The harbor town of ‘Kollam’ was so acclaimed worldwide especially among the maritime seafarers right from the beginning of the historic era for many reasons. Kollam propounded to be a finest destination with a viable, spellbinding community, intellectual values and renowned for valuable goods mainly spices and nature supplies. This land was a place continued to be overseen by the petty chieftains under the reign of the Chera Empire. Later unified with other small kingdoms to form the present state of Kerala in The Republic of India. It was part of the fascinating Land of Malabar resting on the south western side of India. Malabar being a mystic land famed for the spices and a safer place for any trading world community with an exploring spirit who found a comfortable living here.  ‘Kollam’ or ‘Quilon’ was the citadel of the much glorified master Kingdom ‘Venad’  that got to more fame in the mid historic centuries. ‘Coulam’ and its other variants were other synonymously used for ‘Venad’ in the early times. ‘Coulam’ literally had one meaning as seat of the king or crown. Another interpretation was it was a treasure bowl of spices. ‘Coulam’ was the traditional name that got transformed to ‘Kollam’ through centuries. Quilon being an Anglicized name pronounced by the British.

If you explore for the capital city or any sign of the palace or a monumental structure that represents the Kingdom which was vested one time at ‘Kollam’, your attempt will be in vain. The much glorified master Kingdom, ‘Kollam’ or ‘Quilon’ which in the olden days was called ‘Venad’. ‘Coulam’ was the traditional name that got transformed to Kollam through centuries. Quilon being an Anglicized name pronounced by the British. The erstwhile ‘Desinganad’ that followed the ‘Venad’ kingdom too didn’t showcase much princely statured structures or palaces to realize the grandness of that coveted Kingdom which had its footings in this land. Nor did the colonials like the Portuguese, Dutch and the British East India Company didn’t get much time to fully flourish and settle here and erect monumental vintage buildings to portray their ethnic culture. But it is more striking in the neighboring District Thiruvananthapuram, capital of erstwhile Travancore which was an offspring of the Venad Kingdom. Kollam or Quilon was an unfortunate place which literally nurtured the most affluent politically stumping, world renowned Harbor Township. This town and the countryside which was well acclaimed for its wealthy spice treasures and natural goods was one time reacted in the colloquial language Malayalam as ‘Kollam kandavanu illam venda’. Which in other words, fully enjoying and mesmerized in this township naturally you forget to get back to your home town.

‘Kollam’ or ‘Quilon’ was a dream destination for the maritime seafarers who traveled to collect spices and other living utilities. The domestic settlers from Northern India who came here saw this place as another homeland to escape from the tortures of their native home with the religious persecution or racial conflicts. Some of them came to share their religious philosophies. The Greeks, Phoenicians, Jews, Arabs, Chinese and the Colonialists like the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British had observed something special about this place. As the authentic literature and the historical records affirm they hold dear this place so dear to explore a mystical serene land with splendid treasures and righteous humans.

A varied variety of natural Land stripe extending whole of the beautiful harbor streamlining the coastal line with a golden sand beach. Then the natural Creek of inland backwaters, ‘Ashtamudi’ close to the coastal line which open its mouth to the Arabian seashore. And the fortunate mind blogging trade spots intertwined and spread along blooming damp water beds and cultivated or naturally grown crops gives content and  visual  fulfillment. This Land was remarked for a  fine social setup with the king or Chieftain as the head ruler of the place. A mixture of striking colorful people belonging to different races spreading humanitarian and traditional values  settled over here through centuries. Ironically this Land was always a highly mysterious land which overruled all the landmarked places in the whole of Malabar especially the renowned port town ‘Muziris Pattanam’ or Mahodhayapuram.

It stretched from this coastal harbor town and plain lands through shallow hilly places with natural treasurable vegetation. And then it extended to the more lush green oriental western guts with chills and dues.
The Low plain lands which were close to the coastal town had plenty of high yielding fertile soil that produced surplus crops with minimal amount of grains. Self-sprouted or nature grown cultivated fruit orchards and money milling cash crops were an attraction of this place. Shallow steep lands extended to high ranges where natural cash plants grew well. Also many types of spices and herbs like black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, clove  grow in the tropical land which were one of the main products of this land.

The Chera Emperors were the prominent rulers of this oriental Hill Land, ‘Malabar’ which in maritime world extended from the present Thiruvananthapuram up to Kasaragod of Kerala state and a part of Tamil Nadu. The Chola and the Pandyas were the main rivals of the Cheras who ruled the Tamil swayed region. After the 10th  century the Chera dynasty moved south started to reign as ‘Venad’  in the southern Malabar. The Chera faction clubbed with the ‘Aay’ dynasty which had its control station near to Thiruvananthapuram to continue as a new power, Venad or Velnad.  But the crucial control was from ‘Kollam’ most part of the time. Kollam continued to be the administrative center for centuries for many reasons. Kollam was an attractive harbor town centrally located for better administration and fetch the natural resources. The social status here was high here that gave high stature to the place in Malabar. The land was renowned for fair, honest traders and non-adulterer products that gave the dominance among the trading communities. The Jews, Arabs, Chinese and the Colonialists loved to be coming here because it was a simply a wonderful place with fair values!

