103-695: Kozhikode ( pronounced [koːɻikːoːɖɨ̆] ), formerly known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the UNESCO's Cities of Literature . It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second most populous metropolitan area in Kerala and
206-495: A slave being sold at auction for 6,252 sestertii. A writing tablet from Londinium (Roman London ), dated to c. 75 –125 AD, records the sale of a Gallic slave girl called Fortunata for 600 denarii, equal to 2,400 sestertii, to a man called Vegetus. It is difficult to make any comparisons with modern coinage or prices, but for most of the 1st century AD, the ordinary legionary was paid nine hundred sestertii per annum, rising to twelve hundred under Domitian (81–96 AD),
309-726: A "big bazaar." Other travellers who visited Kozhikode include the Italian Ludovico di Varthema (1503–1508) and Duarte Barbosa . Kozhikode and its suburbs formed part of the Polanad kingdom, which was a vassal state to the Kolathunadu of North Malabar , ruled by the Porlatiri . The Eradis of Nediyiruppu at Kondotty in Eranad ( Malappuram district ) wanted an outlet to the sea, to initiate trade and commerce with
412-524: A 3rd-century BCE rock inscription by emperor Ashoka of Magadha . It was mentioned as one of four independent kingdoms in southern India during Ashoka's time, the others being the Cholas , Pandyas and Satyaputras . The Cheras transformed Kerala into an international trade centre by establishing trade relations across the Arabian Sea with all major Mediterranean and Red Sea ports as well those of
515-454: A bucket two sestertii, a tunic fifteen sestertii, a donkey five hundred sestertii. According to Tacitus ' Annals , book I, chapter 17.4 and 17.5, soldiers of the Rhine army who rose against Tiberius were paid ten asses a day, out of which they had to pay, among other things, for their own uniforms. They demanded to be paid a denarius a day, and they got it. Records from Pompeii show
618-406: A denarius. It was produced sporadically, far less often than the denarius, through 44 BC. In or about 23 BC, with the coinage reform of Augustus , the sestertius was reintroduced as a large brass denomination, while the as , now made of copper , was worth one quarter of a sestertius. Augustus tariffed the value of the sestertius as one hundredth of the gold aureus. The sestertius was produced as
721-536: A fine variety of hand-woven cotton cloth that was exported from the port of Kozhikode, is thought to have been derived from Calicut . The term for tricolour cats, called calico cats , is as well derived from the fabric name. The ancient port of Tyndis which was located on the northern side of Muziris , as mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea , was somewhere around Kozhikode. Its exact location
824-490: A main railway station, where all passing trains stops. There are other railway stations within the City limits. They are Elathur, West Hill, Vellayil and Kallai. Only local passenger trains stops in these stations. One can travel to almost all destinations within the country from Kozhikode. The history of railways in Kerala dates to 1861 when the first tracks were laid between Tirur and Beypore . Calicut International Airport
927-419: A place called Velapuram to safeguard his new interests. The fort most likely lent its name to Koyil Kotta the precursor to Kozhikode. Thus the city came into existence sometime in the 13th century. The status of Udaiyavar increased and he became known as Swami Nambiyathiri Thirumulpad, and eventually Samuri or Samoothiri (Zamorin). Europeans called him in a corrupt form as Zamorin . At the peak of their reign,
1030-662: A suburb of Kozhikode, it joins NH 66. It passes through major towns like Kondotty , Perinthalmanna , and Mannarkkad and Malappuram . This stretch connects the city and Calicut International Airport . SH 29 passes through the city. It connects NH 766, Malabar Christian College, civil station, Kunnamangalam , koduvally,Thamarassery,Chellot, Chitragiri and Road to Gudallor from Kerala border. State highway 38 starts from Pavangad near passes through Ulliyeri , Perambra , Kuttiady , Nadapuram , Panoor & Koothuparamba and ends at Chovva in Kannur . The highway is107;km long. It
1133-649: A ten thousand strong Nair bodyguard called the Kozhikkottu pathinaayiram (The 10,000 of Kozhikode) who defended the capital and supported the administration within the city. He had a larger force of 30,000 Nairs in his capacity as the Prince of Eranadu, called the Kozhikkottu Muppatinaayiram (The 30,000 of Kozhikode). The Nairs also formed the members of the suicide squad ( chaver ). The Muslims of Kozhikode are known as Mappilas , and according to
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#17327653639771236-522: Is South Malabar aka Kozhikode it's included present kozhikode and Thamarassery taluk , south wayanad it's included present kalpetta and sulthan battery places, Eranad Taluk which comes under present Malappuram District, Palakkad District and Chavakkad taluk of Thrissur district. During the British rule , the Malabar's chief importance laid in producing pepper , tiles , and Coconut. In
1339-479: Is 26 kilometres (16 mi) from the city . It began operations in 1988. Domestic services are operated to major Indian cities. It received the status of an international airport in 2006. Malabar Coast The Malabar Coast is the southwestern region of the Indian subcontinent . It generally refers to the western coastline of India stretching from Konkan to Kanyakumari . Geographically, it comprises one of
