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Kanhangad () is a town, located in the
Kasaragod District Kasaragod ( and Malayalam language, Malayalam: , English language, English: ''Kassergode'', Tulu language, Tulu: ''Kasrod'', Arabic language, Arabic: ''Harkwillia'') is one of the 14 List of districts of Kerala, districts in the southern Indi ...
,
state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...
of
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a 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 regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
, India.


Location

The area contains villages around Kanhangad town with Kasaragod as the northern border,
Nileshwar Nileshwaram or Nileshwar or Neeleswaram is a municipality and a major town in Kasaragod District, state of Kerala, India. It is one of the three municipalities in Kasaragod district; the others are Kasaragod and Kanhangad. Nileshwaram is loca ...
, popularly known as the 'cultural town' of Kasaragod district with its rich rivers and lakes; as the southern boundary. The eastern part of Kanhangad is categorized as
Panathur Panathur is a major town in Vellarikundu Taluk of Kasaragod district in Kerala State, India. It belongs to Kanhangad legislative constituency. Its population is about 12,000. It lies 1 km away from Kerala - Karnataka border, 42 km awa ...
area with the difference in terrain mainly because of the hilly terrain and
hill stations A hill station is a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The term was used mostly in colonial Asia (particularly in India), but also in Africa (albeit rarely), for towns founded by European colonialists as refuges ...
and to the West lies the
Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...
. The importance of Kanhangad is that it lies in the exact centre between the two major cities
Mangalore Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka–Ker ...
and
Kannur Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and a municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the major port city and commercial hu ...
, equidistant from their respective district headquarters.


Geography

Kanhangad lies at 12°18′0″N 75°5.4′0″E in the geographic map of Kasaragod. It is a coastal town which has a varied topography with plain areas in the centre of the city. The landscape is dominated by the characteristic coconut palms accompanying rolling hills and streams flowing into the sea. In the East, there are hilly areas of
Madikai Madikai is a GramaPanchayath in Kasaragod in the state of Kerala.The largest Junction in Madikai Panchayath is Kanhirapoil and Erikkulam. Ambalathara chalakkadav Bangalam are next largest Demographics India census, Madikai had a population o ...
. The western region has powdered sand and a mix of laterite and alluvial soil in the areas between. The hilly areas typically consists of red sand. The
Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...
lies in the west and Western Ghats in the east. The
Neeleshwaram River Neeleshwaram River (also known as Thejaswini River) originates from the western slopes of the Greater Talacauvery National Park in the Western Ghats, Karnataka. It is the second longest river in the Kasargod district after the Chandragiri River ...
originates from the Kinanoor hills, passes south through Arangadi and drains into the
Nileshwar Nileshwaram or Nileshwar or Neeleswaram is a municipality and a major town in Kasaragod District, state of Kerala, India. It is one of the three municipalities in Kasaragod district; the others are Kasaragod and Kanhangad. Nileshwaram is loca ...
.


Etymology

As cited in the ''Vadakkan Paattu'' or the
North Malabar North Malabar refers to the geographic area of southwest India covering the state of Kerala's present day Kasaragod, Kannur, and Wayanad District, Wayanad districts, and the taluks of Vatakara, Koyilandy, and Thamarassery in the Kozhikode Distri ...
folklore songs, there was a temple in the name of ''Kanjiram Kaattappan'' and through this the name Kanjangad was derived. Another popular belief is that it was derived out of ''Kanjiramkadu'' which means a forest of Strychnine tree. As per historic records, the place was ruled by ''Kanjan'', a tribal representative of
Kolathiri Kolathiri or Kolathiri Rājā (King of KolathunāduA. Shreedhara Menon (2007), ''A brief History of Kerala'', DC Books, Kottayam or King of Cannanore in foreign accounts) was the title by which the senior-most male along the matrilineal line of ...
which later came to be known as ''Kanjante naadu'' which means 'land of Kanjan' in Malayalam; later constricted as Kanhangad. There is also another legend that the name was derived from a
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
word ''Kanchanaghatta''.


