It is believed that two Arab aristocrats sailed the world over in search of an honest clan to establish trade with. Wherever they harbored their royal vessel, the princes left behind 3 jars of date pickles for safe keeping. Hidden deftly in the dates were golden coins. Only disappointment met them as at all other places their gold was stolen and only the pickle left behind. Only at the Indian harbor of Kozhikode did they find their wealth intact. They committed to a flourishing trade at this port and called it Kozhikode, the "harbor of honesty".
Karipur Airport (26 km away) is about 45 min from Kozhikode and provides daily flights to cities such as Bangalore, Delhi, Kochi, Goa, Mumbai, Chennai, Trichy, Trivandrum, Coimbatore and Madurai. International flights to destinations such as Sharjah also connect to Kozhikode city through this airport.
The city of Kozhikode has grown around the Manachira Square (Manavikraman Chira), the fort and residence of the erstwhile rulers, the Samuthiris. This square itself was built around the Manachira Tank, private bath to the Samuthiri household. The recently renovated square houses the Commonwealth Trust Factory (Comtrust), The Town hall, The Public Library, The CSI Church, the Pattalam Mosque and the Lalithkala Academy Hall. Beautiful gardens enhance the aesthetics of the square. Close by is Kuttichera, a settlement of the Mapilla community and hence some of the nearby mosques are famous. The Mishkaal mosque, the Jamaatpalli mosque and the Mucchandipalli mosque are such examples.
The walk through the culture and history steeped town is like a step into a time warp. The delectable cuisine, the rich culture, the sheer natural beauty, the significant history and the swarming humanity are the attractions of the city.
