At a glance This legendary port is on the Malabar Coast, near the backwaters of the Kallai River, 57 km down the Wayanad Hills from Lakkidi and 58 km from Mahe.
About the city The great traveller Ibn Battuta, often referred to as the Arab Marco Polo, visited Kozhikode (then Calicut) at least six times between 1342 and 1347. He was enormously impressed by the wealth of its Muslim merchants: [Any] one of them, he wrote, can purchase the whole freightage of such vessels that put in here. That was nearly seven centuries ago, when Calicut was at the peak of its fame as a mighty seaport. Arabs and Chinese met here in medieval trade, exchanging spices, coir and timber. In 1498, Vasco da Gama too landed here at Kappad Beach, heralding the advent of Portuguese colonisation in India. A small stone monument at Kappad commemorates his landing, but the beach hasn't quite been developed into the major tourist destination one might expect. Though Kozhikode is still the most important city in northern Malabar, don't expect to see the bustle of trade that brought adventurers like Vasco here. There is, however, much to see and do in this city of friendly folk. As for its name, it derives from the words koyil (palace) and kotta (fort). The city was once surrounded by the fort built by the Zamorin, the ruler of Calicut, who encouraged trade with Arab traders by giving special concessions. Though the locals called it Kozhikode, for the Arabs it was Kalikat; for the Chinese, Kalifo; and for Europeans, Calicut. The British then immortalised the name by calling the locally produced cloth calico.
How to reach Road: Car: Your only travel option. It's a good one. Kozhikode is a comfortable 8-hr drive from Bangalore. Leave early, race through Mysore and Gundlupet, then turn right and enjoy the drive over the lush hills of Wayanad and through Thamarasseri Ghat Pass to Kozhikode. En route halt Amblee Holiday Resort (08236-252326) at Srirangapatna Rail: Kozhikode has a station, but connections with Bangalore are very poor. Air: Karipur Airport has no connections with Bangalore as yet Journey Time Road: 8 1/2 hrs
Distances 350 km South West from Bangalore 57 km from Lakkidi 58 km from Mahe From Bangalore SH17 to Gundlupet via Mysore and Nanjangud NH212 to Kozhikode via Sulthan Bathery, Lakkidi and Thamarasseri Ghat Pass
Best Seasons Kozhikode is best in the post-monsoon months, from September to May.
Places in and around Exploring Kozhikode Start with mithai theravu, literally 'sweet Street, the busiest shopping strip in the city, packed with sweetmeat stalls. Don't miss the famous Calicut halwa, that's black or brown, and very, very sweet. Also famous are Calicut chips, banana chips that have been deep-fried in coconut oil. This street is not just for those with a sweet tooth. There are also dozens of textile and jewellery shops, as well as the odd bookshop. Most shops are open until 9 pm. Mananchira Square, the former courtyard of the Zamorin and currently the heart of the city, has the Town Hall and the Public Library. The presence of temples, mosques and churches here suggest the cultural plurality of the region. The 15th-century Kuttichara Mosque, or Mishkal Masjid, was partially burnt down by the Portuguese in 1510, but is still architecturally striking, and sports a traditional Keralite pagoda-like roof. you will also find here, on the banks of a large pond, one of Calicut's oldest buildings, the Commonwealth Trust Office, built in the traditional Kerala style of Mangalore tiles and teak. The pond was once the palace tank of King Mana Vikrama, the Zamorin unceremoniously deposed by da Gama. The Pazhassirajah Museum on East Hill displays ancient mural paintings, antique bronzes, old coins, models of temples, megalithic monuments like dolmonoid cysts and umbrella stones, among the earliest found in Kerala. Next door is the Art Gallery containing paintings by the legendary Raja Ravi Varma. The tree-lined beach at Kozhikode is not particularly attractive, though very popular with the locals. At one end, 2 km away from two 100-year-old piers, is Dolphin Point, where in the early hours you may get to spot dolphins cavorting in the sea. The tots would be interested in the park strangely named Lion's Park situated next to the lighthouse at one end of the beach. It's a good spot to watch the sun set over the waters of the Arabian Sea. Near the lighthouse is an aquarium. Timings Park 10 am to 8 pm; aquarium 8.30 am to 6 pm Timber townJust 6 km outside town is Kallai, once the bustling centre of Calicut's timber trade. Kallai is believed to have been the largest such trading centre in Asia, exporting precious Malabar teak to distant shores. Though some timber trade still takes place, Kallai is, alas, a pale shadow of its past. It's still a quaint place though, where you can catch sight of lumbermen rolling logs of timber.