Kozhikode Tourism - Coastal City of Kerala
Kozhikode found its place in the world map in 1498 when Vasco Da Gama, the Portuguese explorer landed on the Kappad beach here. Also known as Calicut, Kozhikode is a place that has a rich history. It was once a famous cotton weaving centre and it is remembered as the place of origin of one ‘calico’ by which it got the name Calicut. The place was an early focus for Arab traders, who first settled here in the 7th century. During the Sangam age, the Calicut region was a part of the Chera empire. It played as a leading port in fostering trade relations between Kerala and other countries. The Cheras, also known as Perumals, ruled the territory till 1122 AD.
With the completion of Cheras, the kingdom was divided into many independent parts called 'Nadus' such as Ernad, Polanad etc. Calicut was the capital of Malabar region during the reign of the Zamorins, who were in power just before the British rule in India. When Vasco Da Gama landed here and obtained permission for the Portuguese to trade with Calicut, the Arabs opposed them. The fights between the Portuguese and the Arabs escalated and the Portuguese decided to trade with the Raja of Cochin instead forming an alliance. In the meantime, the Dutch, the English, and the French arrived in Kerala. The Dutch helped the Arabs to rule out Portugese.
They captured some more parts of North Kerala and began trading with them before fully occupied by the British. After India had gained independence, Kozhikode became a part of Kerala. The Kozhikode district began functioning as an administrative unit from 1957. Once the capital of the powerful Zamorins and a prominent trade centre, the winds of change have swept over this charming coastal land from time to time crowning it as “The jewel of Malabar”. Adding to the legacy of this region is a unique culture with warm friendly people and it is famous for indegenious “Halwas” (sweet made with different flours).