ery ▁to ▁the ▁north , ▁and ▁M und ak kal ▁to ▁the ▁South . ▁The ▁area ▁is ▁popular ly ▁known ▁for ▁its ▁business ▁activities . ▁K oll am ▁was ▁formerly ▁an ▁international ▁em por ium ▁of ▁trade ▁and ▁today ▁remains ▁a ▁prosper ous ▁commercial ▁centre . ▁ ▁The ▁dow nt own ▁area ▁of ▁K oll am ▁has ▁a ▁long ▁business ▁history . ▁Marco ▁Pol o , ▁the ▁Ven et ian ▁trav eller , ▁who ▁was ▁in ▁Chinese ▁service ▁under ▁Kub la ▁Khan ▁in ▁ 1 2 7 5 , ▁visited ▁K oll am ▁and ▁other ▁towns ▁on ▁the ▁west ▁coast , ▁in ▁his ▁capacity ▁as ▁a ▁Chinese ▁mand arin . ▁He ▁pointed ▁out ▁that ▁Old ▁K oll am ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁town ▁on ▁the ▁west ▁coast ▁of ▁India ▁with ▁multi - story ▁buildings , ▁some ▁of ▁which ▁still ▁stand ▁today . ▁He ▁found ▁Christians ▁and ▁Jews ▁living ▁in ▁Co il um ▁( K oll am ) ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁mer ch ants ▁from ▁China ▁and ▁Arab ia . ▁Pol o ▁left ▁a ▁detailed ▁account ▁of ▁K oll am ▁in ▁his ▁writ ings , ▁extract s ▁of ▁which ▁are ▁reprodu ced ▁in ▁the ▁Tra van core ▁State ▁Man ual . ▁Many ▁cl othing , ▁veget ables , ▁station ary , ▁ph arma ce ut ical s , ▁and ▁sp ice ▁wh oles ale - ret ail ▁deal ers ▁do ▁business ▁in ▁the ▁dow nt own ▁area ▁of ▁this ▁old ▁industrial ▁city ▁and ▁there ▁are ▁many ▁hot els ▁in ▁the ▁dow nt own ▁area .