There isn’t any place on earth devoid of history. Some places will have something more to tell you, the only thing one should have is an exploring outlook. My hometown Thalassery (formerly Tellicherry) is one of the oldest municipalities of Kerala. This place captured its name in the old commercial map of British India. It was called the Commercial Capital of Malabar at that time.
An old pier which is almost abandoned, the lighthouse, Overbury’s Folly and the Fort are all memories from faded years. The place is also notable for the origin of cricket, cake and circus.
Thalassery Fort was built by the British in 1708. William Logan, in his book Malabar Manual published in 1887, has written about this fort which stands to the north of the town. The fort was once a prison, a military camp and a place where the weapons of the British were stored. It is believed that the East India Company printed currency here. Hyder Ali’s military general was imprisoned here. The maintenance of the fort is now undertaken by the archaeological department.
The lighthouse in the fort, built by the British, has helped sailors for more than a century and is among the oldest lighthouses in the country. It started functioning in November 1835 and it was reconstructed in 1903. The light from this tower was seen at a distance of seventeen 17. Currently, it is no longer in use.
Who would have thought that a shipwreck was to herald a change in the history of Thalassery! For the shipwreck brought in survivors among whom was Edward Brennen. Even though his grave is forgotten, the coming generations will always be grateful to that noble heart of Edward Brennen for leaving behind a legacy, the educational institutions in his memory – the Govt Brennen HSS and Govt Brennen College of Teacher Education, both situated at the heart of Thalassery where he lived; and the Government Brennen College which shifted years back to another location. The early life of this philanthropist is unknown. All that is known was that he was a bachelor and had been a Master attendant at Tellicherry Port. Almost all his savings were spent on philanthropic projects. It was his last wish that part of his savings be utilized for starting an educational institution. I have been part of all three educational institutions.
Dr. Herman Gundert was only 22 when he started on a mission to India from Stuart in Germany. After visiting several other places, he arrived at Thalassery in 1839. The only protestant mission at work in Malabar was the Basel Evangelical Mission. This mission was founded by Dr. Herman Gundert, the author of the standard Malayalam-English dictionary and the first government Inspector of Schools of Malabar.
At the northern side of Thalassery Fort, there is a picturesque point where one can spend an evening to enjoy the beauty of the setting sun and waves lashing on the rocks. Mr.E.N.Overbury, the district judge in 1879 tried to construct a picnic spot at a cliff near the municipal stadium, but he could not complete it. Since then, this spot is called as Overbury’s Folly. This Folly has attracted people after reconstruction work a decade and more back.
This small cultural and commercial town situated along the West coast of the Arabian Sea was a passage for Arab merchants and other exploring navigators. People in and around Thalassery are proud of its rich and cultural heritage. Access to this old historical town is easy these days. We have the Kannur International Airport and Thalassery railway station welcoming tourists to this region.