TALES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY - XX

SWARUPATHU VEEDU

Swarupathu Veedu*, now known as ‘Kaniyan Vilakam’ is an old aristocratic Nair tharavad situated in Thiruvananthapuram. The ancestral house of this family is located near the famed Mukkolakkal Devi temple in Sreevaraham, near Muttathara; to the south of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple.

There are no authentic records on the origin of the family, and going by the local lore and family traditions one can come to the conclusion that the family and its members were associated with the ancient Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple from times immemorial. There are many references to the family and the services rendered by them in the temple records, the Mathilakam Churuna, chronicling the history of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple. Princess Lekshmi Bai of Travancore royal family in her book ‘Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple’ has expressed her gratitude to numerous old aristocratic families, located in the capital city that had rendered valuable service in managing the day to day activities of the temple; Swarupathu Veedu is one among them.

The poomukham of the house - Photograph taken by the author.

The family was in existence from very old days and the ancestors of the family may have been associated with the Ettarayogakar, the potty families who controlled the temple affairs. Travancore, before the period of Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma (b.1706-d.1758), was under the control of feudal lords, the Ettuveetil Pillamar, Nair chieftains who were the feudatories of the Potty families. However, later they gained prominence in the society and allied themselves with the Ettarayogam and thus became the uncrowned kings of Thiruvananthapuram. Some prominent Nair families assisted the Yogakkar in running the temple such as Mathilakam Pillamar. According to the present family members, their ancestors assumed the title ‘Mathilakam Pilla’ and supervised the day to day activities of the temple. They were also assigned the duty of taking care of the 'Pandara vaka' estates owned by the royals and the temple.

Mathilakam Pilla:

Thiruvananthapuram, the small temple town developed into a capital city during the reign of Veera Marthanda Varma and his illustrious successor Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma (Dharmaraja). Marthanda Varma shifted the capital from Kalkulam to Thiruvananthapuram and started with the renovation works of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple followed by large-scale development activities. Dharmaraja, his successor followed his uncle's footsteps and thus during his reign, Thiruvananthapuram emerged from its status as a 'temple town' to a powerful 'capital city'. The city comprising of the temple and a small population around it transformed into a city during the latter half of the eighteenth century, a fort was created which sort of defined the boundary of the settlement of the elite class and people belonging to lesser castes and profession began settling around it, they were allotted land in accordance with their social positions.

The name Mathilakam Pilla is seen in many records preceding the time of Marthanda Varma, so the mathil or wall mentioned here must be the temple wall, the prakaram which surrounded the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple. There are references of a mud wall surrounding the temple in the old records. Later during the reign of Marthanda Varma orders were given for complete renovation of the temple and a new granite wall occupied the position of the old mud wall. Therefore, as the name suggests, the members of the family supervised the works inside the mathilakam, i.e., the temple.

Social position:

The title Mathilakam Pilla was a significant post that demanded much respect and the family’s alliances with other aristocratic families including the famed Chittaloor Elankom strengthened their roots in the capital city. The connection with temple administration and their loyalty to the royal family made them prosperous. The family also received vast areas of farming lands free of tax from the rulers of Travancore.

In addition to this, they received mada choru, cooked rice from the temple every day and that too in large quantities. According to the present head of the family Mr. Sreekumaran Nair, in old days the karnavar of the family made arrangements to sell this rice and to distribute the rest to the poor.

Locality:

The family is located behind Mukkolakkal Devi temple, on the outskirts of the old capital city; the surrounding regions are marshy farming areas, with many canals and culverts for irrigation. In old days this area was known by the name Thottam, meaning garden. It was common for large temples like Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple to have farming lands in its vicinity, supplying flowers, fruits, grain and other raw materials for the day to day activities of the temple. Padmanabha Swamy temple had numerous paddy fields and gardens surrounding it. Ananthapuravarnanam, a 13th-century composition by an unknown poet provides us with a beautiful description of the temple town. Syanandoorapuranam, another work mentions the temples, sacred groves and numerous ponds of this town. To the southwest of the temple was a temple sacred grove known as Padinjarae Nadakkavu. The author of Ananthapuravarnanam has compared this grove to the nandavanam. According to the elders of the locality, Mukkolakkal and the nearby Thottam regions were ‘gardens’ or rather farmlands which supplied flowers, banana and coconut to the temple and the settlements around it. The members of Swarupathu family were the feudal lords who were the caretakers of these fields and it may be the reason why they settled near Thottam. A large pond by the name ‘Pookulam’ was in existence till recently next to the house, however, now it has been filled and is used as a playground.

Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple and its precincts, with the old 'garden' marked in green**.

Thottam is well known all over Travancore for its Ezhava and Vishwakarma settlements. Many prominent Ezhava families like Vellutheri, Perunelli and Perumpadsherri of the region has produced many gifted poets and scholars, many illustrious members of these families were well-known physicians and were appointed as Kottaram Vaidyanmar to the Kings of Travancore. Many Tamil Vishwakarma guilds such as Thavalodu and Thuppini were engaged in the renovation works of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple and later they also settled in Thottam.

