Kasaragod ( and

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 ...

: ,

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

: ''Kassergode'',

Tulu Tulu may refer to: People *Derartu Tulu (born 1972), Ethiopian long-distance runner *Walid Yacoubou (born 1997), Togolese footballer nicknamed "Tulu" India *Tulu calendar, traditional solar calendar generally used in the regions of southwest Kar ...

: ''Kasrod'',

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

: ''Harkwillia'') is one of the 14

districts A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

in the southern

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

n state 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 ...

. Its northern border Thalappady is located just 10 km south to

Ullal Ullal or ''Uḷḷāla'' is a City Municipality at Mangalore, educational, commercial & industrial hub in Dakshina Kannada district. It is located 10 km from the Mangalore City centre. Ullal City Municipality along with the Mangalore Ci ...

, which is the southernmost portion of the major port city

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 ...

, on the southwestern

Malabar coast The Malabar Coast is the southwestern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing m ...

of India. Kasaragod is the northernmost district of Kerala and is also known as ''Saptha Bhasha Sangama Bhoomi'' (The land of seven languages) as seven languages namely,

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 ...

Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people *Palaiosouda, also known as Marathi, a small island in Greece See also * * ...

, Konkani,

Beary The Beary (also known as Byari) is a community concentrated along the southwest coast of India, mostly in the Mangalore district of the south Indian state of Karnataka. They are an ethnic group of Indian Muslims with their own distinct cul ...

, and

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

The district is situated on the rich biodiversity of Western Ghats. It was a part of the Kannur district of Kerala until 24 May 1984. The district is bounded by

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 ...

district to the north, Western Ghats to the northeast,

Kodagu district Kodagu (also known by its former name Coorg) is an administrative district in the Karnataka state of India. Before 1956, it was an administratively separate Coorg State, at which point it was merged into an enlarged Mysore State. It occupies ...

to the southeast, Kannur district to the south, and

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 ...

to the west. Kasaragod district has the maximum number of rivers in Kerala - 12.

Kasaragod Kasaragod () is a municipal town and administrative headquarters of Kasaragod district in the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1966, Kasaragod was the first municipal town in the district. It is the northernmost district of Kerala and ...

town is located on the estuary where the

Chandragiri River The Chandragiri River also known as Perumpuzha River is the longest river in Kasaragod district, Kerala, India. It was named after the Mauryan emperor Chandragupta Maurya. The 17th century Chandragiri Fort is located on the river. Perumpuzha r ...

, which is also the longest river in the district, empties into

. Kasaragod is home to several forts which include Arikady fort, Bekal Fort, Chandragiri Fort, and

Hosdurg Fort Hosdurg Fort is a fort in Kanhangad which is part of Kasaragod district in Kerala state. Hosdurg Fort with its round bastion looks imposing from a distance. ''Somashekara Nayaka'' from the Keladi Nayaka dynasty of Ikkeri built this fort. The plac ...

(Puthiyakotta Fort). Bekal Fort is also the largest fort in Kerala. The historic hill of

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 ...

is located on the southern portion of

Kavvayi Backwaters Kavvayi Backwaters located near Payyanur is the third largest backwater in Kerala and the largest one in north Kerala. The Kavvayi Kayal (backwaters) is dotted with several small and large islands. Valiyaparamba island is the largest among th ...

of Nileshwaram. Talakaveri, which is home to

Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in Karnataka state of South India. It is located in Kodagu district and is spread over 105 km². It borders with Ranipuram hills and Kottencheri hills in Kasaragod district of Kerala ...

where the 805 km long

Kaveri River The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery, the anglicized name) is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Kaveri river rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range in the Western Ghats, Kodagu dist ...

originates, is located closer to Ranipuram in Kerala-

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

border. Robert Caldwell describes the extent of Malayalam in the late 19th century as extending from Chandragiri fort and

Chandragiri river The Chandragiri River also known as Perumpuzha River is the longest river in Kasaragod district, Kerala, India. It was named after the Mauryan emperor Chandragupta Maurya. The 17th century Chandragiri Fort is located on the river. Perumpuzha r ...

in the north to

Neyyar river The Neyyar River is 56 km long river which flows through the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala in India. It flows from the Agastya Mala (''Agastyarkoodam'') in the Western Ghats. The town Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram district, is si ...

beyond Thiruvanantapuram in the south.

