Kozhikode: Some efforts are now being made to unearth Kozhikode’s history and showcase it for posterity. They include construction of structures that will highlight the city’s medieval past as well as buildings in memory of arguably its most famous resident Vaikom Mohammed Basheer, who made Beypore his home after marriage.
M. Beena, secretary, District Tourism Promotion Council, said on Thursday that the funds released by the Tourism Department and the MLA were being utilised for the ongoing works at Tali and Kuttichira. “There were frequent disruptions owing to the pandemic situation. But a large part of the works is over and it will be finished as early as possible,” she added.
Tali Temple and its surroundings were once the nucleus of the erstwhile Zamorin royalty. Some of the royal palaces were believed to be situated around the temple, which also hosted Revathi Pattathanam, a debate between Vedic scholars. The Tourism Department is now renovating the temple pond and surrounding areas. Walls will be erected on the eastern walk way and carvings depicting the history of the royalty would find a place there. There would be small notes on the historical developments adjacent to it. The buildings surrounding the pond and the stairs would be renovated. A representational statue of the Zamorin too is expected to come up near the banyan tree outside the temple. A museum detailing the evolution of the city is also on the cards.
Kuttichira, another unique part of the city, which house large matrilineal Muslim ancestral homes and two ancient mosques, the Mishkal Mosque and the Muchundi Mosque, too would see renovation works. The area surrounding the pond there too would be beautified and new structures are expected to come up. Meanwhile, excavation works are going on at the now forlorn fort built by Tipu Sultan, the once mighty ruler of Mysore, at Feroke. Archaeologists have reportedly unearthed copper coins, coin pellet mould, and parts of British and Chinese crockery there. The works were taken up following a court order.
Twenty six long years after he passed away, Basheer, who once famously described himself as the ‘Sultan of Beypore’ is expected to get a memorial too. Kozhikode corporation recently held a meeting to discuss the issue and decided to demolish an unused community hall for building the structure. Additional land would be utilised too. Earlier, the government had allocated Rs. 50 lakh for a memorial for Basheer, but the funds could not be used and it was taken back. A cultural centre, museum, research centre, open theatre and miniatures on Basheer’s characters are expected to come up there.