KASARAGOD

The northern-most district of Kerala, Kasaragod, which was formed on May 24, 1984, is known for its coir and handloom industries. Fishing is a prime source of livelihood. The district has water, forest, and mineral resources. It is flanked by the forest-covered Western Ghats in the east and the Arabian Sea in the west. Demarcating the north and the south are two rivers the Talapadi and the Trikaripur. Grey rocks and barren land amidst dense vegetation as well as calm lagoons visible through the coconut palms along the coastal bet lend this district a rare and distinct beauty. Kasaragod, having a 77 km coast line, is well known for its tobacco production. Places like Pallikkara, Ajanoor, Punjavi, Kuniya, Kallyott, Pulloor, Periya are producing tobacco bulkly.

Not surprisingly, Kasaragod is poised for growth in the area of tourism. These days most travellers who land in Kasaragod head straight for Bekal, 14 km south on National Highway 17 . The beautiful Bekal beach with the historic and archaelogically significant Bekal Fort in the background is now being developed into a major beach resort. But for now, you can still savour the touch of history as you view the serene Lakshadweep sea from the tall observation towers of the fort, once huge cannon emplacements. The fort is perched atop a hill, thus giving a strategic view of the countryside. The largest and best-preserved fort in Kerala, it belonged in ancient times to the Kadampa dynasty and later came under the control of the Kolathiri Rajas. Still later it became part of the Vijayanagara empire. In the late 18th century Tippu Sultan captured it. An old mosque near the fort is believed to have been built by him. After he was overthrown by the British in 1789, the fort came under the control of the East India Company.

Another fort, a large squarish one by the side of a river, is at Chandragiri, south-east of Kasaragod. It was built in the 17th century by Sivappa Nayaka of Bedanore. This too has a mosque nearby and also the ancient Kizhur State temple for whose annual festival the deity is taken Thrikkanaya temple at Bekal.

At Manjeswaram, a quaint little cashew-rich town at the northen tip of the district which is home to 15 mosques, is the memorial to Govinda Pai, the grand patriarch of Kannada literature.Near Kanhangad in Hosdurg is the Madiyankulam dedicated to Bhadrakali. During the temple festival in May/June and December/January, the ceremonious Bhutha dance is performed here.

The Sree Mahalingeswara at Adoor is located in pretty surroundings on the banks of the river Payaswini. In the temple is a Sanskrit inscription in Kannada script which scholars have ascribed to the Western Chalukya king Kirthi Varma II.

Malik Deenar Juma Masjid, one of the main muslim pilgrim centre not only in the district but in the Kerala state itself, is situated just 1 km. distance from the city. The great mosque situated at Thalangara, the most densly populated and the most enriched by the gulf money, has a vast historical background which is described in detail in the Thalangara Page.

The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) which was established under the Madrass Government in 1916, is situated at Eriyal, Chowky. TxD coconut tree was developed first time in India by this institute.

FACTS & FIGURES

The capital of the district is Kasaragod. The nearest airport is at Mangalore, 50 km away. Kochi airport is 420 km south. Kasaragod has a railway station which is linked to several important towns. Motorable roads connect Kasaragod to towns in Kerala and neighbouring Karnataka.

District Area	1,992 sq. km.
District Population (1991)	1,071,508
Male	5,28,803
Female	5,42,705
Growth of population (1981 to 1991)	22.67 %
Density of Population	546 per sq. km.
Literacy	70.18 %
Altitude	0 ft. (Sea level)
Temperature	27.35(annual mean,in degrees Celsius)
Rainfall	344 cm. (ann.)
Clothing	Tropical cottons
Tourist season	August to March

Language : As per the reports of the 1981 census, 72 % of the total population
are speaking Malayalam. The rest speak Kannada, Thulu, Maratti,
Urdu, Tamil and Hindustani.

Municipalities : Kasaragod , Kanhangad
Assembly constituancies : Manjeshwaram , Kasaragod , Uduma , Hosdurg ,
Thrikkarippur.
Taluks : Kasaragod , Hosdurg.

Nileshwaram Block

Kayyoor-Cheemeni	Cheruvathur	East Eleri
Kinanoor Karindalam	Nileshwaram	Padanna
Pilikkode	Trikkarippur	Valiyaparambu
West Eleri

Kanhangad Block

Ajanoor	Balal	Kodombeloor
Madikkai	Pallikkara	Panathadi
Pulloor Periya	Uduma

Kasaragod Block

Bandadka	Chemnad	Chengala
Delambadi	Karaduka	Mogral Puthur
Muliyar

Manjeshwaram Block

Badiadka	Belloor	Enmakaje	Kumbadaje
Kumbla	Madhur	Mangalpadi	Manjeshwaram
Meenja	Paivalike	Puthige	Vorkadi