The house:

The tharavad is made in pure traditional architectural style followed in southern parts of Travancore. The exact date of construction is not available; however, from the looks and the style of construction one can easily infer that it is not less than 250 to 200 years old. The house, in its complete form, was an ettukettu, with rooms arranged around two courtyards. However, one nalukettu constructed using laterite had fallen with time and only the portion made of timber exists today. The existing structure is a perfect example of the traditional architecture of Kerala and bears testimony to the high degree of craftsmanship attained by the traditional craftsmen. The construction of the building is in accordance with the traditional Vastu canons, facing East direction. The major building materials used are timber, for walls and furniture, doors, rafters and thatched coconut leaves for roofing. Exquisite carvings of Goddess Durga, the vyali and parrot motifs along with the lotus and other floral motifs display the expertise of local craftsmen. The walls are made of timber planks which are interlocked. The corner rafters and pillar heads are decorated with carvings. The structure includes a poomukham used by the karnavar of the family; in old days it acted as a transition space in between the main living block and the thekkath, the place of worship. Male guests were entertained in this poomukham, which was detached from the ettukettu. The poomukham has a small sit out space with charupadi and there are rooms on both sides.

The existing nalukettu - Photograph taken by the author.

The intricate carvings - Photographs taken by the author.

The wall separating mens and womens blocks, the small kilivathil used by women can be seen on the left - Photograph taken by the author.

The existing nalukettu block also had an ara that housed the thekkath, where the deities of the family, kalaman kombu (deer antlers) and the ancestors were worshipped. The other rooms were used by the karnavar, in the front verandah there is a wooden cot used by the karnavar with storage space below it, the valuables of the family and important documents were stored there, under the strict vigil of the karnavar. The room near the thekkath served as a storeroom where the large vessels of the family were kept. The inner space around the courtyard was used by the occupants of the family. The adjacent nalukettu which was in ruins had been demolished years ago and according to Mr. Sreekumaran Nair, it was used by the women and children of the family. That portion housed the kitchen, dining space and bedrooms. A wall, painted red, with an opening in its centre separated the two blocks; earlier, women were not allowed to come near the block that housed the family deities. A small kilivathil can still be seen on the wall, once used by the women to communicate with the karnavar and the male members who occupied the first nalukettu.

Life in the joint family:

The Nairs were matrilineal, with the mother’s eldest brother occupying the position of karnavar, the male head of the family who looked after the family, their land and assets. The power and property passed hands to the sons of the karnavar’s sister and never to his children. Though women had no significant role in the society, she was the fulcrum around which the family functioned, the matrilineal system of inheritance ensured their safety and women were respected. The nephews were taken care of by the male head, the karnavar. During post-colonial years, the Land Reforms Ordinance of the 1950s led to massive loss of land-ownership by Nair feudal lords and some Nair gentry were relegated to poverty overnight. However, Swarupathu family is financially sound and many of the members are top brass government officials who are sensitive towards their rich heritage.

Sharat Sunder Rajeev

November 2011.

Note: This article was written two years back when I was doing some research on Thiruvananthapuram and the old families there. I would like to thank Sri Sreekumaran Nair, the present head of Swarupathu Veedu, who was kind enough to spare some time with me. He took me around the old house and shared with me whatever history he knew about the house and the locality.

P. Venugopal and L. Madhavan and late. L. Jalaja (Krishnammal) were some of the elders I contacted to know more about the local history of the area.

The map used here is a cropped portion of the 'Trivandrum Guide Map' (Survey of India 1968-69).

* Alternate spelling for 'Swarupathu Veedu', is 'Swaroopathu Veedu'. In old days there were some families of 'Kaniyanmar' (traditional astrologers) who lived near the house, this was the reason why the house and its surrounding areas later came to be known as 'Kaniyan Vilakam'.

** Since I was not able to come across any proper records showing the extent of the old garden, I have conjecturally marked it in the map.

TALES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY -XIX

STONE MASONS OF CHITTATINKARA, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Killi Ār*, the chief tributary of Karamana River flows to the east of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple. Built across this water body is the famous ‘Killipālam’. The King of Venad dynasty, Veera Marthanda Varma (b.1706-d.1758) who personally supervised the renovation works of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple ordered his workmen to find a suitable monolith hill from where he could get a chunk of granite, so big to make a monolith ‘mandapam’ in front of the main shrine at Padmanabha Swamy temple. The workers located a small granite hillock not far from the temple. Thirumala, as the place is now famous, indicating its connection with the sacred hillock, was at that time a part of Chittatinkara in ‘Anjam mada’ village (‘mada’ means drain). Anjam mada or ‘Anchamada’ - were the five madas dug for draining water to Karamana and Killi River. Kaduvetty, Maruthankuzhi, Pangode, Kundamankadavu and Vallakadavu were the five madas and these areas are still known by the names of the respective madas.

Stonemasons were employed to cut the large boulder into required size and the mathilakam records state that Nair and Ezhava labourers toiled for days to get the large boulder to the worksite near Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple. A large cart with huge wooden wheels was made for the purpose of transportation and the stone was hauled by elephants. A new road was made by the labourers, connecting the granite quarry to the temple. The road running through Poojappura, Karamana, Aranoor, Chalai and connecting to Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple is still in use. A small guild of stonemasons was located near the quarry and they were assigned the task of hewing granite blocks into required size for making the pillars and roof slabs. The descendants of these masons still live there.

On top of the hillock is a small temple ‘Trichakrapuram’ Sree Krishna Swamy temple (also known as 'Parakovil') dedicated to Lord Sree Krishnan. It is said that the hillock got its name, ‘Thirumala’, meaning ‘sacred hill’, due to the presence of this ancient temple.

Trichakrapuram Sree Krishna Swamy temple, on top of the granite hill - Photograph taken by the author.

