tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18421852062909891302024-03-24T12:54:16.694+05:30Calicut HeritageSeeking to spread awareness of the glorious heritage of Calicut - the capital of MalabarPremchandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12413182610858952040noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-75600533506531610122023-12-31T18:51:00.000+05:302023-12-31T18:51:33.395+05:30The Zamorins' Life in Exile (1766 - 1795). Manorama Thampuratti and Dharma Raja Although we conventionally adopt 1766 as the year in which the Zamorin era eclipsed, the seeds of the decline and fall of this power started as early as the 1720s when the Dutch defeated the Calicut forces and enforced a humiliating treaty surrendering Chettuwa and Pappinivattam in 1718. The loss of Chettuwa was rankling, as it was vital for Calicut's communication with the South. But Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-24121431736431093702023-01-30T20:26:00.001+05:302023-01-31T07:06:58.105+05:30Zamorin’s old Palace – Tangible evidence of the French testimonyLast fortnight, a team of amateur archaeologists led by CHF Vice President and veteran archaeologist, Sri K K Muhammed stumbled on a valuable piece of evidence which may be one more piece in the jigsaw puzzle that is Calicut’s history. It was a huge granite piece of the gate of a structure presumed to be of the Zamorin’s fort.It was recovered from the premises of a restaurant (1980s: A Nostalgic Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-24828782582027237292022-03-18T19:50:00.003+05:302022-03-22T14:54:15.004+05:30Pandit P Gopalan Nair and Captain Braithwaite : Story of a Strange FriendshipPandit P Gopalan Nair (1869 - 1968)Pandit P Gopalan Nair is a household name today, as the scholar who introduced Srimad Bhagavatham to Malayalee Hindu households. Apart from the 8-volumes Bhagavatham, he had annotated and translated several holy books of Hinduism like the Ramayana, Brahmasutra and Bhagavad Geetha.Gopalan Nair was born into a family of very limited means in Kollengode, Palakkad Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-47789930607272134002021-12-03T14:05:00.004+05:302022-03-23T12:15:50.027+05:30Calicut's patronage of letters - how a negative comment can spur scholarship We had occasion to write about Calicut's long tradition of encouraging scholarship here and here. Rulers like the Manavedan Zamorin who had himself written the Krishna Geethi, and Vidwan Ettan Thampuran were generous patrons of letters, earning for Calicut this well-earned appellation.But today we come across a curious case of a negative comment - bordering on derision - Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-65709535661133922362021-10-28T09:56:00.000+05:302021-10-28T09:56:04.787+05:30Karl Marx and British Torture of Malabar PeasantsPeasant revolts of Malabar in the 19th and 20th centuries have been researched and written about by historians from the one end of the ideological spectrum to the other. Those who supported the official British version interpreted the uprisings in terms of religious fanaticism. Others towards the middle of the spectrum saw frequent changes in the Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-8581658141838979152021-06-30T20:31:00.015+05:302021-08-10T19:02:44.213+05:30Has Malabar History Reached a Dead End?How does one perceive that the history of a region has hit a dead end? When orthodoxy remains unchallenged for a long period? Or when nothing new is discovered or interpreted?A cursory look at the research papers produced by students of Calicut University reveals that most of them are content to repeat the findings derived from existing sources like Keralolpathi, Granthavaris, Tuhfat ul Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-26702501128656351122020-07-09T19:47:00.000+05:302020-07-09T19:48:47.853+05:30The Komans of Calicut
I first heard about the Koman family from the writings of Mr Jayaprakash Mallay. I obtained more information later from the blog post, Hamlet in Monsoon. Very little has been known about this family who belonged to Calicut and fought many social disabilities to gain social and political recognition.
