Malabar and Kerala Studies - www.malabarandkeralastudies.net -records of the zamorins

Report Submitted to ICSSR, New Delhi 1983

Dr. N.M. Nampoothiry, Prof: and Head of Dept. Dept. of Malayalam, Govt. Arts and Science (E) College, Calicut

The students of History know that the ZAMORINS as the lord of the Kingdom where Vasco de Gama made his historic landing in 1498 AD. From at-least the beginning of the 14^th century to the end of the 18^th century AD. the Zamorins were independent rulers exercising sway over a large part of central and North Kerala. They presided over an elaborate machinery of administration witt.! a feudalistic character. They possessed Standardised form of legal documents and maintained systematic records in their palace.

These records running into several hundreds of pages were unknown to the world of scholarship until Prof: KY Krishna Iyyer write THE ZAMORINS of CALICUT in 1938, utilising these rich materials

Nothing was heard about the Grandhavaris thereafter and it was believed to have been lost for ever. Dr. N.M. Nampoothiri rediscovered them in 1978. (R.R.No. 15 of 1978 in O.S. No. 80 of 1964. Sub: Judge, Kozhikode).

Palm leaf manuscripts are colleted in seventy bundles. The earliest of them is dated 1538 AD. Most of them are written in old scripts. A few of them are in koolenluttu/vatteluttu.

The documents written in paper consists of manuscripts of letters, copies of palm leaf manuscripts, treaties and agreements, records pertaining to administration, mappila rebellion and Guruvayoor Satyagraha. There are more than three hundred registers related to the daily administration since 1800 AD.

The Nediviruppu Swaroopam The original seat of the Zamorin's family was Nediyiruppu, a village in the Emad Taluk in the present Malappuram District. Under the Chera rulers of Tiruvanchikulam (early centuries of Christian era) the eldest member of the family rules Emad with the title of Emad Utaiyavar. When Cheraman Perumal is said to have partitioned his Kingdom and abdicated the throne, the Ernad Utaiyavar, like the other provincial Governors could become a Swarupi or independent king and his family to be called the Nediyiruppu Swarupam.

During the 2^nd Chera period (AD. 825-1100) the present Calicut area was ruled by the Porlatiri or the ruler of Polanad. The Nediyiruppu Swarupam, due to various reasons, conquered and annexed Polanad. His family abandoned its ancestral house at Nediyiruppu and set up their Capital at Calicut. The king was known as Zamorin of Samutiri.

Legends and traditions constitute the main source of our information for the origin and early history of the Zamorins. The most popular belief about the Zamorin's family is mostly derived from the Keralolpathi, a legendary history of Kerala. There is a manuscript in the Grandhavaris which also mainly traces the history of the family from Keralolpathi. The record dated 1810 AD, prepared by the then Zamorin says that the last of the Perumals named Cheraman Peru mal sought the help of Manavedan and Manavikaraman in political affairs and had given all kingly honours and dignities, the sword of state, the anklet of the heroes and the Palace of Cali cut to them. They were supposed to be the ancestors of the family. The Zamorins used these titles and no record indicate the actual personnel name of the king. There is one more title namely Virarayan. This title seems to be acquired 15^th AD, when Zamorins annexed Valluvanadu to Zamorins territory. The title

Viraraya is a form derived from Rayeran, a name of Valluvanadu seen even in 9^th C AD, in Panniyur inscriptions of 2^nd cheras. All the records begins with the title of the king and the date of the record in Malayalam Era.

No historical records indicative of the beginning of the reign of the Zamorins at Calicut are available. According to Sankrit chronograms, Nediyirippu Swaroopam was founded in AD 324-325 and the partition of Kerala took place in AD 342-343. Prof: KV Krishna Iyer, gives a chronological list of succession of the Zamorins, and there were thirty seven rulers in the family before the founding of Calicut. The founding of Calicut, according to him was in AD 1032 and from that there were sixty five rulers who ruled the Kingdom during the period 1484 AD to 1954 AD. The actual territorial boundaries of the Polanad, also remained unidentified even to this day. This author, very recently obtained a manuscript from the Grandhavaris of Calicut, dated 16^th Century AD, titled as Polanattu urcha, which helps us identity the villages under the erstwhile Polanad.

