Wynad, its peoples and traditions

MALABAR SE:

WYNAD

C, Gopalan Nair*

i nnm a uu.j IWAUVIJVO

n*>

THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA

PRESENTED BY

PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND
MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID

MALABAR SERIES

MALABAR SERIES

Wynad : ITS PEOPLES AND TRADITIONS

BY

RAO BAHADUR C. GOPALAN NAIR

II

Deputy Collector, Malabar

FIRST EDITION : ONE THOUSAND

Madras :
Higginbotham & Co.

1911
Rs. 2-8.

Registered Copyright

PRINTED BY ANNIE BESANT, AT THE VASANTA PRESS, ADYAR.

To

R. B. WOOD, ESQ., I. C. S.

Collector of Malabar,

CALICUT.

DEAR SIR,

I beg leave to dedicate this work to you, as a

mark of esteem and respect for your sympathy

with the people of Malabar, and for your unvarying
kindness to me.

Yours sincerely,
CALICUT ")

I*,* AT i. IMA 0. GOPALAN NAIR.

loth November 1910. )

M372859

To

RAO BAHADUR C. GOPALAN NAIR AVL.
MY DEAR GOPALAN NAIR,

I received your letter of dedication with
much pleasure, and feel it is an honour to
which the length of my service in Malabar
has scarcely entitled me. The District is so
large, so distinct from the rest of the Presidency,
and so full of diversities within itself, that four
years are all too short a period to give me a
real knowledge of it. The Wynad alone is full of
problems, which you have well brought out in
your very interesting book. I specially admire
the careful and detailed way in which you have
worked out the probable origins of the different
castes, by their present habits and customs.
Refugees from Malabar, from Coorg, from Mysore
and from the south, all found an asylum in
these hills, and it is remarkable how their ways
still betray them.

I venture to express my very strong
hope that you will not stop, now that you
have entered on the literary path. If Wynad
is interesting, the plains of Malabar are
infinitely more so. In Wynad you have to
trace your history from legends, most of them

Vlll

already disappearing: in the plains you have
ready to hand the " Granthams " of the old
Houses, the actual daily diary of the daily
life of the ancient people and Princes of
Malabar. I do not know, and I have met
no one who can tell me, exactly how far back
these Granthams go : but I understand that
it is for several hundred years, from beyond
the time when Vasco de Gama first came to
India, perhaps from beyond the time when
the Chinese first sent their annual fleets to
Quilon and Calicut. These records are of price-
less historical interest : yet the cadjan files are
tied up and bundled away in old cupboards
and almyrahs, ready to be the prey of the first
fire that chances.

I can imagine no more entrancing work than
the study of these old documents. Look at
Logan's marvellous chapters on the history
of Malabar : and his numerous references
to the traditions and legends still current.
His history is little more than a bird's-eye
sketch, but it is full of suggestion and
possibilities. The detail of the picture still
remains to be painted in, and how much of
this detail is hid in these musty cadjans ?
The task of revealing their secrets is a great
one. It requires a knowledge of the traditions
of places, of the legends of families, of the old

IX

and fast disappearing customs and ceremonies. It
demands industry, enthusiasm and the spirit of
modern critical research. It wants an intimate
and scholarly knowledge of all the nuances of
the language. I know no one who unites all
these qualifications to the same extent as your-
self, and if anything I can say will spur you
on, I would urge you to rescue these memorials
of a forgotten past, before it is too late. May
the success of this your first book lead you on
to greater things.

Yours sincerely,

R. B. WOOD.

MALABAR SERIES

WYNAD: ITS PEOPLES AND TRADITIONS

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW ... 3

II. ANCIENT HISTORY ... 9

III. KOTTAYAM REGIME ... 17

IV. POLITICAL HISTORY ... 27
V. PLANTING INDUSTRY ... 41

VI. PEOPLE or WYNAD ... 49

VII. SHRINES or WYNAD ... 115

VIII. LEGENDS AND ANECDOTES 137

IX. HUNTING IN WYNAD ... 155

CONCLUSION 160

ILLUSTRATIONS

FRONTISPIECE — Deputy Collector's Office, Manantoddy.

PAGE

1. Edanadan Chettis ... ... ... 54

2. Wynadan Chettis ... ... ... 55

3. Mandatan Chettis ... ... ... 57

4. Kurichiyans ... ... ... 59

5. Mulla Kurumbers ... ... ... 64

6. Urali or Vettu Kurumbers ... ... 71

7. Kunduvatiyans ... ... ... 74

8. Karimpalans ... ... ... 77

9. Kaders ... ... ... 80

10. Pathiyans ... ... ... 82

11. Uridavans ... ... ... 85

12. Thacliaiiad Muppens... ... ... 89

13. Kanaladis ... ... ... 95

14. Adiyans ... ... ... 97

15. Paniyars ... ... ... 100

16. Pulayans ... ... ... 105

17. Jain or Then Kurumbers ... ... 108

18. Kattu Naykans ... ... ... 110

19. Tirunelli Shrine ... ... ... 115

20. Vallurkavu Shrine ... ... ... 122

21. G-anapathivattam Temple ... ... 127

22. Kalliyanatha Palli ... ... ... 133

23. Ruins of Jain Temple ... ... 144

PEEFACE

WYNAD has always interested me. The in-
habitants of the plains have no idea of the several
races ' that have settled in Wynad and of the
legends relating to shrines' and other places of
interest in this taluk. The idea sprung up in
my mind that a short account of this country
would be interesting and useful, and being encour-
aged in this idea by Mr. Wood, I.C.S., Collector
of Malabar, I availed myself of the opportunity
of my stay for two years in Wynad to collect
the information which I present to the public
in these pages.

I am grateful to Mr. Wood for his kind per-
mission to associate his name with this work and
for the complimentary terms in which he has
expressed his opinion about the merits of the
book.

The ancient history was the most difficult part
of the task. No two versions agreed as to what
transpired in the days gone by and it was only
on securing a copy of the Mackenzie manuscript
— recorded in 1810 — that I was able to deal
with the subject.

The chapter on Political history was compiled
from the Madras Manual of Administration, the
Malabar Manual and the Malabar Gazetteer,

XVI

and the extracts from the Madras Times and
the Madras Mail published on pages 1 & 46,
as also the reference to the visit of the Governor
of Madras on page 4 were taken from Francis
Ford's pamphlet on "The Wynad and the plant-
ing Industry of Southern India. "

I have to thank Dr. A. Hewston of Manantoddy
and Mr. C. B. Abbott, Meppadi, for details of
Planting Industry. The remaining chapters were
written from information received from the people
of Wynad, the customs and manners of the hill
tribes being based on the versions given by the
elders of the respective Communities.

My thanks are due to Mr. V. Krishnan of Ma-
nantoddy for the photographs. I need hardly add
that the Vasanta Press, Adyar, and Messrs.
Venkiah Brothers, Madras, have maintained their
reputation for good work.

I have an idea of continuing the Malabar
Series and if this, my first attempt is appreciat-
ed by the public, I shall endeavour to bring
out the second part in the course of another
year.

C. GOPALAN NAIR.

Panoramic view from the top of Tamarasseri

ghat towards the Arabian Sea, a

distance of thirty-nine miles.

" High mountains rise to the left with
water glistening on bare blade rocks like tears
of gladness in the eyes of sorrow ; forests
stretch away here witli gentle slope and easy
undulation, there down precipice and steep
declivity; far below lie swamps choked with
thorny thicket and rank coarse grasses, breed-
ing fevers and miasma, but yet in whose bosoms
are stored the streams which water those long
stretches of rice fields, here sere and yellow
after the siclde of the reaper, there whitening
unto harvest or again a vivid green where
the second crop matures. Hills everywhere,
some arid, red and unfruitful, more covered in
the feathery foliage of these Eastern orchards.

Here and there smoke curls up in the still
noon-tide air ; or the glint of some mosque or
temple or riverpool catches the eye. As the dis-
tance grows farther, hill and field all merge into
one green plain, and beyond gleams the sea, hard
to be discerned from the heaven that bends
down and meets it. As you gaze, the thought
rises from the heart that in such fair and
well-ordered beauty, the affairs of this world may
perchance appear from the Throne of Heaven
with all their inequality, so strange, so little
comprehendable by us the dwellers amid its
hills and valleys." — MADEAS TIMES.

CHAPTER I

A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW

Wynad, as its name signifies, is the land
of forests. The correct name is Vana-nad
(Forest country) which, by lapse of time, is
pronounced Vaya-nad or Wynad, as it is
now spelt.

It is a mountainous country, with a
general elevation of 2,000 to 4,000 feet
and with ranges of hills, some with peaks
over 7,000 feet high. To the west and
south are the low lands of Malabar, to
the east rise the Nilgiri hills, to the north-
east lies the Mysore plateau, while to the
north-west the chain of ghats stretches
away into the province of Coorg.

It is the sanitarium of Malabar from
October to the end of February when the
climate is dry, cool and salubrious. March,

4

April and May are the unhealthy months
when malarial fever is prevalent. Its fer-
tility is unsurpassed and its scenery is
picturesque. When Sir M. E. Grant Duff,
Governor of Madras, visited the District,
he is said to have asserted that had
Wynad been in Europe its fortune would
have been made as a pleasure resort : it
would be the favourite haunt of the lands-
cape painter and views from it would
appear in every picture gallery.

For the sportsman there is game in plenty.
Tiger, panther and bear, wild elephant and
bison, sambhur, deer and jungle sheep,
jungle fowl, spur fowl, pigeons and snipe,
all these are in evidence in this country.

According to tradition, Wynad was un-
der the sway of Vedar (hunter) kings.
These were conquered by the Kottayam and
Kurumbranad Rajas who partitioned the
country into Wynad and Parakkumeethil.
Subsequently the Kottayam Raja, the ruler of
Wynad proper, secured the sovereignty of
Parakkumeethil also, and the whole country
was under his sway when Tippu of
Mysore exacted from the senior Raja of

5

Kottayam a deed of relinquishment of his
rights over Wynad in 1786. On the fall
of Seringapatam in 1799, Wynad became
part of the British Empire. Kerala Varma
Raja of Kottayam revolted against the
British Power and was killed in 1805,
after which peace reigned in the country
interrupted only by a small rebellion of
Kurichiyars and Kurumbers in 1812. This
however, was soon quelled.

In 1877, three of the amsams l that formed
part of Wynad, via., Munnanad, Nambala-
kode and Cherankode, were transferred for
administrative purposes to the District of
Mlgiris. An enquiry into the jenmam titles
to lands in Wynad was commenced in 1884,
and four years later, the properties that
belonged to Kerala Varma Raja (the Pazhassi
rebel) and his adherents were formally
declared to belong to Government. In 1889,
the settlement of land revenue on modern
lines was introduced into Wynad.

Excluding the portion transferred to the
Nilgiris, Wynad, as it now exists, covers an
area of 821 square miles, and its population
1 Amsam — Group of desams or villages.

6

according to the census of 1901, was 75,149.

Paddy is the chief wet crop, and ragi
the chief dry crop. Rice is the staple
food of the inhabitants, ragi being used
more by the hill tribes. Cardamoms are
grown near Peria and Koroth on the slopes
of the ghats : cocoanut trees and arecanuts
do not thrive in the country. Pepper, an
indigenous product of North Malabar, was
first introduced by the natives of Wynad;
subsequently European planters extended its
cultivation. To these planters belongs the
credit of introducing coffee, cinchona, rubber
and tea, and the last named product has
taken a firm hold in the country.

The quartz reefs of Wynad are auri-
ferous, and in the seventies, on the exist-
ence of gold being widely known, a
small company by name Alpha was started
under the direction of Mr. Withers from
Australia. In 1880, Wynad was the scene
of the " wildest, maddest, and grossest
speculation" and 33 English companies
were floated with an aggregate nominal
capital of over four million pounds sterling.
The enterprise ended in failure and opera-

" The population according to the Census
taken in March, 1911, is 82,645."

c. G. N.

tions were given up in the course of
two to three years. It is still believed that
Wynad is rich in gold reefs, but it has
been declared by a specialist that with the
"methods at present available" gold-mining
is not likely to be remunerative.1

Wynad has a bright future before it
but for the dark spot which threatens
to render it unpopular. This is malaria,
but it is hoped that by the further clear-
ing of forests and the opening up of lands
this will gradually disappear. The opening
of railway communication through these
forests would induce people from the plains
to settle in Wynad and to reclaim the
extensive waste lands ; this is evidently
impracticable and is but a dream.

NOTE — The name Wynad has been derived in differ-
ent ways :

(1) Wynad lit., the open or champaign country.

Bailu (Can.), a field having water suitable

for growing rice, a plain.
Nadu (Can.), a division of a district.
(Grigg's Manual of the Nilgiri District, page 1.)

1 Since writing the abov^e, an expert mining Engi-
neer has arrived and is engaged in assaying in the
neighbourhood of Manantoddy.

8

(2) Wynaud (Upper Country) is, as its name

denotes, an elevated plateau.

(Madras Manual of Administration, Vol.11, p. 143.)

(3) Wynaud, (Vayanatu. Mai. : Wynaud).

From (Vayal, Mai. : Open field, Ndtu, Mai.:
country) .

Sanskrit name (Mayakshetra), meaning dis-
trict of Mayan, architect of the deityans.

(Madras Manual of Administration, Vol. III.
p. 1025.)

I ha ^e added a fourth derivation " Vananad " in
accordance with the popular belief in this country.
This derivation seems more probable, especially as
the country is more a land of (Vana) forests than
of fields.

CHAPTER II

ANCIENT HISTORY

The earliest record of a ruling family in
Kerala exists in Wynad in the shape of a
rock-inscription in the Edakal cave four
miles south-west of Sultan's Battery. The
walls of the cave are covered with "rude,
fanciful drawings " and one of the inscrip-
tions was suggested by Dr. Hultzch to be
" the writing of the glorious Vishnu Varma,
the propagator of the Kudumbiyil family ".
(Malabar Gazetteer.) That Kudumbiyil fami-
ly held sway over Wynad must be
accepted as an established fact, but it is
impossible to fix the period when they lived
and reigned. The author of the Malabar
Gazetteer writes that " tradition points to
a time when a line of Vedar kings held
sway and the story goes on to record that

10

an ill-judged capture of a Kshattriya pilgrim
to the famous Tirunelli shrine led to the
invasion and subjugation of the country by
the Kshattriya princes of Kottayam and
Kurumbranad." This tradition as recorded
by certain leading inhabitants of Wynad on
15th Vrischikam 986 M.E. (28th November,
1810), is given below.

The Vedar kings were ruling the country
when the Kshattriya ruler of Kumbala
(Kumbazha-Kasergode in South Canara)
happened to go on a pilgrimage to the
Tirunelli temple. He was taken prisoner
and carried before the Vedar Raja at the
Velikumbam Fort (Veliyambam in Puthadi
amsam) and on being pressed to marry a
daughter of the Vedar ruling family, he con-
sented on condition that the ceremony should
be celebrated in accordance with Kshattriya
customs. This was allowed and an auspi-
cious day, a month hence, was fixed for the
celebration of the marriage. Meanwhile, the
Kumbala Raja communicated with the Rajas
of Kottayam and Kurumbranad, who came
up with their forces and encamped in the
neighbourhood of the Fort. The Kumbala

11

Raja's attendant, an ascetic with matted
hair and an Erati by caste, was entrusted
with the duty of beating the drum to com-
mence the festivities; but this was really
a signal to commence the onslaught,
and on hearing it, the two Rajas with
their united forces destroyed the Vedar
king; Kumbala Raja was rescued, but he
insisted that as he had promised to marry
the Vedar girl, he must at least find a
substitute and one Nanthillath Nambiar was
then prevailed upon to marry her. On this
marriage, he was appointed as the ruler
of Velikumbam (Veliyambam) with supreme
authority over the surviving Vedars. Kumbala
Raja having left the country back to go to
his own domains, it was decided that Wynad
should be partitioned between the Kottayam
and Kurumbranad Rajas. The Kottayam Raja
left Mathangode and the Kurumbranad Raja
left Koliyadi, and it was settled that their
meeting place should be the boundary
between the two countries. They met at
Pazhupathur, and the North-west Wynad
known as Wynad proper became the Kottayam
Raja's share, and the South-east Wynad known

12

as Parakkumeethil the Kurumbranad Raja's
share. For some time they ruled their
respective portions, but in consequence of
disputes between them, the Kurumbranad
Raja gave up his country to the Kotta-
yam Raja, except the palace and some
landed properties, and the Kottayarn Raja
held sway throughout the Wynad includ-
ing Parakkumeethil.

The Erati ascetic did good service and
it was resolved to reward him. The
Rajas thought him a lucky man (Bhd-
giyavdn), and in entrusting him with the
sovereignty of Muttil, called him the
founder of " Bhagiya Swarupam " (family
of good luck) which name has since been
abbreviated into " Pakka Swarupam."

The above tradition was handed down from
generation to generation, and in 1810, the
facts, as above stated, were recorded by
certain leading inhabitants of Wynad in
pursuance of an order of the Zilla Court
of North Malabar, dated 29th Thulam 986
M.E. (12th November, 18101). The tradition has
undergone tarious changes and there is now

1 Mackenzie Manuscript.

13

hardly any one who could give a correct
account of how the Kottayam Rajas became
the rulers of Wynad. The record is there-
fore interesting and shows one of the several
stages through which Wynad passed before
it became part and parcel of the British
Empire. Veliyambam and Pakam families
became extinct and their properties were
first escheated to the Kottayam Raja and
then to the British Government.

Pazhupathur is a place near Sultan's
Battery, and Padiri rock on the way from
Meenangadi to Battery is pointed out as
the exact boundary dividing the respective
tracts parcelled out between the two Rajas.
The name Parakkumeethil (lit., above the
rock), refers to the amsams south-east of that
rock and in that portion the Kurumbranad
Raja still holds some property including
a residence known as Ramangalath Kovila-
gam.1

Arippan and Vedan were the names of the

last Vedar rulers. Arippan ruled over the

tract lying north of Panamaram, and Aripatta

Kunnu in Tavinjal amsam on which his fort

1 Kovilagam — Palace.

14

stood, was called after him. Vedan ruled
over the tract lying south of Panamaram
river and the Vedan Kottas (Vedan forts)
in Pakkam and Nenmini amsams were called
after him. These rulers are legendary
characters but there must be some founda-
tion of truth in the legend, since their
names are as familiar to the people of
Wynad, as Cheraman Perumal's name is
to the inhabitants of the plains.

Mulla Kurumbers are said to belong
to Arippan's race and Vettu (or Urali)
Kurumbers to Vedan's race. Their claim
to this nationality is supported by the
following passage in the Madras Journal
of Literature and Science (1889) : " We are
very insufficiently informed about the early
history of the Kurumbers. Before they
settled down to anything like domestic life
they roamed as Vedas in the virgin forests
hunting the deer for its flesh and the wild
animals for their own safety." Dr. Oppert
speaks of " Kudumban" as identical with
"Kudiimbi" and " Kurumban" and it is
possible that the Kurumbers were the origin-
al inhabitants of Wynad during the reign of

15

the Kudumbiyil family. Evidently these
Kurumbers carved out a kingdom for
themselves and the Vedar kings Arippan
and Vedan, mentioned above, were the last
of the line.

CHAPTER III

KOTTAYAM REGIME

Information is meagre as regards the
administration of Parakkumeethil under the
sway of the Raja of Kurumbranad. But,
in respect of Wynad proper, the tract
set apart for the Raja of Kottayam, the
details of administration, so far as could
be ascertained, are given in this chapter.

