Thalassery (), formerly Tellicherry, is a municipality, Commercial City on the
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 ...
in
Kannur district, in the 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 ...
, India, bordered by the
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 ...
of
Mahé (Pondicherry),
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 ...
,
Wayanad
Wayanad () is a district in the north-east of Indian state Kerala with administrative headquarters at the municipality of Kalpetta. It is the only plateau in Kerala. The Wayanad Plateau forms a continuation of the Mysore Plateau, the southern ...
,
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 ...
and
Kodagu (Karnataka). Thalassery municipality has a population just under 100,000. Thalassery Heritage City has an area of . Thalassery is situated in an altitude ranging from 2.5m to 30m above mean sea-level.
Tellicherry municipality was formed on 1 November 1866 according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in City act 1850)
of the
British Indian Empire
The British Raj (; from Hindi language, Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Q ...
, making it the second oldest municipality in the state. At that time the municipality was known as Tellicherry Commission, and Tellicherry was the capital 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 ...
. G. M. Ballard, the
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 ...
collector, was the first President of the municipal commission. Later a European barrister, A. F. Lamaral, became the first Chairman of Thalassery municipality.
Thalassery grew into a prominent place during European rule, due to its strategic geographic location.
Thalassery has played a significant historical, cultural, educational and commercial role in the history of India, especially during the colonial period. On 9 February 2014, Thalassery taluk was split in two and
Iritty
Iritty is a Municipality and a Taluk of Kannur district in Kerala State, India. The town is the main market place for the farmer communities in the surrounding regions. Iritty is known as The Coorg Valley in God's Own Country. Iritty is one o ...
taluk was formed. The northeastern hilly region of the former Thalassery Taluk such as
Peravoor
Peravoor is a small town and Grama Panchayat in Kannur district of Kerala state in India. It is located east of Kannur and north east of Thalassery. And Iritty, the nearest municipality is north of Peravoor. Peravoor is situated in the Wes ...
, Aralam, Ayyankunnu,
Kottiyoor
Kottiyoor is a village and Grama Panchayat situated in eastern hilly area of Kannur district in Kerala state. Kottiyoor is the 23rd Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala, located in the serene hills of Western Ghats. The ancient pilgrimage conducted ...
,
Kelakam are within the
Iritty
Iritty is a Municipality and a Taluk of Kannur district in Kerala State, India. The town is the main market place for the farmer communities in the surrounding regions. Iritty is known as The Coorg Valley in God's Own Country. Iritty is one o ...
Taluk area.
Etymology
Word ''Thalassery'' likely originated from combination of
Dravidian linguistic usages ''Thala'' (Head) and ''cheri'' (low lying settlement).
*Thus, Thalassery or 'starting place of a settlement' or 'head of a settlement'.
*It could also have emerged from ''Talakkathe cheri'', a combination of ''Talakkate'' (upper or north) and ''Cheri'' (settlement).
The 1885 administration manual vol. 2 of the former Madras Presidency cites research in regional legends and folklore to indicate that the name of Thalassery in ancient
Sanskrit literature
Sanskrit literature broadly comprises all literature in the Sanskrit language. This includes texts composed in the earliest attested descendant of the Proto-Indo-Aryan language known as Vedic Sanskrit, texts in Classical Sanskrit as well as s ...
was Shwetaranyapura.
History
Thalassery was a trade hub where
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
,
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
,
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
,
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
, and
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
traders had considerable influence in the spice market.
The British established a trading post and built a factory at Tellicherry in 1694, having gained permission from Vadakkalankur, the
prince regent
A prince regent or princess regent is a prince or princess who, due to their position in the line of succession, rules a monarchy as regent in the stead of a monarch regnant, e.g., as a result of the sovereign's incapacity (minority or illness ...
of the Raja of Kolathunad. They had already been trading on the
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 ...
for much of that century, buying pepper from merchants, and had established a similar post at
Travancore
The Kingdom of Travancore ( /ˈtrævənkɔːr/), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At ...
ten years earlier.
In 1761, the British captured
Mahé, which lies adjacent to Thalassery, and the settlement was handed over to the ruler of
Kadathanadu
Kadathanadu (Vatakara) was a former feudatory (of Kolathunad) city-state in present-day Kerala, on the Malabar Coast. The region is most known for being the area where the events of the ''Vadakkan Pattukal,'' a set of warrior ballads from Kerala, ...
.
The British restored
Mahé to the French as a part of the 1763 Treaty of Paris.
