Kannur :A district (and also the name of the town which is its headquarters)in northern Kerala, which is in southern part of India.
The name Kannur is derived from the two Malayalam words 'Kannan' (Sri Krishna ) and 'Ur'(place). It is quite common in India that the names of villages and districts are associated with Indian mythological characters, even if there is no mention of such a village in the respective mythology. The name 'Kannur' also is not an exception.
History
There are lots of myths and legends associated with Kannur. It is said that the ships of Solomon had anchored along the coasts of Kannur to collect timber for building the 'Temple of the Lord'. Kannur finds mention as NAURA in the 'Periplus of the Erithrean Sea ' a Greek work of great antiquity.
Formerly the capital of the Kolattiri Raja , it had engaged in trades with Arabia and Persia in the 12th and 13th centuries. Vasco da Gama visited Kannur in 1498 after which it became a Portuguese settlement. In the mid-17th centuries control of Kannur passed to the Dutch from whom the British captured it in 1783.History Kannur district derived its name from location of its headquarters at Kannur town. The old name Cannanore is the anglicized form of Malayalam word Kannur. According to one opinion, 'Kannur' is a derivation of Kanathur, an ancient village, the name of which survives even today in one of the wards of Kannur municipality. Another version is that Kannur might have assumed its name from one of the deities of the Hindu pantheon, a compound of two words, Kannan (Lord Krishna) and Ur (Place) making it the place of Lord Krishna. In this context, it is well worth mentioning that the deity of Kadalayi Sri Krishna temple was originally installed in a shrine at Kadalayikkota in south eastern part of present Kannur town.
In the 15th century the Portuguese arrived in Cannanore to establish one of their earliest settlements. St. Angelo’s Fort was built by them in 1505 .In 1558, the Kolathiris came openly into the field against the Portuguese by providing active support to Kunjali Marakkars of Kozhikkode. Kolathiris and Zamorins fought a common war against Portuguese and the besieged Fort St.Angelo at Kannur in 1564. Now this fort is in a fairly good state of preservation as a protected monument under Archaeological Survey of India. The English East India Company got its first foothold in the district towards the closing years of the seventeenth century, when it acquired a site at Thalassery for the erection of a fort a for and factory. Around 1792, after the Mysore wars, the British took over Cannanore. In his book of travels Marco Polo recounts his visit to the area circa 1250 A.D. Other visitors included Fahian, the Buddhist pilgrim and Ibn Batuta, writer and historian of Tangiers.
Freedom movement
Kannur District played an important role in freedom movement. The Indian national congress, which was founded in 1885, was having a Malabar District committee in 1908 itself. In May 1928 fourth All Kerala Political Conference was held at Payyannur and was presided by Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru. By the end of 1939, a branch of Indian Communist Party was formally founded at Pinarayi a village near Thalassery.
KPCC gave a call to the people of Malabar to observe September 15, 1940 as anti-imperialist day. Kannur District was the centre of agitation. Two young men was killed in clash between the mob and police party at Morazha. A prominent Communist, Com. KPR Gopalan was arrested and sentenced to death. But owing to the intervention of top ranking political leaders including Mahatma Gandhi, the death penalty was not carried out.
Kannur district has played an important role in all the political movements of recent times. The Indian National Congress, which was founded in 1885, captured the attention of the people of this district from its very inception. A district committee came into existence in Malabar 1908. A branch of the All India Home Rule League, founded by Dr. Annie Beasant, functioned in Thalassery during this period and among its active workers was V.K. Krishna Menon.
The decision of the Nagpur Congress to give up constitutional methods of agitation and resort to Non-Violent non Co-operation as a mean of achieving Swaraj, led to widespread boycott of foreign goods, Courts of law and educational institutions in Kannur.
Mahatma Ghandhi and Maulana Shaukat Ali toured the district to carry the message of the Non-Co-operation and Khilaphat Movements. The Khipahat movement coincided with the famous Malabar Rebellion of 1921 which was put down by the British with an iron hand.
