Kozhikode otherwise Calicut

KOZHIKODE

Kozhikode, also called Calicut, city, northern Kerala state, southwestern India. It is situated on the Malabar Coast. Calicut is the second largest urban area in the state. Kozhikode was given the tag of “City of Sculptures” (Shilpa Nagaram) because of the architectural sculptures around the city.

Kozhikode Kerala Calicut was the capital of Malabar during the time of Zamorins, who where ruling before the British Rule in India. It was trading in spices like black pepper and cardamom with the Jews, Arabs, Phoenicians and the Chinese for centuries, and with the Dutch and Portuguese more than 500 years ago. The Portuguese were the first foreigners to find this land, the gateway to Kerala, famous for spices. This city is famous for receiving Vasco da Gama in 1498. He landed on the remote beach of Kappad, which is 18 km away from the Calicut City.

Kozhikode was once a famous cotton-weaving centre, and it is remembered as the place of origin of calico, to which it gave its name Calicut.

Kozhikode has been a multi-ethnic and multi-religious town since the early medieval period. The Hindus forms largest religious group, followed by Muslims and Christians. The Muslims of Kozhikode are known as Mappilas. The multi-cultural mix of Kozhikode ensures that Onam, Christmas, and Id-ul-Fitr (the festivals of the Hindus, Christians, and Muslims) are celebrated with equal pomp.

Kozhikode city has a highly humid tropical climate with high temperatures recorded from March to May. The South-west monsoon that sets in the first week of June and continues until September and  the North-East Monsoon that sets in from the second half of October through November. The weather is milder from December/January until March.

The city has a reasonably well-developed transport infrastructure. The city buses of Kozhikode are green coloured and they are very cheap and punctual. Kozhikode is well connected by rail to other major cities in kerala and to other states in India. Calicut International Airport is situated in the place called Karipur. Regular domestic services are operated to major Indian cities. There are frequent international flights to the Middle eastern air hubs.

Kozhikode Cuisines

Cuisine have a strong Arab influence in their local cuisines which can be evidently felt from the rich meat curries and desserts. Kozhikode is famous for its thick, black, translucent Calicut Halwa. There is different varieties of Halwa in different colours and flavours. Another highlight of the Kozhikode cuisine is the Malabar Moppila Biriyani. Mandhi dishes, which are cooked using chicken, prawns, fish and mutton, are one of the mouthwatering specialities. The most popular vegetarian cuisine of Kozhikode includes Sadya. The Sadya cuisine makes for a full-fledged feast which comprises of sambhar, pickles, rice along with seven different side dishes. The most popular snacks of Kozhikode include crisp and wafer-thin Banana Chips which are cooked in the coconut oil. The city also has a strong mercantile streak to it, with the major vein of commerce being the Mithai Theruvu also called SM street, a long street crammed with shops that sell everything from sarees to cosmetics, and house hotels to sweetmeat shops.