The Rajas of Kottayam were wise and
capable administrators and introduced a
settled form of government into the country
which became theirs by conquest. It was
during their reign that the country was
divided into Nads (divisions) and placed
under Nayar chieftains for purposes of
administration, and though the Kottayam
family have now no jurisdiction in dis-
putes falling under the criminal law,

18

they still exercise their authority in social
matters. Wynad proper was under the
sway of the Western branch of the Kottayam
family until the death of Pazhassi Raja
in 1805 ; and since then the senior Raja of
Kizhekke Kovilagam (Eastern palace) is the
final appellate authority in all social questions.

The capital selected by the Rajas of
Kottayam is the station now known as
Manantoddy which is an abbreviation of Maha-
Ananda-Vati, meaning " Garden of delight."
It is no exaggeration to say that no more
appropriate name could have been conceiv-
ed. As the healthiest station in Wynad,
as an open country in the midst of forests,
with a beautiful stream running by, with a
cool and salubrious climate and an up-to-
date bazaar, it is still a " garden of
delight," to the inhabitants of Wynad and
to those in the plains who desire rest,
peace and a cool climate after their ex-
periences in the low country.

At this station, at Kazhukottur in Tavinjal
amsam, and at Mathangode in Kuppathode,
the Raja built palaces and shrines, and
though the palaces are now no more, having

19

collapsed by time and by neglect, the
shrines exist and are kept up though not
in the same grand style as before. In one
of these shrines (Theythal Bhagavathi shrine),
the officiating priest even now places a burn-
ing lamp and flowers in the Raja's seat of
honour, as doing homage to the ruler who
during his reign used to attend the annual
festival.

The name of Kazhukottur is connected
with " Kazhu " — gallows — where gallows were
erected to hang criminals.

As already stated Wynad proper or North-
west Wynad was divided into Nads or
smaller divisions and placed under Nayar
chieftains for purposes of administration.

1. Muthornad (Muthakur-nad, country of
the eldest). This division was placed under
the direct control of the senior Eaja.

The villages included in this division
are : Peria, Tavinjal and Edavaka, and the
following families were appointed as chief-
tains over them :

(1) Vazhathattil Nayar.

(2) Tavinjal Nayar.

(3) Mulliyankizhil Nayar.

20

(4) Alattil Nayar.

(5) Ayiravittil Nayar.

(6) Varayal Nayar.

These six are jointly known as " Aruvaram-
bath Jenmakkars." (Landlords of six bounda-
ries.)

2. Ellornad (Elankur-nad, Nad of the
younger branch). This was placed under the
direct control of the second Raja.

This consists of Vemom and Tirunelli
amsams.

Chieftains : (1) Edachana Nayar.
(2) Vemom Nambiar.

They are known as "Karushor" (Kariya
Purushanmar), men who administer the
affairs of " Elankuttil Swarupam."

3. Wynad ; 4. Porunnanur and 5. Nallurnad
were placed under the third Raja.

Wynad comprises Kuppathode, Purakkadi,
Anjukunnu and Puthadi amsams.

Chieftains : (1) Kuppathode Nayar.

(2) Tonder Nambiar.

(3) Pulpadi Nayar.

(4) Chikkalur Nayar.

21

These constitute " Wynad Swarupam."

4. Porunnanur comprising Porunnanur and
Vellamunda amsams.

Chieftains : (1) Manchan Nambiar.

(2) Karingari Nayar.

(3) Mangalasseri Nayar.

(4) Vattathode Nambiar.

(5) Cherukara Nayar.
known as " Porunnanur Swarupam."

5. Nallurnad consisting of the amsam of
that name.

The Chieftains are : —

(1) Manchan Nambiar.

(2) Karingari Nayar.

(3) Edachana Nayar.

6. Kurumbala Nad comprising Kurumbala
and Kottathara amsams.

This division was placed under Avinjat
Nayar of Payyormala, Kurumbranad Taluk.
He was the son of the Kottayam Raja,
who gave him the title of " Vazhunnavar "
(Ruler). Two Nayars — Thenamangalath Nayar,
Poyil Nayar — -were appointed as local
Chieftains. Avinjat family was subsequently
divided into Avinjat and Kuthali, and the

22

senior members of these families hold
the position of Vazhunnavars in Kurumbala
and Kottathara respectively.

7. Edanataskur, comprising amsams of
Kottapadi, Kalpetta and Vayitri with
(1) Kalpetta Nayar and (2) Kanthamangalath
Nayar, as chieftains.

8. Tondernad consisting of the amsam of
that name was placed under Nelliote Thiru-
mulpad, who granted it to his son Thonder
Nambiar, the senior Nambiar being styled
" Kovil " and his residence " Mel kotta "
(Tipper Fort).

9. Muttil and Pakkam Desams1 were un-
der " Bhagiam or Pakam Swarupam " and

10. Veliyambam under the Veliyambam
Vazhunnavar (Ruler), as already stated in
Chapter II.

ADMINISTRATION

The administration of the country was in
the hands of chieftains. - When caste rules are
violated the chieftains generally recommend
Prdyaschittham (expiatory observance), and a
member of the offender's family is sent to

1 Desam — Village.

23

pay homage to the senior Raja of Kotta-
yam. He presents the Neyyamirta (offer-
ings) in the shape of money. A wealthy
family presents 64 fanams, a middle class
family 32 fanams, and a poor one 16 fanams
(fanam=4 As.). On the fine being placed
in a Jcindi (brass vessel) in the Raja's pres-
ence, he asks the party to see the minis
(children) and the mother, thereby meaning
the second and third Rajas, and the Valiya
Tkamburatti (senior princess). The party
concerned makes presents to them on
a smaller scale. On orders (tharaku)
being then sent from the palace, the offend-
er is admitted to caste on Prdyaschit-
tham to the deity of his Nad, which is
done by a big feast, and payments rang-
ing from 16 to 64 fanams as a fine,
which goes to the temple fund.

Whenever there is a Pallikettu (Marriage)
ceremony in the Raja's family or when the
senior Raja or Thamburatti dies, intimation is
given to the chieftains, who respond by
going to the Kovilagam (palace) and mak-
ing presents. These old customs are still
continued.

24

CRIMINAL AND CIVIL JURISDICTION
This was also in the hands of the Nayar
chieftains. On complaints being made, the
chieftains meet at the house of the senior
member and decide the case, which, if it
ends in conviction, is followed by a fine
to the deity. If it so happens that any
complaint is pending at the time of the
annual festival of the temple it would be
decided there. Before the festival begins,
the question is put by the senior chieftain
" Are there any disputes in the country ? l
The parties interested step forward, their
cases are heard and disposed of in the
presence of the deity by the chieftains and
the elders of the country before the festi-
val commences. This system of Panchayet
was well adapted to the state of the country
with all the acts ratified by the presence
of the deity, before whom no falsehood
would be uttered. Swearing is now done
as a matter of course in the courts of law
without feeling any corresponding obligation
to speak the truth, but the presence of
the deity and the invocation by the people
'"N&ttu Vazhakkangal Vallatkum Undo?" Mai.

25

to help them tended towards a satisfactory
decision being arrived at in the days gone by.

The system of administration adopted,
deserves encomium. No one chieftain was
allowed to exercise any independent power
and every dispute had to be heard and
disposed of by the assembly of chieftains.
The Raja had to address them jointly
in matters affecting the Nad and even
now, when a representation is made about
caste customs, the report is submitted
by the chieftains jointly and the Tharaku
(order) is also addressed to the corporate
body, (such as " Aruvarambath Jenmakkars,"
" Blankuttil Swarupam," etc.), instead of
to individual chieftains.

ROYAL PREROGATIVE

The right of escheat is not new to the
present Government : the Kottayam Raja
also had exercised it. The right of Ezha,
Kozha, Thappu-Pizha, vested in the ruler.

Ezha— Property of persons dying without
heirs.

Kozha — Fine imposed, in addition to ex-
piatory observances, for violation of caste
customs.

26

Thappu-Pizha — Fine for offences committed.

The population consisted of Hindus and
they were evidently happy under the reign
of the Kottayam family. This happy state of
things was disturbed by the aggressions
of the Muhammadans from Mysore, and
the unsettled state consequent on the
Mysore invasion continued until the fall of
Seringapatam in 1799 and the cession of
Wynad to the British Government.

CHAPTER IV

POLITICAL HISTORY

Wynad stands unique in its political
history. This was the only taluk in Mala-
bar which never bowed its neck to the
Mysore yoke and which defied the British
power until its ruler fell, fighting against
the troops of the East India Company.
This ruler was the Kerala Varma Raja
of Pazhassi Kovilagam (Pazhassi palace)
of Kottayam dynasty and his history is
practically the political history of Wynad
from 1786 to 30th November, 1805.

Hyder Ali's hordes were devastating
Malabar in 1766 and the rulers of Kotta-
yam had fled for safety to Travancore
where the child Kerala Varma was living*
with his relations. Wynad remained undis-
turbed until 1773, when a Mysorean army

28

passed through the country by the Tama-
rasseri ghat on its way to Calicut.

In 1780 on the outbreak of the second
Mysore War, Ravi Varma the senior Raja,
returned from Travancore with his nephew
Kerala Varma and assisted the beleaguered
English factors at the seige of Tellicherry
with an army of 2,000 Nayars, and in 1786
when Ravi Varma visited Tippu Sultan in
Coorg, he — the Sultan — exacted from him
a deed of relinquishment of all his rights
over Wynad.

The Kottayam family had then three
branches :

1. Kizhekke Kovilagam — Eastern Palace.

2. Patinhare Kovilagam — Western Palace.

3. Thelcke Kovilagam — Southern Palace.
Wynad was under the sovereignty of the

Western branch of which Kerala Varma was
the head. He resented the action of the senior
Raja and refused to submit to the Mysore-
ans with whom he was engaged in desul-
tory warfare from 1787 to the beginning of
the Third Mysore War in 1790. On
4th May of that year, Robert Taylor, chief
of the English settlement at Tellicherry

29

granted a cowle to Kerala Varma Raja
that the English East India Company would
assist and protect him and do every thing
in their power to render him independent
of Tippu if he would enter heartily into
the war against the Sultan. The war was
waged, and under the treaty of peace
dated 18th March, 1792, Malabar was ceded
to the Company by the Sultan of Mysore.
It was a disputed point whether Wynad
was included in this cession and it was
not decided until the arrival of Lord
Mornington in India in 1798, when it was
finally settled that Wynad had remained
part of Tippu's dominions.

As soon as the treaty of Seringapatam
was signed in 1792, the East India Com-
pany appointed Joint Commissioners for the
administration of Malabar. They committed
the initial mistake of entrusting Kottayam
to the Kurumbranad Raja, who had no
influence in the country, and Kerala Varma
Raja, who was all-powerful in Kottayam,
promptly showed his contempt for both the
alleged authority of his uncle the Kurum-
branad Raja and the regulations of the East

30

India Company by stopping all collections of
revenue in the district and by taking the
law in his own hands against erring Moplas.

Efforts were made by the Company to
surprise the Raja in his palace at Pazhassi,
in Kottayam Taluk, but the Raja had a
secure retreat in the wilds of Wynad.
The troops sent against him were hamper-
ed by difficulties of transport and lack of
supplies, and a series of minor revers-
es culminated on March 18, 1797, in a
detachment of 1,100 men being cut to
pieces in the Peria pass. The Governor
of Bombay and the Commander-in-Chief
visited Malabar to investigate the state
of the District and cancelled the agree-
ment with the Kurumbranad Raja; peace
was restored through the good offices of
the Chirakkal Raja, Kerala Varma being-
paid Rs. 8,000 a year as pension.

In 1799, after the fall of Seringapatam,
Wynad had been ceded to the British but
Kerala Varma Raja resisted all attempts of
the Company to take possession of the country
and persevered in hostilities until 1805. On
November 30th of that year, Mr. Baber,

31

Sub-Collector of North Malabar Division
surprised him in his retreat in the neighbour-
hood of the Pulpalli forest and had the
"infinite satisfaction " of reporting to Govern-
ment that he had " the good fortune to
come up with the Cotiote Kerala Varma
Raja alias the Pyche Eaja and with the
assistance of Captain Clapham and 50 Se-
poys and 100 Kolkars1 to chastise this rebel
chieftain by destroying him and five of
his followers." The rebellion died a
natural death afterwards.

The following extract from Mr. Baber's
letter 2 dated 31st December, 1805, to the
Collector of Malabar explains the events
immediately preceding the Raja's death and
contains the writer's views as regards the
Raja's character. To the student of Wynad
history it is interesting reading.

" Having said this much of the plan of
operations that had been adopted, I now
come to those which terminated the career
of the Pyche (Palassi) chieftain."

" I before said that one of my objects
by getting in the inhabitants of Pulpally
1 Kolkars — Peons. a Malabar Manual.

32

(Pulpalli) was to obtain accurate information
of the rebels. This I did not think prudent
to commence upon too early lest they
should take the alarm. I preferred trying
all my persuasive means to gain their con-
fidence and to wean them from their
connections. For this purpose I had them
before me and took every opportunity of
representing the folly of countenancing
a body of men so truly contemptible, and
who had no other end than to involve
them in one common ruin. I pointed to
them in the strongest colours the power
and lenity of the British Government, and
at last, what with exhortation and occasional
presents, had succeeded in inducing several
of these, who had been of most essential
service to the Raja's party, to send their
Paniyars (Paniyar— agricultural labourers) out
in quest of information. I took the pre-
caution of swearing all whom I employed
to secrecy. With many agents, I could not
fail of success in some one of them. On
the 30th ultimo, three of them at last
brought me intelligence of the Pyche
(Palassi) Raja and all the rebel leaders,

33

with the exception of Palora Jamen (Pallur
Eman) being then in the opposite side
of the Kangara river, a short distance in
Mysore, and this so unequivocally that I
determined to act upon it. I accordingly
requested of Lieutenant-Colonel Hill to
assist me with 50 Sepoys and an Officer,
with which force and about 100 kolkars,
half Captain Watson's Police, half my own
locals, I marched at nine o'clock at night ; and
such was the secrecy in which we set off that
our guides even did not know my intention
until the moment we took our departure.
Previous to this I had deemed it expedient to
make a feint to divert the attention of the
rebels (who I thought it probable might
have their spies in camp) by detaching
70 of my kolkars, under the Sheristadar,
under the pretext of going in pursuit of
Palora Jamen who was reported to be in
the Komanpany Mala in the South-eastern
direction, while they had secret instructions
after marching half-way to this mountain
to strike off eastward to the Kallir Mountain
and there lie in ambush near to paths to
cut off the retreat of any fugitives who

34

would, in most probability, go off in that
direction in the event of our party coming
up with the rebels.

" Such was the nature of the country that
although we kept marching the whole
night we did not reach the Kangara river
until seven the following morning. Here we
divided ourselves into two parties, and pro-
ceeding along the banks, observed a vast
number of huts, all of them bearing every
appearance of recent habitation : we continued
marching until nine o'clock, when the
detachment being fatigued, a halt was pro-
posed. We accordingly halted, and having
taken some refreshment, we again started,
with the determination of tracing every
jungly path : so fully pursuaded was I,
as well from the earnestness of our guides
as the consideration that this was a part
of Mysore that our troops had at no time
penetrated or perhaps even thought of
doing, that the rebels must be concealed
in some parts of these jungles. After
proceeding about a mile and a half through
very high grass and thick teak forests
into the Mysore country, Charen Subedar

35

of Captain Watson's armed police, who
was leading the advanced party suddenly
halted and beckoiming to me, told me
he heard voices. I immediately ran to the
spot, and having advanced a few steps, I
saw distinctly to the left about ten persons,
unsuspecting of danger, on the banks of the
Mavila Toda, or Nulla to our left. Although
Captain Clapham and the sepoys as well
as the greater part of the kolkars, were
in the rear, I still deemed it prudent
to proceed, apprehensive lest we should
be discovered and all hopes of surprise
thereby frustrated. I accordingly ordered
the advance, which consisted of about
thirty men, to dash on, which they ac-
cordingly did with great gallantry, with
Charen Subedar at their head. In a
moment the advance was in the midst
of the enemy, fighting most bravely. The
contest was but of short duration. Several
of the rebels had fallen, whom the
kolkars were despatching, and a running
fight was kept up after the rest till we
could see no more of them. Just at this
time a firing was heard to the right;

36

we accordingly returned, when we saw the
sepoys and kolkars engaged with a fresh
body of rebels, who proved to be of
Ooongan's (Kungan's) party, but who fled
after a few shots had been fired at them
and though pursued, were seen nothing
more of. From one of the rebels of the
first party to the left, whom I discovered
concealed in the grass, I learnt that the
Pyche (Palassi) Raja was amongst those
whom we first observed on the banks of
the Nulla, and it was only on my return
from the pursuit that I learnt that the
Raja was amongst the first who had fallen.
It fell to the lot of one of my Cutcherry
servants, Canara Menon, to arrest the flight
of the Raja, which he did at the hazard
of his life (the Raja having put his musket
to his breast) and it is worthy of mention
that this extraordinary personage, though in
the moment of death, called out in the
most dignified and commanding manner to
the Menon, " Not to approach and defile
his person ". Aralat Cootty Nambiar, the
only one remaining of those rebels pro-
scribed by Colonel Stevenson and a most

37

faithful adherent of the Raja made a most
desperate resistance, but at last fell over-
powered by the superior skill of one
of the parbutties (pravritti) in Wynad ;
four other followers of the Raja were
also killed, two taken prisoners together
with the Raja's lady and several female
attendants. There was no other property
discovered, but a gold Cuttaram (Katharam
or Kattaram — dagger) or knife and a waist-
chain ; the former I have now in my pos-
session, the latter I presented to Captain
Clapham. And from the accounts of the
Raja's lady, they had been reduced to the
greatest distresses in particular for the last
ten days. The Raja's body was taken up
and put into my palanquin, while the lady
who was dreadfully reduced from sickness
was put into Captain Clapham's. Finding
any further pursuit of the rebel useless,
we made a disposition of our forces and
returned to Chomady which we reached
about six in the afternoon without having
met with any further occurrences on the
road. The following day the Raja's body
was despatched under a strong escort to

38

Manantoddy, and the Sheristadar sent with
it with orders to assemble all the Brahmins
and to see that the customary honours
were performed at his funeral. I was
induced to this conduct from the considera-
tion that although a rebel, he was one of
the natural chieftains of the country, and
might be considered on that account rather
as a fallen enemy. If I have acted injudi-
ciously, I hope some allowances will be made
for my feelings on such an occasion.

" Thus terminated the career of a man
who has been enabled to persevere in
hostilities against the Company for nearly
nine years, during which many thousand
valuable lives have been sacrificed and
sums of money beyond all calculation
expended.

" Notwithstanding that every effort of
moderation and lenity was pursued towards
the Kaja, nothing could get the better of
his natural restlessness and ferocity of dis-
position, which, aided by the evil counsels
of his advisers, impelled him to the most
desperate acts and produced an infatuation
which rendered him insensible to the dictates

39

of humanity or reason. His annihilation
became necessary for the stability and
security of the Government and its subjects.
While this severe necessity existed, the re-
collection of the services he has performed
during the infancy of our Government can-
not but inspire us with a sentiment of
regret that a man so formed should have
pursued a conduct that should have thrown
so insuperable a bar to all kinds of accommoda-
tions. To temporise further than was done
would have been to yield, and to have
yielded would have afforded a precedent
which might have been fatal to the British
Government in India.

"But it will not be necessary for me to
enlarge to you who are so well acquainted
with this chieftain's history, on the leading
features of so extraordinary and singular
a character. The records in England and
India will convey to posterity a just idea
of him."

Mr. Baber admired the great qualities
of the Raja and remarked that the inhabi-
tants entertained towards the Raja " a
regard and respect bordering on veneration

40

which not even his death can efface." These
words were prophetic; more than a century
has passed and his name is still cherished by
the people as the Saktan1 Raja.

