<p>If one could just travel back in time by 500 years, one would see this historic city in north Kerala, teeming with the Portuguese, Arabs and Chinese. Here was an ancient port where sea trade flourished, and yet, Kozhikode today stands a mute witness to those glorious cultures that have all but vanished.Though something remains. Honesty still reigns as the common currency in the erstwhile kingdom of the Zamorins, earning it the epithet of ‘City of Truth.’<br /><br />Till very recent times, the ubiquitous autorickshaw driver used to be the ‘famous’ brand ambassador of the ‘City of Truth.’ Only in this city, you would find an auto driver returning you 50 paise or even 25 paise if you had not paid him the exact fare and had infact overpaid him a bit. <br /><br />But times are changing, admit residents of Kozhikode, or Calicut as it was called earlier.<br />The folklore that contributes to the ‘honest’ image of this prosperous trading town of the 18th century is however something that all residents take pride in.<br /><br />Historian MGS Narayanan narrates one such tale, “A seafaring merchant from a place believed to be Muscat reached coastal Calicut and had an audience with the Hindu ruler, the Zamorin. “He entrusted a consignment of jars supposedly filled with pickled food with the royal family for safekeeping until he returned next year.’’ <br /><br />The merchant returned the very next year to reclaim it from the ruler’s custody. The king knew that the jars had gold in it, but returned them to the merchant untouched. This made the merchant proclaim that this is the “the city of truth.”<br /><br />Narayanan who has undertaken several history walks through the district has in fact written a book called The City of Truth Revisited.<br /><br />It must have taken quite well-entrenched traditions for truth to survive in modern times since the key activity in the region was trade and commerce which we don’t usually associate with honesty. But the image needs to be examined a bit more closely. While sea trade flourished till the 19th century, smuggling of goods had also thrived till a decade ago.<br /><br />Steeped in history<br /><br />Memories of bygone days linger in every grain of sand in Kozhikode. In 1498, Kozhikode was the spot where colonialism was initiated in India when Vasco Da Gama, in his quest for a direct sea route from Europe to India, landed at the Kappad beach. Since then, the land had been frequented by people from many corners of the world — the Arabs, Egyptians, Yemenis, Europeans, Chinese, not to speak of the different Indian communities which made it their home. Kozhikode was then a centre of spices while Beypore port, just 10 km away, had a ship and yacht building industry. Urus, or traditional Arabian sailing vessels were built here till about a decade ago.<br /><br />And yet, the city can hardly boast of a well-preserved archeological monument or heritage site to recall the old glory, save the broken stumps of old sea piers on the historic beach and lighthouse. Of course, the Thali Siva temple and the Miskal Mosque as well as the Sweet Meat Street were declared heritage sites, a couple of years ago. <br />However, the teeming Valiyangadi or Big Bazaar and the ancient Kuttichira bylanes still remain as silent relics of history. Though even the Chinese had set up shop in the city, very little of this glorious association remains now. Narayanan feels that a wealth of archaeological material must be buried beneath the buildings that have now sprouted up everywhere.<br /><br />A distinct culture<br /><br />As capital of the erstwhile Malabar state of Madras Presidency, Kozhikode had a distinct cultural and historical legacy compared to the Travancore and Cochin regions. <br />Progressive writer Professor Hameed Chennamangaloor points out that though Hindus as a religious entity dominated the district, the Muslims or Mopillas infact constituted the majority as a community. This was because the Hindus were riven by caste divisions. “The relative straightforwardness (simplicity)of the Kozhikode resident had much to do with the late arrival of education to the Malabar region,’’ he quips.<br /><br />Social commentator Professor MN Karasseri says that of late there has been an increasing emphasis on education, particularly on the learning of English in the Muslim community. <br /><br />Another unique attribute of Kozhikode was its communal harmony which contributed to its prosperity in trading and commerce. For the last four centuries, Muslims and Hindus have closely associated with each other and demonstrated mutual respect. Narayanan says that this was because the Zamorin was protective of the Muslims for most part of his reign. “In fact, the Muslims were his Naval chieftains during his wars with other rulers,’’ he says.