Malabar and Kerala Studies.NET
Dr. Neelamana Madhavan Nampoothiri's Personal site dedicated to Toponomy & Village Studies in Kerala with special reference to Malabar

The Legacy of Bharathapuzha-A research project

Sree Neelaknta Government Sanskrit College, Pattambi

PREAMBLE

The cultural identity of Kerla is one of the  important topic of discussion in recent years. Scholars of different disciplines of knowledge such as History, Geography, Anthropology. Archaeology, Linguistics. Literature and Environmental Sciences have brought out new information about the varied aspects of this culture. However all these new observations have not been correlated in order to facilitate a more complete view of our cultural problems.. All attempt to co-ordinate these: scholars have not yet been done. This project is aimed at providing a forum for the interaction of such scholars.

As academic research has hither to been in watertight compartments most of the result of researches remain incomplete. An inter-disciplinary approach can solve this very important problem and make research more meaningful. Only by this could we produce a RESEARCH LITERACY, RESEARCH CULTURE AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH. A research project on these lines proposed here will provide all facilities for scholars of different disciplines and even non-academic researchers to meet and communicate with each other in a systematic way. This will help the teachers, students and the common man to understand the identity of Kerala Culture and its various aspects in the light of modern understanding, It will also make scholars aware of the importance of intcr-disciplinary research and provide valuable information based on correlation and corroboration of various observations of different branches of knowledge.

Community participation can correct many of the observations arrived at by academic researchers and vice versa. Thus society will be educated in a better way and scho!ars will in turn be provided with fresh perspective and direct observations . Re-structuring of the society in modern times is an on-going process and in most cases seems to be reluctant to include the DYNAMISM OF TRADITIONS, Information rcgardig tradition has its own roll in re-structuring society. Such ininformation. has to be propagated widely among the teachers, students and the common man..

RIVER NlLA OR BHARATHAPUZHA

The Nila or Bharatapuz.ha is the longest river in Kerala almost in the middle of the State:. The influence of the cultural phenomena of this valley is significant. The Nila has a long tradition of literary. Linguistic, Sanskrit, folkloristic. Political. Social, Economical and commercial identity noticeable in many aspects of the Kerala culture.

ORIGIN OF NILA .AND NILA VALLEY: The Nila rises from the Anamalai hills of Western Ghats. The river runs through Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram districts and finally merges in the Arabian sea near the Ponnani port. It has morc than twenty tributories spread over many parts of three districts of Palakkad, Malappuram and Thrissur. The river valley which spreads in Mannarkkad Palakkad Chittur 0ttappalam, Thalappally Chavakkaad Pcrinthalmanna Tirur and Ponnani taluks .comprises nearly three thousand revenue villages. .

AIM OF THE PROJECT :One of the important aims of the project is to co-ordinate research scholars of different disciplines and researchers of non-academic investigation based on a thrust area - Legacy of Nila- which has dimensions of river valley studies, habitat and environmental studies, so that they can communicate and contribute substanntially to all further studies.

If we study a particular geographical area taking due cognizance of topography and geography of a given region, the growth of settlements therein, the growth of literary, cultural activities and growth of urbanization, it will open new area of cultural studies and will help to understand a habitat at the grass root level. The obs-ervations based on this analysis could be compared to such other different areas. Taking these principles into consideration we have identified the area of study as THE VALLEY OF NlLA/ HABITAT OF Nll.A

The river Kavery and the Kavery Rivery Valley on the eastern side of the Ghats is the counter part  of the Nila and  its valley. This Situation enable u:S to study cultural dimensions of Tamilakam.   The project proposes to study the area as a habitat and its cultural dimensions as the heritage of Nila River Valley. Significant observations regarding Geology, Anthropology. Dcmography,Environment, Trade and  Commerce, etc. emerge from the study.

INFLUENCE OF NILA

LITERARY

It is an accepted fact that the habitat  influences and produces geniuses and it acts as a mould which shapes thegeniouses.such influencescould be traced out and identified in their .activities and contributions. Ezhuthachan, Kunchan Nambiar. V ilwamangalam Melputhur Poonthanam, Vallathol, Edasseri, M.Govindan; M.T.Vasudevan Nair, Kuttikrishna Marar, M.P.Sankunninair and of the early, medieval and modern periodsi of Nila Valley in the particular social context P. Kunhiraman Nair, O.N.V. Kurup and many others relect the impact of Nila in their \vritingj. The project envisages exposing these footprints of the  valley  considering them as dreams of nila. Studies basedon theirworks willbringoutNilainthemindsofthewriters.