Saktan — Powerful : Great.

CHAPTER V

THE PLANTING INDUSTRY

Coffee. In the first half of the nineteenth
century Manantoddy was a military station
and the troops were cantoned on the hill on
which the Travellers' Bungalow now stands.
This bungalow was the mess house of the
officers of the detachment. The Officer in
command appears to have planted coffee
experimentally on this hill employing his men
for the work, and the tree flourished on
this fertile soil. In 1820 or thereabouts, a
partner of Messrs. Parry & Co., was on
his way from Madras, across the peninsula
to Calicut, and went up the Kuttiyadi
ghat on a visit to their coffee estates
on the Baba Budan Hills in Northern
Mysore. He stopped with the officers of the
detachment and in course of conversation,

42

when the visitor remarked on the difficult-
ies of travel to the distant coffee estates,
one of the officers pointed out to him the
flourishing coffee plants on the Manantoddy
hill just behind the mess. He was greatly
impressed with the growth of the trees and
the quantity of the crop, and on his return to
Madras sent Mr. King to purchase Grass
hills near Manantoddy and experiment on
coffee cultivation. He built a bungalow on
the hill near Manantoddy Ferry and opened
about 75 acres of land for coffee. This was
the first attempt, which however ended in
failure. Mr. Pugh from Ceylon, an experi-
enced planter then visited Manantoddy and
established the first coffee estate known as the
Pew estate. The exact year is not known, but
it was between 1830 and 1840. North Wynad
then became a planting centre with all the
paraphernalia of a European club and a race
course. Coffee was at its best between 1860

N"OTE — There is another version that it was Major
Glasson who opened the first Coffee Estate in
Manantoddy in 1840. The account given here
was furnished by Dr. Hewston, an old resident
of Manantoddy.

43

and 1875 and it was in 1870 that leaf disease
first appeared. This was the chief cause
of the decline of the industry, though borer
and the introduction of the Ceylon system
of planting without shade did a lot of harm.
The industry was thus ruined and the
planter had recourse to cinchona. The first
cinchonas were planted in Cherampadi by
Captain Cox and Mr. Irvine in 1868 as
an avenue, but it was not until the early
seventies that the industry was started to
any great extent with Cinchona Succiruhra.
Ledgers (i.e., Cinchona Ledgereana) followed
some ten years later, and from 1880 to
1890 it was largely grown, but the
immense exports from Ceylon and later
from Java sent the price down to what
would hardly pay for the harvesting and
shipping, let alone any question of
return on the capital or of cultivation
charges. This is an instance of an industry
being ruined by over-production. Before the
Ceylon exports began to be felt (say about
1880) the price of quinine was £1 per
ounce but in the beginning of the nineties,
it went down to ten pence and now the

44

wholesale price is less than a shilling.
There is very little cinchona now remaining
in Wynad.

Tea began to be planted on various
estates in Wynad from 1892 forward. It
had existed before then on Perin dotty
which Messrs. Parry & Co., had worked for
years as a tea estate. On the failure of
coffee and cinchona many estates were
planted with tea and as prices have
risen extensions have gone on. It does
very well in Wynad and the total output
as reported in official returns is given
below :

Year Acreage Manufactured Tea

1907 ... 4,531 ... 1,749,062 fts.

1908 ... 4,686 ... 1,751,526 „

1909 ... 5,078 ... 2,283,429 „

Tea is now confined to South Wynad;
but lands are now being taken up for tea
planting also in North Wynad, which in course
of time, will recover its past glory, with
the many advantages incidental to the in-
troduction of this valuable industry into
this at present deserted part of Wynad.
The technical names found on the labels

45

of tea packets are the names of each
of the leaves of the shoot of the tea
plant. The bud at the extreme end is the
tip or the " Flowery pekoe," the two next
"Orange pekoe," the two next "Souchong,"
and the next two "Congou".

Pepper flourished in North Malabar, and
on the failure of coffee, the planters tried
it in Wynad. It was first grown there
in the sixties and Mr. Powell took charge
of a South Wynad Estate with bearing
pepper on it in 1875. For some years, it
throve, and the disease that is doing so much
damage first attracted attention in 1900.
Since tea has turned out successful, pepper
is merely tolerated by the planter and not
encouraged.

Rubber. Ceara rubber was planted ex-
perimentally a good many years ago. In 1889
there were full grown trees in Cherambadi
and it was then thought that it would
not yield any latex in Wynad. No one
thought of doing anything with it until 1903
when an expert deputed by the Govern-
ment made experiments and demonstrated
that the trees would yield rubber. In 1904

46

Mr. C. E. Abbott tapped a number of
trees in Moovatee and Poothram Shola
Estates near Vayitri (South Wynad). Getting
a fair yield he made an experimental ship-
merit, which sold for six shillings per pound.
Tapping experiments were made in Rasselas
and certain other estates when it was abundant-
ly proved that latex existed in the trees.
But the method of tapping then recommend-
ed was an unsound one, and so many trees
died under the process that it was discontinued.
A new method has been since discovered
giving good results, and it is proposed to
plant Ceara extensively. It grows freely but
must be protected from wind.

Para Rubber (Havea Brazileinsis) is also
being planted on some estates and though
the growth is slower than in the low
country it does well when carefully planted
and cultivated.

Rubber now attracts considerable attention
among the planters; but its importance is
second only to that of tea.

" The Planter has brought into cultiva-
tion land which but for him would have
been unproductive at the present day;

47

he has tilled the desolate mountain -tops ;
he has turned the hill fastnesses in-
to fruitful gardens ; he has made the
fever-poisoned valleys to rejoice in health
and plenty. By his labours, and at no
mean expenditure of British lives and
British gold, tracts of jungle which half a
century ago gave but a scanty gleaning of
gall-nuts and wild honey, to-day produce
harvests worth over a million and a half
of money."

The above published in the Madras
Mail, fifteen years ago, sums up the
situation admirably. European enterprise
has contributed materially to the prosper-
ity of the country and the planting indus-
try is giving work to hundreds of labourers,
who in these days of over-population, would
otherwise be starving. The country is being
opened up year by year and the millions
of English money spent here will not be
in vain.

CHAPTER VI

PEOPLE OF WYNAD

(a) Ghettis.

1. Edanadan Chettis.

2. Wynadan Chettis.

3. Mandatan Chettis.

(b) Hill tribes.

1. Kurichiyans.

2. Mullakurumbers.

3. Urali or Vettu Kur umbers

4. Kunduvatiyans.

5. Karimpalans.

6. Kaders.

7. Pathiyans.

8. Uridavans.

9. Thachanad Muppens.
10. Kanaladis.

(c) Aborigines — Predial ^slaves.

1. Adiyans.

2. Paniyars.

3. Pulayans.

50

(d) Aborigines — Forest dwellers.

4. Jain or Then Kurumbers.

5. Kattn Naykans.

This chapter contains a description of
the customs and manners of those peculiar
tribes whose ancestors having found their
way into Wynad centuries ago, settled here
at different times and in different colonies,
every community being distinct from the
other in customs and manners, language
and faith, dress and appearance. These
have no kith or kin outside Wynad and the
adjoining tracts.

These communities not being correlative
to one another, it is difficult to classify
them. An attempt is however made, though
it may not be very satisfactory.

The Ghettis. The three Chettis are by
their status and wealth, placed on the top of
the list. They are landlords and cultivators,
have Brahmin priests to officiate, and have
advanced in civilisation to the extent of
supplying two members to the Taluk Board
of Wynad, one from Edanadan and the
other from Wynadan Chetty community.
(1) Kurichiyans, (2) Mullakurumbers,

51

(3) Urali or Vettu Kurumbers, (4) Kundu-
vatiyans, (5) Karimpalans, (6) Kaders,
(7) Pathiyans, (8) TJridavans, (9) Thachanad
Muppens, and (10) Kanaladis may be grouped
together as hill tribes, it being impossible to
draw any distinction between them, except
so far as Kurichiyans are concerned, who
admittedly hold the highest position among
them.

The next group consists of the predial
slaves : (1) Adiyans, (2) Paniyars, (3) Pula-
yans, and the forest dwellers, (4) Jain or
Then Kurumbers and (5) Kattu Naykans.
These are the aborigines. About the Paniyars
it is stated in the Imperial Gazetteer
(Vol. I) that they are the most character-
istic representatives of the Dravadian
type, being probably the "original type /-*
of the population of India now modified
to a varying extent by the admixture of
Aryan, Scythian and Mongoloid elements ".
Another theory is that the Paniyars are
the descendants of the Negroes brought 2*
from Zanzibar by Moors trading with the
Malabar Coast, and a third theory and the
most interesting one is that there existed a

52

" submerged continent of Lemuria extending
from Madagascar to the Malay Archipelago
linking India with Africa on the one side
and with Australia on the other ; " * a theory
which points to an affinity between the
aborigines of Australia, the Negroes of
Africa and the aborigines of Southern India.
On this I am not qualified to comment.

Besides the above hill tribes, there are
other inhabitants such as Nayars, Brahmins,
Jains, Moplas and Rowthens who have set-
tled in Wynad. They do not really belong to
this country, but are descendants of settlers
from other places and keep up communi-
cation with their ancestral homes, intermarry-
ing among their caste people in their own
countries. The Nayars from the plains were
the first to come in. They were brought
by the Kottayam Raja and were allowed lands
to settle on, the leaders among them being
appointed to responsible positions as detail-
ed in Chapter III. The Brahmins were
brought from the Chola country after the
conquest, and they settled in Nallurnad am-
sam. There are landlords, officials and money-
1 Imperial Gazetteer.

53

lenders among them and the majority are
in well-to-do circumstances. The Jains
consisting of Gowdas and Taragans migrat-
ed from Mysore for purposes of trade.
The title Taragan is not prevalent in
Mysore, but was adopted in Wynad by
those Jains who settled here under " Tara-
ku " (Royal mandate) of the Kottayam
Raja. The Moplas came in from Tellicherry,
Kurumbranad and Calicut after the Mysore
invasion, and Rowthens have a colony in
Kariyampathi (between Kaniambetta and
Meenangadi) and are cultivators and trades-
men. Their ancestors hailed from Pudu-
nagaram in Palghat, where they are to
be found in large numbers. The history
of the above classes properly belongs to
the countries from which their ancestors
migrated and is therefore not given here.

EDANADAN CHETTIS

This class of Chettis, whose ancestors
migrated from Coorg — from a place known
as Edanad — have settled in Tirunelli and
Puthadi amsams. Where Edanad is and
whether there is a place known as Edanad,
the present generation of Chettis have no

53A

idea. They did not change their customs
nor their law of inheritance — the only change
in them being in point of dress — whereas
they wore the ordinary Chettis' dress in
their ancestral home, they now wear the
Malayali Mundu (cloth) like the Malabar
Nayars. There is no information as to when
they migrated.

Agriculturists they are by profession, and
the fertile soil of Tirunelli responds to their
labours. Their language they claim to be
Canarese; but in their own houses they
speak a hybrid between Canarese and Mala-
yalam. They are generally illiterate and
the few who profess to read and write do
so in Malayalam and this is not surprising
as Malayalam is the language of the coun-
try. In point of religion they are divided
into Saivites and Vaishnavites, the former
bearing the ash marks on the forehead and
the latter the lyengar mark (Vaishnava),
both sects being curiously enough served by
a Vaishnavite Vaidika (religious preceptor).
This Vaidika is an lyengar Brahmin of
Punnat (southern part of Mysore) and it
is rather a mystery how such a Brahmin

EDANADAN CHBTTIS.

54

happened to be the priest of these Chettis.
He is the judge or rather arbitrator in
questions of religious and social customs ;
in cases of violation of any caste customs,
it is he who decides whether the offender
should be outcasted and what Prayaschitham
(Penance) should be observed before he could
be admitted to the caste privileges. These
Chettis have no temples or religious institu-
tions of their own; and recognise the local
temples for purpose of worship irrespective
of the particular deity who presides.

Makkathayam (succession from father to
son) is the law of inheritance observed by
this community and their marriage customs
deserve notice. Between the bridegroom's
and bride's relations, the marriage is set-
tled : and on the day fixed, the bride's party
move to the bridegroom's house where after
a bath they sit in a pandal erected for
the purpose when the bridegroom's father
(or in his absence his uncle) pays the
bride's parents ten fanams (Rs. 2-8-0) and
garlands, after being sanctified by a Brah-
min, are exchanged between the bride
and the bridegroom. It is rather curious

54A

that the garlands should cost 16 fanams
(Rs. 4-0-0) while the bride's price is only
(Rs. 2-8-0) but yet that is the custom. The
feasting continues till the third day when
the marriage ceremony closes.

On the husband's death the widow is en-
titled to be maintained by his relatives but
a convenient alternative exists by which if
either party wishes she could leave the house
on her being paid Rs. 5 and a new cloth,
when she could go to her father's, forfeit-
ing her right to her husband's property.
She may also take another husband, but not
in the manner she was first married. A
second marriage is not a legal one and does
not convey to her or her children any right
to her husband's property and it is merely a
Podamuri, as is customary in Malabar, the
bride's price being reduced to 5 fanams
(Re. 1-4-0) and the garlanding being dis-
pensed with.

Evidently these people have both the real
Makkathayam marriage and the Marumak-
'kafhayam Sambandham called Podamuri. The
former they retain as a relic of their ancestral
custom by which the wife and children sue-

WYNADAN CHETTIS.

55

ceed to the father's property and the latter
they adopted by association with Malayalis
whereby the wife and children have no right
to the father's property.

These Chettis observe death pollution for
5 to 11 days but beyond a feast during
that period and the sprinkling of holy water
(Punniaham) from the hands of a Brahmin
there is no objection to others mixing with
them, touching them or dining with them.
They bury or cremate their dead according as
is most convenient for the surviving relatives.

The Chettis take meals prepared by Nayars
and the milk and ghee presented by them
are accepted by Brahmins.

Thus a class of people from Coorg exist
in Wynad cultivating the fertile soil of
Tirunelli, following their ancestral customs
and manners slightly changed by the customs
of their adopted country with no relatives
beyond the villages where they are now
settled and where as agriculturists they
live a happy and contented life.
WYNADAN CHETTIS

This is a peculiar class of Chettis, who
are found in the four amsams of Kidanga-

nad, Nenmini, Nulpuzha and Muppainad.
They are agriculturists by profession, follow
the Marum,aTclcathayam (succession in mother's
line) law like the Nayars have access to the
temples in Wynad unlike other Chettis, and
the milk and ghee offered by them are ac-
cepted by Brahmins and Nayars. Their
language is Malayalam : they have the AcJiara
Kalliyanam, a substitute for the Malayalam
Sambandham x and they are, when compared
to the Chettis of other denominations hailing
from the east coast, a favoured class enjoy-
ing the privileges of Nayars, excepting in
the matter of shaving and washing for which
no separate class was assigned to their com-
munity and in consequence of which they do
it among themselves.

Their ancestors hailed from Dharapuram in

Coimbatore and were Vellala Chettis, who

for some reason, not clearly ascertainable, left

their country, passed through Satyamangalam

in Coimbatore, through Melpotta in Mysore,

Ponkuli in Nulpuzha (Wyiiad) and encamped

in Granapathivattam (Sultan's Battery) within

a distance of six miles from Thirumangalath

1 Sambandham — Malabar form of marriage.

56

Kotta (Nenmini Amsam) wherein lived the
Raja of Kottayam. As a wise ruler, he in-
duced them to settle down in his country and
offered them lands to cultivate. They were
about 300 families, and while they had to
make certain changes in their appearance —
removal of the back tuft of hair to the
front, and change of dress from the Tamili-
an coloured clothing to the Malayali white
— they were happy and contented with
the privileges of Nayars conferred upon
them. Between them and these Chettis
there is no touch-pollution.

There is however a slight difference in
their marriage customs. The Achara Kalli-
yanam,1 referred to above, does not permit
of the wife living with the husband at his
house, and there is therefore a Mala Kalli-
yanam, when the bride and the bridegroom
garland (Mala)) each other, the garland
being given by a Brahmin, and the wife
gets the right of living with the husband.
One who has performed only the less im-
portant Kalliyanam may remarry in the
more respectable form, with the conse-

1 Kalliyanam — Marriage.

56A

quential privilege of the wife and children
living in the husband's house.

The Chettis are exclusively agriculturists
cultivating wet lands, and also raising dry
crops. The Raja appointed as heads of the
community the senior members of the fol-
lowing five families :

1. Chiran Chetti in Nenmini.

2. Thomat Chetti in Muppainad.

3. Kollapalli Chetti in Munnanad.

4. Chethalayath Chetti in Chenad desam.

5. Peruvangote Chetti in Kidanganad
desam. Their descendants are still recog-
nised as heads of the community in all
social functions.

They are bold shikaris and their pastime
is the tiger hunt. Their deity Mamnathan
presides over their destinies, with other
minor gods and goddesses, one of whom is
known as Mudianpuli at the shrine on
Edakal Mala. The majority are illiterate
but they are now sending their children to
school. They are law-abiding and peaceful
citizens living on the produce of their
lands, but are improvident and always in-
debted to the clever Mopla money-lender

MANDATAN CHETTIS.

57

of Sultan's Battery and are unfortunately
addicted to drink.

Under the wise administration of the
Kottayam Raja they lived and flourished in
this wilderness, forgetting their ancestral
home, their mother-tongue, and with a system
of inheritance different from what prevails
among their caste men in Coimbatore.
MANDATAN CHETTIS

About forty families of Mandatan Chettis
are to be found in Veliyambam and Pulpalli
desams in Puthadi amsam.

They are found nowhere else in Wyiiad
and they appear to have migrated from
Gudalur Division of the Nilgiri District
where, it is said, about 500 families of
this community exist.

Between Mandatan Chettis and Wynadan
Chettis, already mentioned, there is a similar-
ity that both bear the kuduma in front and
the males interdine : but the former follow
Makkathayam and the latter Marumakkathayam.

They have their own paddy and hill
cultivation and while they do not go out
as labourers, they manage to live on the
proceeds of their own cultivation.

58

They have no separate shrine for their
God who is called " Athiralan," and who is
worshipped in every house, and any spe-
cial offering they desire to make is made
at Nambulakotta in Gudalur (Nilgiri Dis-
trict) once a year. Marriage is permissible
before or after puberty. Arrangements are
made by the bridegroom's father or uncle
and on the day fixed for the wedding, the
father and, in his absence, the paternal
uncle or elder brother proceeds to the bride's
house with thali and ear ornaments, which
are handed over to the father of the bride.
She wears them and accompanies the party
to the bridegroom's home. The ceremony
lasts generally for five days and the gar-
landing is done on the third day in a
special pandal erected for the occasion,
where the bridegroom ties the thali round
the neck of the bride and they exchange
garlands which, for a consideration of a
rupee and eight annas, a Brahmin provides.

Cremation is the rule among them except
where children die, but in cases of death
from cholera and small-pox, the dead are
buried and not cremated. Fifteen days'

KURICHIYANS.

59

pollution is observed after death.

The husband may divorce the wife and
the latter may marry again, but the children
live with the father. On the husbands'
death, his brother may marry the widow ;
in fact it is the brother's right to marry
her to the exclusion of a stranger.

The origin of these Chettis cannot be ascer-
tained. They have adopted the kuduma in front
which is a Malabar custom : but everything
else indicates their origin as from outside
Malabar. Their headquarters, as they repre-
sent, is in the Gudalur Division of the Nilgiri
District, but their original home is unknown.
KURICHIYANS

The name Kurichiyan was given by the
Kottayam Raja to this class of people as
they were adepts in archery. The expres-
sion is " Kuri-vechavan," (he who took
aim). Another derivation is suggested in
the Gazetteer from Kurichchi — hill country.
They belonged to a class of Nayars known
as " Theke Kari Nayar " meaning Karinayar
of south, indicating Venad or Travancore.
Whether they exist still in Travancore,
there is no information.