1442-452: Is 44.0 km long. This highway passes through Koyilandi , Ulliyeri , Balussery , Thamarassery , Omassery , Mukkam . Buses, predominantly run by individual owners, ply on the routes within the city and to nearby locations. City buses are painted green. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) runs regular services to many destinations in the state and to the neighboring states. The city has three bus stands. All private buses to
1545-598: Is a matter of dispute. The suggested locations are Ponnani , Tanur , Beypore - Chaliyam - Kadalundi - Vallikkunnu , and Koyilandy . Tyndis was a major center of trade, second only to Muziris , between the Cheras and the Roman Empire . Pliny the Elder (1st century CE) states that the port of Tyndis was located at the northwestern border of Keprobotos ( Chera dynasty ). The North Malabar region, which lies north of
1648-678: Is also the point of highest altitude in India outside the Himalayas , lies parallel to the Malabar Coast on the Western Ghats . The region parallel to the Malabar Coast gently slopes from the eastern highland of Western Ghats ranges to the western coastal lowland. The moisture-laden winds of the Southwest monsoon, on reaching the southernmost point of the Indian subcontinent , because of its topography, divide into two branches;
1751-480: Is also used by ecologists to refer to the Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests of southwestern India (present-day Kerala). Geographically, the Malabar Coast can be divided into three climatically distinct regions: the eastern highlands; rugged and cool mountainous terrain, the central mid-lands; rolling hills, and the western lowlands; coastal plains. The Western Ghats mountain range lie parallel to
1854-557: Is divided into six zones each under a circle officer. Apart from regular law and order, the city police comprise the traffic police, bomb squad, dog squad, fingerprint bureau, women's cell, juvenile wing, narcotics cell, riot force, armed reserve camps, district crime records bureau and a women's station. It operates 16 police stations functioning under the Home Ministry of Government of Kerala . National Highway 66 connects Kozhikode to Mumbai via Mangaluru , Udupi and Goa to
1957-450: Is often used to denote the entire southwestern coast of India. Additionally, European traders and scholars referred to Tamils of Sri Lanka as Malabars . In the 18th century, J. P. Fabricius described his Tamil-English Dictionary as the "Dictionary of Malabar and English". The term Malabar Coast , in historical contexts, refers to India's southwestern coast, which lies on the narrow coastal plain of Karnataka and Kerala between
2060-540: Is one of the busiest route in the district. SH 54 connects the city to Kalpetta . The highway is 99.0 kilometres (61.5 mi) long. The highway passes through Pavangad, Kozhikode , Ulliyeri, Perambra , Poozhithodu, Peruvannamuzhi and Padinjarethara. SH 68 starts from Kappad and ends in Adivaram. The highway is 68.11 kilometres (42.32 mi) long. SH 34 starts from Koyilandy and ends in Edavanna which
2163-600: Is over 845 km (525 mi) long and stretches from the coast of southwestern Maharashtra , along the region of Goa, through the entire western coast of Karnataka and Kerala, and up to Kanyakumari . It is flanked by the Arabian Sea on the west and the Western Ghats on the east. The southern part of this narrow coast is referred to as the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests . Malabar
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#17327653639772266-700: Is settled mostly around the Jain temple in and around the Valliyangadi. They owned many establishments, especially textile and sweet shops. They must have arrived in Kozhikode at least from the beginning of the 14th century. They belong to either the Hindu or the Jain community. A few Marwari families are also found in Kozhikode who was basically moneylenders. Languages of Kozhikode city (2011) By language, 97.64% of
2369-412: Is the first City Corporation in Kerala after the creation of the state. Established in 1962, Kozhikode Corporation's first mayor was H Manjunatha Rao. Kozhikode corporation has four assembly constituencies – Kozhikode North, Kozhikode South, Beypore and Elathur – all of which are part of Kozhikode . The Kozhikode City Police is headed by a commissioner, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. The city
2472-515: Is the preferred one and is very busy. Another route, is Kozhikode- Manathavady - Kutta -Mysore-Bangalore. The third one, less used, is Kozhikode–Gundlupet– Chamarajanagar – Kollegal –Bangalore. Private tour operators maintain regular luxury bus services to Mumbai , Bangalore , Coimbatore , Chennai , Vellore , Ernakulam , Trivandrum , Ooty , Mysore . etc. and mainly operate from the Palayam area. These are usually night services. Kozhikode has
2575-646: The 19th largest in India. Kozhikode is classified as a Tier 2 city by the Government of India. It is the largest city in the region known as the Malabar Coast and was the capital of the British-era Malabar district . It was the capital of an independent kingdom ruled by the Samoothiris (Zamorins). The port at Kozhikode acted as the gateway to medieval South Indian coast for the Chinese ,
2678-716: The Battle of Thrissur in 1763. Despite fierce resistance, the Zamorin's troops retreated, leading to their eventual evacuation from Cochin Territory. In pursuit of peace, the Zamorin agreed to indemnify Travancore for war expenses and vowed perpetual friendship, marking a triumph of strategy and valor led by Pillai. After the Dutch were defeated by Travancore king Marthanda Varma , the British crown gained control over Kerala through
