Kannur, formerly known as Cannanore during the colonial period, is a city and the administrative headquarters of Kannur district in the northern part of the Indian state of Kerala. Situated on the Malabar Coast along the Arabian Sea, the city has historically been an important port and trading centre, and is today one of the major urban centres of the Malabar region.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Kerala |
| District | Kannur |
| Region | Malabar / North Kerala |
| Coast | Arabian Sea (Malabar Coast) |
| Former name | Cannanore |
| Languages | Malayalam (official) |
Kannur lies on the Arabian Sea coast in northern Kerala, bordered by the Lakshadweep Sea to the west and the Western Ghats to the east. The terrain combines a narrow coastal plain with laterite hills further inland. The district contains beaches, estuaries and small islets along its coastline, and rivers such as the Valapattanam flow through the region before draining into the sea.
Kannur has a long history as a maritime trading point on the Malabar Coast, linked to the spice trade with West Asia and Europe. The town was the seat of the Kolathiri (Kolathunadu) rulers, whose realm extended over much of north Malabar. The local Muslim dynasty of the Arakkal family, the only Muslim royal house of Kerala, was based at Kannur and at one time held authority over the Lakshadweep islands.
European contact reshaped the city from the early 16th century onward. The Portuguese built St Angelo Fort at Kannur in 1505. The fort later passed to the Dutch in the 17th century, and subsequently to the British, who used Cannanore as a significant military cantonment. The cantonment continues as one of the oldest in India and remains associated with regiments of the Indian Army.
After Indian independence in 1947, Kannur became part of the Madras State, and on the formation of Kerala in 1956 it was incorporated into the new state. Kannur district was carved out in 1957.
The city's economy is built on a mix of trade, services, agriculture-linked industry and traditional manufacturing. Kannur is widely known for its handloom industry, producing furnishing fabrics and textiles that are exported internationally; the surrounding region is one of Kerala's major handloom clusters. The beedi rolling industry, cashew processing, timber, and small-scale engineering also contribute to local employment. Remittances from the large diaspora working in the Gulf countries form a significant part of household income.
Kannur and its hinterland are strongly associated with Theyyam, a ritual performance art combining dance, music and worship, performed at sacred groves (kavus) and family shrines, mainly between the months of Thulam and Edavam in the Malayalam calendar. The region also has rich traditions of Mappila Muslim culture, including Mappila pattu (Mappila songs), and is known for its cuisine that blends Malabar Muslim and Hindu culinary practices.
The city is sometimes called the "Land of Looms and Lores" in tourism literature, referring respectively to its handloom industry and its folk-ritual traditions.
Kannur University, established in 1996, is headquartered in the district and serves as the principal affiliating university for north Kerala. The city hosts a Government Medical College, engineering colleges, and a number of arts and science colleges affiliated to Kannur University. The Kannur Cantonment houses establishments of the Indian Army.