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UGC Major Research Project Report
ORIENTAL RESEARCH CENTRE
(Dept. of Malayalam, Govt. Sanskrit
College, Pattambi)
UGC Major Research Project
Cultural Geography and Habitat of Bharatappuzha River
Valley
UGC Reference Number F.5-104/98dt. 7-9-98/ 24-9-98
Principal Investigator:
Dr.
N.
Madhavan
Namboothiry
Project Fellow: Dr.
T.Sreevalsan (11-11-99 to 30-06-00)
Technical Advisor: K.K.Nair,
Kummanat,Nagarippuram,Pathirippala, Palakkad-Dt KERALA
Period of work 13.10.98 to 12 .10 .2001
Final report submitted to UGC
(Extract)
The work has brought out various aspects of
cultural formation and social formation, factors hitherto unnoticed, related to Bharathappula river valley which
in turn will help to re- assess the present knowledge of Kerala Culture. The Cultural Geography is
studied related to the factors of habitat. The river system is the artery of
culture of Kerala, and hence the
relation of the cultural heritage and Habitat of Bharatappula is an important
area of investigation. It is found that the river system is gradually drying
up, thoroughly changing the nature of the Habitat, which already made heavy
impact on the river system degenerating the artery of culture, and it is
gradually dying out. The rural nature of the villages and their cultural
streams are already gone forever. It is not only because of the interference 0f urban situations, but the land and environment degenerated
to such an extent, only to accommodate urbane urban nature.
Due to the impact of urban factors, most of the cultural signfiers
in the river valley along with pre historical and historical monuments are
almost wiped out by indiscriminate human activities. The valley has been
transformed in to "a burial ground of cultural and historical
signifiers". Various factors collectively brought out the present
situations of the habitat, river system, and cultural degeneration.
Taking all these in consideration,
and to communicate the public, scholars and researchers about the gravity of
the situation, a primary survey is conducred to understand the present status.
This has been done based on the available writings, research observations,
media reports, early Governmental reports, Gazetteers etc. The observations
were analysed and supplemented with
more than Eighty research papers prepared by
scholars of
various branches of knowledge.
These papers were prepared for a National seminar conducted In 1997, organizes
to understand the Legacy of Nila and its relation to Kerala culture. Thus the
Introductory part of the project work has two divisions-(1) Introductory
related to various physical and cultural aspects. (2) Research papers prepared
to understand the problems related to Bharathappula river valley and to
identify certain important areas of investigation.
.A few observations of the cultural signifiers distributed in the
area
I The present survey proved that most of the prehistoric
monuments like umbrella stones, rock cut caves, cists etc were lost for ever, According to I9th C.AD, there
were more than 8OOO 1ocations where such monuments existed, At present all those locations are agricultral1ands. The
highly distributed settlement patterns, the related Tribal groups, Folk culture
and Anthropological situations etc could not be evaluated in a scientific way. A systematic survey of these sites and other aspects are to be
carried scientifically. Village and Panchayath based field surveys are to be
done.
2 Large number of temple
structures, traditional buildings of architectural importance, palaces and
ancestral houses of chieftains and aristocratic family houses are
re-structured, renovated, sold out or uprooted. These historical monuments are
of much importance as far as Bharathappula river valley is concerned, which was
the cradle of STANI family rule a peculiar Feudal system existed in Kerala.
An exhaustive village wise survey
is to be taken up to protect them. Rule of the Feudal families is discussed at
length under “SWARUPAMS”(See list of publications).
3. Most of the stone inscriptions
of early period are seen damaged and thrown away in the vicinities of the
temples. Unique inscription of erected in the 10th C AD at Tirumirracode is one
of the best examples to the great damage done to such very important
inscriptions. These are to be deciphered and o be kept at a central place or
preserved at the site itself.
4. The survey revealed that
all most all the palm leaf manuscripts existed in the ruling families, temples
and in aristocratic families were lost forever. There is no way to locate the
houses where they exist.
5., Paintings in the temple structures, various patterns of
icons, wooden carvings, house hold articles of early period are also lost
forever.
6 A huge number of art forms and
ritualistic arts related to tribal culture were existed in the area.
Large number of them is now out of
seen. The remaining folk arts are heavily damaged or transformed due to
modernization trends.
However, protection and
preservation of all these are a desideratum. Village wise surveys, setting up
of village museums and village cultural
registers etc can protect them from damage.
