TANGASSERI LIGHT HOUSE

TANGASSERI LIGHT HOUSE

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to establish a trading center in Tangasseri, Kollam, in 1502. It became a major centre of trade in pepper. In the wars with the Moors/Arabs that followed, the ancient church of St Thomas was destroyed. In 1517, the Portuguese built the St Thomas fort Tangasseri Quilon, which was destroyed in the subsequent wars with the Dutch. In 1661, the Dutch took possession of the city. The remnants of both the Dutch and Portuguese forts can be found at Tangasseri. In the 18th century, the kingdom of Travancore 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. The Infant Jesus Church 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 INR4.5 crore (US$750,000); it was consecrated and blessed on 3 December 2005. The metallic cross on the top is one of the largest crosses in India.

Prof. John Kurakar