The story of Muziris starts from early 3000 BC when Babylonians, Assyrians and Egyptians came to the Malabar Coast in search for the spices. Later these Middle-East groups were joined by Arabs and Phoenicians. And gradually Muziris in Kodungallur entered into the cartography of World trade map. Then onwards Muziris holds the key to a good chunk of Kerala’s ancient history now the ancient trade route.
Muziris in Mythology
Muziris was a port city, among the earliest of its kind in the world. Spice City to the ancient reporters, Muziris was also known as Murachipattanam. In Ramayana, Murachipattanam is the place where Sugreeva’s (one of the Monkey King) sleuths scurried through while looking for the abducted Sita.
Muziris Now
The Muziris Heritage Project is one of the biggest conservation projects in India, where the state and the central governments have come together to conserve a rich culture that is as old as 3000 years or more. This region forms a part of the heritage tourism circuit between North Paravur in Ernakulam and Kodungallur in Thrissur. Shrines, forts, palaces, seminaries, cemeteries, boatyards and markets spread over the municipality of North Paravur to the municipality of Kodungallur will be preserved accordingly. Various performing arts that represent the non-physical aspect of the Muziris region are also under the process of conservation.