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About: municipal town in Kerala, India



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Kasaragod

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Settlement type Town
Country India
State
District
Subdivision

Kasaragod (Template:IPA) is a municipal town and the administrative headquarters of the Kasaragod district in the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1966, Kasaragod was the first municipal town in the district.[1] It is the northernmost district of Kerala and is also known as Sapta Bhasha Sangama Bhumi ('The Land of Seven Languages').[2]

Situated in the rich biodiversity of Western Ghats, it is known for the Chandragiri and Bekal Fort,[3] Chandragiri River, historic Kolathiri Rajas, natural environment of Ranipuram and Kottancheri Hills, historical and religious sites like the Madiyan Kulom temple, Madhur Temple, Ananthapuram Lake Temple and Malik Deenar Mosque. The historic hill of Ezhimala is located on the southern portion of Kavvayi Backwaters of Nileshwaram.

Kasaragod is located 90 km north of Kannur city corporation and 50 km south of Mangalore. Kasaragod district has the maximum number of rivers in Kerala - 12.[4] The town is located on the estuary where the Chandragiri River, which is also the longest river in the district, empties into the Arabian Sea. Kasaragod is home to several forts, including Arikady fort, Bekal Fort, Chandragiri Fort, and Hosdurg Fort. Bekal Fort is the largest and best preserved fort in Kerala.[5] Talakaveri, which is home to Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary where the 805 km long Kaveri river originates, is located closer to Ranipuram on the Kerala-Karnataka border.

Robert Caldwell describes the extent of Malayalam in the 19th century as extending from Chandragiri (fort and river) in the north to Neyyar river beyond Thiruvananthapuram in the south and from Malabar Coast in the west to Western Ghats in the east besides the inhabited islands of Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea.[6]Template:Refn

Etymology

Said to be from Kannada kāsara "Strychnos nux-vomica" and gōḍe "rampart". In Malayalam Kasaragod was known as kāññirakkōṭŭ (The land of kāññiram trees). kāññiram is Malayalam for Kasaraka trees (Kannada name) found in abundance here.[7][8]

Kasaragod was under the Kumbla dynasty until the 16th century, which was vassal to the kingdom of Kolathunadu based at Kannur.[9] Kannada kingdoms focused on the port and surroundings in the 16th century CE.[10][11][12][13]

History

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Ancient era

File:Anantapura Lake Temple.jpg
Ananthapadmanabhaswamy temple at Ananthapura, Kumbla

The ancient Tamil works of the Sangam Age record that the area covering the district was part of Puzhinadu which consists of the coastal belt from Kozhikode to Mangalore. Politically the area was part of the Ezhimala Kingdom with its capital at Ezhimala in present-day Kannur district. The most famous king of Ezhimala was Nannan whose kingdom extended up to Gudalur and northern parts of Coimbatore. Poozhinad, along with Karkanad which included the eastern regions of Ezhimala dynasty (Wayanad-Gudalur region with some portions of Kodagu), had its capital at Ezhimala. The Mooshaka kings were considered descendants of Nannan. By the 14th century, Mooshaka Kingdom was known as Kolathirinad and the rulers as Kolathiris. The Kolathunad Kingdom at the peak of its power reportedly extended from Netravati River (Mangalore) in the north[14] to Korapuzha (Kozhikode) in the south with Arabian Sea on the west and Kodagu hills on the eastern boundary, also including the isolated islands of Lakshadweep in Arabian Sea.[15]

Medieval era

File:Malikdeenar Mosque in the Morning.jpg
Malik Dinar Mosque, Thalangara, Kasaragod, is one of the oldest mosques in India.
File:Maipady palace.jpg
Maipady palace

Kasaragod, about 50 km south of Mangalore city, was an important centre of trade in earlier times. Ramacharitam, probably the oldest literary work written in Old Malayalam, which dates back to the 12th century CE, is thought to have written in Kasaragod district as its manuscripts were discovered from Nileshwaram and the poem mentions about Ananthapura Lake Temple in Kumbla in detail.[16] Kasaragod was known to the Arabs by the name Harkwillia.[10] The Malik Dinar Mosque in Kasaragod town is one of the oldest Masjids in the Indian subcontinent.[17] According to Qissat Shakarwati Farmad, the Masjids at Kodungallur, Kollam, Madayi, Barkur, Mangalore, Kasaragod, Kannur, Dharmadam, Panthalayini, and Chaliyam, were built during the era of Malik Dinar, and they are among the oldest Masjids in the Indian subcontinent.[18] It is believed that Malik Dinar died at Thalangara in Kasaragod town.[17] Many Arab travelers visiting Kerala between the 9th and the 14th centuries visited Kasaragod, being an important trade centre then. Duarte Barbosa, a Portuguese traveler who visited Kumbla, near Kasaragod Town in 1514 recorded that rice being exported for coir to Maldives.[10] According to Barbosa, the people in the southwestern Malabar coast of India from Chandragiri in the north to Kanyakumari in the south spoke a unique language, which they called as "Maliama" (Malayalam).[19][20]