The story starts with Meppan Chandroth Koman (M C Koman) who was born in September Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-5736773040373160872020-05-01T18:09:00.000+05:302020-05-04T19:29:17.242+05:30Dr. Pulney Andy in Calicut
Calicut has had a long list of distinguished visitors. We all know about the visit of Ibn Batutta, Cheng Ho (Zheng He), and Vasco da Gama, as their visits had been well- advertised and documented. Then there were some who did not choose to publicize their visits. Among them were Somerset Maugham, the poets Laurence Hope, Keki Daruwala and Virginia Jealous, and most recently, writer Aravind Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-86397563125913129392018-05-17T14:18:00.001+05:302018-05-17T14:18:27.574+05:30A Different Sort of Mission - The Story of Basel Mission in Malabar
When Vasco da Gama landed in Calicut in 1498, he had made clear his agenda - 'Pepper and Christ', in that order. He had been commissioned by the his King to look for a secure and economical source for pepper, to break the monopoly of the Venetian middlemen and the Moorish traders. Then there was the Papal directive to look for the Christian kingdom in the East, ruled by the fabled Prester Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-77014238061520765222018-05-02T13:00:00.001+05:302018-05-02T13:03:49.371+05:30How Abu Hasan from Yemen reached Calicut
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Calicut was the favourite destination of Yemeni merchants even after the Europeans arrived. Traders from Hadramaut came in large numbers, attracted by the favourable Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-69170439818524111532018-04-12T15:56:00.000+05:302018-04-12T15:58:28.855+05:30Nila School of Mathematics
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Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-3463242428183900012017-08-12T09:45:00.000+05:302017-08-12T09:45:37.098+05:30The Legendary Verkot House in Calicut
We had occasion to mention about this house in Chalappuram in
connection with various incidents in the history of freedom struggle, in which
Chalappuram was in the forefront. In fact, ‘Chalappuram Congress Committee’ was
even better known than KPCC. The house was the hotbed of all defiance and
protest, conspiracy and sabotage.
(See http://blog.calicutheritage.com/2010/08/Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-55163726996968884142017-07-11T12:44:00.000+05:302017-07-11T12:44:38.210+05:30In Memoriam - Premnath
We deeply regret to inform about the sad demise of one of the pillars of Calicut Heritage Forum, Mr. Premnath T Murkoth. He passed away quietly in the night of 6th-7th July in his residence at Calicut. He was 79.
Calicut Heritage Forum owes a great deal to the support and encouragement of Mr. Premnath. Our website, the digital library and our efforts to stop vandalism against heritage Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-49648084459938054452015-12-02T12:07:00.000+05:302015-12-02T12:07:50.754+05:30An interesting talk on Tharisappally Copper Plates
Professor M R Raghava Varier gave an interesting talk on Tharisappally Copper Plates and its re-reading by him and Professor Kesavan Veluthat. The video of the speech can be accessed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VhQk_U7C3o&feature=youtu.be
Those interested in more details of the recent research being conducted by De Montfort University U K ( referred to by Professor Varier in hisCalicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-56170204247338008682015-10-20T21:36:00.000+05:302015-10-20T21:36:47.802+05:30Maritime history of Calicut - the Annual Dilli Conference
courtesy:metrovarta
It was a proud moment for Calicut Heritage Forum when our member Dr. Oliver Noone - our resident expert on the history warfare and weaponry - was invited to present a paper at the annual 'Dilli' series INA Seminar on Naval Weaponry through the Ages held at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala on 16-17 October 2015.. (The INA christened the Annual Seminar as the "Dilli" Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-38025821266420422492015-06-21T17:34:00.000+05:302015-06-21T17:34:00.623+05:30The Mugaseths of Calicut
The year 1938-39. Calicut was in the grip of fever. My sister who was all of 5 years was also down with fever. The usual home remedies and ayurvedic treatment did not have any effect. Meanwhile, adults and children all around were dying of fever. My father then took the ultimate step of bringing home Dr. Mugaseth, the civil surgeon of Calicut and the last word on modern medicine in Calicut. Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-3147052783282942452015-02-25T15:23:00.000+05:302015-02-25T15:23:26.642+05:30Subaltern Reminiscences of Calicut's recent history - as told by Sri C Rairu Nair