2781-674: The Dutch , French and the British East India companies took centre stage during the colonial wars in India. Travancore became the most dominant state in Kerala by defeating the powerful Zamorin of Kozhikode in the battle of Purakkad in 1755. Paliath Achan of Cochin and Travancore united to expel the Zamorin of Calicut from Kochi territories. Under Martanda Pillai's leadership, Travancore's Nair forces , with General de Lannoy's guidance, successfully captured Thrissur in
2884-698: The Edakkal Caves , in Wayanad date back to the Neolithic era around 6000 BCE. The Malabar Coast has been a major spice exporter since 3000 BCE, according to Sumerian records and it is still referred to as the "Garden of Spices" or as the "Spice Garden of India". Kerala 's spices attracted ancient Arabs , Babylonians , Assyrians and Egyptians to the Malabar Coast in the 3rd and 2nd millennia BCE. Phoenicians established trade with Malabar during this period. Arabs and Phoenicians were
2987-598: The Fall of Calicut ). The English landed in 1615 (constructing a trading post in 1665), followed by the French (1698) and the Dutch (1752). In 1765, Mysore captured Kozhikode as part of its occupation of the Malabar Coast. Kozhikode, once a famous cotton-weaving centre, gave its name to the Calico cloth . It was ranked eleventh among Tier-II Indian cities in job creation by a study conducted by ASSOCHAM in 2007. Accounts of
3090-518: The Far East . The dominion of Cheras was located in one of the key routes of the ancient Indian Ocean trade . The early Cheras collapsed after repeated attacks from the neighboring Cholas and Rashtrakutas . During the early Middle Ages , Namboodiri Brahmin immigrants arrived in Kerala and shaped the society on the lines of the caste system . In the 8th century, Adi Shankara was born at Kalady in central Kerala. He travelled extensively across
3193-496: The Indian subcontinent founding institutions of the widely influential philosophy of Advaita Vedanta . The Cheras regained control over Kerala in the 9th century until the kingdom was dissolved in the 12th century, after which small autonomous chiefdoms, most notably the Kingdom of Kozhikode , arose. The 13th century Venetian explorer, Marco Polo , would visit and write of his stay in the province. The port at Kozhikode acted as
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3296-498: The North-East Monsoon that sets in from the second half of October through November. This city has winter (December-February) hotter than summer (June-August), while spring (March-May) is the hottest season. The total population under Municipal Corporation limits is 550,440. Males form 47.7% and females 52.3%. Kozhikode has been a multi-ethnic and multi-religious town since the early medieval period . The Hindus form
3399-511: The Persian / Arabic word Barr (country/continent). The first element of the name is first attested in the Topography written by Cosmas Indicopleustes (6th century CE), which indicates that Arab sailors call Kerala Male already at that time. The Topography mentions a pepper emporium called Male , which clearly gave its name to Malabar ('the country of Male'). The second part of
3502-571: The Persians , the Arabs , and finally the Europeans. According to data compiled by economics research firm Indicus Analytics in 2009 on residences, earnings and investments, Kozhikode was ranked the second-best city in India to live in. In 2023, Kozhikode was recognised by UNESCO as India's first City of Literature . The exact origin of the name Kozhikode is uncertain. According to many sources,
3605-412: The Roman Empire it was a large brass coin. The name sestertius means "two and one half", referring to its nominal value of two and a half asses (a bronze Roman coin, singular as ), a value that was useful for commerce because it was one quarter of a denarius , a coin worth ten asses . The name is derived from semis , "half" and tertius , "third", in which "third" refers to the third as :
3708-862: The Third Portuguese Armada and Kingdom of Cochin under João da Nova and Zamorin of Calicut 's navy marks the beginning of Portuguese conflicts in the Indian Ocean . The defeat of the joint fleet of the Sultan of Gujarat Mahmud Begada , the Mamlûk Burji Sultanate of Egypt , and the Zamorin of Calicut with support from the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Diu in February 1509 marks
3811-532: The Western Ghats range and the Arabian Sea . The coast runs from south of Goa to Kanyakumari on India's southern tip. India's southeastern coast is called the Coromandel Coast . In ancient times the term Malabar was used to denote the entire south-western coast of the Indian peninsula. The region formed part of the ancient kingdom of Chera until the early 12th century. Following the breakup of
3914-562: The as and the Antoninianus from the denarius. Eventually, many sestertii were withdrawn by the state and by forgers, to melt down to make the debased Antoninianus, which made inflation worse. In the coinage reforms of the 4th century, the sestertius played no part and passed into history. The sestertius was also used as a standard unit of account and was represented on inscriptions with the monogram HS. Large values were recorded in terms of sestertium milia , thousands of sestertii, with
4017-458: The double sestertius was issued first by Trajan Decius (249–251 AD) and later in large quantity by the ruler of a breakaway regime in the West, named Postumus (259–268 AD), who often used worn old sestertii to overstrike his image and legends on. The double sestertius was distinguished from the sestertius by the radiate crown worn by the emperor, a device used to distinguish the dupondius from
