Valluvanad

Valluvanad(Malayalam:വള്ളുവനാട്) was an erstwhile princely state in present state of Kerala in south India extending from the Nila River (Bharathapuzha River) in the south to the Panthaloor Mala in the North. On the west, it was bounded by the Sea at Ponnani and on the east by Attapadi Hills. In malayalam Valluvan Means Pulayans. Nad mean land. So the land of Valluvan (Pulayan) is Valluvanad. History can be interpreted thus.

Capital

The capital of the erstwhile Waluvanad was at the present day town of Angadipuram, which is now famous for its Thirumandhamkunnu Temple. During the British period, the capital was moved to Perinthalmanna, a few km from Angadipuram.

The State

Valluvanad Rajavamsam is considered to be of very ancient lineage. 'Unnu Neeli Sandesam' and 'Unni Yadi Charithram' contain a mention of Vallabha Kshiti (Home of Vallabha), which, by all indications, is likely to be Walluvanad. There is a belief that Walluvanad Kings are descendants of a Pallava prince "Sreevallabha". He moved the entire family from Srevilliputhur in north Tamilnadu to the area around the Nila River about the year AD 300. The eldest person in the family is called "Sree Vallabhan" or "Valluvakonathiri". In most records, the hierarchy was called "Arangot Swaroopam".

The four branches of this family, namely Aripra, Ayiranazhi, Kadannamanna and Mankada are now in Mankada panchayat, Perinthalmanna taluk, Malappuram district.

Among the male members the eldest "sthani" [designate] is titled "Valluvakonathiri" and the rest four were "Vellalpadu", "Thachalpadu", "Idatharapadu" and "Kulathur Thampuran" respectively. Another "sthani" is nominated by "Valluvakonathiri" and is called "Patinharakkara Thampuran". He has rights over some landed property and privileges. The eldest "Thampuratti" [Female members of kerala royal houses ] of the family is called "Kulathur Thampuratty" and the next eldest is called "Kadannamootha Thampuratty".These eldest five male members and eldest two female members are eligible for "malikhan" [A monthly remuneration to compensate for properties or rights taken over by the British.] Apart from this, the eldest female members of each Kovilakom have their own rights and privileges.

Government

Karuvayoor Moosad, was the Brahmin chief minister of "Vellattiri" [ A naming convention for walluvanad king similar to samoothiri(Zamorins)] .

Kunnathattil Madambil Nair (Mannarghat Nair) was the chieftain ("desavazhi") who looked after the affairs of the eastern boundary and hilly areas of Vellattiri. Chondathil Mannadiar (Puthumana Panicker) and Kavada Nair were other chiefs under him. Other dignitaries consisted of 14 "swaroopies", which included two Nairs, two Namboothiris, two persons of the royal house, four Panickers, Elampulakkad Achan, Kulathur Warrier, Uppamkalathil Pisharody, Pathiramana Vellodi, Parakkatt Kakkoott, Mannarmala Nair and Cherukara Pisharody.

History

Walluvanad has an ancient history going back to the days of the Second Chera Empire. At one point of time the Valluvakonathiri exercised sovereign powers over a considerable portion of South Malabar. Walluvanad comprised the whole of the Perinthalmanna and Ottapalam taluks. And also parts of Ponnani, Tirur and Eranad taluks.

When Zamorins(Samoothiri) of Calicut became a major force on the western coast, they captured a large portion of Walluvanad. Till then "valluvakonathiri" was the strongest of the kings and had the right of presiding over the "Mamankam" Festival held once in 12 years at Thirunavaya. This right was usurped by Samoothiri, when he captured the town in the latter half of the 13th century.

Ever since, the elite suicide squad called the "Chaver Pada", were despatched at every Mamankam by Walluvanad to kill the Samoothiri and take back its lost pride.

The houses in the captured areas would accept only "Vellattiri" as their legitimate king. Most of the Nair houses and "kalari" [ Martial art training schools ] had "kudippaka" (blood feud) against the Zamorin and had lost their members in the wars against him. More deaths meant incitement to the blood feud and new recruits to the suicide squads. To counter the local unrests, the Zamorin followed a custom of 'implanting' Muslim families and the families of other commanders who had allegiance to him, in the captured areas of Malappuram.