Etymology

Until the 16th century CE, Kasargod town was known by the name ''Kanhirakode'' (meaning, 'The land of ''Kanhira'' Trees') in

. ''Kasaragod'' is the Kannada version of ''Kanhirakode''. Tulunad, where Tulu is traditionally spoken, is said to be bound on the south by the Chandragiri river and fort, thus including Kasaragod city within the Tulunad region. Historian N. Shyam Bhat states that at present, the Tulu country can linguistically be said to extend to the south up to the river Chandragiri or Payaswini, and culturally up to the Kavvayi river in the south, as the region between the Chandragiri and Kavai (Kavvayi) rivers presents the characteristics of a twilight zone between the

and

speaking countries.

History

Ancient period

The Ancient Tamil Works of Sangam Age records that the area covering the district was part of Puzhinadu, which consists of the coastal belt from

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 ...

. Politically the area was part of the

Ezhimala Kingdom Mushika dynasty, also spelled Mushaka, was a minor dynastic power that held sway over the region in and around Mount Ezhi (Ezhimala) in present-day North Malabar, Kerala, India. The country of the Mushikas, ruled by an ancient lineage of the Heh ...

with its Capital at

in present day Kannur district. The most famous King of Ezhimala was Nannan whose kingdom extended up to Gudalur and northern parts of Coimbatore. Poozhinad, along with Karkanad which included the eastern regions of Ezhimala dynasty ( Wayanad- Gudalur region with some portions of Kodagu), had its capital at

. The Mooshaka Kings were considered descendants of Nannan. By the 14th century, Mooshaka Kingdom was known as Kolathirinad and the Rulers as Kolathiris. The Kolathunad Kingdom at the peak of its power reportedly extended from Netravati River (

) in the north to

Korapuzha Korapuzha, also known as Elathur River, is a short river of , with a drainage area of , flowing through the Kozhikode district of Kerala state in India. It is formed by the confluence of two streams, Akalapuzha and Punoor puzha which origina ...

(

) in the south with

on the west and Kodagu hills on the eastern boundary, also including the isolated islands of

Lakshadweep Lakshadweep (), also known as Laccadives (), is a union territory of India. It is an archipelago of 36 islands in the Arabian sea, located off the Malabar Coast. The name ''Lakshadweep'' means "one lakh islands" in Sanskrit, though the Lac ...

in Arabian Sea.

Medieval period

Ramacharitam The ''Ramacharitam'' is a Sanskrit epic poem written in ''Arya metre'' by Sandhyakar Nandi (c. 1084 - 1155 CE) during Pala Empire. This work simultaneously narrates the story of the Ramayana and the Pala king Ramapala. Manuscripts A palm-leaf ma ...

'', probably the oldest literary work written in

Old Malayalam Old Malayalam, inscriptional language found in Kerala from ''c.'' 9th to ''c.'' 13th century AD, is the earliest attested form of Malayalam. The language was employed in several official records and transactions (at the level of the Chera Perumal ...

, which dates back to the 12th century CE, is thought to have been written in Kasargod district as its manuscripts were discovered from Nileshwaram and the poem mentions about

Ananthapura Lake Temple Ananthapadmanabhaswamy Temple or Ananthapura Lake Temple is a Hindu temple built in the middle of a lake in the little village of Ananthapura, around 6 km from the town of Kumbla in Manjeshwaram Taluk of Kasaragod District of Kerala, South ...

in Kumbla in detail.http://sdeuoc.ac.in/sites/default/files/sde_videos/SLM-MA-Mal-Aadyakala%20Malayala%20kavitha%20%281%29.pdf Kasaragod was known to the

Arabs The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Wester ...

by the name ''Harkwillia''. Malik Dinar Mosque at

town is one of the oldest mosques in the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...

