City Heritage: A Journey Rooted in Culture, Carried by Stories

Posted : 21-05-2025

Celebrating Our Milestones: From Kannur to the World

Before we take you through our story, we pause to express heartfelt gratitude for the recognition and trust we've received from the cultural and tourism community. 

UFTC (United Federation of Travel Consortium), a prestigious Hyderabad-based tourism consortium, honoured our work with an official membership, acknowledging our efforts in heritage-based tourism and cultural education.

Malabar Tourism Council (MTC), a growing platform from Northern Kerala, recognised our impact and awarded us a membership for our continuous contribution to preserving and promoting Malabar's cultural identity.

Responsible Tourism Mission, by Kerala Tourism also appreciated our grassroots efforts with an honorary membership, further empowering our mission to make heritage accessible, inclusive, and sustainable.

Recently, we were humbled and proud to be invited to the executive committee of NOMTO (North Malabar Tourism Organisation), an initiative of the North Malabar Chamber of Commerce - a major milestone that reflects our growing responsibility and role in shaping tourism in the region.

To all our partners, associates, guides, storytellers, and thousands of social media followers, we say: Thank you. Your encouragement fuels every step we take.

How It All Began: A Local Dream with a Global Vision

In the heart of Kannur, where the Arabian Sea meets the whispers of ancient trade winds and ancestral stories, the seeds of City Heritage were sown back in 2014. What began as a digital dialogue around food and forgotten recipes slowly grew into a movement to revive and celebrate the living heritage of Northern Kerala.

Founded by Muhammed Shihad, a passionate storyteller influenced by Delhi's renowned heritage scholar Suhail Hashmi, City Heritage started as a response to a missing narrative in Kannur. While cities like Delhi flourished with heritage walks, cultural archives, and oral storytelling, Kannur with its layered legacy of Mappila culture, matrilineal traditions, maritime trade, and culinary innovation. waited silently for its revival.

Rekindling Culinary Heritage: Where Flavours Preserve Memory

Our earliest projects focused on Mappila cuisine - an intricate blend of Arab, Portuguese, and Malabari influences shaped by centuries of trade, migration, and family tradition. Particularly within the matrilineal Muslim families of Kannur, women became culinary artists, preserving family identity and status through food. From elaborate salkara dinners to the art of welcoming guests with snacks and tea, every bite told a story of love, pride, and legacy.

We brought together young photographers, art students, and culinary enthusiasts to document and share these rich traditions?many of which were on the brink of being forgotten.

Muttapoam Chaya Makkani: Where Ideas Took Shape

In 2016, our first professional collaboration took form with a local tea shop Muttapoam Chaya Makkani. Known for introducing Muttappam and a variety of rare dishes on a 24x7 basis, this partnership became a landmark in reintroducing traditional recipes to the modern palate. It was more than a culinary venture?it was the first public expression of a cultural revival.

Building Foundations: A Step of Courage in 2017

In 2017, we took a bold and defining step by launching the Kannur City Heritage Foundation - a platform solely focused on bringing Kannur's rich heritage to the forefront. With great hope and ambition, we opened a small office near the historic Mappila Bay Harbour, choosing a location that echoed the stories we hoped to preserve and share.

While the initiative resulted in a significant financial loss, it became one of our most powerful learning experiences. It taught us resilience, adaptability, and the importance of building sustainable, community-oriented models. Instead of retreating, we leaned in with even more courage?shifting towards collaborative methods, digital tools, and experience-driven programs that continue to guide our journey today.

Walking the Stories: Heritage Tours in Kannur

By 2018, we officially launched City Heritage with the goal of using technology, storytelling, and immersive experiences to explore the soul of Northern Kerala. We designed heritage walks, storytelling tours, and cultural immersions across Mappila Bay and Old Kannur, bringing attention to architectural treasures, local legends, community histories, and overlooked heritage sites. These tours attracted global travellers, researchers, and culture seekers, offering an authentic lens into India's coastal heritage.

Mentoring the Next Generation

Over the past decade, City Heritage has supported hundreds of students, researchers, documentary filmmakers, and heritage workers. From providing access to oral histories and archives to conducting community workshops, we continue to mentor those eager to learn about and from their own culture.

A Deep and Humble Thank You

We extend our gratitude to the thinkers and doers who stood by us: Bahseer Badayakandy, B. Venugopal, Sila Tripathi, Ali Manikfan, Abdul Rahman Munshi - your support remains invaluable.

To our friends, families, local artisans, culinary experts, guides, storytellers, fishermen, laborers, students, researchers, government officials, institutions, and departments - your belief in our journey continues to uplift us.

Looking Ahead: An Invitation to Be Part of the Story

City Heritage is more than an organisation. It's a living, evolving space for dialogue between the past and the future. For:

Global travellers seeking authentic heritage tours in Northern Kerala, Culture lovers wanting to explore Kannur's history and food traditions, Young Indian entrepreneurs inspired to build with pride from their roots,We welcome you. Walk with us. Cook with us. Discover your story in ours.

Visit us at and contact: 

For heritage tours, culinary experiences, and meaningful collaborations across Northern Kerala

Get in Touch:

Visit: cityheritage.in 

Email: mail@cityheritage.in

Instagram: https://instagram.com/cityheritage.in

Phone: +91 7356569573, +91 8377024979