The spot from where the large boulder was cut for the 'ottakkal mandapam'

- Photograph taken by the author.

The huge granite boulder, in its journey to the work site, passed through Karamana before reaching the Killi River, in those days there were no means for transporting the huge stone to the other side. Marthanda Varma gave instructions to divert the river. The course of the river was changed and thus the boulder reached the other side of the river. There are many stories circulating amongst the local population about the King and the divine assistance he got from Sree Padmanabha Swamy to get the boulder to the other side of the river. One of the senior members of Chittatinkara guild narrated such a story that he has heard from the elders. On reaching Killi River, the labourers found it impossible to transport the boulder and their leader went to the King and told him about the situation. The King after thinking for a while took a palm leaf and the stylus and wrote something in it and handed it over to one of his ministers. In the leaf was written the number ‘six’ (6) in the Malayalam numeral and there was a cut across it. The clever minister got the point and asked the labourers to build an embankment across the river. In Malayalam the numeral six (6) is pronounced as ‘Ār’/‘Āru’, the same word for river. The line drawn across meant that an embankment was to be constructed across the river.

The Malayalam numeral 'six' (left) - Ar and the sign given by the king to build an embankment across the river (Ar).

The granite boulder being hauled to Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple - Sketch by the author.

Vettamukku Vilakathu Veedu (Shiva Bhavanam) an old Tamil Vishwakarma family of stone workers (silpins) is settled in Chittatinkara. Padmanabhan Achari (b.1850s), an early ancestor of the family owned large areas of land near Trichakrapuram Sree Krishna Swamy temple, his son Shiva Thanu Achari (d.1940s) was a well-known figure. Senior citizens say that in old days there were three Tamil silpin families in Vettamukku, associated with the renovation work of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple. Thirumala and the surrounding areas like Edapazhinji and Vattiyoorkāvu had large rock boulders. The large rocky hills in Thirumala region provided enough granite for the construction of the temple and the fort walls. According to present family members, Uchudamakali Achari, son of Shiva Thanu Achari used to say that the granite panels, used as roofing for the ‘Sheevelipura’ of Padmanabha Swamy temple were made by his ancestors. Going by the popular family traditions and hearsay the ancestors of this family had settled in Thiruvananthapuram during the reign of Marthanda Varma (c.1730s). They were stone workers associated with the renovation works of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple. The present descendants claim that their ancestral family was located in Dhanushkodi, near Rameshwaram. The ancestors of this family had initially settled in Karamana and Choorakattupalayam, where many of the Vishwakarma families were concentrated. In due time the region occupied by this guild came to be known as ‘kalppalayam’ - meaning abode of stone masons. The temple housing their principle deity - Goddess Amman is still there in Karamana. The renovation works of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple started by Marthanda Varma was carried forward by his illustrious successor, Karthika Tirunal Rama Varma a.k.a. 'Dharmaraja'. In 1768 AD/ 943 M.E., Ezhava labourers were employed for bringing to the temple, twenty-eight Mandira Moorthy pillars, which were made in Thirumala (Churuna 28, Olas 99 & 100, Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Princess Gouri Lakshmi Bayi.)

P. Shiva Thanu Achari and his wife Valli Ammal – From the private collection of Mr. Padmanabhan.

The old house, Shiva Bhavanam was made by Shiva Thanu Achari. Unlike other houses in the surroundings, we can see perfectly dressed granite blocks serving as steps and the plinth above which the house is built. Behind the house was a large pond (14.5 cents) formed as a result of cutting out of large blocks of rock from the boulder. The pond was used by the family and the locals of the region.

Later, during the latter half of 18th century, some families from Karamana settled in Chittatinkara. They were all involved in the cutting and dressing of granite for the construction works of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple. The stone blocks for building the Fort walls were also supplied from Thirumala. Trichakrapuram Sree Krishna temple was a small structure during that time and it seems that the guilds of stonemasons were involved in the construction of the temple and the associated structures in the present form. They were given land near the temple. The ancestors of this family, along with the craftsmen families like Chatharathala and Eruparathala families formed a guild of village artisans.

*Ār - means river in Malayalam.

Sharat Sunder Rajeev

TALES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY- XVIII

THE STORY OF A VELVET CAP.

‘Who wouldn't wish to dress up like a King?’

Everyone does, of course! But in a period when our land was torn apart by the evils of the caste system, not everyone could dream of going out dressed like a King.

On one of my visits to Krishna Singh’s house, he dug out from his collections a priced possession - a purple velvet cap. It was an old cap, but the embroidery lining running around the cap and small beads sewn on it was in perfect condition. Carefully packed inside a plastic cover he treasured the small cap all these years.

‘So what was so special about the cap?’

Krishna Singh narrated to me the story of the cap; it was connected to the history of Travancore and gives us a glimpse on the social hierarchy of the yesterdays.

