GREAT WARRIORS AND KALARIPPAYYATTU EXPERTS OF EZHAVA COMMUNITY

Ezhava Kalarippayyattu (native martial art) experts and Ezhava nobles of Travancore had the title Panicker. The title Chekavar is a centuries-old title of Ezhava and Thiyya warriors (Thiyyas = Ezhavas of Malabar). These titles of Ezhava community were used by their successors as their surnames but new generation Ezhavas rarely use surnames.

The famous Cheerappanchira tharavad of Ezhava Kalarippayattu experts is situated at Muhamma in Alappuzha. It is believed that Lord Ayyappan was trained in Kalarippayyattu at this tharavad. The hermitage where Lord Ayyappan lived during his training period has been preserved in its original form by the descendants of the Cheerappanchira family. The great Sree Narayana Guru used this hermitage during his visit to this family. Hence it has got the name Swamy Madtam. The Kalari (martial art training centre) of this tharavad has been revived in the early part of the twenty first century. Presently, Sri. Somasekhara Panicker is the head of the tharavad and his son Sri. Kesav Lal is the chief priest of the Mukkal Vattom Sree Ayyappa temple of the Cheerappanchira family.

The famous Ezhava Kalarippayyattu expert Mokkad Kesava Panicker of the Mokkad tharavad near Pettah in Thiruvananthapuram was the Kalarippayyattu trainer of Kazhakuttam Pillai’s (head of the Ettuveettil-pillamar) army. His Kalari was situated at Oruvaathilkotta in Thiruvananthapuram and later, on the request of Kazhakuttam Pillai, the Kalari was shifted to Kazhakuttam in Thiruvananthapuram along with the Kalari Deity of Chamundi Devi. After some time, the same Deity was shifted to Thozhuvancode in Thiruvananthapuram by the Mokkad Kesava Panicker and there he founded the famous Chamundi Devi temple. His descendant, late Sree Thulaseedhara Swamikal was the secretary of the temple. Now his nephew is the secretary and they follow the traditional Marumakkathayam (matrilineal system) for the administration of the temple. Thozhuvancode Chamundi Devi temple is one of the beautiful and powerful Devi temples in south India. Sree Thulaseedhara Swamikal dedicated his entire life for the development of the temple.

In the eighteenth century Travancore, there were many Ezhava warriors like Renakeerthy Chekavar (Chief Commander of Marthanda Varma’s army), Akathiyadi Panicker (Chief army Commander of Kottarakkara kingdom), Ambanattu Panicker (landlord and chief army commander of Chempakassery kingdom), Pappan Chekavar (Kalarippayyattu trainer, palace physician and commander of Chempazhanthy Pillai’s army), Lokanatha Panicker and his son Patheenatha Panicker of Varanapally tharavad (Chief army commanders of Kayamkulam kingdom).   These great Ezhava warriors were totally ignored by the biased historians. These historians further suppressed the importance of Ezhavas in Kerala history but they could not succeed fully as nobody can hide the truth for ever. However, the records of Ezhava history before the nineteenth century were almost destroyed by them and their aim was to hide the prestigious past of Ezhavas. They also tried their best to establish that Ezhavas were of lower caste and thereby tarnished the dignity and self respect of Ezhavas. It is well known that Ezhavas were not a part of the four-tier caste system (Chathurvarniyam) of Aryan Hindus and hence Ezhava community cannot be categorized as a caste.

In fact, Ezhavas were an ethnic martial community who migrated to Kerala many centuries before the arrival of the Aryans. During that time, Ezhavas were known as Villavars and were the founders of Chera Kingdom.  It is believed that Ezhavas were Buddhists from Java and Sumatra islands (Indonesia) and had European lineage.  Ezhavas were not the natives of Srilanka but they initially migrated to Srilanka from Java and Sumatra islands and from Srilanka they migrated to Kerala. So they were called Ezhavas which means people of Ezham (Srilanka) or Dweepans (island dwellers). Ezhavas were masters of Kalarippayyattu and were courageous warriors. (Kalarippayyattu is a native martial art and it is related to Chinese martial art Shaolin Kung-fu which was practised by Buddhist monks).

After the Aryan migration to Kerala from north India, Kshatrias among the Aryan Hindus became the rulers of Kerala and gradually Buddhists temples in Kerala became Hindu temples. Ezhavas did not join the Aryan Hindus but they followed Hinduism themselves.  During that time Ezhavas worshipped Buddhist Gods Cittan and Arattan along with Hindu Gods. They were also snake worshippers like Aryans and aristocratic Ezhava families had their own Sarpa kavus (Snake groves). It is believed that Ezhavas might have been attracted to Hinduism and became completely Hindus without any force from the Aryans as it was impossible to force the majority Ezhavas by the minority Aryans during that period in Kerala. After many centuries, Aryans and Ezhavas of Kerala became Malayalees (Malayalam speaking people). Malayalam is a Dravidian language which originated from Tamil but Malayalam incorporated many Sanskrit elements also.  

