136-451: The Sree Moolam Popular Assembly in the erstwhile state of Travancore was the first popularly elected legislature in the history of India . Its predecessor legislative council was formed in Travancore in 1888 with eight appointed members. Sri Mulam Thirunal Ramavarma , who became maharajah of Travancore in 1886, established it in an order issued on 30 March 1888. In 1898, the strength of
272-571: A Subsidiary alliance with the East India Company in 1795. The Prime Ministers ( Dalawas or Dewans ) started to take control of the kingdom beginning with Velu Thampi Dalawa (Velayudhan Chempakaraman Thampi) (1799–1809) who was appointed as the divan following the dismissal of Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri (1798–1799). Initially, Velayudhan Chempakaraman Thampi and the English East India Company got along very well. When
408-610: A battle, according to the Sangam works . Ezhimala kingdom was succeeded by Mushika dynasty in the early medieval period, most possibly due to the migration of Tuluva Brahmins from Tulu Nadu . The Indian anthropologist Ayinapalli Aiyappan states that a powerful and warlike clan of the Bunt community of Tulu Nadu was called Kola Bari and the Kolathiri Raja of Kolathunadu was a descendant of this clan. The Kolathunadu ( Kannur ) Kingdom at
544-605: A copper slab within the Madayi Mosque in Kannur records its foundation year as 1124 CE. In his book on travels ( Il Milione ), Marco Polo recounts his visit to the area in the mid 1290s. Other visitors included Faxian , the Buddhist pilgrim and Ibn Batuta , writer and historian of Tangiers . Until the 16th century CE, the Kasargod town was known by the name Kanhirakode (may be by
680-528: A meeting of his supporters at Allan Memorial Hall, Nagercoil on 8 September 1947. In that meeting it was declared that they must achieve their objective through their political organisation, the T.T.N.C. And T.T.N.C started gaining strength and momentum in Kalkulam – Vilavancode Taluks. T.T.N.C won in 14 constituencies in the election to the State Legislative Assembly. Mr. A. Nesamony was elected as
816-526: A minimum of 1 kazhanch (78.65 gm) of gold. In 1848 the Marquess of Dalhousie , then Governor-General of India , was apprised that the depressed condition of the finances in Travancore was due to the mahādanams by the rulers. Lord Dalhousie instructed Lord Harris , Governor of the Madras Presidency , to warn the then King of Travancore, Martanda Varma (Uttram Tirunal 1847–60) , that if he did not put
952-443: A mixed lineage of Malayali Nairs and Tuluva Brahmins . They also claimed their origin from Cheraman Perumals of Kerala. Francis Buchanan-Hamilton states that the customs of Kumbla dynasty were similar to those of the contemporary Malayali kings, though Kumbla was considered as the southernmost region of Tulu Nadu . Just like other contemporary kings of Kerala in the medieval period, The powerful Kolathu Raja also came under
1088-509: A number of Rayasoms or clerks along with Kanakku Pillamars (accountants). Individual districts were run by Sarvadhikaris under the supervision of Diwan, while dealings with the neighbouring states and Europeans was under the purview of the Valia Sarvahi , who signed treaties and agreements. His heir is Revathi Thirunal Balagopal Varma – the titular Elayaraja ( Crown Prince ) (born 1953). (Monarch) Body (1948–49) In 1856,
1224-486: A number of important mathematics concepts, including series expansion for trigonometric functions. The Kerala School of Astronomy and Mathematics was based at Vettathunadu ( Tirur region ) of South Malabar. Kozhikode , Tanur , and Ponnani were the three major port cities in South Malabar region, while the minor trading ports included Beypore , Parappanangadi , and Chaliyam . The coastal Kingdom of Tanur ,
1360-591: A section of the Travancore army mutinied in 1805 against Velu Thampi Dalawa , he sought refuge with the British Resident Colonel (later General) Colin Macaulay and later used English East India Company troops to crush the mutiny. Velu Thampi also played a key role in negotiating a new treaty between Travancore and the English East India Company. However, the demands of the East India Company for
1496-507: A special regiment centered at Thalassery called as The Thiyyar Regiment in 1904. The oldest railway lines of Kerala lie in Malabar District which was laid in the late 19th century for the transportation of good and services; the line laid from Tirur to Beypore in 1861 being the first among them. According to William Logan , the Taluks of Malabar could be subdivided on the basis of
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#17328687376771632-531: A stamp on 6 Nov 1991, commemorating the reforms that marked his reign in Travancore. The State of Kerala came into existence on 1 November 1956, with a governor appointed by the president of India as the head of state instead of a king. The king was stripped of all political powers and of the right to receive privy purses , according to the twenty-sixth amendment of the Indian constitution act of 31 July 1971. He died on 20 July 1991. Tamils lived in large numbers in
1768-545: A stop to this practice, the Madras Presidency would take over his state's administration. This led to the cessation of the practice of mahādanams. All Travancorean Kings including Sree Moolam Thirunal conducted the Hiranyagarbham and Tulapurushadaanam ceremonies. Maharaja Chithira Thirunal was the only King of Travancore not to have conducted these rituals as he considered them extremely costly. In Travancore,
1904-480: A union of feudal lords and establishing internal peace, he expanded the kingdom of Venad through a series of military campaigns from Kanyakumari in the south to the borders of Kochi in the north during his 29-year rule. This rule also included Travancore-Dutch War (1739–1753) between Travancore and the Dutch East India Company, which had been allied to some of these kingdoms. In 1741, Travancore won
2040-544: A whole." He made the famous Temple Entry Proclamation on 12 November 1936, which opened all the Kshetrams (Hindu temples in Kerala) in Travancore to backward communities. This act won him praise from across India, most notably from Mahatma Gandhi . The first public transport system (Thiruvananthapuram–Mavelikkara) and telecommunication system (Thiruvananthapuram Palace–Mavelikkara Palace) were launched during his reign. He also started
2176-607: The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea , a region known as Limyrike began at Naura and Tyndis . However the Ptolemy mentions only Tyndis as the Limyrike ' s starting point. The region probably ended at Kanyakumari ; it thus roughly corresponds to the present-day Malabar Coast . The value of Rome's annual trade with the region was estimated at around 50,000,000 sesterces . Pliny
2312-554: The Arabian Sea on the west, South Canara District on the north, the Western Ghats (the princely states of Coorg and Mysore , and Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts) to the east, and the princely state of Cochin to the south. The district covered an area of 15,027 square kilometres (5,802 sq mi), and extended 233 km (145 mi) along the coast and 40–120 kilometers (25–75 miles) inland. The name Mala-bar means