In 1779, the Anglo-French war broke out, resulting in the French loss of
Mahé.
In 1783, the British agreed to restore to the French their settlements in India, and
Mahé was handed over to the French in 1785.
![Boite aluminium de poivre de Tellichery](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Boite_aluminium_de_poivre_de_Tellichery.jpg)
After the annexation of Malabar, the British called upon Thalassery, the Royal families and other major Nair and Namboothiri feudal lords to return, but this was heavily opposed by some local rulers. Along with heavy taxation and laws that curbed free movement, the appeal resulted in multiple uprisings against the British with heavy casualties to British forces. Thousands of soldiers were killed, but the resistance was eventually defeated.
The British, Dutch and the Portuguese and Christian Missionaries contributed a lot into the field of education, sports, culture and many development of this region.
Geography
![Aerial view of thalassery](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Aerial_view_of_thalassery.jpg)
Thalassery is in West Coast Of
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 ...
, in the northern part of
Kerala State
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 Cana ...
. The city has Dharmadam Panchayat in the north, Eranholi and Kodiyeri in the east New Mahé in the south and 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 ...
on the west. The palm-fringed terrain has a scenic coastline and features four rivers, canals and hills with orange-hued rock. One of the four rivers is the
Mahé River
Mahé River (also known as Mayyazhipuzha or the English Channel of India) is a river in South India. It flows through the state of Kerala and the coastal exclave of Mahé in Puducherry.
The flow of the river
The Mahé River originates in the sl ...
(
Mayyazhi river). During the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
, the Mahé River was nicknamed the
English Channel
The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...
, because it separated British-ruled Thalassery from French-ruled
Mahé. Other rivers are Kuyyali river, Ummanchira river and
Anjarakandi River
The Anjarakandi River is one of two major rivers that flows through the Kannur District of Kerala in India. The river originates from the slopes of the Western Ghats bordering Wayanad and Kannur districts. The 48 km long river flows in the ...
.
Muzhappilangad Beach
Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach (3.8 Kms length) is a beach on the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in southwestern India. It is considered as the longest drive-in beach in Asia and is featured among the top 6 best beaches for driving in the ...
, the sole beach where driving is possible in Kerala (with a 4 km long drivable area), is located within 6 km from the Downtown of Tellicherry.
Unlike southern Kerala, Thalassery region does not have lagoons (Kayal), although many rivers flow through the region. Thalassery however has a large area of mangroves, which is now being protected. The coast has no delta formation. The coastal plain is only a few kilometres in width and is bordered by highlands. The north of Thalassery is Dharmadam, an island area surrounded by two rivers and the sea. On the eastern side, hilly areas start from Kuthuparamba.
Demographics
India census, Thalassery had a population of 92,558, making it Kerala's eighth largest City in population. Males constitute 47% of the population and females 53%. City has an average literacy rate of 86%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. Both male and female literacy are 86%. In Thalassery, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. The Thalassery urban agglomeration consists of the Thalassery municipality and panchayaths of
Eranholi
Eranholi is a census town and suburb of Thalassery in Tellicherry Municipality in the state of Kerala, India, and located on Tellichery Mysore highway. The nearest town is Chirakkara. Eranholi bridge built across Eranholi river in 1937 which is ...
,
Kadirur
Kadirur is a census town and city suburb of Thalassery within the Thalassery Taluk of Kannur District in the State of Kerala, India. Kadirur is located about from the Thalassery Township. Kadirur is located on the Tellicherry-Mysore road.
Demo ...
,
Dharmadam
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-year ...
,
Muzhappilangad
Muzhappilangad (മുഴപ്പിലങ്ങാട്) is a coastal census town near Thalassery in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala.
History
The Kolathunadu emerged into independent 10 principalities i.e., Kadathanadu (Vada ...
,
Pinarayi
Pinarayi is a census town in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala.
Geography
Pinarayi is from the district headquarters Kannur. The nearest town and railway station is Thalassery which is away. The village is surrounded by rivers o ...
and
New Mahe
New Mahe is a census town in Thalassery taluk of Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is part of Greater Mahé Region.
Demographics
India census, New Mahe had a population of 11,230. Males constitute 46% of the population and fe ...
with a present population of around 300,000.
Hindus make up 61.37% of the population, Muslims 34.30% and Christians 3.64%.
Culture
Thalassery is called as the city of three Cs-Cake, Cricket and Circus as the first bakery in Kerala was established in the city and cricket was first played in India here.
