Fwd: Kollayil history
Biju R Das
From: muhammed rijam rijamr...@gmail.com
Subject: Kollayil history
To: Biju R Das <runr...@gmail.com>
KOLLAYIL- THE EVOLUTION DURING THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS.
Have you ever thought of the Kollayil- merely fifty years back. It was a string like small patch of land measuring only a few hectares inhabited by a handful of people deep inside the forest. To get a real picture of it by the present day generations, we must make some comparisons. Consider the case of Sasthamnada or Adipparambu. Kollayil was also a place just like that. Entire land on the eastern side of the road was thick forest. Chakkamala forest lay on the western side. These forests around Kollayil were cleared only forty to fifty years back. Is it amusing now to imagine the Kollayil junction where wild elephants traverse at day and night! The muddy narrow Shencotta road sneaked through this jungle at that time. In fact the Trivandrum- Schenkotta road was constructed only by the beginning of 20 th century. We can see the inscriptions as 1901, 1902 etc in the bridges at Palode, Irumbupaalam and so on. So it is evident that Kollayil, merely one hundred years ago, was a location deep inside the forest of western ghat totally inaccessible to the outside people.
The forefathers of the present day inhabitants of Kollayil were migrating to the place from different corners seeking greener pastures for agriculture, within a span of past hundred years. Most of them came from western places around Kilimaanoor, Attingal etc.Hindus of different casts and Muslims. The only group of immigrants from eastern parts was Rawther Muslims. In fact they belonging to Tamilnadu had settled at Mutha near Chithara and Kanoor near Kollayil around three hundred years ago. Then naturally a question arises. Whether Kollayil was devoid of any human inhabitation a hundred years ago. There lie some interesting revelations to our consciousness of history.
The Kanikkars, the tribal people now settled only in pockets along the border of the Western ghat were in fact roaming and inhabiting all along the places, nowadays occupied by the country people. Certainly they were not permanent residents anywhere. They roamed freely all through the places for hunting and farming. The period of their permanent settlement in a location, if any they have, extended only for a maximum period of six months..till the harvesting of a crop. At that time, I mean till the beginning of the twentieth century, the borderline of western ghat forest was more or less the M.C. Road. The area eastward to the road was deep forest. It was Kanikkars who christened all the places in our locality. Kadakkal, Mullikkadu, Pezhumoodu, Valavupacha, Kollayil...all based on some local characteristics. A shrub in abundance or a grand tree enabling identification of the places. Those who are familiar with our locality know such places inside the present day forest also. Poovanam, Kulathara, Kozhiaruppankaala, Thaannimoodu..If those areas were also cleared of forest during the push of outside population, gracefully not, you could catch a bus going through Kozhiaruppankaala..and meet a friend at Poovanam Junction at evening. However God blessed the land by somehow stopping the expeditions of our forefathers to the present day limits.
I am afraid, now you may end up assuming that the Kanikkars were the very first human inhabitants in our native place. That is not true; though they are certainly the oldest group of people now remain in our bellowed village.
The sojourns of human civilizations have been like cloud formations in sky. It forms, develops, mutates and rains down to earth continuously throughout the time. By the by, humanity is also a cloud of consciousness. Since it is a different subject of philosophy, let us discuss the same somewhere else. Though the thought came spontaneously and out of context, I however have some feelings of instinctive connection and certainly you also would realize the same afterwards. If you have any inclinations towards philosophy, it would be useful to refer the consciousness only concept in Buddhism. Coming to the point, as we are aware, innumerable civilizations have passed through every nook and corner of the earth. So certainly our Kollayil also have had experiences of many a past splendid human inhabitations, which vanished.hundreds of years ago.
Could you imagine the Kollayil and the places around it a thousand years ago. As a hub of human civilization with a vibrant population of highly developed culture, systems of life, religious customs.. and so on. You may tend to disbelieve. But the remnants of that great civilisations are still around you...like potholes of water remaining so long after a rain.,yet to be dried out... as the wetness of human consciousness which rained down to earth thousands of years ago..If you could imagine, you will find numerous people who have lived thousands of years ago on the very same spot now you live at Kollayil..you fondly occupies..
Let us divulge the story about those great human civilizations with an analytical help of the present day remnants with you, in another capsule.... BY RIJAM rijamr...@gmail.com
Biju R Das
to come up with these conclusions. Let me add a few to it. In the last
two visits, I have also tried to figure out my family roots. My great
grand father (grand father’s father) migrated from the west (I located
several branches in the Attingal area). His name was Chinnan and he
settled in the hill that I call (Akkare). My father eventually
inherited that property. There is still a ‘pottakinar’ remains there.
