kollam (malayalam:കൊല്ലം) (known to the portuguese as quilon, pronounced "koy-lon") is a city and a municipal corporation in kollam district in the indian state of kerala. it is north of the state capital thiruvananthapuram (trivandrum). it is also the headquarters of the kollam district, one among the 14 districts in kerala. to the south is thiruvananthapuram district, to the north is pathanamthitta and alappuzha, to the east is tamil nadu and to the west by the arabian sea.