The British had considerable impact on local culture. As an ancient trade center, the trading and business relations that existed with the Europeans and the Arabs brought people and ideas from many other lands. The European
Christian missionaries
A Christian mission is an organized effort for the propagation of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries, to carry on evangelism or other activities, such as ...
and the educational reforms they brought played an important role in transforming society.
![Muchilottu Bhagavathy Theyyam](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Muchilottu_Bhagavathy_Theyyam.jpg)
The Government of Kerala has included Thalassery in its heritage city project. The project includes the preservation of historical structures. Thalassery biryani is popular as an ethnic brand.
Thalassery Cuisine
The Thalassery cuisine refers to the distinct cuisine from Thalassery town of northern Kerala, which has blended in Arabian, Persian, Indian and European styles of cooking as a result of its long history as a maritime trading post.
Thalasse ...
is popular around the world as a blend of Arabian, Persian, Indian and European styles of cooking. Tellicherry pepper is a brand used in Europe.
Painting and sculpture exhibitions are frequently held at the
Kerala Lalithakala Akademi
Kerala Lalithakala Academy for Fine Arts is an autonomous body which was established in 1962 to promote art and artistic heritage, based at Thrissur in Kerala. Murali Cheeroth is the newly appointed chairman of Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademi on 202 ...
art gallery located in Keezhantimukk, Thiruvangad.
Theyyam
Theyyam
Theyyam (/ t̪eːjjəm/; romanised: ''teyyam'') are Hindu ritualistic dance forms practiced in northern Kerala and some parts of Karnataka. Theyyam is also known as Kaḷiyāṭṭaṁ or Tiṟa. Theyyam consists of traditions, rituals and c ...
or Thirayattam is a ritual performance art form that depict the cultural heritage of North Malabar, especially of ancient
Kolathunad
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 ...
. Theyyam depicts
Shiva bhutaganas,
Kali
Kali (; sa, काली, ), also referred to as Mahakali, Bhadrakali, and Kalika ( sa, कालिका), is a Hinduism, Hindu goddess who is considered to be the goddess of ultimate power, time, destruction and change in Shaktism. In t ...
and other deities and cultural heroes. The drama is enacted based on ancient stories and the language used is "Tottam pattu", a primitive form of Malayalam. Theyyam shows the Buddhist influence from centuries ago. Theyyam is usually held from October to May every year. The colour of Theyyam is typically red. Velan is described in the
Sangam literature
The Sangam literature (Tamil: சங்க இலக்கியம், ''caṅka ilakkiyam'';) historically known as 'the poetry of the noble ones' (Tamil: சான்றோர் செய்யுள், ''Cāṉṟōr ceyyuḷ'') connotes ...
500 CE. It could have been a tribal ritual art which evolved under Buddhism and the Brahminic revival of Hinduism. This art form is addressed as "Kaliyattom" North of Pazhayangadi Puzha, Kannur, as "Theyyam" South of the river and as "Tirayattom" around Thalassery.
Literature
The first Malayalam short story
Vasanavikriti "Vasanavikruti" is a short story written by Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar. It is considered by historians and literary experts as the first short story
A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuse ...
was written by
Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar
Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar (1860 – 14 November 1914) was a Malayali essayist and short story writer, and a prominent landlord of Malabar district.
Vengayil family
Nayanar was born in an aristocratic Nair family known as "Vengayil" in Chiracka ...
in Thalassery.
Indulekha, the first major Malayalam novel was published from Thalassery.
Veenapoovu, the poem by
Kumaran Asan
Mahakavi Kumaran Asan (Malayalam: എൻ. കുമാരൻ ആശാൻ) (12 April 1873 – 16 January 1924) was a poet of Malayalam literature, Indian social reformer and a philosopher. He is known to have initiated a revolution in Malayalam ...
was also published from Thalassery. Thinker and orator
M N Vijayan
Moolayil Narayana Menon Vijayan, popularly known as Vijayan Mash (8 June 1930 – 3 October 2007) was an Indian academic, orator, columnist and writer of Malayalam literature. Known for his leftist ideals and oratorical skills, Vijayan was th ...
spent a lifetime in Thalassery. Thalassery is also home to writer
N Prabhakaran. Actor and screenwriter
Sreenivasan
Sreenivasan (born 6 April 1956) is an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, dubbing artist and producer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. Sreenivasan has starred in over 225 films. Sreenivasan wrote the screenplays of films such as ' ...
hails from Thalassery.