History

It was cited in old folklore that the area of Kanhangad was under the reign of king Nanda Raja of Mushaka Rajya, headquartered in
Ezhimala Ezhimala, a hill reaching a height of , is located near Payyanur, in Kannur district of Kerala, south India. It is a part of a conspicuous and isolated cluster of hills, forming a promontory, north of Kannur (Cannanore). The Indian Naval Acad ...
Kannur region during the
Sangam period The Sangam period or age (, ), particularly referring to the third Sangam period, is the period of the history of ancient Tamil Nadu, Kerala and parts of Sri Lanka (then known as Tamilakam) spanning from c. 6th century BCE to c. 3rd century CE. ...
. The historic region was known as ''Poozhinadu'' and later ''Paduvanadu''. However, the history of Kanhangad can be clearly understood only by the 8th century. During this period the area was a part of the 2nd Chera Dynasty. The illustrations of a Chera King, Bhaskaran Ravi Varman II obtained from Pullur shows the political sovereignty of the Chera Kingdom in this region. Later, when
Kolathunadu Kolattunādu (Kola Swarupam, as Kingdom of Cannanore in foreign accounts, Chirakkal (Chericul) in later times) was one of the four most powerful kingdoms on the Malabar Coast during the arrival of the Portuguese Armadas in India, along with ...
of
Kolathiri Kolathiri or Kolathiri Rājā (King of KolathunāduA. Shreedhara Menon (2007), ''A brief History of Kerala'', DC Books, Kottayam or King of Cannanore in foreign accounts) was the title by which the senior-most male along the matrilineal line of ...
dynasty from Kannur administered the region,
Kolathiri Kolathiri or Kolathiri Rājā (King of KolathunāduA. Shreedhara Menon (2007), ''A brief History of Kerala'', DC Books, Kottayam or King of Cannanore in foreign accounts) was the title by which the senior-most male along the matrilineal line of ...
appointed Kanhan as the baron of the region. So the name ''Kanhante Naadu'', meaning 'Kanhan's Province' contracted to Kanhangad. Due to the collapse of the Kolathiri Dynasty, the reign of ''Elamkoor'' came to an end and the powerful elite barons renowned as ''Ettadukkal lords'' gained the strength. Among them, the mightiest was Allohalan, whose reign was concentrated around Madiyan Kovilakam. With the help of the
Zamorin The Samoothiri (Anglicised as Zamorin; Malayalam: , Arabic: ''Sāmuri'', Portuguese: ''Samorim'', Dutch: ''Samorijn'', Chinese: ''Shamitihsi''Ma Huan's Ying-yai Sheng-lan: 'The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores' 433 Translated and Edited by ...
, Kolathiri has assassinated him and established a new dynasty at Neeleswaram headquarters. Earlier Kanhangad was a crucial port in all sense. Hence the
Vijayanagara Vijayanagara () was the capital city of the historic Vijayanagara Empire. Located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, it spread over a large area and included the modern era Group of Monuments at Hampi site in Vijayanagara district, Bell ...
kings attacked Kanhangad too during their conquest of
Tulu Nadu Tulunad or Tulu Nadu, also called Bermere sristi or Parashurama Srishti, is a region and a proposed state on the southwestern coast of India. The Tulu people, known as 'Tuluva' (plural 'Tuluver'), speakers of Tulu, a Dravidian language, ar ...
. After the fall of the Vijayanagara dynasty, the Ikkeri Kings have been attacking this area since the 1630s. Since Kanhangad became a part of
Nileshwaram Nileshwaram or Nileshwar or Neeleswaram is a municipality and a major town in Kasaragod District, state of Kerala, India. It is one of the three municipalities in Kasaragod district; the others are Kasaragod and Kanhangad. Nileshwaram is locat ...
kingdom following the reign of the
Kolathunadu Kolattunādu (Kola Swarupam, as Kingdom of Cannanore in foreign accounts, Chirakkal (Chericul) in later times) was one of the four most powerful kingdoms on the Malabar Coast during the arrival of the Portuguese Armadas in India, along with ...
, the land witnessed frequent conflicts between Nileshwaram kingdom and Ikkeri Nayaks of Bednore. When the Ikkeri Nayaks defeated the Nileshwaram kingdom, the region came under the Keladi Nayaka Kingdom. In 1713 Somashekara Nayaka constructed a new fort to resist further attacks from Nileshwaram kingdom. The fort is now known as Puthiyakotta or Hosdurg, meaning 'New Fort' in
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...
and
Kannada Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
respectively. In the 1760s
Haidar Ali Hyder Ali ( حیدر علی, ''Haidarālī''; 1720 – 7 December 1782) was the Sultan and ''de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born as Hyder Ali, he distinguished himself as a soldier, eventually drawing the att ...
captured the land from Ikkeri Nayaks and the region came under the
Mysore Kingdom The Kingdom of Mysore was a realm in southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. From 1799 until 1950, it was a princely state, until 1947 in a subsidiary alliance with Brit ...
which was later merged with the south
Kanara Kanara, also known as Karavali is the historically significant stretch of land situated by the southwestern coast of India, alongside the Arabian Sea in the present-day Indian state of Karnataka. The region comprises three civil districts, ...
district. In 1799, soon after the death of
Tipu Sultan Tipu Sultan (born Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu, 1 December 1751 – 4 May 1799), also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore based in South India. He was a pioneer of rocket artillery.Dalrymple, p. 243 He i ...
the entire region came under the control of
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
. Till 1862, Kanhangad was in Bekal Taluk under
Bombay Presidency The Bombay Presidency or Bombay Province, also called Bombay and Sind (1843–1936), was an administrative subdivision (province) of British India, with its capital in the city that came up over the seven islands of Bombay. The first mainl ...
. On 15 April 1862 when the
Dakshina Kannada Dakshina Kannada district is a district of Karnataka state in India, with its headquarters in the coastal city of Mangalore. It is part of the larger Tulu Nadu region. The district covers an area nestled in between the Western Ghats to its east ...
region shifted to Madras Presidency, the region came under
Kasaragod taluk Kasaragod or Casrod a taluk which along with Hosdurg taluk, Manjeshwaram Taluk and Vellarikundu taluk constitute the Kasaragod district, Kerala, India. Its educational center is Vidyanagar. The major areas include Kasaragod municipality, Chemnad, ...
. After the formation of Kerala State, Kasaragod taluk was divided and Kanhangad came under
Hosdurg taluk Hosdurg is one of four taluks that constitute the Kasaragod District, Kerala. Others are Kasaragod, Manjeshwaram and Vellarikundu taluks. In the north, it borders Kasaragod taluk; in south, the Kannur District; in the east, Vellarikundu tal ...
on 1 January 1957.


