Kottappuram or Kottapuram is a village in Kodungallur, Thrissur district, Kerala, India (Malayalam: കോട്ടപ്പുറം).[1] Kottapuram is the southern boundary of Kodungallur. The place is named after a fort built by the Portuguese in 1523.[2][3] It is also the headquarters of the Kottapuram Diocese. It is surrounded by Krishnankotta on the east, Thiruvanchikulam on the north, Gothuruth on the south and Valiya Panikkan Thuruth on the south. The main rice trade in Kodungallur is at the Kottapuram market. Historians believe that this market is as old as Sangham period.[4][5] The site of the historic Portuguese fort is now under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India. There is also a monument to Knai Thoma near the fort.
Kottappuram | |
|---|---|
village | |
 Kottappuram St. Micheals cathredral | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 10°40′0″N 76°11′0″E / 10.66667°N 76.18333°E | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Thrissur |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 680667 |
| Vehicle registration | KL |
| Coastline | 0 kilometres (0 mi) |
| Nearest city | Kodungallur |
| Climate | Tropical monsoon (Köppen) |
| Avg. summer temperature | 35 °C (95 °F) |
| Avg. winter temperature | 20 °C (68 °F) |
Nearest airport is Kochi International Airport.
History
editKottapuram was a part of Muziris, the ancient port of Kodungallur and hence has a history as old as Muziris. Most of the traders of the ancient times were based on the fort, probably because it was surrounded by rivers on all three sides and had the landscape needed to become an early small port by sea. Rivers that are deep and shallow enough to enter from the sea was close to the lake. It can be seen that the Romans and the Greeks had trade relations even before Christ. They mainly bought pepper from Kerala.[6]
For the first time in India, Jewish immigrants reached Kerala through Kottapuram. Their first habitat was Mala, east of the fort. Muslims also reached Kodungallur through Kottapuram. The first muslim mosque in India was built 3 kilometers north of Kottapuram by Malik Ibn Dinar. In AD 345, many Syrians came here under the leadership of the Babylonian merchant Knai Thomas.[7] They also built churches and businesses here. There is a monument erected by the Archdiocese of Kottayam at the place where he is believed to have come.
Fortaleza da São Tomé, known locally as Kottappuram Fort/Tipu's Fort, was constructed in Kodungallur by Portuguese in 1523. The fort was enlarged in 1565, and passed into the hands of the Dutch in 1663 who destroyed the fort.[8][9]
Kottapuram Fort was an important part of the Nedumkotta fort built by Travancore under the leadership of Eustachius Benedictus de Lenoy to defend Tipu Sultan.
Etymology
editThe word Kottapuram means 'the place around a Fort' (Kotta means Fort). Since there are many fortresses in Kerala, the state has many places with a similar name. This particular place gets its name from a fort constructed by Portuguese in 1523.[10] Only relics of the fort is seen as it was destroyed by Zamorin as well as Tipu sultan. The fort is known as Cranganore Fort. The fort is almost ruined now.
Religion
editThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Kottapuram, which is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Verapoly, has its see here.
Schools
edit- St. Micheal's L.P. School, Kottappuram
- St. Anne's Higher Secondary School, Kottappuram
Gallery
edit-
Relics of the cranganore fort - explosive store room -
St. Micheal's cathedral -
Kottapuram river, and bridge amidst some Chinese fishing nets -
Monument erected by government of Travancore -
Kottappuram Market -
Boat Jetty near Kottappuram market -
Church near Kottappuram Market -
Light at Amphitheatre
References
edit- ^ "Diocese of Kottapuram". ucanews.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2018.
- ^ "Kottappuram Fort – the ancient Cranganore fort built by Portuguese | Historic sites at Muziris Heritage Area, Ernakulam". www.muzirisheritage.org. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ വാലത്ത്, വി.വി.കെ. (1991). കേരളത്തിലെ സ്ഥലനാമചരിത്രങ്ങൾ തൃശൂർ ജില്ല. തൃശൂർ: കേരള സാഹിത്യ അക്കാദമി. ISBN 81-7690-051-6.
- ^ പുതുശ്ശേരി., രാമചന്ദ്രൻ (1992). കേരളചരിത്രത്തിലെ അടിസ്ഥാനരേഖകൾ. തിരുവനന്തപുരം: കേരള ഭാഷാ ഇൻസ്റ്റിറ്റ്യൂട്ട്. ISBN 81-7638-552-2.
- ^ എം. ആർ., രാഘവവാരിയർ (2013). കൊടുങ്ങല്ലൂർ- ചരിത്രക്കാഴ്ചകൾ. കേരള ബാല സാഹിത്യ ഇൻസ്റ്റിറ്റ്യൂട്ട്location= തിരുവനന്തപുരം. ISBN 978-81-8494-332-0.
- ^ കിളിമാനൂർ, വിശ്വംഭരൻ (1990). കേരള സംസ്കാര ദർശനം (in Malayalam). കേരള: കാഞ്ചനഗിരി ബുക്സ് കിളിമനൂർ.
- ^ പി.കെ, ബാലകൃഷ്ണൻ (2005). ജാതിവ്യവസ്ഥയും കേരള ചരിത്രവും. കറൻറ് ബുക്സ് തൃശൂർ. ISBN 81-226-0468-4.
- ^ "Kottappuram fort". muzirisheritage.org. Kerala Tourism Department. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 885.
- ^ "Cranganore Fort |Kodungallur Fort | Kottappuram Fort | Kerala | Kerala". Retrieved 19 October 2019.
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