- Malabar District
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This article is about the administrative district of colonial British India. For similarly named places, see Malabar (disambiguation).
Malabar District was an administrative district of Madras Presidency in British India and independent India's Madras State. The British district included the present-day districts of Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad (excluding the Chittur Taluk), and Chavakad Taluk of Thrissur District (former part of Ponnani Taluk) in the northern part of Kerala state. The district lay between the Arabian Sea on the west, South Canara District on the north, the Western Ghats to the east, and the princely state of Cochin to the south. The district covered an area of 15,009 km (5795 square miles), and extended 233 km (145 mi) along the coast and 40–120 kilometers (25–75 miles) inland. The name Mala-bar means the "hill country".
Contents
History
Most of Malabar District was included among the territories ceded to the British East India Company in 1792 by Tipu Sultan of Mysore at the conclusion of the Third Anglo-Mysore War; Wayanad was ceded in 1799 at the conclusion of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. The region was organized into a district of Madras Presidency. The administrative headquarters were at Calicut (Kozhikode). After Indian independence, Madras Presidency was reorganized into Madras state, which was divided along linguistic lines on November 1, 1956, when Malabar District was merged with the Malayalam-speaking Kasaragod District immediately to the north and the state of Travancore-Cochin to the south to form the state of Kerala. Malabar District was divided into the three districts of Kozhikode, Palakkad, and Kannur on January 1, 1957. Malappuram District was created from parts of Kozhikode and Palakkad in 1969, and Wayanad District was created in 1980 from parts of Kozhikode and Kannur.
The name Malabar was not in general use until the arrival of the Europeans. The word is most probably the fusion of the Dravidian Mala (Hill) and Puram (region) derived or westernized into bar. Malabar may so be taken to mean the hill country, a name well suited to its physical characteristics.
Geography
The district was widely scattered and consists of the following parts:-
- Malabar Proper extending north to south along the coast, a distance of around 240 kilometer, and lying between N. Lat 10° 15′ and 12° 18′ N and E.Long. 75° 14′ and 76° 56′.
- A group of nineteen isolated bits of territory lying scattered, fifteen of them in the native state of Cochin and the remaining four in those of Travancore, but all of them near the coast line. These isolated bits of territory form the taluk of British Cochin.
- Two other detached bits of land within the Travancore.
- Four inhabited and ten uninhabited islands of Lakshadweep. The four inhabited islands are: Agatti, Kavaratti, Androth, and Kalpeni.
- The solitary island of Minicoy.
Taluks
- Calicut (Area:379 square miles (980 km2); Headquarters:Calicut)
- Chirakkal (Area:677 square miles (1,750 km2); Headquarters:Chirakkal)
- Cochin (Area:2 square miles (5.2 km2); Headquarters:Cochin)
- Ernad (Area:979 square miles (2,540 km2); Headquarters:)
- Kottayam (Area:489 square miles (1,270 km2); Headquarters:Kottayam)
- Kurumbranad (Area:505 square miles (1,310 km2); Headquarters:)
- Laccadive Islands (Headquarters:Kavaratti)
- Palghat (Area:643 square miles (1,670 km2); Headquarters:Palghat)
- Ponnani (Area:426 square miles (1,100 km2); Headquarters:Ponnani)
- Walavanad (Area:882 square miles (2,280 km2); Headquarters:)
- Wynad (Area:821 square miles (2,130 km2); Headquarters:Kalpetta)
Representatives from Malabar to Madras State
- In C. Rajagopalachari Ministry: 1) Kongattil Raman Menon (1937–39), 2) C. J. Varkey (1937–39)
- In Prakasam Ministry: 1) R. Raghavamenon (1946–47)
- In Ramaswami Reddyar Ministry: 1) Kozhippurathu Madhavamenon (1947–49)
- In P. S. Kumaraswami Ministry: 1) Kozhippurathu Madhavamenon (1949–52)
- In C. Rajagopalachari Ministry: 1) K. P. Kuttikrishnan Nair (1952–54)
References
- Malabar Manual in two volumes by William Logan, first published in 1887, reprinted by Asian Educational Services in 1951.
See also
- North Malabar
- Kerala
- Malappuram District
- Malappuram
- Kozhikode District
- Wayanad District
- Kannur District
- Arakkal Kingdom
- Vettattnad
- Mysore invasion of Kerala
References
Velliyamkallu: Associated with the valiant Kunhali Marakkar at Vadakara · Sand Banks: Where the Kotakal river reaches the sea at Vadakara · Silent Beach: South of Sand Banks is Silent Beach at Vadakara · Azhiyoor Vadakara · Palloor Mahé · Panthakkal Mahé · Poozhithala Mahé · Mahe Beach Mahé · Mayyazhi Puzhayoram Mahé · Pakshi Pathalam Thirunelli Mananthavady · Pookkottu Thadakam (Lake) Mananthavady · Tellichery Fort Thalassery · Muzhappilangadu Drive-in Beach on Thalassery - Kannur Road · Payyambalam Beach Kannur · St. Angelo Fort Kannur · Meenkunnu Beach Kannur · Valapattanam Kannur · Pazhassi Dam Kannur · The thuruths (small islands in the river) of Cherukunnu · The small hills of Cherukunnu · Azheekkal ferry and beach Azhikode · Ezhimala beach Payyannur · Kotti Payyannur · Ayyankunnu Iritty · Paithal Mala Thaliparamba · Snake Park Parassinikkadavu · Vismaya, the water theme park Parassinikkadavu · Valiyaparamba island Trikaripur · Ranipuram Kanhangad · Bekal Fort Kasaragod · Chandragiri Fort Kasaragod · Ananthapuram Lake Kasaragod · Kanwatheertha Beach Resort Kasaragod ·
Coordinates: 12°00′38″N 75°16′13″E / 12.010650°N 75.270390°E
Categories:- Districts of British India
- Historical Indian regions
- Regions of Kerala
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