60

The traditionary account of the Kurichiyans'
advent into this country is that the Kottayam
Raja brought them for fighting the Vedar
rulers Arippen and Vedan. Their caste-
men would not take them back and they
settled in Wynad and in the hilly parts
of Kottayam. The number of families so
settled is said to be 148.

Their houses are called " Mittam," and
while recognising the gods of the Nayars
of this country, their own special deity is
" Malakari " an aspect of Siva as a hunter,
and in every mittam a place is allotted for
smaller local deities also. Offering to the
deities is given after the harvest in either
of the two methods "Thera" or "Koll".
For the Thera, the platform or shrine where
the puja (worship) is to be performed is
purified by holy water from a Brahmin's
hands, and a Kurichiyan dressed up for
the occasion, with a white head-dress, acts as
an oracle. The KumbTiam-Vettal (cutting
the vessel) then takes place, the Muppen —
headman — cutting a bamboo piece full of
toddy. Then all similar bamboo pieces in
which toddy will have been brought are

61

emptied and the contents consumed. The
offering known as " Koll " is not so interest-
ing; beaten rice, plantains and jaggery
are placed on a plantain leaf at the shrine
and the Muppen, after prayers, distributes
them.

The Kurichiyans follow Marumakkathayam.
They observe Thalikettu Kalliyanam before
puberty : all the girls of a Mittam, (group
of houses), are brought together, the god
Malakari appears in the person of a Kuri-
chiyan and he puts a tliali — a golden one
about Rs. 2 worth — on each girl. Festivities
follow, and the next day, the girls go to
the nearest shrine and pray, receiving holy
water from there. Marriage is permissi-
ble before or after puberty, but only after
Thalikettu Kalliyanam.

The head of the family is called Pittan
and he arranges the marriage. On the day
fixed, the party moves to the bride's, with
six copper rings, a gold thali for the bride,
two white cloths, a coloured cloth and
betel and nut. The girl appears, the cloths
and rings are then worn by her as also
the thali. After meals, the bridegroom's

62

uncle pays Rs. 2 to the bride's uncle for
Malakari's favour. The girl is taken to
the bridegroom's house and received with
lighted lamp and rice placed on a plantain
leaf. The bride and seven of her caste-
women walk round the light seven times,
and they begin praising the girl's beauty,
meals are after which served and the
guests disperse.

Thirty days' pollution is observed during
puberty and the girl has to bathe very
early in the morning every day before the
men come out of the houses. On the thirtieth
day, her female friends rub oil on the girl
and give her a bath after which alone can
she see a man. The meals on that day
are peculiar consisting of " chakkara chore "
(jaggery rice), the wT>men first taking their
meals and then the men.

The Kurichiyans bury their dead ; an arrow
is buried with the body if a male, and a
scythe if a female. Seven days' pollution
is observed and rice is offered to the soul
of the departed. The funeral ceremony on
a grand scale is observed at any time
convenient in the year. They have no

63

priests : the elders act for the occasion. The
deceased ancestors are remembered and once
a year, toddy, meat, etc., are placed in a
room for their use and subsequently enjoyed
by the Kurichiyans.

A husband may divorce his wife any
time he likes : but the wife has to bring
her case before the elders, if she wants to
leave him, and they decide the question.

The Kurichiyans are cultivators raising
paddy crops on wet lands and raggi on
hills. They are also hunters, and in the
name of Malakari devote three days — 10th,
11 th and 12th Thulam (October) — for hunting.
They occupy the highest status among the
Wynad tribes in point of caste, they do not
take meals of any caste but of the Brahmins
and the Nayars of Wynad : their houses are
polluted if any other caste man should enter the
same : and the slightest suspicion is enough
to put a man or woman out of the caste.
These outcastes have, during recent years,
been taken to the Christian fold.

The Kurichiyans are religious, truthful
and simple. There were well-to-do men
among them before, but they are now in

64

the hands of the clever Moplas who advance
them small sums of money until their paddy
crops find their way to the Mopla's shop
and until in the course of two or three
years, they also part with their lands to
satisfy their creditors.

It is sad to think of the Kurichiyan's
fate. Brought into the country as soldiers,
settled here as agriculturists, this race, which
a century back had the temerity to defy
the British power, has sunk so low that the
Kurichiyans find themselves compelled to earn
their living as labourers at the beck and call of
every one, and unambitious, illiterate and
uneducated, they will be dragged lower and
lower down, unless something providential
happens to help them out of their slough of
despond.

MULLAKTJRUMBERS

Mullakurumbers are bowmen and hunters
and, with the Kurichiyans, formed the army
of the " Pychy rebel " in his rebellion against
the British Power in the beginning of the
nineteenth Century. The rebel — Kerala Varma
Raja — was killed in 1805 and seven years
afterwards the Kurumbers started another

MULLAKURUMBERS.

65

rebellion which, of course, was instantly
suppressed. Their reputation as hunters is
still maintained and they fully deserve the
compliment given to them by the author
of the Malabar Manual in the following
terms : — " The fact that the Kurumbers pre-
ferred a roving life in the jungles to a
sedentary one in subjection on the plains,
proves them to have been a superior race
and indeed to the present day they very
markedly retain this characteristic."

According to the chief of this community,
their origin was in Puthadi amsam in
which the shrine dedicated to their God
Kirathan is situated, and they claim to have
been — in the spirit world — the Bhuthams
(Demons), who attended God Siva in his
manifestation as Kirathan (hunter) during
his hunting expeditions. They are happy
in this idea of supernatural origin and have
full faith in it, and so mote it be.

The God Kirathan is called by them
Puthadi Daivam (Puthadi, lit., Blmtliam-aM,
Demon dance) and while he is their presid-
ing deity, smaller deities known as " Pakam
Daivam/' "Pullikarinkali," her daughter "Kali,"

5

66

and " Blankuravam " are also worshipped. A
place is set apart in their houses for daily
worship. The Kurumbers are very religi-
ous and in their houses they keep a very
small bamboo box called " Pezha " into which
every member of the house places from 2
to 8 annas for the deity once a year,
generally after the harvest.

They are to be found in Puthadi,
Purakadi, Muttil, Kidaiiganad, Nenmini,
Nulpuzha and Kottapadi amsams.

Their chief is styled " Talachil Muppen "
and he is the highest authority having juris-
diction over all the tJiaras. A thara is a
group of about fifty kitties (houses)
located in a village under the control
of a headman known as " Muppen " with
a subordinate called " Nalappadi Muppen ".
Offences against caste and other dis-
putes are reported by the subordinate
Muppen to the headman of the thara who
in the presence of an assembly composed of
one member from every house and in the
presence of the deity — who is represented by
an inspired Kurumben — tries the case and
in case of conviction, imposes a fine vary-

67

ing from one to sixteen fanams (fanam=4
annas) on the offender, a portion of the
fine being set apart for the deity, and
the balance spent in buying cocoanuts
which are at once enjoyed by those present.
The offender has the right of appeal to
the Talachil Muppen whose decision is
final. Disobedience results in the offender
being boycotted by the whole community.

Their language is Malayalam. A good
number of them can read and write. Their
kudiima (hair -tuft) is in front like that of the
Malabar people and they follow Makkatha-
;/am (succession from father to son). Their
marriage ceremony — which is an elaborate
affair — deserves notice.

Before attaining puberty, no girl is
given in marriage. This period is observ-
ed for seven days during which the
girl is compelled either to sit on a plank
or when walking to wear leaves or some
such substance on her feet to prevent
her touching the ground. After her bath
on the seventh day — which is of course a
festive occasion — she is confined to a sepa-
rate room without being allowed to enter

68

the kitchen or the deity's room. This period
of segregation lasts until her future husband
enters the room and takes her out.

His difficulties are great. He sends his
relations to the intended bride's house with
betel and nut to ask for her hand : and
they are put off more than once before
her parents make up their mind. If the
proposal is accepted, the parents in the
presence of the neighbours declare their
consent to the match, and as a sign of
betrothal the bridegroom and the bride wear
two peacock feathers in their ears ;
these being removed only on the wedding
day. On this day the bridegroom with his
party arrives and is received by the bride's
uncle with a burning lamp before them
and offering betelnut : the bridegroom with
the best- man and the women enter the
girl's apartment when the former hands
over Rs. 5-8-0 as kanom (bride-price) to her
uncle and the women bring her out. She
is given a new pair of cloth and
seated on the mat by the side of the bride-
groom. The entertainments commence, drink-
ing and dancing and then the meal, after

69

which the bride goes with the bridegroom.
In the evening, those assembled have their
dinner at the bridegroom's and the night is
spent in carousal. The next day the guests
depart after meals and that night the
marriage is consummated. Seven days hence,
the married couple start on a visit to the
wife's with one hundred dosas (rice cakes)
and are met by her relations half way,
who take charge of the refreshments. Seven
days' stay and they return, when ninety-seven
new dosas are sent with them, and ever
after (D. V.) they live happily.

If it so happens that the parents refuse
consent to the match the man has the
option to take her away by force and marry
her after a fight, — an interesting survival
of an interesting past.

A wife wishing to dissolve marriage may
do so by paying back Rs. 5-8-0. To this
however the husband is not entitled if
he divorces the wife. The first confinement
takes place at the mother's and subsequent
ones at the husband's house. The wife may
either stay at the husband's house or leave
it on his death and if she prefers to leave,

70

she is given rice and cloth and the sons
are given bows and arrows. A second
marriage is permissible but not respect-
able.

The Kurumbers observe Vishu (Malabar
new year's day) in April, Ucharal in Maka-
ram (February), Onam in Chingam (September)
and Sankaranthy (September). On the first
two occasions, they hunt wild-boar for
three days and on the last two, they catch
birds by bird-lime.

They have paddy cultivation 011 wet lands
and raise hill crops on the slopes of hills.
They eke out a small income by husking
paddy which they obtain from neighbour-
ing land-owners and the womenkind convert
the paddy into rice. They do not generally
go out as labourers. Sundays, Tuesdays and
Fridays are generally spent in hunting and
no work is done then.

They have a gift of prophecy, only some
being initiated in the art known as " Koti-
veykal " literally, " planting betel vine ".
The professor when consulted about any
future event husks a small quantity of
rice by hand, places it inside a scooped-

URALI OR VETTU KURUMBERS.

71

shell of a dried kuwalam fruit (Aegle
Marmelos) and asks one of his men to
"plant the betel vine". The man under-
stands the meaning, takes out the rice and
spreads it on a plank. The professor in-
vokes the Puthadi deity, makes a calculation
and gives his reply which is generally
found correct.

The Kurumbers cremate their dead ; a
bow and arrow, a knife and a betel pouch
being kept with a man's body and a scythe
with a woman's. Pollution is observed
for two days when the nearest relation
performs the funeral ceremony and offers
a ball of rice to the soul of the departed.
Mulla Kurumbers are truthful by nature and
uninterfering in their habits. Soldiers in
the past, hunters and cultivators in the
present day, they enjoy the good things of
the world in the limited sphere in which
they have been placed under the all-pervad-
ing influence of Kiratha Murthi.
URALI KURUMBERS

These are also known as " Bet or Vettu
Kurumbers " (vettu, to cut) from their profes-
sion of felling trees.

72

They are found almost all over Wynad
and while they speak Malayalam and Canarese,
both in a corrupt form, they speak among
themselves a peculiar dialect not understand-
able by any stranger.

These men are artisans and are handy
at all kinds of work. They make ploughs
and knives as any black-smith does, earth-
en pots that last longer than those made
by professional potters, cut and size tim-
ber just as any carpenter, make umbrellas
of screwpine leaves, are skilled in basket
work and gather honey from the tallest
tree. As agricultural labourers, they are
useful and their services are always welcome
in tea estates. Many good qualities they
have, but they are not a thriving class
and are improvident.

Their houses are called padis which are
so low that one has to crawl into them
but the inside is kept .clean. They
have a partiality for raggi and millet
but as a variety eat rice also. They can
also subsist on edible roots for any
length of time, and such roots being plenti-
ful in Wynad, they do not starve.

73

The bridegroom's parents have to ask
for the bride ; all being well, the marriage
is celebrated, the expenses amounting only
to Ks. 3 to 5. But if the bride's parents
object to the match, the bridegroom goes
out with his friends and takes her away
by force. The bride's parents have then
no alternative but to consent after levying
a fine from the bridegroom which of course
is paid but spent on drink. During con-
finement, the woman is kept in a separate
hut for seven days if the child is a boy
and for five days if it is a girl. They
follow MakJcathayam and are illiterate.

The Urali Kurumbers never touch the
carcass of dead cattle — in fact do not even
touch anything made of leather. If they
touch even a shoe they commit an oft'ence
against caste for which the elders invoke
their God — Masti — to absolve the offender
and the occasion is taken advantage of
for drinking.

They bury their dead and observe no
death pollution ; but when funds permit?
a pollution feast is held. Uralis are a
class of artisans without whom the Wynad

74

people could not, in the days gone by,
exist but in the present day they suffer
from competition on the part of artisans
coming up from the plains. They have
therefore, to maintain themselves as labourers
whereby they lose their aptitude for work
as artisans.

KUNDUVATIYANS

This community consisting of about forty
families is to be found only in Puthadi and
Purakadi ainsams. It is a question whether
they are above or below Mulla Kurumbers in
social status : they claim a higher position :
like them the Kunduvatiyans are bowmen
and shikaris but are not as adept as they.
They have their kuduma (hair- tuft) in front
and they follow Marumakkathayam.

Their deities are Puthadi Daivam, Elavilli
and Puvilli, to whom offerings are made
thrice a year in the shape of cocoanuts,
plantains and jaggery. One from the commu-
nity acts the priest and on the day preced-
ing the offering, he fasts.

Marriage is permissible before and after
puberty. The bridegroom's relations arrange
the day of wedding in consultation with

I

KUNDUVATIYANS.

75

the bride's. On the day appointed the
bridegroom arrives with his party, and hands
over to the senior female member of the
bride's family a gold jewel worth not less
than Rs. 5, bangles and rings and also
two pieces of cloth for the bride which
she wears, and then sits with the bride-
groom on a mat. Festivities commence
and the next day all those assembled,
proceed to the bridegroom's where they are
entertained by his people. The marriage is
consummated the same night if the girl has
attained puberty, if noty the girl is left
with the husband "for a few minutes in a
room and taken away, the marriage being
consummated only after she attains puberty.

Seven days' pollution is observed after
puberty and if the purification could not be
done then, pollution continues till the twenty-
first day. A woman of Perumannathi caste
brings a piece of cloth for her to wear and on
wearing it (of course after bath) the
girl's pollution ceases.

The first confinement takes place at the
father's house and there is no particular
ceremony observed during the period of

76

pregnancy. The child is named and its
ears bored on the thirty-first day.

Divorce is easily effected, and the wife
who is divorced may take another husband,
but this is not considered respectable. Poly-
gamy is not permitted.

Kunduvatiyans cremate their dead except
in the cases of children of three years
or below. Both sons and nephews observe
nine days' pollution and the eldest of the
nephews perform the funeral rites and offer
pinnam to the soul of the departed.

On Vishu day (Malabar new year's day)
meals are placed on nine or eleven leaves and
left inside a room, intended for the deceased
ancestors : a nazhika (24 minutes) after-
wards, the doors are opened and the meals
taken out and used by the members of the
family.

Kunduvatiyans are cultivators and do not
generally serve as coolies. They have
their own paddy cultivation from the pro-
ceeds of which they maintain themselves.

Caste disputes are decided by four Mup-
pens who have power to fine the offender
to a maximum of 120 fanams (fanam=4 As).

KARIMPALANS.

77

The punishment can be awarded only by
all the four Muppens together. Leaving
a portion of the fine to their deity, the balance
is divided among the Muppens, a system which
is sure to increase the number of convic-
tions. The origin of Kunduvatiyans, it has
not been possible to trace, but from the
fact that they observe Marumakkathayam,
that they wear kuduma in front, that they
observe ThaliJceMu Kalliyanam before pu-
berty and that their language is Malayalam,
there is every reason to believe that they
migrated from Malabar. As likely ag not,
they were Nayars and their appearance is
not against this supposition.
KARIMPALANS

A small community of seven families
and thirty-seven souls exist in Kalpetta,
Muttil and Purakadi amsams. They are
cultivators and hunters like the Kurichi-
yans.

They have no idea of what their origin was
or where they came from. They say that
about thirty years ago they were about 150
strong.

They dress like Kurichiyans, have the

78

kuduma (hair-tuft) in front, follow Maru-
makkathayam and speak Malayalam. They
worship a deity known as " Pamburi Karu-
van," to whom offerings in the shape of
plantains, cocoanuts and jaggery are made
once a year after harvest. On special occa-
sions, the ceremony of " Thera " is also
performed to propitiate the deity, when the
caste-men join in a grand feast. They have
no separate priest, no barber, no washer-
man, but manage all these among themselves.

But these Karimpalans' services are uti-
lised to propitiate the deity " Asurakalan,"
by Nayar families in their neighbourhood and
offerings of cocoanuts and plantains are
then made to the deity. They also act as
velicliapads [oracles] in the shrines dedicat-
ed to Karuvaii and Bhagavathi.

They observe the Sambandham form of
marriage as among Malayalis ; the man goes
to the woman's house with cloths and betel,
presents cloth to the woman, her mother and
sisters and takes the wife away the next day to
his house. The Sambandham is permissible
only after puberty. In the seventh month of
pregnancy the pulikuti ceremony, on the

79

twenty-eighth day after confinement, the
ear-boring ceremony on the sixth month, the
ehorunu (rice giving), all these are observed
just as in Malabar. They are illiterate.

When the Nayars of Vengapally, Chum-
brat and Mambilichi houses start on a
hunting expedition, Karimpalans have the
right to precede them. Kurichiyans do not
generally attend upon these Nayars.

Offences against caste customs are heard
and disposed of at a meeting of the senior
members of their community and the offender
is excommunicated, a feast following the
disposal of the case, to give publicity to
the excommunication. A woman misbehaving
herself with a superior caste does not
violate caste customs.

They bury their dead except where the
eldest member of a house dies and he or
she is cremated.

Hill tribes are gradually dwindling in
number, they show no tendency to increase,
and Karimpalans with their limited number
of 37 have very little chance of continu-
ing long as a community. More is the
pity.

80

KADERS

This community is to be found in Tonder
Desam, Terriote and Mangalasseri of TTynad
Taluk. They were Nayars who accom-
panied the Kottayam Raja along with the
Kurichiyars and assumed the name of
Kaders (forest men), as they settled in
forests. They worship Malakari, a mani-
festation of Siva as hunter.

Curiously enough their house is known
as " Illam " — which in Malabar is the name
of a Nambudiri's house.

They were the lords of the forest in
ancient times, but now while a few of them
cultivate wet lands, the majority of them
live on hill cultivation and some even
work as coolies. They are bow-men and
are experts like Kurichiyars in archery.

Besides their god Malakari, they worship
another deity Kariyathan.

They follow Ma/rumakkathayam and observe
some of the customs of Nayars. Paniyars
and Naykans have to stand at a distance and
they (Kaders) bathe if they touch a Tiyyen —
but the Nayars have to bathe on touch-
ing them. Between the Brahmins and the

KADERS.

81

Kaden, there is pollution only at a distance
of seven feet.