2448-533: The British rule , Malabar's chief importance lay in its production of Malabar pepper , coconut , and tiles . In the old administrative records of the Madras Presidency , it is recorded that the most remarkable plantation owned by Government in the erstwhile Madras Presidency was the Teak plantation at Nilambur planted in 1844. The District of Malabar and the ports at Beypore and Fort Kochi had some sort of importance in
2584-470: The Dravidian word Mala ('hill'). Al-Biruni (AD 973 – 1048) must have been the first writer to call this state Malabar . Authors such as Ibn Khordadbeh and Al-Baladhuri mention Malabar ports in their works. The Arab writers had called this place Malibar , Manibar , Mulibar , and Munibar . Malabar is reminiscent of the word Malanad which means the land of hills . According to William Logan ,
2720-731: The Dutch East India Company , who during the conflicts between the Kozhikode and the Kochi , gained control of the trade. In 1757, to check the invasion of the Zamorin of Calicut , the Palakkad Raja sought the help of Hyder Ali of Mysore. In 1766, Haider Ali of Mysore defeated the Samoothiri of Kozhikode – an East India Company ally at the time – and absorbed Kozhikode to his state. After
2856-510: The English East India Company in military conflicts. During Dharma Raja 's reign, Tipu Sultan , the de facto ruler of Mysore and the son of Hyder Ali , attacked Travancore in 1789 as a part of the Mysore invasion of Kerala . Dharma Raja had earlier refused to hand over the Hindu political refugees from the Mysore occupation of Malabar who had been given asylum in Travancore. The Mysore army entered
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#17328687376772992-542: The Indian Ocean to the south, and the Arabian Sea to the west. Travancore was divided into five divisions: Padmanabhapuram , Trivandrum , Quilon , Kottayam , and Devikulam , of which Padmanabhapuram and Devikulam was predominantly Tamil speaking region with small Malayalam speaking minorities. The divisions of Trivandrum , Kollam , Kottayam was predominantly Malayalam speaking region with small Tamil speaking Minority. King Marthanda Varma inherited
3128-552: The Kingdom of Valluvanad in inland, and Palakkad in the hilly region formed other major kingdoms in South Malabar region in the medieval period. Marthanda Varma , the founder of Travancore , belongs to Parappanad royal family. In 1664, the municipality of Fort Kochi was established by Dutch Malabar , making it the first municipality in Indian subcontinent , which got dissolved when
3264-532: The Kottayam dynasty. It consisted of the following 7 Amsoms : It consisted of the following 6 Amsoms : It was the regions included in the Gudalur and Pandalur Taluks of present Nilgiris district . Southeast Wynad was a part of Malabar District until 31 March 1877, when it was transferred to the neighbouring Nilgiris district due to the heavy population of Malabar and the small area of Nilgiris. It consisted of
3400-591: The Kurumbranad and the Zamorin of Calicut . It consisted of the following 7 Amsoms : It was dependent on the Zamorin of Calicut . It consisted of the following 9 Amsoms : It was subjected to the Kurumbranad family, which was connected with the Kingdom of Kottayam . It consisted of the following 9 Amsoms in Kurumbranad and Kozhikode Taluks: It was also subjected to the Kottayam Rajas . It consisted of
3536-534: The Laccadive and Minicoy Islands of Malabar were reorganised to form a new Union Territory. Malabar was trifurcated to form the districts of Kannur , Kozhikode , and Palakkad , on 1 January 1957. The city of Kozhikode was the capital of Malabar. Malabar was divided into North Malabar and South Malabar in 1793 for administrative convenience, with their regional headquarters at Thalassery and Cherpulassery (Later changed to Ottapalam ) respectively. During
3672-616: The Malabar Coast between Alappuzha in the south and Kasaragod in the north. The region around Coimbatore was ruled by the Cheras during the Sangam period roughly between the first and the fourth centuries CE and served as the eastern entrance to the Palakkad Gap, the principal trade route between the Malabar Coast and Tamil Nadu. However the southern region of the present-day Kerala state
3808-603: The Taluk . It was a part of the ancient Kolathunadu . Later it became a part of the Arakkal kingdom and Kingdom of Mysore . The island of Dharmapattanam was claimed by all of the Kolattu Rajas , Kottayam Rajas , and Arakkal Bibi . The English had settled here and started a factory here. It consisted of the following 4 Amsoms : It was also under the Kolathunadu earlier. When
3944-400: The Taluk . Wynad was a separate Revenue Division within Malabar District until 1924. Wynad was ruled by various kingdoms including Kutumbiyas , Kadambas , Western Chalukyas , Hoysalas , Vijayanagaras , and the Kingdom of Mysore , in various periods. Wynad was home to many tribes. Wynad has relations with the Kingdom of Kottayam and Kurumbranad . Some parts were ruled by
4080-666: The Tanur forces under the king fought for the Zamorin of Calicut in the Battle of Cochin (1504) . However, the allegiance of the Mappila merchants in Tanur region still stayed under the Zamorin of Calicut . The Portuguese took advantage of the rivalry between the Zamorin and the King of Kochi allied with Kochi. When Francisco de Almeida was appointed as Viceroy of Portuguese India in 1505, his headquarters
4216-526: The Thachudaya Kaimal 's enclave of Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam temple in the neighbouring Kingdom of Cochin . However Tangasseri area of Kollam city and Anchuthengu near Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram were parts of British India . Malabar District of Madras Presidency to the north, Madurai and Tirunelveli districts of Pandya Nadu region in Madras Presidency to the east,
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4352-536: The Third Mysore War (1790–1792), Malabar was placed under the control of the company. Eventually, the status of the Samoothiri was reduced to that of a pensioner of the company (1806). When Wayanad was under Hyder Ali 's rule, the ghat road from Vythiri to Thamarassery was constructed. Then the British rulers developed this route to Carter road. His son and successor, Tipu Sultan , launched campaigns against
4488-547: The Thovalai , Agastheeswaram , Sengottai , Eraniel , Vilavancode , Kalkulam , Devikulam , Neyyattinkara , Thiruvananthapuram South and Thiruvananthapuram North taluks of erstwhile Travancore State. In the Tamil regions, Malayalam was the official language and there were only a few Tamil schools. So the Tamils met many hardships. The Travancore state government continued rejecting
4624-456: The Vellodis of neighbouring Valluvanad and Nedungadis of Nedunganad . The rulers of Valluvanad were known by the title Eralppad / Eradi . It was the ruler of Eranad who later became the Zamorin of Calicut by annexing the port town of Calicut from Polanad , which was vassal to Kolathunadu . The ruler of Kingdom of Cochin also traces back to Ponnani in South Malabar . South Malabar
4760-481: The Zamorin of Calicut , in the early medieval period. Kannur was an important trading centre in the 12th century, with active business connections with Persia and Arabia . It served as the British military headquarters on India's west coast until 1887. Kannur Cantonment is the only cantonment board in Kerala. Kannur was the capital city of Kolathunadu , one of the four powerful kingdoms who ruled Kerala during