. According to '' Qissat Shakarwati Farmad'', the ''Masjids'' at

Kodungallur Kodungallur (; also Cranganore, Portuguese: Cranganor; formerly known as Mahodayapuram, Shingly, Vanchi, Muchiri, Muyirikkode, and Muziris) is a historically significant town situated on the banks of river Periyar on the Malabar Coast in Thr ...

Kollam Kollam (), also known by its former name Quilon , is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city i ...

, Madayi, Barkur,

, Kasaragod,

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 ...

, Dharmadam, Panthalayini, and

Chaliyam Chaliyam is a village situated at the estuary of Chaliyar (River Beypore) in Kozhikode district of Kerala, India. Chaliyam forms an island, bounded by the Chaliyar in the north, and River Kadalundi in south, and the Conolly Canal in the east. ...

, were built during the era of Malik Dinar, and they are among the oldest ''Masjid''s in the

. It is believed that Malik Dinar died at Thalangara in Kasaragod town.Pg 58, Cultural heritage of

: an introduction, A. Sreedhara Menon, East-West Publications, 1978 Many Arab travelers visiting Kerala between the 9th and the 14th centuries visited Kasaragod, being an important trade centre then. Duarte Barbosa, a Portuguese traveler who visited Kumbla, near Kasargod in 1514 recorded that rice being exported for coir to

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

. According to Barbosa, the people in the southwestern Malabar coast of India from Chandragiri in the north to Kanyakumari in the south spoke a unique language, which they called as "Maliama" (

). Until the 16th century CE, Kasargod town was known by the name ''Kanhirakode'' (may be by the meaning, 'The land of ''Kanhira'' Trees') in

. The Kumbla dynasty, who swayed over the land of southern

Tulu Nadu Tulunad or Tulu Nadu, also called Bermere sristi or Parashurama Srishti, is a region and a Proposed states and union territories of India#Karnataka, proposed state on the southwestern coast of India. The Tulu people, known as 'Tuluva' (plural ...

wedged between

and Netravati River (including present-day Taluks of Manjeshwar and

) from ''Maipady Palace'' at Kumbla, had also been vassals to 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 Za ...

kingdom of

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 ...

, before the Carnatic conquests of

Vijayanagara Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...

. The Kumbla dynasty had a mixed lineage of

Malayali The Malayali people () (also spelt Malayalee and also known by the demonym Keralite) are a Dravidian peoples, Dravidian ethnolinguistic group originating from the present-day state of Kerala in India, occupying its southwestern Malabar coast. ...

Nair The Nair , also known as Nayar, are a group of Indian Hindu castes, described by anthropologist Kathleen Gough as "not a unitary group but a named category of castes". The Nair include several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom histor ...

s and

Tuluva Brahmin Tulu Brahmins or Tuluva Brahmins are the inhabitants of Tulu Nadu, also considered a part of Parashurama Kshetra which extends to Kerala. They consist of following: Sthanika Brahmins, also called "Sthanika Tulu Brahmins" or "Tulu Brahmins" ar ...

s. They also claimed their origin from

Cheraman Perumal Perumal (the 'Great One') is the name of a Hindu deity. It was also a medieval Indian royal title of: *Western Ganga dynasty Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala''. Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 171. **Sripurusha **Rajamalla **Nitim ...

s of Kerala.

Francis Buchanan-Hamilton Francis Buchanan (15 February 1762 – 15 June 1829), later known as Francis Hamilton but often referred to as Francis Buchanan-Hamilton, was a Scottish physician who made significant contributions as a geographer, zoologist, and botanist whil ...

states that the customs of Kumbla dynasty were similar to those of the contemporary

kings. The Kolathiri Dominion emerged into independent 10 principalities i.e., Kadathanadu (

Vadakara Vatakara, also spelled Vadakara (formerly Badagara), , french: Bargaret, is a Municipality in the state of Kerala, India. Vatakara is located between Kannur and Kozhikode. The municipality of Vatakara covers an area of and is bordered by Ma ...

), Randathara or Poyanad (

Dharmadom Dharmadom or Dharmadam is a census town in Thalassery taluk of Kannur district in the state of Kerala, India. This town is located in between Anjarakandi River and Ummanchira river, and Palayad town and Arabian sea. It is known for the 100-yea ...

Kottayam Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south-we ...

