The Palghat Achans or Shekhari Varmas of Nedumpuraiyur

Posted by Maddy Labels: Malabar Mysore Sultans, Palghat

The Achans of Taru Swaroopam, the Edams of Palghat, and the events which prompted Hyders intervention

Some months ago we touched upon the topic related to the ancient royalty of Palghat. We covered the Palghat Achans and the Kollengode nambis briefly. As a

number of requests came in for more detail on the history of the Palghat Achans, I decided to delve a little deeper, armed with details that I had collected from a

few sources.

We start by covering some recorded descriptions. The following description of the Palghat royal family was given in Mr. Warden's report to the Board of Revenue

dated 19th March, 1801 :-

"It originally consisted of eight Edams or houses equally divided from each other by the appellation of the northern and southern branch The members of these

Edams are called Atchimars, five of whom, the eldest in age, bear the title of Rajahs, under the denomination of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Rajahs, ranked

according to their age, the senior being the first. On the death of the 1st Rajah, the 2nd succeeds and becomes the senior, the 3rd becomes 2nd, and so on to the

5th, the vacation of which rank is filled by the oldest of the Atchimars. By this mode of succession, the eldest Rajah is very far advanced in years before he

accedes to the seniority, in consequence of which it used to be customary to entrust the ministry of the country to one of the Atchimars chosen by the Rajah.

The eight Edams of Atchimars above mentioned multiplied so numerously in their members that they afterwards divided and formed themselves at pleasure into

separate Edams, which they distinguished by their own names. The number now in existence consists of twenty-seven, of which twenty belong to the northern and

seven to the southern branch. The number of Atchimars they contain including minors is about one hundred and thirty ".

You will now need to note that by the 18th century, there were 35 Principalities (Naads) in Malabar which are listed as: Kottayam (Malabar), Kadathanad,

Kurumbranad, Tamarasseri-Wynad, North Parappanad, South Parappanad, Valluvanad, Vadamalapuram, Tenmalapuram, Kolathunad (All ruled by Samanta

Kshatriyas); Polanad, Payyanad, Ramanad, Cheranad, Nedunganad, Naduvattam, Kuttanad, Chavakkad, Chetwai, Eranad, Neeleswaram, Konad, Kodikkunninad,

Vettattnad, Kakkad, Beypore, Talapilli, Chirakkal, Kollamkode, Punnathur (All ruled by Samantan Nairs); Kavalapara, Kurangott, Payyurmala, Pulavai (All ruled by

Moopil Nairs). We will be talking about the overlordship of three of them, in the Palghat region.

But let us get to some basics first. Some 10 km away from Alathur is the place called Tarur. How did the Swaroopam or royal family of Palghat get its seat rightly

or wrongly connected to this place? Taru, Taravayur, Taravur and Tharoor are synonyms for the Swaroopam that can be seen mentioned in various sources.

Looking at the Oriental library Granthas 263 & 266, we see the following - The name of the land was mentioned as Nedumpuraiyur and earlier as Taravayur or

Devalokesharajya in the times of the Cherman Perumal who is so deeply connected to mediaeval Kerala History. It was only much later that the location Tarur

which was just one of the edoms intermingled with the old name of the region and the family and was considered a seat of the family (wrongly). The region is even

considered to have been part of the Chera kingdom in ancient times and a part of the Perumals territory.

The rulers of Palghat it seems originated from the Athavanaad Amsam in Ponnani. For some obscure
reason they traded their original lands with the Azvancheri thampurans who gave them Palghat in return,
a very strategic location due to the importance of the Palghat gap among the trade routes to the western
ports. They are mentioned in the Rabban plates and at that time, Palghat also included the Talapilly taluk.
There are also other rumors that they originated from Madurai but we also note that they were closely
related by marriage to the Perumbadappu Swaroopam or the Cochin royals. The family did not really gain
any sort of overriding importance in the Malabar events until the 18th century and when they did enter
into it, it was to pave the way for the destruction of the old fabric, the ways and the practices of the land.
We will get to all that a little later.