Nature of Grandhavaris of CalicutThe student of History knows the Zamorins as the Lord of the Kingdom where Vasco-de-Gama made his historic landing in AD 1498. From atleast the beginning of the 14^th Century AD. to AD. 1766, the Zamorins were independent rulers exercising away over a large part of territory in Central Kerala. They resided over an elaborate machinery of administration with a feudal character. They possessed standardized forms of rituals and ceremonies, legal documents etc. and maintained systematic records in their palace archives. Foreign visitors like Barbose and Varthema in the 16^th and 1 i^h centuries have been referred to these records.The very existence of these recotds which run into several hundreds of pages had not been known to the world of scholarship till recently. The only person who had access to these records earlier was Professor KVKrishna Iyer, who wrote the book. The Zamorins of Calicut in 1938. It is said that in AD 1513 the central record office of the Palace at Calicut was burnt down in part by Albuquerque. Another important palace and record office of them at Ponani was also destroyed by the Mysoreans in 1776-92.

In 1978, the present writer happened to verify the Palace archieves at Meenchanda, six kilometers south of the Headquarters of Calicut. The palace where the records were kept was constructed during the first quarter of the 20^th century. The Zamorins used to reside there and carry on administration. Some of these records have been partly used by KV Krishna Iyer in his works. However, most of these records are unpublished. They were considered to have been lost and the present writer could re-discover them from the palace office.

The records were kept in good condition, but, a good number of them were damaged due to the ravages of rime. There were four wooden boxes and fifty cloth bags in which the palm leaf manuscripts and the early letters regarding the administrations were kept. Accounts Boos, numbering more than three hundred and several other valuable records have been found.Palm leaf manuscripts are collected in seventy bundles, and the average length of a bundle is 1.5 ft. and breadth 1.5 inches. Most of them are written on old Malayalam language, in Malayalam script. A few of them are in Kooleluthu, the early Malayalam script. The documents written in paper consist of manuscripts of letters, copies of palm leaf manuscripts, treaties and agreements, Mappila rebellion records and Guruvayoor Styagraha files. There are more than three hundred book in the form of registers which are related to the daily administration since 1800 AD. A good number of them are copies of letter are received from the public and the replies sent to them. The letters and all other papers are seen serially numbered, and entered with date, day and year. Daily accounts are aso written in registers and kept in good condition. These books are generally called varavu chelavu kanakku, whih included the income and expense registers and the register of letters. Varavu means income and inward, chelavu expenses and outward. There are devaswom and cherikal administrative records also. Therecords were classified by KV Krishna Iyer as (1) Cherikal orestate and Devaswom or temple accounts, (2) Writs of succession, adoption, titles and honours. (3) Accounts of Mamankoms and Taipuyam (4) Accounts of religious ceremonies including tiruvantali and Ariyittuvalxha (5) Accounts of sum borrowed from and paid to English East India Company and (6) Chronicle of some public events.

The present author classifies them into seven groups, in a slightly different way. These records are of two kinds: 1. Palm leaf manuscrtpts. 2. Records written in paper.

The records consist of various type of documents. One group includes minute details about festivals and celebrations, the most important among them being the mamankam celebrations on the model of Kumbha mela at Prayag, Simhasta at Ujjain etc. Pattattanam any annual ceremony conducted in Tali Temple' at Calicut, is also of much importance.

A second group consists of rituals and ceremonies on the occasion of birth, death, Coronation and samakarno.

A third group consists of treaties and agreements with the portugeese, Dutch and English and a number of local Chief tains of Kerala.

A fourth group consists of hundreds of letter which are of political and historical importance. There are more. than 2500 letters, most of them written in Malayalam. The correspondences between foreigners and rulers outside Kerala are all translated into Malayalam are seen kept in bundles. The letters included in the varavu and chelavu books are also of great importance.

The fifth group includes detailed accounts of royal tour of religious and political importance.

The sixth group throws light on the award of titles, privileges, trails by ordials, which for adultory among Brahmins.

The seventh group is made up of revenue records which the amounts, of receipts and payments from the administrative unit
called chericals and Devaswoms are included. They also include Mappila rebellion records an dGuruvayoor Satyagraha files.