<br /><br />There was also a distinction between the Muslims who lived in Kozhikode and those in other parts of the state. The Koyas of Kozhikode mostly followed the Marumakkathayam tradition of the Hindus where the uncle was the chief (Karanavar) of the household. Under Marumakkathayam, the karanavar bequeathed his property not to his children but to the children of his sister. This integration of cultures and traditions seems to have led to the good relations between the two communities in Kozhikode. Muslims in other parts mainly followed Makkathayam (where the son was the natural heir of the father).<br /><br />However, the radicalism that crept into sections of the Muslim and Hindu communities seems to have stained Kozhikode’s image a bit too. Early 2000 saw killings in the coastal area of Marad between the two communities. However, Professor Chennamangaloor is quick to point out that communal clashes had stopped then and there unlike in other places where they spread or kept simmering. “This is because both communities needed each other to further their trade prospects,’’ says he.<br /><br />The Arab factor<br /><br />If there has been a big cultural influence on Kozhikode, it is the Arab effect. The sea route between Malabar and the Gulf countries including Egypt was shorter mainly because of the monsoon winds which swept seasonally. The Arabs who sailed frequently to the Malabar shores for trade also married Muslim women from this coast. <br /><br />Today, Kozhikode and perhaps the entire state of Kerala have many shops selling Arabian perfumes and restaurants serve Arabian delicacies. In fact, the influence also spread to music, dance and sports to name a few. Ghazals and Qawwalis remain a rage in Kozhikode and the erstwhile Malabar region to this day.<br /><br />“I remember the people of Kozhikode braving rain and darkness for six hours to listen to Mohammed Rafi in the 70s when he came by car from Bangalore,’’ recalls Professor Karasseri who attended that concert. The mehfils of music director Baburaj and Kozhikode Abdul Khader were also the toast of the city. And Kozhikode’s fascination with football is well known. Several foreign teams including those from Pakistan have played in Kozhikode while a World Cup or Euro Cup continue to whip up mass hysteria. Local hero T Abdul Rahman, popularly known as Olympian Rahman, was a member of the Indian team that reached the semifinal of the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.<br /><br />The Arab effect is also obvious on Malabar’s food, more familiar as Mopilla cuisine in Kozhikode. Culinary expert Abida Rasheed points out that Mopilla food is heavily influenced by Yemeni and Arab traditions as these were the people who frequented Malabar for a long time. Malabar food is usually mildly flavoured and gently cooked.<br /><br />“The speciality of Mopilla cuisine is that it is a healthy preparation. For instance, we don’t use ingredients like garam masala in Mopilla biryani for adding flavour to it but more of natural ingredients,’’ says Abida who is a consultant for the Taj group. Some unique mopilla food items include fish biryani, Meen Pathiri, stuffed chicken, Aadu chuttathu (smoked lamb), Chatti pathiri and a variety of sweets like kinnathappam and Kozhikodan halwa.<br /><br />Changing times<br /><br />However, not everything is hunky dory now. Many feel that Kozhikode has also been undergoing a steady decline of sorts of late. Diehard ‘Kozhikodans’ blame it all on the influx of ‘outsiders’. Writer and football expert Bhasi Malapparambu has a different take. He says circumstances have been forcing inevitable changes. “The football fan now finds more fun watching matches on ESPN rather than turning up for local matches,’’ says he and adds, “Rampant alcoholism among the youths has also added to the problem. Their attention and energy have shifted and values are undergoing a churn.’’<br /><br />But still the city of truth does maintain its integrity. The autorickshaw driver now rounds up fares and hesitates to return the 50 paise. But he still does not fleece you like they do in other cities. He exemplifies the city that at its heart, remains unchanged.</p>
