With the Western Ghats in the East (Coorg district of Karnataka), Kozhikode and Wayanad districts in the South, Lakshadweep sea in the West and Kasargod in the North, Kannur is bounded by a wealth of Natural beauty.

Kannur itself shares much of this natural splendor and has been a key contributor to the cultural, religious, political and industrial heritage of the Indian state of Kerala.

In addition, Kannur enjoys the credit of having been the cradle of colourful folk art and folk music of Kerala - notably Theyyam - a stylistic dance form guaranteed to make your visit to Kannur a memorable one!

Fact File

Climate : Kannur is normally humid and hot most of the year around. But during November to February the weather in Kannur is agreeable and it is the recommended season for the tourists. For those interested in the monsoons, June to August would be ideal for feeling the fury of the rains in Kannur.

History : Cannanore or more appropriately Kannur as it is known today is a place with a rich history right from the time of the Aryan migration. The word Kannur may have evolved from a village named Kannathur around which the modern town of Kannur grew. Or according to some it is a combination of Kannan (Lord Krishna), a deity in the Hindu pantheon and Ur meaning a place or an abode. With the advent of the Europeans, the name underwent yet another change - Cannanore!

Cannanore is steeped in its historical legacy. By early 9th century, the Cheras of Tamil Nadu had established complete control of the entire area under Raja Kulashekhara Varman. The empire lasted till 1102 AD. At around the same time, another line of kings known as Mooshika Rajas held sway over the present day areas of Kannur. By the 14th century, these kings were known as the rulers of the Kingdom Koluthunad, and were known as the Kolathiris. Another kingdom to the South was the kingdom of the Samuthiris or Zamorins of Calicut, with whom the Kolathiris had running feuds for centuries. It was the Zamorin of Calicut who welcomed the first Eurpoean to set foot in India using the sea routs - the Portuguese under Vasco da Gama in 1498.

Vasco De Gama was quick to notice the enemity between the Kolathiris and the Zamorins. Exploiting these rivalries, Vasco De Gama managed to get virtual monopoly over the spices trade from India and concessions, which were totally one-sided. Francisco De Almedia arrived from Portugal soon after to build fortifications at strategic points. One such was built at Kannur and named Fort St Angelo, which is in a remarkable shape even today.

The Kolathiris and Zamorin allied in 1558 against the Portuguese. Some classic naval battles were fought in the Arabian Sea against the might of the European navies. The Kunjali Marakkars of Calicut were perhaps the only naval opposition to the European expansion in this region. But their victories were not enough to drive the European powers out of India. Soon however, the Dutch followed and drove the Portuguese out of Kannur Fort St Angelo By 1663 and the rule of the Portuguese had come to an end.

The English East India Company got its first foothold in the district in the closing years of the 17th century, when the Thalassery Fort was built. The British were more successful than the Portuguese since they refused to interfere in the religious and social life of the natives. By the 18th century they managed to capture the lucrative spices trade and were the unquestioned masters of the seas around Kannur.

The conquest of Malabar by Tippu Sultan in the closing tears of the 18th century caused much distress and unrest in the region. But his defeat by the British at Srirangapatanam in 1792 formally ended his reign here and the entire province ceded to the British. The British organized the province into two administrative divisions - one with Headquarters at Thalassery and the other at Cherpulassery, under the overall control of the Chief magistrate at Calicut .

The British rule brought some measure of political stability to the region. But the unpopular revenue policy followed by the British triggered the revolt by a local raja - Pazhasi Raja in 1796. Many are the legends and stories of his heroic exploits against the foreign rulers that exist to this day. He remains the symbol of a heroic age when injustice was not tolerated and patriotism had its first stirrings. The revolt itself was doomed to failure because of the vastly superior British military strength. On November 30, 1805, the British Commander Baber and his men shot Pazhasi Raja dead. The Raja was given a funeral fit for royalty considering his bravery in battle. With the death of Pazhasi raja, the resistance movement came to an end in Kerala.

Cannanore played a prominent part in the freedom struggle against the British a century later. The echo of the Salt Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi found its echo on the beaches of Payyannur. Kannur also was the region from which the Communist movement in Kerala really took roots under AK Gopalan. This movement would finally culminate in Kerala electing the first communist Government anywhere in the world. Even today, Kannur remains a stronghold of the Communists and many notable leaders of the present Government are residents of this district.

Tourist Attractions : There are several tourist attractions in Kannur. The St. Angelos Fort in the Kannur Cantonment, which was constructed in 1505, is a symbol of Portuguese architecture and attracts plenty of tourists. The Thalassery Fort is an important tourist center in Kannur. Kannur beach and Ezhimala are known for scenic beauty. Places of Historic importance, like the house of Gundert, who composed the first Malayalam-English Dictionary and the mosque at Madayi constructed in 1124, using marble brought from Mecca attract many tourists to Kannur.