4896-539: The "hillside slopes". All the major pre-independence political parties of Kerala such as the INC and CPI started their functioning in Kerala at Malabar District as a part of the freedom struggle. KPCC was formed in 1921 at Ottapalam , on the bank of river Bharathappuzha . In July 1937, a clandestine meeting of the CSP , which was the political party formed by socialists of Congress,
5032-478: The 10th century CE, have found from Sukapuram near Edappal , which was one of the 64 old Nambudiri villages of Kerala. Descriptions about the rulers of Eranad and Valluvanad regions can be seen in the Jewish copper plates of Bhaskara Ravi Varman (around 1000 CE) and Viraraghava copper plates of Veera Raghava Chakravarthy (around 1225 CE). Eranad was ruled by a Samanthan Nair clan known as Eradis , similar to
5168-689: The 12th century, two branches of the Ay dynasty, the Thrippappur and Chirava, merged in the Venad family, which set up the tradition of designating the ruler of Venad as Chirava Moopan and the heir-apparent as Thrippappur Moopan . While the Chrirava Moopan had his residence at Kollam, the Thrippappur Moopan resided at his palace in Thrippappur, nine miles north of Thiruvananthapuram, and was vested with authority over
5304-421: The 15th century Kalaripayattu was important in the history of Malabar, where some warriors lived, most notably puthooram veettil Aromal Chekavar and his sister Unniyarcha , chieftains of martial arts. Kozhikode was the largest city in the Indian state of Kerala under the rule of Zamorin of Calicut , an independent kingdom based at Kozhikode. It remained so until the 18th century CE. The port at Kozhikode
5440-622: The 19th century, British established their army stations at Kannur , Malappuram , and Calicut . Malappuram which was one of the European military stations in Madras presidency since 1852, also became the special police force headquarters of Malabar District, with the establishment of the Malabar Special Police in 1885. British in Malabar also converted Thiyyar army , called as Thiyya pattalam into
5576-628: The Battle of Colachel against the Dutch East India Company , resulting in the complete eclipse of Dutch power in the region. In this battle, the Dutch Captain, Eustachius De Lannoy , was captured. He later defected to Travancore. De Lannoy was appointed captain of His Highness' bodyguard and later Senior Admiral ("Valiya kappittan") and modernised the Travancore army by introducing firearms and artillery. From 1741 to 1758, De Lannoy remained in command of
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5712-599: The British captured Mahé , and the settlement was handed over to the ruler of Kadathanadu . The British restored Mahé to the French as a part of the 1763 Treaty of Paris. In 1779, the Anglo-French war broke out, resulting in the French loss of Mahé . In 1783, the British agreed to restore to the French their settlements in India, and Mahé was handed over to the French in 1785. In conjunction with her sister city, Thalassery , it
5848-505: The Chera king, Rama Varma Kulasekara, to shift his capital to Kollam. Thus, Rama Varma Kulasekara, the last emperor of the Chera dynasty, was probably the founder of the Venad royal house, and the title of the Chera kings, Kulasekara , was thenceforth kept by the rulers of Venad. Thus the end of the Second Chera dynasty in the 12th century marks the independence of Venad. In the second half of
5984-674: The Cochin kingdom from Coimbatore in November 1789 and reached Thrissur in December. On 28 December 1789 Tipu Sultan attacked the Nedunkotta (Northern Lines) from the north, causing the Battle of Nedumkotta (1789) , and the defeat of the Mysore army. On Dharma Raja 's death in 1798, Balarama Varma (1798–1810), the weakest ruler of the dynasty, took over at the age of sixteen. A treaty brought Travancore under
6120-425: The Congress government for not showing enough care the struggle of the Tamils, T.T.N.C had broken away from the coalition and the Congress government lost the majority. So fresh elections were announced. In 1954 elections, T.T.N.C gained victory in 12 constituencies. Pattom Thanu Pillai was the chief minister for Thiru – Kochi legislative assembly. He engaged hard measures against the agitations of Tamils. Especially
6256-418: The Dutch authority got weaker in the 18th century. North Malabar was the seat of powerful kingdom based at Ezhimala in the Sangam period (1st–5th century CE). The ancient port of Naura , which is mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea as a port somewhere north of Muziris is identified with Kannur . The kingdom of Ezhimala had jurisdiction over two Nadu s - The coastal Poozhinadu and
6392-477: The East India Company and was exiled to Madras and later to Benaras . The Company defeated forces under Velu Thampi Dalawa at battles near Nagercoil and Kollam, and inflicted heavy casualties on the rebels, many of whom then deserted and went back home. The Maharajah of Travancore, who hitherto had not openly taken any part in the rebellion, now allied with the British and appointed one of Thampi's enemies as his prime minister. The allied East India Company army and
6528-404: The East India Company undertaking to serve the Rajah in cases of external and internal aggression. The Rajahs of Travancore had been conditionally promoted to Kshatriyahood with periodic performance of 16 mahādānams (great gifts in charity) such as Hiranya-garbhā , Hiranya-Kāmadhenu, and Hiranyāswaratā in each of which thousands of Brahmins had been given costly gifts apart from each getting
6664-475: The Elder mentioned that Limyrike was prone by pirates. The Cosmas Indicopleustes mentioned that the Limyrike was a source of peppers. Three inscriptions those date back to 932 CE, those were found from Triprangode (near Tirunavaya ), Kottakkal , and Chaliyar , mention the name of Goda Ravi of Chera dynasty . The Triprangode inscription states about the agreement of Thavanur . Several inscriptions written in Old Malayalam those date back to
6800-446: The English factory was established at Thalassery , Iruvazhinadu was held by six families of Nambiars – Kunnummal, Chandroth, Kizhakkedath, Kampurath, Narangozhi, and Kariyad Nambiars. Kurangott Nayar' s possession also probably formed part of the original territory of Iruvazhinadu . It consisted of the following 6 Amsoms : It laid between the English settlement at Thalassery and the French settlement at Mahe . It consisted of
6936-431: The English to Travancore . In the course of time, the Ay clan , part of the Chera empire, which ruled the Thiruvazhumkode area, became an independent kingdom, and the land was called Aayi Desam or Aayi Rajyam , meaning 'Aayi territory'. The Aayis controlled the land from the present-day Kollam district in the north, through Thiruvananthapuram district to Kanyakumari district in the south. There were two capitals,
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#17328687376777072-445: The European Age of Discovery . After Vasco Da Gama 's arrival in Kappad Kozhikode in 1498, the Portuguese began to dominate eastern shipping, and the spice-trade in particular. The Zamorin of Kozhikode permitted the new visitors to trade with his subjects such that Portuguese trade in Kozhikode prospered with the establishment of a factory and a fort. However, Portuguese attacks on Arab properties in his jurisdiction provoked