The story of the cap begins many years back, in the 1930s. Dharma Bai Padma Bai, Krishna Singh’s paternal grandmother was the matriarch of the family at that time. History and hearsay tell us that they were Rajputs who had migrated to Travancore from Ayodhya. (There are Rajput settlements in Kottar (Lala Street) too; they are believed to be the decedents of the settlers who had migrated to the precincts of Suchindram temple during the reign of Krishna Deva Rayar). According to family traditions, Princess Sindhu of Oudh (Abhirami) had arrived in Suchindram during the reign of Rama Varma. The young princess was on a pilgrimage - seeking the blessings of Stanumalaya Moorthy. It is believed that the princess was a ‘mangalik’, with the evil shadow of Planet Mars in her horoscope; she had to undergo a pilgrimage, seeking blessings from gods for a happy married life. The princess’s recitation of bhajan in her sweet voice caught the attention of the King - Rama Varma and he was attracted towards her. The rest is history…..The bloody battle of succession fought between the sons of Sindhu (Abhirami) and Prince Marthanda Varma in is an important chapter in Travancore history. The Thampimar - Raman Thampi and Pappu Thampi fought against the ‘heir apparent to the throne of Travancore’, Prince Marthanda Varma. With the defeat of the Thampimar, the madampimar - Ettuveettil Pillamar who helped the brothers also met with a gruesome end.

Padma Bai’s husband Baburam Gopalram was an Anchal Inspector. Gopalram’s job took him places, after being posted in various places all over Travancore; finally, he decided to settle in the capital city. Manacaud in old days was famous for its Rajput and Pathan settlements. Several Nair and Chetti families were also concentrated in Manacaud. Its proximity to Sree Padmanabha Swamy, the nucleus of the capital city and the Chalai bazaar were the reasons why this region was comparatively ‘overpopulated’ even from old days. C.V. Raman Pillai in his epic novel ‘Marthanda Varma’ gives us a vivid description of the geographic features of ‘Manakkad’ otherwise known as ‘Manal - Kad’. ‘Puttenkotta’, a small hillock near Manacaud - Kuriyathy regions was where Umayamma Ranis palace was situated. The famed ‘Shingarathoppu’, ‘Puttenkotta Smashanam’, ‘Kalippan Kulam’ and many famous temples like Manacaud Sree Dharma Sastha temple and Attukal temple, Samadhi temple are all in its vicinity. ‘Mukilan’ (Mugalan), the Mughal chieftain who came down to sack Thiruvananthapuram had stationed in Manacaud - it is said that the local Pathans were the one who deviated him from launching an attack on the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple.

Rajpoot Songster and musician- Yale University collection.

Krishna Singh’s grandfather settled down in Manacaud in the early 20th century. The local Rajput population was usually employed in the palace. Tales of valour and an imposing physique earned them jobs in the ‘Kuthira Pattalam’, the Kings Mounted Force. Several others served as trusted ‘Choapdars’ and as emissaries on special assignments.

Sree Chithira Thirunal, wearing a velvet cap; 1924.

Madhava Singh, the ‘embroidery worker’ to the Travancore royal family lived in Manacaud. This man was an expert in making intricate embroidery works that added to the beauty of the ‘royal robes’. He was employed by His Highness Sree Moolam Tirunal (1885-1924). Velvet upholstery works in the palace were undertaken by him. However, Madhava Singh was best known for his velvet caps - velvet caps with intricate embroidery works were worn by the royals and nobles. These caps were made using high-quality velvet. First of all the frame for the cap would be made in cardboard. Velvet cloth - with intricate embroidery works - cut in appropriate dimensions would be sewn together and glued around the cylindrical cardboard piece. For decorative embroidery works floral designs were often adopted. For royals the embroidery works were done using gold thread, sometimes pearls and semi-precious stones were also used - depending upon the socio-economic status of the customer. Being a family friend, Madhava Singh frequently visited Krishna Singh’s house. Once Padma Bai asked Madhava Singh to make a velvet cap for her first grandson - like the one Madhava Singh made for ‘Chitira’ (Chithira Tirunal Bala Rama Varma).

Dharma Bai Padma Bai - From the private collection of Krishna Singh.

Krishna Singh who was four years old at that time still remembers his grandmother - a stern lady who ruled the household with an iron hand. The older generations say that she was a ‘stern, yet soft-hearted lady’. Many poor people from the surrounding area would run to her in times of need and she was always ready to help the needy. Madhava Singh was in a dilemma, he couldn’t make her unhappy, at the same time, he would be in trouble if the cap was spotted by royals or the nobles.

The velvet cap - photograph taken by the author.

Finally, he yielded to the old women’s command. One fine day he came in and placed the cap in Padma Bai’s hands. Krishna Singh’s joy knew no bounds! He was now the proud owner of a velvet cap. However, there were strict instructions from Madhava Singh - the cap was not to be worn in public. Hari Ram, Krishna Singh’s father took a photograph of his young son wearing his new cap.

Krishna Singh with his siblings, wearing his new cap - Clicked by Hariram (From the private collection of Krishna Singh).

Years passed, monarchy faded away from memory and velvet caps, once a symbol of nobility was pushed to the discreet corners of wardrobes. However, for Krishna Singh the cap is a treasure, it brings back the memories of his childhood, his long-dead grandmother, and the cap maker.

Sharat Sunder Rajeev
May, 2010.

* Krishna Singh passed away on 23rd October 2010, he was 73 years old. Krishna Singh was a good friend of mine, he always had some interesting story to tell that helped me in knowing more about the local communities of Thiruvananthapuram. A man deeply embedded to his roots, Mr. Singh was always proud of his 'Rajpoot' ancestry. May his soul rest in peace.

TALES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY- XVII

LIFE IN THE AGRAHARAMS - AS RECALLED BY KRISHNA IYER

An old doorway inside the agraharam complex, East Fort - Photograph taken by the author.

20th September 2009,

Agraharams: The name literally means "a garland of houses". It originates from the fact that the agraharams have lines of houses on either side of the road and the temple to the village god at the centre, thus resembling a garland around the temple.

