| Kannur |
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Kannur district in Kerala is bounded by a wealth of natural beauty. The Western ghats in the east, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts in the south, Lakshadweep seas in the west and Kasargod in the north |
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Kannur enjoys the credit of having been the cradle of many a colorful folk and folk music of Kerala |
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Kannur is that part of the legendary Malabar Coast where King Solomon's ships anchored to collect timber to build the 'Temple of the Lord' and to secure most needed spices. Here in the little hamlet on the banks of the river Valapattanam, is a giant Company of the modern timber industry and the largest wood-based industry in South East Asia |
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Merchants and travelers visited this political hotbed by turns-from the Arabs to the Portuguese, Dutch and English. They left their traces in forts, lifestyle, architecture and cuisine. For if the Arab influence can be traced in the delectable Malabar biryani, the Portuguese left their mark in the crunchy cookies found in most confectioneries here. The Kinnathappams, tapioca chips and Kallumakais (Mussels) are indeed a Kannur exclusive delicacy |
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Payyambalam beach |
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2 km from Kannur town is the quiet, secluded, beautiful stretch of sand. The Payyambalam beach is a popular picnic spot of the local people and holds much potential for development into a tourist resort |
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Payyambalam beach |
| Parassinikkadavu |
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The Parassinikkadavu Snake Park is committed to the preservation and conservation of snakes as most species of the reptile are on the verge of extinction. There are about 150 varieties of snakes including the spectacled cobra, King cobra, Russel Viper, Krait and Pit Viper living in the park |
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| The park also has a large collection of non-poisonous snakes including pythons. A research laboratory to extract venom from snakes is proposed here |
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| Parassinikkadavu Muthappan temple |
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This centre of worship and faith has in store many unique practices and rituals, and the temple architecture itself stands testimony to this aspect. Located 20 km away from Kannur, a northern district of Kerala, the Parassinikadavu Muthappan (Siva) Temple on the banks of the Valapatnam River attracts people from all sections of the society; irrespective of religion, caste and promotes the essence of "Vasudaiva Kutumbakam - The whole world is one family. |
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The origin of the Muthappan temple is connected to the appearance of a child who roamed the region with a string of interesting incidents and later vanished without a trace. The incidents up to the point of his disappearance later made the denizens feel the divine presence of Muthappan (Siva) who immediately erected a place of worship, which today is popularly known as the Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple |
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The temple is also a popular destination for travellers and pilgrims to savour the charm of Theyyam, a ritual that is performed here on a daily basis. Men adorning masks and costumes with a riot of colours perform this temple art form and it represents conflict between good and evil, with good ultimately emerging victorious |
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Thalassery Fort |
| Thalassery Fort |
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22km from the land of the exotic art form of theyyam-the northern district of Kannur – is the small town of Thalassery. In this town stands an imposing historical monument – the Thalassery Fort |
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The East India Company which had established its settlement on the Malabar Coast in 1683 built the monument as a testimonial of their colonial imperialism in 1703. The fort was once the nucleus of Thalassery’s development |
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The imposing square fort has massive walls, huge, intricately carved doors and secret tunnels to the sea – all in all, the perfect setting to get an authentic taste of some local history and heritage |
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Other interesting spots include Pazhassi Dam and Gardens which is ideal for backwater tourism. Gundert Bungalow, 20 km from Kannur, is near Thalasseri. It was here that the German missionary , scholar and lexicographer, Dr. Herman Gundert, compiled the first Malayalam dictionary. Thalasseri Fort was built by the British in 1708 and served as an important military centre |
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| St Angelo Fort |
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Fort St Angelo, built by the Portuguese Viceroy; Don Francisco De Almeida in 1505 A.D. and passed on successively to the Dutch and the English, offers a breathtaking view of the Mappila Bay. Under the Archeological Survey of India today, this historic monument is a must-see.An ideal gateway from the daily grind, Kannur has three beautiful beaches to frolic in-from the vast and exhilarating 4 km long drive-in beach atMuzhappilangad, to the green and golden Meenkunnu and the calm Payyambalam in the heart of the town |
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| How to reach |
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The nearest airport is Calicut, which is 93 Kms from kannur city. The nearest railway station is Kannur, which is 0 Kms from kannur city |
