The Lost Port of Muziris?

Cranganore Mail attempts to deliver to you stories from the early 19^th century lifestyle in Kerala, tales told to us as kids by our grandmother Ammalu Amma. Our maternal ancestors hailed from Cranganore, originally Kodungalloor, also called Shingly by the Jews, Muziris by the Romans/Greeks and Cranganore by the Portuguese.

Cranganore is the oldest known sea port on Malabar Coast. It is believed that this is also the lost port of Muziris from the 1st century BC. An ancient Roman map shows Muziris port on the southern shore, near the island of Sri Lanka. The inlet of water is presumed to represent the backwaters of Kerala. 

Ancient Roman Map showing Muziris Port

The Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans came here for the trade in spices and stones. The place has deep religious significance in history. It was here St. Thomas landed to center the first Syrian Christian community of India. Cranganore also hosts the first Muslim mosque in India, the Cheraman Juma Mosque, built in 629 A.D. This was during the time of Prophet Muhammad, the second mosque to be built in the world, the first being Medina. This place, on the Malabar Coast, is where the Jewish immigrants reputedly established their first foothold in India.

The Dutch East India Company ships at Cranganore

After the last of the Cheras, Cranganore became part of Cochin State or the Kingdom of Cochin, a princely state, an absolute monarchy under the rule of the Maharajas of Cochin, known as the Kochi Thampuraans.

--- If we know where we came from, we may better know where to go. If we know who we came from, we may better understand who we are. ---