Politics

Kanhangad was an important centre of the Indian National movement. The Congress Working Committee joined at Kanhangad on 1 January 1925 and decided to launch a massive
Khadi Khadi (, ), derived from khaddar, is a hand-spun and woven natural fibre cloth promoted by Mahatma Gandhi as ''swadeshi'' (self-sufficiency) for the freedom struggle of the Indian subcontinent, and the term is used throughout India, Pakistan ...
centre. It has given good direction to the freedom struggle in addition to the increase in the enthusiasm which the promotion of Khaadi had. In January 1925, the Hosdurg unit of the Indian National Congress was formed. AC Kannan Nair was the first President and KT Kunhiraman Nambiar was the first Secretary. Many members of the ''Janmis'' or Noblemen and ordinary people from this region attended the
Simon Commission The Indian Statutory Commission also known as Simon Commission, was a group of seven Members of Parliament under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon. The commission arrived in India in 1928 to study constitutional reform in Britain's largest a ...
for boycotting and
Civil Disobedience Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders or commands of a government (or any other authority). By some definitions, civil disobedience has to be nonviolent to be called "civil". Hen ...
movement. In April 1926, Vidwan P. Kelu Nair setup the Vighyanadayini National
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
School in Vellikoth (Bellikoth) to promote National education. Later the school became the main centre of the National Movement in the region. The prominent Congress leaders like AC Kannan Nair, KT Kunhiraman Nambiar, Damodara Bhaktan, Vidwan P Kelunayar and E Raghava Panikkar were the teachers in this school. Keralite K. Madhavan and Gandhi Krishnan Nair were students here. They attended the State Congress Conference held at
Payyannur Payyanur, , is a municipal town and a taluk, a sub-district administrative unit, in the Kannur district of Kerala, India. On 10 March 2018, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated Payyanur as the fifth taluk in the district. Payyan ...
on 26 and 27 May in 1928 and K. Madhavan participated in it as a volunteer. In 1930, five people participated in the
Salt Satyagraha The Salt March, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, Dandi March and the Dandi Satyagraha, was an act of nonviolent civil disobedience in colonial India led by Mahatma Gandhi. The twenty-four day march lasted from 12 March to 6 April 1930 as a di ...
protest under the leadership of
K. Kelappan Koyapalli Kelappan (24 August 1889 – 7 October 1971) was an Indian politician, independence activist, educationist and journalist. During the Indian independence movement, he was the lead figure of Indian National Congress in Kerala and was p ...
. There was active participation of people from Kanhangad in the 1921 Guruvayoor Satyagraha and the 1942
Quit India Movement The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Kranti Movement, was a movement launched at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee by Mahatma Gandhi on 8th August 1942, during World War II, demanding an end to British rule in ...
. AC. Kannan Nair who was the Congress president of Hosdurg Thaluk in 1925 has fought against untouchability. He also started the Vallabhai Library in Kottacherry which helped the National movement a lot in the region. The prominent leaders who participated in the Indian freedom struggle from Kanhangad include Vidwan P. Kelu Nair, who has a high graduation in Sanskrit language, Gandhi Krishnan Nair, who lost his eyes during Toddy shop picketing, H. Vasudev who has worked in National Movement since a young age, Damodara Shenoy, K. Madhavan, who participated in the Salt Satyagraha, Achyutha Shenoy who was tortured by Police for participating in the Quit India Movement, editors of Shakti Magazine, and K.T Kunhiraman Nambiyar who was famous as a person who was the volunteer captain of the Kerala Congress Conference in 1926.