7, Formation
of" village cultural registers" correlating and corroborating all
cultural factors are already taken up in the survey of VANIYAMKULAM
Panchayath Land records prepared by the officials of the British Govt: based
on rigorous local survey of British period include all details of land and cultural
centres called .These are the “A” registers or "First settlement
records" .The registers are not
kept in the village offices. These records are of great value to
toponymical investigations and preparation of various kind of distribution
maps. During the survey it became clear that thousands of illegal transactions
of lands were taken place in villages, since the original documents with maps
and other details are not available for reference. The common people are
unaware of the availability field maps with field names (family names) and the
area of their field with its boundaries. Hence so many alterations are done by the concerned authorities. Ownership
problems, social frictions and legal procedures were originated originated far
and wide. Revenue Villages were
formed such that the clustered
settlements of Tribals and lower castes are divided and separated and they became under different revenue
villages. This shows the famous ”DIVIDE AND RULE” implemented at grass root
level by British rulers. There are family records,palm leaf manuscripts
Ceerickal records and Devaswam records and all these involves “AN AND EARTH” relations.( See charts ) Formation of
"Cultural registers" of each village includes all these factors. This
is the only way to preserve the
knowledge of Village culture.
8, Audio and video recordings of cultural factors of each
village are to be prepared and kept in the Village cultural centre.
The survey and study proved that
heavy degeneration of the habitat has already been taken place in
the river system and degenaration water resources is due to the urban interferences of the early and
medieval periods Nature of habitat and cultural changes are
inter-related matters. One of the major aspects of the degeneration was
the heavy demographic changes, due to migration of various groups of
people in the valIey to utilise the resources or the area. To expand trade and
agricultural activities and permanent settlements by constructing large
building complexes on both sides of the
river banks. The feudal chieftaincies and aristocratic families who ruled the
area were very large in number . There
was no central power to control the URBAN activities on the banks of river.
These ruling famiIies had extensive landed properties, forest ,lands, temple
centers, ware-houses and markets Iargely
distributed in the area which were managed by them according to their will and pleasure. The
forest produces were the important trade items in the NILA RIVER
VALLEY during Early and Medieval period.
By the end of the IIth C .AD,
the local chieftains called utaiyavars came into power, and the central power off
Kulasekharas ended.The”UTAIYAVARS” became the rulers called SWARUPAMS. During
this period, these rulers and their subordintes or STHNIS became the land
owners.During the period(12th-18th) they controlled all
activities. It It is incorrect to say
that PoerandWealth wasunder the control of BRAHMINS of Kerala during these
periods . All these expansions of
early urbanisation processes had done heavy damage to the habitat of
Bharathappla river valley which in turn collectively forced the river system to
dry up. The topography of the land on both banks of the river is peculiar, with
large undulated upper table lands hills hillocks and plains.
The slope 0f' the land through out the length of the river on both
sides is comparatively high.Thus all
activities on both sides will
adversely affect the riverbed. Along with this, the thickly forested
land on both sides which were private properties had changed to barren lands due to
indiscriminate de forestation.Detailed study of thesc factors and historical backgrounds and the
inter related aspects are to be studied under Geopolitics .This study also
has been taken for the first time in Kerala.(See Malabar studies.) Zamorins palace
records are studied for the first time in this project in 1999 .
The records were recovered by the principal investigator in 1978 and
an exhaustive work under the title "The unseen pages of Zamorins
histyor" was published in I987.
The analysis of the records proved
that the Zamorins
Calicut implemented a peculiar
system of rule
Bharathappula river valley. Thus, the activities of the power
structure
was the major stream of force, which moulded the cultural and social formations
of Nila river valley.
fora long period (12th C AD to 18th C AD
)in the major part of the Even though the land or Kerala was ruled
by more than 60 chieftains ruled over Kerala
the period 12th CAD to 18th
CAD,
none of them was rigorously studied, resulting an "Unseen Ages of
Administration of land and people of KERALA". The study will contribute
heavily to the Cultural, political and social history of Kerala in general, and
study of cultural Geography of Bharathappula river in particular. Hence the
study was taken up for the first time to throw limelight on the problems of
Medieval Cultural Heritage.