<p>If one could just travel back in time by 500 years, one would see this historic city in north Kerala, teeming with the Portuguese, Arabs and Chinese. Here was an ancient port where sea trade flourished, and yet, Kozhikode today stands a mute witness to those glorious cultures that have all but vanished.Though something remains. Honesty still reigns as the common currency in the erstwhile kingdom of the Zamorins, earning it the epithet of ‘City of Truth.’<br /><br />Till very recent times, the ubiquitous autorickshaw driver used to be the ‘famous’ brand ambassador of the ‘City of Truth.’ Only in this city, you would find an auto driver returning you 50 paise or even 25 paise if you had not paid him the exact fare and had infact overpaid him a bit. <br /><br />But times are changing, admit residents of Kozhikode, or Calicut as it was called earlier.<br />The folklore that contributes to the ‘honest’ image of this prosperous trading town of the 18th century is however something that all residents take pride in.<br /><br />Historian MGS Narayanan narrates one such tale, “A seafaring merchant from a place believed to be Muscat reached coastal Calicut and had an audience with the Hindu ruler, the Zamorin. “He entrusted a consignment of jars supposedly filled with pickled food with the royal family for safekeeping until he returned next year.’’ <br /><br />The merchant returned the very next year to reclaim it from the ruler’s custody. The king knew that the jars had gold in it, but returned them to the merchant untouched. This made the merchant proclaim that this is the “the city of truth.”<br /><br />Narayanan who has undertaken several history walks through the district has in fact written a book called The City of Truth Revisited.<br /><br />It must have taken quite well-entrenched traditions for truth to survive in modern times since the key activity in the region was trade and commerce which we don’t usually associate with honesty. But the image needs to be examined a bit more closely. While sea trade flourished till the 19th century, smuggling of goods had also thrived till a decade ago.<br /><br />Steeped in history<br /><br />Memories of bygone days linger in every grain of sand in Kozhikode. In 1498, Kozhikode was the spot where colonialism was initiated in India when Vasco Da Gama, in his quest for a direct sea route from Europe to India, landed at the Kappad beach. Since then, the land had been frequented by people from many corners of the world — the Arabs, Egyptians, Yemenis, Europeans, Chinese, not to speak of the different Indian communities which made it their home. Kozhikode was then a centre of spices while Beypore port, just 10 km away, had a ship and yacht building industry. Urus, or traditional Arabian sailing vessels were built here till about a decade ago.<br /><br />And yet, the city can hardly boast of a well-preserved archeological monument or heritage site to recall the old glory, save the broken stumps of old sea piers on the historic beach and lighthouse. Of course, the Thali Siva temple and the Miskal Mosque as well as the Sweet Meat Street were declared heritage sites, a couple of years ago. <br />However, the teeming Valiyangadi or Big Bazaar and the ancient Kuttichira bylanes still remain as silent relics of history. Though even the Chinese had set up shop in the city, very little of this glorious association remains now. Narayanan feels that a wealth of archaeological material must be buried beneath the buildings that have now sprouted up everywhere.<br /><br />A distinct culture<br /><br />As capital of the erstwhile Malabar state of Madras Presidency, Kozhikode had a distinct cultural and historical legacy compared to the Travancore and Cochin regions. <br />Progressive writer Professor Hameed Chennamangaloor points out that though Hindus as a religious entity dominated the district, the Muslims or Mopillas infact constituted the majority as a community. This was because the Hindus were riven by caste divisions. “The relative straightforwardness (simplicity)of the Kozhikode resident had much to do with the late arrival of education to the Malabar region,’’ he quips.<br /><br />Social commentator Professor MN Karasseri says that of late there has been an increasing emphasis on education, particularly on the learning of English in the Muslim community. <br /><br />Another unique attribute of Kozhikode was its communal harmony which contributed to its prosperity in trading and commerce. For the last four centuries, Muslims and Hindus have closely associated with each other and demonstrated mutual respect. Narayanan says that this was because the Zamorin was protective of the Muslims for most part of his reign. “In fact, the Muslims were his Naval chieftains during his wars with other rulers,’’ he says.