Smiling faces greeted us whenever we went to agraharams for conducting case studies. Old women wearing ‘chela’ and men who busy chatting with their friends occupied the ‘thinna’. Within the crumbling agraharams we could get a glimpse of large families, trying to fit themselves into long corridor-like spaces; a lifestyle and culture evolved through the ages. Life in agraharams starts early morning, when rest of the city sleeps peacefully, the women of agraharams rises and after bathing draw ‘arippodikolam’ in front of their houses.‘Arippodikolam’- a painted prayer. It is believed that drawing a kolam in front of the house brings prosperity, moreover, it is food for the insects and birds.

Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma was the first ruler who identified the real potential of the temple town, Thiruvananthapuram. Though the capital was still Padmanabhapuram, he started the overall development of Thiruvananthapuram which finally transformed it into a celebrated capital city. After renovating of the temple, he invited Tamil and Tulu Brahmins to the capital city and made agraharams for them, the small market which functioned in the eastern side of the temple gradually flourished as more and more people started to migrate to this region. Another interesting story on the migration of Brahmins to this area was narrated by Mani Iyer of Sreenikethan (West Nada); according to his story, Ramayyan Dalawa was the brain behind Marthanda Varma’s successes. It is said that the king once offered half of his kingdom to this trusted minister, giving him regal authority. However, Ramayyan respectfully refused this offer saying that he was a Brahmin and it is the duty of Kshtriyas to rule. Instead, he asked the king to give shelter to poor Brahmins. The king accepted his minister’s advice and invited Brahmins to Thiruvananthapuram. The temple Ottupura provided them with meals, two times a day, and most of them were employed in the temple.

Ramayyan Dalawa - Picture courtesy - R. Narayana Panikker, The History of Travancore.

Mr. Krishna lyer, a ninety-year-old gentleman whom we met in Tippu Street turned out to be a treasure trove of information, for he had in store much valuable information that helped us to understand the life and culture of agraharams, in a better manner. He gave us a clear idea about the history and social conditions that existed inside the fort area, which was off limits to the lower castes till recent age. Krishna lyer was an exceptional man, with a sharp memory spanning over eight decades, he was the ‘one’ whom we were looking for. He accompanied us to ‘Azhikotta’ and on the way explained to us the history of agraharams, its evolution through the ages, current issues, and about the old settlements around the Fort area.

Krishna Iyer - Still young at 90 - screenshot from a documentary on agraharams (Agraharangal Kathaparayumbol, 2011).

According to him, the old ‘pramanam’ or documents stated that land was given for ‘Paradesi Brahmins’ and ‘Malayala Brahmins’ by the king. These Brahmins built agraharams and settled there, forming one of the oldest social caste settlements in the capital city.

Tamilsmarthabrahmin and his wife - From Yale University Collection.

Their houses were special too, all houses shared a common wall and were made of ‘Cheekkal katta’, a strong locally available building material, these blocks were cemented with lime plaster and the plinth in which the house stood was made of large granite blocks, laid in a special manner, which according to him is very efficient that the century-old houses had not been affected by the earthquakes. In olden days the roofs were thatched and the supporting pillars and mezzanine floors were made of timber. Later thatch roofs were replaced by Mangalore tiles when they were made available in Travancore. This group housing influenced their lifestyle also, privacy was not their concern. Usually, large joint families were cramped inside the long corridor-like spaces, but their lifestyle evolved around the temple and their houses that even now the younger generation can easily adapt to the old environs. However, they have made revamped the old spatial planning to facilitate comfortable living. The open ‘thinna’ were old Brahmins assembled for the ‘vedivattam’ and occasional card playing was closed with iron bars. The open courts inside the houses were also levelled, making room for a bed or a study table for the younger generation.

Agraharam - a study on spatial planning - Urban Design project done by the author at C.E.T.

According to Krishna lyer, water supply, electric connection and drainage was introduced in the Fort area and its surroundings during 1103-04 M.E., during the reign of the Regent Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, before that, assigned people came every day at 6 O'clock in the morning to collect night soil from the houses. They had special paths known as scavengers lane situated behind every stretch of streets. The waste was collected outside the Fort (southwest corner) and later taken to Pulluvila to be disposed of.

An old agraharam with open thinna - Photograph taken by the author.

Krishna lyer says that in those days the senior members of the family slept in the open thinnas. Mosquito problem was unheard of during those times, as the drains running through the front were cleaned daily. The roads were also cleaned and sprinkled with water. Before corporation water supply was made available, there were common wells, two wells at the ends of each street that provided them with water, every morning the women folk crowded around the well for collecting water for their daily use. However, with the coming of corporation water connection, the wells were neglected and they turned into breeding grounds of mosquitoes and were later sealed off.

In olden days majority of the Brahmins were employed in the temple offices and in the temple kitchen,Mukkanaiya a sub-caste of Iyers were money lenders and were appointed as accountants. Later they got employment in government offices, the ‘Huzur kacherry’ and the court that functioned in an old building that has been now occupied by Sree Moola Vilasam (S.M.V) School. With new positions, their life standard increased and now most of them have high educational qualifications and are employed as high government officials.

Brahmins being a priestly class were less familiar with farming techniques, the lack of open space and the tradition-bound lifestyle that revolved around the temple made then depend upon vegetable sellers and other street vendors who came daily to sell their wares. However, a few coconut trees can be spotted in the backyard spaces. People belonging to different castes ranging from bangle makers, the ‘Vala Chettis’, to basket makers came there to sell off their products. However, no one from outside was admitted inside the Fort after 10 pm. There were guards at each opening checking on those who enter and leave the place. The Attakulangara post office building was the soldier’s outpost, there was a well near it, where now there’s a Milma outlet.