William Logan was conversant 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 ...
,
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nati ...
and
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
S ...
. He is remembered for his 1887 guide to 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 ...
, popularly known as the ''Malabar Manual''.
Journalism
The first two Malayalam newspapers
Rajyasamacharam
''Rajyasamacharam'' or ''Rajya Samacharam'' was the first Malayalam journal published in Kerala. Its first issue came out in June 1847. Hermann Gundert, the editor of the journal, was a religious propagator from the Basel Evangelical Mission s ...
(1847) and ''Paschimodayam'' (1847) were published from Illikunnu, Nettoor in Tellicherry by
Herman Gundert
Hermann Gundert (Stuttgart, 4 February 1814 – 25 April 1893 in Calw, Germany) was a German missionary, scholar, and linguist, as well as the maternal grandfather of German novelist and Nobel laureate Hermann Hesse. Gundert is chiefly known ...
, who was the editor of the journal and was a religious propagator from German Basal Evangelical Mission Society(BEMP). Rajyasamacharam started publishing from Illikkunnu in Thalassery City.
Circus
Vishnu Pant Chhatre's Great Indian Circus, established in 1880 at Bombay was the first circus establishment in India. A tour of Thalassery led to the meeting of Chhatre with
Keeleri Kunhikannan
Keeleri Kunjikannan (1858–1939) was an Indian martial arts trainer and gymnast. He was one of the earliest circus owners in India.
Life
Kunhikannan was born in Thalassery in 1858. He was the gymnastic instructor of BEMP school, Thalassery. Hi ...
a martial arts trainer. Keeleri Kunjikannan established the first dedicated circus school in India in 1901. He is known as "the father of Kerala Circus". A Circus Academy was inaugurated in Thalassery in 2010.
Cuisine
![Thalassery Falooda](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Thalassery_Falooda.jpg)
Thalassery is known for its
biryani
Biryani () is a mixed rice dish originating among the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. It is made with Indian spices, rice, and usually some type of meat (chicken, beef, goat, lamb, prawn, fish) or in some cases without any meat, and so ...
(in local dialect, biri-yaa-ni) Unlike other biriyani cuisines
Thalassery biryani
The Thalassery cuisine refers to the distinct cuisine from Thalassery town of northern Kerala, which has blended in Arabian, Persian, Indian and European styles of cooking as a result of its long history as a maritime trading post.
Thalasser ...
uses
Kaima
Kaima is a small rural town in Kono District in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. The town lies about to Yengema and to Koidu Town. The population of Kaima is estimated at 2,217 (2009).
The town has two primary schools and one government ...
/
Jeerakasala
Gandhakasala rice is a variety of rice cultivated by the farmers in Wayanad District in Kerala. This is a scented variety of rice grown mostly by the members of the tribal communities of in Panamaram, Sultan Bathery, and Mananthavady areas in ...
rice instead of the usual
basmati rice
Basmati, , is a variety of long, slender-grained aromatic rice which is traditionally grown in India, Pakistan, and Nepal. .
and are other popular dishes.
[
]Porridge
Porridge is a food made by heating or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, (dried) fruit or syrup to make a sweet cereal, ...
s such as (ragi porridge) are also popular.
The trade of spices from the Malabar coast which began as 1500 BC is still an active business although most of the pepper export is currently from Vietnam. Tellicherry pepper is still considered an important ingredient by chefs globally.
Cricket
In 1800, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister o ...
made Thalassery (then Tellicherry) his base. Wellesley and his colleagues played cricket in the town maidan, often watched by bystanders, who would help the English officers whenever they were short of players. They played were from the dhobi
Dhobi known in some places as Dhoba or Rajaka, Madivala is a group of community in India and the greater Indian subcontinent whose traditional occupations are washing and ironing, Cultivator, agricultural workers.
They are a large community, ...
community and the fishermen who lived along the beach. In 1830, the Tellicherry Cricket Club (TCC) was formed. By the 1930s Thalassery had become a major cricket centre. Many teams used to visit the town for matches. The earliest record of a cricket match in Thalassery is a report in ''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 ...
'' in 1890. It's about a match between Thalassery and the neighbouring town of Kannur.
Thalassery Stadium
Thalassery Stadium (also known as Thalassery Municipal Cricket Ground) is located near the Thalassery Civil Station, Kerala state, South India. Thalassery Stadium hosts the Ranji Trophy cricket matches every year.