The groups are (1) Festivals and celebrations (2) Rituals and ceremonies (3) Treaties and agreements (4) Political correspondance (5) Royal Tours an dVisits (6) Award of titles privileges and punishments (7) Revenue and Public events.

The present collection rediscovered by the author in their totality will help us to' understand the feudal system of administration the social and economic condition religious observations and beliefs, and the special customs and rituals followed in the Zamorins palace, thus theya re of unique national importance for the social and administrative history of the period for about four centuries.

A closer view of the various type of records reveal the importance of the preent collection. The Sannads of succession adoption, titles and honours help us to form an idea of the organisation of the Empire. The accounts of Mamankam, Taipuyam, Pooram, Vettakkarumakanpattu etc. are full of authoritative and they enable us to form an exact idea of these festivals, totally different from the writings of Hamilton and James Frazer. The records of Ariyettuvalcha or Coronation help us to understand the distinctive features of Malabar coronation, the records of funeral ceremony throws light to the itualistic aspects strictly followed by the Zamorins. Both these records help us to understand the chronological order of succession of the Zamorins. The treaties and engagements are unimportant in two ways. Most of them are in Malayalam. In many cases, the treaties obtained from other sources are in English. Here, the most important treaties of AD. 1792 and 1806, the agreement signed by the original copies itself. There Malayalam forms East India Company are the original copies itself. There Malayalam forms are of immense value. These records were in duplicate, one of the copies was kept with the Company and the other of the King. Contemporary official accounts like the Dutch raide on Cranganore in 1670 A.D. the defection of Mangat Achan in 1752 A.D. the liason of the Commandanta of Aliparampa and Mapranam in 1762 AD, the Zamorins pilgrimage to Cape Comorin and Trivandrum cuminating the treaty of 1763 AD. are all of great importance in the History of Kerala. These documents were not year published fully by any of the scholar. The royal visits of the King to various religious centre mainly routed through the Headquarters of Calicut help us to reconstruct the early routes and identify the pieces of importance .. The royal visits help us to study the historical geography of the great Port Town KOZHI·KKODE. The accounts of receipts and payments are much interesting as they indicate the socio-economic background of the Society and the social hierarchy of the medieval period. Above all these, the original records now re-discovered help us to rectify the discrepancies involved in the discussions made by the scholars about the History of Kerala in General and History of Malabar in particular. T-he customs, belief and rituals etc. have much importance to the sociologists and Anthoropolotists. Zamorins history has been believed to be one of the dark periods of History of Kerala. Now, with these records we may be able to throw light on the many important political and cultural problems which remained unsolved hitherto.

Earliest records available in the collection According to KY Krishna Iyer a record dated 1760 AD is the earliest dated document in the Calicut Grandhavaris. But, now it is found that the other records of 1538 AD. are the earliest ones. One of them describes the funeral ceremony of Ernad Elamkurnampiyatiri or Eralpad, who died at Kuruvayoorvattom during that period. In later times the palace came to be called Punnathur Koovilakam. Punnattur was' one of the feudatories of Zamorins. The place Kuruvayoor vattom is the famous Guruvayoor, the pilgrim centre. It has to be observed that the name of the place had not changed to Guruvayoor at that time. It may indicate the evolution of Guruvayoor to a great pilgrimage centre too. The other record of 1538 AD. deals with land transactions. The describes the Otti conditions of a few paddy fields given to the Zamorins Minister Mangat Achan. The fields were in the village Adoor, which is a little north of the Headquarters of Cochin. It reveals that Zamorins had control over the land atleast upto the village even in 1538. It may point out the territorial extension of the king too. There are many records in this bundle, a few others are also written in between 1538-1560 AD. The record of 1560 mentioned by K.V. Krishna Iyyer gives the actual date ·as 1558-59. This is the first document which describes the coronation ceremony of the Zamorin. The function took place in Tirumanasseril Kootta at Crangannore. There was a palace by name Tirumanasserikoootta, on the banks of the river Bharataula. Tirumanasseri was a feudatory of the Zamorins of Calicut. It's a Brahmin, was the Head of the PANNIYUR namputiris, and he was considered the protector of all Brahmins living between Peremchelloor in the north and Chengannoor in the south. He enjoyed Koyma rights over thirteen temples including that of Taliparampa. The ceremony is exhaustively described in this document. An important point there is that the first Brahmin who pored rice on the head of the king was a Brahmin of Chovara namputiris. It is well known that Zamorins were the benefactors of Panniyur and there was a feud between these two Brahmin gramams for a long period. The function is very important since it is the formal inauguration of the reign with the blessings of the Brahmins conferred in the customary way or throwing rice on the head of the king was Varikkamancherry namputiri. The next Brahmin was Kuttippurattu nampoothiri. Both these Brahmins belonged to the Chovarakur. It reveals that not only the Chovarakkur Brahmins were invited for the function, but also given the right to be the head of the function. It has been observed by the scholars that Alvancheri tanprakkal, the head of the Brahmins of Kerala used to participate in the function. But, he was not seen present in any of the Coronation function except once in AD 1811.

