Kodungallur is a historically significant town located on the banks of the river Periyar on the Malabar Coast in Thrissur district of Kerala, India. It is 36 kilometres (22 mi) north of Kochi (Cochin) by National Highway 66 and 38 km (24 mi) from Thrissur. Kodungallur, being a port city at the northern end of the Kerala lagoons, was a strategic entry point for the naval fleets to the extensive Kerala backwaters. Kodungallur is recognised as one of the world’s notable early interfaith centres, linked to the arrival of Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities in India and to early Buddhist presence in South India, in addition to its longstanding Shaiva, Vaishnava and Shakta traditions.