TOURISM

Kolikod, Calicut


Kolikod is the ancient name of Calicut or Kozhikode. This is the largest south Indian city situated in the state of Kerala. Kolikod was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the Malabar District.

The modern name Kozhikode is derived from koyil which means palace and Kodu, which means fortified. Calicut earlier known as Kolikod is the anglicized version of Kozhikode. Conventionally Calicut was one of the world famous ports. It was renowned for trading in with the Arabian countries. The place, surrounded by the fort was known as Koyil (palace) Kotta (fort) and hence the name of the place became Kozhikode. Outsider who invaded Kozhikode called it by different names, like the Arabs called it Kalikat and for Chinese it was Kalifo. During the conquest of Malabar, Tipu Sultan tried to change the name of Kolikod to Ferozabad but was futile.

The historical evidences of Kolikod or Calicut or Kozhikode are as follows. The ports of the Malabar Coast in the earlier ages in the fourteenth century participated in the Indian Ocean trade in spices, silk, and other goods for over two millennia. The Chinese travellers such as Zheng visited Kolikod. From then Kozhikode emerged as the centre of an independent kingdom. From then Kolikod or Calicut came to be called the City of Zamorins

Portuguese explorer Vasco-da-gama in the year 1498 landed at Kappad, about twenty five kilometers from Kolikod or Calicut city. In the era of European Discoveries this was one of the major events. During the sixteenth century, the Portuguese set up trading posts to the north in Kannur and to the south in Kochi. However the Zamorin resisted the establishment of a permanent Portuguese presence in the city. In the year 1509 Calicut city was enforced to accept a Portuguese trading post in Chaliyar

Samoothirippadu united with Steven-van-der Hagen in the year 1604 represented the VOC and by the mid-17th century the Dutch had captured the Malabar Coast spice trade from the Portuguese. Hyder Ali of Mysore in 1766 conquered Kozhikode and much of the northern Malabar Coast. He conflicted against the Britishers living in Madras which resulted in Anglo-Mysore Wars. Kozhikode and the surrounding districts were among the territories ceded to the British by Tipu Sultan of Mysore at the conclusion of the Third Anglo-Mysore War in 1792. Thus Malabar Coast was organized into the Malabar District of Madras Presidency, and Calicut or Kolikod became the district capital. In the year 1947 when India got independence then Madras Presidency became the Madras State. After few years Malabar District was combined with the state of Travancore-Cochin to form the new state