Hearitage

Shaped in a square form this laterite block built fort, decorated with murals has been a symbol of life in Thalassery for over 3 centuries. The fort was built by the British with the help of the Kolathiri rajas who ruled these lands when the British came to Malabar. The British had built a factory here with the permission of the Kolathiri Rajas which angered the local Nair Chieftains. They constantly attacked the factory & made it difficult for the workers to operate. The British wanted to secure their factory & decided to protect the factory. Thus the idea of building a fort came about & in 1708, the fort was built with laterite blocks using quicklime, egg whites & sugar mixture. The structure is so good that the impressive fort still stands tall even after three centuries. The fort has carved doors & many secret tunnels which lead to the sea. The two big tunnels are closed today & visitors are not allowed to enter which once were used as underground storage ch...

When in Trivandrum one should always come to the Vettucaud church which is a beautiful architectural structure proudly facing the Arabian Sea. As the breeze flows along the façade of the church one needs to enter the large doors of the church which has woodwork showcasing the splendid craftsmanship. The church known as Madre De Deus which means Mother of God is over 5 centuries old. The current church is quite new but the history of the church is too long.  It is believed that the place was visited by the revered missionary St Francis in the 16 th century & he was surprised to see a small set of people praying at a small chapel, called the Japlayam with a small Granite cross. Before his arrival St Thomas had initiated missionary activities in the Cochin area & some of his people would have come to the southern coast here to start a small Parish. St Francis is said to have evangelized the faithful in the region during his stay of around 3 years at Vettucaud. The present ch...

  Tucked inside the beautiful village of Lakkidi in Palakkad district one can find the Kalakathu Bhawan or how it is well known as the Killikurusimangalam, the house of the most respected Malayalam Poet – Kunchan Nambiar. The house and place around which is under the Kunjan Smarakam Trust is a place for people to know about the poet & his life. The creator of the most engaging art form of Thullal spent his life writing poems which the common man could understand in the local dialect. It was only when he was ridiculed for having slept during a Chakiyarkoothu performance that the need to have a new art form came. It so happened that during a performance at the Ambalapuzha temple, Nambiar was on the Mizhavu when he fell asleep, the Chakiyar laughed at him with others looking on. In place of feeling dejected, Nambiar understood the need to bring satire & humour to the performance for more engagement with the audience. He went back home & is said to have created the new art ...

  The wealthiest temple in the world today was not so in the near past. It is a beautiful architectural structure which houses the idol of Lord Vishnu in its most pristine form – Anantha Shaynam which is the eternal yogic sleep upon the serpent God Ananthan. The Ananthapura Lake temple in Kasargode is said to be the original seat of Padmanabhaswamy and is called its Moolasthanam . The name of the city Thiruvananthapuram is based on the temple which means, place where one can find the Lord resting on Anantha.  All major Hindu texts like the Skanda purana have the mention of this temple but the exact date of its consecration is not clear as there is a dearth in historical records for this to be substantiated. The Sangam literature of the 9 th century has reference to the temple in its writings & is mentioned as a temple built of gold. The temple is also one among the 108 holy abodes (Divya deshams) in Vaishnavism . The earliest reconstruction of the temple is said to have...

  The Malampuzha dam is the longest dam in Kerala. The dam is a combination of Masonry & earth making it an engineering marvel along the Malampuzha River in Palakkad. The dam along with the garden forms a beautiful landscape which has been welcoming guests for over 50 years. The garden is the only rock cut gardens of south India & it was made with discarded items like broken bangles, tins, plastic bottles, waste materials etc which makes it a place where one emphasises the importance of creative ways to use recycled waste. The tourists here get to see many additions apart from the dam, the garden itself, the aquarium, the rock garden, the most thrilling ropeway ride & of course the ever controversial statue of Yakshi. The construction of the dam was commissioned in 1949 by the then Madras Presidency as Palakkad after independence was part of Madras State. The dam was completed in record time & was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Madras State Mr Kamraj. It was o...

