Silent spectator
The huge building is still standing intact as a silent spectator of
moments that marked the history of the land. The two storied building
was the abode of the Kalliat Nambiars who once enjoyed complete
authority over the life and property of the vast tracts of the land
, large number of hillocks and paddy fields. There was a time when
scores of servants moved around the house collecting and measuring
enormous quantities of paddy and other agricultural produces from the
tenants of the tharavad. According to Malabar Manual written by
William Logan ,after doing enormous attrocities in the district in
1852 a group of rioters reached this house to attack and kill
Kalliad Nambiar. But all of them were killed there itself under the
leadership of the then Karanavar and the retainers of him.
The
house is named “Kalliad Thazhathuveedu “ meaning a house that is
located in a low land. Kalliad is towards eastern hilly tracts of
Kannur district, near Irikkur ,35 kms from Kannur. The available
history documented here and there indicates an antiquity of around
two hundred years to this house. This house is believed to be built
by Kalliat Valiya Kammaran Nambiar,the senior most member of the
house then. Some inscriptions found on an old lock substantiate
this. The narrow corridors that precede to the inner rooms lead one
to the eventful days of the past . This two storey house complex have
two “nalukettus”( for cornered openings inside the construction)
inside the whole structure. Completely made of laterite blocks each
story has more than ten spacious rooms in it. From the main Nalukettu
one can enter the traditional padinjitta(Prayer room) and kottila( a
large bed room).Besides the “thekkinthara” meaning platform at
the southern side of the house is also accessible from there ,where
traditional rituals and poojas take place.The entrance of the house
is quite wide with decorated wooden seats and pillars with wooden
carvings of creatures like snakes and lizards. One would surely be
astonished by the skill and persistence of the people who made
carvings in those pillars and windows in an era when no machines or
tools were available for such delicate works. A huge window in the
“Poomukham” (entrance) might have took hundreds of days of
laborious and creative work. The chirping sound generated while
moving the huge doors echoes into the glorious and fanciful aisle
of the joint family days that witnessed it's love
,affection,authority ,supremacy and suppression, grief and
unhappiness as well. Every rooms has different types of windows
constructed in wood,with very beautiful woodcarvings. Some of them
have gliding pairs of wooden panels while some others have star
shaped and circle shaped holes as openings to the outer side. As some
of the ancient Kerala architecture were designed ,persons inside the
rooms can see others outside very clearly ,but those people standing
outside can't see anyone inside. It must have been to assure the
security and to refrain the members of the family, especially the
women folk from direct contact with unknown people. The kitchen
complex which served food to a lot of people-both insiders and
outsiders consists of three rooms and a separate dining hall. A
well with traditional “nellipala” (wooden sheets paved at the
bottom in old wells to purify the water )beneath the water table is
also there. People stayed there used the vast pond lying north to the
building to wash and bath. Adjoining the main building there exist a
huge “Pathayapura”( granary) to collect the paddy received from
tharavad's own fields lying adjacent to the house and also paddy
collected from their tenants in different parts of the area. A
bunglow for the stay of guests also existed outside the main building
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Though stories of magnanimity valour and glory are plenty about
different Karanavars ruthless acts and tyrannical incidents are also
there about some others. When entire nation was plunged in
nationalistic movement it's ripples reached inside the walls of the
house. One of the senior member of the family married his daughter
off to a nationalist leader and the then Kerala Pradesh Congress
Committe President K T Kunhiraman Nambiar . Even before that K T
Chathukutty nambiar who administered the family as it's head
supported and promoted the movement led by social reformer and
progressive leader Vagbhatananda Guru in 1920s.
Vagbhatananda gave the name “Yajamanan” to the official magazine
of 'Atmavidyasangham' in response to his support and K T
Chathukutty Nambiar himself with great erudition and oratorial skills
gave lectures all over the province in support of "Atmavidyasangham".The
tharavad karanavar enjoyed huge powers then.He was an uncrowned king
of the area during the British rule and before. Old letters written
by Pazhassiraja and some British documents substantiate this. No one
spoke against their authority then. All the famous temples of the
area were under the trusteeship of the family including Vayathur
Kaliar temple at Vayathur and Mamanikkunnu Mahadevi temple at
Irikkur. Both national movement and communist movements in the area
had had their influences and their ripples in the system. After
independence the joint family system got crumbled due to the
pressures from within and outside and tharavad began to
disintegrate. Several of the successors appproached courts for their
part of right over tharavad property. Land reforms act was the last
nail in the coffin. All the power and land once enjoyed became a
story. After the partition some members of the family who got the old
tharavad house as their property right decided to maintain the
tharavad structure intact and keep the mansion as a public property
among it's members. Now a tharavad trust including all the members of
the family maintain the building. Thus that magnificent building
stand there showing light over the unknown and unheard stories of the
past to the new generation,quite wonderful and incredible stories.
The "report of the study submitted to Kerala Council For Historical Research on the tharavad as a part of a fellowship program is here.
അഭിപ്രായങ്ങളൊന്നുമില്ല:
ഒരു അഭിപ്രായം പോസ്റ്റ് ചെയ്യൂ