Cannanore Lighthouse
Encyclopedia
The Cannanore Lighthouse is located near the Payyambalam Beach
, a few kilometers from Kannur town
, in Kerala
state, south India
. It is adjacent to the Sea View Park and the Government Guest House. The lighthouse
is still active and overlooks the Arabian Sea
.
Cannanore is the old English name for the town named Kannur
. The lighthouse at Kannur is still often referred to as the Cannanore Lighthouse.
) was an important seaport under the 15th century rulers of Malabar, the Samoothiris (also known as the Zamorins). The port had maritime links with the ports of Madras, Colombo
, Tuticorin, Alleppey, Mangalore
, Bombay and Karachi
.
The Portuguese
led by Vasco Da Gama
first landed at Kappad beach in 1498. They built the St. Angelo Fort
at Kannur in the early 16th century. Almost two centuries later, the region came under the control of the British
, who established a cantonment at Cannanore in the 19th century.
In 1902, the Presidency Port Officer of Madras state government sanctioned an amount of Rs. 3430/- for the construction of a lighthouse tower atop the fort. This stone tower was commissioned in the year 1903, but at a later date the tower, along with a part of the fort, was taken away by the sea. After this only, a mast was installed inside the fort to hoist a lighthouse lantern.
In order to warn ships at sea of land, a system of hoisting a lantern with an oil wick lamp
was introduced in 1843 by the British. A masonry
pedestal
was constructed in 1903 on the rampart of the fort and a double wick oil lamp inside the 4th order dioptric lens
and lantern with arrangement for occultation
was placed on this pedestal. The light was made available during fair seasons only, from September to May every year.
In 1924, some enhancements were made. The light was shifted in 1939 on to a 16 metre steel
trestle
erected on the northern bastion of the Fort. The steel trestle can still be seen today at the Fort.
The equipment was replaced by a flashing light with 10 second character running on DA gas in 1948. This light remained in operation till the new lighthouse tower was constructed at the present location during 1975-76.
, 30 watt
Type 'C' sealed beam lamps, supplied by Messers J. Stone India, of Calcutta. The GI lantern house installed at the station is 2.4 meters in diameter and was fabricated at Cochin. The new lighthouse was commissioned into service on 25 July 1976.
On 31 May 2003, the 'C' type sealed beam lamps were replaced by 'D' type sealed beam lamps. Today the lighthouse lights up the skies every night, and offers a solitary light that can be seen from the Baby beach and as far as Payyambalam
.
Payyambalam Beach
Payyambalam Beach is a beach in Kannur district of Kerala in India that attracts tourists and local people. It often finds mention in tourism related publications as a beautiful beach. It has now a garden close to it. The beach is just 2 km from Kannur town....
, a few kilometers from Kannur town
Kannur Town
Kannur Town is the actual city of Kannur, Kerala, India and the administrative headquarters of Kannur District. The major business establishments, government offices, shopping centres, hotels, and showrooms are located in Kannur town....
, in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
state, south India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. It is adjacent to the Sea View Park and the Government Guest House. The lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
is still active and overlooks the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
.
Cannanore is the old English name for the town named Kannur
Kannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
. The lighthouse at Kannur is still often referred to as the Cannanore Lighthouse.
History
Cannanore (now KannurKannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
) was an important seaport under the 15th century rulers of Malabar, the Samoothiris (also known as the Zamorins). The port had maritime links with the ports of Madras, Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Tuticorin, Alleppey, Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
, Bombay and Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
.
The Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
led by Vasco Da Gama
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
first landed at Kappad beach in 1498. They built the St. Angelo Fort
St. Angelo Fort
St. Angelo Fort , is a fort facing the Arabian Sea, situated 3 km from the town of Kannur, a city in Kerala state, south India.-History:...
at Kannur in the early 16th century. Almost two centuries later, the region came under the control of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, who established a cantonment at Cannanore in the 19th century.
In 1902, the Presidency Port Officer of Madras state government sanctioned an amount of Rs. 3430/- for the construction of a lighthouse tower atop the fort. This stone tower was commissioned in the year 1903, but at a later date the tower, along with a part of the fort, was taken away by the sea. After this only, a mast was installed inside the fort to hoist a lighthouse lantern.
In order to warn ships at sea of land, a system of hoisting a lantern with an oil wick lamp
Oil lamp
An oil lamp is an object used to produce light continuously for a period of time using an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and is continued to this day....
was introduced in 1843 by the British. A masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
pedestal
Pedestal
Pedestal is a term generally applied to the support of a statue or a vase....
was constructed in 1903 on the rampart of the fort and a double wick oil lamp inside the 4th order dioptric lens
Lens (optics)
A lens is an optical device with perfect or approximate axial symmetry which transmits and refracts light, converging or diverging the beam. A simple lens consists of a single optical element...
and lantern with arrangement for occultation
Occultation
An occultation is an event that occurs when one object is hidden by another object that passes between it and the observer. The word is used in astronomy . It can also refer to any situation wherein an object in the foreground blocks from view an object in the background...
was placed on this pedestal. The light was made available during fair seasons only, from September to May every year.
In 1924, some enhancements were made. The light was shifted in 1939 on to a 16 metre steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
trestle
Trestle
A trestle is a rigid frame used as a support, especially referring to a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. In the context of trestle bridges, each supporting frame is generally referred to as a bent...
erected on the northern bastion of the Fort. The steel trestle can still be seen today at the Fort.
The equipment was replaced by a flashing light with 10 second character running on DA gas in 1948. This light remained in operation till the new lighthouse tower was constructed at the present location during 1975-76.
Cannanore Lighthouse today
Today, the light uses modern PRB-42 equipment with 6 voltVolt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
, 30 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
Type 'C' sealed beam lamps, supplied by Messers J. Stone India, of Calcutta. The GI lantern house installed at the station is 2.4 meters in diameter and was fabricated at Cochin. The new lighthouse was commissioned into service on 25 July 1976.
On 31 May 2003, the 'C' type sealed beam lamps were replaced by 'D' type sealed beam lamps. Today the lighthouse lights up the skies every night, and offers a solitary light that can be seen from the Baby beach and as far as Payyambalam
Payyambalam Beach
Payyambalam Beach is a beach in Kannur district of Kerala in India that attracts tourists and local people. It often finds mention in tourism related publications as a beautiful beach. It has now a garden close to it. The beach is just 2 km from Kannur town....
.
See also
- Alappuzha LighthouseAlappuzha LighthouseThe Alappuzha Lighthouse is situated in the coastal town of Alappuzha, Kerala. It was built in the year 1862 and is a major tourist attraction. Visitors are allowed between 1500 hours and 1630 hours on every weekday at an admission fee of ten rupees.-History:...
- St. Angelo FortSt. Angelo FortSt. Angelo Fort , is a fort facing the Arabian Sea, situated 3 km from the town of Kannur, a city in Kerala state, south India.-History:...
- Cannanore Cantonment
- KannurKannurKannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...