History
On this ground, the fi ...
, located close to the sea, hosts Ranji Trophy
The Ranji Trophy (also known as Mastercard Ranji Trophy for sponsorship reasons) is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between multiple teams representing regional and state cricket associations. Board of Control for Cr ...
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
matches quite often. Wellesley is believed to have introduced this game in Kerala in the 18th century for British soldiers garrisoned in the Tellichery Fort. India's first cricket club, which was later named the Town Cricket Club, was formed in 1850 at Tellichery by Wellesley. The Tellichery Cricket ground was the hub of cricket activities those days. An exhibition match was conducted in this ground to raise funds during the First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
Education
The educational renaissance of Malabar started from Thalassery due to the influence of European missionaries. Government Brennen College, Thalassery
Brennen College is an educational institution in Kerala, affiliated to the Kannur University. It is located in Dharmadam, Thalassery of Kerala state, India. The college evolved from a school established by the English philanthropist Edward Bre ...
, founded in 1862, is one of the oldest educational institutions in India.
Kannur University
Kannur University is a multi-campus public university established in 1996 to provide development of higher education in Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad districts of Kerala, India. It serves the region of North Malabar. It was established after the ...
Thalassery Campus is located at Palayad, 6 km north of Thalassery. The Basel Evangelic Mission Parsi High school is an English Medium school (established 1856) in Malabar. Dr. Hermann Gundert
Hermann Gundert ( Stuttgart, 4 February 1814 – 25 April 1893 in Calw, Germany) was a German missionary, scholar, and linguist, as well as the maternal grandfather of German novelist and Nobel laureate Hermann Hesse. Gundert is chiefly kno ...
was a tutor there. Kaikose Ruderasha, a Parsi
Parsis () or Parsees are an ethnoreligious group of the Indian subcontinent adhering to Zoroastrianism. They are descended from Persians who migrated to Medieval India during and after the Arab conquest of Iran (part of the early Muslim conq ...
, donated funds to build the institute with the assistance of German missionaries.
Government Brennen College
Brennen College is an educational institution in Kerala, affiliated to the Kannur University. It is located in Dharmadam, Thalassery of Kerala state, India. The college evolved from a school established by the English philanthropist Edward Br ...
was started b y Sir Edward Brennen
Edward Brennen (also spelled as Edward Brennan) was a British philanthropist who lived and died in Thalassery, Kerala. Government Brennen College, Thalassery and Govt. Brennen Higher Secondary School, Thalassery are named after him.
Biography
Bo ...
in 1862 as a school. Other colleges in Thalassery include College of Engineering Thalassery, Govt Arts and Science College, Thalassery, Medical College, Anjarakandy, Co-operative College of Nursing, Nettur and Co-operative College of Physiotherapy and para-medical sciences, Nettur.
Other educational institutions include Sports Authority of India
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) is the apex national sports body of India, established in 1982 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of Government of India for the development of sports in India. SAI has 2 Sports Academic institution ...
Centre, Nettur Technical Training Foundation
Nettur Technical Training Foundation operates more than 20 training centers around India, at Bangalore, Baddi, Bellary, Coimbatore, Dharwad, Gannavaram, Gopalpur-Odisha, Hyderabad, Jamshedpur, Kumbakonam, Kuttippuram, Malappuram, Murbad, ...
, St Joseph's Higher Secondary School, Sacred Heart Girls High School
Sacred Heart Girls Higher Secondary School is an educational institution in Thalassery, situated in the heart of Thalassery town, in front of the Thalassery Fort. Sacred Heart Girls High School is run by ''Apostolic Carmel Corporate management' ...
, and Basel Evangelical Mission Parsi High School
Basel Evangelical Mission Parsi School (BEMP) was founded by the German Basel Mission in 1856 in Thalassery as the Basel Mission German School. Its name was later changed to the Basel Mission German Parsi School after a Parsi philanthropist Kai ...
.
Transport
Thalassery Railway Station
Thalassery railway station ''(Code:TLY)'' is a railway station serving the City of Thalassery in Kerala. It lies in the Shoranur–Mangalore section of the Southern Railways. It is the third largest station in Kerala in terms of number of passeng ...
operates under the Palakkad Railway Division of the Southern Railway. It is a Class 'A' railway station. It is on the 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 ...
– 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 ...
line. No direct line connects Thalasery to Mysore, although a feasibility study for such a route was funded in 2013.
