India Travel
Kozhikode (Calicut) in Kerala
The busy coastal city of KOZHIKODE (Calicut), 225km north of Kochi, occupies an extremely important place in Keralan legend and history. It is also significant in the story of European interference in the subcontinent, as Vasco da Gama first set foot in India at Kozhikode in 1498. However, as a tourist destination, it’s a dud, with precious few remnants of its historic past. The few foreigners that pause here invariably do so only to break the long journey between Mysore and Kochi.
Kozhikode s roots are shrouded in myth. According to Keralan tradition, the powerful king Cheraman Perumal is said to have converted from Hinduism to Islam and left for Mecca “to save his soul", never to return. Before he set sail he divided Kerala between his relatives, all of whom were to submit to his nephew, who was given the kingdom of Kozhikode and the title zamorin. equivalent to emperor. The city prospered and, perhaps because of the story of the convert king, became the preferred port of Muslim traders from the Middle East in search of spices, particularly pepper. During the Raj, it was an important centre for the export of printed Indian cotton, whence the term “calico", an English corruption of the name Calicut itself an anglicized version of the city’s original Malayalam name, which has now been reinstated. Today, due to strong ties with the Gulf where numerous sons of the city work, Kozhikode is flourishing with the injection of new wealth.
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North of Kozhikode in Kerala
The beautiful coast of Kerala, north of Kozhikode, is a seemingly endless stretch of coconut palms, wooded hills and virtually deserted beaches; the towns hold little of interest for visitors, most of whom bypass the area completely. However, then you miss out on the fun of a search through the villages for Teyyattam, the extraordinary masked trance dances that take place throughout the region during winter.
Kozhikode (Calicut) Arrival and information in Kerala
The railway station (0495/701234), served by a handful of coastal expresses and several passenger trains, is close to the centre. Trains heading north on the Konkan Railway include the fast, all a/c Rajdhani Express #2431 (Fri & Sac) which stops at Madgaon (Goa) on the way to Delhi, but the most convenient, in terms of departure time, is the Netravati Express #6636 (daily 9.45am). Neither trains stop at Mangalore but at a nearby town. Kankanadi-Trains south include the Mangala Lakshadweep Express #2618 (daily 7.35am) to Ernakulam and the overnight Malabar Express #6330 (daily 10.40pm) to Thiruvananthapuram. O£ the three bus
Thrissur in Kerala
The breezy bazaar town of THRISSUR (Trichur), roughly midway between Kochi (74km south) and Palakkad (79km northeast) on NH-47. is an obvious base for exploring the cultural riches of central Kerala. Near the Palghat (Palakkad) Gap - an opening in the natural border made by the Western Ghat mountains - it presided over the main trade route into the region from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. For years Thrissur was the capital of Cochin State, controlled at various times by both the zamorin of Kozhikode and Tipu Sultan of Mysore. Today, it justifiably prides itself on being the cultural capital of
Travel details for Travel details in Kerala
For details of ferry services on the backwaters - primarily between Alappuzha and Kollam. Trains Kochi/Ernakulam to: Alappuzha (3-5 daily; 1hr 20min): Bangalore (1 daily; 14hr); Chennai (3-5 daily; 12hr45min-14hr40min); Coimbatore (3-4 daily; 4hr 45min-5hr 30min); Delhi (2 daily; 40hr 30min-49tir), Kanniyakumari (2-3 daily; 8hr); Kollam (8-9 daily; 3-4tir|; Kottayam (8-9 daily; 1hr 5min); Kozhikode (6-7.daily; 3hr 20min-6hr 20min); Mumbai (2-3 daily; 28hr 20min 10hr 25min); Palakkad (5-6 daily; 3hr 20mm); Tliiriivananthapuram (9-11 daily; 4hr 20min-5hr): Thrissur (12-14 daily; 1 hr 30min-2hr). Kozhikode to: Kochi (6-7 daily; 4hr 30min-5hr 10min); Mangalore (3-4 daily; 5hr 40min-6hr); Mumbai (2-3 daily; 16hr 20min-23hr); Thiruvananthapuram (4-6
North of Kozhikode Kannur (Cannanore) and around in Kerala
KANNUR (Cannanore), 92km north of Kozhikode, was for many centuries the capital of the Kolathiri rajas, who prospered from the thriving maritime spice trade through its port. In the early 1500s, after Vasco da Gama passed through, the Portuguese took it and erected an imposing bastion, St Angelo's fort, overlooking the harbour, but today this is occupied by the Indian army and closed to visitors. If you come to Kannur at all, it will probably be on the trail of Teyyattam, spectacular spirit-possession rituals that are an important feature of village life in the area from late October until May.