4120-491: The milia often omitted and implied. The wealthy general and politician of the late Roman Republic, Crassus , who fought in the war to defeat Spartacus , was said by Pliny the Elder to have had "estates worth 200 million sesterces". A loaf of bread cost roughly half a sestertius, and a sextarius (c. 0.5 L) of wine anywhere from less than half to more than one sestertius. One modius (6.67 kg) of wheat in 79 AD Pompeii cost seven sestertii, of rye three sestertii,
4223-462: The samoothiris (Zamorins) in the Middle Ages and later of the erstwhile Malabar District under British rule. Arab merchants traded with the region as early as 7th century, and Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed at Kozhikode on 20 May 1498, thus opening a trade route between Europe and India. A Portuguese factory and the fort was intact in Kozhikode for short period (1511–1525, until
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4326-510: The zinc component being gradually lost as it burned off in the high temperatures needed to melt copper (zinc melts at 419 °C but boils at 907 °C, copper melts at 1085 °C). The shortfall was made up with bronze and even lead . Later sestertii tend to be darker in appearance as a result and are made from more crudely prepared blanks (see the Hostilian coin on this page). The gradual impact of inflation caused by debasement of
4429-464: The " Arabian Sea Branch" and the " Bay of Bengal Branch". The "Arabian Sea Branch" of the Southwest monsoon first hits the Western Ghats, making Kerala the first state in India to receive rain from the Southwest monsoon. The Malabar Coast is a source of biodiversity in India. According to William Logan , the word Malabar comes from a combination of the Dravidian word Mala (mountain) and
4532-550: The 20 or 30 mosques built to cater to the religious needs of the Muslims, the unique system of calculation by the merchants using their fingers and toes (followed to this day) and the matrilineal system of succession. Abdur Razzak (1442–1443) the ambassador of Persian Emperor Sha-Rohk finds the city harbour perfectly secured and notices precious articles from several maritime countries especially from Abyssinia , Zirbad and Zanzibar . The Italian Niccolò de' Conti (1445), perhaps
4635-471: The 20th century. Brahmins, too, lived in the city mostly around the Hindu temples. Regional groups like the Tamil Brahmins , Gujaratis and Marwari Jains became part of the city and lived around their shrines. The Nairs formed the rulers, warriors and landed gentry of Kozhikode. The Thiyyar formed the vaidyars ( Ayurveda Physicians), local militia and traders of Kozhikode. The Samoothiri had
4738-484: The 260s and 270s the main unit was the double-denarius, the Antoninianus , but by then these small coins were almost all bronze. Although these coins were theoretically worth eight sestertii, the average sestertius was worth far more in plain terms of the metal it contained. Some of the last sestertii were struck by Aurelian (270–275 AD). During the end of its issue, when sestertii were reduced in size and quality,
4841-531: The Chera Kingdom, the chieftains of the region proclaimed their independence. Notable among these were the Zamorins of Kozhikode , Kolathunadu , Perumbadappu Swaroopam , Venad , Kingdom of Valluvanad of Kingdom of Valluvanad . The name Malabar Coast is sometimes used as an all-encompassing term for the entire Indian coast from Konkan to the tip of the subcontinent at Kanyakumari. This coast
4944-511: The Elder mentioned that Limyrike was prone by pirates. The Cosmas Indicopleustes mentioned that the Limyrike was a source of Malabar peppers . In the last centuries BCE the coast became important to the Greeks and Romans for its spices, especially Malabar pepper. The Cheras had trading links with China , West Asia , Egypt , Greece , and the Roman Empire . In foreign-trade circles
5047-660: The Haidari Fakeers of Rome do... The greater part of the Muslim merchants of this place are so wealthy that one of them can purchase the whole freightage of such vessels put here and fit out others like them". Ma Huan (1403), the Chinese sailor part of the Imperial Chinese fleet under Cheng Ho ( Zheng He ) lauds the city as a great emporium of trade frequented by merchants from around the world. He makes note of
5150-522: The Himalaya mountains. Malabar's western coastal belt is relatively flat compared to the eastern region, and is criss-crossed by a network of interconnected brackish canals, lakes, estuaries , and rivers known as the Kerala Backwaters . The Kuttanad region, also known as The Rice Bowl of Kerala , has the lowest altitude in India . The country's longest lake Vembanad , dominates
5253-597: The Malabar Coast including the western coastal lowlands and the plains of the midland may have been under the sea in ancient times. Marine fossils have been found in an area near Changanassery , thus supporting the hypothesis. Pre-historical archaeological findings include dolmens of the Neolithic era in the Marayur area of the Idukki district , which lie on the eastern highland made by Western Ghats . Rock engravings in
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#17327653639775356-542: The Phoenicians. According to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea , a region known as Limyrike began at Naura and Tyndis . However, the Ptolemy mentions only Tyndis as the Limyrike ' s starting point. The region probably ended at Kanyakumari ; it thus roughly corresponds to the present-day Malabar Coast. The value of Rome's annual trade with the region was estimated at 50,000,000 sesterces . Pliny
