Quilon, town in southwestern India, in Kerala state. Quilon is a busy market town and port on the Malabar Coast adjacent to the Asthamudi Lake inlet of the Arabian Sea. It is a major center of the cashew nut industry; other products include chemicals, aluminum, and ceramics. Quilon is linked by rail to nearby towns. It is the seat of colleges affiliated with the University of Kerala (founded in 1937). Near the town is the Thevally Palace, which is located at the lake's shore and prone to flooding. About 3 km (about 2 mi) northwest of Quilon at Tangasseri are the ruins of Fort Thomas, built by the Portuguese in 1503. Quilon was once one of the great ports of the spice trade, and from the 7th to 10th centuries China maintained trade posts here. In the 13th century it was visited by Venetian explorer Marco Polo, who called it Coilum. Now a tourist destination, the town is the gateway to the picturesque backwaters, lagoons, and canals of Kerala that link Quilon with Alleppey and Cochin. Population (1991) 167,000.