Until the 16th century CE, Kasaragod town was known by the name Kanhirakode (may be by the meaning, 'the land of Kanhira trees') in Malayalam.[7] The Kumbla dynasty, who swayed over the land of southern Tulu Nadu wedged between Chandragiri River and Netravati River (including present-day taluks of Manjeshwar and Kasaragod) from Maipady Palace at Kumbla, had also been vassals to the Kolathunadu kingdom of North Malabar, before the Carnatic conquests of Vijayanagara Empire.[21] The Kumbla dynasty had a mixed lineage of Malayali Nairs and Tuluva Brahmins.[9] They also claimed their origin from Cheraman Perumals of Kerala.[9] Francis Buchanan-Hamilton states that the customs of Kumbla dynasty were similar to those of the contemporary Malayali kings.[9]

The Kolathiri Dominion emerged into ten independent principalities, i.e. Kadathanadu (Vadakara), Randathara or Poyanad (Dharmadom), Kottayam (Thalassery), Nileshwaram, Iruvazhinadu (Panoor), Kurumbranad etc., under separate royal chieftains due to the outcome of internal dissensions.[22] Many portions of the present-day Hosdurg taluk (Kanhangad) and Vellarikundu were parts of the Nileshwaram dynasty, who were relatives to both Kolathunadu as well as Zamorin of Calicut, in the early medieval period.[23] The areas north to the Chandragiri river (present-day Taluks of Manjeshwaram and Kasaragod) were ruled by the Kumbala dynasty.[9]

The Chandragiri Fort is built on the southern bank of the estuary of Chandragiri River, just opposite to Kasaragod town. The Bekal Fort at Bekal, Pallikkara, which is situated midway between Kasaragod and Kanhangad, and which is largest fort in Kerala, was built in 1650 by Shivappa Nayaka of Keladi.[24]

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Colonial era

File:Valiyaparamba Beach sun set.jpg
Sunset at Valiyaparamba beach
File:Buchanan Journey map.jpg
A map of Malabar District (Malayalam district) drawn by Francis Buchanan-Hamilton in 1807. A portion of Kasaragod taluk of erstwhile British South Canara district to the south of Payaswini/Chandragiri river was also included in Malayalam region (just above the blue shaded region).

Francis Buchanan, the family doctor of Arthur Wellesley, visited Kasaragod in 1800.[10] In his travelogue, he recorded information on places like Athiraparambu, Kavvayi, Nileshwaram, Bekal, Chandragiri and Manjeshwar.[10]

Hosdurg and Vellarikundu was part of Kolathunadu (south of Chandragiri river) and Kasaragod and Manjeshwaram was in the Tulu Nadu region (north of Chandragiri river).[25][26]

In 1763, Hyder Ali raided Bedanoor (Bidnur), the capital of the Ikkery Naiks. His son Tippu Sultan raided much of Malabar region in Kerala. As per the Treaty of Seringapatam of 1792, Tippu surrendered Malabar, except Kanara to the British. The British occupied Kanara only after the death of Tippu Sultan.[10] it is said that Kinavoor Molom (Sree Dharma Shashtha Temple) is belonging to Karinthalam (one of 64 Brahmin villages in old Kerala). Initially South Canara was placed under the Bombay presidency.[27] Later on 16 April 1862, South Canara was transferred to Madras Presidency and Kasaragod taluk was formed by replacing the erstwhile Bekal taluk.[27] Kasaragod was the second-most populated Taluk in South Canara only after to Mangalore taluk, and also the second-largest Taluk.[28]