They do not have the Thalikettu Kalli-
yanam of Nayars. The elders of the
family arrange the wedding and the bride-
groom and his friends go to the bride's,
where they are treated to a good meal: the
bridegroom hands over two new cloths to
the bride's mother and the girl is then taken
home by him. She lives with the husband,
and even after his death, she continues to
live in his house for one year, after which
she returns to her house when she is given
cloth and the deceased husband's knife and
other belongings.

For puberty there is a five days' pollu-
tion and a ceremony at the end in which
women alone take part. After confinement
there is ten days' pollution but the woman is
not allowed to cook meals until the fortieth
day.

The rice-giving ceremony is in the sixth
month as also the christening.

Kaders bury their dead and nine days*
pollution is observed. They are purified on
the ninth day when a Munnuttan (another

82

caste) sprinkles oil on them. This individual
becomes the oracle for the day and repre-
sents the deceased. He states his wishes
before the festivities commence.

Annually a puja is performed in memory
of the deceased, rice-cakes, meat and liquor
being offered to the spirits of the deceased
and consumed by the living.

Caste disputes are heard and disposed of
at a meeting of seven Karanavers (elders) of
the following families :

Mavaliyeii — two members.

Paloten — one member.

Kallanthara — one.

Pilacheriyanmar — three.

The Karaiiavaii — senior member — of a family
is known as Piriyen.

Kaders are generally illiterate, but a few
of them can read and write Malayalam.
PATHIYANS

A small community of agriculturists of
this name exists in the easternmost village
(Nulpuzha) of Wynad, bordering on Mysore.
Formerly natives of Punnat in Mysore, fol-
lowing the Makkathayam law of succession
(i.e., in the father's line), wearing moustaches,

PATHIYANS.

83

and with back-tuft (kuduma), but now
permanent settlers in Wynad following the
Marumakkathayam law of succession (i.e., in
the mother's line), with the moustaches re-
moved, and with the tuft in front, the
history of their evolution is interesting.
From Punnat, their ancestors migrated du-
ring a famine into Wynad, and being prevent-
ed by the Kottayam Raja — the then ruler
— from returning to their own country and
being ordered to a'dopt the customs and
manners of the Malayali inhabitants, they
settled down as agriculturists with the result
that their descendants now present an inter-
esting admixture of Malayali customs with
those of Mysore. In the law of succession,
in dress, in kuduma, in the observance of
pollution on births and deaths, and in
Thalikettu Kalliyanam, they follow the Maru-
makkathayam communities of Malabar and
they have adopted Malayalam as their mother-
tongue, having given up their ancestral
language — Canarese — long long ago.

The Thalikettu Kalliyanam as observed in
Malabar is combined with the actual marri-
age as celebrated by their ancestors. On

84

this occasion the bridegroom and the bride
revert to the customs of their forefathers,
and a Mysore Brahmin (Vasti Patter]
officiates and hands the garlands with
which they garland each other. Sixteen
fanams (Es. 4) is the kanam (bride's price)
paid by the bridegroom and at the
wedding feast the friends contribute their
mite towards a fund which becomes the
property of the bride. This marriage does
not, however, confer on the children the
right of succession; but the wife lives with
the husband during his lifetime.

At the wedding while assuming his ances-
tral costume of turban, cloth and coat,
the bridegroom, though unable to restore
the lost moustaches, puts the kuduma loose
on the head so as to make it appear as a
backtuft, and the bride, who as a settler in
the country had changed her costume, resumes
the ancient habit and wears glass bangles
on both hands, replacing the silver bangle
of Malabar which had till then adorned one
of her wrists.

Thus we have a small community of not
over 100 families who combine the ancestral

URIDAVANS.

85

but not forgotten customs of Punnat with
those of their adopted country Wynad — a
community whose history and traditions are
interesting and who as agriculturists live a
contented life in this wilderness far removed
from civilisation. The Pathiyans were probably
Gowdas (Jains) originally, and this belief is
strengthened by the fact that a Vasti Patter
— Jain Brahmin — still officiates at their marri-
ages and that their ancestral costume which
they then adopt is similar to that worn by
the Gowdas of Punnat. Their name is traced
to the order of the Kottayam Raja in
Malayalam " Pathikalayi Irippin " " (You) shall
settle here " ; the word pathi has different
meanings but here it means " to settle " as
in the expression " Kutipathi " (householder).

Seven days' pollution is observed after
death. They cremate their dead and recog-
nise and pray to a deity known as Mele-
thalachil, a manifestation of Siva, under
whose . protection they live as peaceable
and law-abiding citizens.

URIDAVANS

The correct name is evidently " Umdavans "
— owners of villages. How this community

86

obtained this dignified name is not ascertain-
able. They claim to be of Vedar caste, the
same as that to which Arippen and Vedan,
the Vedar rulers, belonged. They have no-
thing warlike about them and their profes-
sion— cultivation — is that of peace-loving
citizens. They say however that they were
hunters before, and it was only after the
forests were declared " Reserved " by Govern-
ment that they adopted the present profes-
sion.

Their ancestors migrated from Chittaldroog
in Mysore and their first settlement was
in Tirunelli. At present this community is
to be found in Tirunelli, and in the neigh-
bouring Puthadi amsam.

They are Vaishnavites, have back hair-tuft
(kuduma) and moustaches, speak Canarese,
and follow Makkathayam. Their deities are
Karinkali and Pakam Daivam (God of
Pakam).

They are agriculturists and reside in
houses called Ure (village). Their houses are
not in groups but scattered, half a dozen
or more being in the same neighbourhood.
These have a headman — Ejman — for each

87

desam (hamlet) who decides caste disputes
among the community. The fine varies from
two to sixteen fanams according to the
position of the party concerned and the
gravity of the offence. Cocoanuts are pur-
chased at once and broken and offered
to Karinkali and Pakam Daivam, the
kernel being consumed by the people pre-
sent.

Three days' pollution is observed during
puberty, and marriage is permissible before
and after puberty.

An elder member of the bridegroom's
family goes with a friend to the intended
bride's with betel and nut and asks for
the consent of the party. The bride's father
consults the relations and the Ejman (head-
man), settles the question and fixes the
wedding day.

On the day appointed the wedding is
celebrated in the presence of the Ejman and
the caste men, the bridegroom brings ear
ornaments, bangles, rings and cloth, and the
ceremony lasts for five days. Their gurikal
(priest) who comes from Punnat in Mysore and
who is known also as " Udayar " garlands

both the bridegroom and the bride on the
sixth day. The ceremony is over and on the
seventh day the priest is paid six fanams.
The bridegroom's father pays sixty-five fanams
to the bride's father and she is then taken
to . the bridegroom's house, and on the day
of arrival there is a feast.

The third day after confinement the women
in the neighbourhood are treated to a sump-
tuous meal, and the child is named by
its father.

The Uridavaiis bury their dead, but
when old men die they are cremated. Pollu-
tion is observed for fifteen days and on
the sixteenth day, the ashes are thrown into
the river — and the ceremony is observed on
that day, or on the thirtieth or within the next
three months. The priest — giirikal — gives holy
water and receives his four annas.

They follow Makkathayam and the wife
lives in the husband's house; after his death
she is at liberty to go to her own house
and if she elects to do so, she is given a cloth
and one rupee. She can marry again, but it is
not respectable or proper. It is concubinage.
The caste customs do not allow divorce.

\ ' l

THACHANAD MUPPENS.

89

The community of Uridavans does not exceed
more than a hundred families. It is said that
seven men with their wives ran away from
their native place, Chittaldroog, when there
was a battle in that country, and the pre-
sent generation represents the descendants
of those seven families. There is a
tradition that they were called " Odakar " by
the Saktan Raja of Kottayam, as they ran
away from the fight (Odakar, they who ran).
Whatever their real name may be whether
Uridavan or Odakar or Vedar, they do not,
so far as could be ascertained, belong to the
caste to which the proud Vedar rulers
belonged.

THACHANAD MUPPANS

Muppainad, the country of Muppans, prob-
ably took its name from the Thachanad
Muppans who settled in that amsam. Their
advent into the country is interesting. Two
deities, male and female, known as Kari-
villi and Manhalapothi finding no devotees
took human forms and induced three
Muppans and their wives to leave their
native place Nilambur in Ernad Taluk,
and proceeding by Matiyaram mountain

90

they came into Wynad. On the way one
Muppan and his wife died, so that there were
only two couples left. They originally settled
down in Muppainad in the localities known
as Karangandam and Valathur and the exist-
ing community represents the descendants of
those two Muppans, they being no doubt
supplemented by further immigration from
Nilambur.

They are known as Thachanad Muppans
and the derivation is probably from Thacha-
rakavil Nad, country of Nilambur Tirumul-
pad, whose family name is Thacharakavil.
These Muppans in smaller numbers still
exist in Nilambur where they are known
as kuden.

Every padi, i.e., group of huts, has two
chiefs, one for two-thirds of the population
of the padis, and the other for the remaining
one-third ; the senior being known as Muthali
and the junior as Eleri. They should be pre-
sent at every social function and should lead
the deputation of Muppans on the occasion of
the visits to their Jenmis. They govern the
padi, punish offences within their jurisdiction,
and there is none to dispute. The appoint-

91

ment is hereditary and the succession to the
office is from father to son and failing the
son, to the brother.

The gods of the Muppans are Karivilli
and Manhalapothi, who brought them from
Nilambur to Wynad; and the Muppan and
his wife who died on the Matiyaram hill on their
way have been deified and are worshipped
as family deities under the names of KuriJcka
and Pramanichi. In every padi, the Muthali
worships the male deity in his room and
the Eleri the female deity in his room,
and even now Muppans passing the Matiyaram
hill place a stick there as a token of respect
to them.

The most interesting part in their lives —
as in the lives of all civilised nations — is the
marriage ceremony. All the members of a
padi are considered to belong to the
same clan and they cannot intermarry.
One padi has to find a bride in another
and the duty of selection falls on the
Muthali and Eleri who proceed to the
bride's house on the day fixed. The
bride's party (Pennillakar) welcome them
and the bride stands on a plank facing

92

east with half a rupee on her foot and
one rupee on her head placed there by the
Muthali of the bridegroom's party (Anillakar).
These are taken by the bride's uncle and by
the party who provide the wedding feast
and then the usual payment of Rs. 10 kanam
(bride's price), Rs. 10 for the wedding feast,
and 4 fanams (one rupee) for the bride's
Jenmi is made by the bridegroom's party.
After praying to the family deity, she leaves
with the bridegroom and his party to his
pacli where she is left in the Muthali's room
in the presence of his deity Kurika. The
bridegroom joins her there and the next morn-
ing they — husband and wife — after taking
their meals in that room with two male
and two female friends go to the hut pre-
pared for them.

The young Muppan leaves the paternal
roof on marriage and at once builds a hut
for himself and his mate — an excellent
system which civilised nations may well
imitate. A group of such huts forms a
padi and the number of huts in a group
would indicate the number of married men
there. The husband with the assistance of three

93

friends could construct the hut in a day
or two with split bamboo roof, with bamboo
wall and with a thatch of long grass that
serves to protect them from sun and rain.
There are 18 padis, each padi consisting
of 30 to 40 souls, so that in Muppainad
and in the neighbouring Kottapadi amsam
the Muppans number a little over seven
hundred. The padis are not fixtures, but
are moved from place to place, following
the Muppans to the neighbourhood of the
land prepared for cultivation.

When a girl attains puberty, the male mem-
bers do not attend the ceremony. On the
seventh day, the women of the neighbouring
huts take her to the bank of the river and
throw an iron-tipped arrow over her
head. She then bathes and returns in proces-
sion to the husband's hut, where the women
are treated to a sumptuous meal, which, of
course, the husband has to provide.

During the wife's pregnancy, the husband
grows his beard which is removed only
after confinement. This shaving is also a
ceremonial act. A lighted lamp is placed
in front, as also one nazhi (measure)

94

of rice, one cocoanut, betel and nut. The
husband pays one rupee, a piece of cloth,
10 seers of paddy and one meal to the
woman who attended on his wife during con-
finement. The wife is under pollution for
ten days after which the rooms are puri-
fied with cowdung and she bathes.

The rice-giving and the ear-boring
ceremonies are generally performed once a
year during their annual festival known as
" Pati Attu " when all the children are
brought before the gods. This occasion is
also taken advantage of by the father to
name the child.

On the death of the wife, the husband
performs the funeral ceremonies and is
bound to maintain the children, but if both
parents die, the father's relations take care
of the children and in their absence, the
mother's relations. On the death of the
husband, the wife at once leaves for her
house and after some time returns to the
husband's padi. On her leaving after the
husband's death, his relations give her one
pothi (50 seers) of paddy, an earthen pot, a
scythe, a spade, a cloth and a bottle of oil.

KANALADIS.

95

These people do not follow any definite
law of succession, but it is understood that
they are governed by Marumaklcathayam.

They speak Malayalam and are illiterate.
They live on slopes of hills cultivating
small extents of jungle cleared annually.
They also work in paddy fields and in tea
estates but are generally idle and deceitful,
whiling away their time in loafing about,
living on edible roots which are abundant
in the country. They are dwindling in
numbers, are a poor and miserable race
with no chance of rising, and with the area
of hill cultivation narrowing year by year
by the clearing of jungles for tea and other
cultivation, their means of livelihood are
becoming more and more scanty. The
Government have however assigned 326
acres of land for hill cultivation, on a
low rate of assessment ; but their idle
and drinking habits are not likely to lift
them up from what they are — a jungle tribe.
KANALADIS

Kanalattam — (kanal — burning coal, attain —
dance) is a religious function among the
Hindus. In the plains it is performed by

96

a caste named Malayans and in the
Wynad by Kanaladis. Six families — four in
Nulpuzha and two in Puthadi amsam—
represent the total population of this class in
Wynad and they earn their living by acting
as "oracles," " fire- walkers " and "devil
dancers " during Them festivals at shrines.

They are few in number ; the men have
to indent upon Mulla Kurumbers, Pathiyaii
and Chetty castes for wives, and when these
classes wish to get rid of a woman, she is
welcomed by the Kanaladi, who ties a thali
round her neck, presents her with cloths and
silver bangles and makes her his wife.

They observe eleven days' pollution after
death and holy water from a Brahmin's hands
purifies them. Cremation is the rule.

Their language is Malayalam : and they
have no idea of the law of succession. To
hazard a guess, Kanaladis are the descend-
ants of Malayans from the plains, who set-
tled in Wynad long long ago — and took the
name of Kanaladis from their inspired feats
on burning coals. In spite of this inspira-
tion, the extinction of the community is only
a question of time.

1 (

ADIYANS.

97

ADIYANS

The ancestors of this tribe migrated from
Coorg. But the only indication of this
fact is in the name of their deity Kuttath
Karinkdli — the first word being supposed to
be a corrupt form of a word " Kotaku "
Coorg. The headman of Adiyans says his
tribesmen are still to be found in that pro-
vince. They are field-labourers and have
also hill-cultivation.

They worship three deities — Karinkali
above mentioned, Malakari and Kuliyen.
After harvest is the favourable season for
the annual offering which is known as Thera.
At night on the day fixed, one seer of rice,
one cocoanut, two plantains and a little
beaten rice are placed before a lighted
lamp by the Jcarmi (priest), and the
oracle known as Kanaladi appears with
a white cloth on his head and a sash
of white and red. He issues his commands
and the whole night is spent in drum
beating and playing on the reed flute. The
next day the Them festival closes.

Marriage is permissible only after puberty.
The father and the uncle of the bride-

7

98

groom go to the intended bride's and fix
a day. On that day the bridegroom takes
a coloured cloth, a necklace of beads, ban-
gles, rings and Rs. 5-8-0. The first four are
given to the bride's mother. Us. 5-8-0 to
the bride's uncle, annas 8 is intended for
the bride's Jenmi, and the balance is equal-
ly divided between the father and the uncle.
The bride wears the cloth and the jewels
and sits with the bridegroom on a mat and
an Adiyan woman throws some rice on the
heads of the happy pair. The bridegroom
dines and sleeps at the bride's house and
the next morning she goes with him.

During puberty four days are observed
as pollution and on the fifth day, the
neighbours are all invited to a sumptuous
meal.

The Adiyans bury their dead — only very
old people " Muravanmar " being cremated.
If they can afford to indulge in a feast,
the funeral ceremony is celebrated on the
fifth day or it may be postponed till
the fifteenth day after death. The valiya
pula— grand-pollution — is observed once a year
in memory of all the deceased ancestors.

99

On the mother's death grown up children
stay with the father and little ones are
taken away by the mother's relations.

Widow marriage is permissible on condition
that the bride's price paid originally is re-
paid to the deceased husband's relations.
An Adiyan may have two wives at a time
but not more.

As among Paniyars, these Adiyans are
given paddy by their Jenmis during Vishu
and Onam festivals and their women are
given new cloths once a year.

The headman of Adiyans is known as
Muppan and the next in rank is Muthali.
These titles are conferred by the Jenmi
(landlord). Their language is said to be
Malayalam but it is a hybrid between Cana-
rese and Malayalam, more akin to Canarese.

They are truthful and trustworthy and do
not run away from their employers like
the Paniyars. They are to be found only
in the amsams of Vemom, Tirunelli, Kup-
pathode and Puthadi and as agricultural
labourers they are very useful.

The law of succession is not very clear.
They say that both the sons and nephews

100

share in the property. They have no definite
idea themselves but the impression is that
they follow Maruniakkathayam.
PANIYARS

This dark-skinned and curly-haired tribe
of a Negroid type is found in all the
amsams of Wynad. As agricultural coo-
lies they are a necessity in a country
where it is difficult to secure labourers for
work in the paddy fields. The tradition
about their origin is interesting.

Ippimala, a hill which no one in Wynad
could localise and which is said to be some-
where near the Tamaracherry ghats was the
home of the Paniyars. They were savage
tribes living in caves and thick forests,
coming out only at nights and feeding on
paddy and other crops. The Grounden
landowners finding their crops always
destroyed by these black beasts managed
to secure a number of them by means of
nets known in Wynad as Thandati and in
six months taught them the language and
to go on errands. These domesticated
Paniyars induced their friends of the forest
to join them, and gradually they spread

PANIYARS.

101

from place to place luitil we find them in
parts of Coorg and Mysore, and in Wynad
and in the hilly tracts of the neighbouring
taluks in the plains.

The only reference to the Ippimala tradi-
tion now is the word "Ippi" to which
the Paniyan gives utterance when he is
frightened — say when his master thrashes
him.

Their god is Kuli and goddess Kali, to
whom and to their deceased ancestors, they
make offerings on Ucharal day (after harvest)
when all the Paniyars of a padi meet to
hear the words of the oracle (komaram).
This is a festive occasion and in addition
to light refreshments, arrack is freely
consumed, which no doubt increases their
religious fervour.

The Paniyars without distinction of sex
grow their hair and when too long cut it.
The Paniyan shaves off his beard on festive
occasions, his wife the Panichi acting the
barber and he shaves off the long curls
falling on the wife's forehead. Paniyars
follow Marumakkathayam.

Marriage is allowable before puberty also.

102

The bridegroom's father or an elderly re-
lation with a friend goes to the intended
bride's and returns without mentioning
the subject. He goes a second time and
broaches the object of the visit. The marri-
age is settled and four annas (one fanam)
is paid. On the day of the marriage,
the bridegroom and his party arrive at the
bride's and after they are welcomed, the
bridegroom and the bride stand on two bags
of paddy. The father or the uncle of the
bridegroom pays Rs. 4 as kanam (bride's
price) to the bride's father or uncle and the
bridegroom presents her with bangles and
necklaces of beads. They step down and
her bag which is smaller, is then
tossed to the bridegroom, who tosses it back.
This goes on for a few minutes and it is
considered inauspicious to let it fall. Of
course, the persons standing by, assist.