Post Independence

Hosdurg area was a sub-taluk of Kasaragod taluk. This information was recorded in the first censorship after independence in 1951. Following the linguistic state reorganization, Kasaragod taluk was split from the southern Karnataka region and was merged with
Malabar district Malabar District, also known as Malayalam District, was an administrative district on the southwestern Malabar Coast of Bombay Presidency (1792-1800) and Madras Presidency (1800-1947) in British India, and independent India's Madras State (19 ...
and the state of Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956. On 1 November 1957, Malabar was divided into 3 districts of Kannur, Kozhikode and Palakkad. The division of Kasaragod and Hosdurg Taluk were under Kannur district. The Kasaragod district came into being on 24 May 1984 and Kanhangad municipality was formed in June 1984. On 28 May 2013, Kasaragod Taluk was divided into Kasaragod and Manjeswaram taluks and Hosdurg taluk were split into Hosdurg and Vellarikundu taluks.


Assembly


Loksabha

Kanhangad is a part of the Kasaragod constituency which extends from
Manjeshwaram Manjeshwar is a town and a minor port in Kasaragod district at the northern tip of Kerala. It is situated at a distance of from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, north of district HQ Kasaragod and south of Mangalore city in neighbou ...
in Kasaragod district to
Kalliasseri Kalliasseri is a census town in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. Kalliaseri Panchayat comprises two villages: Kalliasseri and Irinave. Demographics As of 2011 Census, Kalliasseri had a population of 31,122 of which males const ...
in Kannur district.
Rajmohan Unnithan Kuttan Pillai Rajmohan Unnithan is an Indian film actor turned politician who is the current Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from Kasaragod (Lok Sabha constituency) and member of Indian National Congress (INC) in the state of Kerala, India ...
of the
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British Em ...
party is currently representing the Kasaragod constituency since May, 2019.


State Assembly

Kanhangad's assembly constituency (Number 4) is a part of the Kasaragod (Lok Sabha constituency).
E. Chandrasekharan Edayillam Chandrasekharan ( ml, ഇ. ചന്ദ്രശേഖരന്‍; born 26 December 1948) is an Indian politician from Kasaragod, and is the former Revenue Minister of Kerala in the Pinarayi Vijayan Ministry. He is the son of P. ...
of Left Democratic Front is the current MLA and also the former Revenue Minister of Kerala.


Administration

Kanhangad which was initially a special grade panchayat was upgraded to a Municipality on 1 June 1984. Kanhangad is a subdistrict in Kasaragod district and the Kanhangad Municipality is in charge of the civic and infrastructural assets of the city. The Kasargod district is divided into two Revenue divisions, Kasargod division in the north and Kanhangad division is the south respectively. It has two
Taluk A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
s under it namely
Hosdurg Hosdurg is one of four taluks that constitute the Kasaragod District, Kerala. Others are Kasaragod, Manjeshwaram and Vellarikundu taluks. In the north, it borders Kasaragod taluk; in south, the Kannur District; in the east, Vellarikundu talu ...
and
Vellarikundu Vellarikundu is a town and taluk headquarters in the Hill range of Kasaragod District in the state of Kerala. Vellarikundu is located between Odayanchal and Chittarikkal on Odayanchal- Cherupuzha Road. Transportation Vellarikundu is able to conn ...
. The two municipalities Kanhangad and Nileshwar, out of the three in the district comes under the Hosdurg Taluk which has a total of 29 villages under it. After the inauguration of Mini Civil Station, the old Taluk office building which was constructed during the time of British was renovated as a historic monument. Under the local self-government, Kanhangad
block Block or blocked may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Block programming, the result of a programming strategy in broadcasting * W242BX, a radio station licensed to Greenville, South Carolina, United States known as ''96.3 ...
has a total of 5
Panchayats The Panchayat raj is a political system, originating from the Indian subcontinent, found mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. It is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent, and historical menti ...
. A part of northern Kanhangad,
Ajanur Ajanur (also anglicized Ajanoor) is a grama panchayat and also a village of the same name in Kasargode district, Kerala state, India. It is the fifth largest town in Kasaragod district. Ajanur vs. Kanhangad Ajanur is in fact a bureaucratic nice ...
is a bureaucratic nicety and a Census town. Some parts of Kanhangad town is put under an administrative unit called Ajanur Panchayath. The suburb continues to be part and parcel of Kanhangad city. The entire administrative area of Kanhangad lies in
Hosdurg Hosdurg is one of four taluks that constitute the Kasaragod District, Kerala. Others are Kasaragod, Manjeshwaram and Vellarikundu taluks. In the north, it borders Kasaragod taluk; in south, the Kannur District; in the east, Vellarikundu talu ...
or Puthiyakotta. It includes all administrative units and offices like
Municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
office,
Taluk A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
Office, Judicial Magistrate
Court A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance ...
, Mini Civil Station, Police station, Fire station, District Educational Office, District Medical Office,
Regional Transport Office The Regional Transport Office or District Transport Office or Regional Transport Authority ( RTO/DTO/RTA) is the organisation of the Indian government responsible for maintaining a database of drivers and a database of vehicles for various sta ...
, Revenue Divisional Office, District Homeopathy Hospital, Government
Veterinary Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in animals. Along with this, it deals with animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutri ...
clinic and so on.


