Kozhikode Beach

Kozhikode Beach
Kozhikode Beach
	Kozhikode Beach
Country	India
State	Kerala

Kozhikode Beach is a beach on the western side of Kozhikode, situated on the Malabar Coast of India. The beach is accessible through four road overbridges in the city. The beach has paved stones and illumination. There is one Lions Park for the children and an acquarium. Kozhikode beach has always been a prominent place for conducting public meetings. The beach road was renamed 'Gandhi Road' in 1934 after Gandhi visited Calicut in 1934.

History

100 years ago Valiyangadi and the beach area were the centre of Kozhikode city. In the 1970s the downtown shifted to Mananchira area and again, in the 1980s, Mavoor Road became the centre of attraction. In 2010s, Thondayad Bypass area and Palazhi on the Airport road has emerged as the new city centre with a vibrant night life for fuddies.

The 28-km Beach Road

Kozhikode Beach has a long drive from Beypore in the south to Kappad in the north. The following beaches are part of Kozhikode Beach:

Beypore, Payyanakkal and Marad
Kallayi, Kuttichira and Thekkeppuram
Vellayil, South Beach and Valiyangadi
Kamburam, Putiyappa and Elathur

The Big Bazaar

The big bazar or 'valiyangadi' is on the southern side of the beach. This was the place where European and Arab traders brushed shoulders just a few centuries back. There is one Gujarathi Street and a Halwa Street on this locality. Francis Road, Halwa Road and Thangal Road form a triangle here leading to the Bavutty Haji Road on the beach. The dargah called ‘Sheikh Makham ‘ is a center of Sunni Pilgrimage here. The road towards the south reaches the Chakkum Kadavu bridge and has access to Kallayi, Marad and Beypore beaches.

The Mishkal Mosque

The Mishkal Masjidh is a four storied mosque at Kuttichira in Kozhikode city. The mosque is about 700 years old. Originally built of wood in five stories, the mosque was later rebuilt into the present four stories. The mosque has 47 doors, 24 pillars decorated with carvings and a very big prayer call that can accommodate 400 people. ^[1]

Cherootty Road

The Road over bridge from Mananchira to the Kozhikode beach takes you the Red Cross Road that terminates in the beach. Cherootty road is one of the offshoots of the Red Cross Road that ends at Court Road near Mathrubhumi newspaper office. This is a major shopping area of Kozhikode beach area with many branded cloth shops and branches of nationalized branches on either side of the road. Gandhi Peace Foundation is maintaining an office here. The convent road is a branch of the Cherootty Road. Tagore Centenary Hall, Muslim League Office, Moonnalingal junction and the Beach Office are also connected to the Red Cross Road. The Silk Street and the Court Road runs parallel to Cherootty Road. The Silk Street has a Punjabi school, St.Joseph’s school and Sidhi Durbar. Further west of the Silk Street lies the beach road which runs north-south from Vellayil in the north to Chakkum Kadavu in the south.

Nalam Gate

Nalam Gate or the fourth gate is a posh shopping locality on P.T.Usha Road in Kozhikode city. It is known as a foodie paradise because of the presence of a number of classy restaurants and coffee shops. The branches of Caffe Coffee Day and Downtown Restaurant are some of the attractions in this area. Garlic Routes is another popular restaurant of this locality.