The Cabinet approval for a heritage tourism project for Thalassery, often referred to as the town of cricket, cakes and circus, will improve the prospects of the coastal town, which has already bagged a prominent place in the State's tourism map.
Major tourism spots including the Thalassery Fort, a landmark of the British colonial period, and the Overbury's Folly, a picnic spot facing the sea, are among the heritage spots given prominence as part of tourism development here. The renovation of the St. John's Church and its cemetery where Edward Brennen, British philanthropist, was interred will also figure on the priority list.
The development of Thalassery as a centre for heritage tourism was first conceived at a development seminar held on January 2. It was then decided that a master plan for the project would be prepared, giving thrust to monuments of heritage value in the town including old warehouses, Odathil mosque, Thiruvangad temple, court complex, Sub Collector's Bungalow and the Anglican Church, among others.
Suburbs of the Thalassery town such as Dharmadom, Eranholi and Kodiyeri too will benefit from the project since they can be developed into heritage tourism corridors. While the Dharmadom corridor will connect Thalassery to the heritage sites at Kannur including St. Fort Angelo, the Arakkal Palace and Chirakkal Palace, the Eranholi corridor is envisaged as an industrial and IT corridor to link it to the proposed Kannur airport at Mattannur.
Circus and Gundert
The circus legacy of the town is already on display with the establishment of the Circus Academy by the State government at Thalassery. The Gundert Bungalow at Illikkunnu near the town, where German missionary and lexicographer Hermann Gundert stayed for years and compiled his Malayalam dictionary, is another attraction.