5459-418: The Western Malabar Coast, thus accessing the marine route through Arabian Sea . The first railway line of Kerala from Tirur to Beypore in 1861 was laid for it. With India's independence, Madras presidency became Madras State , which was divided along linguistic lines on 1 November 1956, whereupon Kasaragod region was merged with the Malabar immediately to the north and the state of Travancore-Cochin to
5562-467: The Zamorin expelled the Portuguese with the help of the Dutch East India Company . In 1602, the Zamorin sent messages to Aceh promising the Dutch a fort at Kozhikode if they would come and trade there. Two factors, Hans de Wolff and Lafer, were sent on an Asian ship from Aceh, but the two were captured by the chief of Tanur , and handed over to the Portuguese. A Dutch fleet under Admiral Steven van der Hagen arrived at Kozhikode in November 1604. It marked
5665-554: The Zamorins ruled over a region from Kollam ( Quilon ) to Panthalayini Kollam ( Koyilandy ). Following the discovery of the sea route from Europe to Kozhikode in 1498, the Portuguese began to expand their territories and ruled the seas between Ormus and the Malabar Coast and south to Ceylon . Kallingal Madathil Rarichan Moopan and Pullambil Moopan and Vamala Moopan families were very prominent among those who said that two centuries ago, some Jenmis in Kozhikode were engaged in sea trade and shipping . According to K.V. Krishna Iyer,
5768-427: The backwaters; it lies between Alappuzha and Kochi and is about 200 km (77 sq mi) in area. Around eight percent of India's waterways are found in Kerala. The term Malabar Coast is sometimes used as an all-encompassing term for the entire Indian coast from the western coast of Konkan to the tip of the subcontinent at Cape Comorin . It is over 525 miles or 845 kilometers long. It spans from
5871-406: The beginning of Portuguese dominance of the Spice trade and the Indian Ocean . The continuous wars between the Zamorin navy under the Kunjali Marakkar (Fleet Admiral) and the Portuguese in the 16th century reduced the importance of Kozhikode as a centre of trade. The Kunjali Marakkars are credited with organizing the first naval defense of the Indian coast. At the beginning of the 17th century
5974-420: The beginning of the Dutch presence in Kerala and they concluded a treaty with Kozhikode on 11 November 1604, which was also the first treaty that the Dutch East India Company made with an Indian ruler. By this time the kingdom and the port of Kozhikode was much reduced in importance. The treaty provided for a mutual alliance between the two to expel the Portuguese from Malabar. In return the Dutch East India Company
6077-416: The city and the conditions prevailing then can be gleaned from the chronicles of travellers who visited the port city. Ibn Battuta (1342–1347), who visited six times, gives the earliest glimpses of life in the city. He describes Kozhikode as "one of the great ports of the district of Malabar" where "merchants of all parts of the world are found here". The king of this place, he says, "shaves his chin just as
6180-429: The coast on the eastern highland and separate the plains from the Deccan Plateau . These mountains recognised as one of the world's eight "hottest hotspots" of biological diversity and is listed among UNESCO World Heritage Sites . The peak of Anamudi in Kerala is the highest peak in India outside the Himalayas , is at an elevation of 2,695 m (8,842 ft). The chain's forests are considered to be older than
6283-421: The creation of the Malabar District in northern Kerala and by allying with the newly created princely state of Travancore in the southern part of the state until India was declared independent in 1947. The state of Kerala was created in 1956 from the former state of Travancore-Cochin , the Malabar district and the Kasaragod taluk of South Canara District of Madras state . After the Anglo-Mysore wars,
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#17327653639776386-402: The distant lands. and after fighting with the king Polatthiri for 48 years conquered the area around Panniankara . After this, Menokki became the ruler of Polanad and came to terms with the troops and people. After this, the town of Kozhikode was founded close to the palace at Tali. Then, the Eradis shifted their headquarters from Nediyiruppu to Kozhikode. The Governor of Ernad built a fort at
6489-413: The equivalent of 3.3 sestertii per day. Half of it was deducted for living costs, leaving the soldier, if he was lucky enough to get paid, with about 1.65 sestertii per day. Early brass sestertii are highly valued by numismatists , since their large size gave engravers a large area in which to produce detailed portraits and reverse types. The most celebrated are those produced for Nero (54–68 AD) between
6592-405: The first Christian traveller who noticed Kozhikode, describes the city as abounding in pepper, lac, ginger, a larger kind of cinnamon, myrobalans and zedoary. He calls it a noble emporium for all India, with a circumference of 13 kilometres (8 miles). The Russian traveller Athanasius Nikitin or Afanasy Nikitin (1468–1474) calls 'Calecut' a port for the whole Indian sea and describes it as having
6695-416: The first to enter the Malabar Coast to trade Spices . The Arabs on the coasts of Yemen , Oman , and the Persian Gulf , must have made the first long voyage to Malabar and other eastern countries . They must have brought the Cinnamon of Malabar to the Middle East . The Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BCE) records that in his time the cinnamon spice industry was monopolized by the Egyptians and