(

Thalassery Thalassery (), formerly Tellicherry, is a municipality, Commercial City on the Malabar Coast in Kannur district, in the state of Kerala, India, bordered by the districts of Mahé (Pondicherry), Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kasaragod and Kodagu (Karna ...

), Nileshwaram, Iruvazhinadu (

Panoor Panoor is a Municipality in the district of Kannur in the state of Kerala, India. The town is the main market place for the farmer communities in the surrounding regions. Panoor is one of the main suburbs of the City of Thalassery. Panoor got mu ...

), Kurumbranad etc., under separate royal chieftains due to the outcome of internal dissensions. Many portions of the present-day

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 talu ...

(Kanhangad) 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 ...

were parts of the Nileshwaram dynasty, who were relatives to both

as well as

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 ...

Calicut 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 ...

, in the early medieval period. The areas north to the

(present-day Taluks of Manjeshwaram and Kasaragod) were ruled by the Kumbala dynasty. According to local legends, the region between Talapadi and Kavvayi rivers which constituted the erstwhile Kasaragod taluk, consisted of 32

and 32

villages.

kingdoms focused on

in the 16th century CE. The

Vijayanagara empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...

attacked and annexed Kasaragod from the Kolathiri

Raja ''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested f ...

with Nileshwaram as one of the capital in the 16th century. During the decline of the Vijayanagara empire, the administration of this area was vested with Ikkeri Nayakas. At the onset of collapse of the Vijayanagara empire, ''Venkappa Nayaka'' declared independence to Ikkery. Kumbla, Chandragiri, and Bekal are considered to be the chain of forts constructed or renovated by

Shivappa Nayaka Shivappa Nayaka (ಶಿವಪ್ಪ ನಾಯಕ) (r.1645–1660), popularly known as Keladi Shivappa Nayaka, was an Indian king and ruler of the Keladi Nayaka Kingdom. The Keladi Nayakas were successors of the Vijayanagara Empire in the coas ...

. The Chandragiri Fort is built on the southern bank of the estuary of

, just opposite to Kasaragod town. The Bekal Fort at Bekal, Pallikkara, which is situated in the midway between

and

Kanhangad Kanhangad () is a town, located in the Kasaragod District, state of Kerala, India. Location The area contains villages around Kanhangad town with Kasaragod as the northern border, Nileshwar, popularly known as the 'cultural town' of Kasara ...

, and is also largest fort in Kerala, was built in 1650 by

of Keladi.

Modern period

Francis Buchanan, the family doctor of Arthur Wellesley, visited Kasaragod in 1800. In his travelogue, he recorded information on places like Athiraparambu, Kavvai, Nileshwaram, Bekal, Chandragiri and Manjeshwar.

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 taluk ...

and Vellarikundu is part of Kolathunadu (south of Chandragiri river) and Kasargod and Manjeshwaram is in the

region (north of Chandragiri river). On 19 January 1801, Francis speaks of visiting a Siva temple at Pulla (Pallikere), beyond which, the country rises into open rising lands, all the way to Chandragiri river and Chandragiri fort, which he describes as the northern border of the Malayala. He says that the country on the north of the Chandragiri fort and river is called by Hindus as Tuluva, the Tulu country. According to Stuart (1895) “The Kasargod taluk originally formed the southern portion of the ancient Tulua kingdom and was separated from the kingdom of Kerala by the Chandragiri river which was formerly called “Perumpula”; the river on which the fort stands is shallow but very wide and formed the southern boundary of the ancient Tulva kingdom. The nayars and the other females of the Kasargod taluk of south Canara, are prohibited from crossing the river.” In 1763,

Hyder 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 ...

raided Bedanoor (Bidnur), the capital of the Ikkery Naiks. His son

Tippu 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 int ...

raided much of

Malabar Malabar may refer to the following: People * Malabars, people originating from the Malabar region of India * Malbars or Malabars, people of Tamil origin in Réunion Places * Malabar Coast, or Malabar, a region of the southwestern shoreline o ...