When a Paniyan decides on marrying, his
master gives him 10 Icolakams (25 seers)
of paddy, 5 yards of cloth and 12 annas of
which 4 annas is paid on the settlement
of the marriage — the balance 8 annas —
called "Kappala Panam" being sent through

103

the Mwppan (headman) of the bride's party
to her master.

Paniyars bury their dead and the funeral
ceremony falls on the seventh or the twelfth
day but if circumstances do not admit of
its being celebrated then, it is postponed for
six months during which they are under a
state of pollution. Their priest is known
as " Attali " who sings his prayers during
a whole night and then purifies the inmates
and the hut. Besides this ceremony a
general pollution day is observed once a
year called " Kakkapula " (lit., crow pollu-
tion) in memory of all the deceased ances-
tors.

Seven clays' pollution is observed after
confinement.

There are two stanams (titles) Kuttan
and Muppan conferred by the Jenmi. They
settle disputes and disobedience of their
orders results in the offender being fined.
In cases of adultery among the Paniyars,
a fine of sixteen fanams (Us. 4) being the
bride's price and a sum equal to the wedding
expenses is imposed by a council of their
headmen.

104

These Jenmis contribute on festive occa-
sions towards the expenses — and on VisJm
day — (Malay alam new year) they give a
certain quantity of paddy to their Paniyars
and in Karkitakam (June — July) present the
women with cloths. A Paniyan receiving
paddy on Vishu day is not expected to
leave his master for the year.

The Paniyars are a necessity to Wynad
cultivation; they alone are able to control
the wild cattle of this country and in the soft
and clayey soil, which sinks to the touch, they
alone can handle the plough. Their habits
are migratory and unless the employer is
kind, they suddenly give him the slip and
are not easily caught. In moral turpitude
they stand high. They are professional
burglars, waylay and rob travellers and do
not hesitate to commit the gravest crimes
and yet they are excellent-field labourers.

They are fond of music, sing during
work in the fields, spend whole nights
singing and dancing to the accompaniment
of a peculiarly shaped drum and a reed-flute.

With civilisation the Paniyan approaches
the towns, drinks his arrack neat, puts a

iq I

?

PULAYANS.

105

decent covering on his person and under-
stands that the country belongs to the
Sircar. The language of the town Paniyan
is intelligible though with some difficulty,
the jungle-paniyan beats one wholly with
a peculiar rush of sounds. It is a corrupt
form of Malayalam, mixed however with
certain words of unknown origin.

PULAYANS

The Pulayans of "Wynad are to be found
in the following desams of Wynad:

Vennayote Desam . . . (Kottathara Amsam)
Anoth „ ... (Vayitri „ )

Edachana „ ... (Edavaka „ )

Tharavana „ ... (Porunnanur „ )
Kalluvettumthazha . . . ( An jukunnu , , )
and they number about two hundred.

It has been found impossible to trace
their origin; they say that they were the
original inhabitants of Wynad; but their
law of succession — Marumakkathayam — indi-
cates a possibility that a colony of Pulayans
of Malabar proper migrated into Wynad
and settled there. They do not however
claim kinship with the Malabar Pulayans
and form a distinct sect.

106

The Pulayans of each desam elect a
headman from among them. This headman
is known as " Maruthan " and need not
necessarily be the oldest member of their
community. He is elected by the communi-
ty for his capacity to govern. His func-
tions are many and varied. He selects the
bride for a Pulayan who proposes to enter
into wedlock : he obtains the consent of the
parents and arranges the preliminaries; pays
a sum of not less than Rs. 30 (of course
to be found by the bridegroom's parents)
to the father, mother and uncle of the
bride; and after this payment goes to
the bride's house in procession, without the
bridegroom. They bring the girl to the
bridegroom's house and a week hence, the
wife's relatives are entertained in the hus-
band's house and the husband's relatives at
the wife's. A peculiarity in the prelimi-
naries to the wedding is that when the
Maruthan proceeds to bring the bride, the
bridegroom shall not accompany him, and
when he returns with the bride she alone
shall accompany him back and not the
relations.

107

Puberty. For seven days the girl is under
pollution and on the eighth day a few
friends are invited to a feast.

Child birth. For forty days the mother is
under pollution and the Maruthan sprinkles
punnidham on the forty -first day and the
pollution ceases. The pttwriaham is com-
posed of oil, turmeric powder, flowers and
water. During pollution the mother occupies
a separate hut, into which no one may enter
except the woman who takes meals to her and
this woman also has to be purified on the
forty-first day.

Pulayans bury their dead and do not
cremate. On the twelfth day the pollution
ceases by the Maruthan sprinkling punnidham
and a feast follows.

Rice giving and naming are done on the
forty-first day.

Pulay an's deity is known as " Patha "
to whom offerings are made in the shape
of cocoanuts, plantains and rice once a
year ; besides this deity they worship
another specially powerful deity "Bhadra-
kali " whose very modest shrine is situ-
ated in Anjukunnu amsam. The Velwhapad

108

(oracle) is a Pulayan, who is also desig-
nated " Maruthan ". This Bhadrakali is
very useful as being able to accomplish any
object for which any one makes an offering.
This deity is of a malignant character and
on proper offerings made causes the death
of an enemy from dysentery, and the offer-
ings referred to are arrack, fowls and
money of course.

Pulayans are field labourers, a few
having their own paddy cultivation. They
are carrion-eaters and are considered
to be lower than Paniyars who are
polluted by their touch. They are generally
employed by Moplas as coolies and this
is evidently due to their polluting at a
great distance the Nayar who could not
therefore conveniently employ them in his
neighbourhood.

JAIN KURUMBEES AND KATTU NAYKANS

These two classes of hill tribes are
practically identical with some slight differ-
ences. The former does not eat monkey's
flesh, which the latter does thereby lower-
ing themselves in status. The former
gathers honey, the latter does not ; the

JAIN OR THEN KURUMBERS.

109

former does not take meals prepared by
the latter, whereas the converse is per-
missible. Beyond these differences the two
tribes are the same in customs, manners
and language.

They speak Canarese, and their ancestors
migrated from the Mysore forests where this
tribe exists in large numbers under the
names of Jain Kurubas and Kad Rumbas.
Jain is a corrupt form of Jenu — honey
— the same as " Then " in Malabar. Their
women wear coloured as well as white
cloths but more in the style of Mysore
than Malabar. They live in pad-is (group
of huts) on the slopes of hills under the su-
pervision of Muthali, the eldest man of each
padi. They worship Masti and live on raggi
raised in the jungle clearings and on
the edible yams and roots found in plenty
on the hills. The Jain Kurumbers would
not generally be seen out of the forests,
but they are now gradually approaching
inhabited parts of the country in search
of work in paddy fields. In the Reserve
Forests, both these tribes are employed as
elephant mahouts.

110

Caste offences are tried and disposed of
at a meeting of three or four Muthalis and
the fine which varies from four annas to
five seers of paddy is appropriated by the
judges. Marriage ceremony is not so elaborate
as among certain other tribes.

The bridegroom's father or uncle goes
to the intended bride's with a garland of
beads, which, if the girl's father consents
to the match, is handed over to him. On
the wedding day the Anittakar (bride-
groom's party) proceed to the Pennittakars
(bride's party) house with cloth, brass ban-
gles, six brass rings, brass ear ornaments
and 8 annas. Both parties together start
a dance — Icolkali — round the girl. The cloth
and the jewels above named are given to her
and she wears them. The whole party then
pray to god Masti, and the bridegroom
and the bride ask for the blessing of the
Muthalis also. The bridegroom takes the
hand of the girl and another dance and
the meals follow. The ceremony closes at
the Pennillakar's house. The party returns
with the bride to Anillakar's, then a dance,
betel-nut and meals and the marriage closes

KATTU NAYKANS.

Ill

there also. Makkathayam is their law of
succession.

A girl attaining puberty is confined to a
room for seven days and 110 man sees her.
Green turmeric is rubbed on her person
and she is privately taken out by women
to the river and after bath is admitted
into the hut. Marriage is not permissible
before puberty. During pregnancy, her re-
lations give a brass bangle to her and there
is no other ceremony. After confinement,
the woman is kept apart for three weeks.
The eldest son is always called after the
grandfather and the eldest daughter after
the grandmother.

These tribes cremate their dead except
in case of children, who are buried. Two
weeks' pollution is observed generally, but
none for children. Four balls of rice are
offered to the soul of the deceased and also
water in a bamboo cup.

Their deity Masti has no shrine. He
always lodges in an earthen pot and is re-
presented by arrow root tubers, kept in it.
There is a Masti pot in every padi and
the (pena) spirit of the deceased is always

112

sent to keep company with liim in the
shape of arrow root tubers. The old adage
" gone to the pot " has proved true in the
case of these tribes.

When they wish to see Masti, all that
they have to do, is to open the pot,
invoke Masti and sing — when one of
the members of the padi gets the inspira-
tion— and his commands are respected. Masti
has the power to impose fine for mis-
demeanour of any description among the
tribe and every year each padi makes
offerings to him during the harvest season
(Ucharal).

These people always carry a stick (kiizhi-
hole) in their hands which is intended for
digging roots. They strike fire by the
friction of two bamboos. A dried bamboo
has a hole made in it, a small bamboo
piece is inserted and turned and turned
until the friction causes fire.

Jain Kurumbers and Kattu Naykans
are a primitive race without a history and
they are happy in their mountain slopes
with means of subsistence always avail-
able in the shape of edible roots. Another

113

decade, they will also be working for wages
in the tea estates and earning their livelihood
like their brother aborigines of Wynad.

CHAITKR VII

THE SHRINES OF WYNAD

1. Tirum'lli

2. Vallurkavu

:l. Gkmapatbivattaiu

k MaimiaThan

5, Triimirrhi

6. Kalliyanath Palli

TiiiTXiai.i Snmxi;

The tftlntl'i/i'ir'iti't of this famous shrine
ontains the following passage :
Gramam Sadevadeves^am
Tat Kshctram dhanasantatim
Raksha sdkshadhikaram cha
Deva sresthakhya ya saha
D vigotrebhy o dvi j agrebhy o
Dhara purvam pradatavan.
The village was granted with God Vishnu
)cvadeves'an)) his shrine, its revenues, and

f^»

s

OQ

CHAPTER VII

THE SHRINES OF WYNAD

1. Tirunelli

2. Vallurkavu

3. Ganapathivattam

4. Manmathan

5. Trimurthi

6. Kalliyanath Palli

TIEUNELLI SHRINE

The Sthalapurana of this famous shrine
contains the following passage :
Gramam Sadevadeves'am
Tat Kshetram dhanasantatim
Eaksha sikshadhikaram cha
Deva s'resthakhya ya saha
D vigotrebhy o dvi j agrebliy o
Dhara purvam pradatavan.
The village was granted with God Vishnu
(Devadeves'an), his shrine, its revenues, and

116

power to protect and punish, to the eminent
Brahmins of two different families and this
grant was made by pouring water into their
hands as signifying transfer of proprietorship.

The village referred to is Amalaka
gramam, and the temple, the Amalaka
kshetram or Tirunelli temple, as it is known
in Malabar, and the grant was made by
Brahmadeva under the following circum-
stances to the Brahmins who were first
appointed as its priests and proprietors.

On the summit of the Brahmagiri moun-
tain, Brahmadeva performed yagain (sacrifice)
and there Vishnu with four hands bedecked
with numerous fine jewels, seated on an
Amalaka tree appeared before him. The
figure however suddenly vanished. Brahma-
deva then founded a temple at the spot
dedicating the same to Vishnu and gave it
the name of Amalaka kshetram or Tirunelli
temple (Tiru — sacred, Nelli — gooseberry tree).
Brahmins were appointed priests to whom
the temple was entrusted as also the small
village that sprung about it, relics of which
still exist in the shape of old foundations
of houses.

117

Brahmadeva departed but visits the temple
every night to worship Vishnu. The pujci
(worship) in every shrine closes ordinarily
at about 9 to 10 P.M. and in this shrine,
where the ordinary puja is done five times,
from morning* till 10 P.M. the priest prepares
for a sixth puja before leaving the place.
On opening the doors next morning he
finds that all the materials for the puja
have been utilised during the night. It was
Brahmadeva who performed the sixth puja
and this has been going on every day
and will go on for ever. The priest before
entering the temple in the morning swears
thrice that he will not divulge what he
sees there on opening the door, and no
priest dare give out the secret at the risk
of being bitten by cobras emanating from
the shrine.

Whatever the present generation may
think of a superhuman agency performing
an unusual sixth puja in this shrine, the
fact remains that it is arranged for every
night in the belief that Brahmadeva visits
the temple and worships Vishnu.

As already mentioned Brahmadeva appointed

118

Brahmins as priests : but nothing is known
as to how they or the gramam disap-
peared. There is a long blank in the
history of the temple and a Sannyasi,
who in this wilderness took up his resi-
dence in the deserted temple had an in-
spiration in obedience to which he brought
down four Bmbrandiri Brahmins from
Gokarnam (Canara) to take charge of the
temple.

The puja was naturally neglected during
the Mysore invasion but subsequently the
Sannyasi — known as Samiyar — returned. He
found one of the Embrandiris returning
with another person, who was the ancestor
of the present Uralers (trustees). To
them the Sannyasi handed over the temple,
the Bmbrandiri to perform the puja and the
other individual to manage the affairs.
Subsequently the manager claimed proprie-
torship and succeeded in establishing his
right. His family was divided into north
and south branches, represented by Vatakku
Moothannan, and Thekku Moothannan, the
present (Uralers) trustees of the temple.
The junior members in their families

119

are known as Elayannan and Kunjannan.
They claim kinship with the Musads of
Malabar and follow their customs and manners
as in Malabar proper, the name Moo-
thannan being composed of Moothathu (i.e.,
Musad) and Annan, evidently a courtesy
title common in Coorg which province ad-
joins Tirunelli amsam.

The idol is of granite stone and is said
to be of excellent workmanship. After de-
struction by fire during Tippu's invasion
the temple was first reconstructed with
thatched roofs. The Srikovil (central shrine)
has since been roofed with copper and
surmounted by a golden spire. The ground
in and out of the temple is paved with
granite stones.

Shrines and sacred springs surround the
temple and a brief description of the same
is extracted below from the Malabar Gazet-
teer.

" At the back of the temple a stream
of clear water comes tumbling down from
the hill-side in a succession of pools and
cataracts, and many of these pools are holy.
Their names are Papanasini, the extinguisher

120

of sins, Panchatirtam, Rinamochinitirtam,
Qiwnik-atirtam, Satavinnu, Sahasravinmi and
Varaham. The water of the last is brought
for temple use in a stone aqueduct half a
mile long. The water of Papanasini falls
on a rock called Pinnapara where offerings
to the spirits of the departed are made.
This rock is a bone of an Asuran or
demon, named Pashana-bhedi, slain by
Vishnu, whose body was at his own
prayer converted into a rock extending
from Tirunelli to Gaya, Tirunelli represent-
ing his foot, Godaveri his middle, Gaya the
head. Just by Gunnikatirtam is a small cave
temple dedicated to Siva."

Besides the above, there is the PaJcshi-
pashanam (lit., bird-rock) called "garudap-
para" (Garudan's rock) beneath which are
found several interesting caves known as
Pathalam (nether world) where hermits in
the ancient days lived and which as the
story goes, were visited by Mr. Baber, Sub-
Collector of Northern Division, Malabar,
in the beginning of the nineteenth century.
He met the hermits and built a flight of
steps for them to climb up to their caves,

121

the cement used being still visible in parts.
The Bavali river deserves mention as deriv-
ed from Vari — water and Avail — collection
— collection of waters — the right name of
the river being Varavali. The junction of
Nanda stream with the Bavali is known as
Nandabavali Sangamam and is a sacred spot
where low castes who are not allowed to
enter the temple make their offerings. On
the eastern side of Grunnika temple is a
rock on which Sudras perform funeral
rites on the forty-first day after the death of
their relatives.

The Punarjanini (re-birth) has a sacred
function attached to it. This is a cave in
the rock with opening 011 two sides, and
any person who is stuck midway in attempt-
ing to pass through is considered a sinner,
and his way of escape out of the difficulty
is by praying to God Vishnu when he could
retreat. It is only one free from sins, and
sincerely devout, who need attempt to pass
through scatheless.

The above is a brief notice of the famous
Tirunelli shrine — "the resort of many a pious
Hindu under the promise of remission of

122

sins and eternal bliss". Its sanctity, anti-
quity and divine origin have never been
disputed by Hindus — and it is a matter of
regret that the two copper plates preserved
in the temple and the inscription on the
granite wall could never be deciphered as
those would have given a clearer idea as
to the origin and history of this famous
shrine. As it is, one has to depend on the
" Stalapuranam " (local legends) for informa-
tion and this is given here as succinctly as
possible.

THE VALLUIIKAVU SHRINE

The following brief account of the above
shrine appears in the Malabar Gazetteer : —

"About two miles from Manan toddy on
the banks of the river is the Vallurkavu,
the famous fish pagoda, dedicated to Durga
a,nd supposed to have been one of the
four shrines erected to protect the Tirunelli
temple. The Carnatic carp and other fish
in the pool of the river adjoining the temple
are sacred, and to feed them is a method
of acquiring merit. This fact points to a
Dravidian origin of the temple. Possibly it
was at one time a temple of the Valluvars,

123

a servile caste of labourers and fishermen.
Thousands of pilgrims come for the temple
festival which is held in March."

Local tradition points to a quite different
origin which, as will be seen from the
following account, is traced to Kotungallur
(Cranganore) in the Cochin State.

Nalveettil Nambiars (lit., Nambiars of four
houses) are the Velichapads (oracles) attached
to the Cranganore temple. They lead an
itinerant life and live on the offerings
they receive from the Hindu houses. In
their perigrinatioiis they carry with them a
sword, which as an emblem of the deity,
serves as an easy passport for their livelihood.
In the olden days, two such men arrived
in Wynad, with the object of visiting the
holy shrine at Tirunelli. One morning they
left Maiiantoddy for the temple, but having
missed their way found themselves in a
thick jungle. The heat of the sun was
intense and the stream in the vicinity tempted
them to take a plunge therein. They per-
formed the usual puja to the sword, took
light refreshments and leaving the sword
in the adjoining ant-hill, rested in the

124

delightful shade of the thick foliage of trees
and were soon in the arms of Morpheus. When
they awoke they found the sword missing
and a search was made with no effect.
Meanwhile a Kurichiya boy who was grazing
his cattle brought the happy tidings that
a sword was seen suspended on a creeper on
the adjoining hill. The pilgrims hastened to
the spot and tried to take hold of the sword.
It would not leave the creeper in spite
of their efforts and they noticed the sword
rising higher and higher in the air the
moment they attempted to touch it. In
appealing terms they addressed the sword
and repeated several times the words
" Valliyur Amma " x (0 Mother ! disentangle
thyself from the creeper). These entreaties
were not responded to and the pilgrims
left the place in sad disappointment. The
matter was reported to the local chieftains,
Edachana Nair and Vemoth Nambiar, on
whose visit to the place, the sword was
found in the same position. They attempt-
ed to touch the sword and it dropped

1 Valliyur — Valli — Creeper, Ure — to draw or to let

125

down, sticking fast in the ground. The
miraculous incident was reported to the
Raja of Kottayam, then the ruler of Wynad.
The Raja's visit to the spot was followed
by oracular utterances from a Velichapad
(oracle) in the following terms : — " I desire
to settle in the locality in three different
places and in three different forms : first
as " Vana Durga " in the place where the
sword fell, as " Jala Durga " in the pool of
the adjoining stream and lastly as " Bhad-
rakali " in the middle of the above two
places and a temple should be erected
with the four eaves of the roof projecting
into the four oceans." The Raja express-
ed his utter inability to undertake the
construction of a temple in the manner
indicated ; whereupon the goddess declared
that no edifice was then necessary and
she would prefer to remain exposed to
the sun and rain. After this incident, the
Raja made arrangements for the daily
puja, which was entrusted to Cherangote
Nambidi, Edachana Nair and Vemoth Nambiar
who were appointed Managers. The three
centres specified in the divine message are

126

to this day held sacred and none ventures to
pollute their sanctity either by hunting in
the adjoining jungle, being the abode of
Vana Durga (i.e., Durga of the forest) or
fishing in the stream below, wherein the Jala
Durga (Durga of the water) is supposed to
reside. The ant-hill on which the sword rest-
ed prior to its disappearance, is known as
Maniputtu (Puttu — ant-hill) where puja is
performed during the days of the annual fes-
tival. Just in front of the Maniputtu is the
Kali's shrine which remains closed, except
during the fourteen days of the festival. It is
here that during the last three days of the
festival the Cherangote Nambidi (priest)
exhibits to the public the exact form of
the goddess, as appeared to him in a vision,
hence the name "Oppana" by which the
exhibition ceremony is termed. It is interest-
ing to note that people from all parts of the
Taluk, nay from the plains also, throng
to the temple with the most anxious expecta-
tion to have a look at the " Oppana," the
prevailing idea being, that one blessed with
the sight of the deity in this form will be free
from all epidemic diseases during the year.