LOCAL HISTORY – VANIYAMKULAM:
Analysis of village history and
culture is taken up. An earlier work based on Calicut, the Capital city and
Port of Zamorins of Calicut was the modeI investigations of village history. It
took nearly 13 years to bringout a scientific methodology. The local history
investigation is mainly depended upon Toponomy,folklore, and other signifiers of village culture collected from
field work CULTURAL REGISTERS OF VILLAGES A
PIONEERING METHODOLOGICAL
CHANGE IN STUDYING VILLAGE HISTORY
IN GRASSROOT LEVEL WAS THE PREPARATION OF VILLAGE CULTURAL REGISTER.IT
WAS BSED ON THEQUESTIONAIRE
MALAYALANTE VAZHIYATAYALANGAL RELEASED ON 22-11-1999
BYDr K.P. MOHANAN DCDC OFUNIVERSITY OF CALICUT(SeeReports in 9)
Hence village wise rigorous fieId
work was conducted using a comprehensive questionnaire under the Title
“MALAYALANTE VAZHIYATAYALANGAL” was distributed inn the valley. It was a
booklet of 1000questions and distributed in more than 600 villages. This was Interdisciplinary
and multidisciplinary questions. Thus
the work was a
pioneering one. Preparation of “CULTURAL REGISTERS” was also a
pioneering work. The work was started in 1997
. Later it was included as a case study of UGC project . In 2000 the work was approved by the
Gazeteer Dept. of Govt: of Kerala and
published under the title
“VANIYAMKULAM VIJNANEEYAM”. Later the pioneering methodology was approved as a model for preparation of
such Gazeteers in all Panchayths in the
state as per media reports. It is a
fact that the dept: has not acknowledged the work done by Vaniyamkulm panchayat
or UGC work.
The major aim of this venture was
to make awareness among the people about the local history, a hitherto
untouched branch of history. This will have to
be
done collectively with participation of the community and accademicians. For bringing them in a common forum a research
council was established and a multidisciplinary Journel”VIJNANACHINTHAMANI” was
also published .
HABITAT REPORT AND A SAND MINIG
PROJECT (pioneering works)
A comprehensive Habitat study of the river system has been
completed under the project and it is the first study of this kind in Kerala.
The study has two parts (I) Environmental and water resources (2) New Sand mining
project. The work was done with the help of Co-investigator Sri. K.K. Nair, a professional Hydrologist and Mining expert.(TEXT OF THE
REPORT IS ATTACHED.THE REPORT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE GOVT:OF KERALA FOR
IMPLIMENTATION See Media reports)
The river system has not yet been
put to survey and fixed the boundaries of at least the mainstream . This
situation has brought opportunity to riverbed encroachment. Water courses are
diverted .
The direction of the river in many
locations are seen changed, the river
bed is used to illegal agricultural purposes and other purposes. In order to
avoid survey of ”The river" is system is very
important. Many suggestions are put forward to protect the river system.
Indiscriminate sand mining can be
controlled by implementing ”Sand mining Project" proposed in this research
work. The system suggested will avoid river pollution. With the help of the
system Scientific sand mining is possible. Economic assessment shows that the
earlier Auction system of sand mining brought only Rs 33,57,064 per year.lllegal sand drawal has seen to the
effect of the Rs 31,70,640 per year, making the total income from the produce
Rs 3,0213,576/- per year. When sand drawal permits were issued the Iegal annual
income was about 5,28,00,000.the value of sand
loosing by illegal transaction is Rs4,38,00000.
If the present sand mining project
is implemented, the expected income per year is 3,27,497 loads of sand or Rs
13,09,98800 per year in the place of 1,32,000 loads under the permit system,
which shows a saving of 1,95,497 loads of sand
per year.
Thus actually the the Govt. of
Kerala will get an amount of Rs 13,09,98,800 per year by implimenting the Sand
mining project. The worth of sand for Rs 4,3800,000 is saved in the river bed which is
being lost by illegal sand drawal. In total the income out of' Sand Mining as
per the project will be 1747,98,800 Rupees Per year.
(Approx: 18 crore rupees)
KERALA CULTURE –A NEW APPROACH TO
THE PROBLEM
Volume I Topography, Geography, and
other physical aspects of the riiver and river valley (Details:
Unpublished.MSS.500pages.)2
Volume II Traditional knowledge of the river.
This is a volume of Eighty research papers .For the first time a seminar
was conducted with focus on a river system as far as Kerala is concerned .The
subject was LEGACY OF NILA. .It was
inaugurated by Sri K.R.Narayanan,Honble VICE PRESIDENT OF INDI.A in Feb
1997.(un pub: 600 pages of MSS)
Volume III PART I
&PART II
Part I deals with the problem
of”MALAYALAN” the name of the people of KERALA. Malayalam is the name of
the land. This problem is put forward for the first time in the history of
KERALA.