Post-Independence

File:Malkassignboard.JPG
Road sign in Kasaragod town

Before the formation of Kerala, Kasaragod was a part of South Canara district of erstwhile Madras Presidency.[29] However, in the 19th century CE, Kasaragod Taluk witnessed many struggles to separate the region from South Canara and to merge it with the Malabar District as it was the only Malayalam-majority region in South Canara. Kasaragod became a part of Kannur district of Kerala following the reorganization of states and the formation of Kerala on 1 November 1956.[30] Later Kasaragod was divided into two taluks for the ease of administration - Kasaragod and Hosdurg. Kasaragod was declared a district in 1984.[29] The inclusion of Kasaragod with Kerala has been a contentious issue as there is a sizeable population that speaks Tulu and Kannada. At the time of 1951 Census of India, only 72.0% of the district's population chose their mother tongue as Malayalam.[31] 14.2% chose Tulu and 6.3% chose Kannada.[31] But it is noted that as per the 2011 census report only 8.8% and 4.2% of the total population in the district speak Tulu and Kannada respectively as their mother tongue. In 2012, the Second Oommen Chandy ministry appointed a commission under the leadership the former Chief Secretary P. Prabhakaran to study about the backwardness and issues faced by this northernmost district of Kerala and to draw up special package for the district.[32] In 2013, two more Taluks, namely Manjeshwaram and Vellarikundu were formed in the district.[33]

Geography

Climate

Kasaragod experiences a tropical monsoon climate under the Köppen climate classification. It receives a generous Template:Cvt of rain annually.

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Rivers

Kasaragod has the maximum number of rivers in Kerala - 12.[4] All of them are west-flowing rivers.[34] The longest of them is Chandragiri River (105 km long).[35] The Kasaragod town is located on the estuary of Chandragiri river. It empties into the Arabian Sea at Thalangara.[34] The Chandragiri Fort is built on its bank. The river originates at Pattimala in Kodagu (Coorg).[34] The smallest river of Kerala is also in the district.

Rivers of Kasaragod[34]
River Origin Length (km)
Total Navigable
1 Manjeshwar River Kadandur hills 16 3
2 Uppala River Kudipadi hills, Veerakamba 50 N/A
3 Shiriya River Kanakad hills, Anegundi Reserve Forest 61 5
4 Kumbla River Yedanad 11 3
5 Mogral River Kanlur, Karadka Reserve Forest 34 N/A
6 Chandragiri River Patti forest, Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary 105 13
7 Kalnad River Chettianchal 8 N/A
8 Bekal River Kaniyadka 11 N/A
9 Chittari River Kundiya 25 N/A
10 Neeleshwaram River
(Thejaswini River)
Kinanoor, Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary 47 11
11 Kariangode River Padinalkad, Coorg hills 64 24
12 Kavvayi River Cheemeni 23 10

Science and research

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File:Central University of Kerala Campus 07.jpg
The Central University of Kerala is situated in the district.
File:CPCRI Main Building.jpg
The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute at Kasaragod was established in 1916.
File:Government college kasaragod 03.jpg
The Government College Kasaragod was established in 1957.

Kasaragod district comes under the jurisdiction of Kannur University. Kasaragod is home to the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, originally established in 1916 as the Coconut Research Station.[36] It is part of India's National Agricultural Research System under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.[37] According to the institute, Kerala "lies in the heart of the major coconut growing areas of the country." It is also home to the Indian Society for Plantation Crops, which publishes the Journal of Plantation Crops and holds symposiums on the subject.[38] The Central University of Kerala is also located in Kasaragod(Periya hills).

  • The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute at Kasaragod was established in 1916.[39]
  • Government College Kasaragod was established in 1957.
  • The Central University of Kerala was established in 2009.[40][41]
  • Malik Deenar Institute of Management Studies is located at Seethamgoly, Kasaragod.[42]
  • Lal Bahadur Shastry college of engineering, Kasaragod, was established in 1993.
  • Khansa Women's College For Advanced Studies, Kasaragod
  • Jamia Sa Adiya Arts and Science College, Kasaragod
  • Sharaf Arts & Science College, Padanna
  • Zainab Memorial B.Ed. Centre, Kasaragod
  • Peoples Arts & Science College, Munnad, Kasaragod
  • Co-operative Arts & Science College, Badiadka, Kasaragod
  • St. Gregorios College of Engineering, Perla, Kasaragod

Transport

File:Kasaragod Railway Station (4601247110).jpg
Kasaragod railway station lies on Mangalore-Shoranur railway line in Palakkad railway division.

The National Highway 66 which connects the western coast of India from Mumbai to Kanyakumari passes through coastal area of the district connecting the major coastal towns of Manjeshwar, Uppala, Kumbla, Kasaragod, Udma, Bekal, Kanhangad, Nileshwaram, and Thrikaripur.[43][44][45] It enters the district at Thalappady and goes out through Payyanur. There are State highways starting/ending at Kasaragod and Kanhangad.[46] Total length of Major District Road (MDR) of Kasaragod is around 1460 km and it accounts for around 11.2 km of MDR for every 10,000 people in the district.[47] The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has stations to operate its service in the district.[48] The railway goes through coastal area. Kasaragod railway station lies in Palakkad railway division of southern zone on Mangalore-Shoranur line.[49] Kasaragod district is home to three of the 13 minor ports in Kerala - Manjeshwar, Kasaragod, and Nileshwaram.Template:Sfn The nearest international airports are situated at Mangalore (65 km away) and Kannur (110 km away).