When Venad  was split to four  Sub Kingdom, Thiruvithamcore, Nediyiruppu, Ilayidathu swaroopam, and Desinganadu. Thiruvithamcode or Travancore later   flourished and secured its position as the powerful group to be the administrative center among the sub domains. The glory of the Desinganadu or kollam was reduced to be the sub ordinate of Thiruvithamcore.  But the administration and strategic control odf Thiruvithamcore still continued from this place. During the colonial period Desinganadu  rulers reigned the land independently even when Thiruvithamcore was controlled by the British. In the colonial era the last centuries where the British steered the administration the army stationing was from Kollam. The ups and downs down the ages losing the face of control pivot and the lead position of the whole of the Kingdom or territory was painful. Still Kollam mesmerized and continued to be an energetic, interesting place for the travelers.

Travancore’s charm and present beauty was due to the architecturally elite,  monumental,  ethnic, Indo - Eurasian heritage  vintage buildings and the planned  roads which emerged there . The defamed Venad’s administrative center Kollam had less remarkable features regarding heritage edifices, classic architectural buildings  and royal attired streets with vintage outlook . Such visible masterpiece structural compositions would have  breathed  a space of Princely elegance stature to  this  place. Even any indication of the early Kingdom’s vestiges need to be explored and that could arouse historical and proud feelings in the public.

Kollam had fallen to be a misfortunate land losing its glory in apparent terms. ‘Tangasseri’ or ‘Thangassery’ was a strategic point in the Harbor Bay of Kollam safe from the wind buzzed roaring sea waves. The voyagers could safely anchor their sea treading vessels close to this place and come ashore safely, settle there comfortably and  reside there with a peaceful mind. The European colonialists were the ones who came and occupied this serene place and turned this to be a remarkable land of their settlement.

The two renowned ports in the Asian region that the world knew right from the early historic times where the ‘Musiris’ or ‘Pattanom’ and the ‘Quilon’ or ‘Coulom’ port. Malabar the spice country was so mystic in its mystic with an oriental climate, all the year round rain drizzling humid atmosphere. It was renowned for its varied spices to the life supporting goodies. After the fall of ‘Musiris’ Port with certain inconveniences ‘Quilon’ came to limelight and was recognized as the next trade hub. ‘Quilon’ shot up as an exclusive Spice Bowl where the seafarers could fetch fresh and quality natural spices. The Serene Beauty laden town got its fame with spice growing naturally and cultivated in neighbouring hill destinations. The commodities were easily procurable and transported to the port. The vessels could anchor close to the shore throughout the year because of its natural geographic advantages. The humanitarian, social and spiritual philosophy of the society there outclassed other destinations. The mid historic period Cochin port got serious attention and since they gave a better reception for the voyagers and  was a best settling place to control Malabar. Greeks, Phoenicians, Jews, Arabs, Chinese and the Europeans loved to trade with and share their religious values and life philosophy here to a great extent .
The nasranis and other communities were asked to occupy the highlands of the western ghats by the Travancore king for starting new spice cultivation centres. The need for more spice production to improve the trade with the colonial customers was high. The crops grown naturally did not meet the demand for spice. Those communities who flocked to places like Kottayam and places close to pattanam thitta and the hilly areas of Trivandrum districts opened a huge production of spices. These spices could be routed to cochin where the colonialists were mainly stayed. But the reputation of spice quality, the availability ,the easily procurable status was well known.Above all the calm, quiet harbour  and readily anchoring capacity almost close to the shore with its natural advantage and well managed port made the customers chose quilon as first priority of spice purchase and loading. Quilon thus positioned as the number one place famed for fresh spices in the whole of Malabar.

Later in the prehistoric period Quilon’s fame grew up and became the major port in Kerala. There are hard core researchers who suggest that the backwater inlets in Kollam the ‘Ashtamudi Lake’ was the location of the ollam harbour. This may or may not be correct. But the ‘Bay of Quilon’ in the Arabian Sea was a nature gifted natural harbour. The Lake Ashtamudi were used to drive the ships to a safer place and used occasionally in turbulent sea times. Especially ships which had flat bottom like the Chinese vessels ‘Sampran’, a limited trading may have occurred in its bank too.

Quilon Bay – Beautiful Crescent Sphere

Quilon Bay is beautiful with a crescent shaped water logged land where the sea sweeps the land with a beautiful beach and golden sand peculiar to this place. The lands seashore extend forward starting with a marshy place full of Lotus and lilies and other wild flowers what’s one time Wadi or countryside. That was the typical identity of a beautiful Low tire beach which was set in the lap of a raised laterite highland streamlining the seaside Arabian Sea. Thangassery can be observed as a prominent elevated platform jetting on at the western side at one end of this bay. Morning sunrises and the evening sunsets create dramatic scenic landscape frames on a traveller that is phenomenal. The colonial period marked the voyager ship’s parked in the bay leaving beauty to the harbour port.