Ezhavas were given special privileges and equal status by the Kshatria rulers of Travancore, Kochi and Malabar till the end of the eighteenth century as the majority of the population, soldiers and army chiefs were Ezhavas. But from the beginning of the nineteenth century, Ezhavas were severely discriminated in Travancore because of some other reasons and it continued till the temple entry proclamation in the year AD1936. The discrimination against Ezhavas initially began in Travancore and later it spread to Kochi and Malabar. Ezhavas were discriminated for more than a century and the history was erased or rewritten to suit the rivals of Ezhavas. The great Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker of Travancore and the great Kuroolli Chekon (Kadathanadan Simham) of Malabar fought against this discrimination against Ezhavas during the nineteenth century.  

The great Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker (Kalisseril Velayudha Chekavar) was born in an affluent Ezhava family of the famous Kalisseril tharavad in Arattupuzha village of Karthikapally in central Travancore in the year AD.1825. He was immensely rich, seven feet tall, fair complexioned, a Kalarippayyatu expert, Ayurveda, Astrology and Sanskrit scholar. His grandfather Vallikadavil Perumal Chekavar was a famous Tulunadan Kalarippayattu expert and his family members were also fierce warriors. It was impossible for his rivals to fight against him during his lifetime and hence the discrimination against Ezhavas could not be easily continued in Travancore during his period. He was a very powerful protector of Ezhavas and other oppressed communities in Travancore and he built the first Siva temple for them. The great Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker was assassinated by treachery while sleeping in his boat in January 1874. The discrimination against Ezhavas ruthlessly continued again in Travancore after his assassination. The discrimination affected the progress of Ezhavas and they became a backward community. The nineteenth century (AD.1800-1900) was a terrible period for Ezhavas and during that period, many Ezhavas converted to other religions. It is believed that during the eighteenth century, seventy per cent of the population in Kerala (Travancore, Kochi and Malabar) was Ezhavas. Now the Ezhava population in Kerala is only twenty-seven per cent. However, Ezhavas are still the single largest Hindu community of Kerala. Following the teachings of the great Sree Narayana Guru and after many years of hard work, now Ezhavas are in the forefront of Kerala society. They have become the most powerful, major, wealthy, enlightened, patriotic and progressive Hindu community of Kerala.

(Information collected from various sources is included in the above article. Corrections if any are welcome)

Puthooram and Thacholy

I have come across so many people who are confused with Puthooram and Thacholy. This post tries to bring some clarity on these two families.

These were two houses of Kalarippayattu experts (the local martial art of Kerala). Puthooram veedu (veedu literally means house) existed in the sixteenth century and Thacholy manikkottu veedu existed in the eighteenth century. Puthooram was a famous Thiyya (Ezhava) tharavadu (tharavadu means ancestral family house) and Thacholy was a famous Kalari Kurup (Nair) tharavadu. Nairs and Ezhavas are the two major Hindu communities of Kerala.

Puthooram Unniyarcha (AD.1549-1620) was a legendary Thiyya (Ezhava) woman. She was expert in kalrippayyattu and was a well versed in horse riding. She was the daughter of Kannappa Chekavar and sister of Aromal Chekavar. Kunjiraman (Raman Chekavar) was the husband of Puthooram Unniyarcha. Puthooram Chandu (Chandrangada Chekavar) was the nephew of Kannappa Chekavar and cousin of Aromal Chekavar. Chekavar is a surname used by people of Thiyya (Ezhava) community who are warriors. Puthooram veedu was situated in Thalassery.

Vatakara was the native place of Thacholy Othena Kurup (AD.1763-1795) and family. Thacholy Othena Kurup was a legendary Kalarippayyattu expert. Thacholy Chandu (Chandrashekara Kurup) was the younger brother of Thacholy Othena Kurup. There was a woman in Thacholy family by the name Thacholy Unnitharcha. Thacholy Unnitharcha was the daughter of Thacholy Unnichira (eldest sister of Thacholy Othena Kurup) and her husband Chirukantan Kurup. Thacholy Unnitharcha was a beautiful woman but she was not a Kalarippayyattu expert. It is believed that when Thacholy Othena Kurup was alive, Thacholy Unnitharcha was kidnapped by Tippu Sultan, this being the cause of the rivalry between Tippu Sultan and Thacholy Othena Kurup.  Thacholy Othenan was shot dead at the age of thirty two by a mercenary named Mayinkutty. Some people believe that Mayinkutty was sent by Tippu and others believe that Mayinkutty was sent by the disciples of Kathiroor Gurukkal who was defeated by Thacholy Othena Kurup in an Ankam ( Ankam means fight with sword and shield between two experts / heads of Kalari clans or family till death).

