Kozhikode

About Kozhikode

Kozhikode, also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. The city is also known as the City of Spices.

It is the nineteenth largest urban agglomeration in the country and the second largest one in Kerala. Calicut city is the second largest city proper in the state with a population of 609,224 within its municipal boundaries. Calicut is classified as a Tier-2 city by the Government of India.

It is the largest city on 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 the medieval South Indian coast for the Chinese, the Persians, the Arabs, and finally the Europeans. 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, the name Kozhikode is derived from Koyil-kota, meaning "fortified palace". Koil or Koyil or Kovil is the Malayalam/Tamil term for a Hindu temple. In the context of Kozhikide, it may refer to the Tali Shiva Temple. Both the terms...

Overview adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA. Photography via Wikimedia Commons.