There   is a myth firmly rooted as to the origin of great land, Kerala. Parasuraman   (Rama with the Axe) through his divine weapon across the sea and created this   holly land from waters for the settlement of Brahmins, the Upper class people.   It is the story with fertile imagination. However, behind every myth there  lives  a history of some sort. The Brahmins community settled here  gradually declined as a force, as from  the  rule of ‘Perumals’  (Kings) began. The  last  Perumal decentralized the power by dividing the kingdom into three  separate  territories and entrusting the rule with his escendants. Thus three  Kingdoms,  Kozhikode, Kochi and Venad came into vogue. The later part of the  history for  some centuries is not so vivid, although it is believed that some  tiny states  sprang up during this cloudy periods of History.The History of  Venad became  renascent only after AD 1729, when the mighty king Marthandavarma  came to power  and ruled over the country with the able and earnest assistance  of Ramayyan  Dalawa, the Minister, and Dilanoy, the commander in chief of the  army.  Marthandavarma conquered with ease the small countries of Vadakkumkur and
  Thekkankur and established the strong Travoncore Kingdome (Thiruvithamkur).  Muvattupuzha was then a part of Vadakkumkur.  
 
River valleys are the cradles of
  civilization and so as Muvattupuzha too. Living witnesses are there to testify
  that at this juncture of three rivers-The Kothamangalam river, Kaliyar river
and  Thodupuzha river -industrious and skilled agriculturists settled,
cultivated and  carried their crops to the Muvattupuzha market through river, in
country boats  and rafts. There from they used to be transported to Kochi
harbour by bullock  carts and other means. These traders used to return from
Kochi with the various  necessaries needed by the local people. Thus,
Muvattupuzha was a prominent  center by business activity right from quite long
times ago.

To those  who were born and brought up at Muvattupuzha, who
have settled there, and who  worked there for long, the present surface
geography of this place is almost  familiar.

Close your eyelids for a
moment. Draw a profile of past  Muvattupuzha in the canvass of your mind. There
you can’t find the bridges  across the rivers. Approach roads and bypass will be
out of picture. Though  quite nearby, Muvattupuzha was separated into three
lonely forest areas,  Kizhakkekara, Vadakkekara and Thekkekara. Kizhakkekara
embodied Randarkara,  Vadakkekara embraced Kadathy-Vellorkunnam-Kavumkara region
and entire Marady  village belonged to Thekkekara. These Greenland’s were abode
of a wide variety  of wild animals like elephants, jackals, and pythons and so
on, once upon a  time. Just north to Piravom road in the ‘Mayiladi Hills’, also
known as ‘Maravady’, where the government servants quarters are constructed,
peacocks  were dancing. (May be that the place name Marady had its origin from
Maravady).  Kaithakkulam Hills were the home of Jackals till recently. People
still remember  the old tribal man ‘Chathan’ who was found of catching the
crawling beings and  bringing them to the town for exhibition. Upon the trees on
the banks of the  rivers flocks of bats were hanging. The ground of
Puzhakkarakavu was the  playground of white monkeys. Groups of elephants used to
come out from  Veettoor-Mudavoor forests and march ahead to Velloorkunnam River
for drinking  water and refreshments. The narrow paths through the forests were
terrified with  robbery and massacre. Organized onslaughts were daily
occurrences. These are  glimpses of the past History, reminiscent of
Muvattupuzha, which as old  generation still keeps in their minds.






With a view to
enswing  governance stability and security, Ramayyan Dalva camped between
Padmanabhapuram  and Muvattupuzha with his forces. With his headquarters at
Arakuzha, Ramayyan  and his army fortified all the forts at vital points like
Piravom, Muvattupuzha  and Thodupuzha. Security arrangements were made tight by
establishing  observation at the up hills, military and police check posts and
depots of arms  and ammunitions, wherever warranted. Warehouses were set up to
cater to  the






  needs of trade and commerce. One such
  warehouse was at Kavumpady where the present AEO office stands. People above
  hundred years have the memory of seen this ‘Pandakasala’. The government had
the  monopoly over the wholesale and retail trade in Black pepper, Areca nut,
Tobacco  and so forth. Each ‘Pandakasala’ was under the custody and supervision
of a  warehouse keeper. There was also an ‘Athani’ at Kavumpady (Athani is a
high  surface made of granite stones to support loads) to help the pedestrians
  carrying loads on there heads to unload it and rest. The new generation may be
  astonished to know that the salt industry at that time was the exclusive
  property of the state. The distributions of monopoly articles were entrusted
  with licensed traders through auction almost at par with the present excise
  auction system.

