Kozhikode, also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second most populous metropolitan area in Kerala and the 19th largest in India. Kozhikode is classified as a Tier 2 city by the Government of India.
It is the largest city in the region known as the Malabar Coast and was the capital of the British-era Malabar district. In antiquity and the medieval period, Kozhikode was dubbed the City of Spices for its role as the major trading point for Indian spices. It was the capital of an independent kingdom ruled by the Samoothiris. The port at Kozhikode acted as the gateway to medieval South Indian coast for the Chinese, the Persians, the Arabs, and finally the Europeans. According to data compiled by economics research firm Indicus Analytics in 2009 on residences, earnings and investments, Kozhikode was ranked the second-best city in India to live in. In November 2023, Kozhikode became the first Indian city to be included in the list of Creative Cities Network (UCCN) by UNESCO.
The exact origin of the name Kozhikode is uncertain. According to many sources, the name Kozhikode is derived from – Koyil-kota (fort), meaning fortified palace, however this is probably a folk etymology. Koil or Koyil or Kovil is the Malayalam/Tamil term for a Hindu temple, referring to the Tali Shiva Temple. Both the terms kōyil and kōvil are used interchangeably. The Tamil name of the city is Kaḷḷikkōṭṭai. The name also got corrupted into Kolikod, or its Arab version Qāliqūṭ and later its anglicized version Calicut. Chinese merchants called it Kūlifo.
The city is officially named Kozhikode in Malayalam, and in English, it is known by its anglicised version, Calicut. The word calico, a fine variety of hand-woven cotton cloth that was exported from the port of Kozhikode, is thought to have been derived from Calicut. The term for tricolour cats, called calico cats, is as well derived from the fabric name.