GANAPATHIVATTAM TEMPLE.

127

The above legend throws much light as
to the true origin of the shrine. Vallurkavu
(lit., Valliyurkavu) took its name from
the passionate appeal to the deity by the
pilgrims in their endeavour to regain the
sword.

The English name of the shrine appar-
ently originated from the fact that fishes
in the pool which is considered sacred are
left there without molestation, for fear of
incurring divine displeasure.

There is a general impression that Vallur-
kavu is one of the protecting shrines of
Tirunelli Temple. This cannot be right, as
the former was but of comparatively recent
origin after the Kottayam conquest. As
regards the reference to Valluvars, however
interesting it may be philologically, there
is nothing in Wynad to show that they
ever existed in Wynad. The origin of the
shrine, as traced to Cranganore, is accepted
as correct by the faithful votaries of Durga.
GANAPATHI VATTAM TEMPLE

This is a melancholy chapter to a Hindu
who has faith in Ganapathi, son of Siva.
When he sees that his image is mutilated

128

and his temple ruined, he feels that
divine beings with divine powers have,
like human beings, their own seasons of
adversity which they cannot avoid.

An arrow from a huntsman's bow was
the immediate cause of Sri Krishna's death —
or rather disappearance from the world —
and all must bow to fate, and the Ganapathi
at whose shrine every inhabitant within a
radius of about 12 miles prays, suffered the
indignity of the mutilation of his idol which, as
a visible and tangible symbol to the ignorant,
had been placed in the temple to represent him.
Ganapathi Vattam — the sphere of the Gaiia-
pathi, covered the amsams of Kidanganad,
Nulpuzha and Neiimeni and when Tippu of
Mysore overran the country, his troops de-
stroyed the temple and mutilated the granite
idol. The town then took the name of
Sultan's Battery and the Moslem town of
that name sprung up at the time.

In spite of these misfortunes, Ganapathi's
influence has not waned. The Wynadan
Chetti, the Mulla Kurumben and the Pathiyan
of the three villages named above still be-
lieve in him. They have their local gods

129

and goddesses at their own centres but
Ganapathi is the overlord who is propitiated
by offerings at certain seasons of the year.

Who knows whether Tippu Sultan did
not suffer for the sacrilege ? That he re-
pented to a certain extent at least is proved
by the grant of lands to the Temple
free of tax, and this no doubt is a
satisfaction. His career of destruction was
brought to an end not very long after by the
avenging Christian who was considerate in
dealing with the Hindu faith and who
confirmed and continued the In am (free of
assessment) grant of lands made by Tippu.
The tolerant Hindu thanks both for this
consideration.

The legendary history of this temple is
unknown, but its reputation as one of the
famous temples of Wynad deserves at least
this small note.

THE GOD MANMATHAN

Manmathan is another name for Kamadeva
(Cupid) but the Manmathan of Nenmini
amsam, presiding over the destinies of
Wynadan Chettis, is a different deity and
does not pretend to be the God of love.

9

130

Manmathan the subject of this sketch
is known in Canarese as " Bomrna Deva "
and has no temple built for him. He is
supposed to reside on a small raised plat-
form by the side of the road from Sultan's
Battery to the Nilgiri boundary, four miles
from the Battery town. He has no image
or idol to represent him but is supposed to
be there, either on the platform itself or
on the shampak tree standing on it. The
platform is protected by a wooden railing.

Once a year the Chettis perform puja
(worship) about June and as the deity is
fond of plantains, the inhabitants of the
neighbourhood, Chettis, Mulla Kurumbers and
also Nayars, offer plantain bunches. The
method of selecting such bunches is pecu-
liar. When the date of the festival is fixed,
the inhabitants intimate to the Chetti
Pujari (priest) that an offering has teen
made. The Velichapad (oracle) who repre-
sents the deity on the occasion then goes
round to each garden, picks out the best
bunch and removes it. The plantain tree
cannot be cut : it can only be pulled
down, the use of knife being prohibited.

131

Numbers of such bunches are thus laid at
the shrine for about three days and the in-
fluence of Manmathan is so great that no
thief would venture to remove them : and
no cattle would eat them. The Revenue
Inspector — a Graduate — was present at the
last festival and affirms that cattle approach
but never touch the plantain.

Another peculiarity is that the Deity's
mother-tongue is Canarese. Probably he, like
so many others, migrated from Mysore. The
Velichapad (oracle) who is generally a Chetti
converses — when under inspiration — in the
Canarese tongue, though he himself does not
know the language, a wonderful feat indeed.

The inhabitants respect and esteem him
and in every plantain garden in the neigh-
bourhood one tree is set apart as his, so
that thieves may not interfere, and this
method is found very effective. The bunch
is sent to the shrine during the annual
festival, so that Manmathan gets a special
bunch of plantains for protecting the garden
against theft and another as an ordinary
offering for the general welfare of the
people.

132

TRIMUETHI or MANIKUNND
This mountain about 500 feet above the
level of the Wynad plateau and situated in
Kottapadi amsam has the honour of having
on its crest a shrine where the Trimurthi*
(Brahma, Vishnu and Siva) are jointly wor-
shipped. It is rather rare to find the
creative, the preservative and the destructive
powers at one and the same shrine, and
according to the legend, it was the great
Manu who dedicated the shrine for the
joint worship of the three powers. Three
idols stand on a rock on the crest of the
hill and on Uth-araphalguni Nakshatram (star)
day of the month Meenum, (March — April)
the puja is performed by a Nambudri
Brahmin from the Calicut Taluk. On
this day the consolidated puja for all
the 365 days in the year is performed and
the votaries coming in from different parts
of the amsam fast until it is over. A
peculiarity attached to this shrine is that
while there is no water on the top of the
till or anywhere in the neighbourhood, water
flows on that day from a cavity in the
rock which is dry at other times in the

133

year. The appearance of water in the hot-
test part of the year on the top of a hill
and through a fissure in the rock is a
miracle which cannot be explained except
by attributing it to the divine power of
the gods that preside there. The correct
name of the hill is Mannkunnu which in
course of time has become Manikunnu.
It is inaccessible all the year round and
the track is cleared 011 this day for the
convenience of the worshippers. The Uralen
(trustee) of this shrine was Kottayil Nayar
from whom Krishna Goundan, a wealthy
land-lord, purchased it with his other
properties, and this gentleman now super-
vises the ceremony and provides a feast
on the completion of the puja to the faithful
worshippers who attend.

KALLIYANATHA PALLY

This is a mosque, the proper name of
which is Kalliyana Pally, derived from
Kalliyanam — marriage — and so called in
commemoration of the day on which the
site of the mosque was granted by the
Nayar at whose house there was a kalli-
yanam ceremony on that day.

134

Once upon a time, as the story goes, a
Sheik was found by the Kurichiyans of the
locality seated on a rock near a stream in
the Perinchola forest with two tigers, one
on either side. The Kurichiyans reported
the discovery at Chovvel Edam, the house
of Alanchery Moopil Nambiar, who proceed-
ed to the spot with his neighbours. The
Sheik was not to be seen but the next day
the Nambiar again went in qiiest of the
Sheik, who was then found on a hill. On
being asked who he was and what he
wanted, he said he had no special object
in visiting the place and that he was a
traveller. It struck the Nambiar that there
was something saintly in this personage and
desirous of testing him, he asked the Sheik
if he could cure a lady in his house who
had been ailing for six years and who was
also blind. The Sheik asked for water to
be brought and the Nambiar supplied milk.
The Sheik repeated certain mantrams (in-
cantations) over it and on the same being
administered to the lady, she recovered her
health and her eye-sight.

The Nambiar asked the Sheik what he

135

could do for him, when he applied for
sufficient ground to build a mosque and
he pointed out the junction of the three
desams (Edavaka, Ozhakodi and Edachana)
as the place he desired. Edachana Nayar,
Alanchery Nambiar, Vadikolla Nambiar and
Mechilatan Nayar came to the spot and
formally made a gift of the site to the
Sheik, who then disappeared suddenly.

A few days afterwards, the Sheik re-
appeared with a few fakirs, who built a
mosque, which was an unpretentious affair
at first, but in course of time, the Nayars
of the locality finding that offerings to the
mosque resulted in the accomplishment of
their desires granted more lands.

The Sheik and all the fakirs died, the
last of them handing over the deeds relating
to the mosque-site and the lands to a woman
known as Kakka Pathu who was living
with her husband in the neighbourhood.
They went to Nadapuram and handed the
deeds (cadjans) to a Mopla named Ekoten
Tharuvayi, who came to Wynad and erected
a substantial building. He thus became
the proprietor and his descendants are the

136

present trustees of this mosque.

Kalliyana Pally is the oldest mosque in
Wynad and the Mopla colony round it
consisted of people whose ancestors came
from Kadathanad (part of Kurumbranad
Taluk).

The date when the mosque was originally
built cannot now be ascertained: but as
Edachana Nayar and Alancheri Nambiar were
chieftains appointed by the Kottayam Raja
after he conquered the Vedar rulers, it may
be presumed that the Sheik appeared in
Wynad during the Kottayam supremacy.
Every religion tends towards the same goal
and the Hindu and the Mussulman joined in
venerating the saintly Sheik — a sign of the
spirit of the times when all religions were
tolerated.

CHAPTER VIII

LEGENDS AND ANECDOTES

1. Valmiki's Hermitage.

2. Banasur of Mababharata.

3. The Hermit's Curse.

4. The Peria Saint,

5. An Ingenious Lady.

6. A Royal Vedar Lady.

7. Ancient Boycott.

Legends transmitted from generation to
generation undergo change in course of time,
and to prevent these from being entirely
forgotten, I have recorded them here, in
the hope that they will be entertaining,
if not instructive.

I have attempted to connect Mahabharata
and Ramayana with Wynad : to identify
Pulpalli with Sage Valmiki's hermitage
where Sita lived in exile : and to identify

138

Banasur as the scene of the Bdn<i Y"ddha
(War with Bana) of Mahabharata. If they
are not true, an explanation ought to be
forthcoming why these localities should have
been named after Puranic characters and
why these legends should have been fabricat-
ed. No purpose is served by calling a
mountain by the name of Banasur, unless
the giant himself had built, or was sup-
posed to have built his fort there, and while
not prepared to substantiate the truth of
the legend, I would ask the readers to leave
it as an open question whether the heroes
of Mahabharata and Ramayana visited
Wynad or not.

VALMIKI'S HEBMITAGK

The name Sasi Mala represents a hill in
Pulpalli desam of Puthadi amsam in Wynad
Taluk. The correct name is N /'.</' Mala,
literally, infant's hill. The infants referred
to were Kusa and Lava, the twin children
of Sita Devi, born in Valmiki's hermitage,
during her exile from Ayodhya (Oudh).
The hill was called after them, as there
they seized the horse sent out by
Rama during the Asivamedha Yagam (horse

139

sacrifice) and kept their hold till Rama
himself came and recognised his two sons.
The exact spot is said to bear the marks
of a horse's hoof and the hill has since
borne the name of " Sisu Mala ".

At some distance from it is the hermitage
— a cave, where Valrniki is supposed to
have been seated in tapas (meditation) and
this is now blocked up by ant-hill. The
rock just above the cave was the spot
where Lakshmana alighted from the chariot
with Sita. A shed stands 011 the rock, the
thatching of which is to be completed in
a day, i.e., from morning till evening. The
tradition is that as the work is finished
wild dogs would chase deer into the shed,
kill it and leave it as a remuneration for
thatching the shed. The dogs have not
been so accommodating for some time past.

The twins, Kusa and Lava, are worshipped
under the name of Munikanmar — Muni-
Kutoaran-vnar (children of the Sage) and
Sita under the name of Chedattil Amma.
The temple is situated about four miles
away from the rock above mentioned.

The water of the stream near by is said

140

to have been yellow as Sita used to bathe
in it after confinement. This colour was
attributed to the turmeric used by Hindu
ladies on these occasions but lapse of time
evidently restored the water to its original
colour. There is however a peculiar sort
of paddy known as vari net grown in the
neighbouring jungles. No seed is sown :
but a overy small quantity is found in patch-
es supposed to have been the remnant of
the paddy used at the hermitage.

The temple with its properties is known
as Pulpalli Devaswam and the Uralen
(trustee) is Kuppathode Nayar. He claims
descent from the demoiselle cle honneur
who accompanied Sita from Ayodhya in
her exile.

A short note on Sage Valmiki by Rev.
Munro Taylor is appended for the informa-
tion of the reader.

" An ancient Sage : an ascetic who con-
tinued so fixed in one place and posture,
in his penance, that termites threw up
their diggings around him ; so that he ap-
peared to be seated in an ant-hill, whence
his name. At what time he left it is

141

not stated, but he had a hermitage ; and
one day walking from it to gather fire-
wood, heard a bird on a tree utter sounds,
which he reduced to writing and found
they formed a sloka; in which measure he,
or some one in his name, wrote the Rama-
yanam : the Sanskrit poem being often men-
tioned with his name prefixed, to distinguish
it from the Telugu and Tamil versions.
In his advanced age when Sita was repudiated
by Rama, she dwelt in the hermitage of
Valmiki, and therein her two sons Kusa
and Lava were born."

BANASUR OF MAHABHAEATA

The height of Banasur mountain is 6,762
feet and the Malabar Gazetteer mentions
that "a legendary giant is said to have
built a fort on it ".

This giant is known as Banasuran, a
giant who by austere penance (tapas) ac-
quired such powers that Siva had to
be warder of his palace. His lovely
daughter Usha fell in love with Aniruddha,
grandson of Sri Krishna. Their clandestine
meetings came to the notice of Banasuran,
who clapped the lover in prison. Krishna

142

having received intimation of this incident
proceeded to rescue him and was met by
the giant and by Siva, who was compelled
to assist the former. Naturally, it was an
open question who would win, and at last
when 110 weapons were found to be effective
Siva sent " Siva Jwaram " to annihilate
Krishna's army. This was met by Krishna's
66 Vishnu Jwaram " which rendered Siva's
weapon ineffective and threatened to destroy
the whole of Bfmasuran's army. A compromise
was effected and Usha left for Dwaraka as
the wife of Aniruddha.

Thus runs the tradition as described at
length in the Mahabharata and the fort
of Banasuran is said to have been on the
Banasur mountain.

The giant's arms were chopped off by
Krishna during the fight, and a temple
called Karabanasseri exists at the foot of
the mountain where daily puja (worship)
is still being performed. An annual ceremony
is performed when a member of the Mun-
nutten caste in the dress of a hunter known
as Malakari plays an important part. Kara-
banasseri temple is supposed to commemorate

143

the cutting of the giant's arms (Kara — arm,
Bana — Banasura) and the Malakari represents
Siva as the guardian of the Mala (moun-
tain), Closely connected traditionally with
Banasur is Mazhuvannur — about 8 miles
away — in Porunannur amsam, where there
is a Siva temple indicating the place where
Siva's battle-axe fell, in the course of the
fight. MarJm-vanna-ure (lit., axe-came-village)
was called after the axe that was dashed
out of Siva's hands at Banasur.

Inferences are not always correct : but
some may be amusing owing to their
absurdity. The compiler of Mahabharata
could not have been aware of the malarial
nature of the Wynad climate. But Siva
Jwaram is known also as Ushna Jwaram (heat-
fever) and Vishnu Jwaram as Sita Jivamm
(cold-fever) : the two expressions represent-
ing the fever prevailing in the plains,
and the ague existing in Wynad. Krishna's
Vishnu Jwaram having prevailed against
Siva's Jwaram, ague, attended with chill,
prevailed in Wynad. Malaria is thus
traced to a divine origin but, medical opi-
nion may not agree with this conclusion.

144

THE HERMIT'S CURSE

At Sultan's Battery in the Wynad Taluk
nearly two furlongs to the south of the
town and a few yards south of the sixtieth
mile stone on the Mysore road, stands a
vasti temple, a magnificent and an interesting
relic of the Jain colony that lived and
flourished here years ago, and then became
practically extinct. The neighbourhood is
still known as "Annaradu Vithi " which in
Canarese means 12 streets indicating the
colony of Jains that settled there, and the
tank which they used for bathing purposes
was called " Dodappan kulam " which how-
ever can hardly be identified, as it has
been gradually filled up with earth brought
in by the heavy monsoon. The place is
deserted but the inhabitants of Sultan's
Battery would point out where the street
and the kulam existed. The families that
settled there became extinct and the few who
survived left the place so that there are no
Jains here now. The cause of extinction of a
flourishing colony is believed to be the follow-
ing : A Sannyasi (hermit) finding his way to
the village, handed over a pot to one of the

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145

residents and asked him to keep it till
his return. The man hung up the pot
in his room and after a few days found
that the pot was slightly leaky, and
the droppings, which fell on the iron utensils
and agricultural implements, converted them
into gold. The pot was found to contain
liquified gold and it was at once freely
utilised by the members of the Jain com-
munity to convert all the iron they
possessed into gold. The house in which
the pot was kept was then set fire to and
the gold buried in the ground. The Sannyasi
returned and on asking for his Icanakam
(gold) pot, was informed that it was lost
in the fire. He then cursed them : " The
treasure that you have buried knee-deep
in the earth shall not be found and this
city shall become a ruin." Thus was the
colony of the Jains ruined and the large
quantity of gold which even now is believed
to exist underground never discovered. In
fact several attempts appear to have
been made to get at the hidden treasure
but none was successful and the Moplas of

Sultan's Battery have been anxious to
10

146

secure the temple site, which however has
been reserved against such alienation.
THE PERIA SAINT

The Peria saint was a Pathan who with
his brother came into Malabar from the
north. The direction " north " is vague, but
it is supposed to be near Delhi. One of
them died at the Peria ghat and was buried
at the spot where the tomb exists on the
slope of the hill. He has been canonised
and Mussalmaiis hold him in respect. Some
one had the ingenuity to build an auxiliary
tomb on the road side in a line with the
real tomb, so that votaries may convenient-
ly make their offerings there instead of having
to climb up the hill.

