Aikyam Heritage
About Kodungallur
The small country town of Kodungallur is situated 35 kilometres south of Thrissur.
Kodungallur situated on the west coast, was once a great port during the time of
the Chera rulers of Tamil Nadu. It was known to the Greeks as Muziris and is a
place immersed in rich history.
Kodungallur or Kodungalloor, surrounded by backwaters and the sea was also
known as Cranganore and has an illustrious past, to tell. The ancient port here at
Kodungallur was a busy port in the first century BC and was the gateway for
various religious faiths like Christianity, Judaism, Islam and others. Cargo vessels
from West Asia, Mediterranean and East Africa used to drop anchor at the Port
of Muziris. St.Thomas, the apostle of Jesus Christ is believed to have set foot in
Kerala through the Muziris port and so did the Islamic missionaries. It is here that
India’s first church, St. Thomas Church and the first mosque, Cheraman Juma
Masjid, are located.
Since the 15th century, the region began to come under the influence of foreign
powers, starting with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and the British.
Today, Kodungallur and the surrounding regions have various representations
from a past that eventually had a say in the socio-cultural and religious aspects
of the region.
Eriyad village is located in Kodungallur Tehsil of Thrissur district in Kerala, India.
Kodungallur is nearest town to Eriyad village for all major economic activities.
