Tangasseri

Tangasseri
തങ്കശ്ശേരി
Thangassery
Neighbourhood

Tangasseri Arch
Tangasseri
Tangasseri

Location in Kerala, India

Coordinates: 8°53′04″N 76°33′49″E / 8.884359°N 76.563631°E / 8.884359; 76.563631Coordinates: 8°53′04″N 76°33′49″E / 8.884359°N 76.563631°E / 8.884359; 76.563631
Country  India
State Kerala
District Kollam
Government
 • Body Kollam Municipal Corporation(KMC)
Languages
 • Official Malayalam, English
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 691007
Vehicle registration KL-02
Lok Sabha constituency Kollam
Civic agency Kollam Municipal Corporation
Avg. summer temperature 34 °C (93 °F)
Avg. winter temperature 22 °C (72 °F)
Website http://www.kollam.nic.in
Light House at Thangashery
Fishing boats at Thangashery

Tangasseri or Thangassery is a heavily populated beach area on the shores of the Arabian Sea in Kollam city, Kerala, India.

Location

Tangasseri is located about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the city centre and 71 kilometres (44 mi) from Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. Archaeologists recently discovered Chinese coins and other artefacts along the coast, which reveal the historic background of the location.[1] Kollam Port makes Tangasseri an important place on the world maritime map.[2][3]

History

In 1502, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to establish a trading centre in Tangasseri and the area soon became a major centre for the pepper trade. In the wars with the Moors and Arabs that followed, the ancient church of St Thomas was destroyed.[4] Tangasseri's St Thomas Fort, built by the Portuguese in 1517, was destroyed in the subsequent wars with the Dutch.

In 1661, the Dutch took possession of the city. The remains of both the Dutch and Portuguese forts can still be seen in Tangasseri. In the 18th century, the kingdom of Travancore first conquered Kollam, followed by the British in 1795. Tangasseri remains an Anglo-Indian settlement in character, though there are few Anglo-Indians in the population. The Infant Jesus Church in Tangasseri, an old Portuguese-built church, remains as a memento of Portuguese rule.[5] The old cathedral was demolished and replaced by a new cathedral at a cost of around ₹4.5 crore (US$670,000); it was consecrated and blessed on 3 December 2005. The metallic cross on the top is one of the largest crosses in India.[6]

Importance

Tangasseri is a picturesque seaside village with a three kilometre long beach on which stands a 144 feet tall lighthouse—a silent sentinel warning seamen since 1902 of the treacherous reefs.[7] There are also ruins of Portuguese and Dutch forts and 18th century churches. The fishery harbour at Tangasseri is a basin for traditional fishermen, achieved by the construction of two breakwaters. The length of the main breakwater is 2100 m and of the leeward breakwater 550 m. This provides sufficient beach length for landing facilities for all operational craft. Tangasseri is home to Kerala's oldest schools, Mount Carmel Convent Anglo-Indian Girls High School[8] and Infant Jesus School Kollam.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Archaeologist Throws Light on Thangassery Artefacts". TNIE. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  2. ↑ "Thangassery Port". Infrawindow.com. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "Cabinet approval for Thangassery port plans". Projectstoday.com. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  4. ↑ "A brief history of Tangasseri". Rotary Club of Tangasseri. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Superb India Tours - Kollam". Superb India Tours. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "Tangasseri - OOCITIES". OOCITIES. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "New look for Tangasseri lighthouse". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  8. ↑ "Mount Carmel School, Kollam". ICBSE. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  9. ↑ "Infant Jesus Anglo-Indian School, Kollam". IJHSS Kollam. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
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