Northern ballads are two kinds’ Puthooram pattukal and Thacholy pattukal. These ballads were mainly sung to praise and spread the importance of these two families and about the Ankams, these families participated in. The Puthooram pattukal originated in the sixteenth century and Thacholy pattukal originated in the eighteenth century. From the twentieth century onwards people began to mix together the songs from the both ballads and so many people are confused, even famous writers. Yet another reason for the confusion was Thacholy Unnitharcha being mistaken for Puthooram Unniyarcha by some historians later on, either coincidently (as the names are similar) or purposely.

(Above details are from my knowledge and it may or may not be true).

Renakeerthy Chekavar and Ezhava(Thiyya) warriors of Travancore

During the reign of Great Marthanda Varma of Travancore (A.D.1729-1758) many brave Ezhava warriors had sacrificed themselves for Travancore; but historians of Travancore have conveniently cast blind eyes to their contribution. During this period, there were eight powerful landlords (Ettuveetil-pillamar) in Thiruvananthapuram. They had their own armies. Among these landlords there were two groups. One, the Venganoore group, led by Venganoore pillai and the other group called the Kazhakuttam group led by Kazhakuttathu pillai. Of the two groups, Venganoore group was hostile to the royal family.

The administration of Padmanabhaswamy temple was at this time under the control of Ettara-yogum the group of eight landlords and King of Travancore, the King having only half the power. Marthanda Varma put an end to this system and assumed for the royal family all the administrative powers of the Padmanabhaswamy temple. The Venganoore group resented this, but they did not oppose the new arrangement because Marthanda Varma was a very assertive and powerful ruler.

The Travancore royal dynasty is Kshatriya by caste. Succession to the throne in Travancore was by the Marumakkathayam system under which the King’s sister’s son would ascend the throne on the demise of the reigning King and the Kings lineal descendants had no claim to the throne and it was under this system that Marthanda Varma became King on the death of Rama Varma.

Marthanda Varma’s uncle Rama Varma had two sons, Raman Thampi and Padmanabhan Thampi, by Abhirami, a non-Kshatriya lady. There was enmity between Marthanda Varma and the two Thampis from early in life and this developed into a bitter feud later. The two brothers wanted the throne and they unsuccessfully tried to assassinate Marthanda Varma on several occasions.

The Thampis were close to the Ettuveetil-pillamar. The Venganoore group was sympathetic and helpful to them all along. The Thampis sought the help of Kazhakuttathu pillai also in their fight with Marthanda Varma. Kazhakuttathu pillai was the most powerful among the land lords and his decisions were approved by others. Kazhakuttathu pillai however told them that they could not claim the Kingdom because they were not genuine Kshatriyas. The Thampi brothers changed their tack and told him that they did not want the throne but only wanted to abolish the Marumakkathayam system under which the nephews succeeded their maternal uncle in his death. Kazhakuttathu pillai too was against Marumakkathayam and he promised the Thampis to help them in abolishing this system. But he did not agree to help them in their fight with Marthanda Varma and instead, advised them to end the quarrel. But Venganoore pillai whom the Thampis approached for help agreed to support them.

Marthanda Varma came to know of the brewing conspiracy and assumed that all in the Ettuveetil-pillamar were helping his cousins and he ordered that all the eight land lords be captured.

Venganoore pillai and Ramanamadhom pillai of the Venganoore group were killed and the remaining three were captured. However Marthanda Varma could not capture any one of the Kazhakuttam group (Kazhakuttathu pillai, Kulathoore pillai and Chempazhanthy pillai).  This has been attributed to their superior armies, who were Ezhavas and were very strong and courageous. It is believed that Marthanda Varma’s army could not even cross the border with Ulloor in the fight against the armies of Kazhakuttam group.

Kesava Panicker was an Ezhava Kalarippayyatu (native martial art) expert and was the commander and trainer of Kazhakuttathu pillai’s army. He was the founder of the famous Thozhuvancode Chamundi Devi temple and close friend of Kazhakuttathu pillai.

Chempazhanthy pillai was a very good man and he was worried about the war between Marthanda Varma and the Ettuveetil-pillamar. His army chief was an Ezhava Kalarippayyattu expert and ‘marma’ vaidyan by the name Pappan Chekavar, a native of Thalassery and he married from Chempazhanthy. Pappan Chekavar was also vaidyan of the royal family and hence he was close to Marthanda Varma. Chempazhanthy pillai, through Pappan Chekavar convinced Marthanda Varma that the Kazhakuttam group had no animosity towards Marthanda Varma or the royal family and the problem was settled peacefully.