The nearest airport is 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 municip ...
, located 24 km east from the town. Calicut International Airport
Calicut International Airport , also known as Kozhikode Airport or Karipur Airport, is an international airport located in Karipur, Malappuram district of Kerala, India. It serves the Malabar region of Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad and Palak ...
100 km, 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. Mangalore ...
170 km and Cochin International Airport
Cochin International Airport is an International airport serving the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. Located at Nedumbassery, about northeast of the city centre, Cochin International Airport is first of its kind which is develo ...
235 km could be alternate choices.
Kanyakumari-Mumbai NH-66 passes through Thalassery. Kozhikode is 66 km from Thalassery. Mangalore is 150 km from Thalassery. Interstate highway, Thalassery-Coorg Road ( SH-30) is a major road linking Kerala to Kodagu
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 ...
district of 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 ...
State. Interstate buses ply on this route in a frequency of one in an hour. The hill stations Virajpet
The town of Virajpet also spelled as Virajapete is the second town of the district of Kodagu (Coorg), in Karnataka. It is the main town of the ''Virajpet taluka'', south of the district, in the Kerala-Karnataka border. The name is an abbreviatio ...
in Kodagu
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 ...
and Mananthavady
Mananthavady is a municipality and ''taluk'' in the Wayanad district of Kerala, India.
Etymology
The popular view on the etymology is that the word is derived from "Maane Eytha Vady" (English: "The place where an arrow was shot at the deer"). T ...
in Wayanad
Wayanad () is a district in the north-east of Indian state Kerala with administrative headquarters at the municipality of Kalpetta. It is the only plateau in Kerala. The Wayanad Plateau forms a continuation of the Mysore Plateau, the southern ...
are 82 km away from the town. Regular buses to Bengaluru
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 ...
, which is at a distance of 310 km from Thalassery, operate on a daily basis.
Tourism
The Thalassery carnival, the Beach fest in Muzhappilangad beach and Dharmadam beach are notable attractions. The area's four rivers (Anjarakkandi, Dharmadam, Koduvally and Mahe) around Thalassery town and four beaches (Muzhappilangad, Dharmadam, Thalassery (2 beaches)) with more in Kannur also attract visitors.
Muzhappilangad beach is a 5.5 km long beach in which it is possible to drive vehicles. This beach was listed as one of the top 10 drive in beaches in the world by BBC survey.http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20160617-the-worlds-best-beaches-for-driving
It is an important center of Kalari payattu and health tourism. Other visitors come to experience Theyyam and explore the area's history, such as Tellicherry Fort
Tellicherry Fort is in Thalassery (Tellicherry) a town in Kannur District of Kerala state in south India. Thalassery was one of the most important European trading centers of Kerala. The Fort lies on the group of low wooden hill running down t ...
.
Thalassery Pier
Thalassery Pier locally known as ''Kadalpalam'' is located in Thalassery, Kannur District of Kerala state, south India.
It is an old pier extending out into the Arabian Sea. It is frequented by people taking evening walks.
This "Kadalpalam" ...
(''Kadalpaalam''), Overbury's Folly
Overbury's Folly is a seaside park with a watch tower. It is located less than a kilometer from Thalassery, a commercial town on the Malabar Coast in the Kannur district, Kerala, India. It is named after its builder, E.N. Overbury, who serv ...
, Pazhassi Dam
The Pazhassi Dam also called Kulur Barrage is a stone masonry diversion structure in Kannur district, Kerala, India. It is named after king Pazhassi Raja, a patriot who died a heroic death in the war. The dam is constructed across the west flow ...
and Reservoir garden and Malayala Kala Gramam, New Mahe,(7 km from Thalassery) are other attractions. A shipwreck is visible near the Thalassery shore.
Political violence
This area is an epicenter of political violence between RSS and Communists. Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (abbreviated as CPI(M)/CPIM/CPM) is a Marxism–Leninism, Marxist–Leninist communist List of political parties in India, political party in India. It is the largest communist party of India in term ...
(CPI(M)) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( ; , , ) is an Indian right-wing, Hindu nationalist, paramilitary volunteer organisation. The RSS is the progenitor and leader of a large body of organisations called the Sangh Parivar (Hindi for "Sangh family" ...
