[5] Thalassery grew into a prominent place during European rule, due to its strategic geographic location.

[6] Thalassery has played a significant historical, cultural, educational and commercial role in the history of India, especially during the colonial period.

The second volume of the 1885 administration manual of the former Madras Presidency cites, which includes information on the research of regional legends and folklore, indicates that the name Thalassery in ancient Sanskrit literature was Shwetaranyapura.

[6] Thalassery was a trade hub where Dutch, British, Portuguese, Chinese, Arab, and Jewish traders had considerable influence in the spice market.

The British established a trading post and built a factory at Tellicherry in 1694, having gained permission from Vadakkalankur, the prince regent of the Raja of Kolathunad.

They had already been trading on the Malabar coast for much of that century, buying pepper from merchants, and had established a similar post at Travancore ten years earlier.

[8] In 1761, the British captured Mahe, which lies adjacent to Thalassery, and the settlement was handed over to the ruler of Kadathanadu.

[9] After the annexation of Malabar, the British called upon Thalassery, the royal families and other major Nair and Namboothiri feudal lords to return, but this was heavily opposed by some local rulers.

Thalassery lies on the west coast of the Indian subcontinent, in the northern part of Kerala State.

The city has Dharmadam Panchayat in the north, Eranholi and Kodiyeri in the east New Mahe in the south and the Arabian Sea on the west.

The palm-fringed terrain has a scenic coastline and features four rivers, canals and hills with orange-hued rock.

The European Christian missionaries and the educational reforms they brought played an important role in transforming society.

[17][18][19][20] Thalassery cuisine (a blend of Arabian, Persian, Indian and European styles of cooking) is popular around the world.

Painting and sculpture exhibitions are frequently held at the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi art gallery located in Keezhantimukk, Thiruvangad.

Theyyam (or Thirayattam) is a ritual performance art form[21] that depict the cultural heritage of North Malabar, especially of ancient Kolathunad.

Theyyam depicts Shiva bhutaganas, Kali and other deities and cultural heroes and ancestors of the region.

The drama is enacted based on ancient stories and the language used is "Tottam pattu", north Malabar dialect of Malayalam.

Rajyasamacharam and Paschimodayam (the first two Malayalam newspapers) were published from Illikunnu, Nettoor in Tellicherry in 1847 by Hermann Gundert, who was the editor of the journal and was a religious propagator from the Basel Evangelical Mission Society (BEMP).

A tour of Thalassery led to the meeting of Chhatre with Keeleri Kunhikannan, a martial arts trainer.

Wellesley and his colleagues played cricket in the town maidan, often watched by bystanders, who would help the English officers whenever they were short of players.

[31] Thalassery Stadium, located close to the sea, hosts Ranji Trophy cricket matches quite often.

Wellesley is believed to have introduced this game in Kerala in the 18th century for British soldiers garrisoned in the Tellichery Fort.

[32][better source needed] The educational renaissance of Malabar started from Thalassery due to the influence of European missionaries.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have been fighting in this area for supremacy for the last 50 years.

The High Court of Kerala called this manslaughter a "compelling sport" and suggested permanent deployment of Central forces in the affected areas.

The wet season starts in June as the southwest monsoon first hits the coastal Kerala and continues until the end of September.