HISTORICAL & CULTURAL

In vestigations into the archaeological, folkloristicand tribal situations  existed in the area will throw light onthepre-historic and historic periods.Nila valley had strong relations with the temtories of the PallavasPandyas

Cholas and Rashtrakutas of the early period.up to the emergence of the Second Cheras of Mahodayapuram in th eigth centuaryA.D.Migrations of aborigines and difTerent tribal groupsduring the period through the   Palakkad gap had occurred and the evolutionof settlements owe muchto  this pbenominon. These migrations produce the Valluvanadu rulers, theVenganadu & Kavabppaara Chieftains&Tarur rulers and even the Cheras'of Mahodaypuram.The immense potentials of folkloristics as evidenced by the story of Vararruchy's children etc. show strong relation among castes and creeds . The net result of these migrations was the formation of a society  with strong traditional links which exist even today in the formof vedic culture  along the valley .These are to be  scientifically studied No rivervalley in kerala has  been not yet  studied.Geographycal,and all aspects of Settlement patterns are to be studied at grassroot level.Such a study of primary level has already been completed during 1975-88at Calicut which brought out a methodology to study village history based on preparation of cultural registers. Hence it becomes a pioneer study.

SOCIO  -  POLITICAL  ASPECTS  AND  RESOURCES

Migrations of groups of people are usually based on the availability of resources in an area  and political social religious situations etc.The upper Nila valleyandLower Nila valleywasland of intense relation,which had relations to kavery valley on the eastern side of palakkad gap even from the beginning of Christian era.Nila has its river mouth at Ponnani.on the western coast andkaveryhas its port on the eastern coast. Numerous rivulets and traderoots  interrelate the areas on the west and east of palakkadgapMap of Kaveri and Bharathappuzha shows the unique nature of the physical relation..

               The peculiar situation had influence on political activities and resources of the area. The Zamorins of Calicut and Valluvakkonathiri who ruled the country north of the NilaandPerumpadappu  south of Nila had disturbed the political stability of the Nila valley for centuries. Brahmin settlements, continues war between Calicut, Cochin and Valluvanad-the trio of NILA VALLEY wars and interruptions of Mysorians in the 18^th C AD through Palakkad Gapare very important political movements based on resources and resources transportation..

. Thcsc political situ:ations  were one of thc major force  behind the emergence of MAMANKAM. The Commercial aspect such as marketinng system of the early period and changes through  agesupto modern period are also to be evaluated.

Studies  related to  continuity and changes of socio-religious, socio­economic. socio-political, socio-cultural , and socio-linguistic, situations through centuries will help us to understand the forces bchind cultural evolution and social formation, Thc impact of colonialism on chieftaincies, and feudal families and

their wealth is one of the major areas of study,

MODERN DIMENSIONS

The reforms and re orgar:isatiotion or our higher education system is alsoto be madetaking Dynamism of the past and need of the present.. Founder of this institution Sri Punnasseri Neelakanta Sharma in early days had hcen giving leadership in educatiorial reforms .He always ma:de stress on correlation and co-ordination of early :and modern educational systems of Kerala. This was to attain sociail equality rational: thinking and unchallengeable scholarship. This project. thus envisages programmes with great stress  Education –Research literacy, Community participation in research and reorganization)of modern higher education system to face the modern challenges. 

Comparative study of other river valleys of the Nation Preparation of Cultural Directory of NILA valley, studies in cultural geography and historical geography of the valley and TOPONOMY of Nila valley are also to be evaluated. 

CENTRE FOR ORIENTAL RESEARCH AND COMPUTER STUDIES

The college authorities in collaboration with college develop committee chaired by the District Collector and the PTA has established the center for Oriental Research and computer studies. The center has provisions for manuscript library, computer center, reference library and seminar hall with audiovisual facilities.

RESEARCHT AND ACDEMIC COUNCIL (MALAYALAM)

The Department of MALAYALAM has taken the initiative to establish a forum for collective research under the title ”RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC COUNCIL(MALAYALAM)-RAC/(M)-managed by a committee comprising members of the departments of all faculties(Depths with PG) and Librarian.

RESEARCH PROJECTS AND BACKGROUND RESEARCHERS

ORC (M) would offer opportunities to any bonafide research scholar in any branch of knowledge to conduct research under the Centre on subjects preferably related to NILA Valley, Kerala. Culture in general environmental problems and water resources of the Nila River System,

Any bonafide research scholar can forward his/her research project, survey and field work programmes etc. to research societies, Govt agencies and universities through 0 R C (M) provided the scholar fulfills the conditions of the institutions concerned as per Govt. rules R C (M) will give assistance to the scholars in all possible ways as per rules of the Govt,. Background researchers w.ho conduct surveys and field works will also get academic assistance from this Centre.

(Project conceived and proposed by Dr. N,M, Nambuthiri - 17/3/1995