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Tangasseri Thangassery, Thangi
Neighbourhood
Tangasseri arch
Nickname: Thangi
TangasseriLocation in Kerala, IndiaShow map of KollamTangasseriTangasseri (Kerala)Show map of KeralaTangasseriTangasseri (India)Show map of India
Coordinates: 8°53′04″N 76°33′49″E / 8.884359°N 76.563631°E / 8.884359; 76.563631
Country	India
State	Kerala
District	Kollam
Government
• Body	Kollam Municipal Corporation(KMC)
Area
• Total	0.4006 km (0.1547 sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Malayalam, English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	691007
Vehicle registration	KL-02
Lok Sabha constituency	Kollam
Civic agency	Kollam Municipal Corporation
Avg. summer temperature	34 °C (93 °F)
Avg. winter temperature	22 °C (72 °F)
Website	http://www.kollam.nic.in

Tangasseri or Thangassery (Thangi) is a heavily populated beach area on the shores of the Arabian Sea in Kollam city, Kerala, India.

Location

Tangasseri is located about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the city centre and 71 kilometres (44 mi) from Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. Archaeologists recently discovered Chinese coins and other artefacts along the coast, which reveal the historic background of the location. Kollam Port makes Tangasseri an important place on the world maritime map.

History

In 1502, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to establish a trading centre in Tangasseri and the area soon became a major centre for the pepper trade. Tangasseri's St Thomas Fort, built by the Portuguese in 1517, was destroyed in the subsequent wars with the Dutch.

In 1661, the Dutch took possession of the city. The remains of both the Dutch and Portuguese forts can still be seen in Tangasseri. In the 18th century, the kingdom of Travancore first conquered Kollam, followed by the British in 1795. Tangasseri remains an Anglo-Indian settlement in character, though there are few Anglo-Indians in the population. Tangassery was a part of Malabar District during British Raj.

The Infant Jesus Cathedral in Tangasseri an old Portuguese-built church, remains as a memento of Portuguese rule. The old cathedral was demolished and replaced by a new cathedral at a cost of around ₹4.5 crore (US$520,000); it was consecrated and blessed on 3 December 2005. The metallic cross on the top is one of the largest crosses in India.

Importance

Tangasseri is a picturesque seaside village with a three kilometre long beach on which stands a 144 feet tall lighthouse—a silent sentinel warning seamen since 1902 of the treacherous reefs. There are also ruins of Portuguese and Dutch forts and 18th century churches. The fishery harbour at Tangasseri is a basin for traditional fishermen, achieved by the construction of two breakwaters. The length of the main breakwater is 2100 m and of the leeward breakwater 550 m. This provides sufficient beach length for landing facilities for all operational craft.

Tangasseri is home to Kerala's oldest schools, Mount Carmel Convent Anglo-Indian Girls High School and Infant Jesus School Kollam.

The State Government of Kerala had submitted a proposal for constructing a sheltered lighterage Port at Thangassery by converting the Thangassery cove into an artificial harbour The Thangassery cove is about 45 miles to the South of theAshtamudi Lake inlet which was proposed to be developed as a Ashing harbour under the Norwegian-Indian Fisheries Community Development Project Hie proposal to convert the Thangassery Cove into an artificial harbour involved the construction canal connecting the proposed port with Ashtamudi Lake. In the meantime, another suggestion was made for developing Thangassery Cove as a fishing-cum-commercial port, if it was found impracticable to develop the Ashtamudi lake inlet. Model expenments in respect of both the scheme were carried out at the Poona Research Station.

The Government of Kerala was asked on the 7th January, 1959 to examine the reports submitted by the Poona Research Station and to work out comparative costs of both the schemes m the light of the recommendations made m the Reports and forward their proposal to the Government along with a statement showing the comparative costs for the two schemes These are awaited A provision of Rs 42 5 lakhs has been proposed for development works at Thangassery in the Third Plan

Gallery

• Tangasseri Light House
• Aerial view of Tangasseri Harbour Area
• A fishing boat near Tangasseri breakwater
• Port Road at Tangasseri
• View of Kollam Port from Tangasseri harbour
• Tangasseri fishing harbour

References

1. "Archaeologist Throws Light on Thangassery Artefacts". TNIE. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
2. "Thangassery Port". Infrawindow.com. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
3. "Cabinet approval for Thangassery port plans". Projectstoday.com. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
4. "Thangassery: A flashback to Kerala's Portuguese past". On Manorama. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
5. Logan, William (2010). Malabar Manual (Volume-I). New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. pp. 631–666. ISBN 9788120604476.
6. "Superb India Tours - Kollam". Superb India Tours. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
7. "Tangasseri - OOCITIES". OOCITIES. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
8. "New look for Tangasseri lighthouse". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
9. "Infant Jesus Anglo-Indian School, Kollam". IJHSS Kollam. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
10. https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1836/1/lsd_02_08_02-09-1959.pdf page 15

External links

• Official website
• A brief history of Tangaserri

v t e Kollam district
City corporations	Kollam
Municipalities	Paravur Karunagapally Punalur Kottarakkara
Revenue divisional office	Kollam Punalur
Talukas and villages	Kollam Sakthikulangara Thrikkadavoor Thrikkaruva Mandrothuruth East Kallada Mulavana Perinad Panayam Kilikollur Mangad Kottamkara Elampallur Nedumpana Pallimon Thrikkovilvattom Thazhuthala Vadakkevila Mundakkal Eravipuram Mayyanad Adichanallur Meenad Chirakkara Paravur Kottappuram(Paravur) Poothakkulam Parippally Kalluvathukkal Kollam East Kollam West Kottarakkara Pavithreswaram Puthur Ezhukone Kareepra Neduvathoor Kulakkada Kalayapuram Mylom Melila Chakkuvarakkal Vettikkavala Kottarakkara Ummannur Valakom Elamad Odanavattom Veliyam Pooyappally Velinallur Nilamel Chadayamangalam Kottukkal Ittiva Kadakkal Kummil Mankode Chithara Punalur Punalur Karavaloor Anchal Edamulakkal Arakkal Valaikode Edamon Aryankavu Thenmala Kulathupuzha Yeroor Pathady Alayamon Thinkalkarikkam Ayiranelloor Channapetta Karunagappally Alappad Ochira Adinad Karunagappally Thazhava Manappally Pavumba Thodiyoor Kallalibhagom Thevalakkara Chavara Neendakara Clappana Kulasekharapuram Chavara Thekkumbhagom Ayanivelikulangara Panmana Vadakumthala Kunnathur Sooranad North Sooranad South Mynagappally Sasthamkotta Poruvazhi Kunnathur West Kallada Pathanapuram Chenkilathu Kundayam Manchalloor Pathanapuram Pattazhy Pattazhy Vadakkekkara Pidavoor Piravanthoor Punnala Thalavoor Vilakudy

• Neighbourhoods in Kollam
• Former Portuguese colonies
• Former Dutch colonies
• History of Kollam
• Tourist attractions in Kollam
• Kingdom of Travancore
• Cities and towns in Kollam district
• Archaeological sites in Kerala
• 1661 establishments in the Dutch Empire