(RSS) have been fighting in this area for supremacy for the last 50 years. Clashes in 2008 left seven people killed and many have been injured. The High Court of Kerala
The High Court of Kerala is the highest court in the Indian state of Kerala and the Union territory of Lakshadweep. It is located in Kochi. Drawing its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the High Court has the power to issu ...
called this manslaughter a "compelling sport" and suggested permanent deployment of Central forces
In classical mechanics, a central force on an object is a force (physics), force that is directed towards or away from a point called center of force.
: \vec = \mathbf(\mathbf) = \left\vert F( \mathbf ) \right\vert \hat
where \vec F is the for ...
in the affected areas.
Notable residents
*Veera Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja
Pazhassi Raja () (3 January 1753 – 30 November 1805) was known as Kerala Varma and was also known as Cotiote Rajah and Pychy Rajah. He was a warrior Hindu prince and de facto head of the kingdom of Kottayam (Malabar), Kottayam, otherwise ...
*Hermann Gundert
Hermann Gundert ( Stuttgart, 4 February 1814 – 25 April 1893 in Calw, Germany) was a German missionary, scholar, and linguist, as well as the maternal grandfather of German novelist and Nobel laureate Hermann Hesse. Gundert is chiefly kno ...
* William Logan
*Janaki Ammal
Edavalath Kakkat Janaki Ammal (4 November 1897 – 7 February 1984) was an Indian botanist who worked on plant breeding, cytogenetics and phytogeography. Her most notable work involved studies on sugarcane and the eggplant (brinjal). She also ...
(Botanist)
*Vainu Bappu
Manali Kallat Vainu Bappu (10 August 1927 – 19 August 1982) was an Indian astronomer and president of the International Astronomical Union. Bappu helped to establish several astronomical institutions in India, including the Vainu Bappu Ob ...
*DR.Ayyathan Gopalan
Rao Sahib Ayyathan Gopalan (3 March 1861 – 2 May 1948), popularly known as Darsarji and Darsar Sahib ("Darsar" means "doctor", derived from Latin word "docere" for doctor), was an Indian doctor, surgeon, professor, writer, philanthropist, s ...
*DR. Ayyathan Janaki Ammal (Physician)
* Sanjayan (Prof. Mannikoth Ramunni Nair)
* O Chandhu Menon
* Prof. M.N. Vijayan
*Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar
Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar (1860 – 14 November 1914) was a Malayali essayist and short story writer, and a prominent landlord of Malabar district.
Vengayil family
Nayanar was born in an aristocratic Nair family known as "Vengayil" in Chiracka ...
*Moorkoth Ramunni
Moorkoth Ramunni (15 September 1915 – 9 July 2009) was a Malayalee fighter pilot in the Royal Indian Air Force, and the first Indian Administrative officer from Dharmadam village. the youngest son of Moorkoth Kumaran.
He was an aviator from K ...
*Moorkoth Kumaran
Moorkoth Kumaran (1874–1941) was a social reformer, a teacher and a short story writer in Malayalam.
Kumaran came from a Thiyya family of Thalassery, Kannur. He was a disciple of Narayana Guru and wrote the first biography of Guru. He initiated ...
*Vagbhatananda
Vayaleri kunhikannan Gurukkal-''(Vagbhatananda)'' (1885 – October 1939) was a Hindu religious leader and Social reformer in British India. He was the founder of the Atmavidya Sangham, which was fundamentally a group of professionals and in ...
*Keeleri Kunhikannan
Keeleri Kunjikannan (1858–1939) was an Indian martial arts trainer and gymnast. He was one of the earliest circus owners in India.
Life
Kunhikannan was born in Thalassery in 1858. He was the gymnastic instructor of BEMP school, Thalassery. Hi ...
* Anadhatheerthan
*K. Raghavan
K. Raghavan (2 December 1913 – 19 October 2013), also fondly called Raghavan Master, was a Malayalam music composer and Carnatic Vocalist. Along with G. Devarajan, V. Dakshinamoorthy and Baburaj, Raghavan is often credited for the renaissance ...
* C V Devan Nair
*Pinarayi Vijayan
Pinarayi Vijayan (; born 24 May 1945) is an Indian Communist politician who is the current Chief Minister of Kerala, serving since 25 May 2016. A member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), he is the longest-serving sec ...
* V. Muraleedharan
*Kodiyeri Balakrishnan
Kodiyeri Balakrishnan (16 November 1953 – 1 October 2022) was an Indian politician of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He was the secretary of the CPI(M) Kerala State Committee from 2015 to 2022. He stepped down from the position of st ...