Sri Rairu Nair, aged 92, has been a witness to history at the local and national level. He has been associated with Gandhi, Nehru, Subhas Bose and other stalwarts at the national level and with AKG, EMS, Pinarayi Vijayan, Nayanar, CH Kanaran and others at the local level. His reminiscences, titled 'Aa Pazhayakaalam' (Those Olden Days) makes interesting reading about the history of freedom Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-51952940171167167812014-09-12T11:52:00.001+05:302014-09-12T12:10:09.492+05:30Exciting new find of Chinese coins in Kollam - Numismatic Study by Beena Sarasan
The city of Kollam ( Quilon,'Ku-lin' in Chinese history) witnessed history being made on its shore recently. Now a minor cargo port, efforts were being made to deepen the waters to allow ships with larger draught to berth in the Kollam port. The suction dredger was bringing up muck from the bottom of the channel and depositing it on shore, to be removed to some landfill. Then, suddenly, Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-63531507865908374912014-07-15T21:48:00.002+05:302014-07-15T21:51:01.910+05:30The Calicut Bank Limited
T.M. Appu Nedungadi (courtesy: wikipedia)
Calicut can take legitimate pride as the city that gave birth to the first private sector commercial bank to be set up in South India - the Nedungadi Bank. The versatile genius of Rao Bahadur T.M. Appu Nedungadi could recognise the future of Calicut as the commercial centre of Malabar at a time when its importance as an export hub had all but Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-6955411571030393562014-06-30T10:41:00.000+05:302014-06-30T10:41:36.677+05:30The Elephant Race in Guruvayur - where myth intersects history
Get set, ready, go!
Guruvayur temple was being managed by the Zamorin of Calicut ( in association with Mallisseri illam) till the State Government took over the management of the temple in 1971. The temple is known for its strict adherence for the tantric rites as much as for its unique rituals. One of the interesting rituals is the elephant race on the first day of the temple festival Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-15330270048023184222014-06-06T12:34:00.000+05:302014-06-06T12:35:05.267+05:30A Breakthrough History of Nedunganad
Nedunganad is a patch of land which once extended from Kalladikkode hills in the east to Kunnamkulam/Chavakkad in the west between the Bharathappuzha and Toothappuzha rivers. It had only a brief existence as an independent principality - perhaps from 11th to 13th centuries. It was conquered first by Valluvakkonathiri and in the 14th century by Zamorin. Nedungadis ruled the place with Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-42587268645639540362014-05-26T16:56:00.000+05:302014-05-26T16:56:09.900+05:30Founding the empire in Malabar - some early hiccups
Calicut City today
After the defeat of Tipu Sultan, East India Company became the undisputed rulers of Malabar province (barring Wayanad for which they had to wage another war). However, the establishment of undisputed sovereignty over the new land took a while. The British had only the Bengal model to follow and decided to adopt the permanent settlement pattern, although the Zamindari Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-5921847547412292532014-03-23T12:42:00.000+05:302014-03-23T20:53:17.974+05:30Hyder and Tipu - Part 2
Tipu Sultan from outlookindia.com
We had, in the previous post, written about the invasion of Hyder and Tipu and the testimony of Vella Namboodiri. From the responses received we notice that many of our esteemed readers have accused Tipu for his various violent acts in Malabar. We realise that it was a mistake to club together Hyder and Tipu while discussing Vella's History  Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-19461123326515332382014-02-06T19:19:00.000+05:302014-02-06T19:19:53.780+05:30Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan: Tyrants or Heroes? A Testimony from Vella Namboodiri
Courtesy: NDTV.com
It is customary for all states to participate in the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi with colourful floats and tableaux. The best float is awarded a prize by the President. Usually, this is a tame affair with babus from the states supervising the making of the floats which cover such exciting themes like the Indira Awas Yojana, Rajiv Drinking Water Mission andCalicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1842185206290989130.post-69970699146776060502013-12-18T12:51:00.001+05:302013-12-18T12:51:42.368+05:30Saving the Comtrust from sharks!
We had raised the issue of the deliberate destruction of one of the most beautiful heritage buildings in the heart of Calicut city ( see our post of March 2009). Although we had been lending our feeble voice to those who were opposed to the closure of the factory and the sale of the real estate, we noticed that it did not come to much, as the parties on the opposite side were not only more Calicut Heritage Forumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15493344638807977946noreply@blogger.com4