As times went by, the splits in the family occurred owing to the kings relations with a non-Kshatriya
woman resulted (read the earlier article). Two of the Kshatritya women from the family marrying
Namboothiris went on to start the Vadamalappuram and Thenmalapuram family lines. The resulting
families, many hundreds of them were aligned either to the northern or the southern factions. The various
resulting Edoms were

Southern faction (Thekke Thavazhi)

Elayachan edom

Vadakke eleyachan edom

Thekke eleyachan edom

Paruvakkal edom

Vadake Paruvakkal edom

Thekke Paruvakkal edom

Akkare Paruvakkal edom

Northern faction (Vadakke Thavazhi)

Cherukottar (Cherukotham) edom

Pulikkel edom

Vadakke Pulikkel edom

Thekke Pulikkel edom

Maruthingal Pulikkel edom

Mel Edom

Malikamel edom

Kolamkulangurmel edom

Kizhakkemel edom

Tatchadmel edom

Vellambalaikkalmel edom

Vadakkmel edom

Valiyamel edom

Chitlanjerimel edom

Poojakkal edom

Konikkal edom

Valiya konikkal edom

Kizhakke konikkal edom

Tharoor konikkal edom

Kavasseri konikkal edom

Nellikkal edom

As is evident, only the Tharoor Konikkal edom maintained the original family name for some unknown
reason. By the 19th century the northern branch had 20 families and the south seven. By 1879, the royal
family count was roughly 519. They were also called the Shekhari varams or Shekari rajas.

Every Swaroopam maintained the structure and control with their Nair numbers. More the Nairs available
for a fight, the more powerful they were. In that old principality, the chieftains exercised control over 8,000
Nair soldiers in the following fashion. Tenmalapuram contributed 3,000, Naduvattom 3,000 and
Vadamalapuram with 2,000. You may of course recall the name Naduvattom which is towards the South
eastern periphery of Palghat, and this was the area that was to become a bone of contention between the
Paghat Raja and the Zamorin of Calicut.

With this background, let us join Francis Hamilton Buchanan who made some of the earliest accounts of
Palghat.

I went a long stage to Pali ghat. The country through which I passed is the most beautiful that I have ever
seen. It resembles the finest parts of Bengal; but its trees are loftier, and its palms more numerous. In
many places the rice grounds are interspersed with high swells, that are crowded with houses, while the
view to the north is bounded by naked rocky mountains, and that to the south by the lofty forests of the
Travancore hills. The cultivation of the high grounds is much neglected.

Pali-ghat-shery, on the division of Malayala, fell to the lot of Shekhury Raja, of the Kshatriya cast; but as
this family invited Hyder into the country, they are considered by all the people of Malabar as having lost
cast, and none of the Rajas of Kshatriya descent will admit them into their company.

To a European the succession in this family appears very extraordinary; but it is similar to that which
prevails in the families of all the chiefs of Malayala. The males of the Shekhury family are called Achuns,
and never marry. The ladies are called Naitears, and live in the houses of their brothers, whose families
they manage. They have no husbands; but are not expected to observe celibacy, and may grant their
favours to any person of the Kshatriya cast, who is not an Achun. All the male children of these ladies are
Achuns, all the females are Naitears, and all are of equal rank according to seniority; but they are divided
into two houses, descended from the two sisters of the first Shekhury Raja.

The oldest male of the family is called the Shekhury, or first raja; the second is called Ellea Raja, the third
Cavashery Raja, the fourth Talan Tamburan Raja, and the fifth Tariputamura Raja. On the death of the
Shekhury, the Ellea Raja succeeds to the highest dignity, each inferior Raja gets a step, and the oldest
Achun becomes Tariputamura. There are at present between one and two hundred Achuns, and each of
them receives a certain proportion of the fifth of the revenue that has been granted for their support, and
which amounts in all to 66,000 Viraraya Fanams a year, but one sixth part of this has been appropriated
for the support of the temples. Formerly the whole was given to the head of the family; but, it having been
found that he defrauded his juniors, a division was made for each, according to his rank; and every one
receives his own share from the collector. (Note that this was written in 1807 and Thomas Warden then
was district collector)