6798-429: The gateway to medieval South Indian coast for the Chinese , the Arabs , the Portuguese , the Dutch , and finally the British . In 1498, Vasco Da Gama established a sea route to Kozhikode during the Age of Discovery , which was also the first modern sea route from Europe to South Asia , and raised Portuguese settlements, which marked the beginning of the colonial era of India. European trading interests of
6901-404: The half-sestertius, the dupondius , was around the same size and weight as the bronze was, but was worth two asses. Sestertii continued to be struck until the late 3rd century, although there was a marked deterioration in the quality of the metal used and the striking even though portraiture remained strong. Later emperors increasingly relied on melting down older sestertii, a process which led to
7004-421: The largest brass denomination until the late 3rd century AD. Most were struck in the mint of Rome but from AD 64 during the reign of Nero (AD 54–68) and Vespasian (AD 69–79), the mint of Lyon ( Lugdunum ), supplemented production. The brass sestertius typically weighs in the region of 25 to 28 grams, is around 32–34 mm in diameter and about 4 mm thick. The distinction between bronze and brass
7107-566: The largest religious group, followed by Muslims and Christians . Hindus form the majority at 57.37% of the population with 315,807 members. Muslims form 37.66% of the population with 207298 members. The corporation of Kozhikode has an average literacy rate of 96.8% ( national average is 74.85%). The male literacy rate is 97.93% and female literacy rate is 95.78%. Pre-modern Kozhikode was already teeming with people of several communities and regional groups. Most of these communities continued to follow their traditional occupations and customs till
7210-456: The medieval period, and have served as centers of the Indian Ocean trade for millennia. Because of their orientation to the sea and to maritime commerce, the Malabar coast cities feel very cosmopolitan , and have been home to some of the first groups of Jews (known today as Cochin Jews ), Syrian Christians (known as Saint Thomas Christians ), Muslims (presently known as Mappilas ), and Anglo-Indians in India. A substantial portion of
7313-416: The most dominant state in Kerala by defeating the Zamorin of Kozhikode in the battle of Purakkad in 1755. Kozhikode came under British Rule after the Mysorean conquest of Malabar in the late 18th century. The British later also formed a regiment called the Thiyyar Regiment to meet their military operations in Malabar . Kozhikode was the capital city of Malabar District , one of the two districts on
7416-638: The name Kozhikode is derived from Koyil-kota (fort), meaning "fortified palace". Koil or Koyil or Kovil is the Malayalam / Tamil term for a Hindu temple , referring to the Tali Shiva Temple . Both the terms kōyil and kōvil are used interchangeably. The Tamil name of the city is Kaḷḷikkōṭṭai. The name also got corrupted into Kolikod , or its Arab version Qāliqūṭ ( IPA : qˠaːliqˠːuːtˤ) and later its anglicised version Calicut. Chinese merchants called it Kūlifo . The word calico ,
7519-458: The name is thought by scholars to be the Arabic word barr ('continent') or its Persian relative bar ('country'). Al-Biruni (AD 973 - 1048) is the first known writer to use the name Malabar . Authors such as Ibn Khordadbeh and Al-Baladhuri mention Malabar ports in their works. The Arab writers had called this place Malibar , Manibar , Mulibar , and Munibar . Malabar is reminiscent of
7622-453: The north and Kochi and Kanyakumari near Thiruvananthapuram to the south along the west coast of India. This highway connects the city with the other important towns like, Kasaragod , Kanhangad , Kannur , Thalassery , Mahe , Vadakara , Koyilandy Ramanattukara , Kottakkal , Valanchery , Kuttippuram , Ponnani , Kodungallur , North Paravur , Ernakulam , Edapally and proceeds to Alappuzha , Thiruvananthapuram and terminates at
7725-467: The official Kozhikode website "the great majority of them are Sunnis following the Shafi school of thought . There are some smaller communities among the Muslims such as Dawoodi Bohras of Gujarati origin. Many of the Muslims living in the historic part of the city follow matrilineality and are noted for their piety. Though Christianity is believed to have been introduced in Kerala in the 1st century CE,
7828-596: The old administrative records of the Madras Presidency , it is recorded that the most remarkable plantation owned by Government in the erstwhile Madras Presidency was the Teak plantation at Nilambur planted in 1844. The District of Malabar and the ports at Beypore and Fort Kochi had some sort of importance in the erstwhile Madras Presidency as it was one of the two districts of the Presidency that lies on
7931-504: The parts of the Malabar Coast, those became British colonies, were organized into a district of British India . The British district included the present-day districts of Kannur , Kozhikode , Wayanad , Malappuram , much of Palakkad (Excluding Chittur taluk), some parts of Thrissur ( Chavakkad Taluk), and the Fort Kochi region of Ernakulam district , besides the isolated islands of Lakshadweep . The administrative headquarters
8034-654: The patronage of Ptolemy VIII , king of the Hellenistic Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt. Roman establishments in the port cities of the region, such as a temple of Augustus and barracks for garrisoned Roman soldiers, are marked in the Tabula Peutingeriana , the only surviving map of the Roman cursus publicus . The term Kerala was first epigraphically recorded as Ketalaputo ( Cheras ) in
