Palakkad District - History

History

Palakkad's history traces back to the Paleolithic Period confirmed by the presence of a number of megalithic relics discovered from this region. According to William Logan, the author of “Malabar Manual”, the Pallava Dynasty of Kanchi might have invaded Malabar in the second or third century. One of their headquarters was Palakkad, which could be the present Palakkad. For many centuries the Malabar region, along with most parts of Kerala was ruled by Cheras kings (Perumals). Malabar had been invaded by many of the ancient South Indian Rulers. With the decline of Chera dynasty, parts of this district were ruled by Palakkad Rajas who were believed to be a branch of Zamorins (Samudiri Rajavamsam) of Calicut who later declared independence. Some parts were under Kollengode Rajas of Vengunad, Sekharivarma (Raja of Palakkad) of Palakkattussery and the Valluvanad part of the district was ruled by Valluvakonathiris (who are considered to be descendants of a branch of Pallava dynasty who might have ruled parts of Kerala at an earlier date). The Palakkad Region was came under the control of Kollengode Raja and Sekharivarma Raja of Palakkad. For a brief period, some areas of the district near Chittur came under the attack of the nearby Kongu king when the local people resisted the Kongu invasion successfully.

When the Kozhikkode Sammoothiri invaded Palakkad in 1757, the Palakkad Raja sought the help of Hyder Ali of Mysore. His help forced the Sammoothiri for retreat. Later Hyder Ali subjugated all territories in Palakkad which were under the possession of Kozhikkode Sammoothiri. Thus whole dominion of Palakkad passed into the control of Hyder Ali and his son Tippu Sultan. The war between East India Company and Tippu Sultan ended with the treaty of 1792 and all the possessions of Tippu in Malabar area ceded to the East India Company and it formed the Malabar District of the Madras Presidency. Palakkad was a part of the Malabar District of Madras Presidency (during the British Raj, until 1947), then came under the princely state of Cochin and Madras state (from 1947 to 1956). It was made a separate district of Kerala when the state was formed in 1956. Palakkad district lost taluks of Ponnani and Perinthalmanna to Malappuram district when the latter was formed in June 1969.