The Quintessential Calicut
Smitha Sehgal
The City of Literature, Calicut is known for its iconic eateries run by families for generations and picturesque scenic beauty of beaches. A nostalgic navigation through the heart of Calicut.
Conferred with the honour of UNESCO City of Literature, Calicut has long been a literary stronghold and home to celebrated Malayalam writers. An array of writers – starting from S.K. Pottekkatt, M.T. Vasudevan Nair, Vaikkom Muhammad Basheer and U.A. Khader to the generation of Subhash Chandran, many of Kerala’s greatest authors have made Calicut their home, and the city now hosts the much-celebrated Kerala Literature Festival and Hortus.
Returning to Kerala is an elemental experience each time, and the seaside town of Kozhikode, historically known as Calicut, with its f laming almond trees evoke a bygone era. The city is less than an hour’s drive from Karipur International Airport at Malappuram. T he road winds through a picturesque landscape with tea stalls and small shops lining either side. Large bunches of plantains, yellow, red and green often three or more varieties hang outside the stalls advertising traditional Malabar snacks and cuisine. Soon, the landscape settles down to the plains densely lined with paddy fields and coconut groves on either side before we reach Feroke Bridge, the iconic landmark which was constructed by the British more than a century ago. From here, the Chaliyar River f lows toward the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea. The sea is a grey line on the horizon and depending on the time of the day one is lucky to slow down to take a closer look at the shimmering waters. Mangroves dot the banks, and The Raviz—a striking riverside property, originally a coconut grove, once upon a time owned by an influential local family comes into sight.
One passes by Beypore, the famed port for vessels in ancient times, Meenchanda and Mavoor Road—landmark approaches to enter Calicut city. The layout has shifted with bypass roads and new developments, yet the smell of the city retains its warmth and spirit, welcoming travellers as it always has.
We settle at a quiet family home near Edakkad, within a five-minute radius of the CVN Kalari, a renowned centre for Kalarippayattu, Kerala’s own martial art with the legacy of more than 2000 years. This will be our base for the next few days as we shuttle in and out of the city. Several beaches lie within a 2–5 kilometre radius, depending on where one chooses to go. Green buses-the city’s local transport run every ten minutes, linking outlying areas to the centre. West Hill Beach, lying along the sea behind Varakkal Devi Temple is particularly notable. Each October, coinciding curiously with Diwali in Central and Northern India, thousands gather here for the ancient balitharpanam ritual, an offering to ancestors. Calicut, unlike much of India, traditionally did not celebrate Diwali except in small Gujarati settlements, yet it has always embraced diverse customs and cultures, becoming a melting pot of Eastern and Western traditions. Onset of summer in Calicut belongs to mangoes and temple festivals, and one can easily see T heyyam being performed in local temples.
Calicut’s cuisine reflects this mingling of cultures. The much famed Malabar biryani and fish preparations have evolved from Arab, Persian, and local influences. The Central Market, Nadakkav Market, and Puthiyappa Jetty bustle with the morning’s fresh catch— mackerel, sardines, prawns, mussels. Further north, the banks of Korappuzha under Elathur Bridge on NH 47 is a thriving spot for freshwater fish and crabs from the estuary, and if lucky, one might find fresh oysters too.
Some of Kerala’s most iconic eateries are here, run by families passionate about food for generations. Paragon Restaurant beneath the Overbridge near the third railway gate, Topform on SM Street, Sagar on Mavoor Road, and Bombay Hotel near the beach are culinary landmarks. The old French Bakery is an iconic eatery famed for its cutlets, while Sea Queen and the Beach Hotel overlooking the Arabian Sea offer a quintessential Calicut experience.
At the heart of the city lies Mananchira Square, jewel encrusted by the emerald waters of Mananchira Lake, a reservoir originally built by the Samoothiri (Zamorin) King Manaveda. Calicut, once the fiefdom of the Samoothiri kings, flourished as a trade hub for Arab merchants, later Portuguese explorers, and then the British. Adjacent to the Mananchira is Calicut Public Library, which has a collection of rare books and Town Hall, the principal centre for public events. A stroll down the bustling Sweet Meat Street (SM Street), which intersects through a close array of shops selling clothes, dried fruits and local sweets as Calicut Halwa, in as many colours and flavours, to reach the Goldsmith’s lane and Palayam, the main market famous for grains and spices, allows one to imbibe the warmth of Calicut. In the vicinity are houses of worship – Palayam Mosque and CSI Church.
While Calicut itself is rich with culture and history, it also serves as both a resting point and gateway to travellers bound to further north or south of Kerala. The city has a railway station and a major bus stand from where one can board a bus to the picturesque hills of Wayanad and Pookode Lake. To the north, one can explore Kappad Beach where Vasco da Gama landed in 1498, as well as Tellicherry (Thalassery) and Mahe, a former French enclave. Further up the coast are Kannur with its Payyannur Beach and, in Kasargod, the historic Bekal Fort. Southwards, one can stopover at Kochi and explore the Alleppey backwaters, then journey to T hekkady by Periyar river or Varkala beach. One can also choose to journey further up to T hiruvananthapuram, abode of Anantha with its Padmanabhaswamy Temple, celebrated art galleries, Kovalam Beach, Kanyakumari and the Vivekananda Rock Memorial by the confluence of the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. During sunrise and sunsets, in the interplay of light and water, the horizon becomes a living canvas where the three oceans mingle in ethereal beauty.
It may sound like a cliché, but returning to Kerala each time leaves one only more convinced as to why it is still called God’s Own Country—a land where the sea, rivers, mountains, history, and living traditions converge into something timeless.
T he author is a poet and legal professional based in New Delhi