<![CDATA[The port of Alappuzha is a historic port that epitomizes Kerala's maritime legacy and economic development. The port, itself was planned and designed, drawing the attention in the late 18th century, when the Lord Raja Kesavadas was the able administrator, and got developed as the trade and finance centre for Travancore Kingdom. Thanks to a web of canals connecting the Vembanad Lake and the Arabian Sea, Alappuzha became an export hub for coir and coir products, pepper, ginger, timber and other commodities linked to the hinterland as well as global markets. This paper investigates the varied significance of Alappuzha Port in the economic, political and diplomatic history of Travancore, focusing specifically on the leading role played by the port in the development of the coir industry, one of the still vibrant pillars of Kerala economic identity. Tracing the twin narratives of a port flourishing due to a geographic advantage, administrative forethought and an open trade policy and subsequently declining with the emergence of Cochin Port, the breakup of coir production, and entry of modern transport networks, the paper compares and contrasts a range of factors responsible both for the success and the failure of Quilon. Based on historical records, archaeological findings, and heritage analysis, the study shows how the architectural and cultural remains of the port are being restored and reinterpreted through modern heritage practices. In Conclusion, the thesis stresses that Alappuzha is not just a historical marker in the maritime history of the state but also a living monument of Kerala’s industrial memory and argues for its preservation as a National Heritage Landscape]]>
Copyrights © 2026