Every branch of the family is possessed of private estates, that are called Chericul lands; and several of
them have the administration of lands belonging to temples; but in this they are too closely watched by
the Namburis, to be able to make any profit. The present Skekhury Raja is a poor looking, stupid old man,
and his abode and attendance are the most wretched of any thing that I have seen, belonging to a.
person who claimed sovereignty. His principal house, or Coilgum, is called Hatay Toray, and stands
about three miles north from the fort.
We note that during the 13th century, the Palakkad royal family had no male heir to succeed to the throne
and only two Tampurattis or princesses of the royal blood remained. These princesses therefore
cohabited with the chosen two of the Perumpadoppu Swarupam at the Vadakknathan temple at Trichur
after some serious praying. Progeny were created and the line continued. The succession of Tarur
Swarupam was thus maintained through these alliances. As compensation, the region around Kunisseri
became part of Cochin, together with the Nairs of the region. But as the tale goes on to state, this land
was retaken by the Palghat rajas later.During this period the relation between the Raja of Perumpadappu
and Tarur Swarupam was maintained in a cordial fashion and in the war between Zamorin of Kozhikode
and the Raja of Cochin, we see that the Palakkad rajas sided with the Cochin kings.

KVK Iyer explains that the original family seat and shrine was near the Victoria College location. The
formal accession of a new head takes place here and then they proceed to the banks of the
Bharatapuzha termed Tirunilakkadavu for standing in state.

One other matter of interest is the battle between the combined forces of Malabar (which included the
troops of the Zamorin) against the Vijayanagar forces led by Ramappayyar and Devapayyar at Palghat
and I had detailed it separately in an earlier article. During this and after this event many forts of Palghat
were destroyed including the old Tarur Kovilakom. The ancient forts at Akathethara were built following
this event. Readers must not confuse these mentions with the massive granite fort you can even now
see in Palghat, but they were small mud fortifications at strategic locations. In later days many lakkidi
kottas or wooden forts were constructed by the Mysore forces.

With this brief introduction, I will now continue with the 18th century situations that prompted the invasion
of Naduvattom by the Zamorin and the arrival of Hyder. We will get to that story in greater detail, for there
was not much detail mentioned in the popular history books other than the invitation of Hyder by the
Kombi Achan of Palghat after the Zamorin invaded Naduvattom. Well, there is more to it than meets the
eye!! And so we now traverse down to the year 1756-57.

In 1755-56, after the demise of the raja from the Cherukotha Edam, the raja from the Elayachan edam
named Raman Kombi took over. It was during his reign that the Zamorin sent out his forces headed by
the Chencheri Namboothiri ( Aiyers accounts mention the Zamorins son the Kuthiravattom Chief as the
head of this operation) to take over Naduvattom in 1757. Some geographical knowledge is a must and
interestingly this is where my maternal family had settled down. Vadavannur, Palassena, Erimayur,
Koduvayur, Manjalur, Kozhal mannam, Pallasena etc, formed part of the Naduvatton area which the
Zamorin forces eventually captured to trigger panic among the Palghat Achans. Aiyar mentions that they
came through Pattikad and descended on vadakancheri and Trippalur and detoured to Kollangode. The
Kollengode nampi submitted to the Zamorin quickly. The Kuthiravattom Nair then built a fort at
Koduvayoor (the present town was formed after this event).

But let us continue with what we see in the Grantha - The Namboothiri was vicious in his execution of the
order. He raided the area comprising the Kavasseri and Pulikkel Edams as well as the Vadakachery
Puzhakkal Edam and took them over. Bereft of leadership, the Tenmalapuram 3000 nairs decided to put
closure to the situation by paying a reparation fee to the Zamorin amounting to a fifth of the total claim
and suing for peace. The Chencheri namboothiri next trained his guns at Palghat and marched to the
Yakkara banks, while Ittikombi atchan, nephew of the Elayachan Edam raja prepared for the attack with
the Vadamalapuram 2000 nairs. A terrible fight took place where over 5000 were killed and the
Chokanatha puram fort was taken over. As a result, the various remaining members in the Palghat
Edams fled to Coimbatore and decided to approach the Coimbatore king Shankar raja for assistance.
Peace was negotiated in the meantime by the Tiruvalathur Koikkatiri for another fifth of the reparation war
expense claim. This amounted to 1/4th viraraya fanam per para of paddy during the harvest.

The Zamorin now paused and instead of moving northwards to Palghat saw a golden opportunity in
Cochin where an opportunity presented itself due to other struggles. It appears that the Zamorin was
victorious there and succeeded in obtaining large reparations from the Cochin kings in this effort. Not only
did the overtures against the Palghat rajas grant him access to the rice lands of Palghat, but also the
Kuttanad regions after the success at Cochin.

