Tangasseri

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Tangasseri
Thangassery
Neighbourhood
Tangasseri arch
Tangasseri arch
Tangasseri is located in Kollam
Tangasseri
Tangasseri
Location in Kerala, India
Tangasseri is located in Kerala
Tangasseri
Tangasseri
Tangasseri (Kerala)
Tangasseri is located in India
Tangasseri
Tangasseri
Tangasseri (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
StateKerala
DistrictKollam
Government
 • BodyKollam Municipal Corporation(KMC)
Area
 • Total0.4006 km2 (0.1547 sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialMalayalam, English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
691007
Vehicle registrationKL-02
Lok Sabha constituencyKollam
Civic agencyKollam Municipal Corporation
Avg. summer temperature34 °C (93 °F)
Avg. winter temperature22 °C (72 °F)
Websitehttp://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[edit]

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[edit]

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. Tangasseri's St Thomas Fort, built by the Portuguese in 1517, was destroyed in the subsequent wars with the Dutch.[4]

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. Tangassery was a part of Malabar District during British Raj.[5] The Infant Jesus Cathedral in Tangasseri an old Portuguese-built church, remains as a memento of Portuguese rule.[6] The old cathedral was demolished and replaced by a new cathedral at a cost of around ₹4.5 crore (US$630,000); it was consecrated and blessed on 3 December 2005. The metallic cross on the top is one of the largest crosses in India.[7]

Importance[edit]

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.[8] 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 and Infant Jesus School Kollam.[9]

Gallery[edit]

  • Tangasseri Light House

    Tangasseri Light House

  • Aerial view of Tangasseri Harbour Area

    Aerial view of Tangasseri Harbour Area

  • A fishing boat near Tangasseri breakwater

    A fishing boat near Tangasseri breakwater

  • Port Road at Tangasseri

    Port Road at Tangasseri

  • View of Kollam Port from Tangasseri harbour

    View of Kollam Port from Tangasseri harbour

  • Tangasseri fishing harbour

    Tangasseri fishing harbour

References[edit]

  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. ↑ "Thangassery: A flashback to Kerala's Portuguese past". On Manorama. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  5. ↑ Logan, William (2010). Malabar Manual (Volume-I). New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. pp. 631–666. ISBN 9788120604476.
  6. ↑ "Superb India Tours - Kollam". Superb India Tours. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "Tangasseri - OOCITIES". OOCITIES. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "New look for Tangasseri lighthouse". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  9. ↑ "Infant Jesus Anglo-Indian School, Kollam". IJHSS Kollam. Retrieved 16 August 2016.

External links[edit]

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