Kozhikode (Calicut) The City in Kerala
Few traces remain of the model city laid out in the fourteenth century, which followed a Hindu grid formula based on a sacred diagram containing the image of the cosmic man, Purusha. The axis and energy centre of the city was dictated by the position of the ancient Tali Shiva temple (closed to non-Hindus) which survives to this day. Everything, and everybody, had a place in the scheme. The district around the port in the northwest was reserved for foreigners. Here, a Chinese community lived in and around Chinese Street (now Silk Street) and, later, the Portuguese, Dutch and British
Kozhikode (Calicut) Accommodation and eating in Kerala
Kozhikode's reasonably priced city-centre hotels, most of which operate a 24-hr check-out, can fill up by evening, especially during conventions. The beach area is a quiet alternative. Your best bet for a proper meal is to eat at your hotel, though you can get south Indian snacks in town at the dependable Indian Coffee House on Kallai Road. The open-air Park Restaurant, by Mananchira tank, makes an appealing city centre oasis in the evenings. Mezban at the Asma Tower on Mavoor Road is comfortable with a tasteful a/c section where you can get Continental and local breakfasts. The strong menu
Some history in Kerala
The god Farashurama, "Rama with the battle-axe", the sixth incarnation of Vishnu, is credited with creating Kerala. Born a brahmin, he set out to re-establish the supremacy of the priestly class, whose position had been usurped by arrogant kshatryas, the martial aristocracy. Brahmins were forbidden to engage in warfare, but he embarked upon a campaign of carnage, which only ended when Varuna, the all-seeing god of the sea, gave him the chance to create a new land from the ocean, for brahmins to live in peace. Its limits were defined by the distance Parashurama could throw his axe; the waves
Alappuzha Practicalities in Kerala
The shambolic KSRTC bus stand, on the east of town, is served by half-hourly buses to Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakukm; less frequent buses run to Kottayam, Thrissur and Palakkad. The boat jetty is just one minute's walk west from the bus stand. As the backwaters prevent trains from continuing south beyond Alappuzha, only a few major daily services and a handful of passenger trains depart from the railway station, 3km southwest of the jetty. Among these are the Bokaro/Tata Express #8690 at 6am, the Trivandrum-Mumbai CST Express #6332 at 7.20am and the-Alleppey-Chennai Express #6042 at 3pm; all three stop at
North of Kozhikode Practicalities in Kerala
Straddling the main coastal transport artery between Mangalore and Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur is well connected by bus and train to most major towns and cities in Kerala. In addition buses also travel to Mysore turning inland at Thalassery (aka Tellychery) and climbing the beautiful wooded ghats toVirajpet in Kodagu. Decent budget accommodation is available at Plaza Tourist Home (0497/360031), close to the railway station gates on Fort Road, which has reasonable rooms and an Indian Coffee House restaurant downstairs. A few metres up the road lies Madan (0497/768204), a sunny friendly budget lodge set in a courtyard with simple rooms. Swadeshi Woodlands
Kochi (Cochin) Arrival and local transport in Kerala
Kochi's brand new international airport is at Nedumbassery, near Always (aka Alua), 26km to the north of Ernakulam. Kochi is served by daily flights from Mumbai. Bangalore. Thiruvananthapuram and Delhi, and six each week from Chennai. Two weekly flights depart from Goa, Hyderabad-Kozhikode. and Coimbatore, as well as the Lakshadweep Islands and the Gulf States of Doha. Dubai. Kuwait. Sharjah and Muscat. There are three railway stations - Ernakulam Junction (131), closest to the centre, is the most important; Ernakulam Town lies 4km to the north. No trains run to For Cochin or Mattan cherry. The Cochin
Thiruvananthapuram Information and tours in Kerala
All the tourist offices at the airport are open during flight times. The Government of India's counter (0471/501498) offers general information regarding Kerala and the adjacent states, while the Government of Kerala has two counters, one at the domestic terminal (0471/501085) and the other at the internacion.il terminal (0471/502298), offering Kerala-specific information including, for example, on backwater cruises. The Government of Kerala also has an office in the main block at the Thampanoor bus stand (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; 0471/327224) which is good for general information and maps and sells tickets for backwater cruises between Kollam and Alappuzha. They have another counter
Moving on from Kochi/ErakuEam in Kerala