He must have been fond of cattle during
his life in this material world and he must
also have been a patron of cartmen. At
Nedumpoyil valley the cartmen purchase a
couple of sandalwood perfumed wicks for light-
ing at the tomb situated on the road side.
This offering is intended to propitiate the saint
and protect the cattle, goods and the cartmen
themselves from all evil during the journey.
The auxiliary tomb can be seen at the twenty-

147

eighth mile stone from Calicut. And he stands
as the guardian saint at the gates of the
mountain range, ready to protect people
from the evil effects of the Wynad climate,
of course for a consideration in the shape
of offerings.

No one remembers seeing him, but in
dreams, he appears in the form of an old
Mussalman — grey and full bearded — to those
faithful votaries, who make vows to his
shrine. So says Ahmedsa, an old Pattani
(Patlian) of Manantoddy who has very great
admiration for the saint.

It is not only the Mussalman who vener-
ates the saint : in fact it was a Tiyyen
contractor who repaired the tomb recently
for some benefit obtained through the
influence of the saint.

This is the history of the Peria saint
whose tomb on the road side is decorated
with small red flags and there we shall
leave him — requiescat in pace.

AN INGENIOUS LADY

In Chapter III it has been mentioned
that the Kurumbala Division of Wynad was
placed under Avinjat Nayar by the Raja of

148

Kottayam. The traditionary account of this
delegation is interesting.

The Raja of Kottayam and his consort
Lekshmi Kettilamma of Avinjat family on
their way to Avinjat house in Kurumbra-
nad Taluk passed through Kurumbala. When
they crossed the Malankara river on the
west, they noticed that a jackal drove away
the dog that accompanied them and began
trotting before them. They were on foot
and had travelled three Jcathams (12 miles)
and when they arrived at the south-eastern
boundary of Kurumbala, the dog drove the
jackal away.

The Kettilamma was observant and felt
these signs as significant and peculiar. They
however proceeded on their way and
arrived at the Lady's Avinjat house.

That night the family deity of Avinjat
appeared before the Lady and advised
her to ask her Eoyal consort for the
land where the jackal drove away the
dog. The request was made and the
Raja complied with it. " You and your
progeny shall rule over this country. You
shall be I ". Thus was made the royal gift.

149

The Avinjat Lady and her descendants be-
came the Rulers of Kurumbala — the three
kathams of country where the dog- jackal
incident took place.

When the Raja and the Lady returned
to Kottayam, the princes and the prin-
cesses protested against the grant. The
lady was grieved but as she was sleep-
ing, there was again a dream : in fact
an inspiration by the family deity.
" Do not be grieved. Promise that you
would give up the whole country except
Pamben Kuni and Chemben Chira situated
west of the Kurumbala fort." She accord-
ingly promised that with these two excep-
tions she was prepared to give up Kurum-
bala. There was a conference among the
princes and the princesses : they were not
aware that Pamben Kuni was a barren
and rocky hill and that Chemben Chira
was a small tank. They, however, knew the
lady to be clever : and suspecting that these
two places were very valuable, resolved on
asking the Raja that they would be con-
tent with Pamben Kuni and Chemben
Chira. On this being communicated to the

150

Eaja he accepted the proposal and she
graciously withdrew her claim to those two
spots. The original grant of Kurumbala
excepting the two places mentioned above was
then confirmed by royal mandate.

" You and your progeny shall rule over
the extent of three kathams of Kurumbala
excepting Pamben Kuni and Chemben Chira.
You have all the powers of sovereignty
(lit., you shall be we) and shall protect the
299 Nayars, the deities, the Payyerpati
Swarupam, the ten houses of Taragans and
you have full powers of receiving Rdja-
bhogam (tribute) and shall protect and
punish. You shall be Melkoyma (the
superior authority) . ' '

The Avinjat Nayar thus became Vazhun-
naver (ruler) of Kurumbala with the two
chieftains Poyil Nayar and Thenamangalath
Nayar under him.

The Kurumbala Nad now consists of
Kurumbala and Kottathara amsams and the
southern portion is under the Kuthali Nayar
to whom it was given by Avinjat.

This tradition is interesting as showing how
a clever lady secured the sovereignty of a

151

country from her husband, outwitting the
junior members of the royal family by ask-
ing for a barren hill and a useless tank
and then as a matter of grace giving them
up when the princes under a misapprehension
claimed these for themselves. The hill and the
tank still exist — the former measures 76 cents
and the latter about 10 cents. No one wants
them and the deluded princes and prin-
cesses lost a large country through the ingenu-
ity of a lady.

So was the world, so it is, and so will it
continue to be.

NOTE — The dog- jackal incident related above would
appear to be rathqr strange but a similar incident
as between a hare and a dog is reported in the
Times of India dated 19th October, 1910, under the
heading " The Ruins of Humpi " referring to the
capture of Anegundi by Mahomed Tughlak in 1338
A.D. and the appointment of Deva Raja as his Deputy.

One day when out hunting Deva Raja, the
Governor of Anegudi, " was astonished at observing
that a hare, instead of fleeing from the dogs,
attacked and bit them. Marvelling what this strange
incident might portend, the king consulted the sage
Madhava Charya who dwelt on the bank of the
neighbouring river. The holy man said the omen
was propitious and advised that a city should be
built on the spot ". This was done, as also a temple
in honour of the sage.

152

A ROYAL VEDAR LADY

Bravi was the sister of the Vedar Ruler.
She was a pious lady. Her jewels were
so costly that by the sale of one of her
thodas (ear ornaments) she was able to
found three religious institutions. These
still exist and bear her name.

1. Eravimangalam Temple in Anjukunnu
amsam.

2. Eravimala in Tavinjal amsam.

3. Bravinallur in Kuppathode amsam.
She was of Vedar caste and could not

enter the temple precincts : but was a
devout and sincere worshipper. She was
anxious to see the image : but the stone
known as Velikal stood in the way. She
stood before the Eravimangalam temple at
a respectful distance and being unable to
see the image owing to the above obstruc-
tion, prayed to Grod for the grant of her wish.
She had faith, the stone slanted of itself
and the image became visible : she saw : she
prayed and her object was accomplished
and her faith rewarded.

The remaining thoda was presented by
her to Eravinallur Temple and is said to

153

be still in the Temple tank. This is the
tradition about this worthy lady. In Chapter
II " Ancient History " reference has been
made to the daughter of the royal Vedar
race who was married to Nanthillath
Nambiar, the Ruler of Veliyambam. Could
the two have been identical ?
ANCIENT BOYCOTT

The Raja of Kottayam was coining up the
Kuttiyadi ghat with a detachment of Nayars
when four of them deserted the main body
at the Niravil stream. The Raja dubbed
them " Niravil Thetti Nayars " (Nayars who
left at Niravil). These deserters however
made their way to the top of the Kuttiyadi
ghat and settled down there and their
descendants representing about fifty houses
are still to be found within six miles of
Koroth, even their kinsmen in Kurumbranad
having severed all association with them.
Desertion on the line of march had its own
punishment. These Niravil Thetti Nayars are
now known as " Niravil Nayars " but they
resent being so called.

In this connection it would be amusing
to know that this Raja named the chieftains

154

under him by the position they occupied
during an engagement.

Pilakizhu Nayar — Nayar who stood near
the Pilavu tree (Jack).

Mulliyankizhu Nayar — Nayar who stood
behind Mulli (Ridge).

Vazhathattil Nayar — Nayar who stood be-
hind a Vazha (Plantain tree).

Alattil Nayar — Nayar who climbed up the
Al tree (Banian).

Alanchari Nambiar — Nambiar who stood
against the Ala (cattle pen) and so on.

CHAPTER IX

HUNTING IN WYNAD

1. Tiger-hunt.

2. Boar-hunt.

A TIGER-HUNT

This is a pastime of a socio-religious
character indulged in by "Wynadan Chettis,
Pathiyans and Mulla Kurumbers. The
Chetty takes the lead : but the Pathi-
yan and Mulla Kurumban have their parts
to play. All these inhabit the country
round Sultan's Battery, and on informa-
tion received that a tiger (or panther) is
lurking in the jungles, they organise a
tiger-hunt and arming themselves with
spears proceed to the spot. The surrounding
places are cleared, the ground is prepared
for fixing stakes and the tiger's refuge is

156

surrounded by a wall of rope-netting six
feet high.

Chettis, Pathiyans, Mulla Kurumbers and
able-bodied men of other communities guard
the net with their spears. They wait until
the presiding deity appears in the person
of a Chetti ; a Pathiyan or a Mulla Kurumban
also may act the oracle. The Chetti invokes
Manmathan, the Pathiyan invokes Mudiyen
Puli — tiger destroyer — and the Mulla Kurumban
his Puthadi Daivam (Grod of Puthadi).

The oracle walks round the net thrice and
throws a stick into the jungle and this is
followed by stones and sticks from the
besiegers, who begin shouting at the top
of their voice, calling out to the tiger to
come out. He steps out of the jungle, sees
the spears pointed at him, clears the space
between himself and the net, and makes
a desperate attempt to break through the
ranks of the enemy receiving thrust after
thrust until he dies.

The tiger becomes sacred after death :
every one present touches him, women with
their children come in and do the same
and the long hair on the tiger's face is surrep-

157

titiously removed and preserved as charm.

The sport is over and the feast follows.
This is provided by the Chettis of the
neighbourhood from subscriptions from
those who attend and it is generally a suc-
cess, since the arrack shopkeeper of Sultan's
Battery makes an unusually large profit
on the occasion.

BOAR-HUNT

Boar-hunt on the Thulapathu day is an
institution in Wynad, as it is also in some
Taluks in the plains of Malabar. Thulapathu
is the 10th of Thulam, Malayalam year,
and falls in October, the exact date in
1910 being 26th. The hunt continues for
four days and this account was written on
the second day of the boar-hunt.

Besides being a pastime, it has both a
religious and political significance ; under
the feudal system of bygone times the lord
of the Manor — to use the English phraseology
— starts on a regular hunting expedition, with
his armed retainers attending upon him.
The system has died out in the present day :
but vestiges of it remain, one of which is the

158

boar-hunt 011 Thulapathu and the three
ensuing days.

In the morning, the huntsmen begin to
gather at the house of the chief and on
the present occasion it was at the house
of Kuppathode Nayar, whose ancestor was
one of the leading chiefs under the Kottayam
regime and a wealthy Jenmi : by twelve
noon, the number of huntsmen, Mulla Kurum-
ber and Kurichiyans number about fifty — and
it is said they muster a hundred — and
more some times.

All those who attend are fed — the feast
being particularly decent — and the hunts-
men, with a member of the chieftain's family
to represent him, and some Nayar neigh-
bours who naturally join the expedition
— start out.

Bows and arrows, and muzzle loading guns
are the weapons used — and after a while,
the boar being spotted, the Kurumbers start
the Tally-ho. A thick bamboo forest but
the huntsmen do not care. No boots, no
shoes, and with naked feet they chase the
boar through the forest. The boar finds
its way to the next hill and the huntsmen

159

follow, the boar retraces its steps and the
Kurumber's arrow speeds with unerr-
ing aim, the boar slackens his speed, the
dogs are on him and the Nayar's shot rings
out : and the boar falls, to rise no more.

The boar is carried to the top of
the hill, where there are a few granite
stones, marking the place where the puja
(worship) is to be performed. The Kurichi-
yan or Kurumben starts up inspired and
the hunting deity Malakari (Kiratha — Siva
as hunter) expresses himself pleased. The
Nayar representative of the chief thrusts
his knife in and the huntsmen commence
operations.

The boar's head is intended for the deity,
a small portion of the meat is taken out,
salted, dried and preserved in a pot until
next year. It is taken out, cooked, and
presented as an offering to the deity on the
next Thulapathu day. The hind quarter is
set apart for the chief. One fore quarter
goes by right to the person who had the
first shot and in the present case, to the
Kurumber. The rest is apportioned equit-
ably among the huntsmen.

160

The hunt continues all the four days,
the huntsmen being fed by the chief.

Every year on the 10th of Thulam the
boar-hunt goes on and this institution is
kept up as a pastime and as a relic of
the glory of the past.

CONCLUSION

I have executed the work that I
set myself to do. I have done my best
with the limited materials at my disposal
and I trust that, however imperfect it may
be, the information contained in this book
may, besides being interesting and useful,
tend towards the better understanding of
a tract of country, which owing to its
inaccessibility and its malarial climate, is
shunned by the inhabitants of the plains.

INDEX

ABOTUCLXES, 49, 50

Achara Kalliyanam — A

form of marriage like

Sambandham, 54, 55
Adiyans, 49, 51, 97, 99

Alpha Company, 6

Anillakar — Bridegroom's

party, 92, 110

Arecanuts, 6

Arippan — A former Ruler

of Wynad, 13, 14, 15,
60, 86
Aswamedha Yagam —

Horse sacrifice, 138

Avinjat Nayar, 21, 147,

150

BABBB, Mr. 30, 31, 39,120
Banasur, 137, 138, 141, 142
Boar-Hunt, 155, 157

Boycott, 137, 153

Brahmins, 38, 52, 54, 55,
58, 60, 63, 80, 96, 116

CARDAMOMS, 6

Ceara Rubber, 45

Chettis, 49, 50, 53, 54, 55,

:><;, :><>, 96, 130, 131,

156, 157

Cinchona, 6, 43, 44

Cocoa nut, 6

Coffee, 6, 41, 42, 44

Congou, 45

Cowle — Ai\ agreement in
writing, 29

EDAKAL Cave, 9

Edanaclan Chettis, 49, 50, 53
Elankuttil Svvarupam, 20,
25
E mbran di ri — C an ara

Brahmin, 118

G ANA PATH IVATTAM, 54, 115,
127

Gold Mining, 7

Gowdas, 53, 85

Grant Duff, Sir, M. E. 4

HERMIT'S Curse, 137, 144

Hill tribes, 49

Hultzch, Dr. 9

Ilydor Ali, 27

[NOENIOUS Lady. 137, 147

JAINS, 52, 53, 111

Jain Kurnrnliers, 50, 51,

108, 100

11

KADERS, 49, 51, 80, 81, 82

Kalliyanatha Palli, 115,

133, 136

Kanaladis, 49, 51, 95, 96,

97

Karimpalans, 49, 51, 77,
78,79

Katham — Four miles, 148,
149, 150

Kattu Nay kan s, 50, 51,
108, 112

Kerala Varma Raja, 5, 27,
28, 29, 30, 31, 64
KTRATHA Murthi — Mani-
festation of Siva, 71
Kottayam Raja, 4, 10, 11,
12, 13, 17, 18, 21, 23, 25,
52, 53, 54, 57, 59, 60, 80,
83, 85, 125, 136, 148, 153,
Kovilagam — Palace, 23
Kuduma— Hair tuft, 57
59, 67, 74, 77, 78, 83, 84,
86

Kudumbiyil Family, 9, 15

Kumbala Raja, 10, 11

Kunduvatiyans, 49, 51, 74,

76

Kuriehiyans, 5, 49, 50, 51,

59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 77,

79, 80, 134, 158, 159

Kurumbers, 5, 14, 15, 64,

65, 66, 70, 71, 112,

158, 159

Kurumbranad Raja, 4, 10,

11, 12, 13, 17, 29, 30

Kuthali (Nayar), 21, 150

LEKSHMI Kettilamma, 148

MAHABHARATA, 137, 138, 141,

142, 143

Makkathayam — Succes -
sion from father to
son, 57, 67, 73, 82, 86,

88, 111
Mala Kalliyanam —

Marriage where gar-
lands are exchanged, 55
Manantoddy, 7 (Foot
Note). 18, 38, 41, 42, 122,
123, 147

Mandatan Chettis, 49, 57
Manmathan, 56, 115, 129,
130, 131, 156
Marumakkathayam —
Succession in Mother's
line, 53, 57, 61, 74, 77,
78, 80, 83, 95, 100,
101, 105
Melkoyma — Supreme

Authority, 150

Mittam — Group of Kuri-

chiya huts, 60, 61

Moplas, 30, 52, 53, 56, 64

Mornington, Lord, 29

Mulla Kurumbers, 14, 49,

50, 64, 71, 74, 96, 128,

130, 155, 156, 158

Ill

NAMBUDIEI — Malabar

Brahmin, 80, 132

Nayars, 28, 52, 53, 54, 55,

59, 60, 63, 77, 78, 79, 80,

81, 108, 130, 133, 135,

150, 153, 158, 159

Nay kan s, 80

Neyyamirta — Offerings, 23

ISTnlla — A small stream

between hills, 35

ON AM — Malabar festival
day in August, 70, 99

PAD is, Group of huts
of hill tribes, 72, 90, 91,
93, 94, 109, 111, 112
Paddy, 6, 70, 76, 140

Pakka Swarupam 12, 22
Pallikettu — Marriage in

Royal Families, 23

Paniyars, 32, 49, 51, 99,

100, 101, 102, 103, 104,

105, 108

Para Rubber, 46

Parakkumeethil (Lit.
above the rock) 4, 12,
13, 17

Pathiyans, 49, 51, 82, 85,
96, 128, 155, 156
Pazhassi (Pychy)

rebel, 5, 64

Pekoe, 45 I

Pennillakar — Bride's

party, 91, 110

Pepper, 6, 45

Peria Saint, 137, 146, 147

Pinnams — Balls of rice
as an offering to the
spirit of the dead, 76

Porunnanur Swarupam, 21

Pravirthi — Village

official, 37

Pulayans, 49, 51, 105, 106,
107, 108

Punniaham — Holy

Water, 107

QITAKTZ Reefs, 6

RA«r, 6, 63, 72, 109

Rajabhogam — Tribute, 150
Ramayana, 137, 138, 141
Ravi Varma, 28

Rice, 6, 72

Robert Taylor, 28

Rowthens, 52, 53

Royal Veclar Lady, 152
Rubber, 6, 45, 46

SAKTAN Raja. 40, 89

Sambandham — Malabar

form of marriage, 54, 78
Sankaranthy, 70

Sannyasi — Hermit, As-
cetic, 118, 144, 145
Sasi

Shampak tree, 130

Sisu Mala (Lit : Infant's

Hill) 138, 139

Sloka— Verse, 141

Souchong, 45

Sudras, 121

Sultan's Battery, 9, 13, 56,

128, 130, 144, 145, 155,
157

TAKAUANS, 53, 150

Tea, 6, 44

Thachanad Muppens, 49,
51, 89, 90

Thali — A marriage-token
in the shape of a small
pendent jewel, 58, 61, 96

Thali Kettu (Lit. Tying
the Thali) 61, 77, 81, 83

Thalikettu Kalliyanam —
Symbolical marriage
Customary in Malabar
before the real marriage,
61, 77, 81, 83

Tharakn — Royal Mand-
ate, 23, 25, 53

Tiger-Hunt, 155

Tippu, 4, 28, 29, 119, 128,
129

Tirunelli, 10, 20, 86, 99,

115, 116, 119, 120, 121,

122, 123, 127

Tiyyan, 80, 147

Thoda — Ear ornnment of

Malabar, 152

Trimurthi, 115, 132

UCHARAL, 70, 101, 112

Urali or Vettu Kurum-

bers, 14, 49, 51, 71, 73
Uridavans, 49, 51 °5, 88,89

VALIYA Thambur I—-
Senior Prim:v..jp. '23
Vallur Kavu, 115, 122, 127
Valmiki's h» • tage, 137,
* 138, 141
Vana-Nad, (H>. Forest

Country) # 3, 8

Vazhnnnava*4— Ruler, 21,

22

Vedar— Hu:>rer, 10, 11, 13,
14, 15, 86

Vedar Kings, 4, 9, 10, 60,
136

Velikumbam, 10, 11

Vellala Chettis, 55r/

Vishnu Varma, 9

Vishu — Malabar Xew

Year's Day, 70, 76, 99,

104

WITHERS, Mr. 6

Wyiiadiin Chettis— 49, 50,

55, 57, 128, 129, 155

Wynad Swarupam, 21

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