Azhikotta and the old post office building that once served as soldiers outpost - Photograph taken by the author.

Krishna lyer still has a vivid memory of his childhood days when he used to walk to Sangumugham beach, that was three miles away, for a bath in the sea. The street lamp lighters arrived everyday evening at six with their kerosene cans and ladders. All street lamps would go out at about nine at night, but still, the road would be lighted up by the stone lamps; stone lamps were there attached to the walls of every agraharams. Theses stone lamps hold oil for a longer time, illuminating the street, thus one of the streets came to be known as ‘deepatheruvu’, meaning 'the street of lamps', but now its name has changed to Tippu Street. Every street had a story to tell, ‘Thamman Street’ was the place where a saint by the name ‘Subramanya Dharman’ lived, the word ‘Dharman’ when used by the locals changed to ‘Thamman’, likewise ‘Dikshitar street’ is named after a Dikshitar who was a Vedic scholar associated with the palace. Thekkae theruvu, the main road that runs straight from Vettimuricha kotta to Kallampally junction was renamed as ‘Chidambara Krishna Iyer Street’, in memory of Chidambara Krishna lyer who was the Mayor of the town. ‘Kottalam’ road was where the ‘kottanmar’ or construction workers lived, there were about ten families there.

However, the peaceful life in agraharams was disturbed in 1939, with the onset of ‘Hitler’s war’, the World War II, many young men from the area migrated to North India for better jobs. Krishna lyer was one among them. He went to Karachi and many other places in search of jobs. This period marked the beginning of a new phase also, more and more youngsters began to explore the world outside and with India gaining Independence and following the end of the monarchy, the privileges enjoyed by these families were cut short.

Over the years agraharams have changed, adapting to the needs of the younger generation, they sometimes lost its character. New additions and façade treatments often make them seem out of place, however, they stand as the ghosts of the past, reminding us of the glorious heritage of Thiruvananthapuram, the temple town.

Sharat Sunder Rajeev
2009.

TALES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY- XVI

TAMIL VISHWAKARMA SETTLEMENTS IN THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Majority of the Vishwakarma population in Thiruvananthapuram claim to be the descendants of various guilds of the craftsmen who have come and established themselves in the capital city at various phases in the history of Travancore. In the first quarter of the eighteenth century, thousands of Tamil Vishwakarmas were brought to the capital city for the renovation work of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple; this migration had a great cultural impact on Travancore.

As Vishwakarmas were considered as ‘avarnas’ they were given land outside the Fort, which was the city centre that comprised of the temple complex, the ‘agraharams’ of the Brahmins and the royal palaces and the houses of landlords and nobles. Even now, we can see large Vishwakarma settlements in places like Karamana (near Killi River); there is evidence for Vishwakarma settlements in Statue, the present core of our city. A vast area of land behind General Post Office was known as ‘Asari Parambu’, which may have been occupied by the stonemasons who came and settled there for the renovation of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. ‘Kattachal konam’ (the present Kesavadasapuram) is said to be derived from the words ‘kal thacha konam’, meaning the adobe of stone masons. These craftsmen brought with them their family deities and made temples for them outside the fort, Gandhari Amman temple in Statue, Muttaramman temple near Punnan road were the temples of Tamil Vishwakarma families. Thus, Vishwakarmas played an important role in the history of Travancore from the eighteenth century (I have already mentioned about the 'Thacha Kudi' in Thottom in the previous article).

Pandi Kammalan (Tamil Vishwakarma craftsman); sketch by the author - from an old Company painting from Kuzhi Malika.

The settlements of native craftsmen were also found at various places, especially around palaces and other noble families. Goldsmith settlements were concentrated along the fringes of the capital in places such as Kaithamukku and on the banks of Kill River.

Malabar goldsmith and female, 1830's - Yale University Collection.

Timbre which was available in plenty was the major building material used in Travancore and the Asaris of the region excelled in carving out minute details in wood. However, one major drawback of timbre was that it was always under the threat of fire and termite attacks. The records in Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple say that the earlier structure that was made of wood had been almost destroyed many times due to fire outbreaks.

Granite was not easily available in Thiruvananthapuram and there were only a few temples made of granite that preceded Padmanabha Swamy temple. However, during the reign of Thrikketta Tirunal Vira Ravi Varma (Vira Ravi Ravi Varma), i.e., from 1595 AD to 1608 AD, many steps were taken for renovating Padmanabha Swamy temple. In the year 1606 AD/ 781 ME he took steps for the structural repairs of the temple. The major building material, timber was to be replaced by granite. This medium was adopted for fear of fire hazard. Renovation works were at once started and it should be assumed that skilled stonemasons were bought from different parts of Pandinadu. This proves that there were settlements of Tamil Vishwakarmas in the capital city from early seventeenth century.

The village craftsmen; life in a ‘kudi’

In the case of a village community, a craftsman, belonging to what so ever trade was considered as an integral part of the society. He is in demand for making ploughs for farmers, making houses for people and artefacts for rulers. However, the rules and regulations of the guilds were less followed in the village communities. A social harmony and equality prevailed among them. Same is the case of the Vishwakarma settlements of Kadakkavoor. Cherunellil, Putten Veedu and Putten Madhom were some of the mutually related families that may have initially worked together as a village guild. However, as time passed they evolved as individual families.