PART II This part is the rigorous study of Geopolitics,
administration and related aspects of the area from 8th C.AD to 18th C.AD, with
special study on Zamorins of Calicut, , who. ruled the river valley in the
Medieval period Title of the work is "MALABAR STUDIES- Zamoins land"
(Approved for publication in 1999 and pulished in 2006 by state institute of languages
Govt:of Kerala.(Most of he palm leaf MSS were copied and recently all of them
are digitalized and preserved in the Vallathol reearch trust Edappal Sukapuram.
Two volumes were published.1.MAMAKAM 2.Records of CORONATION ceremonies of
STHANIS. Edt:DR.N.M.nampootiry.
The study of Kerala culture in grass root level is attempted in
the light of new factors emerged out of the present study.’ KERALA SAMSKARAM –
AKAVUM PURAVUM’a book in Malayalam is published (Seethe review).A list of
volumes and summary of contents is given below. Detailes of each problem
separately given. The signifiers collected are not at all used to reinterpret
Kerala Culture till this work is done.
VOL IV Vaniyamkulam Vijnaneeyam
Vol.I.It is the pioneering work which brought out a methodology to study
VILLAGE HISTORY in the Kerala context.
All Source materials collected for the purpose is preserved by the panchayat.
The work was taken up by the Panchayat
and all expenditures were met by them.
Editor: P.K.Sivadas Chief investigator :Dr.N.M.Nampootiri. The work was
published by the KERALA COUNCIL OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH .They have not
acknoledged these facts. It is a clear case of INTELLECTUALDIS
HONESTY(SeeWeb- www.keralahistory.ac.in) Questionaire and reports are in the
Govt College library, Pattambi, KERALA.
VOL V & Vol: VI
The Habitat
report comprises of two volumes V and VI. The Vth vol is analysis of
environmental problems .VIth volume is aproject report for SAND
MINING.(unpublished).
Volume VII
The seventh volume of the
work is a theoretical and
methodological dessertation for taking up the Cultural studies of Kerala,
Co-ordinating traditional studies and the new studies based on village history
and regional studies.During the period 1975-1987 a Toponymical based on CALICUT
was done .This PhD work on CALICUT is under publication of calicut
university.(See details in volume contents)
A work on the problem of
“Malayalan”is also completed.
Volume VllI
Additional volumes on family
Histories, Temple complex studies, Regional studies, Commmunity studies,
Chieftaincy studies etc were also completed.(Seelist of other works).
VolumelX
Additional Volumes: Vyavaharamaala,Leelatilakam,Desamangala
caritham, Vellayute caritram, AND more than TWENTY volumes of Zamorins records
CONTENTS OF VOLUMES
Part A I
Details of Study:
State of Source materials:
Recent research papers and the
background :knowledge :
Some hypothetical observations reigarding
these aspects:
II
Geo-
Politics:
General review Pioneering work on Local History:
III
The Problem or Malayalan and Malayalam, title Land:
Tinai System and Malayalans : :
The Malanadu culture:
Sthani families under Zamorins :
- 'Saivas, Vaishnavas and Jains.
Tirunavay and Mamakam
Tiru mttakode and Muttarayas
-vira saivas. , Moothans, and
Jains :
Saivaa Vaisnava feud, Jains and .
aspects of
Great Culture under Survey:
Origina1studies on art,
architecture and Family culrure Art,Archetecture,andFolklore.(seevol:vii)
IV
Aspects
of' Transformation of .Ma1alayala family: (Malabar
Studies.
)
(More
investigations were done and are under way after the project ):
PA RT
B
.
Malabar
Studies'- Contents :
Power
Structure or Zamorins of Calicut Teritory,PORT PLANNING,URBANISATIONEtc.:
Power Struclure Hierarchy:
Court: Asthanam :
Hierarchy of Administrative
divisions:
Interferences of Power and Great
Culture:
Integration of Little Culture. Centralization of ECONOMY:
Emergence of Tarawad" and
Social Fragmentation:
The Suppressed Class:
Ongoing grass root levelanaysis
related to Zamorins rule:
Zamorins Control and stress on
Nila River Valley:
The Titles and related social
aspects
Titles and Joint Family System
Aspects of MatrilineaI System AS[pects of Sambandham:
Temple System:
Tem[ples and Revenue. collection:
- Bhakti and Temple /\rts :
Consolidation of sosiety in temples:
Technical Literature:
Need of Comparative Study wth Chera
Period:
PART C VI
Panchayath Vijnaneeyam .-A Case
Study
PART D
VII
i. Man - Land -Evaluation of Change
of Habitat.
Change of Habitat in Historical
perspective. ii. Scientific suvey report on the change
Of habitat
Contemporary issues. PART E
VIII Man power trained
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