South India · Kerala
Kannur, Kerala
Sources: wikimedia
About Kannur
- Coastal
Where it is
Kannur, formerly Cannanore, is a coastal city on the Malabar coast of northern Kerala, on the Arabian Sea between Kozhikode and Mangalore, with the Western Ghats to the east.
History
Kannur is identified with Naura, a port named in the ancient Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, and was long ruled by the Kolathiri rajas. It was the seat of the Arakkal family, Kerala's only Muslim royal house. The Portuguese built St Angelo Fort in 1505, the Dutch took it in 1663, and the town later became a British military station.
People
Malayalam is the language of Kannur, spoken in its north Malabar form. The district is the heartland of Theyyam, in which performers in spectacular costumes and make-up embody deities, and weaving, fishing and Mappila cooking such as Thalassery biryani are part of everyday life.
Known for
- Theyyam ritual performances
- Handloom weaving
- St Angelo Fort
- Muzhappilangad drive-in beach
- Payyambalam beach
Did you know?
Muzhappilangad Beach, between Kannur and Thalassery, is a drive-in beach about 4 km long, where vehicles can be driven along the firm sand.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.