Fort St. Angelos : Fort St. Angelos is in the West of Kannur town. It was built in 1505 by the first Portuguese Viceroy, Don Francisco De Almeida, with the permission of the Kolathiris, on the promontory jutting into the Lakshadweep sea. The Dutch captured the fort in 1663 and sold it to the Ali Raja of Kannur in 1772, and in 1790 it came into the possession of the British. The British rebuilt it and made it their most important station in Malabar. This fort is in a fairly good state of preservation, though parts of it have collapsed. A few ancient cannons are on display inside the fort. The fort is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.

Thalassery Fort : The British arrived in Thalassery in 1683 and erected a trading shed there. They shifted their commercial capital to Thalassery from Kozhikode, following obstruction from the Dutch. In 1700, the British built the Thalassery fort on a small hill called Tiruvellapadakunnu and in 1708, it was strengthened by increasing its height and with bastions. The fort is a square structure built of laterite and is distinguished by its massive ventilated walls and strong flanking bastions. It was here that Haider's captain was imprisoned. The famous St. Johns Anglican Church is behind this fort. It is another tourist attraction in Kannur.

Snake Park at Parassinikadavu : The snake park at Parassinikadavu is 18 kms. away from Kannur town. It is one of the known snake parks in the state. The park is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of snakes, most of which are becoming extinct gradually. There is a large collection of poisonous and non-poisonous snakes. Snake demonstrations conducted every hour draw large crowds to Kannur.

Payyambalam Beach Resort : The Payyambalam beach is one of the beautiful beaches in Kerala and is an ideal place to spend evenings, irrespective of seasons. It is near Kannur town.

Moppila Bay : Moppila Bay is a natural fishing harbour, lying near Fort St. Angelos in Kannur. A sea wall projecting from the fort separates the rough sea and inland water. The bay was famous during the Kolathiri's regime as a commercial harbour that linked Kolathunadu with Lakshadweep and foreign countries, in imports. Today, Mopila bay has turned into a modernised fishing harbour, developed under the Indo-Norwegian pact.

Excursions :

There are several excursion options available from Kannur.

Meenkunnu Beach (12 km from Kannur) It is not crowded, and a tourist's paradise, with golden sand and surf.

Parassinikadavu (16 km from Kannur town) Sri Muthappan Temple stands on the banks of the Valapatanam river. This pilgrim centre is famous for the Muthappan Theyyam performed every morning and evening.

Dharmadam Island The small 5-acre island covered with coconut palms and a dense bush is a beautiful sight from the beach. Permission is required to enter this privately owned island.

Muzhpilangad Beach(15 km from Kannur) Its shallow waters make it a swimmer's paradise. Perhaps this is Kerala's only drive-in beach where you can drive down the entire length of 4 km. Gundert Bungalow (20 km from Kannur, near Thalasseri town, on the National Highway at Illikunnu): Dr. Herman Gundert, the revered German missionary, scholar and lexicographer lived in this Bungalow for 20 years from 1839.

Sree Ramaswami Temple, Thiruvangad (23 km from Kannur) The temple dedicated to Sri Rama is one of the most important temples in Malabar. The exquisite carvings in the temple are said to have been carried out nearly 400 years ago.

Madayi Para (25 km from Kannur) The Madayi Kavu Temple, the Vadukunnu Temple and the 12th century mosque built by Malik bin Dinar with white marble imported from Arabia, are the major attractions here. There is also a dilapidated fort at Madayi, which is supposed to have been built by Tipu Sultan of Mysore. The view from the fort is fascinating.

Malayala Kalagramam (29 km from Kannur) This renowned centre for arts and culture at Mahe, conducts courses in painting, sculpture, music dance and pottery.

Thodeekulam Shiva Temple (34-km southeast of Kannur) Located 2 km from Kannavam on the Thalassery-Mananthavady road, this temple is famous for its mural paintings. It is believed to have been constructed 2,000 years ago and was closely connected with the Pazhassi Raja family of Kottayam.

Pazhassi Dam (37 km east of Kannur) An ideal retreat for tourists, the dam site is famous for its scenic beauty.

Pythal Mala (65 km from Kannur town) This enchanting hill station, situated 4,500 ft. above sea level near the Kerala. Karnataka border is rich in flora and fauna. It is a 6-km trek to the top of the hills.

Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary (35 km from Thalassery): Elephants, sloth bears, sambars, mouse deer etc. can be found in the 55 sq. km sanctuary.

Festivals : Cherukunnu Famous for its Anna Poorneswari Temple, the weeklong annual festival is in April. There is a Kathakali-Panchavadya school called Asthikalalaya near the temple Kottiyoor There is a Shiva Temple here on the banks of the Bavali River. Thousands of devotees attend the annual 27-day festival during May-June.