Kappad Beach is one of the most charming beaches in India. It is also of historic importance because it is supposed to be the beach where Vasco da Gama is said to have first set foot in India.
According to a plaque set on a pillar on the beach, Gama landed here on May 27, 1498. A stone pillar was erected to prove he had reached India. Historians though, are of the view that he only anchored his ship here, but landed at the nearby Panthalayini, Kollam.
Today, other than that commemorative piece of marble, it’s quiet on this historic beach, barring the fishermen who launch into the sea at dawn in boats and canoes and dry some of their catch on a part of the sandy beach. A rocky headland protrudes into the sea on which stands a temple said to be 200 years old.
This village is steeped in history.
Frequented even by Roman ships, for Ibn Batuta, it was Fandaraina while later Portuguese writers referred to it as Pandarani. According to some accounts, Vasco da Gama first landed here on Indian soil. Another story relates to the last Zamorin king, Cheraman Perumal’s conversion to Islam. It is said that the king, after arranging affairs of the state, secretly embarked on a vessel for Arabia. However, on leaving his capital Kodungallur. the party proceeded to Panthalayini Kollam, spent a night or two there, before proceeding to Arabia.
The Muslim connection continues. According to some historical manuscripts, after Kodungallur, it was here that Malik Ibn Dinar built the second mosque in Malabar. A Mosque exists here today. A number of graves, said to be those of the companions of Dinar, lie scattered around. A peculiar feature of these graves is that they are extraordinarily long, most of them longer than ten feet.
Ibu-Btuta described Kollam as a beautiful and large place, abounding with gardens and markets. Portugese attacks were strongly rebuffed by the garrison on mayyat Kannu. In 1550, Panthalayani was burnt by the Portugese.
Though this port has been mentioned from very early times, it must have become popular some time after the 9th century and came to the forefront when two things happened, one being the move of the Arab & Chinese traders from Quilon & Cranganore to base their trade in Calicut, and the second when the Zamorin took charge. Since then it has been mentioned in many history books and accounts, though the names have varied slightly or largely. Today it is a small town that has been forgotten.
This five-storied structure is a landmark architecturally as well as historically. Built by a rich Arab businessman and ship owner Nakhooda Mishkal, nearly 650 years ago, the mosque is built extensively of wood barring the outer Italian tile paving, the laterite superstructure and the roof tiles. The entire structure is supported on 24 solid pillars of carved wood and there are 47 doors, which are opened to receive devotees, 300 of whom can pray on the ground floor alone. The salient features of old mosques in Kerala include the abundant use of timber and an absence of copulas and minarets.
A strong influence of Kerala’s temple architecture is visible in the intricate carvings on the ceilings and doors, the gopuram style entrance arches and the absence of minarets.
This 14th century Gothic cathedral built by Jesuit missionaries stands on a site where a Portuguese chapel known as Metri Dei once stood. Locally known as Valliyapalli, this shrine is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic congregation in Malabar.
A 200-year-old portrait of Mother Mary, that adorns a wall, draws tourists.
It is said that Italian architects were brought to Kozhikode to design the church. This ancient shrine is a tribute to Italian know-how and the skill of Indian craftsmen.
The adjoining cemetery holds old grave stones, some well preserved, like that of the first Catholic missionary of Kozhikode, Rev Pedro de Covilhany, who arrived here on May 20, 1498.
On top the rocky cliff, close to the shore, a boulder carries a deep footprint. A natural depression has been chiselled into the shape of a foot more than three feet long. This, according to an oft-repeated story, belongs to Adam as he landed from across the ocean; his other foot is said to have landed on Adam’s peak in Sri Lanka.
Not that it is much to see, but you should see it because of the sheer historical importance of the place.
On 27th May 1498, Vasco Da Gama landed here with three vessels and 170 men. The monument is here to commemorate the historical landing.
The stone pillar has an inscription "Vasco da Gama landed here, Kappakadavu, in the year 1498".
It was the excellent quality of spices and abundant wealth of Kerala that caught the attention of early traders - brought the Arabs, the Phoenicans, the Greeks, the Romans, the Portuguese, the Dutch and finally the English. Kappad, specially has been witness to plenty of such attention.
Sometime in mid-1793, Morning Star, a merchant vessel belonging to the British East India Company, looking for a safe place to anchor while waiting out the monsoon, weighed anchor here. However during a spell of heavy weather, the ship was wrecked. Its remains can still be seen, especially during low tide.
The backwaters of the Kozhikode region has remained practically unspoilt even after the influx of visitors. Elathur, the Canoli Canal and the Kallai River, both close to the beach are good places for boating. Views of water reddened with the reflection of setting sun is particularly mesmerizing. The gentle breezes that slap your face seems to remind you of the love that nature bestows upon all its creation. Sitting on the boat, you will feel yourself in a setting straight out from any regional movie.
You can visit the Mosque irrespective of your religion. A unique feature of the mosques here is the square or rectangular tanks attached to them, similar to those in temples. The Kuttichira tank though is a little away from Mishkal Mosque. Old, weather-beaten laterite benches surrounding the tank afford an inviting retreat to men in the locality who gather here for after-dinner chats. A local resident, Professor Koya, is considered an authority on Kuttichira and Mishkal Mosque.