Demographics

As of 2011 Census, Kanhangad
Municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
and Outgrowths had a total population of 125,564. Males constitute 46.6% of the population and females 53.4%. Kanhangad Municipality+Outgrowth spreads over an area of with 27,579 families residing in it. Kanhangad had an average literacy rate of 92.6%, higher than the national average of 74.04% and lower than state average of 94.00%; male literacy was 96.17%, and female literacy was 89.56%. In Kanhangad, 11.5% of the population was under 6 years of age. There are 7,425 male children and 7,063 female children between the age 0–6 years. Thus, the child sex ratio of Kanhangad is 951 which is less than the state average sex ratio (1,144).


Economy

Agriculture and fishing are the primary sources of income for residents of the region. The soil and topography allow for a diverse selection of crops:
Rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, and ...
,
pepper Pepper or peppers may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plant ** Black pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae ** Bell pepper ** Chili ...
, cashew and
ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices ...
are the important crops that are grown in the eastern part of the region, which comprises forests and hilly areas. In the coastal areas are grown:
coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
,
rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...
and
tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
. Since the oil boom of the ’80s, young people have migrated to the oil-producing Gulf countries in pursuit of lucrative job opportunities. This has considerably changed the economic situation and lifestyle of the residents. Many families depend on money sent home by family members working in the Gulf and other regions. Kanhangad had a larger diaspora in the Gulf countries. The remittance from these countries supported the economic activities a lot. (''See''
Kerala Gulf diaspora The Kerala Gulf diaspora refers to the people of Kerala living in the West Asian Arab states of the Persian Gulf. In 2008, they numbered more than 2.5 million. Nearly 80 percent of Indians living in Kuwait are from Kerala according to the 2008 sur ...
). The laterite (''Cheadi'') and red soil which is found in the Kanhangad and the surrounding areas are excavated and processed for export. The best quality
cashews The cashew tree (''Anacardium occidentale'') is a tropical evergreen tree native to South America in the genus '' Anacardium'' that produces the cashew seed and the cashew apple accessory fruit. The tree can grow as tall as , but the dwarf cu ...
in Kerala are cultivated in Kanhangad. This industry has been able to secure a lot of foreign exchange by exporting it. One of the largest public sector enterprise in Kanhangad is the China Clay Factory in Vazhunnoradi. Now the government has plans to start a Cashew liquor factory and the first ever meat processing plant and college in India here.


Climate

Kanhangad experiences a
Tropical monsoon climate An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ...
under the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
. The southwest
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
begins towards the end of May, or the beginning of June, brought about by the monsoon clouds from the
Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...
heralded by thunderstorms, and lasts till September. October brings in the northeast monsoon typically begins with drizzling and later with heavy rainfall. Dry weather sets in by the end of December which brings the
Winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures ...
. January and February are the coolest months of the year. March marks the beginning of
Summer Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...
apparently April and May being very hot.


Notable people

*
K. K. Venugopal Kottayan Katankot Venugopal (born 6 September 1931) is an Indian constitutional lawyer and a senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India. On 1 July 2017, he was appointed as the Attorney General of India and retired on 30 September, 2022. He ...
- Attorney General of India *
Bellikoth Raghunath Shenoy Bellikoth Ragunath Shenoy (1905–1978) was an Indian classical liberal economist. He was a highly influential advocate of classical liberalism in India and was President of the Indian Economic Association and a member of the Mont Pelerin Socie ...
- Economist * Swami Ramdas - Saint *
P. Kunhiraman Nair Panayanthitta Kunhiraman Nair (4 October 1905 – 27 May 1978), also known as Mahakavi P, was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature. He was known for his romantic poems which detailed the natural beauty of his home state of Kerala in South Ind ...
- Malayalam Poet * K. Madhavan - Freedom fighter *
Kanayi Kunhiraman Kanayi Kunhiraman ( ml, കാനായി കുഞ്ഞിരാമന്‍; born 25 July 1937) is an Indian sculptor, best known for his outsize sculptures such as ''Yakshi'' of Malampuzha Dam Gardens, '' Sagarakanyaka'' at Shankumugham B ...
- Sculptor * C.M. Padmanabhan Nair - Politician * P. Karunakaran - Politician *
E. Chandrasekharan Edayillam Chandrasekharan ( ml, ഇ. ചന്ദ്രശേഖരന്‍; born 26 December 1948) is an Indian politician from Kasaragod, and is the former Revenue Minister of Kerala in the Pinarayi Vijayan Ministry. He is the son of P. ...
- Politician * Kanhangad Ramachandran - Singer *
Vysakh Ebbey Abraham (born 1 June 1980), better known by his stage name Vysakh, is an Indian film director who works in Malayalam films. He began his career as a television anchor and later as an associate director to Joshiy and Johny Antony. He debut ...
- Director *
Santhosh Echikkanam Santhosh Aechikkanam ( ml, സന്തോഷ് ഏച്ചിക്കാനം) is an Indian writer of Malayalam literature and a screenwriter in Malayalam cinema. He is known for his short stories, which include ''Komala'' and ''Biriyani' ...
- Writer *
Mahima Nambiar Mahima Nambiar is an Indian actress who appears in Tamil and Malayalam films. Early life and career Nambiar hails from Kasaragod, Kerala. In 2014, she was pursuing a BA in English Literature privately. She is a trained classical dancer and a ...
- Actress *Dr. Ambikasuthan Mangad - Writer *
Senna Hegde Senna Hegde is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in Malayalam and Kannada cinema. His debut film was the 2016 docudrama '' 0-41*'' and his second film was the romantic comedy, '' Katheyondu Shuruvagide''. Biography Senna was bo ...
- Film Director


