History of Thiruvizhamkunnu

Thiruvizhamkunnu is situated at the south west part of Mannarkkad block, and it constitutes the western hill areas of Kottoppadam Panchayath. It is bordered by river Valliyar at the west. To its east, are the Puttanikkadan hills and Koduvalippuram desam. The Erattavari and the Poruthal hills lie to its north. Earlier Thiruvizhamkunnu was known as ‘Srivazhamkunnu’.There is a wide sprea convictin many important personalilies who figure in the great epic Mahabaratha lived in this mountain area and hence this place was called ‘Srivazhumkunnu’.  

The land situated at the foot of these hills is believed to be the place chosen by the Pandavas, once during their incognito period, when the lac-house (Arakkillam) was burned. The names of the neighbouring areas viz., Arakkupparambu and Bheemanadu, add to the strengthening of this belief.

Nearly acres of reserve forest lies close to this village. Kunthipuzha, the river which flows touching this place also remind us of the Pandavas and their mother kunthi. Paathrakadavu, at the origin of Kunthipuzha also has its legendary fame.[1]

Earler it was a point of Valluvanadu Kingdom, then the Zamorin captured Thiruvizhamkunnu along with Aliparambu, Kumaramputhur, Karimpuzha etc. From the Valluvanadu Raja, then the Zamorin appointed a Yuvaraja to rule over these places the capital of these places was Karimpuzha.[2]

Agriculture is the main occupation of common people of Thiruvizhamkunnu, the farmers Gad to face the exploitation of the landlords. The farmers were required to raise crops preferred by their landlords, and then enriched landlords, many farmers were required to sow seeds and harvest the crops. All the profits are pocketed by the landlords really we find that this system is not different from slavery. Farmers filled Gad in the field and harvested from the paddy fields, but then had no right on profit.

Most of the places of Thiruvizhamkunnu were under the control of the famous Mankada Kovilakam. The Kovilakam used to get 22,000 para of paddy from 150 hecters of land in Thiruvizhamkunnu, Kovilakam authorities reaped the fruits of their foil. The Jenmis never had a soft corner towards the hard working people of the land.

The communist leaders like Kongasseri Krishnan and Thottuppurath Kunchikkannan etc., gave enthusiasm to the poor farming class, in their struggle for freedom from exploitation of the landlords. Kongasseri Krishnan was elected as the first MLA of Mannarkkad.

The land reform act enacted in 1970 by the Achuthanmenon Ministry granted land rights to farmers. Farmers became the owners of the land which then tilled. There after they were free to use the land to raise any crop with they liked. Victory in this field made the farmers to think about education, health and travel facilities etc. This law made a complete change in their minds and then began to dream about the development of their locality. These changes ultimately led to the far reaching developments of the village area. This law definitely proved the social status of the village farmers.[3]

A livestock research station under the agricultural university of Kerala is situated in Thiruvizhamkunnu. It is spread up to 163 hectares. The worse condition of the road from Kottoppadam to Thiruvizhamkunnu has been completely changed due to the commencement of this station. It is tarred and blessed with so many buses now. Those departed souls like Kongasseri Krishnan, M.P.Ramachandran menon and Thottappurath Kunchikkannan had toiled best for the upliftment of this institution.

The high land at Thiruvizhamkunnu consists mainly of reserve forests. Teak is the main plantation here. In the valleys, there are coconut, areca nuts, and rubber. Farming was done here in early days. Paddy, little millet, horse gram, ginger, etc. gave way to cash crops. At present, even these cash crops are being left by the cultivators for want of crisis in the field of agriculture.

Thiruvizhamkunnu has the second population of tribes as far as Mannarkkad area is concerned where Attappadi stands first Kottakunnu, Pulikkalam, Ambalappara, Chooriyode, Melekkalam, Karadiyodu etc. are the tribal colonies of Thiruvizhamkunnu. The inhabitants of these are from the Kallunayakkar group.[4]

Today Thiruvizhamkunnu reseve forest is under the control of Attappadi forest division, it is connected with the evergreen forest area of silent valley. Malabar gazetteer also noted about the 1400 acres of reserve forest of Thiruvizhamkunnu.[5]

The main road to Thiruvizhamkunnu was formerly turbid. To quench the thirst of the people on foot, there were stalls for free supply of water, called ‘Thanneerppanthal’. Subventions were built up for those who carried load. Even stone tubs were there, for grazing cattle meet thirst. There are subventions with inscriptions still here. The first concrete bridge built across the Malariyam Canal, in the Kottoppadam-Thiruvizhamkunnu route, was inaugurated in the year 1955. Malabar was a part of the madras state, those days. The inauguration was done by the minister of madras, Mr. Bhakthavalsalan.