Ariyittu valcha and Tiruvantali records The above mentioned record of Coronation function is the earliest of its kind in the collection. About twenty records of this kind are available now. These belong to various periods and which help us to understand the variations occurred to this functions and the change of nature if any. Coronation-details of AD. 1637,59,63,64, 1706, 07, 1662, 1668, 1729, 1741, 1787, 1845, 1849, 1856 and 1868 are available at present. A good number of references of the functions, accounts of them and the invitation letters send to various personalities for the function are also seen in the Grandhavaris. Funeral ceremonies of various periods, other than the period mentioned for the coronation functions are also there. On the basis of these two functions it is possible to prepare a chronological list 6f succession of the Zamorins. A coronation ceremony, is thus proceeded by a funeral function.

The funeral functions are similar to those of high class Nayars. But the rituals connected to the ceremonies are numerous. On the 7th, 9th or 11 th day after the death declared auspicious of the new Zamorin by the palace astrologer is the sanchayanam or the gathering of bones and on the 15th day the pollution caused by death us removed by ceremonial bath. All these are performed with pomp and honours due to the exalted rank of the deceased. The death s announced by firing of sixteen katinas or mortars, the pyre is built of logs and sandal woods, drums are beaten during the cremation twice a day till the Sanchayanam and a lamp is kept burning both day and night at the cremation ground and in the room where the dead body had been lying till the bones are gathered and buried in the earth. When the Zamorins w,as a ruling chief, all public activities were suspended for fourteen day, and resumed only after the Ariyittu valcha, which immediately follwed by Tiruvantali. The last ritualistic procedure conducted in this period is the Tirubali.

The coronation function starts after Tirubali. The Zamorins proceeds to his private chapel to worship the Goddess and the Cheraman Sword. The sword is believed to be the gift of theCheraman Perumal to the Zamorins ancestor. The original sword was reduced into splinters in AD. 1670, at Cranganore, where the Zamorins was camping in the course of a surprise attack made by the Dutch. The document which describes this incident is now rediscovered. The Zamorin has to worship this sword every day if he has no pollution. All the time of coronation, the function of utavalanakkal or no sharpen ones own sword is conducted. There are a number of records describing this ritual. The ritual is seen conducted by all the stanies, mini and paranayars of the king. Then the king pays his respect to the Brahmins. After chamayam chartal or dressing for the function he is seated on a white and black carpet. Ariyittuvalcha is the formal inauguration of therein with the blessings of the Brahmins.

A chronological list of succession of the rulers is prepared on the basis of Tiruvantali, Ariyittuvalcha and Utavalanakkal records. According to KY Krishna Iyer, there were 138 Zamorins who rules the land in between AD 342 to AD1938. But the chronological list indicate only sixty five Zamorins, and the earliest date indicative of a coronation function is AD. 1484.

Coronation function of Vettattu Raja, one of the deudatories of Zamorins is also vividly described. The function took place in AD. 1673. The importance of this records is that it reveals the presence of the Zamorins in this function, as the head of the "Empire" _ Another record dated 1707 refers to a funeral function of Mangat Achan, one of the ministers of the Zamorins of Calicut.

