▁joins ▁the ▁Arab ian ▁Sea . ▁This ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁oldest ▁and ▁bus iest ▁port ▁on ▁the ▁West ▁Coast ▁of ▁India ▁known ▁to ▁the ▁world ▁by ▁more ▁than ▁twenty ▁different ▁names . ▁In ▁the ▁biggest ▁ever ▁flo od ▁known ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁Ker ala , ▁this ▁Port ▁was ▁was hed ▁off ▁in ▁ 1 3 4 1 ▁AD ▁and ▁a ▁new ▁Island ▁known ▁as ▁V yp in ▁was ▁formed ▁near ▁Koch i ▁or ▁C och in ▁in ▁the ▁V emb an ad ▁Lake . ▁People ▁from ▁various ▁places ▁migr ated ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁island . ▁ ▁The ▁Portuguese ▁built ▁a ▁fort ▁at ▁Pal lip ur am ▁as ▁a ▁watch t ower ▁in ▁ 1 5 0 3 . ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁oldest ▁existing ▁European ▁fort ▁in ▁India . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁built ▁a ▁church ▁for ▁the ▁bel ie vers ▁of ▁the ▁surrounding ▁area ▁and ▁dedicated ▁it ▁to ▁Our ▁Lady . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁church ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁where ▁Christians ▁in ▁that ▁area ▁gathered ▁together ▁for ▁worship . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Mys ore an ▁invasion ▁of ▁Ker ala ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century , ▁T ip u ▁Sultan ▁was ▁camp ed ▁near ▁the ▁River ▁Chal ak k ud y ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁attack ▁parts ▁of ▁Tra van core . ▁He ▁destroyed ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁Christian ▁and ▁H indu ▁places ▁of ▁worship . ▁The ▁local ▁people ▁gathered ▁together ▁in ▁the ▁church ▁and ▁pray ed ▁to ▁Our ▁Lady ▁for ▁her ▁help . ▁At ▁that ▁time , ▁there ▁was