7208-466: The Indian Union; subsequently, an attempt was made on his life, following which he resigned and left for Madras, to be succeeded by Sri P.G.N. Unnithan . According to witnesses such as K. Aiyappan Pillai , constitutional adviser to the Maharaja and historians like A. Sreedhara Menon , the rioters and mob-attacks had no bearing on the decision of the Maharaja. After several rounds of discussion and negotiation between Sree Chithira Thirunal and V.P. Menon ,
7344-400: The Singarathoppu jail, where the jailor Appaguru ended up as a disciple of Vaikundar. Vaikundar was later set at liberty by the King. After the death of Sree Moolam Thirunal in 1924, Sethu Lakshmi Bayi became regent (1924–1931), as the heir apparent, Sree Chithira Thirunal was then a minor, 12 years old. In 1935, Travancore joined the Indian State Forces Scheme and a Travancore unit
7480-503: The Tamils at Devikulam – Peermedu regions went through the atrocities of Travancore Police force. Condemning the attitude of the police, T.T.N.C leaders from Nagercoil went to Munnar and participated in agitations against the prohibitive orders. The leaders were arrested and an uncalm atmosphere prevailed in South Travancore. On 11 August, Liberation Day celebrations were held at many places in South Travancore. Public meetings and processions were organised. Communists also collaborated with
7616-517: The Travancore forces and was involved in annexation of small principalities. Travancore became the most dominant state in the Kerala region by defeating the powerful Zamorin of Kozhikode in the battle of Purakkad in 1755. Ramayyan Dalawa , the prime minister (1737–1756) of Marthanda Varma, also played an important role in this consolidation and expansion. On 3 January 1750, (5 Makaram , 925 Kollavarsham ), Marthanda Varma virtually "dedicated" Travancore to his tutelary deity Padmanabha , one of
7752-449: The Travancore soldiers camped in Pappanamcode, just outside Thiruvananthapuram . Velu Thampi Dalawa now organised a guerrilla struggle against the company, but committed suicide to avoid capture by the Travancore army. After the mutiny of 1805 against Velu Thampi Dalawa, most of the Nair army battalions of Travancore were disbanded, and after Velu Thampi Dalawa's uprising, almost all of the remaining Travancore forces were also disbanded, with
7888-470: The Zamorin and led to conflicts between them. The ruler of the Kingdom of Tanur , who was a vassal to the Zamorin of Calicut , sided with the Portuguese, against his overlord at Kozhikode . As a result, the Kingdom of Tanur ( Vettathunadu ) became one of the earliest Portuguese Colonies in India. The ruler of Tanur also sided with Cochin . Many of the members of the royal family of Cochin in 16th and 17th members were selected from Vettom . However,
8024-416: The agitation programmes. Police opened fire at the processions in Thoduvetty (Martandam) and Puthukadai. Nine Tamil volunteers were killed and thousands of T.T.N.C and communist sympathizers were arrested in various parts of Tamil main land. At the end, Pattom Thanu Pillai's ministry was toppled and normalcy returned to the Tamil regions. The central government had appointed Fazal Ali Commission (1953 dec) for
8160-407: The arrival of British, the term Malabar was used in foreign trade circles as a general name for Kerala . Earlier, the term Malabar had also been used to denote Tulu Nadu and Kanyakumari which lie contiguous to Kerala in the southwestern coast of India, in addition to the modern state of Kerala. The people of Malabar were known as Malabars . Still the term Malabar is often used to denote
8296-413: The aspects of the Hindu God Vishnu with a lotus issuing from his navel on which Brahma sits. From then on the rulers of Travancore ruled as the "servants of Padmanabha" (the Padmnabha-dasar). At the Battle of Ambalapuzha, Marthanda Varma defeated the union of the kings who had been deposed and the king of the Cochin kingdom . Marthanda Varma's successor Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma (1758–1798), who
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#17328687376778432-408: The capital had been moved in 1601 to Padmanabhapuram , near Kalkulam. The Chera empire had dissolved by around 1100 and thereafter the territory comprised numerous small kingdoms until the time of Marthanda Varma who, as king of Venad from 1729, employed brutal methods to unify them. During his reign, Thiruvithamkoor (Anglicized as Travancore) became the official name. The Kingdom of Travancore
8568-418: The caste system was more rigorously enforced than in many other parts of India up to the mid-1800s. The hierarchical caste order was deeply entrenched in the social system and was supported by the government, which transformed this caste-based social system into a religious institution. In such a context, the belief in Ayyavazhi , apart from being a religious system, served also as a reform movement in uplifting
8704-408: The city of Kozhikode six times, gives the earliest glimpses of life in the city. He describes Kozhikode as "one of the great ports of the district of Malabar" where "merchants of all parts of the world are found". The king of this place, he says, "shaves his chin just as the Haidari Fakeers of Rome do... The greater part of the Muslim merchants of this place are so wealthy that one of them can purchase
8840-436: The colonisation project. As a victory of the Colonisation project done by post-independence Travancore, these two Taluks and a larger portion of Cardamom Hills retained in the state of Kerala , after States Reorganisation Act, 1956 . Under the direct control of the King, Travancore's administration was headed by a Dewan assisted by the Neetezhutthu Pillay or secretary, Rayasom Pillay (assistant or under-secretary) and
8976-412: The council was increased to 15, comprising nine officials and six non-officials. In 1904, a lower house called the Sree Moolam Popular Assembly (known in the local language as Sree Mulam Praja Sabha ) was formed with 88 members to provide for increased participation of the people in the administration. Its membership was limited to representatives of landlords and merchants. Although not a legislature, it
9112-449: The downtrodden of society, both socially and religiously. The rituals of Ayyavazhi constituted a social discourse. Its beliefs, mode of worship, and religious organisation seem to have enabled the Ayyavazhi group to negotiate, cope with, and resist the imposition of authority. The hard tone of Vaikundar towards this was perceived as a revolution against the government. So King Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma initially imprisoned Vaikundar in
9248-422: The entire southwestern coast of India. From the time of Cosmas Indicopleustes (6th century CE) itself, the Arab sailors used to call Kerala as Male . The first element of the name, however, is attested already in the Topography written by Cosmas Indicopleustes . This mentions a pepper emporium called Male , which clearly gave its name to Malabar ('the country of Male'). The name Male is thought to come from
9384-413: The erstwhile Madras Presidency as it was one of the two districts of the Presidency that lies on the Western Malabar Coast , thus accessing the marine route through Arabian Sea . The first railway line of Kerala from Tirur to Beypore in 1861 was laid for it. The work Malabar Manual (1887) authored by William Logan in two volumes explains the characteristics of Malabar. The district lay between