<br /><br />There was also a distinction between the Muslims who lived in Kozhikode and those in other parts of the state. The Koyas of Kozhikode mostly followed the Marumakkathayam tradition of the Hindus where the uncle was the chief (Karanavar) of the household. Under Marumakkathayam, the karanavar bequeathed his property not to his children but to the children of his sister. This integration of cultures and traditions seems to have led to the good relations between the two communities in Kozhikode. Muslims in other parts mainly followed Makkathayam (where the son was the natural heir of the father).<br /><br />However, the radicalism that crept into sections of the Muslim and Hindu communities seems to have stained Kozhikode’s image a bit too. Early 2000 saw killings in the coastal area of Marad between the two communities. However, Professor Chennamangaloor is quick to point out that communal clashes had stopped then and there unlike in other places where they spread or kept simmering. “This is because both communities needed each other to further their trade prospects,’’ says he.<br /><br />The Arab factor<br /><br />If there has been a big cultural influence on Kozhikode, it is the Arab effect. The sea route between Malabar and the Gulf countries including Egypt was shorter mainly because of the monsoon winds which swept seasonally. The Arabs who sailed frequently to the Malabar shores for trade also married Muslim women from this coast. <br /><br />Today, Kozhikode and perhaps the entire state of Kerala have many shops selling Arabian perfumes and restaurants serve Arabian delicacies. In fact, the influence also spread to music, dance and sports to name a few. Ghazals and Qawwalis remain a rage in Kozhikode and the erstwhile Malabar region to this day.<br /><br />“I remember the people of Kozhikode braving rain and darkness for six hours to listen to Mohammed Rafi in the 70s when he came by car from Bangalore,’’ recalls Professor Karasseri who attended that concert. The mehfils of music director Baburaj and Kozhikode Abdul Khader were also the toast of the city. And Kozhikode’s fascination with football is well known. Several foreign teams including those from Pakistan have played in Kozhikode while a World Cup or Euro Cup continue to whip up mass hysteria. Local hero T Abdul Rahman, popularly known as Olympian Rahman, was a member of the Indian team that reached the semifinal of the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.<br /><br />The Arab effect is also obvious on Malabar’s food, more familiar as Mopilla cuisine in Kozhikode. Culinary expert Abida Rasheed points out that Mopilla food is heavily influenced by Yemeni and Arab traditions as these were the people who frequented Malabar for a long time. Malabar food is usually mildly flavoured and gently cooked.<br /><br />“The speciality of Mopilla cuisine is that it is a healthy preparation. For instance, we don’t use ingredients like garam masala in Mopilla biryani for adding flavour to it but more of natural ingredients,’’ says Abida who is a consultant for the Taj group. Some unique mopilla food items include fish biryani, Meen Pathiri, stuffed chicken, Aadu chuttathu (smoked lamb), Chatti pathiri and a variety of sweets like kinnathappam and Kozhikodan halwa.<br /><br />Changing times<br /><br />However, not everything is hunky dory now. Many feel that Kozhikode has also been undergoing a steady decline of sorts of late. Diehard ‘Kozhikodans’ blame it all on the influx of ‘outsiders’. Writer and football expert Bhasi Malapparambu has a different take. He says circumstances have been forcing inevitable changes. “The football fan now finds more fun watching matches on ESPN rather than turning up for local matches,’’ says he and adds, “Rampant alcoholism among the youths has also added to the problem. Their attention and energy have shifted and values are undergoing a churn.’’<br /><br />But still the city of truth does maintain its integrity. The autorickshaw driver now rounds up fares and hesitates to return the 50 paise. But he still does not fleece you like they do in other cities. He exemplifies the city that at its heart, remains unchanged.</p>
