Dr. Matthew Joys, Las Vegas
The ancient city of Kozhikode in Kerala made headlines in late October with its inclusion in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network (UCCN). It’s a significant achievement to understand how Kozhikode earned this honor as the first Indian City of Literature.
These cities are selected after a careful review of their heritage, representing seven creative fields: handicrafts and folk arts, design, film, gastronomy, literature, media arts, and music. Kozhikode, a northern city in Kerala, is home to many prominent personalities in the state’s literary and cultural world. With numerous leading media houses, the city boasts hundreds of publishing banners and several libraries that enrich its literary tradition. Earlier, Edinburgh in Scotland was declared the world’s first City of Literature in 2014, followed by Prague in the Czech Republic.
Kozhikode’s Journey to a Literary City
Currently, there are 350 cities in this unique category. The Kerala Institute of Local Administration spearheaded the idea to apply for this title, leading to Kozhikode Corporation initiating its operations in 2022. The project work report was prepared by the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Kozhikode. Art, culture, and literature are an integral part of this ancient Calicut. The city is a vibrant center of literature, drama, music, and paintings. You can truly experience the taste and flavor of this unique culture and tradition on SM Street, Kozhikode’s heritage street. The city boasts more than 500 libraries and about 70 publishing houses. Throughout the year, Kozhikode hosts book launches, exhibitions, debates on literary works, events by prominent writers, and literary festivals.
Literary Luminaries and Cultural Icons of Kozhikode
Kozhikode is the birthplace of Mathrubhumi, the most popular Malayalam daily in Kerala, known for promoting quality literature and various programs, especially among students. Two world-famous writers from Kozhikode, S.K. Potakad and M.T. Vasudevan Nair, received India’s highest literary honor, the ‘Jnanpeeth Award’.
Prominent writers who have chosen Kozhikode as their native place for literary work include:
- Vaikom Muhammad Basheer
- Thikotian
- Urub
- Kuttikrishna Marar
- N.V. Krishnawarrier
- Pattatuvila Karunakaran
- N.N. Kakkad
- Artist Namboothiri
- U.A. Khader
- P. Vatsala
- P.A. Muhammad Koya AT. (The list is very long!)
Playwrights K.T. Muhammad, Nilambur Balan, Vasu Pradeep, and Madhu Master chose this city to stage plays. The movie “Amma Vishna,” directed by renowned filmmaker John Abraham, was made through crowdfunding in Kozhikode. Kozhikode is also the home of Baburaj, a great musician. O.V. Vijayan, who was once a teacher in the Malayalam section of the Malabar Christian College, Kozhikode, used to ride his bicycle through the streets of Kozhikode city.
Historical Significance and Cultural Harmony
Kappad Beach, SM Street, Mananchira, Town Hall, etc., are hallmarks of Kozhikode. Vasco da Gama first landed at the historic Kappad beach. The main attractions of Kozhikode are its beautiful beaches. Beypur is a beach where traditional shipbuilding, known as ‘uru construction’, took place for many years. Even today, the royal families of the Gulf countries order and buy wooden luxury ships from Beypur. Great travelers like Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta wrote about it in their travelogues. The ancient king of Kozhikode, Samuthiri, ruled the city for many years. They welcomed people from all countries and promoted communal harmony among different religions. It is admirable that the Samuthiri encouraged and respected the faith and belief of other religions by providing sanctuaries and places of worship. Kozhikode is described in history as the ‘city of truth’.
The Future of Kozhikode as a Creative City
Music is the heartbeat of Kozhikode, and literature is its emotion. This new recognition and mission will enable Kozhikode to develop creativity through public-private partnerships. This has given the city the opportunity to develop hubs of creativity and innovation. The member cities of this network will have opportunities to share experiences, knowledge, and best practices internationally. There will also be professional and artistic exchange programs. In addition, annual conferences of mayors and other stakeholders in network cities will be held. With a true phenomenal melody, this is a great opportunity to strengthen ties with creative cities around the world.
“A team led by Muhammed Firoz, Associate Professor at the National Institute of Technology, Calicut, has conducted ground research for the initiative. Kozhikode Corporation Mayor Beena Philip expressed her enthusiasm for this achievement, emphasizing that the “City of Literature” title is a remarkable acknowledgment of the city’s excellence in the fields of literature and media.”
Cities so recognized are required to submit a membership monitoring report every four years, demonstrating their firm commitment to the implementation of the UCCN Mission Statement.
May this recognition of UNESCO’s ‘City of Literature’ tag, a testament to Kozhikode’s rich literary heritage, be a source of pride for Malayalees and India forever.
Leave a Reply