Payyannur Conference:
Kannur district came into the lime light of Kerala politics in May 1928, when the fourth All Kerala Political Conference was held at Payyannur under the auspices of the Kerala Provincial Congress. This conference was presided over by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The Payyannur Conference passed a resolution requesting the Indian National Congress to adopt “Complete Independence” instead of “Swaraj” as its goal at the annual session which was scheduled to take place at Calcutta during that year. Salt Sathyagraha:
Payyannur was the main venue of the Salt Sathyagraha in Malabar. On April 13, a batch of Congress volunteers under the leadership of K.Kelappan started on foot from Kozhikkode to the beaches of Payyannur and broke the salt laws there on April 21. The Satyagraha camp at Payyannur was raided and the campers were beaten up. There were widespread demonstrations in Kannur, Thalassery and other parts of the district and a number of Congress workers were arrested. The district was always in the forefront in Civil Disobedience Movements and all along Congress workers broke salt laws and picketed foreign good dealers and liquors ships.
The period following the withdrawal of the Civil Disobedience Movement witnessed the emergence of a tradical wing in the Keral provincial Congress. Some of the radical elements in the Kerala Provincial Congress organized a Kerala unit of the Congress Socialist Party in 1934 and functioned as a separate group within the Provincial Congress. The leadership of this group was in the hands of persons like P. Krishna Pillai, A.K. Gopalan and E.M.S. Namboothiripad. An extremist group of Nationalist Muslims also emerged within the Congress during this period under the leadership of Muhammad Abdur Rahiman. The Congress Socialists and the Nationalist Muslims made common cause against the Ghandhian group known as the Right Wing which was led by such leaders as K.Kelappan, C.K. Govindan Nair and K.A. Damodara Menon.
A notable development in the politics of Malabar during the thirties was the rise of the Muslim League as a district political part. It was the Muslim leaders of Kannur and Thalassery who played the lead role in forming this organization.
The leftist elements in the Kerala Provincial Congress were also active in the politics of Malabar in the late thirties. They took active part in organizing the workers, peasants, students and teachers of Kannur district under their banner. In the election held to the Kerala Provincial Congress Committee in January 1939, the Rightists suffered as severe set back. Muhammad Abdur Rahiman was elected as the president of the KPCC and E.M.S Namboothiripad as its general secretary. Towards the end of the same year, a branch of the Indian Communist Party was formally founded in Malabar. The Congress Socialist Party workers joined the Communist Party block. Morazha Incident The K.P.C.C. gave a call to the people of Malabar to observe September 15, 1940 as Anti-Imperialist Day. The action was disapproved by the Congress High Command, but there were meetings and demonstrations all over Malabar on this day. Kannur district was the centre of this agitation. There were violent clashes between the people and the police at several places and lathicharge and firing were resorted to by the police to meet the situation. Two young men were killed in a clash between a mob and a police party at Morazha. In connection with the later incident, K.P.R. Gopalan, a prominent communist, was arrested on a charge of murder and later sentenced to death. But, owing to the intervention of several top ranking political leaders including Mahatma Ghandhi, the death penalty was not carried out.
The “Quit India” Movement of August 1942 also had its echoes in Kannur district. A socialist group among the Congress workers under Dr. K.B. Menon, provided leadership to the movement.
In 1945, at the end of the War the Congress leaders were released from prison. The Muslim League had by this time become a decisive force in Malabar politics. It supported the demand of the All India Muslim League for the partition of India.
Famine and Peasant Struggles
The War period, especially from 1943 to 1945, had its ravages on the district. Famine and cholera epidemic took thousands of lives from the lower strata of society. On the initiative of the people under the leadership of the Kisan Sabha, commendable services were rendered to tide over the crisis.
The “Grow More Food Campaign” organized at Mangattuparamba by the Kisan Sabha was a new chapter in the history of mass movement. More than fifty acres of government land was brought under cultivation. But the government suppressed the movement by force and destroyed the farm.
Though the War ended in 1945, famine continued to haunt the people. Karivellor, the northern most village of the present kannur district, made a historic stride in the struggle against poverty and famine. The transporting of paddy from Karivellore to Chirakkal Kovilakom was blocked and distributed to the people of the village. The movement was led by peasant leaders like A.V. Kunhambu and K. Krishnan Master. One Kannan and Kunhambu became martyrs in the struggle when police opened fire.
During the month of December 1946, the people of Kavumbayi, an eastern village of the district, raised their demand for punam cultivation. A strong police contingent was sent to the spot. The peasants resisted the armed forces which led to the killing of five peasants in the firing.