Demographics

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As of 2011 Census, Kasaragod municipality had a population of 54,172 which constitutes 26,319 males and 27,853 females. Kasaragod municipality spreads over an area of Template:Cvt with 10,202 families residing in it. The municipality is divided into 35 wards for which elections are held every 5 years. The female sex ratio was 1058 against state average of 1084. Population in the age group 0-6 was 7,234 (13.4%) where 3,716 are males and 3,518 are females. The literacy rate of Kasaragod town was 94.76% higher than state average of 94%. Male literacy stands at 96.5% and female literacy was 93.1%.[50]

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Politics

File:Local Self Governance in Kasaragod District.svg
Kasaragod acts as the administrative headquarters of Kasaragod district.

The current Municipal Chairman of Kasaragod municipality is Adv. V. M. Muneer of IUML and the deputy chairperson is Shamseeda Feroz.[51]

The major political parties are Indian Union Muslim League, CPI(M), INC, CPI, and BJP. North Kasaragod is dominated by IUML which is followed by BJP, and the south is dominated by CPI(M). N. A. Nellikkunnu is the present Member of Legislative Assembly, from Kasaragod Assembly Constituency. It is a part of Kasaragod (Lok Sabha constituency). Indian National Congress (INC) member Rajmohan Unnithan is the present MP from Kasaragod (2019 elections).[52]

Kannada has linguistic minority status in the Manjeshwaram taluk of the district.[53]

Backwardness

File:Kalikkadavu (4472443272).jpg
Thrikaripur town

Kasaragod district is the northernmost district of Kerala, which is much away from Thiruvananthapuram, the state headquarters, which is located in the southernmost tip of state. Manjeshwaram town is located about 600 km north of the state headquarters Thiruvananthapuram, about 30 km south of Mangalore, about 350 km west of Bangalore, the headquarters of the neighbouring state Karnataka, and about 950 km south of Mumbai city. In 2012, the Second Oommen Chandy ministry appointed a commission under the leadership of the former Chief Secretary P. Prabhakaran to study about the backwardness and issues faced by this northernmost district of Kerala and to draw up a special package for the district.[32] In 2013, two more Taluks, namely Manjeshwaram and Vellarikundu were formed in the district.[33] Before this, the district had only two taluks. The decision to implement a gas-based power plant at Cheemeni was taken by the second Chandy government.[54] A government medical college was allowed for Kasaragod district, as a part of the government's new policy to establish at ensure availability of at least one government medical college in all 14 districts of the state in 2013.[55][56]

Tourism

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File:Edayilakkad.jpg
Edayilakkad island in Valiyaparamba

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Notable people

File:Panathur town.jpg
Panathur is an important hilly town in the district (closer to Western Ghats).
File:Badiyadka Town Night View.jpg
Badiyadka town at night