My grandfather, (Govindan) was supposedly born there. He died well
before I was born. So my great grandfather should have arrived 120
years ago. Jessy’s (Suman’s) grandfather was his youngest son. When
the family grew, Mr.Govindan moved to a new house (currently his
youngest son - Dayanandan sir - lives there). From what I heard, they
used to travel to Chithara-Kadakkal-Attingal area very frequently.
They used bullock carts (called villu-vandi). The path however was
very narrow. The parts of this villu vandi are still there at
Dayanandan kochachan’s house. Elephants in the Chakkamala area were
very common. Seems like the early ‘Pokkam’ family was very specialized
in dealing with elephants. I will add more about my father’s story
later on. That is just my family background. I know everybody would
have their own story that I would like to hear.
Coming back to Rijam’s findings, I will be interested to see when TVM-
Chenkotta bus service started. Was it after 1902 after the bridge was
constructed by British? Could there be another bridge before that?
Also, how did you conclude that Rawthers came from the East?
Biju
On Nov 30, 9:52 pm, Biju R Das <runrb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I am forwarding Rijam's analysis of KYL history
>
> Biju
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: muhammed rijam rijamrawt...@gmail.com
>
> Subject: Kollayil history
>
> *KOLLAYIL- THE EVOLUTION DURING THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS. *
>
> - Show quoted text -
muhammed rijam
Dear Biju.It is surprising that you techies away from home keep this
kind of a deep sense of history and culture. It is happy to see that
you had ventured in to your family history during the last visit home
also. History is worthy only if it is followed up with a personal
factor. I think most of your family members at Kollayil do not know
the roots as you explained above. May I take the freedom to reveal
that I had somehow got a rough idea of your family history some time
earlier. You could find more interesting facts about your family if
you go deep into the heritage of Ezhava community in Kerala. It was a
Budhist community centuries earlier with wide knowledge base in
Medicine, astrology and so on..and we can find some lineology for the
Ezhava community to the Sinhalese in Sreelanka also. The concentration
of early Ezhava settlement along the beachline..look Petta Anayara,
Chirayinkeezhu, Varkala and so on ..point forward to a strong
connection with searoutes. Search the similarity between Ezham and
Ezhava...Somehow..may be during the course of Brahmanisation process,
the Community lost its vigour and treasures of Konwledge.However the
genes remained..Vaidyars here and there..beaming light of
knowledge..You there at US may be able to do a genitic mapping..a
fun..but it may reveal something more than you thought of ...
Let us come to your quorries..the history of Trivandrum-Shencotta Bus
Service. You sincerely think that the Schencotta bus was passing
though some wooden brdges evem in 19 th century also..forgive me for
taking freedom to chat in an informal mood. Let me forward a
photograph of a `most moderrn` bus used in Travancore during 1920 s.
The concept of long distance Bus services in Travencore took root only
during 1940s. So our lovely Shenkotta bus was most probably started in
snurling only after that period. Let us find the exact date later.
Even during that time, the Villuvandees, one of which is being
fossiled in your chittappas home, were the most luxurious and fastest
vahicle available to Kollayilites. However it was a splendour..with
ornamental bells..the cushion seats made of haypillows. a cute bullock
with silver caped horns..wooden wheels running fast through grass
roads..
Let me tell an interesting story..1930 s ..the Parathottil Labba...you
know him..was then a little boy. He was rearing cattles at the forest.
Not any where else, it was exactly where `Parshar saars` home stands
at Kollayil. He heard a roaring sound down the road..our Trivandrum-
Schencotta road..you can visualise the same..no black surface..narrow
line..a red soil road with tall hays on both sides..the little labba
got freightened. He sneaked behind bushes and posted an eye on the
road..a bundle like creature is coming..shining black body..a dark
devil..only seen in nightmares..its noses emit dark smoke.it howl like
a tiger. a sound so loud unheard till then...labba saw some human
beings also inside its stomack...it is a man eating demon...Labba was
with no option.Fight..death or life..he took a heavy piece of stone. A
sharp throw with all energy..a bullet with prayers..for life..the
devil struck down on the hit...the Maharaja of Travancore with all his
might struck down at Kollayil. The Maharaja with his fancy car shipped
from England enroute to Kuttalam through his own jungles was helpless
before the fearful throw of a little Kollayilite. Nothing could be
done. Labba was nowhere there. In fact there was no ill will behind
the act. It was a throw for life. Even if any fault was there, it was
of the Raja. Venturing in a alien object in to the innocent field of
his subjects. The offence was committed by the Maharaja. He should
have accustomed the new wonder of Motor car to his subjects at first.
