A tour of Kollam

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• published: 11 Sep 2016
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Kollam or Quilon , formerly Desinganadu, is an old seaport and city on the Laccadive Sea coast of Kerala, India. The city is on the banks Ashtamudi Lake. Kollam has had a strong commercial reputation since the days of the Phoenicians and Romans. Fed by the Chinese trade, it was mentioned by Ibn Battuta in the 14th century as one of the five Indian ports he had seen during the course of his twenty-four year travels. Desinganadu's rajas exchanged embassies with Chinese rulers while there was a flourishing Chinese settlement at Kollam. In the 9th Century, on his way to Canton, China, Persian merchant Sulaiman al-Tajir found Kollam to be the only port in India visited by huge Chinese junks. Marco Polo, the great Venetian traveller, who was in Chinese service under Kublai Khan in 1275, visited Kollam and other towns on the west coast, in his capacity as a Chinese mandarin. Kollam is a coastal city on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake that took the title God's Own Country without much demur. The braids of Ashtamudi Lake lie about 71 kilometres (44 mi) north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram. The city hosts the administrative offices of Kollam district and is a prominent trading city for the state. The proportion of females to males in Kollam city is second highest among the 500 most populous cities in India.[14] Kollam is the least polluted city in India.[15] Four major trading centers/towns around Kollam are Kottarakara, Punalur, Paravur and Karunagapally. Kollam is an ancient trading town – trading with Romans, Chinese, Arabs and other Orientals – mentioned in historical citations dating back to Biblical times and the reign of Solomon, connecting with Red Sea ports of the Arabian Sea (supported by a find of ancient Roman coins).[16][17] There was also internal trade through the Punalur Pass connecting the ancient town to Tamil Nadu. The overland trade in pepper by bullock cart and the trade over the waterways connecting Allepey and Cochin established trade linkages that enabled it to grow into one of the earliest Indian industrial townships. The rail links later established to Tamil Nadu supported still stronger trade links. The factories processing marine exports and the processing and packaging of cashewnuts extended its trade across the globe.[18] Kollam is the fourth most populous city in Kerala(the new population is taken as city agglomeration) and the fifth largest in incorporated area.[19][20][21][22] It is known for cashew processing and coir manufacturing. Ashtamudi Lake is considered the southern gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and is a prominent tourist destination at Kollam. The Kollam urban area includes suburban towns such as Paravur in the south, Kundara in the east and Karunagapally in the north of the city. Other important towns in the city suburbs are Eravipuram, Kottiyam, Kannanallur and Chavara. Kollam appeared as Palombe in Mandeville's Travels, where he claimed it contained a Fountain of Youth.[23][24] During the later stages of the rule of the Chera monarchy in Kerala, Kollam emerged as the focal point of trade and politics. Kollam continues to be a major business and commercial centre in the Southern Kerala. Kollam city is bordered by the panchayats of Neendakara and Thrikkaruva to the north, Mayyanad to the south, and Thrikkovilvattom and Kottamkara to the east, and by the Laccadive Sea to the west. Ashtamudi Lake is in the heart of the city. The city is about 71 kilometres (44 mi) from Thiruvananthapuram, 142 kilometres (88 mi) from Kochi, 350 kilometres (220 mi) from Kozhikode, 82 kilometres (51 mi) from Alappuzha and 226 kilometres (140 mi) from Thrissur. The six major urban centres are Punalur, Kottarakara, Karunagapally, Paravur, Anchal and Kundara. Two of the major waterways in the district are the Kallada and Ithikkara rivers. The Kallada empties into Ashtamudi Lake, while the Ithikkara runs to Paravur Kayal. The Palaruvi Falls and Kumbhavurutty Waterfalls are also important geographical attractions in Kollam district. In March 2016, IndiaTimes, one of the leading online news media, selected Kollam as one of the 9 least polluted cities on earth to which anybody can relocate.[45]