Kannur & Kasaragod: Of Forts and History

Heading up to the tip of the state of Kerala in India, our Kerala Blog Express Season 4 brought us to the northernmost districts of Kannur and Kasaragod. Coming from the mountainous district of Wayanad (READ Wayanad: Highland Adventure) at the  Western Ghats, it was a refreshing change of scenery as we went towards the sea at the Malabar Coast.

We made some stops in the district of Kannur before we proceeded to the district of Kasaragod, where we spent two nights at the Neleeshwar Hermitage. There, we went around the towns of Nileshwar, Bekal  and Kasaragod. It was amazing because it was in this part of Kerala where we met people who have been following our journey on social media. It is also in this part of Kerala where it is believed that King Solomon’s ships loaded timber for the construction of the temple in Jerusalem. We visited two forts and some destinations that have a rich history.

Here are some of the places we visited in this leg of the journey:

Ayisha Manzil Heritage Home

Perched on an elevated portion at the coastal area of the historic city of Thalassery in Kannur is the Ayisha Manzil Heritage Home of the Moosa couple. The house and the pool open to a spectacular landscape of the Arabian Sea. Simply close your eyes and you will feel the breeze of the wind while you hear the music and harmony of the waves below and the birds above.

The house — rich in history and tradition — is open to travelers who are looking for a homestay. It has four spacious deluxe bedrooms, adorned by antique furniture and four-post beds, with large toilet and bathroom attached . Mr. Moosa warmly welcomed our group and allowed us to explore their home. His wife, Mrs. Moosa, who is known for her delectable Malabar food, prepared a delectable lunch for us.

Website: http://www.ayishamanzil.com
Tel : +91 9496189296; +91 9995040199
E-mail : [email protected]

St. Angelo Fort

St. Angelo Fort, also known as Kannur Fort, was built in 1505 by Don Francesco de Almeida, the first Portuguese Viceroy in India. The fort is right by the coast of Kannur and provides a breathtaking view of the sea and nearby Dharmadom Island. We explored the fort on our own for a brief period, enjoying the centuries-old walls and structures, before we headed back to our bus and continued with our journey.

Valiyaparamba Backwaters

Aboard the Bekal Ripples houseboats, we traversed the length of Thejaswini River in Nileshwar, which forms part of the Valiyaparamba Backwaters, one of the scenic backwaters in the state of Kerala. We enjoyed watching the children swimming near the river banks, the birds flying over us, the sway of the coconut trees from afar, and the sun setting at the horizon. But not before we were welcomed with a festive traditional dance and some wonderful local snacks.

Website: http://www.bekalripples.com/
Tel: +91 7025 488 222
E-mail: [email protected]

Nagavanam Vanara Sadya

Our minivans passed by a parade and we suddenly halted as we excitedly tried to take a photo of the event, only to find out later that we would be going to where the parade was heading. We entered a small forest, but we had to take off our footwear as we were on sacred ground of Nagavanam (or Nagalayam) in Idayilakkad (often referred to as Edayilakkad or Idayilekadu or Edailakkadu).

A few walks into the tree-filled property was a kaavu or sacred grove. There we had some interactions with children, each of them was carrying a book. Then, women from the community took out some vegetables and other food as vanara sadya or offering to the monkeys living in the forest.

Bekal Beach

It was a very quick stop at the Bekal Beach, where we found families enjoying the shore during our visit. The beach has a park with plenty of attractions like rides, art installations, and a carriage that goes around. Each one of us were given small kites which we flew at the beach to promote the upcoming kite festival that would be happening at that place. As we had to leave immediately, I handed mine to a girl standing by the beach, who was looking at our colorful flying toys. The smile on her face was apparent as she received my kite.

Bekal Fort

We capped our stay in Kasaragod with a visit to another historic attraction — the Bekal Fort. It is the largest fort in the entire Kerala, and the most preserved at that. The entire place is expansive and it offers a magnificent view of the Arabian Sea. We explored its walls and fortifications, enjoying the scenery surrounding the fort.

And as we have reached the topmost part of Kerala, it was time to go to the southernmost part, our last stop, which is Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the state. More of it in my next Kerala post.

This article is part of the over-arching post First-time in Kerala: God’s Own Country where you will find the list of my blog posts related to this trip. Get updates on the Kerala Blog Express at the http://keralablogexpress.com/ and check #keralablogexpress #tripofalifetime and #liveinspired in social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.