Media

A local news channel called "City channel" that covers local events and news from Kanhangad and nearby places is operating from Kanhangad. It also has news bureaus of major Malayalam news papers namely
Mathrubhumi ''Mathrubhumi'' is a Malayalam newspaper that is published from Kerala, India. It was founded by K. P. Kesava Menon, an active volunteer in the Indian independence movement, Indian freedom struggle against the British Raj, British. The word "M ...
and
Malayala Manorama ''Malayala 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 22 March 1888, and currently has ...
operating from the city and also channels like Kasargod vision, a unit of Kerala Vision. There are also local news papers that are being printed and published from the city like the "Latest". The Vision is a monthly magazine published by the spiritual center Anandashram, in Kanhangad.
TRAI TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) is a statutory body set up by the Government of India. TRAI or Trai may also refer to: People Trai is a masculine given name which has its root in Middle English. Notable people with the name include: ...
has announced Kanhangad as one of the cities for expansion of radio stations through the third phase pertaining to the introduction of private FM radio channels in 253 new cities/towns each with a population of more than 1 lakh.


Education

With a good literacy rate, Kanhangad is home to many schools and colleges. It has also produced eminent teachers and scholars like P Kunhiraman Nair. Out of the two Education Divisions in the district, Kanhangad DEO has 46 UP schools and 72
High Schools A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
under it; apart from the private schools. The rest of the schools in the district comes under the 'Kasargod Education District' division. Kanhangad has other prominent institutions like
Kendriya Vidyalaya The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan () is a system of central government schools in India that are instituted under the aegis of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. , it has a total of 1,248 schools in India, and three abroad in Moscow ...
and Navodaya Vidyalaya, located at Periya. Periya also has a campus of the Central University of Kerala. One of the oldest colleges in the district, Nehru Arts and Science College is a landmark educational institution in the region. The Agricultural University of Kerala at Padannakkad is another notable institution. The
Science park A science park (also called a "university research park", "technology park”, "technopark", “technopole", or a "science and technology park" (STP)) is defined as being a property-based development that accommodates and fosters the growt ...
at Chemmatamvayal is a place of importance for the school children. There is a Sub centre of the Kerala Civil Services Academy adjacent to it. Some of the major educational institutions include:


Colleges

*
Central University of Kerala Central University of Kerala (CUK) is one of the 15 central universities established under ''The Central Universities Act, 2009'' (Act No.25 of 2009) by the Parliament of India. The university is seated in Kasaragod, the northernmost distr ...
*College of Agriculture, Padannakad * Nehru Arts and Science College * Swami Nithyananda Poly Technic College * Swami Nithyananda Institute of Technology *PNPS Ayurveda Medical College *
North Malabar Institute of Technology North Malabar Institute of Technology is an engineering college located at Kanhangad, Kasaragod district, Kerala, India. It is affiliated to Kannur University Kannur University is a multi-campus public university established in 1996 to pr ...
*C. K Nair Management and Arts College *Sree Narayana College of Management Studies


Schools

*
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) is a system of central schools for talented students predominantly from rural areas in India. They are run by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, Noida, an autonomous organization under the Department of School Educa ...
*
Kendriya Vidyalaya The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan () is a system of central government schools in India that are instituted under the aegis of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. , it has a total of 1,248 schools in India, and three abroad in Moscow ...
*
Durga Higher Secondary School Durga Higher Secondary School is situated near Kotachery, at Kanhangad in Kasaragod district, a district in northern Kerala, India. The school was established in 1948. Kotachery Sarvotham Shenoy, a prominent businessman, investor, philanthropist ...
*
Chinmaya Vidyalaya Chinmaya Vidyalayas are a group of schools operated by the Central Chinmaya Mission Trust (CCMT), founded by Swami Chinmayananda and currently headed by Swami Tejomayananda.There are more than 80 Chinmaya Vidyalayas across 12 states in India a ...
* Christ CMI Public School