9520-413: The expanding British East India Company , resulting in two of the four Anglo-Mysore Wars . Tipu ultimately ceded the Malabar district and South Kanara to the company in the 1790s; both were initially annexed to the Bombay Presidency of British India . After the Anglo-Mysore wars, the parts of Malabar Coast , those became British colonies, were organized into a district of British India . Later
9656-489: The feudal lords who ruled them before as given below: The Amsoms included in Chirakkal Taluk was classified into two divisions of Kolathunadu and Randathara (also called Poyanadu ). There were 44 Amsoms in the Taluk . Kolathunadu was the land where Kolattiri Rajas (Chirakkal family) were historically considered as the main authority. It was ruled by Kolattiri Raja , Mannanars , Arakkal Kingdom , and Kingdom of Mysore in various periods. It consisted of
9792-518: The first Portuguese Viceroy of India. The Dutch captured the fort from the Portuguese in 1663. They modernized the fort and built the bastions Hollandia, Zeelandia, and Frieslandia that are the major features of the present structure. The original Portuguese fort was pulled down later. A painting of this fort and the fishing ferry behind it can be seen in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam . The Dutch sold
9928-670: The first time, an Art Advisor to the Government, Dr. G. H. Cousins. He also established a new form of University Training Corps, viz. Labour Corps , preceding the N.C.C, in the educational institutions. The expenses of the university were to be met fully by the government. Sree Chithira Thirunal also built a beautiful palace named Kowdiar Palace , finished in 1934, which was previously an old Naluektu , given by Sree Moolam Thirunal to his mother Sethu Parvathi Bayi in 1915. A famine in 1943 claimed approximately 90,000 lives in Travancore. However, his prime minister, Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer ,
10064-648: The following 3 Amsoms . The Amsoms included in Kurumbranad Taluk was classified into five divisions- Kadathanad , Payyormala , Payanad , Kurumbranad , and Thamarassery (Some Amsoms of Kurumbranad and Thamarassery were included in the Kozhikode Taluk). There were 57 Amsoms in the Taluk. It was also part of the Kolathunadu earlier. It formed a major portion of the Thekkalankur (Southern Regent), or
10200-665: The following 36 Amsoms : Randathara was also called Poyanadu due to the belief that it was the place from where the Cheraman Perumal took his final departure on the journey to Mecca . It was originally a part of Kolathunadu , but was treated as a different Nadu . It consisted of the following 7 Amsoms : The Amsoms included in Kottayam Taluk was classified into four divisions- The English Settlement at Tellicherry and Dharmapattanam Islands , Iruvazhinadu , Kurangott Nayar Nadu , and Kottayam . There were 28 Amsoms in
10336-469: The following 9 Amsoms in Kurumbranad and Kozhikode Taluks: The Amsoms included in Kozhikode Taluk was classified into three divisions- Polanad , Beypore (Northern Parappanad) , and Puzhavayi . There were 41 Amsoms in the Taluk. (As stated earlier, a part of Kurumbranad and Thamarasseri historical divisions of Kurumbranad Taluk was also included in the Kozhikode Taluk.) Polanad was ruled by
10472-520: The following two Amsoms . It was also earlier a part of Kolathunadu . The Kottayam Rajas (also known as Puranattu Rajas in the meaning of foreign Kshatriya caste) received their territory from the Kolattu Rajas . Pazhassi Raja was a Kottayam Raja . It consisted of the following 16 Amsoms . The Amsoms included in Wynad Taluk was classified into three divisions- North Wynad , South Wynad , and Southeast Wynad . There were 16 Amsoms in
10608-533: The fort to the king Ali Raja of Arakkal in 1772. The British conquered it in 1790 and used it as one of their major military stations on the Malabar Coast . During the 17th century, Kannur was the capital city of the only Muslim Sultanate in the Malabar region – Arakkal . The Ali Rajas of Arakkal kingdom , near Kannur , who were the vassals of the Kolathiri , ruled over the Lakshadweep islands. In 1761,
10744-437: The hilly eastern Karkanadu . According to the works of Sangam literature , Poozhinadu consisted much of the coastal belt between Mangalore and Kozhikode . Karkanadu consisted of Wayanad - Gudalur hilly region with parts of Kodagu (Coorg). It is said that Nannan, the most renowned ruler of Ezhimala dynasty, took refuge at Wayanad hills in the 5th century CE when he was lost to Cheras , just before his execution in
10880-504: The industrialisation of the state, enhancing the role of the public sector. He introduced heavy industry in the state and established giant public sector undertakings. As many as twenty industries were established, mostly for utilizing the local raw materials such as rubber, ceramics, and minerals. A majority of the premier industries in Kerala even today, were established by Sree Chithira Thirunal. He patronized musicians, artists, dancers, and Vedic scholars. Sree Chithira Thirunal appointed, for
11016-483: The influence of Zamorin later. The Kolathunadu in the late medieval period emerged into independent 10 principalities i.e., Kadathanadu ( Vadakara ), Randathara or Poyanad ( Dharmadom ), Kottayam ( Thalassery ), Nileshwaram , Iruvazhinadu ( Panoor , Kurumbranad etc., under separate royal chieftains due to the outcome of internal dissensions. The Nileshwaram dynasty on the northernmost part of Kolathiri dominion, were relatives to both Kolathunadu as well as
11152-512: The king agreed that the Kingdom should accede to the Indian Union on 12 August 1947. On 1 July 1949 the Kingdom of Travancore was merged with the Kingdom of Cochin and the short-lived state of Travancore-Kochi was formed. On 11 July 1991, Maharaja Sree Chithira Thirunal suffered a stroke and was admitted to a hospital, where he died on 20 July. He had ruled Travancore for 67 years and at his death
11288-506: The land of proper Malayalis . The former state of Venad at the tip of the Indian subcontinent, traditionally ruled by rajas known as the Venattadis. Until the end of the 11th century AD, it was a small principality in the Ay Kingdom. The Ays were the earliest ruling dynasty in southern Kerala, who, at their zenith, ruled over a region from Nagercoil in the south to Thiruvananthapuram in
11424-651: The leadership of Kozhikode admirals known as Kunjali Marakkars , which compelled them to seek a treaty. The Kunjali Marakkars are credited with organizing the first naval defense of the Indian coast. An insurrection at the Port of Quilon between the Arabs and the Portuguese led to the end of the Portuguese era in Quilon . In 1571, the Portuguese were defeated by the Zamorin forces in the battle at Chaliyam Fort . The Portuguese were ousted by
11560-419: The legislative leader of the party. Then under his leadership, the awakened Tamil population was prepared to undergo any sacrifice to achieve their goal. In 1950, a meeting was held at Palayamkottai to make compromises between state congress and T.T.N.C. The meeting met with failure and Mr. Sam Nathaniel resigned from the post of president of T.T.N.C Mr. P. Ramasamy Pillai, a strong follower of Mr. A. Nesamony
11696-527: The major one at Kollam ( Venad Swaroopam or Desinganadu ) and a subsidiary one at Thrippapur ( Thrippapur Swaroopam or Nanjinad ). The kingdom was thus also called Venad . Kings of Venad had, built residential palaces in Thiruvithamcode and Kalkulam . Thiruvithamcode became the capital of the Thrippapur Swaroopam, and the country was referred to as Thiruvithamcode by Europeans even after