A typical village craftsman - Sketch by the author.

The guilds of village craftsmen consisted of related families and a senior male member was considered as the head or ‘moothassari’, all others worked under his supervision. This was their mode of working on large projects; however, smaller works were individually undertaken. The financial condition of these ‘village craftsmen’ was low and they usually maintained a low profile in the society. Harsh caste rules also were a major hindrance for them in getting a decent position in society.

Vishwakarma women - sketch by the author.

A study on a community of these craftsmen can provide us with much valuable information on their lifestyle, customs and beliefs. The working groups or ‘Kudi’ were the settlements of these craftsmen, the Kudi may be called ‘Asari (carpenter) Kudi’, ‘Thattan (goldsmith) Kudi’, ‘Kolla (blacksmith) Kudi’ etc depending on the caste sub-divisions or trade of the occupying communities. Unlike the other warrior classes of Kerala, the male members of these communities were always present in their houses or communities. The presence of this dominant male in the family who was the bread earner of the entire family may be the reason why these communities became patriarchal.

A typical well to do Vishwakarma family had a house with a ‘poomukham’ or verandah in front, a hall room which served as the dining and resting space. There may be numerous rooms on both sides of these main rooms. A small kitchen and a working space complete the house. The number of rooms increased with the growing number of the family. The building materials varied from timbre to mud blocks or bricks as per the availability. The houses were thatched, only some prominent families, who were associated with the royal family, were given the privilege to use roofing tiles during the king’s rule.

A ‘Kudi’ usually had a small place of worship, a ‘thekkath’ dedicated to the family deity. A normal family consisted generally of a husband, his wife and children, which may come around eight to ten in number. Polyandry was practiced in old days, the brothers of a family used to share a common wife and the widow of a brother or cousin was married by another brother or cousin, however, both these practices have almost died out these days. Usually, the houses had a small temporary shed ‘chaippu’, on its rear side; this was the place where the male members of the family worked. A master craftsman’s house usually had a large shed that housed his workshop and space where he taught the younger generation. The tools used by a family were passed on to the later generation as family heirlooms and they were never passed hands. Womenfolk of these communities had their role in assisting their husband or father or brother who was engaged in the works. They are always happy to sharpen their working tools, prepare food for the family etc, but other than these minor errands they had less to do in the family and society. In old days the women used to cook outside their kitchen, in a carpenter’s house there will be a lot of waste wood near the workplace and the women used these as the fuel, and a stove was set up near the working space.

These guilds were sometimes assigned larger tasks such as the construction of temples and palaces by the ruling class. The work will be supervised by the head craftsman, the ‘moothassari’. Sometimes more than one guild was involved in the construction works. If the working site was far from home, it was natural for the entire guild to relocate themselves to a place nearer to their working place, sometimes the whole family can be seen relocated and after the work they might not return to their native lands, there are many reasons for this.

In old days these craftsmen were presented with land on the completion of their works……. “The payment of craftsmen was either a payment in kind, or a grant of land, besides perquisites on special occasions. For their customary services, the craftsmen were repaid at harvest-time, receiving a fixed proportion of sheaves of grain from the crop collected on the threshing floor, or they might be given a share of the communal land” THE INDIAN CRAFTSMAN BY ANANDA.K.COOMARASWAMY, D.SC. So it is natural that they might settle down in the new places. Another reason is that young men of the guilds may commit to marriage alliances with the local guilds and they may settle down with the relatives and thus will gradually become a member of another guild. Thus this association of two guilds can sometimes result in the merging of two different cultures.

Sharat Sunder Rajeev

September 2009.

TALES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY- XV

ERUMKULANGARA DEVI TEMPLE AND THE EZHAVA SETTLEMENTS IN THOTTAM

We, the final year architecture students of C.E.T have been visiting every nook and corner of the Fort and its surrounding regions for the last couple of weeks as a part of our urban design project- ‘Revival of the Temple Town’. With frequently emptying water bottles, we explore the city under the gaze of the scorching sun. However, for those interested in exploring the heart of the city, its culture, the Fort is like an open book with its gates wide open, inviting everyone inside, to be a part of the history or rather the mystery surrounding it. We walked past the busy streets lined by street hawkers, beggars and tourists who sometimes seem troubled by the curious eyes that follow them. Though new buildings have diminished her beauty and poisonous gases are gripping a tight hold on her neck, the capital city still continues to overwhelm us with the stories of valour, resistance, conspiracies, and perseverance.

Over the ages, many people belonging to different castes have migrated and settled down in Trivandrum. The most important and large-scale migrations happened during the period of Marthanda Varma when he invited Brahmins from all over south India to settle in the capital city. During the period of Dharmaraja also many Brahmin and other families from northern Kerala migrated to the safe hands of our capital city fearing Tippu’s attacks. Since my childhood days, I was interested in the history of Travancore and its migrant population. It may be due to the fact that I was born into a family that migrated to Travancore from Tirunelveli in 1730’s for the renovation works of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple.

The second phase of the study included the areas surrounding the fort, the different caste settlements around the fort, which helped in the growth of the town. Our group covered Manacaud, Thottam and Muttathara areas surrounding the fort. It was an interesting study as the area covered the most colourful and wide variety of caste settlements we can see in the whole of Trivandrum. In Manacaud we have the Muslim settlements, the Pathans who worked in Travancore mounted force and as the king’s chamber guards, along with them are the Rajpoot settlements. However, the most interesting part of the study came in Thottam area, a vast area with a boundary set by four stones, the ‘nalukallu’.

