Brief History of Kozhikode

Kozhikode was an important trade and commerce center during the medieval period. It played a crucial role in the spice trade and was the first place where Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese explorer, landed in 1498, opening up a sea route to India.

It is a historical town with a hoary past. For more than 500 years, it has been in trade with the Arabs, the Jews and the Chinese by trading spices like black pepper and cardamom. The history of Kozhikode district as an administrative unit begins from January 1957. Read More

The city boasts several historical and cultural landmarks, including the historic Mananchira Square, Kozhikode Beach, and the S.M. Street, a popular shopping district. Beypore, a nearby coastal village, is known for its shipbuilding heritage.

Geography of Kozhikode

Situated on the southwest coast of India, along the Arabian Sea. It is known for its picturesque beaches, such as Kozhikode Beach, and a lush, green landscape. The Midland is lateritic and the whole belt along the coast is sandy. Read More

Climate
The North-East monsoon makes the city receive significant precipitation in October and November. The weather gets mild from December till the end of February with clear skies and crispy air. The average annual rainfall is 3266 mm.
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Tourism in Kozhikode

Kozhikode attracts tourists with its natural beauty, historical sites, and cultural attractions. It serves as a gateway to explore the scenic Malabar region and the Wayanad district, known for its wildlife and trekking opportunities.

It is not just the spices and the sculptures that make Kozhikode what it is today. The historical significance and the modern living amenities make Kozhikode a famous tourist destination.
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Shopping in Kozhikode

In Kozhikode, interestingly, there are many options for tourists to indulge themselves in shopping. The Sweet Meat Street, also known in short as the S.M. Street, is one of the busiest shopping areas in the city.
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Festivals in Kozhikode

Festivals in Kozhikode are celebrated with pomp, enthusiasm and fanfare. Though many festivals celebrated in Kozhikode are similar to those celebrate in the northern part of India, there are a few festivals which are only celebrated here or in the southern part of India.

All the festivals celebrated in Kozhikode are Onam, Sabarimala festival, Thiruvathira, Ashtami Rohini, Thrikarthiaka, Mahashivratri, Navarathri, Miladi Sharif, Malabar Mahotsavam, Utsavam at Sreekanteswara Temple and Jalotsavam..

Cultural Diversity: The city is known for its religious and cultural diversity, with residents practicing various religions and celebrating a wide range of festivals.

Food in Kozhikode

The Malabar region, which includes Kozhikode, is famous for its cuisine. Kozhikode is known for its delectable Malabar dishes such as biryani, pathiri, and seafood specialties.

It also has a street food culture. However, the new generation of Kozhikode people are more inclined towards the Chinese and American food culture. In sea-food, mussels are a favorite.

As a sweet, you should not miss the Calicut Halwa. Made out of flour and sugar, it is a sought after savory in Kozhikode. Different varieties are available in almost all bakeries in the city.

There have been a larger number of Indian and foreign influences on the food forms available in the Kozhikode streets and bazars. The Malabar cuisine finds its expert exponents in Kozhikode. There have been several influences on the food of Kozhikode. This would include the British, the Chinese, the European and the Arab besides the various Indian influences like the south Indian, the north Indian as also the Gujarati and Jain food preparations.

To this versatile aspect would be added the fact that it is a port town that has had innumerable influences from other parts of the world, even Africa and the Middle East. The people of Kozhikode are a veritable mix of religions. The myriad festivities have a huge variety of food and feasts ranging from the vast spread on Onam and Pongal to Id-ul-Fitr and Christmas. All festivals are celebrated with equal gaiety and pomp.

It must be noted that while the traditional recipes and food preparations are delighted in by both the younger and the older generation there is the emergence of the newer tastes and palates among the younger lot. They prefer the American and Italian cuisines. They want to experiment with the various newer foods that are making their inroads into Kozhikode through the part of Calicut. They are also willing to experiment with blends of tastes that are accomplished through fusion dishes that take the best qualities of two different dishes and bring them together in a taste enriched mix.

Kozhikode Food Recipes

The most amazing fact of the culinary scenario at Kozhikode is the delectable sweetmeat called ‘Halwa’ which is a preparation made with flour. It is fried in clarified butter or ‘ghee’ with sugar and dry fruits. This savory delight is sold all over the ‘Mitthai Theruvu’ or the Sweetmeats Street or as it is commonly and colloquially called the ‘SM’ street. The Europeans and even the Middle Eastern people docking at the Kozhikode port carried away large qualities of this delightful sweat and dished its rich, savoury taste.

Another all time favourite of the Kozhikode culinary food is their special spread called the ‘Sadya’. It is a feast magnitude meal comprising rice, sambhar, papadum and there these are accompanied by seven different kinds of savory and spicy curries served piping hot.

Besides the above two types of signature specialties brought up by the Kozhikode kitchens there is the additional delicacy called ‘biryani’ which is made with basmati, or a specially fragrant variety of rice cooked with a number of aromatic spices. These biryanis are made with fish, sea-food, chicken, mutton and also beef.

However, there is an increasing trend of vegetarianism among the youth, therefore, they tend to opt for vegetarian biryani – a new concept that is made most delectable by the addition of the grand spices of Malabar.

How to Reach Kozhikode

Kozhikode can be easily reached by air, rail, road or boat. All major airlines have direct flights to Calicut. The airport is around 23 kilometres from the main city of Kozhikode. Indian railways help connect Kozhikode to all the major cities and tourist destinations in India.

National Highway 212 connects Kozhikode in Kerala with Kollegal in Karnataka via Mysore. National Highway 213 connects Palakkad, Malappuram and Calicut district headquarters in Kerala.

Educational and Cultural Hub: Kozhikode is home to several educational institutions, including the prestigious National Institute of Technology Calicut (NITC). It is also known for its cultural heritage, with various cultural events, art forms, and festivals like the Malabar Mahotsavam.

National Highway 17 connects Kozhikode to Mumbai via Mangalore, Udupi and Goa. By water, the coast line of the Kozhikode port extends from Elathur cape to the south bank of Kadalundi river and treads roughly in a straight line. The port of Kozhikode, Beypore and Badagara are open for foreign and coastal trade.