The severe and frequent wars on Walluvanad by the Zamorin continued. Even after the loss of his ally Kochi Raja, "Vellaattiri" did not submit to Samoothiri.

By now all that was left to Vellaattiri were Attappadi valley, parts of Mannarkkad, Ottapalam and Perinthalmanna. Zamorin invaded these territories but could not make much progress, because these regions were sparsely populated and most parts were dense forests and hills. It was impossible for Zamorins's large army to march forth through these areas. The fights with "Vellaattiri's" men became more and more difficult for Zamorin. Vellaattiri's smaller army in turn made the most of the landscape and successfully kept the armies of Zamorin at bay.

Later during the Mysore invasion, "Valluvakonathiri" sought asylum in Travancore. On the cessation of Malabar to the British by Tipu Sultan, "Vellaattiri" entered into an agreement with the British, and became a pensioner.

Mamamkam (മാമാങ്കം)

Mamamkam was a festival which was held on the banks of the Bharathapuzha River. It was to Kerala what the Olympian and Pythian festivals had been to ancient Greece. It was held once in 12 years. Kings, nobles, brahmins, traders(Arabs,Chineese,Marwarris,Chettis etc), artists etc. constituted the crowd on the sands of Thirunavaya. It was an occasion of joy and excitement.

The patronage of Mamamkam was known as "Raksha Purusha Sthanam". It was a position of great honour and prestige. "Valluvakonathiri" was the Patron of Mamamkam before the Zamorin usurped it. This was a great blow to the self-respect of the people of Walluvanad. Therefore every time theZamorin took his position as "Rakshapurusha" at the Mamamkam, the Suicide squad or "chaver pada" of Walluvanad reached there to fight against him. Death was a certainty but still they came, ready to die, to uphold the prestige of their ruler.

There were four Nair families under Vellaathiri who used to send their heroes to fight and die in the mamankam festival. These were Chandratt Panicker, Putumanna Panicker, Kokat Panicker and Verkot Panicker. Along with them went a number of soldiers drawn from 'arms - bearing' Nair castes, sometimes including Muslims who opted themselves to die. Most of these Chaver soldiers had lost their relatives or elders in previous wars with the Zamorin , and were incited also by the blood feud against him. They came from various parts of Malabar, assembled at Thirumanthamkunnu under Vellaattiri, and were led by commanders from one of the four houses.

The Mamankam festival of 1683 is vividly described by William Logan in his Malabar Manual - "Amid much din and firing of guns the Morituri, the Chaver Nayars, the elect of four Nayar houses in Walluvanad, step forth from the crowd and receive the last blessings and farewells of their friends and relatives. They have just partaken of the last meal they are to eat on earth at the house of the temple representative of their chieftain; they are decked with garlands and smeared with ashes. On this particular occasion it is one of the houses of Putumanna Panikkar who heads the fray. He is joined by seventeen of his friends - Nayar or Menon or other arms-bearinng caste-men - for all who so wish may fall in with sword and target in support of the men who have elected to die.

"Armed with swords and targets alone they rush at the spearmen thronging the palisades; they wind and turn their bodies, as if they had no bones, casting them forward and backward, high and low, even to the astonishment of the beholders. But notwithstanding the suppleness of their limbs, notwithstanding their delight and skill and dexterity in weapons, the result is inevitable, and is prosaically recorded in the chronicle thus: The number of Chavers who came and died in the early morning the next day after the elephant began to be adorned with gold trappings - being Putumanna Kantur Menon and followers - was 18."

"At various times during the ten last days of the festival the same thing is repeated. Whenever the Zamorin takes his stand on the terrace, assumes the sword and shakes it, men rush forth from the crowd on the west temple gate only to be impaled on the spears of the guardsmen who relieve each other from day to day."

The last Mamamkam was celebrated in 1766.

External links

* [http://valluvanad.bravepages.com/ Mankada raja]
* [http://www.varma.net/articles/valluvan1.php Valluvanad vamsam]

Notes