‘Thottam’ as the name suggests was the garden of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple, in old days the temple owned vast lands under its control as fields which provided rice for the temple, flowers and fruits were grown in ‘nandavanam’, a garden in the south-west part of the fort. Thottam near Manacaud was also a garden associated with the temple. Ezhavas and Vishwakarmas formed the majority of the population. These two communities were the major working class, Vishwakarmas of the region were engaged in construction works of the temple and the Ezhavas assisted them as manual labourers, a ‘churuna’ of Padmanabha Swamy temple records that in 1768 AD/ 943 ME, Ezhava labourers were employed for bringing to the temple, twenty-eight ‘Mandira Moorthy’ pillars, which were made in Thirumala.

What remains of Velutheri, the famous Ezhava tharavad in Thottam - Photograph taken by the author.

Perunelli and Vellutheri were the famous Ezhava families of the region; the members of the family were well-known Vaidyans and scholars. Swarupathu Veedu (Kaniyan Vilakam), a very old Nair tharavad is near Thottam. They were the ‘Mathilakam Pilla’ of the kings of Travancore and owned large areas of farming lands. It is said that the famous ‘Mukkolakkal Devi’ was the family deity of the Swarupathu family.

Swaroopathu Veedu - Photograph taken by the author.

Later, Muttathara became an abode of skilled craftsmen, patronized by the royal family of Travancore. Erumkulangara Devi temple at Thottam is an old temple, about 1000 years old, complete with a large pond and kavu surrounding it with a serene atmosphere in the heart of the city. The close association with Padmanabha Swamy temple had given this temple a significant position even from old days. Thottam was a waterlogged land; the major mode of transportation was by ‘vanchis’ (canoes). The senior generations still remember the priest’s from Padmanabha Swamy temple, the Tharananalloor Namboothiris coming to the temple for the pujas. The canoes came near the temple, the priests had a separate pond for their use in addition to the large temple pond, and thus the presence of two ponds may have been the reason for the name ‘Erumkulangara’ meaning ‘on the banks of two ponds’.

Erumkulangara Devi temple - Photograph taken by the author.

However, the very first settlement patterns of Thottam were different from what we see now, according to Venugopal and L. Madhavan, two old gentlemen whom we met at Erumkulangara Devi temple office (these gentlemen were happy to share with the younger generation their experiences and knowledge) the old name of Thottam was ‘Velan Kudi’, settlement of people belonging to Velan caste, associated with ‘Vela kali’ in Padmanabha Swamy temple. Another major settlement was ‘Thacha Kudi’, the abode of Vishwakarmas. These Vishwakarmas must have been the Tamil migrants who came to Travancore during the reign of Marthanda Varma for the works of the temple. The old Erumkulangara temple was made of granite; the sheer size of the blocks had always fascinated the locals. From where these large blocks came was a mystery. If my assumptions are right, the craftsmen employed in the renovation works of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple had carried out the construction works of this temple too. ‘Koshavanmar’, the potters also lived there in perfect harmony with Ezhavas.

Perumpadasherri Venugopal - Photograph taken by the author.

Venugopal told us an interesting story about the origin of Ezhava settlements of that area. Like many other stories we heard about the capital city, this also starts with Marthanda Varma, the father of Travancore. To be precise the story starts in 1743 when Kayamkulam war ended, the rajah was killed and it is said that the relatives of the rajah had to flee the kingdom in disguise of lower caste Ezhavas. It should be presumed that the local Ezhavas families of Kayamkulam must have helped them escape. Prominent Ezhava families such as Aalumoottil Channars were the trainers of the king’s army; it is possible that some of the late rajah’s immediate family members could have escaped the 'wiping out' by Travancore forces. Aalumoottil Channars being Ezhavas must have dressed the royals in their attire to help them escape unnoticed. The story goes on saying that the immediate family of the rajah with two young women came and settled in Thottam region with the local Ezhava population disguised as Ezhavas. However, the social system that prevailed in those days prevented them (who were now Ezhavas) from visiting the nearby Erumkulangara temple. The two young women of the family who were well aware of their Kshatriya ancestry were bold enough to visit the temple; they entered the temple dressed as local Ezhavas. Soon news reached the ears of the chief priest, a Nampoothiri of Koopakara Madhom who was furious and raised his hands to curse the women, it is said that at the same time all those who were present in the temple heard a voice from inside the shrine, the Devi herself saying that those women were her children and thereafter the temple and its properties should be given to them. And thus the power passed hands to the so-called ‘disguised Ezhavas’ or ‘Kshtriya Ezhavas’ as they called themselves. Later these women married men from Ezhava families and settled permanently in Thottam. The major governing bodies of the temple were ‘Moothillam’, Mayyanatillam’ and ‘Pallichal’ family; later they branched out and now there are twenty-five families under them. There are records of a Kayamkulam sword that was preserved in the temple until recently, this may also provide us with a clue to the temple's connection with the Kayamkulam royal family.

Thottam area in later days became famous for its guilds of craftsmen who produced quality carvings in sandalwood and ivory; it is interesting that the local Ezhavas of the area mastered the craft which was practiced by Vishwakarmas over the centuries. More on craftsmen of Thottam in next post……

Sharat Sunder Rajeev
14-09-2009.