District Head Quarters : Kannur
Area : 2,996 Sq Km
Population : 24,412,365
Literacy : 92.80 %

Location:

Kannur is a major railway station on Shornur - Mangalore line. By road Kannur is 155 KMs south of Mangalore and 535 KMs north of Thiruvananthapuram. The nearest Airport is at Calicut which is 110 KMs south and Mangalore Airport is 170KMs north.


Access:

Air: Nearest Airport Kozhikode (Calicut) (93 Km) .

Rail: Kannur Is An Important Railhead Of The Southern Railways.

Road: An Excellent Road Transport System Connects Kannur To All The Major Towns Of South India.


History:

Kannur district derived its name from location of its headquarters at Kannur town. The old name Cannanore is the anglicized form of Malayalam word Kannur. According to one opinion, 'Kannur' is a derivation of Kanathur, an ancient village, the name of which survives even today in one of the wards of Kannur municipality. Another version is that Kannur might have assumed its name from one of the deities of the Hindu pantheon, a compound of two words, Kannan (Lord Krishna) and Ur (Place) making it the place of Lord Krishna. In this context, it is well worth mentioning that the deity of Kadalayi Sri Krishna temple was originally installed in a shrine at Kadalayikkota in south eastern part of present Kannur town.


Climate:

Kannur is normally humid and hot most of the year around. But during November to February the weather in Kannur is agreeable and it is the recommended season for the tourists. For those interested in the monsoons, June to August would be ideal for feeling the fury of the rains in Kannur.


Wildlife Sancturies :

Aralam: A tranquil mega sanctuary on the slopes of the Western Ghats covered with tropical and semi evergreen forests. Herds of deer, elephants, boar and bisons are quite common. Leopards, jungle cats, various type squirrels and rare species of birds have been found here. Around 160 species of birds have been found here. Certain species of birds, which are considered extinct, have also been found here. It is 35 kms from Thalassery Railway station.


Pilgrimage Centres :

Sri Muthappan Temple stands on the Banks of the Valapattanam River. This pilgrim centre is famous for the Muthappan Theyyam performed every morning and evening.This beautiful ancient mosque was originally built in 1124 AD by Malic Iben Dinar, a Muslim preacher. A block of white marble in the mosque is believed to have been brought from Mecca by its founder, who came to India to spread the word of the prophet. Near by dilapidated fort believed to have been built by Tipu Sultan: the ruler of Mysore.

Yoga, Ayurveda and Naturopathy :
There are many Yoga, Ayurveda and Naturopathy centres in the city limits and in the mofussil areas.


Kalari and Circus :
Around 40 kalaries-arenas of martial art-are spread around the district. Majority of Circus artists and Circus companies hail from this district.

Fairs and Festivals :
Jagannatha Festival Jagannatha Festival is a colourful eight-day festival, which is held in the Malayalam month of Kumbham (February/ March) at the Jagannatha Temple at Madathiparambu, near Thalassery in Kannur.

Palotukavu Festival Vishuvilakkutsavam, the eight-day annual festival at Palotukavu temple, falls in the Malayalam month of Medam (April/May).

Parassinikkadavu Festival Parassini Madappura is perhaps the only shrine in Kerala to celebrate a festival round the year. The 'Utsavam', the festival begins in December. 'Theyyam', the ritual offering here is performed every morning and evening by the priest who is called 'Madayan'.

Places to visit :
Ezhimala : The Ezhimala is 55 km north of Kannur city. The beautiful hills on the sea shore is a facinating sight. Plenty of rare medicinal herbs are found on Ezhimala hills.

St.Angelos Fort : The St. Angelos Fort is a major tourist attraction in Kannur was built in 1505 by Portugese. It is 2kms away from Railway station.The Mappila Bay Harbor and Arakkal Mosque are near the fort.

Arakkal Palace : Residence of Arackal Ali Rajas,the only Muslim royal family in Kerala. It is about 3 kms from Kannur.
Pazhassi Dam : and Gardens:It is the only reservoir with gardens in Kannur district. The reservoir is mainly used for irrigational purposes. The gardens really worth a visit if you are interested is boating. The District Tourism Promotion Council boats are available to navigate through the river enjoying the silent beauty of Pazhassi dam.The garden is a good attraction with childrens park and sculptures.
Paithalmala : Paithalmala is about 1372metres above sea level and is ideal for trekking. It is on the Kerala-Karnataka border and about 65 kms north-east of Kannur city.
Gundert Bungalo : Gundert Bungalow is at Illikkunnu, Thalassery. It was the residence of German scholar Dr. Herman Gundert, who compiled the first Malayalam dictionary. He also built a church on Nettur Hill in 1889.


Excursions :

Trichambaram temple (20 km)
Thalasseri fort (22 km)
Sree Ramaswami temple (23 km)
Pazhazzi dam (37 kms)
Pythal mala (hill station 65 kms)
Aralam wildlife sanctuary (35 kms).

Beaches :
The virgin and clean beaches at Muzhappilangad, Payyambalam, Meenkunnu and Kizhunna are a tourist’s paradise.