A humble unassuming port-town, located around 10 kilometres south of Kozhikode city (North Kerala), that's Beypore for the new generations. But it was much more than that... In an era before Europeans set foot in India, when Arabs, Jews and Chinese were the major trading partners with India's port cities, Beypore was a name to reckon with! In fact, more famous than Kozhikode or any other ports in Malabar. A port city, commercial / trade center, fishing harbour and maritime hub... all rolled into one, Beypore was like a ‘city state' during its golden years. It was at Beypore that traditional ship / boat building flourished, before any other port centres in Kerala (An indigenous technology that continues to this day)!
However, changing times which saw the emergence of other ports (like Kochi) and the unification of Malabar, Kochi and Travancore to form Kerala state... all resulted in Beypore becoming a shadow of its former self. Afterwards it was reduced to more of a fishing center with occasional demands for its boat-building sector. With tourism gaining a new facelift in Malabar region, Beypore slowly started gaining attention too.
Though not in limelight for long, Beypore always retained its lovely landscapes and seashore. Now people are gradually flocking to watch Beypore's charm. Its timeworn assets like the 'sea-pier', beach, ... are renovated and the traditional boat-building industry also started improving. It seems the ancient port-town slowly regains its past legacy.
No comments:
Post a Comment