See also

References

  1. കാസർകോട്. കാസർകോട്. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
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  3. Draft Map. keralaczma.gov.in(2012). Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Rivers in Kasargod. Kerala Tourism. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  5. Bekal Fort - largest and best preserved forts in Kerala | Kerala Tourism. www.keralatourism.org. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  6. A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian Or South-Indian Family of Languages{{#if:Caldwell|, Caldwell}. Asian Educational Services(1998). ISBN 978-81-206-0117-8
  7. 7.0 7.1 Tuhfat-al-Mujahidin: An Historical Work in The Arabic Language{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. University of Madras(1942)
  8. About District | Website of Kasargod | India. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 A Survey of Kerala History{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. DC Books(2007). ISBN 9788126415786
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Kasaragod History. Government of Kerala. Retrieved 11 March 2009.
  11. The Dravidian Languages{{#if:Steever|, Steever}. Taylor & Francis(15 April 2015). ISBN 9781136911644
  12. South Kanara, 1799-1860, A Study in Colonial Administration and Regional Response{{#if:Bhat|, Bhat}. Mittal Publications(1998). ISBN 9788170995869
  13. A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian Or South-Indian Family of Languages{{#if:Caldwell|, Caldwell}. Asian Educational Services(1998). ISBN 9788120601178
  14. 'Kerala Charitram'{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. DC Books(2007). ISBN 978-8126415885
  15. District Census Handbook, Kasaragod (2011){{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Directorate of Census Operation, Kerala
  16. Aadyakla Malayala kavitha. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  17. 17.0 17.1 Pg 58, Cultural heritage of Kerala: an introduction, A. Sreedhara Menon, East-West Publications, 1978
  18. Prange, Sebastian R. Monsoon Islam: Trade and Faith on the Medieval Malabar Coast. Cambridge University Press, 2018. 98.
  19. The Book of Duarte Barbosa: An Account of the countries bordering on the Indian Ocean and their inhabitants (Volume 2){{#if:Barbosa|, Barbosa}. Asian Educational Services(1989). ISBN 9788120604513
  20. The Book of Duarte Barbosa: An Account of the countries bordering on the Indian Ocean and their inhabitants - Volume I. indianculture.gov.in. Asian Educational Services. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  21. 1981 Census Handbook- Kasaragod District{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Directorate of Census Operations, Kerala
  22. Malabar Manual (Volume-I){{#if:Logan|, Logan}. Asian Educational Services(2010). ISBN 9788120604476
  23. Neeleswaram fete to showcase its heritage. The Hindu(21 November 2011). Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  24. A Portion of Kasaragod's Bekal Forts Observation Post Caves in. The Hindu(12 August 2019).
  25. A Journey from Madras Through the Countries of Mysore, Canara, and Malabar{{#if:Buchanan|, Buchanan}. Cadell(1807)
  26. Forest-Agriculture Linkage and its Implications on Forest Management: A study of Delampady panchayat, M., Amruth(2004).
  27. 27.0 27.1 1981 Census Handbook- Kasaragod District{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Directorate of Census Operations, Kerala
  28. 1951 Census Handbook- South Canara District{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Madras Government Press(1953)
  29. 29.0 29.1 About Kasaragod – Government Polytechnic College, Kasaragod. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
  30. Kasargod After District Formation. Kasargod District. Retrieved 11 March 2009.
  31. 31.0 31.1 South Kanara, The Nilgiris, Malabar and Coimbatore Districts (Village-wise Mother-tongue Data for Bilingual or Multilingual Taluks){{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Madras Government Press(1955)
  32. 32.0 32.1 Commission to draw up package for Kasaragod. The Hindu(24 May 2012).
  33. 33.0 33.1 12 new taluks to be formed in Kerala. The Hindu(21 March 2013).
  34. 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 District Census Handbook - Kasaragod (Part-A) 2011{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Directorate of Census Operations, Kerala(2014–15)
  35. Rivers, Kasaragod, Kerala, India. Kerala Tourism - Bekal. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
  36. CPCRI 🌴. cpcriagribiz.in. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
  37. About Institute. CPCRI.in. Central Plantation Crops Research Institute. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  38. Indian Society for Plantation Crops. indsocplantationcrops.in. Indian Society for Plantation Crops. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  39. Central Plantation Crops Research Institute(CPCRI). cpcri. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  40. Description on official website
  41. Prospectus of Central University of Kerala
  42. Archived copy. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  43. All new national highways to be made of concrete: Nitin Gadkari. timesofindia-economictimes.
  44. National Highway work gains speed in Kerala(27 August 2017).
  45. Home. OnManorama. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  46. Economic review 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2016.Template:Dead link
  47. Economic Review 2020 - Volume I{{#if:Government of Kerala|, Government of Kerala}. Kerala State Planning Board(2021)
  48. All about KSRTC. Keralartc.com. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  49. SALIENT FEATURES OF PALGHAT DIVISION. sr.indianrailways.gov.in/. Southern Railway.
  50. District Census Handbook, Kasaragod{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Directorate of Census Operations, Kerala
  51. Kasaragod Municipality Election (2020). lsgkerala.gov.in.
  52. Kasaragod Parliament Constituency. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
  53. Kasargod: Success for Kannadigas - Manjeshwar gets linguistic minority status. www.daijiworld.com. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  54. Kerala to get three gas-based power projects. Projects Today(26 August 2013).
  55. MCI recognition for Manjeri medical college. The Hindu(4 May 2019).
  56. A new government medical college in Kerala after 31 years. The Hindu(2 September 2013).
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  58. Kerala Sanchaaram{{#if:Divakaran|, Divakaran}. Z Library(2005)
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  61. Finding everland. Deccan Herald(17 May 2015). Retrieved 12 September 2020.

Notes

Further reading

General

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  • Mathrubhumi Yearbook Plus - 2019{{#if:Chandran|, Chandran}. P. V. Chandran, Managing Editor, Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Company Limited, Kozhikode(2018)

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History

Languages

District Census Handbooks

Template:Commons category

Template:Kerala

Template:Kasaragod District Municipalities Template:Municipalities of Kerala Template:Authority control