8137-518: The population speaks Malayalam and 0.91% Tamil as their first language. The city is administered by the Kozhikode Corporation, headed by a mayor. For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 75 wards , from which the members of the corporation council are elected for five years. Recently neighbouring suburbs Beypore , Elathur , Cheruvannur and Nallalam were merged within the municipal corporation. Kozhikode Corporation
8240-430: The port at Tyndis , was ruled by the kingdom of Ezhimala during Sangam period . According to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea , a region known as Limyrike began at Naura and Tyndis . However Ptolemy mentions only Tyndis as Limyrike ' s starting point. The region probably ended at Kanyakumari ; it thus roughly corresponds to the present-day Malabar Coast . The value of Rome's annual trade with
8343-452: The region was estimated at around 50,000,000 sesterces . Pliny the Elder mentioned that Limyrike was prone by pirates. The Cosmas Indicopleustes mentioned that the Limyrike was a source of peppers. In the 14th century, Kozhikode conquered larger parts of central Kerala after the seize of Tirunavaya region from Valluvanad , which were under the control of the king of Perumbadappu Swaroopam (Cochin). The ruler of Perumpadappu
8446-419: The region was known as Male or Malabar . Muziris , Tyndis , Naura (near Kannur ), and Nelcynda were among the principal ports at that time. Contemporary Sangam literature describes Roman ships coming to Muziris in Kerala, laden with gold to exchange for Malabar pepper . One of the earliest western traders to use the monsoon winds to reach Kerala was Eudoxus of Cyzicus , around 118 or 166 BCE, under
8549-480: The rise of Kozhikode is at once a cause and a consequence of Zamorin's ascendancy in Kerala. By the end of the 15th century, the Zamorin was at the zenith of his powers with all princes and chieftains of Kerala north of Kochi acknowledging his suzerainty. The Sweetmeat Street ( Mittayi Theruvu ) was an important trading street under Zamorin's rule. The First Battle of Cannanore that occurred in January 1502 between
8652-471: The sestertius was worth two full asses and half of a third. English-language sources routinely use the original Latin form sestertius , plural sestertii ; but older literature frequently uses sesterce , plural sesterces , terce being the English equivalent of tertius . A modern shorthand for values in sestertii is IIS (Unicode 𐆘), in which the Roman numeral II is followed by S for semis , and
8755-425: The silver currency meant that the purchasing power of the sestertius and smaller denominations like the dupondius and as was steadily reduced. In the 1st century AD, everyday small change was dominated by the dupondius and as , but in the 2nd century, as inflation hit, the sestertius became the dominant small change. In the 3rd century silver coinage contained less and less silver, and more and more copper or bronze. By
8858-687: The size of the community in Malabar (northern Kerala) began to rise only after the arrival of Portuguese missionaries towards the close of the 15th century. A few Christians of Thiruvitankoor and Kochi have lately migrated to the hilly regions of the district and are settled there. The Tamil Brahmins are primarily settled around the Tali Siva temple. They arrived in Kozhikode as dependants of chieftains, working as cooks, cloth merchants and moneylenders. They have retained their Tamil language and dialects as well as caste rituals. The Gujarati community
8961-483: The south to form the state of Kerala. Before that, Kasaragod was a part of South Canara district of Madras Presidency . Lakshadweep Islands were separated to form a new union territory. Sesterces The sestertius ( pl. : sestertii ) or sesterce ( pl. : sesterces ) was an ancient Roman coin . During the Roman Republic it was a small, silver coin issued only on rare occasions. During
9064-448: The south-western coast of Maharashtra and goes along the coastal region of Goa , through the entire western coast of Karnataka and Kerala and reaches till Kanyakumari . It is flanked by the Arabian Sea on the west and the Western Ghats on the east. The Southern part of this narrow coast is the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests . Climate-wise, the Malabar Coast, especially on its westward-facing mountain slopes, comprises
9167-472: The southern tip of India, Kanyakumari . National Highway 766 connects Kozhikode to Bangalore through Kollegal in Karnataka via Tirumakudal Narsipur , Mysore , Nanjangud , Gundlupet , Sulthan Bathery , Kalpetta and Thamarassery . National Highway 966 connects Kozhikode to Palakkad through Malappuram , Perinthalmanna . It covers a distance of 125 kilometres (78 mi). At Ramanattukara,
9270-803: The suburban and nearby towns ply from the Palayam Bus Stand. Private buses to adjoining districts start from the Mofussil Bus Stand on Indira Gandhi Road (Mavoor Road). Buses operated by the KSRTC drive from the KSRTC bus stand on Indira Gandhi Road. KSRTC Bus Stand Kozhikode is the largest bus stand in Kerala having a size of 36,036.47 meter square. There are also KSRTC depots in Thamarassery , Thottilpalam , Thiruvambady and Vatakara . There are three routes available to Bangalore. Kozhikode– Sulthan Bathery - Gundlupet – Mysore – Bangalore
