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Quilon

Kollam
കൊല്ലം/ക്വയ്ലോണ്‍
Quilon
Metropolis
From top clockwise: RP Mall in Downtown Kollam, Lighthouse in Tangasseri, British Residency in Asramam, Kollam Junction railway station and Kollam MEMU Shed, Aerial view of Ashtamudi Lake, Kollam Port, Asramam Adventure Park, Jalakeli Kendram near Kollam Beach
Nickname(s): Prince of Arabian sea
Cashew Capital of the World
Kollam is located in Kerala
Kollam
Kollam
Kollam is located in India
Kollam
Kollam
Coordinates: 8°53′N 76°36′E / 8.88°N 76.60°E / 8.88; 76.60Coordinates: 8°53′N 76°36′E / 8.88°N 76.60°E / 8.88; 76.60
Country  India
Region South India
State Kerala
District Kollam
Former Name Quilon
Native Language Malayalam
Established 1099
Named for "कोल्लं (Kollam)" means pepper
Government
 • Type Mayor–Council
 • Body Kollam Municipal Corporation
 • Mayor V. Rajendrababu
 • MP N.K Premachandran
 • City Police Commissioner S. Satheesh Bino IPS
Area
 • Metropolis 73.03 km2 (28.20 sq mi)
Area rank 5 (only Corporation area)
Elevation 3 m (10 ft)
Population (2011)
 • Metropolis 397,419
 • Rank 4 (49th IN)
 • Density 5,936/km2 (15,370/sq mi)
 • Metro 1,351,000
Demonym(s) Kollamite, Kollathukaaran, Kollamkaran
Languages
 • Official Malayalam
English
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 691 XXX
Telephone code Kollam-91-474
Vehicle registration Kollam: KL-02
HDI High
Literacy 91.18%
UN/LOCODE IN QUI
IN KUK
Website www.kollam.nic.in

Kollam (IPA: [koɭɭəm]) or Quilon (Coulão), formerly Desinganadu, is an old seaport and city on the Laccadive Sea coast of Kerala, India. The city is on the banks Ashtamudi Lake. Kollam has had a strong commercial reputation since the days of the Phoenicians and Romans. Fed by the Chinese trade, it was mentioned by Ibn Battuta in the 14th century as one of the five Indian ports he had seen during the course of his twenty-four year travels. Desinganadu's rajas exchanged embassies with Chinese rulers while there was a flourishing Chinese settlement at Kollam. In the 9th Century, on his way to Canton, China, Persian merchant Sulaiman al-Tajir found Kollam to be the only port in India visited by huge Chinese junks. Marco Polo, the great Venetian traveller, who was in Chinese service under Kublai Khan in 1275, visited Kollam and other towns on the west coast, in his capacity as a Chinese mandarin.

V. Nagam Aiya in his Travancore State Manual records that in 822 AD two East Syrian bishops Mar Sabor and Mar Proth, settled in Quilon with their followers. Two years later the Malabar Era began (824 AD) and Quilon became the premier city of the Malabar region ahead of Travancore and Cochin.Kollam Port was founded by Mar Sabor at Tangasseri in 825 as an alternative to reopening the inland sea port of Kore-ke-ni Kollam near Backare (Thevalakara), which was also known as Nelcynda and Tyndis to the Romans and Greeks and as Thondi to the Tamils.


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