The rise of the organized working class in the industrial sector was another important phenomenon of the period that changed the course of the anti-imperialist movement. The struggle of Aron Mill workers in the year 1946 is noteworthy in this regard.
Even after independence, the struggles of the peasantry formed an important part in the history of the State. They fought against landlords and their exploitation. Places like Thillankeri, Manayankunnu, Korom and Paddikkunnu are memorable in the annals of the peasant struggles in the post independence era.
The All India Conference of Kisan Sabha, held at Kannur in 1953, resolved to initiate struggles for new tenancy legislations. The movement for Aikya Kerala (united Kerala) also got momentum during this period and all sections of the society rallied under the movement.
In 1945, Karivellore, the northern most village of present Kannur district, made a historic stride in the struggle against poverty and famine. The paddy from Karivellore to Chirakkal Kovilakom was blocked and distributed to the people of the village. Com.AV Kunhambu and K Krishnan master led the movement. Two peoples became martyrs in the struggle.
During December 1946, the people of Kavumbayi, an eastern village of the district, raised their demand for punam cultivation. Peasants resisted armed forces, which lead to the killing of five peasants in the firing. Even after independence places like Thillankeri, Munayankunnu, Korom and Padikkunnu are memorable in the annals of peasant struggle.
Geography
Kannur or Cannanore district consists of three revenue districts or taluks, which are Thalassery, Kannur and Taliparamba. The total area of the district is 2,996 km².
Kannur has two beautiful beaches, very near to the city- one is at Payyambalam (this also is adjacent to the main Hindu cemetry of the city), with an unbroken coastline of a few kilometres. From the beach, you can see ships in transit along the Malabar coast, i.e beyond Calicut (Kozhikode) and moving towards Mangalore, Goa and Bombay (Mumbai). The other beach is called the Baby Beach (owing to its being smaller than its bigger neighbourhood!), and it also has the famous Angelos Fort adjacent to it.
Meenkunnu Beach:
Situated at Azhikode its hardly few kilometres from the town. The virgin beach is a tourist’s paradise with golden sand & surf.
Payyambalam Beach:
It’s the beach of Kannur town. The well laid out garden and the massive landscaped sculpture of mother & child erected by noted sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman makes it extremely captivating.
Mopila Bay:
This is situated near the St. Angelo’s Fort. A fishing harbour built with Indo Norvegian project assistance. If the weather is favourable a ride in the sea will be a memorable experience. The remnants of the temple & fort are still seen in Mopila bay.
Muzhappilangad Beach:
Its around 15kms. South of Kannur and only 8 kms. From Thalassery. A long clean beach its enchanting ambience invites you to swim sunbathe or just lounge around. Its Kerala’s only drive-in beach, one could drive the entire length-4 kms.
Another famous landmark is the Snake Park at Parassinikkadavu , en route from Kannur to Taliparamba, 2 km from NH 17. Here one gets to see a large genre of snakes and other small animals and there is even a live show, where trained personnel play and 'interact' with a variety of snakes, including cobras and vipers, and seek to quell mythical fears and superstitions about snakes. You can even touch a python or sling it like a chain around your neck if you are adventurous!
Politics
Kannur was once the nurturing ground and think tank of the Communist Revolution of Kerala and was home of the famous 'Red' leaders A.K.Gopalan (a.k.a AKG) and E.K. Nayanar, former Chief Minister(CM) of Kerala. Indian National Congress(I) leader and another former CM of Kerala, K. Karunakaran also hails from here.
Communists are having a very strong base in this district. It is estimated that that CPIM itself is having more than 50% support. CPM lead left democratic front is ruling in five out of six municipalities in Kannur district. Around 70 % of the panchayats are also ruled by LDF. Congress and Muslim league are having marginal support. BJP is very minimal and are limited to some pockets only, but these areas are ill famous for bomb attacks and atrocities. Violent clashes between political rivals in Kannur was always a big issue in the media. However these clashes in some pockets of this district never affected the peace of mind of people.
Demography
The District has a population of 24,412,365.
The Kannur city has, apart from Malayalees, a small Portuguese, French, Punjabi and Gujarati speaking population too.
External links
Last updated: 05-16-2005 06:19:56
