Kannur

Kannur is also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. This is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur. Kannur is known as the Land of Looms and Lores, because of the loom industries functioning in the district and ritualistic folk arts held in temples. This is the largest city of North Malabar region. Kannur Municipality is one of the oldest municipalities in Kerala.

Kannur is the fourth largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi. Kannur is famous for its pristine beaches.

Kannur is of great strategic military importance. It houses one of the 62 military cantonments in the country, the Kannur Cantonment, and is the current headquarters of the Defence Security Corps. Ezhimala Naval Academy (INS) . It is the Asia's largest and World's third largest Naval Academy.

TOURIST ATTRACTION

Thalassery Fort :

Thalaserry fort, located at a distance of 22 kms from Kannur constructed in 1708 AD was the military centre of the British.

When the British East India Company established its settlement on the Malabar Coast, they built the Thalaserry Fort, as a testimonial to their colonial imperialism. 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.The fort has secret tunnels to the sea and intricately carved huge doors. It was here that Haider's captain was imprisoned.

The fort has a cemetery and the collector's mansion nearby. Many British officials have been laid to rest in this cemetery that is named after Sir Edward Brennen.

The famous St.John's Anglican church is behind this fort.The fort was once the nucleus of Thalaserry's development.

Bekal Fort :

Bekal is the largest and most well preserved fort in Kerala. It is situated in Bekal in Kasargod district. The fort is spread over 40 acres. . The important features of this fort are the water-tank with its flight of steps, the tunnel opening towards the south, the magazine for keeping ammunition and the broad and wide steps leading to the Observation Tower which is a rarity. This observation center had strategic significance in discovering even the smallest movements of the enemy and ascertaining safety of the Fort.

The Fort appears to have been built up from the sea since almost three fourth of its exteriors is drenched and the waves continually stroke the citadel. The Mukhyaprana Temple of Hanuman and the ancient Muslim Mosque nearby bear testimony to the age-old religious harmony that prevailed in the area. The zigzag entrance and the trenches around the fort show the defense strategy inherent in the fort.

Unlike most other Indian Forts, Bekal fort was not a center of administration for no remains of any palace, mansion or such buildings are found within the fort. Arguably the fort was built exclusively for fulfilling defense requirements. The holes on the outer walls of the fort are specially designed to defend the fort effectively. The holes at top were meant for aiming at the farthest points; the holes below for striking when the enemy was nearer and the holes underneath facilitated attacking when the enemy was very near to the fort. This is a remarkable evidence of technology in defense strategy.

This fort is more than 300 years old and is believed to have been built in the 1650's by Sivappa Naik of the Ikkeri dynasty. There is also another belief that it was originally built by Kolathiri Rajas and later captured by Sivappa Naik. The fort was occupied by Hyder Ali of Mysore in 1763 A.D and then the Huzur of Canara during Tipu Sultan's reign and later by the British.

Due to its historic relevance, the fort is controlled by the Archaeological Survey of India. Coins and other historical artifacts were unearthed by archeologists making it an interesting excavation site. Bekal is also one among the five centres selected by the Government of India to be developed into a 'Special Tourism Area'. The Bakel aqua park offers boating facility in the backwaters near the Pallikere beach.

Arakkal Museum :

The Arrakkal Museum is a museum dedicated to the Arakkal family, the only Muslim royal family in Kerala, south India. The museum is actually a section of the Arakkalkettu (Arakkal Palace). The durbar hall section of the palace has been converted into a museum by the Government of Kerala.

Arakkal family is the royal family which ruled Kannur for several centuaries. They had family relationship with Kolathiris, the rulers of the neighbouring Chirakkal kingdom. Arakkal family had trade relationship with Arabs and later with Europeans. The islands of Lakshadweep and Maldives were ruled by Arakkal family. The king of Arakkal kingdom was known as Arakkal Raja and the Queen was known as Arakkal Beevi.

Although renovated by the government, the Arakkalkettu is still owned by the Arakkal Family Trust and does not fall under the control of the country's archaeology department, the Archaeological Survey of India. The government had taken a keen interest in preserving the heritage of the Arakkal Family, which had played a prominent role in the history of Malabar. A nominal entry fee is charged by the Arakkal Family Trust from visitors to the museum.

St.Angelo Fort :

St. Angelo's Fort was built in 1505 by Dom Francisco de Almeida, the first Portuguese Viceroy of India and is on the Arabian sea about 3 km from Kannur town. It was attacked in vain by the local Indian ruler in the Siege of Cannanore (1507).

On August 1509 Almeida, refusing to recognize Afonso de Albuquerque's as the new portuguese governor to supersede himself, arrested him in this fortress after having fought the naval Battle of Diu. Afonso de Albuquerque was released after three months' confinement, and become governor on the arrival of the grand-marshal of Portugal with a large fleet, in October 1509.

The fort changed hands several times. A painting of this fort and the fishing ferry behind it can be seen in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The Dutch captured the fort from the Portuguese in 1663. They modernised the fort and built the bastions Hollandia, Zeelandia and Frieslandia that are the major features of the present structure. The original Portuguese fort was pulled down later. The Dutch sold the fort to king Ali Raja of Arakkal in 1772. In 1790 the British seized it and used it as their chief military station in Malabar. The fort is in the Cannanore Cantonment area. It is fairly well preserved as a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. St Angelo's fort is a most important historical monument and a popular tourist attraction. All those who visit this fort must meet a Tourism Policeman on duty here named Sathyan Edakkad. He has done the historical research about this fort and published a book named "Vasco da Gama and the Unknown Facts of History".He has got many awards.

Payyambalam beach :

One of the most beautiful beaches in the state of Kerala is at a distance of 2 km from Kannur town. This beautiful stretch of sand and surf is the best place for a relaxing holiday.

It is well known for the well constructed and laid out gardens and a gigantic sculpture of the mother and the child by Kanayi Kunhiramanin that was erected here. It is also famous due to the fact that the remains of Swadeshabimani Ramakrishna Pillai,A.K Gopalan, Pamban Mandavan and K.G Marar are laid to rest near this place.

The essential plus points about the Payyambalam Beach are its cleanliness, its distance from the town and the beauty of its gardens. Payyambalam beach is a favourite picnic spot for the local residents.

Madayipara :

Madayipara is a significant spot owing to its bio-diversity as well as history. In the past, Madayipara was the administrative center of the Ezhimala kings. In and around Madayipara, one can find remnants from the past. At the southern side of the hill, stand the remains of a fort called Pazhi Kotta (kotta means fort in Malayalam). Here one can also find watchtowers at the four corners of the fort. Between AD 14 and AD 18, Madayipara used to be the site for the coronation ceremony of the rulers of the princely state of the erstwhile Kolathunadu.

The hillock of Madayipara, which carries several signs of historic relevance, is also a place important from a religious point of view. Here, a pond in the shape of a hand held mirror, connected to ancient jewish setllers is another historic attraction. Similarly, a temple at this site, called Vadukunda Siva Temple and the adjoining lake, about an acre in extension form yet another attraction at Madayipara. The lake near the temple will not go dry even in hot summer months and remains a source of nourishment to life forms at Madayipara. The pooram festival of Madayi Kavu (kavu ? family temples and those in the midst of thick vegetation) held at Madayipara has been responsible for much of its fame.