9373-404: The superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while Kannur, Kollam , and Kochi , were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather. In the 15th century, Kozhikode was visited several times by ships from China, which became known as Ming treasure voyages . Kozhikode was the capital of an independent kingdom ruled by
9476-669: The western coast ( Malabar Coast ) of Madras presidency . During the British rule , Malabar's chief importance lay in producing pepper , coconut , tiles , and teak . Kozhikode municipality was formed on 1 November 1866 according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850) of the British Indian Empire , making it the first modern municipality in the state. Kozhikode Municipality
9579-594: The wettest region of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden Southwest monsoon rains. The Malabar rainforests include these ecoregions recognized by biogeographers : The Monsooned Malabar coffee bean comes from this area. The Malabar Coast featured (and in some instances still does) several historic port cities. Notable among these were/are Naura , Vizhinjam , Muziris , Nelcynda , Beypore and Thundi (near Ponnani or Kadalundi ) during ancient times, and Kozhikode (Calicut), Kollam , Ponnani , Kannur (Cannanore), and Cochin in
9682-464: The wettest regions of the subcontinent, which includes the Kanara region of Karnataka , all of Kerala and Kanyakumari region of Tamil Nadu . Kuttanad , which is the point of the lowest altitude in India , lies on the Malabar Coast. Kuttanad, also known as The Rice Bowl of Kerala , is among the few places in the world where cultivation takes place below sea level. The peak of Anamudi , which
9785-416: The whole struck through; but because this symbol and striking through letters are not always convenient, HS may be used instead, with the horizontal bar of the 'H' representing the strike through the numeral II , rather than the letter H . The sestertius was introduced c. 211 BC as a small silver coin valued at one-quarter of a denarius (and thus one hundredth of an aureus ). A silver denarius
9888-450: The word Malanad which means the land of mountains . Until the arrival of the British , the term Malabar was used in foreign trade circles as a general name for Kerala . Earlier, the term Malabar had also been used to denote Tulu Nadu and Kanyakumari , which lie contiguous to Kerala in the southwestern coast of India, in addition to the modern state of Kerala. The people of Malabar were known as Malabars . The term Malabar
9991-581: The years 64 and 68 AD, created by some of the most accomplished coin engravers in history. The brutally realistic portraits of this emperor, and the elegant reverse designs, greatly impressed and influenced the artists of the Renaissance . The series issued by Hadrian (117–138 AD), recording his travels around the Roman Empire, depicts the Empire at its height, and included the first representation on
10094-631: Was at Kozhikode . Malabar District , a part of the ancient Malabar (or Malabar Coast) was a part of the British East India Company -controlled state. It included the northern half of the state of Kerala and the islands of Lakshadweep . Kozhikode is considered as the capital of Malabar. The area was divided into two categories as North and South. North Malabar comprises present Kasaragod and Kannur Districts, Mananthavady Taluk of Wayanad District and Vatakara and Koyilandy Taluks of Kozhikode District. The left-over area
10197-521: Was forced to shift his capital (c. CE 1405) further south from Kodungallur to Kochi . In the 15th century, the status of Cochin was reduced to a vassal state of Kozhikode, thus leading to the emergence of Kozhikode as the most powerful kingdom in medieval Malabar Coast . During the 15th century Kalaripayat was important in the history of Malabar , some warriors lived, most notably puthooram veettil Aromal Chekavar and his sister Unniyarcha who were chieftains of martial arts. The port at Kozhikode held
10300-465: Was given facilities for trade at Kozhikode and Ponnani , including spacious storehouses. The arrival of British in Kerala documented in the year 1615, when a group under the leadership of Captain William Keeling arrived at Kozhikode, using three ships. It was in these ships that Sir Thomas Roe went to visit Jahangir , the fourth Mughal emperor , as British envoy . Travancore became
10403-457: Was important to the Romans. Their name for brass was orichalcum , also spelled aurichalcum (echoing the word for a gold coin, aureus), meaning 'gold-copper', because of its shiny, gold-like appearance when the coins were newly struck (see, for example Pliny the Elder in his Natural History Book 34.4). Orichalcum was considered, by weight, to be about double the value of copper. This is why
10506-402: Was supposed to weigh about 4.5 grams, valued at ten asses , with the silver sestertius valued at two and a half asses (1.125 grammes). In practice, the coins were usually underweight. When the denarius was retariffed to sixteen asses (due to the gradual reduction in the size of bronze denominations), the sestertius was accordingly revalued to four asses , still equal to one quarter of
10609-538: Was upgraded into Kozhikode Municipal Corporation in the year 1962, making it the second-oldest Municipal Corporation in the state. Kozhikode has a tropical monsoon climate ( Köppen climate classification Am ). A brief spell of pre-monsoon Mango showers hits the city sometime during April. However, the primary source of rain is the South-west monsoon that sets in the first week of June and continues until September. The city receives significant precipitation from
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