region in Kerala. As per the Treaty of Seringapatam of 1792, Tippu surrendered Malabar, except Kanara to the British. The British occupied Kanara only after the death of Tippu Sultan. it is said that ''Kinavoor Molom'' (Sree Dharma Shashtha Temple) is belonging to ''Karinthalam'' (one of 64 Brahmin villages in old Kerala). Before the formation of Kerala, Kasargod was a part of

South Canara South Canara was a district of the Madras Presidency of British India, located at . It comprised the towns of Kassergode and Udipi and adjacent villages, with the capital in Mangalore city. South Canara was one of the most heterogeneous areas o ...

district of erstwhile

Madras Presidency The Madras Presidency, or the Presidency of Fort St. George, also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision (presidency) of British India. At its greatest extent, the presidency included most of southern India, including the ...

. Initially

was included in the

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 ...

. Later on 16 April 1862, South Canara was transferred to

and

taluk was formed by replacing the erstwhile Bekal taluk. However, in the 19th century CE, Kasargod Taluk witnessed many struggles to separate the region from South Canara and to merge it with the

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 ...

as it was the only Malayalam-majority region in South Canara. Kasaragod was the second-most populated Taluk in

only after to

Mangalore taluk Mangalore taluk is a ''taluk'' (subdistrict) in the Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka on the western coast of India. Mangalore is the administrative headquarters of the ''taluk''. It is made up of Mangalore City Corporation, Ullal City Munici ...

, and also the second-largest Taluk. Kasargod became a part of Kannur district of

following the reorganization of states and the formation of Kerala on 1 November 1956. Later Kasargod was divided into two Taluks for the ease of administration - Kasargod and Hosdurg. Kasargod was declared a district in 1984. The inclusion of Kasaragod with Kerala has been a contentious issue as there is a sizeable population that speaks Tulu and Kannada. At the time of 1951 Census of India, only 72.0% of the district's population chose their mother tongue as

. 14.2% chose

and 6.3% chose Kannada. But it is noted that as per the 2011 census report only 8.8% and 4.2% of the total population in the district speak Tulu and Kannada respectively as their mother tongue. In 2012, the

Second Oommen Chandy ministry The United Democratic Front government led by Oommen Chandy sworn in on 18 May 2011. Seven of the total 20 members of the Cabinet took office on 18 May and the rest sworn in on 23 May after completing discussion with member parties of the UDF. ...

appointed a commission under the leadership the former Chief Secretary P. Prabhakaran to study about the backwardness and issues faced by this northernmost district of Kerala and to draw up special package for the district. In 2013, two more Taluks, namely Manjeshwaram and Vellarikundu were formed in the district.

Geography

The district is the northernmost district of the State of Kerala. Kasargod is located at . It has an average elevation of 19 metres (62 feet). Ranipuram or Madathumala (1016m) peak is the highest peak in the Kasargod district of Kerala, located in the Ranipuram Wildlife Sanctuary.

Climate

Kasaragod has a tropical climate.

Rivers

Kasaragod district has the largest number of rivers in Kerala - 12. All of them are west-flowing rivers. The longest of them is

(105 km long).

town is located on the estuary of Chandragiri river. It empties into the

at Thalangara. The Chandragiri Fort is built on its bank. The river originates at Pattimala in Kodagu (Coorg). The smallest river of Kerala is also in the district.

Administration

Kasargod district consists of two revenue subdivisions- Kasargod and Kanhangad. For sake of rural administration, 38 Gram Panchayats are combined in 6 Blocks, which together form the Kasargod District Panchayat. For the sake of urban administration, 3 municipal towns are there. For the representation of Kasargod in

Kerala Legislative Assembly The Kerala Legislative Assembly, popularly known as the Kerala Niyamasabha, is the State Assembly of Kerala, one of the 28 states in India. The Assembly is formed by 140 elected representatives. Each elected member represents one of the 140 c ...

, there are 5 assembly constituencies. These are included in the Kasaragod (Lok Sabha constituency). The district is further divided into 128 villages which together form 4 subdistricts.

