Zamorins, Kozhikode is incomplete. It was Zamorins who allowed Portuguese trade which later on created a war field in Kerala. The exotic spices especially the cardamom and pepper always attracted tourists from all over the world. Starting from the cuisine to clothing, Kozhikode has marked its own signature in the trade field we see today.
Irrespective of caste and creed, people in Kozhikode join hands together and stand in front of the world as an example of true humanity.
Kozhikode is not just a place, it’s an emotion!
