About kannur: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.Places in kannur: Parassinikkadavu Sree Muthappan Temple: Parassinikkadavu Sree Muthappan Temple is situated 18 km away from Kannur on the banks of river Valapattanam. The temple is dedicated to Lord Muthappan, believed to be the incarnation of Lord Shiva. This is the only one temple in Kerala where the Folk art form of North Kerala 'Theyyam' is presented daily. Toddy and dried fish are the main offerings in this temple. Facility for boating is also available here. Parassinikkadavu Snake Park is situated near the temple.
St. Angelos Fort: St. Angelos Fort is built by the first Portuguese Viceroy in the year 1505. The fort is located 90 km away from Kozhikkode and 3 km away from Kannur. St. Angelo Fort is also known as Kannur Kotta. This fort is facing Arabian Sea. Many people believe that there is a secret tunnel in this fort. This tunnel was built underneath the sea to the Thalassery Fort which is 21 km from Kannur fort. This under passage is said to be used by soldiers to escape. The Moppila Bay Harbor and Arakkal Mosque are near the fort.
Arakkal Palace: Arakkal Palace is 3 km from Kannur town. The Kannur Fort was owned for some time by Arakkal family.Arakkal family was the only Muslim royal family of Kerala that controlled parts of the coast and Lakshadweep.The Arakkal family followed a matriarchal system of descent. The elder most member of the family, male or female, was its head and ruler. While male rulers were called Ali Rajah, female rulers were known as Arakkal Beevis.
Aralam Wildlife Sanctury: Aralam Wildlife Sanctury is a beautiful place situated 35 km away from Thalassery. The Aralam Wildlife sanctuary is spread over 55 square kilometres of undulating forested highlands on the slopes of the Western Ghats. It was established in 1984. Aralam Sanctuary is home to a vast variety of flora and fauna endemic to the Western Ghats.
Payyambalam Beach: Payyambalam Beach is a quiet and beautiful beach which lies 2 km away from Kannur Fort. The well laid out garden and the massive landscaped sculpture of mother and child erected by noted sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman makes it extremely captivating. Mueseums of the Political Leaders A.K.Gopalan, Swadeshabhimani RamaKrishna Pillai and E.K.Nayanar arew found here.
Meenkunnu Beach: Meenkunnu Beach is situated at Azhikkode 12 km away from Kannur. This is a quiet and beautiful beach. With its golden sand and coconut trees, it is a tourist's paradise. This beach is an extension of Payyambalam Beach.
Muzhappilangad Beach: Muzhappilangad Beach which spreads about 4km is said to be the only Drive-in beach in Kerala.Muzhappilangad beach is situated about 5 km north of Thalassery and 15 km from Kannur. There is an unpaved road winding through coconut groves, leading to the beach.To the South and about 200 metres away from the beach there is a beautiful island called the "Green Island" which adds to the allure of the beach. Such a conjunction of beach and island is rare.
Dharmadam Island (Green Island): Dharmadam Island (Green Island) is a small 2 hectare private island in Kannur. It is 100 metres away from the mainland at Dharmadam. This island covered with Coconut Palms and dense bushes is a beautiful sight from the Muzhappilangad beach. Permission is required to enter this privately owned island.
Ezhimala: Ezhimala is a beautiful hilly area blessed by nature situated very close to the sea, 55 km away from Kannur. The biggest Naval Academy in Asia is located here. This hill full of medicinal plants along with the beach creates a beautiful atmosphere. A flourishing sea port and centre of trade in ancient Kerala, it was one of the major battle fields of the Chola-Chera war of the 11th century
Madayi Mosque: This beautiful ancient mosque was originally built in 1124 by Malik Ibn Dinar, a Muslim preacher. A block of white marble in the mosque is believed to have been brought from Mecca by its founder, who came to India to spread the word of the Prophet.
Trichambaram Temple : Trichambaram Temple is situated 20 km from Kannur. It is near Taliparamba town, famous for its spices trade. The deity of the temple is Sree Krishna. The sculptures on the walls of the sanctum sanctorum are a class by themselves. The temple also contains one of the most exquisite collection of mural paintings in south India. Trichambaram Temple has three ponds attached to it, with the temple for Durga being surrounded by water on all sides.
Rajarajeswara temple: The Rajarajeswara temple is a beautiful Shiva temple and is located at Taliparamba in Kannur. The temple is regarded as one of the 108 ancient Shiva temples of Kerala. Taliparamba is regarded as one of the ancient Shakti Peethams. Legend has it that the head of Sati fell here after Shiva's tandavam following Sati's self-immolation. The Shiva linga here is believed to be thousands of years old. Ghee in small pots are offered to the presiding deity Shiva and are placed on steps leading to the sanctum. While men are allowed to enter the shrine always, woman are allowed at certain times of the day.
Thalassery Fort : Thalassery Fort is in Thalassery (Tellicherry) a town in Kannur. The British East India Company built the fort in 1708 to establish a stronghold on the Malabar Coast. The square fort, with its massive walls, secret tunnels to the sea and intricately carved huge doors, is an imposing structure. The fort was once the nucleus of Thalassery's development. It is now a historical monument.