As it is stated in the grantha, the Pangi Achan (nephew of elayachan edam thampuran), Kelu achan of
Pulikkel edam and a few of the important regional heads travelled to Coimbatore to meet the Sankara
Raja who gave them known emissaries to accompany them to Srirangam (Mysore Srirangapatanam) to
meet the Dalawa there. From there they were redirected to meet Hyder Ali who was the Faujedar or
commander in chief of the infantry at Dindigul, nearer to Palghat. Hyder then deputed his brother-in-law
Muquadam Ali with his forces to Palghat. This resulted in a severe war with the Zamorins forces in Feb
1758 where the Mysore forces were victorious. Muqadam Alis forces withdrew after collecting their
compensation by way of gold melted out of the ornaments worn by the Emoor bhagavathi (the tutelary
deity of the Palghat Achans), as rakshabhogam (equivalent of 12,000 old Viraraya fanams). The Zamorin
it is said (not in this grantha though, but in British records) apparently sued for peace by promising to pay
12,00,000 fanams as reparation.

After the Mysore forces had left with their booty, the Zamorins forces visited Palghat to collect their
previously agreed war reparation costs from the Palghat edoms. As negotiations were going (this was in
1760) on at Vaidyanathapuram, some 2,000 people surrounded the area and many of the elders of the
Palghat edoms were massacred. Interestingly none of the records identify the perpetrators of the
treachery or lay it at the doors of the Zamorin. The rest of the Palghat royals including the women fled to
Coimbatore again through the dense forests. Sankara raja provided them asylum and Panki Achan and
Kelu Achan went to Mysore to meet Hyder who had by then worked his way to take over the Mysore
throne. However in all this the Mysore sultan profited greatly, not only getting reparations from the
Palghat Raja, but also a promise from the Zamorin. The Zamorins reparation expenses as previously
agreed was never met by the Paghat raja.

It is stated in other records that a Zamorin emissary met Devaraja of Mysore in the meantime and agreed
to pay a reduced reparation of 3 lakhs instead of the 12 lakhs claimed by Hyder, This was agreed by
Devaraja, but he was soon usurped by Hyder who refused to accept Devarajas agreements with the
Zamorin. It was with this backdrop that Hyder proceeded to Mangalore with 12,000 troops and invaded
Kolathunaad and later Calicut with a stated aim of collecting the 12 lakhs from the Zamorin. This quickly
degenerated into the suicide of the Zamoirn in 1766 which we detailed earlier.

Following this, the Palghat ruler Kelu Achan was removed from his position and Ittikombi Achan was
appointed ruler by Hyder and after an agreement to pay him 4 lakhs per annum. Hyder Ali moved to
Coimbatore, displaced the Coimbatore raja and took over his palace. That was what Coimbatore raja got
for supporting the Palghat raja. Following this the now famous fort was constructed at Palghat, we
mentioned it briefly in another article.

The situation never improved for the Ittikombi achans descendants. A number of succession struggles
took place, and we see the attempts of Kelu Achan in trying to wrest the power out of the Ittikombi
Achans hands. More wars took place involving the British at Palghat. Hyder passed on and gave the
reins to Tipu, who continued with warring efforts. It seems that when Haider took a stronghold over
Palghat later, the Kallekulangara family moved to Kallekulangara. During Tipus arrival the dietey was
saved in a pond and the family apparently took to the hills. During the British occupation, the diety was
reinstalled in the shrine.

By 1790 the victors were the British and the Mysore Sultans gave way to another new order in Malabar
and Palghat. By 1792, the Palghat Achan had to bargain with the British to maintain his title and signed a
treaty with the EIC where he ended up paying 80,000 per annum to them instead! We see then that by
1794 that titular position was also lost and the Achan became a pensioner with just an annual malikhana.
The roughly 1000 year old family thus slowly descended to pensioner staus like most of Malabars other
royals, after leading lives sandwiched between the Zamorin and the Cochin king. Their choice of
treacherous allies ultimately paved the way for the Mysore Sultans victorious march into Malabar.

In the next article we will dwell upon the British attempts at taking strong control over Palghat and study
the role of Unni Moosa Moopan.

References

Oriental Manuscripts Madras Library D266, 263 Malayalam transcript by KN Ezhuthachan

Kerala District gazetteers - Palghat Dr CK Kareem

Malabar Law and custom Lewis Moore

A journey from Madras through the countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar Vol 2 Francis Hamilton
Buchanan

History of Kerala KV Krishna Ayyar