11832-603: The majority elected members. In 1932, the Legislative Council of Travancore and Sree Moolam Popular Assembly were replaced with a formal bicameral system consisting of an Upper House, the Travancore Sri Chitra State Council, and a Lower House, the Sree Moolam Assembly. This bicameral system continued to function until September 1947 when it gave way to a constituent assembly that later led to
11968-513: The meaning, 'The land of Kanhira Trees') in Malayalam . The Kumbla dynasty, who swayed over the land of southern Tulu Nadu wedged between Chandragiri River and Netravati River (including present-day Taluks of Manjeshwar and Kasaragod ) from Maipady Palace at Kumbla , had also been vassals to the Kolathunadu , before the Carnatic conquests of Vijayanagara Empire . The Kumbla dynasty had
12104-432: The medieval period. Arakkal Kingdom and Chirakkal kingdom were two vassal kingdoms based in the city of Kannur. The port at Kozhikode held the superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while Kannur , Kollam , and Kochi , were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather. St. Angelo Fort was built in 1505 by Dom Francisco de Almeida ,
12240-492: The medieval period. Being home to the prominent figures like Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan , Poonthanam Nambudiri , Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri , Kunchan Nambiar , and Zainuddin Makhdoom II , South Malabar was the cultural capital of medieval Kerala. The Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics flourished between the 14th and 16th centuries. In attempting to solve astronomical problems, the Kerala school independently created
12376-472: The merchants using their fingers and toes (followed to this day), and the matrilineal system of succession. Abdur Razzak (1442–43), Niccolò de' Conti (1445), Afanasy Nikitin (1468–74), Ludovico di Varthema (1503–1508), and Duarte Barbosa witnessed the city as one of the major trading centres in the Indian subcontinent where traders from different parts of the world could be seen. The Kingdom of Cochin used to adopt members from Kingdom of Tanur in
12512-490: The merger of Cochin state and its accession to India following independence. Among the Sree Moolam Popular Assembly members were: Travancore The Kingdom of Travancore ( / ˈ t r æ v ə ŋ k ɔːr / ), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor ( Malayalam: [t̪iɾuʋid̪aːŋɡuːr] ) or later as Travancore State , was a kingdom that lasted from c. 1729 until 1949. It
12648-534: The merger of Tamil regions in Travancore with Tamil Nadu. During the election campaign, clashes occurred between the Tamil Nadar community and the Malayali Nair community in Kalkulam – Vilavancode taluks. The police force suppressed the agitating Nadars. In February 1948 police opened fire and two Tamil-speaking Nadars were killed. In the working committee meeting of Tamilian congress at Eraviputhur on 30 June 1946,
12784-525: The most spoken lingua franca of Malabar district. Jeseri , a distinct dialect of Malayalam, was spoken in the Laccadive Islands . Malabar District merged with the erstwhile state of Travancore-Cochin (1950–1956) to form Kerala according to the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 . On the same day, the present Kasaragod district of South Canara District was also attached to Malabar, and
12920-546: The name of the political party was changed to Travancore Tamil Nadu Congress (T.T.N.C). T.T.N.C was popular among the Tamils living in Thovalai and Agateeswaram taluks. Ma. Po. Sivagnanam ( Ma.Po.Si ) was the only leader from Tamil Nadu who acted in favour of T.T.N.C. After the independence of India, State Assembly elections were announced in Travancore. As a consequence, T.T.N.C improved its popularity among Tamils. A popular and leading advocate from Vilavancode, A. Nesamony organised
13056-498: The north. Their capital during the first Sangam age was in Aykudi and later, towards the end of the eighth century AD, at Quilon (Kollam) . Though a series of attacks by the resurgent Pandyas between the seventh and eighth centuries caused the decline of the Ays, the dynasty was powerful until the beginning of the tenth century. Sulaiman al-Tajir , a Persian merchant who visited Kerala during
13192-511: The northern and central parts of present Kerala state, the Lakshadweep Islands , and a major portion of the Nilgiris district in modern-day Tamil Nadu . The detached settlements of Tangasseri and Anchuthengu , which were British colonies within the kingdom of Travancore in southern Kerala, also formed part of Malabar District until 1927. Malayalam was the administrative as well as
13328-467: The oldest available inscription written in Old Malayalam. Later, the northern regions of Thiruvananthapuram , Kollam , Alapuzha , and Pathanamthitta districts became proper Malayalam-speaking populations in Kerala , while the other districts showed influences from Arabic , Tamil and Kannada languages. During the period of Pattom Thanu Pillai , Travancore was referred to as Malayalam state or
13464-604: The payment of compensation for their involvement in the Travancore-Mysore War (1791) on behalf of Travancore, led to tension between the Diwan and Colonel Macaulay. Velu Thampi and the diwan of Cochin kingdom, Paliath Achan Govindan Menon, who was unhappy with Macaulay for granting asylum to his enemy Kunhi Krishna Menon, declared "war" on the East India Company. The East India Company army defeated Paliath Achan's army in Cochin on 27 February 1809. Paliath Achan surrendered to
13600-568: The peak of its power, reportedly extended from Netravati River ( Mangalore ) in the north to Korapuzha ( Kozhikode ) in the south with Arabian Sea on the west and Kodagu hills on the eastern boundary, also including the isolated islands of Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea . An Old Malayalam inscription ( Ramanthali inscriptions ), dated to 1075 CE, mentioning king Kunda Alupa, the ruler of Alupa dynasty of Mangalore , can be found at Ezhimala (the former headquarters of Mushika dynasty ) near Cannanore , Kerala. The Arabic inscription on
13736-560: The peak of their reign, the Zamorins of Kozhikode ruled over a region from Kollam ( Quilon ) in the south to Panthalayini Kollam ( Koyilandy ) in the north. They were the most powerful rulers on Malabar Coast and Kozhikode was the largest city of Kerala until the Portuguese era. The Zamorin of Calicut , who was originally the ruler of Eranad based at Nediyiruppu , developed the port at Kozhikode and changed his headquarters to there for maritime trade. Ibn Battuta (1342–1347), who visited
13872-500: The presence of Palakkad Gap which connected the Malabar coast with Coromandel coast through inland. Pliny the Elder (1st century CE) states that the port of Tyndis was located at the northwestern border of Keprobotos ( Chera dynasty ). The North Malabar region, which lies north of the port at Tyndis , was ruled by the kingdom of Ezhimala during Sangam period . According to
14008-531: The presence of the Western Ghats mountain ranges lying parallel to the coast, the population and language spoken in Kerala differed from those in neighboring states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka . According to the religious text " Keralolpathi " by the Nambudhiri Brahmins , the region from Gokharna to Kanyakumari district was created when Parashurama threw his axe and claimed this land, known as Parashuramakshetra. The Chera dynasty governed
