Prologue
From the beautifully renovated Kottappuram Jetty, developed as part of the Muziris Heritage Project, travellers can enjoy the scenic view of the backwaters where the Periyar and Chalakudy rivers flow together, while reflecting on the history of the region. Kottappuram Jetty marks the terminus of the Kollam–Kottappuram National Waterway. The area has been developed as a tourist destination under the Muziris Heritage Project. The famous Kottappuram Market lies adjacent to the jetty. Established by Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of Cochin, the market has lost much of its former grandeur but continues to exist. Kottappuram is also believed to have served as a major trading centre of Mahodayapuram. The church and headquarters of the Diocese of Kottappuram are located nearby.
Built by the Portuguese on the north-western bank near the confluence of the Periyar and Chalakudy rivers, only a few remains of the fort survive today. The fort was destroyed by the Dutch and was later purchased by Travancore in 1905. A physical remnant of a Portuguese soldier, discovered during the Kottappuram archaeological excavations, is preserved here.
Believed to have been the site of the royal capital of the Kulasekharas of Mahodayapuram. For centuries, the site remained covered by thick vegetation with little visible above ground. Excavations conducted under the leadership of archaeologist Paliyath Anujan Achan revealed several stone structures, some of which are displayed here.
Regarded by tradition as one of the earliest Muslim places of worship in India, the mosque is believed to have been established by Malik ibn Dinar at the request of the Cheraman Perumal who is said to have travelled to Mecca. Renovated under the Muziris Heritage Project, the mosque presents a traditional architectural character reflecting its historical heritage.
The royal temple associated with the Perumal period. It is traditionally noted for having one of the largest numbers of subsidiary deities in Kerala, with 33 upadevatas. The temple and its gateways are outstanding examples of Kerala's traditional stone architecture. Images of the celebrated Shaiva Nayanars Cheraman Perumal Nayanar and Sundaramurthi Nayanar are also installed among the subsidiary deities.
The temple stands within an extensive temple complex and is distinguished by its architectural beauty. Of the four ancient Thalis traditionally associated with Kodungallur—Melthali, Keezhthali, Nediyathali and Chingapurathuthali—this Shiva temple represents Chingapurathuthali. The celebrated Malayalam poet Mahakavi Kodungallur Kunhikuttan Thampuran lived in a palace on the southern side of the Sringapuram Thali.
An important Shakta shrine associated with the ancient Chera capital of Vanchi. The temple preserves traditions associated with the Buddhist and Jain heritage of ancient Kodungallur. The Pathittupattu tradition associates the Chera king Senguttuvan with the installation of Kannaki at this sacred centre.
One of the traditional four Thalis of Kodungallur, Keezhthali is believed to contain one of the tallest Shiva lingas in Kerala. The temple was partially destroyed during the colonial period. Today, the surviving remains include the square, tower-like laterite sreekovil and the foundation of the namaskara mandapa.
Traditionally associated with the celebrated devotional poet and king Kulasekhara Alvar. It is believed that the site had earlier been occupied by Melthali Shiva Temple, one of the traditional four Thalis. When Kulasekhara Alvar established Vishnu as the principal deity, the Shiva linga appears to have been retained as a subsidiary deity with considerable importance. Another Shiva temple associated with the former Melthali and a Tamil-style Perumal temple can also be seen nearby.
Built as a residence for the women of the Paliam family, the Ettukettu is an excellent example of traditional Kerala domestic architecture.
Traditionally believed to be the first of the seven-and-a-half churches established by St. Thomas the Apostle in Kerala.
This is an old church in Chendamangalam, under the Kodungallur diocese.
What makes the church notable is that it once stood alongside Vaipicotta Seminary, the first seminary established by the Jesuits. The bishop's residence where St. Francis Xavier stayed during his missionary work in Chendamangalam can also be seen here. Near Holy Cross Church lie the remains of the Vaipicotta Seminary — the place where the Malayalam language was first printed using a printing press.
This Sri Krishnaswamy temple served as the seat temple of the Villorvattom royal dynasty, which ruled from the Kottayil Kovilakam. The dynasty died out as early as the 16th century, and nothing else remains of it today. A Jewish cemetery later came to stand at the very site where the royal palace once stood.
Mar Abdul Jaleel, the Patriarchal delegate from Jerusalem who arrived in Kerala in 1665 to help consolidate the Puthenkoor section of the Saint Thomas Christians following the Coonan Cross Oath, is buried here.
A historic Jewish house of worship noted for its distinctive architecture and now preserved as a museum, close to the famous North Paravur Market.
Photo: Anoopsanthakumar, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Here, the Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR) initiated archaeological excavations in search of the remains of the ancient Muziris port. Some of the artefacts recovered through the excavations are preserved here. Visitors can view photographs and models at the temporary museum and learn directly from archaeologists about the excavation and the significance of the discoveries.
A small hexagonal fortification also known as Ayakotta. It stands at a historically significant location where the Raja of Cochin is traditionally said to have granted permission to the Portuguese, marking the beginning of more than four centuries of European colonial presence in India.
An important church under the Diocese of Kodungallur. The historic old church, preserved as a museum, is also part of the site.
At the mouth where the Periyar and Chalakudy rivers merge into the Kodungallur backwaters before meeting the Arabian Sea. The seaward mouth of Muziris (Muchiri), described even in Sangam literature, can be viewed from the coast.