Revenue divisions

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 ...

and Kasargod subdistricts (Taluks) are included in the Kasaragod revenue subdivision whereas the remaining two Taluks are included in the Kanhangad subdivision. Subdistricts of Kasaragod

Political divisions

Local Self Governance in Kasaragod District

State legislature

Parliament

Transport

The

National Highway 66 The following highways are numbered 66: Australia * Barkly Highway (Northern Territory) * Riddoch Highway Canada * Alberta Highway 66 * Highway 66 (Ontario) Finland * Kantatie 66 (Orivesi — Lapua) France * A66 autoroute Germany * Bundesa ...

which connects the western coast of India from

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

to Kanyakumari passes through coastal area of the district connecting the major coastal towns of Manjeshwar, Uppala, Kumbla,

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 ...

, Bekal,

, Nileshwaram, and

Thrikaripur Thrikaripur a small town located in south part of Kasaragod District in the state of Kerala, India. Its southernmost end Olavara touches Payyannur, Kannur District. Demographics The 2001 Census of India determined that the population of Trika ...

. It enters the district at Thalappady and goes out through Payyanur. There are State highways starting/ending at

and

. Total length of Major District Road (MDR) is around 1460 km and it accounts for around 11.2 km of MDR for every 10,000 people in the district. The

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is a state-owned road transport corporation in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the country's oldest state-run public bus transport services. The corporation is divided into three zones ( ...

(KSRTC) has stations to operate its service in the district. The railway goes through coastal area.

Kasaragod railway station Kasaragod railway station ''(Code: KGQ)'' is a major railway station serving Kasaragod Town in the Kasaragod District, state of Kerala. Line It lies in the Shoranur - Mangalore Section of the Southern Railway zone and is the first major sto ...

lies in

Palakkad railway division Palakkad railway division (formerly Olavakkod railway division) is one of the six administrative divisions of the Southern Railway zone of Indian Railways. It is headquartered at city of Palakkad, Kerala. It is the smallest railway division i ...

of southern zone on

Shoranur Shornur is a town and a municipality located in the Palakkad district, in the Indian state of Kerala, located on the banks of the Bharathapuzha River. The town covers an area of 32.28 km2. Geography Shornur is located at . It has an ave ...

line. Kasaragod district is home to 3 out of 13 minor ports in Kerala- Manjeshwar, Kasaragod, and Nileshwaram. The nearest international airports are situated at

(65 km away) and

(110 km away).

Demographics

According to the 2018 Vital Statistics published by the

Government of Kerala Government of Kerala is the subnational government of the Indian state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who selects all the other ministers. The chief minister and their most senior ministers belong to the supreme decision ...

, Kasargod district has a

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

of 1,390,894, roughly equal to the nation of

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...

or the US state of

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

. The

2011 Census of India The 2011 Census of India or the 15th Indian Census was conducted in two phases, house listing and population enumeration. The House listing phase began on 1 April 2010 and involved the collection of information about all buildings. Information ...

, gives the district a ranking of 375th in India (out of a total of

640 Year 640 (Roman numerals, DCXL) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 640 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar er ...

). The district has a population density of . Its

population growth rate Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a population or dispersed group. Actual global human population growth amounts to around 83 million annually, or 1.1% per year. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to ...

over the decade 2001–2011 was 8.18%. Kasaragod has a

sex ratio The sex ratio (or gender ratio) is usually defined as the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. Many species devia ...

of 1080 females for every 1000 males, and a

literacy rate Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...

of 90.09%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 4.08% and 3.74% of the population respectively. The

Kerala Tulu Academy Kerala Tulu Academy is an organisation under Government of Kerala which opened in 2007. The purpose of the academy is to preserve and promote Tulu language, Tulu script, Tulu literature and Tulu culture. It is located in Hosangadi in Kasargod dis ...

, which promotes

Tulu language Tulu () in Kannada script, ml, ത‍ുള‍ു ഭാഷെ in Malayalam script. ''bhāṣe'', , ''bhāśe'', and ''bāśe'' are alternative spellings for the Tulu word ''bāse'' in the Kannada script. The correct spelling for the word ...

and literature, is functioned at Hosangadi in district. Kasaragod district majorly consists of

speakers who form 82.69% of the population.

and

speakers concentrated in the Northern parts of the district like Manjeshwar, Uppala,

Enmakaje Enmakaje is a village in Kasaragod district in the state of Kerala, India. The administrative capital of the village is Perla, Kasaragod. Demographics India census, Enmakaje had a population of 11773 with 5932 males and 5841 females. Tran ...

