History of Grama Panchayat
History of Kunnummal Grama Panchayat
The present-day Kunnummal Grama Panchayat includes parts of the historic Kadathanad region, where the “ethics of the law of might” once prevailed, as well as parts of Kottayam, the territory associated with the valiant Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, who upheld his patriotism until the final moments of his life.
It is said that the Kadathanadan stone fort located between Mokeri and Vattoli marked the boundary between Kadathanad and Kottayam. Looking back into the history of Kerala, we can see the rise and fall of the feudal system, the expansion and decline of landlordism, the heroic memories of the freedom struggle, the movements against untouchability and superstitions, the formation and struggles of peasant organizations, and the various struggles for rights over their own land. All these developments took place in this region during different periods, under strong leadership and with a spirit of determination.
It is against this historical background that the essence of the spiritual and material development of this region should be understood. Looking back today, we must recognize that the progress we see in our region is the result of the tireless and selfless sacrifices and activities of numerous brave patriots and social reformers. Therefore, we should also understand that the history of our region is, in many ways, the life history of those who devoted their lives without selfish motives to bringing about fundamental social transformation.
Like many other parts of Kerala, our region was also part of the numerous small kingdoms that were constantly engaged in conflicts with one another. The administration of this area was mainly controlled by local rulers belonging to six prominent Tharavads under the Kuttippuram Kovilakam and Nidumannur Kovilakam.
They were:
- Akkalidam
- Kurungattidam
- Kuzhikkilidam
- Kuniyilidam
- Komathidam
- Vadakkambilavidam
It is said that, in addition to having complete control over the land, these rulers also possessed the authority to decide matters involving life and death.
These landlords used to assign their lands by fixing the terms of varam, pattam, and purappadu. Such lands were generally granted to dependants who had gained the favour of the landlord in some way. With the decline of the feudal system, these lands gradually came entirely into the hands of such tenants, who in turn leased them to poor farmers working under them for cultivation. These dependants eventually evolved into the landlord class in this region.
The poor farmers who worked on these lands gradually became tenants. As in other parts of Kerala, all the oppressive practices associated with landlordism also existed in our region. Tenants were not permitted to wear white mundus or gold ornaments. When they encountered a person belonging to a higher caste or a landlord, they had to remove the cloth from their head, place it over their shoulder, and stand respectfully with their heads bowed. On special occasions, they had to offer kaazhcha (gifts/tributes). Women were not permitted to cover their upper bodies, and breastfeeding mothers were required to pay a tax known as mulakkaram. These were among the oppressive practices that existed at the time.
A lasting solution to these conditions emerged with the rise of political and class consciousness in the region, which led to the growth of peasant movements.
Freedom Struggle and Social Reform Movements
The freedom movement that swept across India soon took root in the Kunnummal region with considerable strength. However, even before the movement reached the Kunnummal area, the ideas of Sree Narayana Guru, Swami Sivananda, who was active with Vadakara as his centre, and Vagbhatananda, another prominent advocate of the social reform movement in Kerala, had already reached this region.
Among them, Vagbhatananda, popularly known as Kunjikannan Gurukkal from near Koothuparamba, came to the Kunnummal region and sowed the seeds of his revolutionary and progressive ideas. Vagbhatananda stayed at the Puthalath Tharavad in Narippatta and worked in this region for approximately four years.
It was Sri O. K. Ananthan Vaidyar who propagated Vagbhatananda's ideals in the Kunnummal region. Along with him, Keluv Vaidyar, Thayyilpoyil Chathu, Thundiyil Kudungon, Paratti Achuthan Vaidyar, and Mannarandi Kannan also played important roles.
Vagbhatananda's activities were mainly focused on reforming the customs and rituals followed by the Thiyya community, which constituted the majority of the population in this region. The visit of Sree Narayana Guru to Pathirippatta had also earlier attracted many progressive-minded people.
Vagbhatananda's ideas were opposed to practices such as Enna Manthram, Pula Kuli, Theendal, Tholuzhika, and Thirattu Kalyanam. Through his strong criticism of these practices, they gradually began to disappear from social life.
Vagbhatananda's philosophy was primarily based on belief in one God. Those among his followers who broke traditional customs were subjected to social ostracism by the orthodox sections of society. Refusing to invite them to weddings and refusing to cut their hair were among the methods used for such social exclusion.
At the same time, Vagbhatananda encouraged people to maintain cleanliness and to organize themselves. His followers brought scissors from Thalassery and began cutting people's hair, encouraging them to maintain personal cleanliness. A hair-cutting centre of this kind was also established near Changaramkulam.
Social Reform and the Kottiyoor Festival
During that period, it was customary for people from most families to attend the Kottiyoor festival. For this purpose, numerous Kanjipuras (temporary food shelters) existed at Mokeri and Pathirippatta, which were part of Kottayam beyond Kadathanad.
However, during the 1920s, a group of progressive-minded people from Mokeri made an image of the Kottiyoor Perumal, dressed it in a shirt and mundu, and burned it to ashes. Under the leadership of M. C. Krishnan, the ashes were then floated in the stream at Muyyottuchal in the manner of devotees travelling to Kottiyoor.