Salt and tobacco were comparatively cheaper in Kochi
  state in those days. Therefore, to prevent smuggling there were excise check
  posts at various entrances. The remains of such a check post are still found at
  Mamala stop near Thiruvankulam on the way to Ernakkulam. It is heard that, in
  spite of all these, there were clever people who brought tobacco from Kochi,
out  of way, and made riches. There are stories of bravery of political leaders
  involved in the independence struggle, who crossed the borders to escape from
  police custody. As the passage of time, state monopoly over trade ended. Free
  trade came into being. The two local countries merged to transform to
‘Thirukochi’ (Travancore Cochin). The rule of the king saw its end. Raja became
‘Rajapramkukham’. The check posts disappeared. All became part of history. There
  were Tollgates and guards at Velloorkunnam Junction, Marady Village office
  premised near the Thodupuzha Bridge and at the Piravom road junction, which
also  vanished in due course. Is it not rejoicing to learn that even  in the
bygone  days of long age there were clever people who parked there vehicles away
from  the gate and just walked ahead freely to avoid toll.

At Kavumpady
there  is a house by name Mandapappally. It is the place where the old
‘Mandapathumvathil’, the revenue office equivalent to the present taluk office,
  was situated. From there the ‘Adhikari’ or Pravathyar (village Officer) did the
  administration with the help of his subordinates officially designated as
‘Chandrakaran’, ‘Thorakkaran’, and ‘Valiakkaran’. In the transition of time too
  many innovations took place. ‘Dalva’ became ‘Divanji’, ‘Karyakkaran’ was
  designated as Tahsildar. The name ‘Mandapathumvathil, was altered to Taluk
  office. Judicial and ‘Law and Order’ authorities which were hither to part and
  parcel of that office were bifurcated and vested with the distinct officers.
  Civil courts and criminal courts stated functioning at prominent centers. The
  judicial courts at ‘kateherivalappu’, muvattupuzha are well known for its
  tradition and reputation. The places surrounding these courts were began to be
  known as ‘Kateherithazham’, ‘The court Down Street’. In the same office complex
  treasury and Police station started functioning. Those jail rooms, where
notable  political workers were locked up with  thieves and murderers and
brutally  tortured do not exist at present on its original form. The sad plight
of the  political prisoners who were driven to the river with Urine ports in
their  hands, along with the criminals, for bath and cleansing, upset the minds
of the  patriot people of muvattupuzha. As an outcome of this, the independence
struggle  gathered momentum here. Heart broken, many devoted human loving people
jumped  into the fire and fray of the struggle for freedom.

Hardly any
political  leaders of prominence had missed this place. Almost all the leaders
of both  congress and communist parties overtly and covertly have visited
muvattupuzha.  In those days electricity was only hearsay to the people of
muvattupuzha.  Amplifiers were not in use. In the large meetings held at paddy
fields and  square junctions, speeches of the leaders were transmitted to the
audience by  relay shouting from ears to ears united in reaches all those
  assembled.

In the 19th Century when transportation was hazardous
  muvattupuzha emerged as the centre of administration of the northern sector of
  Kottayam Division. A ‘Musavari Bungalow’ for the lodging of inspecting
  officials, an Inn for the passengers, an ‘Oottupura’ for the Brahmins to dine,
  at Kavumpady, and just behind that a residential building for Brahmins,
‘Perezhuthu madam’, were constructed during this period. Because of the
  geographically centralized position of Muvattupuzha it developed as the nerve
  centre of general administration. Muvattupuzha also grew as a centre of
business  activities as it is the gateway to the High ranges. With the
development of road  transport the ‘Forest watch station’ working at the point
of merger of rivers to  regulate the water traffic gradually disappeared. The
position of its existence  is the ‘Nadukani’ of ‘Triveni’. The movements of
Kevuboats and Mchuvas (Country  Boats manually operated) through the river were
the exciting sights to the  younger generation who used to swim and play in the
river waters in their  fine  evenings.

When the Katcheri Bridge and
Thodupuzha Bridge were completed,  road transportation became easy and the
volume of traffic enhanced. The style of  goods traffic entirely changed. An
amusing history steeps behind the old  Katcheriahazham bridge completed as long
age as 1914. It was constructed under  the sole charge and supervision of a
British engineer, Emrald, during the regime  of Maharaja Sreemoolam Thirunal.
L.H.Jacob was the chief engineer of the state  then. The design of this bridge
resting on three arches under the semi  suspension technology was
unique.

When the expenditure went a loft, it is  said, the maharaja
sarcastically asked if the Muvattupuzha bridge wad built of  gold. The Maharaja
Himself arrived at the PWD section office, which was at the  sport where the
present Municipal office situates and watched the progress of  the work. Funny
enough, those who laid red carpet to the King were ridiculed  well by the angry
youths, the story goes on. The inauguration of the bridge was  done by then
Divanji Mannathu Krishnan Nair. People were sceptic about the  concrete
technology. They had apprehensions about the strength of the Bridge. To  prove
the efficiency of the bridge the British engineer with his better half  stood in
a boat beneath the bridge and twelve elephants were paraded through the  bridge
simultaneously. There are eyewitnesses to this historical event. Iron  rods and
cement for the construction of this bridge were imported from England  in steel
containers. Strong granite stones were brought from Payipra Hills. The ‘Surki’
was made at Kochangadi in the indigenous technology. Thus the  Muvattupuzha
Bridge, the only one of its kind in India, under the concrete  technology, came
to be a true identity. The bridge, which is older than  Eighty-Six at present,
is as young as a boy of sixteen or more.