14144-513: The present-day Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu . The region had many small independent kingdoms. Later, at the peak of the Chera - Chola - Pandya , this region became part of the Chera Kingdom (except for the Ay kingdom, which always remained independent). When the region was part of the Chera empire , it was still known as Thiruvazhumkode . It was contracted to Thiruvankode , and anglicised by
14280-569: The princely state was sub-divided into three divisions, each of which was administered by a Divan Peishkar, with a rank equivalent to a District Collector in British India. These were the: Malabar District Malabar District , also known as British Malabar or simply Malabar was an administrative district on the southwestern Malabar Coast of Bombay Presidency (1792–1800), Madras Presidency (1800–1937), Madras Province (1937–1950) and finally, Madras State (1950–1956) in India. It
14416-584: The region was transferred into the Madras Presidency in 1800. The administrative headquarters were at Calicut ( Kozhikode ). Local affairs were managed by the District Board at Calicut along with Taluk Boards located at Malappuram , Thalassery , Palakkad and Mananthavady . Initially the British had to suffer local resistance against their rule under the leadership of Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja , who had popular support in Thalassery - Wayanad region. During
14552-552: The reign of Sthanu Ravi Varma (9th century CE), records that there was extensive trade between Kerala and China at that time, based at the port of Kollam. When the Ay diminished, Venad became the southernmost principality of the Second Chera Kingdom . An invasion of the Cholas into Venad caused the destruction of Kollam in 1096. However, the Chera capital, Mahodayapuram , also fell in the subsequent Chola attack, which compelled
14688-546: The requests of Tamils. During that period the Travancore State Congress favoured the idea of uniting all the Malayalam speaking regions and forming a "Unified Kerala". In protest against this idea, many Tamil leaders vacated the party. Tamils gathered together at Nagercoil on 16 December 1945 under the leadership of Sam Nathaniel and formed the new political party All Travancore Tamilian Congress. That party pushed for
14824-507: The respective Taluk, were also eligible to vote. In 1907, the Assembly was conferred the right to elect members of the upper Legislative Council. The Upper Council had 15 members—nine officials and six non-officials. In 1919, the Council was remodelled raising its strength to 25, out of which eight were elected members. In October 1921, the total strength of the Council was further raised to 50, with
14960-628: The second headquarters of the Kolattiri Rajas . When the English company settled at Thalassery , Kadathanad was under the ancestors of the Kadathanad Rajas , who was then called Bavnores of Badagara . It consisted of the following 31 Amsoms : It was under the control of the Nairs of Payyormala (Paleri, Avinyat, and Kutali Nairs). They were independent chieftains with some theoretical dependence on both
15096-447: The seize of Tirunavaya region from Valluvanad , which were under the control of the king of Perumbadappu Swaroopam (Cochin). The ruler of Perumpadappu was forced to shift his capital (c. CE 1405) further south from Kodungallur to Kochi . In the 15th century, the status of Cochin was reduced to a vassal state of Kozhikode, thus leading to the emergence of Kozhikode as the most powerful kingdom in medieval Malabar Coast . During
15232-579: The small feudal state of Venad in 1723, and built it into Travancore. Marthanda Varma led the Travancorean forces during the Travancore-Dutch War of 1739–46, which culminated in the Battle of Colachel . The defeat of the Dutch by Travancore is considered the earliest example of an organised power from Asia overcoming European military technology and tactics. Marthanda Varma went on to conquer most of
15368-484: The smaller principalities of the native rulers. The Travancore royal family signed a treaty with the British in 1788, thereby adopting British dominance. Later, in 1805, they revised the treaty, leading to a diminution of royal authority and the loss of political independence for Travancore. They had to give up their ruling rights over the common people in 1949 when Travancore were forced to merge with Independent India. The kingdom takes its name from Thiruvithamcode in
15504-519: The states reorganisation based on language. It submitted its report on 10 August 1955. Based on this report, Devikulam – Peermedu and Neyyattinkara Taluks were merged with Kerala state . On 1 November 1956 – four Taluks Thovalai, Agastheeswaram, Kalkulam, Vilavancode were recognised to form the New Kanyakumari District and merged with Tamil Nadu State. Half of Sengottai Taluk was merged with Tirunelveli District . The main demand of T.T.N.C
15640-686: The superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while Kannur , Kollam , and Kochi , were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather. The Portuguese arrived at Kappad Kozhikode in 1498 during the Age of Discovery , thus opening a direct sea route from Europe to South Asia. Kallingal Madathil Rarichan Moopan and Pullambil Moopan and Vamala Moopan families were very prominent among those who said that two centuries ago, some Jenmis in Kozhikode were engaged in sea trade and shipping. At
15776-515: The temples of Venad kingdom, especially the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple . In the early 18th century CE, the Travancore royal family adopted some members from the royal family of Kolathunadu based at Kannur , and Parappanad in present-day Malappuram district . The history of Travancore began with Marthanda Varma, who inherited the kingdom of Venad (Thrippappur), and expanded it into Travancore during his reign (1729–1758). After defeating
15912-560: The whole freightage of such vessels put here and fit-out others like them". Ma Huan (1403 AD), the Chinese sailor part of the Imperial Chinese fleet under Cheng Ho ( Zheng He ) states the city as a great emporium of trade frequented by merchants from around the world. He makes note of the 20 or 30 mosques built to cater to the religious needs of the Muslims, the unique system of calculation by
16048-629: The word Malabar comes from a combination of the Dravidian word Mala (hill) and the Persian / Arabic word Barr (country/continent). The ancient maritime port of Tyndis , which was then a centre of trade with Ancient Rome , is roughly identified with Ponnani , Tanur , and Kadalundi - Vallikkunnu . Tyndis was a major center of trade, next only to Muziris, between the Cheras and the Roman Empire . The River Bharathappuzha (River Ponnani) had importance since Sangam period (1st–4th century CE), due to
16184-419: Was Rs.6000 or above. In 1905, the Sree Moolam Popular Assembly began to have elected members. Out of the new strength of 100 members, 77 were to be elected and 23 were to be nominated. Voting right was limited to persons who paid an annual land revenue of not less than Rs.50, or whose net income was not less than Rs.2000. University graduates with not less than ten years of standing, and having their residence in