Festivals and ceremonies The accounts of Mamakam, Taipuyam and Pattattanam throws light to the minute details of these festivals. There are two Mamakam, account in the collection. One of them has been already published by K.V. Krishna Iyer. This record is written in Kololuthu and the function took place in 1731 AD. But a full account of Mamakam of an early date namely of 1683 AD. was not come to the notice of Krishna Iyer. This record is an exhaustive description of the festival with all the accounts of receipts and payments, the invitation letters, the names of participants etc. The earliest reference of the festival is of AD 1611 (ME 786). Mamakam Kalicca Kanakku of the dates of Mamakam festivals conducted seen in the collection gives dates of six Mamakams, namely of 1707, 1719, 1731, 1743, 1745 and 1767 AD. According to KY Krishna Iyer, the last Mamakam was in AD 1755, and before the next Mamakam, the Mysoreans had invaded Kerala and Haider occupied Calicut. However, somE;! other indegeneous records on Haiders invasion also indicate that the last Mamakam was in 176667. There are many therories about the institution of this festival, which was held in the year called Mahamagham, one of the twelve years of Brahaspatya cycle, on the banks of the Bharatapula, at Tirunavaya. To the Zamorins it was not only a religious festival but also an occasion for the display of all their pomp and power as the Emperors of Kerala.

In the year immediately preceeding the Mamakam, a festival called Taipuyam was held on Puyam, the eighth lunar asterism, in the month of Tai or Makaram corresponding to January-February. The records reveal that the Tai puyams of this type were a miniature Mamakam. There are references of Taipuyams of this type being conducted by Zamorins even in other years also. The festivals took place in the years 1599, 1634, 1646, 1667, 1670 and 1672 AD. The earliest date of Mamakam can be assumed from this references. Since the Typuyam conducted during 1599, should be an year proceding the Mamakam, it can be assumed that there might have been a Mamakam in the year 1611 AD.

The Zamorins did great contributions to learning and literature in Kerala as patrons of poets and scholars. The annual Pattattanams at the Tali temple in Calicut attracted scholars and poets from various parts of the country. Pattttanam was a ceremony conducted during the days between Revati, the twenty seventh lunar asterism and tiruvatira, the sixth lunar asterism in the Malayalam month tulam October-November). All the seven days the Brahmins who come in large numbers are provided with sumptuous feasts and in the end the tanams are given, through on a hereditary basis. KV. Krishna Iyer refers to only one instance of it, eventhough it is the earliest references of it available in the collection. It was conducted in 16679 AD. The record gives an exhaustive account of the ceremony. There are twenty two records of Pattattanams in the palm leaf manuscripts and paper records. A study of all these records will being out the details about many Brahmin families who had devoted their time and energy for attaining scholarship in Vedas and sastras, the yogams and sabhas which took the training of scholars in these fields etc..

Religious customs, rituals and ceremonies Pooram, Vettekkaran pattu, onam, vishu, Kuuttu etc. are also of much interest in the study of cultural aspects of the society. Thee are many records in the collection which give detailed accounts of these religious celebrations and rituals. Apart from that, the Zamorins conducted many ritualistic religious ceremonies as Acaram or Kilvalakkam or Maryada, Chowlam, Mutiyirakku, Tirunal, Tirumasam and many other rituals have observed by the members of the royal family. The kings previlages and responsibilities, not less than the obligations and rights of his subjects were strictly defined by usage and precedent.

Roval Tours and Visits The Royal tours were usually conducted by the King for religious and political purposes. We have obtained seven documents of this type of which the earliest one is of 1600 AD. The tours conducted in the year 1679,1740,1758 and 1762 AD, are in the palm leaf manuscripts. All of them except the one conducted during 1762, were from Ponnani to Calicut, visiting various palaces, temples and important centres of administrative activities in the territory.

It help us to locate the important palaces and offices of the king. The early routes of great importance can be traced with the help of these descriptions. A tour conducted during 19^th century to Madras is also of much interest.

Since most of the tours are directed through the Headquarters of calicut, it is possible to prepare the historical geography of the Calicut City too. The tours give us a picture of the royal procession of the king called kotticchalunnallattu.