Else the throw was the natural reaction.
With the above story, I think, Your doubt as to whether there was
Schencotta bus service even before 1901 might have been cleared. If
there was any, our Kollayilites should have throwned it away. Let me
continue in another piece, surely on the story of Rawthers also.
Biju R Das
The Labba story was amusing! Wonder why I didn't hear that before!
Also the possibility of reverse migration is interesting.
Now I am convinced. I see that Travancore State Transport Department
started operational in 1937-38 period. The picture was nice. See the
difference that it made in the first 40 years! I do not see that much
transformation in the last 30 years.
Biju.R
Dileep Kumar
I too agree, the Labba story is really incredible!
It goes so interesting. Thanks to Rijam for his remarkable study on the evolution process of kollayil with its creed, culture and so on. I realize its a time consuming process, having the patience to spend time with the aged people in our society. I think he still keep more valuable stuff in his pocket than disclosed.
i dont have much to contribute, but to listen you carefully.
My fathers family came from Nagaroor and settled in Karara and my mom's family settled near Kattampally ( now the Oil Palm estate). I do remember both the places as forest with wild animals when i was 4-5 years old boy visiting that places. It is almost the same things happened to Chakkamala simultaneously. As u said the MC Road was the border line at a time, but again prior to that, the forest stretch till the coastal end. i believe, the different kind of people migrated from the east, north or by sea, invaded to the eastern hilly forest areas on a later stage through the river banks in search of pastures new.
Let me ask u one thing, to my knowledge, the word Ezham is a tamil one and not a sinhalese! Of course there are many things common for tamil and kerala in terms of language, culture, religion etc, how did u find a sinhalese link? I do agree, there were many Buddist communities around, why did u think that they came from Lanka instead North inida?
Rijam, How did the name Kollayil evolved ? Is it really pertaining to 'Kolla' of the paddy field ? if so where it was exactly ? Can u please shed some light of 'Muniyirunna kala' of Kollayil?
Sunny
muhammed rijam
Hi friends, it is extremely happy that we all share same wavelength
and get tuned to the history and culture of our native place with
these much enthusiasm. Coming to the origin of the place name
Kollayil...yes it is the most sought after information, in the present
situation.
Kolla, in malayalam means a little bund. A small check dam made in
paddy fields to collect, control and some time to divert water flow.
It will be benifited as an earthy bridge also in summer time..along
the then life lines of traffic..vayal varambus..
Such a relatively large bund, a Kolla was there at the tri-junction
of paddy fields near the homes of our Kuruppanmar..yes Unnikkuttans
home. You can see the point now standing on the road at Sathyamangalam
bridge..looking down west. What made this Kolla so famous was not its
existance, but its collapse during the high flood at the beginning of
last century. We heard of our appooppans telling of a Vellappokkam of
114..it was a landmark to denote many important things in their
life..of birth, death, vasoori and so on. And collapse of our Kolla
certainly had a very devastating effect on the paddy fields down..the
granery of our land. So everyone was so attached to the place. though
for not pleasant memories...the phrase..Kolla.naturally started
getting significance in local parleys..People began to identify the
place and around it as Kollayil.. the shift of epicentre of Kollayil
to the present day Juction was subsequent to the clearing of forest in
Block areas east to the road in 1950s. The gravity of population
shifted to east and since, most importantly, the transportation road
passed through there, Kollayil was recognised, through usage, as the
place name of the present Junction. Anyway it was the Bus conductors
and passenges who were the legitimate agents to formalise a place
name. Since all Kollayilites commuted through the present Kollayil
junction, there was no local hesitation in shifting or accepting the
place name of Kollayil to the present location. That is the origin of
place name of the present day Kollayil.
Coming to the querry of Sunny on Muniyirunnakaala and others....I
assure you We have some most interesting stories on that..since it
would be so delicious, may I reserve it for some other occassion so as
to have a relax mood and time plenty....Thank you..RIJAM
muhammed rijam
Sunny...I am sorry that I Could not furnish reference materials on
Ezhava origin, right now.
But it would be most informative for you to refer to the Book written
by E.M.S. Namboodiripad analysing the Kerala History. Hope you would.