 | This article does not cite any sources .(May 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
| Kallai | |
|---|---|
| town | |
Kallayi Railway Station | |
| Coordinates: 11°42′0″N75°32′0″E / 11.70000°N 75.53333°E Coordinates: 11°42′0″N75°32′0″E / 11.70000°N 75.53333°E | |
| Country |  |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Kozhikode |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Vehicle registration | KL- |
Kallai (or Kallayi) is a small town on the banks of Kallai River which links with the Chaliyar river on the south by a man-made canal. It is in the Kozhikode district of Kerala in south India and is noted for timber trading.
Kozhikode District or Calicut district is a district of Kerala state, on the southwest coast of India. The city of Kozhikode, also known as Calicut, is the district headquarters. The district is 38.25% urbanised.
Kerala, locally known as Keralam, is a state on the southwestern, Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions. Spread over 38,863 km2 (15,005 sq mi), Kerala is the twenty-second largest Indian state by area. It is bordered by Karnataka to the north and northeast, Tamil Nadu to the east and south, and the Lakshadweep Sea and Arabian Sea to the west. With 33,387,677 inhabitants as per the 2011 Census, Kerala is the thirteenth-largest Indian state by population. It is divided into 14 districts with the capital being Thiruvananthapuram. Malayalam is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state.
South India is the area including the five Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, as well as the three union territories of Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry, occupying 19% of India's area. Covering the southern part of the peninsular Deccan Plateau, South India is bounded by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean in the south. The geography of the region is diverse with two mountain ranges–the Western and Eastern Ghats, bordering the plateau heartland. Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Tungabhadra and Vaigai rivers are important non-perennial sources of water. Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Trivandrum, Coimbatore, Visakhapatnam, Madurai and Kochi are the largest urban areas.
Contents
During the late 19th century early 20th centuries, the Chaliyar River was extensively used as a waterway for carrying timber from the forest areas in and around Nilambur to the various mills in Kallai near Kozhikode (Calicut). Rafts made of logs were taken downstream during the monsoon season to Kallai, where these were sawn to size in the timber mills dotting the banks of the river.
Nilambur is a municipality and a taluk in the Malappuram district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is located close to the Nilgiris range of the Western Ghats on the banks of the Chaliyar River. It is about 40 kilometers from Malappuram city and 24 kilometers from Manjeri on the Kozhikode–Gudalur road called CNG road.
During this period, Kallai was one of the most important centers in the world for the timber business. The place was noted for woods of superlative strength and durability like teak, rosewood etc. Towards the second half of the 20th century, the activity declined drastically as tree felling was banned or strictly controlled with a view to stop deforestation. Many mills still operate in Kallai, though with far less output. Many have now closed down.
Teak is a tropical hardwood tree species placed in the flowering plant family Lamiaceae. Some forms of teak are known as Burmese teak, Central Province teak, as well as Nagpur teak. T. grandis is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. It has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters (panicles) at the end of the branches. These flowers contain both types of reproductive organs. The large, papery leaves of teak trees are often hairy on the lower surface. Teak wood has a leather-like smell when it is freshly milled and is particularly valued for its durability and water resistance. The wood is used for boat building, exterior construction, veneer, furniture, carving, turnings, and other small wood projects.
Rosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues.
Kallayi Road starts from Palayam junction in the very heart of old Kozhikode. The first junction towards the south is Pushpa Junction which connects to Mankavu on the east and Kuttichira Beach on the west. The road continues to the south with landmarks like Paico Bookstall, Marzook College and the Kallayi Library. Panniyankara junction has a unique colonial building built in 1902 and called Princess of Wales Dispensary which is now converted into a homeo clinic. Panniyankara police station stands opposite to this clinic. Kannanchery, Nallalam and Areekkad are the next towns in the Kallayi Road. The SAIL-SCL steel factory and VKC Hawaii and the major industries in this area.