Literature

The face of literature in Kanhangad is
P. Kunhiraman Nair Panayanthitta Kunhiraman Nair (4 October 1905 – 27 May 1978), also known as Mahakavi P, was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature. He was known for his romantic poems which detailed the natural beauty of his home state of Kerala in South Ind ...
who was a Malayalam poet and teacher. There is a memorial and public reading room at Kanhangad in remembrance of the poet and also being a native of Kasaragod, he spent a greater part of his life teaching at the Raja's High School at Kollengode, where his memorial was set up as a prominent centre of Kerala's art and culture. Kanhangad has also produced other notable authors too like P.V Kunhikkannan who is popularly known with his pen name P. V. K. Panayal who has even won the
Kerala Sahithya Akademi Award Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award is given each year, since 1958, by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Literary Academy), to Malayalam writers for their outstanding books of literary merit. The awards are given in various categories.
,
Santhosh Echikkanam Santhosh Aechikkanam ( ml, സന്തോഷ് ഏച്ചിക്കാനം) is an Indian writer of Malayalam literature and a screenwriter in Malayalam cinema. He is known for his short stories, which include ''Komala'' and ''Biriyani' ...
and Dr. Ambikasuthan Mangad.


Transportation


Road

Kanhangad is well connected to
Kannur Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and a municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the major port city and commercial hu ...
,
Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second la ...
, Kasaragod,
Madikeri Madikeri is a hill station town in Madikeri taluk and headquarters of Kodagu district in Karnataka, India. Etymology Madikeri was known as ''Muddu Raja Keri'', which meant Mudduraja's town, was named after the prominent Haleri king Mudduraj ...
and
Mangalore Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka–Ker ...
through Road. NH-66 (previously known as
NH-17 National Highway 66, commonly referred to as NH 66 (erstwhile NH-17 and a part of NH-47), is a mostly 4 lane long busy National Highway (India), National Highway that runs roughly north–south along the western coast of India, parallel to t ...
), which runs from
Panvel Panvel () is a city and taluka in Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. It is highly populated due to its closeness to Mumbai. Panvel is also governed for development purpose by the body of Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Panvel Municipal Corpora ...
(in
Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
) to
Kanyakumari Kanniyakumari (; , referring to Devi Kanya Kumari), also known as Cape Comorin, is a city in Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent and the southernmost city in mainland Ind ...
(in
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
), passes through
Mavungal Mavungal is a town in Kerala, India, situated just 3 km away from the city of Kanhangad. Mavungal is one of the busiest transport hubs in Kasaragod district. It connects Kasaragod on the north, Kannur on the south, Kanhangad on the west a ...
which is 3 km east to Kanhangad town in a north–south direction and connects with Kasaragod,
Mangalore Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka–Ker ...
,
Udupi Udupi (alternate spelling Udipi; also known as Odipu) is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. Udupi is situated about north of the educational, commercial and industrial hub of Mangalore and about west of state capital Bangalore by road. ...
, etc. in north and
Kannur Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and a municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the major port city and commercial hu ...
,
Kochi Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...
,
Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
, etc. in the south. SH 57, a 29.0 km State Highway connects Kasaragod to Kanhangad via
Bekal Bekal is a small town in the Kasaragod district on the West coast of the state of Kerala, India. Location Bekal is a town located south of Kasaragod town and north of Kanhangad on the State Highway 57. Bekal Fort is the largest fort in Ker ...
and
Udma Udma is a census town in Kasaragod district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Kerala. Demographics As of 2011 India census, Udma census town had population of 8,115 which constitutes 3,593 males and 4,522 females. Udma c ...
in the north and it merges with the NH-66 at
Kanhangad south Kanhangad south is a village in Kanhangad municipality in Kasargod district in the Indian state of Kerala. It has a low population and the river Arayi flows near to this beautiful place. Climate The southwest monsoon starts towards the end of ...
. Kanhangad is connected to
Madikeri Madikeri is a hill station town in Madikeri taluk and headquarters of Kodagu district in Karnataka, India. Etymology Madikeri was known as ''Muddu Raja Keri'', which meant Mudduraja's town, was named after the prominent Haleri king Mudduraj ...
, Coorg,
Mysuru Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...
and
Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
via Kanhangad -
Panathur Panathur is a major town in Vellarikundu Taluk of Kasaragod district in Kerala State, India. It belongs to Kanhangad legislative constituency. Its population is about 12,000. It lies 1 km away from Kerala - Karnataka border, 42 km awa ...
-
Madikeri Madikeri is a hill station town in Madikeri taluk and headquarters of Kodagu district in Karnataka, India. Etymology Madikeri was known as ''Muddu Raja Keri'', which meant Mudduraja's town, was named after the prominent Haleri king Mudduraj ...
Highway which is planned to be upgraded as National Highway. NH-66 meets with Kanhangad-Panathur-Madikeri Highway and forms a junction in
Mavungal Mavungal is a town in Kerala, India, situated just 3 km away from the city of Kanhangad. Mavungal is one of the busiest transport hubs in Kasaragod district. It connects Kasaragod on the north, Kannur on the south, Kanhangad on the west a ...
. Kanhangad has one of the
Regional Transport Office The Regional Transport Office or District Transport Office or Regional Transport Authority ( RTO/DTO/RTA) is the organisation of the Indian government responsible for maintaining a database of drivers and a database of vehicles for various sta ...
s in the district with KL60 registration. (''See''
List of RTO districts in Kerala Kerala Motor Vehicles Department The Kerala Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) is a line department of the Department of Transport, one of the departments of the Government of Kerala. The Kerala Motor Vehicles Department is entrusted with the resp ...
)