Badiyadka Badiyadka officially known as "Badiadka" (also known as Perdala") is a town and gram panchayat in the Kasaragod district, state of Kerala, India. Badiyadka is a panchayath in Kasaragod Taluk in Kasaragod District of Kerala, India. It is loca ...

, Kumbla and

Seethangoli Seethangoli is a small village located 11 km north of Kasaragod town and 18 km south of Uppala in Kasaragod District, Kerala, India. History The village of Seethangoli is in the shape of a finger ring. According to local traditions, ...

form a significant linguistic minority with 8.77% and 4.23% each. Other languages spoken here include

(1.76%) and Konkani (1.29%).

Education

Kasargod district comes under the jurisdiction of Kannur University. * The

Central Plantation Crops Research Institute The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) was established in 1916 as Central Coconut Research Station, and was later taken over by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). ICAR established CPCRI in 1970 by merging Cent ...

was established in 1916. * Government College Kasaragod was established in 1957. * The

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 ...

was established in 2009.Description on official website
/ref>Prospectus of Central University of Kerala
/ref> * Malik Deenar Institute of Management Studies is located at Seethamgoly, Kasaragod. * Lal Bahadur Shastry college of engineering, Kasaragod, was established in 1993. *

College of Engineering Trikaripur College of Engineering Trikaripur is a government self-financing engineering college located in north Kerala. It was established in 2000 under the auspices of the Co-operative Academy of Professional Education (CAPE), an autonomous society under ...

was established in 2000. * Khansa Women's College For Advanced Studies, Kasaragod * Jamia Sa Adiya Arts and Science College, Kasaragod * Sharaf Arts & Science College, Padanna * Zainab Memorial B.Ed Centre, Kasaragod * Peoples Arts & Science College, Munnad, Kasaragod * Co-operative Arts & Science College, Badiadka, Kasaragod * St. Gregorios College of Engineering, Perla, Kasaragod

Backwardness

Kasaragod district is the northernmost district of Kerala, which is far away from

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 ...

, the state headquarters, which is located in the southernmost tip of state.

town is located about 600 km north of the state headquarters

, about 30 km south of

, about 350 km west of

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 ...

, the headquarters of the neighbouring state

, and about 950 km south of

city. In 2012, the

appointed a commission under the leadership of the former Chief Secretary P. Prabhakaran to study about the backwardness and issues faced by this northernmost district of Kerala and to draw up a special package for the district. In 2013, two more taluks, namely Manjeshwaram and Vellarikundu were formed in the district. Before it the district had only two Taluks. The decision to implement a gas-based powerplant at

Cheemeni Cheemeni is a small town in Hosdurg taluk of Kasaragod district in the state of Kerala, India. Demographics As of the 2011 India census, Cheemeni had a population of 8,283 with 3,908 males and 4,375 females. Transportation Local roads have acce ...

was taken by the second Chandy government. A government medical college was allowed for Kasaragod district, as a part of the government's new policy to establish at ensure availability of at least one Government Medical College in all the 14 districts of the state in 2013.

Tourism

* Ananthapuram Lake Temple * Arikady fort * Bekal Fort * Chandragiri Fort * Edayilakkad Island * Kanwatheertha beach * Kappil beach * Kottanchery hills * Malik Dinar Mosque * Mayipady palace * Nileshwaram

Estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...

beach. * Our Lady of Sorrows Church *Pallikkara beach * Ranipuram Hill Station * Valiyaparamba Island

Notable people

Ambikasuthan Mangad Ambikasuthan Mangad is an Indian Malayalam language writer. He was a professor of Malayalam at Nehru Arts and Science College, Kanhangad. His literary contributions range from short stories to novels in Malayalam. He has written more than 40 bo ...

- Malayalam writer * Anil Kumble - former Indian cricketer, coach, and commentator * Arya - Indian actor *

Asif Kottayil Asif Kottayil (born 24 May 1985 in Trikaripur, Kasaragod) is an Indian footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Mohun Bagan in the I-League. Career Prayag United After playing college football at Payyanur College, Asif was signed by ...

