Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

A village in search of its roots

Rich in history: The Anappara hill at Malayinkeezh, known for the breathtaking view from its crest, is the abode of several myths and legends.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Malayinkeezh, a sleepy suburb 12 km from the capital city, is in search of its roots. The residents there have joined hands to take up a project to document the socio-cultural history of the area.

Titled Malayinkeezh Historical Research Project, the initiative was formulated by a group of local people keen on understanding the past. A dedicated team has been set up for the purpose.

“We have plans to document the social life, geographical features, agricultural practices, political movements, cultural traditions, health-care practices and dietary habits. The thrust of the project will be on providing future generations with a glimpse of the history of the area and make them aware of their past,” says project chairman P.K. Rajasekharan.

The committee has already started collecting historical material for documentation. A series of meetings involving old-timers in the area have been planned to tap their collective memory.

P.J. Cherian, Director of the Kerala Council of Historical Research; Malayinkeezh panchayat president M. Anilkumar; committee coordinator Malayinkeezh Venugopal; convener K.S. Gopalakrishna Pillai and treasurer Koyikkal Gopinath were among those who addressed the first meeting held last week.

The local people say the cultural region encompassing Malayinkeezh has had a rich local history dating back to several centuries. Earthen urns used for funeral rites have been dug up from several places in the village, indicating early settlement. The area has also had a rich literary history. Malayinkeezh Madhavan, one of the famed “Kannasa Kavikal” who had translated the Bhagawad Gita to Malayalam in the 14th Century, hailed from the area.

The area also has a historical link to Thiruvalla in central Kerala. The inscriptions on 12th-Century copper plates recovered from the Thiruvalla Vallabha temple mention Devaswom land at Malayinkeezh.

The area also boasts a place in the social reform movement in Kerala. In 1919, it was the venue of a “Pandibhojanam,” a mass feast organised to eradicate barriers of caste and community. Besides, Chattambi Swamy, social reformer, was born at Machel near Malayinkeezh.

The Anappara hill at Malayinkeezh, known for the breathtaking view from its crest, is the abode of several myths and legends. A couple of families in the area claim to have printed documents showing the existence of chit funds way back in 1922.

The famed Sri Krishna temple and the CSI Church at Meppookada are key elements in the religious history of Malayinkeezh. Efforts are on to trace the history of old Muslim and Dalit families in the area also.

A number of local households claim to have prepared their family history. “We expect to get access to these documents as resource material for our project,” Mr. Rajasekharan says.

The committee is planning to publish the findings of the project in book form. Funds for the project are to be mobilised from local people and former residents.

“The success of the project hinges on the participation of the local people,” Mr. Rajasekharan says.

The committee, in an appeal, has urged the public to contact it on the phone numbers 9447 654320 or 9895 306877 to contribute data and documents on historical facts.

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