Rail

Kanhangad Railway Station Kanhangad railway station ''(Code:KZE)'' is a major and one of the busiest railway station under A – category stations of Palakkad Division, serving the town of Kanhangad in the Kasaragod district of Kerala. It lies in the Shoranur–Mangalor ...
is one of the railway stations that lies in the Shoranur - Mangalore Section of the Southern Railways. The station comes under A - category stations of Palakkad Division. The proposed railway line between Kanhangad and
Kaniyuru Kaniyooru, also spelled Kaniyooru is a village in Puttur taluk in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka state, India. It houses one of the Ashta Mathas established by Madhvacharya, the Dvaita philosopher. The village is located on Mangalore t ...
which connects
Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
is under review. If implemented, Kanhangad station will be upgraded as a
Railway Junction A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge. This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes (assuming they are of the same gauge), provided by ''points'' ( ...
and a special train service from Kanhangad to
Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
will be a major push for the station and this will also accelerate the development of the city and entire
North Malabar North Malabar refers to the geographic area of southwest India covering the state of Kerala's present day Kasaragod, Kannur, and Wayanad District, Wayanad districts, and the taluks of Vatakara, Koyilandy, and Thamarassery in the Kozhikode Distri ...
region.


Air

Mangalore International Airport Mangalore International Airport , is an international airport serving the coastal city of Mangalore, India. It is one of the only two international airports in Karnataka, the other being Kempegowda International Airport, Bangalore. Mangalo ...
, Bajpe at a distance of 85.7 km and
Kannur International Airport Kannur International Airport is an airport serving the North Malabar region of Kerala, Kodagu and Mysore districts of Karnataka and Mahé district of Puducherry in India. It is located east of Kannur, and east of Thalassery, near the muni ...
at a distance of 89.4 km are the nearest airports from Kanhangad via NH66. A proposed Air Strip at Periya is under review which if materialised will ensure a never before domestic air transport that will boost the tourism sector in the region.


Waterway

The government has plans to introduce a waterway from
Kovalam Kovalam is a region in the city of Trivandrum, around 13 km southwest of the city center, whose beaches are a tourist destination. Etymology Kovalam means " coconut grove," after the coconut trees which are common there. History Koval ...
to Bekal. Proximity of Kanhangad with
Nileshwar Nileshwaram or Nileshwar or Neeleswaram is a municipality and a major town in Kasaragod District, state of Kerala, India. It is one of the three municipalities in Kasaragod district; the others are Kasaragod and Kanhangad. Nileshwaram is loca ...
too increases the significance of the region.


See also

*
Ajanur Ajanur (also anglicized Ajanoor) is a grama panchayat and also a village of the same name in Kasargode district, Kerala state, India. It is the fifth largest town in Kasaragod district. Ajanur vs. Kanhangad Ajanur is in fact a bureaucratic nice ...
* Anandashram * Kasaragod *
Mangalore Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka–Ker ...
*
Mavungal Mavungal is a town in Kerala, India, situated just 3 km away from the city of Kanhangad. Mavungal is one of the busiest transport hubs in Kasaragod district. It connects Kasaragod on the north, Kannur on the south, Kanhangad on the west a ...
*
Nileshwaram Nileshwaram or Nileshwar or Neeleswaram is a municipality and a major town in Kasaragod District, state of Kerala, India. It is one of the three municipalities in Kasaragod district; the others are Kasaragod and Kanhangad. Nileshwaram is locat ...
*
Panathur Panathur is a major town in Vellarikundu Taluk of Kasaragod district in Kerala State, India. It belongs to Kanhangad legislative constituency. Its population is about 12,000. It lies 1 km away from Kerala - Karnataka border, 42 km awa ...
* Pullur


References

Cities and towns in Kasaragod district Port cities in India Populated coastal places in India