16320-434: Was also the seat of the kingdoms of Parappanad , Vettathunadu , Valluvanadu , Nedungadis , and Palakkad . Parappanad royal family is a cousin dynasty of the Travancore royal family . The Azhvanchery Thamprakkal were the feudal lords of Athavanad . Tirunavaya , the seat of Mamankam festival , lies on the bank of the river Bharathappuzha . In the 14th century, Kozhikode conquered larger parts of central Kerala after
16456-609: Was elected as the New President. The first general election of Independent India was held on 1952. T.T.N.C won 8 legislative assembly seats. Mr. A. Chidambaranathan became the minister on behalf of T.T.N.C in the coalition state government formed by the Congress. In the parliamentary Constituency Mr. A. Nesamony was elected as M.P. and in the Rajyasabha seat. Mr. A. Abdul Razak was elected as M.P. on behalf of T.T.N.C. In due course, accusing
16592-478: Was established at Fort Kochi ( Fort Emmanuel ) rather than in Kozhikode. During his reign, the Portuguese managed to dominate relations with Kochi and established a few fortresses on the Malabar Coast. Fort St Angelo or St. Angelo Fort was built at Kannur in 1505 and Fort St Thomas was built at Kollam (Quilon) in 1518 by the Portuguese. However, the Portuguese suffered setbacks from attacks by Zamorin forces in Malabar region; especially from naval attacks under
16728-510: Was held at Calicut . The CPI in Kerala was formed on 31 December 1939 with the Pinarayi Conference, held near Thalassery . It was the erstwhile leaders of Congress Socialist Party, such as P. Krishna Pillai , K. Damodaran , E. M. S. Namboodiripad , who formed the CPI branch in Kerala. The Indian Union Muslim League was also formed in the 1930s, on a meeting held at Thalassery . Until
16864-486: Was intended to give the people an opportunity to bring to the notice of the government their requirements, wishes or grievances, and to make government policies and measures better known to the people. The members of the Assembly were not elected but chosen, two from each taluk , by the District heads from among landholders who paid an annual land revenue of not less than Rs.100, and landholders or traders whose net annual income
17000-405: Was located at the extreme southern tip of the Indian subcontinent . Geographically, Travancore was divided into three climatically distinct regions: the eastern highlands (rugged and cool mountainous terrain), the central midlands (rolling hills), and the western lowlands (coastal plains). Due to the geographical isolation of the Malabar Coast from the rest of the Indian peninsula, attributed to
17136-498: Was named 1st Travancore Nair Infantry , Travancore State Forces . The unit was reorganised as an Indian State Infantry Battalion by Lieutenant Colonel H S Steward, who was appointed commandant of the Travancore State Forces. The last ruling king of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma , reigned from 1931 to 1949. "His reign marked revolutionary progress in the fields of education, defence, economy and society as
17272-681: Was one of the few surviving rulers of a first-class princely state in the old British Raj . He was also the last surviving Knight Grand Commander of both the Order of the Star of India and of the Order of the Indian Empire . He was succeeded as head of the Royal House as well as the Titular Maharajah of Travancore by his younger brother, Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma . The Government of India issued
17408-444: Was popularly known as Dharma Raja , shifted the capital in 1795 from Padmanabhapuram to Thiruvananthapuram . Dharma Raja 's period is considered a Golden Age in the history of Travancore. He not only retained the territorial gains of his predecessor, but also improved and encouraged social development. He was greatly assisted by a very efficient administrator, Raja Kesavadas , the Diwan of Travancore. Travancore often allied with
17544-545: Was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram , and later Thiruvananthapuram . At its zenith, the kingdom covered most of the south of modern-day Kerala ( Idukki , Kottayam , Alappuzha , Pathanamthitta , Kollam , and Thiruvananthapuram districts, major portions of Ernakulam district , Puthenchira village of Thrissur district ) and the southernmost part of modern-day Tamil Nadu ( Kanyakumari district and some parts of Tenkasi district ) with
17680-400: Was the first prime minister of Travancore, that they retained in the modern-state of Kerala . Pattom came up with a colonisation project to re-engineer the demography of Cardamom Hills . His colonisation project was to relocate 8,000 Malayalam -speaking families into the Taluks of Devikulam and Peermade . About 50,000 acres in these Taluks, which were Tamil-majority area, were chosen for
17816-505: Was the gateway to South Indian coast for the Arabs , the Portuguese , the Dutch , and finally the British . The Kunjali Marakkars , who were the naval chief of the Zamorin of Kozhikode , are credited with organizing the first naval defense of the Indian coast. Under British Raj , Kozhikode became the headquarters of Malabar District, one of the two districts in the western coast of erstwhile Madras Presidency . The port at Kozhikode held
17952-471: Was the most populous and the third-largest district in the erstwhile Madras State . The historic town of Kozhikode was the administrative headquarters of this district. The district included the present-day districts of Kannur , Kozhikode , Wayanad , Malappuram , Palakkad (excluding Chittur taluk ), Chavakad Taluk and parts of Kodungallur Taluk of Thrissur district (former part of Ponnani Taluk ), and Fort Kochi area of Ernakulam district in
18088-619: Was the third-largest city on the western coast of British India in the 18th century after Bombay and Karachi . Vatakara and Koyilandy were two major coastal towns in North Malabar region besides Kannur and Thalassery. The maritime spice trade monopoly in the Indian Ocean stayed with the Arabs during the High and Late Middle Ages . However, the dominance of Middle East traders was challenged in
18224-429: Was to merger the Tamil regions with Tamil Nadu and major part of its demand was realised. So T.T.N.C was dissolved thereafter. Apart from Kanyakumari district , the Taluks of Devikulam and Peermade in present-day Idukki district also had a Tamil -majority until late 1940's. The T.T.N.C had also requested to merge these Taluks with Madras State . However it was due to some decisions of Pattom Thanu Pillai , who
18360-718: Was under the Ay dynasty . During the Ay dynasty, they spoke a language known as Middle Tamil , which differed from Tamil spoken in Tamil Nadu. Later Ay dynasty, conquered and succeeded by the Kulashekara Perumals , based in Kollam (later known as Venad ), during the period of the Chera Kulashekara Perumal (Keralaputras) dynasty, the language evolved into Old-Malayalam . The Quilon copper plates (849/850 CE) are considered
18496-671: Was unpopular among the communists of Travancore. The tension between the Communists and Iyer led to minor riots. In one such riot in Punnapra-Vayalar in 1946, the Communist rioters established their own government in the area. This was put down by the Travancore Army and Navy. The prime minister issued a statement in June 1947 that Travancore would remain an independent country instead of joining
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