Thalassery was put on the map when the most sought-after spice, black pepper, was named after it. Back in 1000 BC, King Solomon’s fleet is said to have arrived at Beypore, near Kozhikode, in search of spices, including pepper. The Romans, Arabs, Chinese, Malay, Portuguese, Dutch and, finally, the British came to these shores, lured by the promise of exotic spices. Besides this important contribution to the culinary world, Thalassery is also known as the place where the first cake in India was baked, and the first game of cricket played.
Thalassery often gets a bad rap because it isn’t as glitzy as its neighbour Kozhikode, or quite as picturesque as its other neighbour, Kannur. But look a little deeper, and this sleepy town in north Malabar has a charm that’s entirely its own.
Writer And Photographer Aysha Tanya.