The success of the Calicut Heritage Walk conducted along the Kozhikode beach last week has prompted the National Institute for Research and Development in Defence Shipbuilding (Nirdesh) and the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode (IIM-K) to take the joint social initiative to the next level.
“We have decided to conduct a heritage walk every month to evolve a heritage walking culture in Kozhikode city,” said Captain Ramesh Babu, Project Director, Nirdesh.
Seventy heritage enthusiasts between 10 and 75 years of age took part in the walk held on April 1. It was named ‘harbour trail’ with walkers visiting heritage structures such as North Pier, Lighthouse, Buddha Vihara, Conolly Park, Mother of God Church, Anglo Indian School and Old Telegraph Office.
Captain Babu said each trail would have a specific tag. The next walk, ‘trade trail’, has been planned for April 30.
“Many others have been planned focusing on Mananchira Square and Sweet Meat Street in the coming months,” he added.
“Soon people will be imparted training to become heritage ambassadors. A website will be created. Smaller groups can undertake their own heritage walks,” Captain Babu said.
The heritage walk is also spiced up with the narration of interesting anecdotes. One such anecdote was of a poor fisherwoman, Kappiripparambil Kotha, who came from Mahe to sell fish in Kozhikode and was caught by the British police as she was a French citizen. The court fined her a sum of ₹5.
“Last week, the walkers were surprised to see the only surviving French Villa in Kozhikode, the Gujarati house where Gandhiji stayed when he visited the city in 1920 and the old French Consulate,” said Captain Ramesh Babu.
The walkers also visited the only Buddha Vihara in Kozhikode which has books written in Pali and where the present occupant Padmanabhan talked to them about Buddhism. Father M.H. Antony of the Mother of God Church talked to them about the history of the church built in 1596.
Jyothikumar Ahuja, banker, took the walkers to the Sindhi temple. Vijay Negandhi and Vallabhdas talked to them about the Gujaratis of Kozhikode who came to the city before the Europeans for trade. Mehul Mahesh spoke about the Marwari community that included the Birlas who set up Gwalior Rayons at Mavoor.
Elexton Lopez and Nigel Mendoza talked about Anglo-Indians in Kozhikode while T.B. Seluraj, the author of two books on the city’s heritage, highlighted the contributions made by dedicated collectors such as H.V. Conolly and F.B Evans.