For an overview of travel services to and from Kochi/Ernakulam, see Travel Details on p.1378. By air The new international airport (0484/610050, 610115. or 610116) at Nedumbassery near Alwaye (aka Alua), 26km to the north of Ernakulam, has been designed to attract international flights especially from the Gulf. Jet Airways has two flights a day to Mumbai, and Indian Airlines operates daily flights to Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, and Thiruvananthapuram. Indian Airlines flies six days a week to Chennai, and twice weekly to Goa, Coimbatore, Hyderabad and Calicut. If you want to fly to the Lakshadweep Islands, contact Casino Hotel, Willingdon Island f-
Chinese fishing nets in Kerala
The huge, elegant Chinese fishing nets that line the northern shore of Fort Cochin add grace to an already characterful waterside view, and ate probably. The single most familiar photographic image of Kerala. Traders from the court of Kublai Khan are said to have introduced them to the Malabar region" Known in Malayalam as cheena vala, they can also be seen throughout the back waters further south. The nets, which are suspended from arced poles and operated by levers and weights, require at least four men to control. You can buy fresh fish from the tiny market here and have
Some history of Goa
The sheer inaccessibility of Goa by land has always kept it out of the mainstream of Indian history; on the other hand, its control of the seas and the lucrative spice trade made it a much-coveted prize for rival colonial powers. Until a century before the arrival of the Portuguese adventurer Vasco da Gama, who landed near Kozhikode in Kerala in 1498, Goa had belonged for over a thousand years to the kingdom of Kadamba. In the interim it had been successfully conquered by the KarnatakanVijayanagars, the Muslim Bahmanis, andYusuf Adil Shah ofBijapur.but the capture of the fort at Panjim
Keralan murals in Kerala
The quality and unique style of the murals at Martancherry Palace in old Kochi, along with those in as many as sixty other locations in Kerala, are probably the best-kept secrets in Indian art. Most are on the walls of functioning temples; they are not marketable, transportable, or indeed even seen by many non-Hindus. Few date from before the sixteenth century, depriving them of the aura of extreme antiquity; their origins may go back to the seventh century, probably influenced by the Pallava style of Tamil Nadu, but only traces in one tenth-century cave temple survive from the earliest period.
Palakkad in Kerala
PALAKKAD (Palghat), surrounded by paddy fields, lies on NH-47 between Thrissur (79km) and Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (54km), and on the railway line from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Historically, thanks to the natural 20km-wide Palakkad Gap in the Western Ghats, this area has been one of the chief entry points into Kerala. The environs are beautiful, but the town itself doesn't warrant a stop, other than to break a journey. Arriving from Tamil Nadu, Palakkad, with its dry, Deccan-like landscape, unlike most of the state, gives a misleading first impression of Kerala. The well-preserved fort, built in 1766 by Haider Ali
Thripunitra Ernakulam in Kerala
Bimbi's, Sbanmugham Road and Jos Junction. Brisk new Indian-style fast-tood joints. Hugely popular for inexpensive Udupi, north Indian and Chinese snacks and meals, and the tangiest wada-sambars in town. They also do a great selection of shakes and ice creams. The Brasserie, Taj Residency, Marine Drive. Luxury coffee shop serving pricey snacks and a particularly good range of Western cakes (Dundee, Dlurn. palmettes and fudge). Caravan, Broadway, near the KTDC tourist office. A/c ice-cream parlour that's a good place to chill out over a banana split or milkshake. Open until midnight so you can nip in for a late dessert.
Cheruthuruthy Practicalities in Kerala
Cheruthuruthy s accommodation is limited, with some students staying as jjuests in private accommodation or at the new on-site, self-catering international Hostel. The village has a couple of simple guesthouses and the atmospheric Government Rest House (0488/462760; 0), a short distance along the Shoramur road from Kalamandalam, has eight vast and very basic rooms, some with Western-style toilets, and all sharing a veranda. The bustling and (Unattractive town of Shoramur has more options but none that could capture tthe charm of Cheruthuruthy and its environs. Food may be available by .arrangement, and there are simple "meals" shops in the village;
Ernakulam in Kerala
ERNAKULAM presents the modern face of Kerala, with more of a city feel than Thiruvananthapuram, but small enough not to be daunting. Other than the fairly dull Parishath Thamburan Museum (Tues-Sun 9.30am-noon & 3-5.30pm) in Darbar Hall Road, there's little in the way of sights. Along the busy, long, straight Mahatma Gandhi (MG) Road, which more or less divides Ernakulam in half 500m back from the sea, the main activities are shopping, eating and movie-going. Here you can email and phone to your heart's content, and choose from an assortment of great places to eat Keralan food. This area is