They had many palaces scattered between Ananthapuram in the north to Trichur in the south. The Zamorins Major palaces were situated at the Headquarters of Calicut. They had another major palace at Trikkavil near Tiru·navaya. The earliest reference of the palace at Calicut is of 1583 AD. other paiaces at the Headquarters of Calicut were, Ampati Koovilakam (residence of the ladies of the royal family, first reference 1663 AD. Patinnare Koovilakam (1656) Kilakke Koovilakam (1760) and Chalappurathu Koovilakam (1666). Other palaces were situated at Compalangad (1538) Guruvayoor (1538) Vakayur (1634) Vairanelloor (1559) Tavanur (1634) Kottakal (1666) and Ariyakkot (1669). At present the major palace and other five palaces situated at Calicut are no more.

Award of Titles, Privileaes and Punisments: When the head of the estate could not discharge his functions due to old age or sickness, the Eralpad or the heir apparent ruled the country as in 1670 AD. There were five stanams or dignities among tampureans. The second stani, Eralpad had a palace at Calicut called Erampiri Koovilakam which stood close to the Ampati koovilakam. He had certain important privileges at the Mamakam festival which is mentioned in AD. 1683. The Zamorins consort was titled as Naitiyar. The Zamorin who succeeded to the muppu in AD.1580. In the same way Poancheri Ittichiridevi received it in 1678.A.D .. This function is mentioned as Kuttuvilakku Kotukkal. It thus reveals that the consort could assum the dignity of Naitiyar only after it had been formally conferred upon her.

Besides hereditary titles like accan, kaimal, patanayar, para nampi, menon, koya etc, the Zamorin granted special titles and privileges. It was customary when such honours were conferred for the recipients to offered a present of 2500 fanams when he was called Arayan. In 1687 on of Kuliyoti Kottakal Marakkayar was given the title Marakkayar. Another man, Kunnikkalathor had given the title kunnali Marakkayar in the same year. These two incidents throw sidelights on history of Kunali Marakkar, the famous Naval Chief of Zamorins of Calicut. Talayil kettu or the privileges to wear headcap, Valum putavayum or the privileges to wear sword etc. were same other privileges given be the Royal family to selected persons ..

We have already mentioned about the importance of the treaties and agreements of the Zamorins with foreigners and local chiefs. Revenue records, records of public events and the letters of correspondence were enumerable, and all of them are documents written in paper. The system of land transactions, revenue income, etc., of various period can be collected from the palm leaf manuscripts also. Melkoyma, Changatam, kaval, Manusham, Amkam, Cumkam, Tanam, Pila, Kalcha and the like are all see mentioned in the Grandhavaries it::;elf.

Saamuutiri caritrattile kaanaappurannal ( the unseen pages of the Zamorins of calicut) of the present author an introductory volume to these records, has been published by the Vallathol Educational Trust, Edapal, Kerala. The book gives exhaustion list of the records and detailed discussions on some important historical events like Mamankam, Pattattanam, Guruvayur Satayagraham etc. as per the court order (RR No. 061984 O.S. No. 80061964. Hon. Subordinate judge, calicut) all these valuable records are handed over to the Research Society and steps are being taken by the Society for preserving it and to exhibit it in the Vallathol Educational Trust Library at Sukapuram, Edapal, for the benefit of the Scholars and research students.

These records are being edited by the author, on subject wise in eight volume (Vol .1. Treaties and agreements with Dutch English and number of local Cheiftains of Kerala, VoLlI. Hundreds of letters which are of social and historical importance, Vol. III. Detailed accounts of the royal tours and visits of cultural and political importance. Vol. IV. Details of rituals and ceremonies on the various occasions of the birth initiation coronation and death of the Zamorins family. Vol. V. Details of Festivals and celebrations like Mamankam Pattattanam and Taipuyam. Vol.VI record of awards of titles, privileges ordeals which pertain to polity and society. Vol. VII. The Cherikal accounts of the rent and other royal income and expenditure. VIII. Selected records with English transsiliteration in Roman Scripts). A project sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi,·the Vallathol Educational Trust is the publishers of these invaluable historical records.

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	THE GRANDHAVARIS OF CALICUT - (The palace records of the zamorins of Calicut)