Chirakkal Raja - Recorded History

Recorded History

As per legend, the last Perumal who ruled Kerala divided his kingdom between his nephews, his sons, relatives and nobles converted to Islam and travelled to Mecca on a hajj. The Keralolpathi recounts the above narrative in the following fashion:

The last and the famous Perumal king Cheraman Perumal ruled Kerala for 36 years. He left for Mecca by ship with some Muslims who arrived at Kodungallur (Cranganore) port and converted to Islam. Another legend mentions that the Queen of a Cheraman Perumal had an illicit liaison with one of the courtiers. An army Chieftain (the leader of "ayiram" (1000 Nairs )) accidentally became a witness to these escapades, whereupon the Queen tried to pre-empt him by falsely implicating the honest Chieftain before the Perumal. Persuaded by his Queen the Perumal sentenced him to death. However, when this injustice became known to the army they revolted " kudipaka" (blood flood). The Perumal, now realised his folly and in order to escape their wrath secretly approached the arab merchants at the harbor for help. They promised to arrange escape of the Perumal to Arabia provided he converted to Islam. Thus, was created a popular saying in malayalam language " pennu chollu ketta perumalepole" which means " like the perumal who was manipulated by a woman". Kodungaloore Temple still the lords of these warriors known as "onnukure ayiram" (thousand minus one). Before leaving for Mecca, he divided his kingdom between his nephews and sons.

Cheraman Perumal divided the land in half, 17 amsom north of Nileshwaram and 17 amsom south, totaling 34 amsom, and gave his powers to nephews and sons. Thirty-four rajyas between Kanyakumari and Gokarna were given to the Thampuran who was the daughter of the last niece of Cheraman Perumal. Keralolpathi recorded the division of his kingdom in AD 345, Perumpadapu Grandavari in 385, Loghan (a historian) in 825. There are no written records on these earlier divisions of Kerala, but according to historian Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai, a division might have occurred during the Second Chera Kingdom, at the beginning of 12th century. The Keralolpathi says that on the request of the Namboothiris of Perinchellur (Taliparamba) the last Cheraman Perumal was a Vanipperumal and was sent by an Aryan King of Aryapura Krishnarayar (Krishna III)(939 – 967 CE) with a large Nair army 3 lakh 50 thousand strong led by General Pada Mala Nair. Keralolpathi also states that the Banapperumal was the brother of Kavirasasingha the King of Tulunad. Keralolpathi´s Cheraman Perumal was not a Tamil Chera king belonging to Chera Dynasty but a Rashtrakuta invader who established his authority over the northern most parts of Kerala at Ezhimala. This Banapperumal was a Buddhist who later converted to Islam by a preacher called Veda Aliar and went to Mecca according to Keralolpathi.The establishment of Nair and Namboothiri power in Kerala may correspond to this invasion of Banapperumal from Karnataka. This Banapperumal revolted against Krishnarayar and declared himself Cheraman Vadakkan Perumal. Keralolpathi says that the Kolathiri were the descendents of this Banapperumal.

However, the above are all mere legends with no historical evidence whatsoever. These legends are popular with respective communities as per convenience.

Historically, Kerala was under the second Chera Empire approximately during 800 to 1102 AD during which the Kolla varsham (Malayalam calendar system) was initiated (825 AD). The second Chera Empire received the socio-political support of the Namboothiri Brahmins and vice versa. Marco Polo in 14th century describes the Kingdom of Eli in Malabar (northern Kolathiris) whose initial settlement was at Karippat in Kurumattur amsom. The Namboothiri Brahmin family (Kurumathur Mana) was the designated Thampraakkal (Lord) of Perinchellur graamam (one of the 64 initial Brahmin settlements) in the Namboothiri scheme of administration of Kerala. After the decline of second Chera Empire, Kerala was fragmented into numerous Naadus with their own Tamil chieftains. After the invasion of Malik Kafur in 1310 AD all the Patriarchal Tamil dynasties of Kerala were replaced by dynasties who practised Matriarchy and had the surnames of Bunt (community) of Tulunadu (Nayara,Menava and Samanta).The Nambuthiris and Tulu Brahmins with common origin from Gokarna/Ahichatra gained upperhand in Kerala.Paradoxically, although socio-political authority was fragmented among Namboothiri Brahmins and various nair chieftains, their socio-political authority often overlapped. Kolathiri was the ruler of the dominion of KolathuNaadu in north Malabar (north Malabar is defined as lands north of the Kora river and comprising the old kingdoms of Kolathritiri, Kurumbrathiri and KadathaNaadu). In 1617 the Kolathiri Raja Udayavarman had a conflict with the Namboothiri community because the latter had refused to perform hiranyagarbham to make him a Kshatriya from a Samanthan Nair. The Kolathiri appropriated this through 237 Tulu Brahmins (Embranthiris) sent by King Mahendravarman of Gokarnam. The head of Kurumathur mana styled as Naikkarappan was till then the Thampraakkal of Perinchellur graamam but the powers of the position were taken away by the Kolathiri after his conflict with the Namboothiri community and extensive donations were made to the Embranthiris. In the struggle between the Kolathiri and the Namboothiris of Perinchelloor gramam, the Kottayam Rajas supported the latter, making political alliances of and affinities fluidic in north Malabar.