When the  British Colonial
government started post offices in erstwhile Travancore  country, one such
office was started at Muvattupuzha which started functioning  in an old building
at the place were the present Central Telegraph Office  functions. From there
mailbags were sent to other Indian countries and out side.  This post office had
a little chronological importance too. The chronometers  there showed the
British time based on the latitude of Madras. It was same as  the Indian
Standard Time (IST). As per the latitude just 5 Degree deviating to  the west
local time of Travancore was 22 minutes behind. This time difference  was
unconceivable to the laymen.

The Travancore Local Government  had its
  own postal system. It was called the Anchal Department. The old Anchal office
  junction which was also known as the ‘Eratta plavu’ (pair of Jack tree) is the
  present Post Office Junction. Anchal Boxes were set up in different parts of
the  Taluk and these places are now known as ‘AnchalPetty’. In every week the
‘Anchalottakkaran’ (Postman) runs from one place to another ringing a bell to
  collect and distribute letters and money orders. The Travancore Anchal Stamps
  and coins whereon ‘Sankhu Mudra’ (Sea Shell Symbol) was inscribed have gone
into  history and turned to be rare antiques now. Only a few local governments
were  allowed to issue stamps and coins under the British supremacy.


History  says that three invasions took place in the ground of
Muvattupuzha. The first  and foremost was the military attack of King Marthanda
Varma. Since Vadakkumkur  surrendered without much resistance it did not create
any harm and disaster. The  second was the shadow of the invasion of Tippu who
could arrive only up to  Alwaye. Tactfully enough, the artificial dam in the
Aluva River was left open  and in the torrential waters the lust of tippu for
Travancore was washed away.  Apprehending the attack of Tippu and His militant
Muslim soldiers, the Hindus  swept away from this area keeping there valuables
in wells, beneath the ground  and other safe places with the hope of returning
when the crises was over.  Fortunately Tippu did not turn up. Whether the people
ran away returned and took  possession of their valuable deposits is a matter
known to them only. But  stories are there about hidden treasures of gold and
other precious things  guarded by ‘Bhuthas’ the unknown spirit. There are lucky
people who had the  fortune to have it and enjoy, if we believe the stories of
certain families as  narrated by the old generation. The Intrusion of the
disastrous epidemic,  smallpox, ‘Ammavilayattam’ (the play of the goddess), as
some call it, was the  third invasion. Upon the hills in front of the present
K.S.R.T.C Office, a  specialty Hospital, Quarantine, was functioning. There was
no effective  treatment to this deadly disease. Once caught, death was certain.
Thousands of  people died and in the hills and slops dead bodies piled up.
Though smallpox was  eradicated from this Earth the hospital and the hill turned
to be a nightmare to  those who witnessed this tragedy. These areas were
converted into coconut  gardens by a private party and later the government
acquired it for Police  Quarters. Now Majority of this area, the southern
slopes, is occupied by the  police quarters.

In Arakuzha, Unyathiri was
some body. The right to  collect cess from the country boats between
Muvattupuzha and Thodupuzha rested  with him. In vallikada, Kalari Paniker and
in Mannathoor Chennattukunnel Karthas  maintained their supremacy. The Kalari
Panicker who hailed from the north  established ‘Kalari’ (Gymnasium) between
Avoli and Arakuzha. Panicker had plenty  of disciples belongings to different
communities and religions. The places they  settled came to know after their
castes like Chettykudy,
  Kakkalakudy,Kaniyankudy,Moosarikudy,Kollankudy,Velankudy,
Mappilamattel and
  so on. There are many a myth associated with the ‘Angathara’ (Kalari) at
  Arakuzha. It is a good subject for research to History scholars.

In the
  southeastern part of Muvattupuzha, in the Arakuzha area, including Marady and
  Muvattupuzha villages, an affluent Nair community came to stay who originally
  belonged to ‘Azhvancheri’ Samooham. They left Azhavancheri Thambrakkal (Land
  Lords) and reached Chembazhakunnel at Perumballoor, settled there, and as their
  number increased, they spread to other parts of Muvattupuzha. In their search
  for the roots they recognize this old historical connection and relationship. A
  Pilgrimage to Azhvancherry is still a matter of nostalgia to
them.






mail to webmaster@muvattupuzha.com  with  questions
or comments about this site
Copyright © 2001  muvattupuzha.com
Last
modified: October 12, 2001