Kollam (Quilon)
Kollam is the headquarters of the Kollam district and is one of the most scenic cities in Kerala. The town is well known for cashew processing and coir manufacturing. It is the southern gateway to the backwaters of Kerala, and thus, a prominent tourist destination.
History of Kollam
The city of Kollam is known by many different names that frequently changed with time. It was associated with names like Desinganadu, Kollam, and Quilon. From the days of the Phoenicians and the Romans this seaport town has continued to have a commercial reputation. Ibn Batuta regarded Kollam as one of the five main ports dealing in Chinese trade. Since ages rulers of Kollam and China have exchanged embassies and this led the town to flourish as a Chinese settlement.
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to establish a trading center at Kollam in 1502. Then came the Dutch followed by the British in 1795. A British garrison was stationed at Kollam in pursuance of a treaty between Travancore and the British.
During the rule of Velu Thampi Dalawa of Travancore the town experienced many changes, new bazaars were built and that invited merchants from Madras and Thirunelveli to settle here. Later on Kollam became the capital of the enlightened and liberal rulers of Desinganad.
As an administrative unit the town flourished in the year 1835, when the Travancore state consisted of two revenue divisions with headquarters at Kollam and Kottayam. In the year 1949 when Travancore and Cochin were desegregated, Kollam was one of the three revenue divisions in the state. Later on these three revenue divisions were converted into districts.
The later history of Kollam is interwoven with the Portuguese, Dutch and English rivalry for control of the Indian Ocean trade routes and commodities nearby. The Malayalam era is calculated from the founding of Kollam in the 9th century.
Geography of Kollam
The geographical coordinates for Kollam are 9.28'45° N 76.28'0° E. The district covers an area of 2,492 kmē and ranks seventh in the State with respect to area. The district is bound on the north by Alappuzha district, north east by the Pathanamthitta district, east by Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, south by [Thiruvananthapuram district]] and on the west by the Arabian Sea.
Kallada and Ithikkara are the two rivers that flow through this district. Shasthamkotta Lake is the only major fresh water lake in the State. Two other major lakes are the Ashtamudi Lake and the Paravur Kayal. Edava and Nadayara lakes lie partly in this district.
The district has a tropical and humid climate, with an oppressive summer and plentiful seasonal rainfall. The summer season, from March to May, is followed by the south west monsoon from June to September.
How to get here
Telephone code ++91+ 474
Nearest Airport Thiruvananthapuram - 71kms
Phone: 0471-2501424, 2501220, 2502323.
Railway enquiry
Phone : Kollam - 2741590, Kottarakara - 2454754, Kundara - 2522253, Punalur - 0475-2222606, Karunagapally - 0476-2620240
Road : Bus Stations
Phone Kollam - 2751053,2752008, Kottarakara - 2452622, Punalur -0475-2222626, Karunagapally - 0476-2620466.