Marthanda Varma’s great ambition was to enlarge his Kingdom to Kochi and even beyond. But the Kingdom of Kayamkulam stood in the way in his march to the north. His army was defeated three times by Patheenatha Panicker, Ezhava chief commander of Kayamkulam. Marthanda Varma realized that his army was not strong enough to defeat Kayamkulam. What he wanted was a strong army and an efficient army chief. Marthanda Varma discussed the problem with Pappan Chekavar who told him that he had a Thiyya(Ezhava) friend in Thalassery who was an expert in Kalarippayattu and horse riding. His name was Raghava Chekavar (Renakeerthy Chekavar). He was serving in the army of the Samoothiri in Malabar at that time. It is believed that Pappan Chekavar went to Malabar and brought Raghava Chekavar secretly with him by sea route to Travancore.

Raghava Chekavar took charge of the Travancore army as its chief commander. All the soldiers, majority being Ezhavas, of Kazhakuttathu pillai, Chempazhanthy pllai and Kulathoore pillai joined Marthanda Varma’s army under the leadership of Raghava Chekavar. At this time Kazhakuttathu pillai went on a pilgrimage and nobody has seen him since then. His chief army commander Kesava Panicker (Ezhava kalarippayyattu expert) did not join Marthanda Varma’s army. He was a staunch devotee of his Kalari Deity of Chamundi Devi and he left Kazhakuttam for Thozhuvancode with this Deity and founded the Chamundi Devi temple there. He spent the rest of his life at Thozhuvancode.

Marthanda Varma finally conquered Kayamkulam with the help of Ezhava soldiers under Raghava Chekavar. Later on Marthanda Varma won many victories including the victory in the battle at Kulachal with the help of the Ezhava soldiers led by Raghava Chekavar. Marthanda Varma honoured Raghava Chekavar by conferring on him the name Renakeerthy Chekavar. Marthanda Varma did not trust Nair soldiers. He removed all Nair soldiers from Padmanabhapuram palace and Padmanabhaswamy temple and replaced them with Ezhava soldiers. The Great Marthanda Varma died in AD.1758 at the age of 52. It is believed that Renakeerthy Chekavar was called back by the Samoothiri of Malabar after the death of Marthanda Varma.

After Marthanda Varma, his nephew Dharmaraja became the King. Ezhava soldiers continued to be the security guards of palace and Padmanabhaswamy temple for some time even after the death of Dharmaraja.

Balarama Varma (AD.1798-1810) ascended the throne after the death of Dharmaraja. He was very young and was a weak King. During his reign Veluthampi was the Prime Minister (Dalawa) of Travancore. Veluthampi did not like Ezhava soldiers guarding the palace and the temple. He told the King that Ezhavas did not come within the four tier caste system of the Hindus(Chathurvarnyam), that they had migrated from Srilanka, that they had a Buddhist origin and that they were untouchables. The King ordered the removal of all Ezhava soldiers from the palace and Padmanabhaswamy temple. He also dismissed all Ezhava soldiers from the Travancore army. Veluthampi Dalawa recruited Nairs in the place of Ezhava soldiers and he renamed the Travancore army as Travancore Nairpada. This led to a mutiny in the army. Veluthampi Dalawa suppressed the mutiny with the help of the Carnatic brigade of the British army. Many soldiers, mostly Ezhavas were killed.

The dismissed Ezhava soldiers later joined the British army. This angered the King further. From that time onwards Ezhavas were treated as untouchables and denied educational facilities, employment in public service and entry into the temples. Ezhavas became an oppressed community. This oppression eased gradually during the reign of Sree Moolam Thirunal (AD.1885-1924). It was at this time Sree Narayana Guru, the great social reformer came on the scene and people gradually became enlightened and caste prejudices became less acute. During the reign of Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma(AD.1931-1949) all Hindus were allowed to enter Hindu Temples. Now, Ezhavas are in the forefront of Kerala society and they are the  major Hindu community of Kerala.

The dismissed Ezhava soldiers from the Travancore army joined the British army in AD.1808. The British assigned Ezhava soldiers to capture Veluthampi Dalawa. Veluthampi Dalawa was attacked and surrounded by Ezhava soldiers of the British army in AD.1809. Veluthampi Dalawa committed suicide when the army surrounded him. In fact, it was a revenge of Ezhava soldiers.

Ettuveettilpillamar were genuine and noble Nairs. Their descendants live in the villages of Thiruvananthapuram. Genuine Nairs and Ezhavas respect each other.

(Above details were heard from my ancestors who were the descendants of Pappan Chekavar (Ezhava Kalarippayyattu expert, marma vaidyan and chief commander of Chempazhanthypilla’s army). The details given above may or may not be true).