The valedictory function of the World Heritage Week celebration organised by the Department of Cultural Studies on the sprawling campus of the Pazhassi Raja Archaeology Museum at East Hill in Kozhikode was an occasion to revisit the history and heritage of Kozhikode.
In a question-answer session, historian M.G.S. Narayanan’s observations enthralled the attendees, mostly curious school students who had a glimpse of how Kozhikode grew into a modern city on the Malabar coast.
The city metamorphosed into a metropolis possibly after the period of Cheraman Perumal who converted to Islam and went to Mecca. Before then, Arab merchants, who landed at the Malabar coast for four months of trading, had a peaceful co-existence with the local population.
However, the growth of Islam started with the establishment of 10 mosques including the Matayi Mosque by Malik Ibn Dinar in 1224 AD or Hijrah 518.
Kozhikode was the integration of Nair-Mappila culture from the 12 century to the present era, Mr. Narayanan pointed out.
Historian M.R. Raghava Warrier and author K.M. Bharathan also spoke on topics such as heritage studies and legacies, and preservation at the programme. This was followed by a Thirayattom performance.