* N Prabhakaran
*VP Sathyan
Vatta Parambath Sathyan (29 April 1965 – 18 July 2006), popularly known as V. P. Sathyan, was a former Indian professional footballer who played the centre back position. He was the captain of the India national football team from 1991 t ...
*C.K. Vineeth
Chekiyot Kizhakkeveettill Vineeth (born 20 May 1988), commonly known as C. K. Vineeth, is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a forward for RoundGlass Punjab in the I-League.
Personal life
Born in Kannur district in the state of Ke ...
*Sreenivasan
Sreenivasan (born 6 April 1956) is an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, dubbing artist and producer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. Sreenivasan has starred in over 225 films. Sreenivasan wrote the screenplays of films such as ' ...
* Eranholi Moosa
*Shaan Rahman
Shaan Rahman (born 30 December 1979) is an Indian composer and singer, best known for his compositions in the Malayalam cinema. Shaan made his debut as a music director in the 2009 film ''Ee Pattanathil Bhootham'' directed by Johny Antony. He g ...
*Deepak Dev
Deepak Devraj Komath (born 30 April 1978), better known as Deepak Dev, is an Indian music composer, best known for his compositions in Malayalam cinema. He started his career in the Film Industry through the movie ''Chronic Bachelor'' (2003) di ...
*Vineeth Sreenivasan
Vineeth Sreenivasan (born 1 October 1984) is an Indian playback singer, actor, film director, screenwriter, producer, lyricist, creative director and dubbing artist. He predominantly works in the Malayalam cinema. He is the son of actor an ...
*Dhyan Sreenivasan
Dhyan Sreenivasan (born 20 December 1988) is an Indian actor, and film director who works in Malayalam films. He made his acting debut with ''Thira'' (2013), directed by his elder brother Vineeth Sreenivasan.
*Sushin Shyam
Sushin Shyam is an Indian music composer who works predominantly in the Malayalam film industry. He is also the keyboardist of the Indian folk metal band The Down Troddence. He started gaining popularity in 2018 with the films ''Varathan'' and ...
* Rayshad Rauf
*Chundangapoyil Rizwan
Chundangapoyil Puthiyapurayil Rizwan (19 April 1988) is an Indian-born cricketer who plays for the United Arab Emirates national cricket team. He has played for the United Arab Emirates national cricket team since 2019 and was appointed Twenty20 ...
Climate
Thalassery 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 wet season
The wet season (sometimes called the Rainy season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. It is the time of year where the majority of a country's or region's annual precipitation occurs. Generally, the sea ...
starts in June as the South-west monsoon
A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...
first hits the coastal Kerala and continues until the end of September. A brief pre-monsoon Mango showers
Mango showers is a colloquial term to describe the occurrence of pre-monsoon rainfall. Sometimes, these rains are referred to generically as ‘April rains’ or ‘Summer showers’. They are notable across much of South and Southeast Asia, inclu ...
interval occurs sometime during April. Precipitation from the North-East 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 ...
sets in during the second half of October through November.
See also
* Culture of Thalassery
The British had considerable impact on the culture of Thalassery, a city in northern Kerala, India. As an ancient trade center, the trading and business relations that existed with the Europeans and the Arabs brought people and ideas from many oth ...
* Jagannath Temple, Thalassery
Shree Jagannatha Temple is a major place of worship in Thalassery, Kannur District, Kerala province, India.
Location
The temple is located near Jagannath Temple Gate Railway Station, about one kilometre froThalassery city (Directions)
History
...
* Koorara
Koorara is a village in Kerala situated east of Thalassery in Kannur district, Kerala, India.
Transportation
The national highway passes through Thalassery town. Goa and Mumbai can be accessed on the northern side and Cochin and Thiruvanant ...
* Thiruvangad Sree Ramaswami Temple
Thiruvangad Sree Ramaswami Temple ( ml, തിരുവങ്ങാട് ശ്രീരാമസ്വാമി ക്ഷേത്രം) is a temple located in the eastern part of Thalassery. The temple is generally known as the Brass Pagod ...
References
Further reading
*
*
*
* ''Thalassery Arivukal'' K. M. Govi. Thalassery: Sanjayan Samskarika Vedi, 2011
External links
* Thalassery – Land of 3Cs Tow
Thalassery
* The Map of Thalassery Tow
Google Maps
{{Authority control
Cities and towns in Kannur district
Populated coastal places in India
Beaches of Kerala