- Indian footballer *

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 ...

- Indian economist *

D. K. Chowta Darbe Krishnananda Chowta (1 June 1938 – 19 June 2019) was an Indian businessman, writer, artist, and theatre personality. At the time of his death he was the general secretary of the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath a position he had also ser ...

- Indian businessman *

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. ...

- minister of

Harikumar Pallathadka Harikumar Pallathadka (Harikumar P in short) is a prominent Indian Right to Information (RTI) (known as FOI in the west) and Social Activist. History He holds an MBA. He is a National General Secretary of India Against Corruption from Septembe ...

- RTI activist *

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 *

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 Be ...

- Indian artist *

Kavya Madhavan Kavya Madhavan (born 19 September 1984) is a former Indian actress, who appeared predominantly in Malayalam films. She made her debut in 1991 as a child artist in '' Pookkalam Varavayi''. Her debut role as a lead actress was in Lal Jose's '' ...

- Indian actress *

Kayyar Kinhanna Rai Kayyara Kinhanna Rai (8 June 1915 – 9 August 2015) was an Indian independence activist, author, poet, journalist, teacher and farmer. Early life Rai was born on 8 June 1915 to Duggappa and Deyyakka Rai in a Tulu-speaking Bunt family. Hi ...

- Indian independence activist * Kesavananda Bharati - social reformer * Mahima Nambiar - actress *

Mavila Vishwanathan Nair Mavila Vishwanathan Nair (born on 3 March 1952) is the Chairman of the Credit Information Bureau of India Limited, India's largest credit bureau. He is also an advisor in select private equity and ventures capital-funded companies in India. Pre ...

- Indian banker *

Mirshad Michu Mirshad Kootapunna Michu (born 3 February 1994) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Indian Super League club NorthEast United. Career East Bengal While Playing in KPL for Gokulam Kerala, Mirshad was spotted by E ...

- Indian footballer *

Mohammed Rafi Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer and musician. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and ...

- Indian footballer *

Mohammed Azharuddeen Mohammed Azharuddeen (born 22 March 1994) is an Indian cricketer who plays for Kerala cricket team, Kerala in domestic cricket. He is a right-handed wicket-keeper-batter. Early life Azharuddeen was born on 22 March 1994 in Thalangara in Kasara ...

- Indian cricketer *

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 ...

poet *

Prakash Bare Prakash Bare is an Indian theater and film actor focusing on Malayalam, English and other south Indian language productions. Starting with the 2010 Malayalam film Sufi Paranja Katha, Prakash has acted in more than 30 films directed by some of ...

- actor * Pallathadka Pramoda Kumari - scientist *

Roopesh Shetty Roopesh Shetty is an actor who acts in Tulu, Kannada and Konkani films. He is also a radio jockey in Mangaluru and a model. He emerged as the Winner (Top Performer) of the Season 1 of Bigg Boss Kannada OTT. He also won Bigg Boss Kannada (s ...

- actor in the Kannada, Tulu film industry,

radio jockey A radio personality (American English) or radio presenter (British English) is a person who has an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality who hosts a radio show is also known as a radio host, and in India and Pakistan as a rad ...

, and model *

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' ...

- Malayalam short story writer *

Sara Aboobacker Sara Aboobacker ( kn, ಸಾರಾ ಅಬೂಬಕ್ಕರ್; 30 June 1936 – 10 January 2023) was an Indian Kannada writer of novels and short stories, and a translator. Early life and education Sara was born in Kasaragod, Kerala on 30 J ...

- Kannada writer * Sathya - Indian actor * Vysakh - Malayalam film director

References

External links

Official District Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kasaragod District States and territories established in 1984 1984 establishments in Kerala Districts of Kerala

Etymology

History

Ancient period

Medieval period

Modern period

Geography

Climate

Rivers

Administration

Revenue divisions

Political divisions

State legislature

Parliament

Transport

Demographics

Education

Backwardness

Tourism

Notable people

See also

References

Further reading

General

History

Languages

District Census Handbooks

External links