This area was educationally backward once. At the beginning of 20^th century, there was not even one educational institution here. Population also was very low.

In 1917 was the first school established. It was AMLP School, Kacheriparambu, under the leadership of Thaliyil Unnenkutty, 600 was the strength of this school then. It was in 1926 that the first government, school started running here. It was a boy’s school then. Thereafter, in 1957, they started admitting girls too. It had strength of 400 children then. Government LP school Thiruvizhamkunnu is the one and only school run by the government for this area. In the beginning about 100 years before, it was an Ezhuthupallikudam. These were conducted in a building of Karukamanna tharavadu,at Malikkunnu. Gradually it was uplifted as a school with single teacher, and was run at Malariyam.

C.P.A.U.P school is the one up school in this area. It’s well-reputed in curricular as well as extra-curricular activities. Late Edappayil Appu Ezhuthachan who was one of the prominent personalities of Thiruvizhamkunnu, had started the Thiruvizhamkunnu ALP school which works at kacheriparambu. This school glows with its centenary celebration now. Mr. Moythuppu Haji is its manager at present. He is a member of the well known Thaliyil family.

The ancient mosques of Thiruvizhamkunnu are situated at Kacheriparambu, Kanchiramkunnu, Kappuparambu etc. The first and foremost church is at Erattavarai.

However, Thiruvizhamkunnu is a village, where people from different communities, live together peacefully and identify them as a part of the single whole. No doubt, there is a cementing force among them.[6]

The centre of activity of Muslim reformers of Kerala like C.N.Ahamad Maulavi etc. was at Edathanattukara, Kappupparambu of Thiruvizhamkunnu is connected with Edathanattukara, in this way Thiruvizhamkunnu also became a centre of Salafi movement in the 1950s, so they took initiative to found a Salafi Masjid in the area, in 1960 a famous Salafi Scholar of Tellichery C.P.Alavi Maulavi come and settled here; and laid the foundation of Masjid-Ul-Mujahidin of Kappuparambu. Ahmediya founder Mirza Gulam was born Khadiyan in the Punjab in 1935, and be served as a mahdi imam. His life and activities ultimately led to a spiritual revolution in the world of Islam. During his period Ahmediya Muslim Philosophy spread all over the world. This message first reached in Kannur in 1908 and later it spread all over Kerala. All together the Ahmediya movement has 52 Masjids in Kerala. Ahamadiya movements also known as Kadiyanies, the Khadiyanies were named after the birth place of Mirza Gulam.

The Christian migrated to this area started in 1971 from palai of Kottayam Dristic. The aim of the five pioneering families which come to here was to secure land and to mass wealth by engaging in agriculture pursuits. At that time about 1000 acres of land of Kottoppadam panchayath was under the control of Olappamanna Mana. These Christian brought lands at very cheap rate and the converted these hill areas in to fertile area, today there are about 200 Christian families in area Christian introduced Rubber plantation.

The Christian started an agitation to four a church in this area, in 1978 under the leadership of Fr: Sebastian bambon they founded a church. Sebastian was the first father of this church. This church is known as Devamatha church, puttanikkadu.   

The irrigation facilities of Thiruvizhamkunnu deserve much comment. It could stand comparison with any modern system Brrages across the river Valliyar at Ambalappara.This water resource was used to irrigate area like Irattavari,Kottapalliyal etc,located 10-15kms away. They had dug for this long and wide Canal.

Still we can see the debris of the canal built about 100years ago it is a clean testimony for the sincerity of this people .then knew full well that the prosperity of the land lord leads to the betterment of their own society ,and their wealth is also the wealth of landlords.  [7]

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[1] T.R Thiruvizham kunnu, Manavikathayude Maranam (Malayalam), Mel Books, Calicut,2011,p163

[2] A Sreedhara Menon, Survey of Kerala History, Chennai, 2003, p.234.

[3] Interview with Bakkar, 82 years, Oulan House, Thiruvizhamkunnu, 20/08/2011, 2.30 – 5.30 pm.

[4] Interview with TR Thiruvizhamkunnu, 70 years, Kacheripparambu (po), 5/03/2012, 2.30-4.30 pm.

[5] C.A.Innes, Malabar Gazetteer, Government of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, 1997, p-492.

[6] Mathruhhoomi Daily, Thrissure, 25/06/2005, p-4.

[7] Sovenier 2004,EdathanattukaraArea Mujahid Conference,Edathanattukara,2004,P.43ു
Posted by Ashik;12-12-2012