Bindu Gopal Rao“As your flight lowers into Calicut, all you can see is a sea of green, thanks to thick cover of coconut palms. It is a stunning visual that forms a great first impression and one that continues as you discover other parts of this city.”
Kozhikode, formerly romanized as Calicut, is a city in Kerala, India and the headquarters of the Kozhikode district. The Kozhikode metropolitan area is the second largest urban agglomeration in Kerala.
History & Culture
Formerly known as Calicut, Kozhikode was the Capital of Malabar during the Zamorin rule 500 years ago and is famous for its century’s old trade in cotton and spices with Jews, Arabs, Phoenicians and Chinese. During classical antiquity and the middle ages, Kozhikode was dubbed the City of Spices for its role as the major trading point of Indian spices.
Vasco da Gama had set his foot on the remote beach of Kappad in Kozhikode in 1498 and 'Discovered India' and established trade routes with the west. Kozhikode city continues to be a centre of flourishing domestic and international trade.Kozhikode is home to a genial culture and rich traditions. There is a harmonious blend of art, religion and philosophy. Calicut has a rich culture where people from more than one religious background live together.
Climate
Kozhikode features a tropical monsoon climate. The city has a highly humid tropical climate with high temperatures recorded from March to May. A brief spell of pre-monsoon Mango showers hits the city sometime during April. The weather is milder from December/January until March when the skies are clear and the air is crisp. Winters are seldom cold.
- March - May