It is an applied belief that Buddhism prevailed in Kerala from the 3 rd century when Buddhist monks travelled south on their mission of propagating the teachings of Buddha. It was only in the 8 th century that Hinduism took prominence and people moved on to their cultural faith. Evidence of Buddhist temples & statues being found later have only confirmed these beliefs. No other evidence of Buddhism is as important as the find of Karumadikuttan in the small village of Karumadi near Ambalapuzha. The 3 ft tall black granite statue of Buddha in his most common lotus posture is a piece of history whose origins are unknown but it does take people back to believe in the teachings of Buddha which would have changed the cultural fabric of the place centuries ago until it was lost to time. The statue said to have been sculpted in the 11 th century does not have any written document of who made it but it is believed that Buddhist monks brought it from either North India or Ceylon. What one...

  Around 10kms away from the Kasagode town within coconut groves is this beautiful Bela church which as any typical old church arrangements invites all its devotees along a long corridor. Built in 1890 the church considered to be the oldest church in Kasargode has been a place of worship to all people around for over a century & its rustic view still invites many more. The church managed by the Mangalore Diocese is a Roman Catholic Church. It is also known as the Our Lady of Sorrows & is dedicated to the Mother of Dolours. The church prays to Virgin Mary who is referred to have felt all the sorrows in life. The church is built in Gothic architecture & has a convent within its expanse. The church built in the old style of architecture has terracotta tiles as its roof & the wide prayer hall is flanked by a simple altar with not much decoration. The large wood cross on the wall is a great work of craftsmanship. Outside the church on the façade one can find a fine work ...

  The mosque stands between the beach & backwater in the Valiathura area of Trivandum. The mosque is close to the Shangumugham beach and is dedicated to Beema Umma who is considered to be from the family of the Prophet himself.  She came to the shores of Kerala in the 14 th century with her son Sayyidussaheed aheen Aboobacker to preach Islam among people here. As per the local folklore she was a woman who engaged with people understanding their way of life. The place where she preached Islam is called Valiathura & most people when she came were not sure on their faiths as Christianity was slowly being propagated by the missionaries. The area was a village of fishermen & her involvement with the people made them believe in the Prophet’s way & soon a good number of people started following Islam. There was a small mosque built to make people find a place where they could meet one another & pray. It is not sure how she died but local stories say that she may...

  One of the most seen houses in Kerala, not in person but through the medium of movies is the beautiful Varikkassery Mana. This heritage house which is over a century old still exudes its beauty & is a structure to behold. The house which was originally called Varikumcherry Mana stands in the small village of Manissery near the town of Ottapalam in Palakkad district. The house has been a host to many Malayalam cinemas which have had a lasting impression on people all over the world. The house still is an integral part of the movie industry giving cinematographers, directors & script writer’s new ideas to showcase the house in its entirety or part in their movies. The Varikkassery family origins go back over 1000 years & are said to have come from Malabar region as they established cordial relations with the Zamorins. The Varikassery family also are one among the most respected 8 Namboothiri families called the Ashtagruha who came to the village & held sovereign co...

In the Dharmadam village of Thalassery, one can find the sacred groves of Andalur Kavu which as it seems is a serene piece of land with many myths & legends. The reason one considers the place to be a sacred grove is based on the belief that the Yudhakandam mentioned in Ramayana is said to have happened here. The people of the village are considered to be the Vanaras who were ruled by the Monkey King – Sugreeva of Kishkinda. The place is also considered to be sacred for having the presence of sacred weapons of the gods in the places around the groves. It’s not clear when the Kavu came into existence but as per legends it is believed to have been the work of Lord Parasurama. A very common belief considers that Lord Rama broke the Bow during  the Sita Swayamvara ceremony & the spark from the arrow is said to have fallen here at the grove in a 3 pronged way. The place where the spark fell was consecrated by Parasurama upon the request of Narada as kavu for Rama, Lakshmana ...

Every city has a green pasture which acts as the lungs for the people & Kozhikode has one such place called the Sarovaram Bio Park which is more than a garden but a biosphere which has a habitat of its own. The Biopark is one among the 27 identified wetlands of India & the only one of Kerala.  The park was opened to the public in 2008 & has since been a haven for birdwatchers, naturists, children, young couples, old and public at large to spend healthy moments here. The construction of the park was made in traditional Kerala architecture which is evident with the massive entry gate which has red bricks & laden with terracotta tiles. The park also is designed in such a manner that it is along the canoly canal which is the heartline of the city. The eco-friendly theme is used to promote responsible tourism among the tourists. The mangroves within the 200 acres of wetlands are a place for migratory birds to come & create a habitat. It is also a budding place for so...