Christ year 1122
There is total insecurity in Mahodayapuram. There is no one to rule the country. A few days had passed since King Cheraman Perumal Ramakulasekaran had sailed to Arabia with the pilgrims. Chera Empire is divided into many parts. The chiefs appointed by Perumal to look after the administration of each region of the country have declared those regions as independent states under their control. The Chera Empire was divided into many kingdoms like Perumbadapp, Nedyirup, Kolathunad, Palakkatussery, Thekumkur, Vadakkumkur, Venad, and so on. Among the large kingdoms, small principalities of feudal lords were also formed. They ended up establishing kinship with the great kingdoms and paying tribute. There were also those who did not accept the supremacy of anyone. Valluvanad, Nedunganad, and Eranad are just some of the small princely kingdoms of Arangotu Swarupam. The Valluvakonathiri named Arangotudayavar was the most prominent among the native Swarupis. With the collapse of Perumal rule, King Perumpadapp (later King of Kochi) who acquired the right to stand in Mamangam, was unable to manage Mamangam in the later years.
Held at Tirunavaya in Valluvanad; The position of head of Mamangam, the great festival of Magha month, was thus assumed under Valluvakonathiri terms. The condition was that if the kings of Kochi came wearing their crowns from the palace of Chitrakootam in Vanneri, where their deity was enshrined, the floor should be vacated to stand on the Mamangam. Mamangam, which was going on amicably in this way, turns into a deadly battlefield from the battle of the ambitious samurai of the empire. In the Tirunavaya wars that took place several times in the period up to the year 1486 AD, the Zamothiri king Perumpadappa fled to Tiruvanchikula* and defeated Valluvakonathiri and seized the right to rule Mamangam. Every twelve years since then, the fallen soldiers take a vow to regain the lost pride of Valluvanad and leave for Tirunavaya with the blessings of Valluvakonathiri, carrying their paternal grandmother Tirumandhamkunn Bhagavathy, knowing that it is a journey of never coming back. We can describe it as Valluvanad’s campaign from the banks of Cherupuzha to the banks of Bharathapuzha. Even today we can see them in front of Chaverthara Thirumandhamkunn Temple, the center from which they started their journey. It is not far from here to Pataparam where the soldiers camped during the journey.
Suicide Squads are not just soldiers, their goal is only death. Either the death of the enemy or his own death. Dying! And to protect the pride of their motherland. Not only in Kerala, but in India and in the world, the first Suicide squad soldier may have been from here. Valluvanadan history can be proud of those brave men. Pudumana Panicker, Chanthil Panicker, Wayankara Panicker, and Verkot Panicker were traditionally the four Nair clans. Because their family members were killed by the Samodhiri over time, their debt to the Samodhiri was huge.
In 1695 AD at Mamangam, the Samuthiri narrowly escaped from the sword of a Suicide Squad soldier named Chanthunni. If not, the image of the Valluvanad kingdom called Arangotu Swarupam would have been different in history. There are opinions that this event took place in 1755 AD at the latest. Chantunni, who had advanced after killing many Samothee soldiers, got on the floor and reached in front of the Samothiri, and swung his sword at the Samothee’s neck. But the Samodhiri, who was hiding behind the huge chandelier in front, escaped from the cut and was cut by the chandelier. Before the next attempt, Chanthunni was killed by Samuthiri’s bodyguards. The descriptions in the obituaries that go like this may be slightly exaggerated but are not likely to be completely untrue.
It is said that Chanthunni was sixteen when she was killed. It is said that dead or half-dead soldiers were thrown into the Manikinar in Tirunavaya and trampled by elephants. In 1765 AD, when Hyder Ali, the King of Mysore, defeated Zamothiri and captured Kozhikode, Mamangam ended forever.
Tirumandhamkunn, which is mentioned as Thirumanam Kunn in ancient records, was known as a Shiva temple in the early days. The name of this temple is found in the hymn of about 108 Shiva temples. Legend has it that Shiva Lingam was installed by Sage Mandhatava. The Bhagavathy Pratishtha which took place later is in the concept of Bhadrakali. The Bhagavathy here is known as Mandhatrishaileshwari. There are separate shrines for Bhagwati and Shiva within the enclosure. Both the shrines are beautiful with murals. The stories of Bhagwati and Shiva are depicted in the films. Along with Bhagwati, the deities of seven goddesses can be found in the shrine. Bhagwati’s sculpture is more than seven feet tall. This is the biggest sculpture in Kerala. The namaskar mandapam is in front of the shrine of Lord Shiva. The mandapam and pillars are rich in Kerala architecture. Bhagwati Pratishtha is facing North and Shiva Pratishtha is facing East.
There is also a shrine of Mahishasura Mardini inside the enclosure. The more than seven feet high idol of Kshetrapalan placed in a separate sanctum outside the enclosure is magnificent. In another sanctum, you can see the deity of Brahmarakshas. Beyond that, the Naga Pratishtha. In this area, there are many vines that are intertwined like snakes. It is known as Nagavalli. The Ganesha deity is on the tree branch on the north side. Apart from this, the deities of Bhagwati and Lord Ganesha can be found at Shrimulashanthana. There are two flagpoles each in Bhagwati’s temple in the north and Shiva’s temple in the east. Large sacrificial stones can be seen at Bhagwati’s natha, Shiva’s natha, and Ganapathi’s natha at Srimoolasthanam. A shrine can be seen in a forested area on the north side of Srimulasthan. No one seems to be going there. It was there that Mandhatava Maharishi did penance and died by self-immolation. Once upon a time, there was a cave on the side of the hill that was blessed with rain and sun. It was built by the Tarakans who migrated from Andhra in the 16th century to make it the temple it is today.
Thirumandhamkunn is one of the 14 Koothambalam temples in Kerala. If you walk down the steps on the north side, you will reach the Parakadav in Cherupuzha. Arattukadav is full of water. View of the stone bridge next to the pier. The beauty of the flowing river can be seen from the terrace beyond the stone bridge. Beyond the river is the field. There are still old houses and buildings on both sides of the old Rajaveethi.
When Pantallur Bhagavatikshetra, which was Valluvakonathiri’s early deity seat, was conquered by Zamothiri, it was not possible to hold the festival there and the festival was shifted to Thirumandhamkunn. It can be assumed that this change must have taken place after AD 1122 in view of the collapse of the Perumal rule. In the Kollams where Mamangam was held, Pooram, the national festival of Valluvanad, was held only once in Vyazhavattakalam at Pantallur temple. It used to take place only once in twelve years when Pooram was shifted to Thirumandhamkunn after the Zamothiri attack in Pantallur. Later, when Mamangam lost his right to Mamangam and Mamangam brought great grief to Valluvanad, Pooram started to be celebrated as an annual festival.
Pooram here is done in three ways namely Patahadi, Dhwajadi, and Ankuradi. During the eleven-day Puramahotsavam, there are twenty-one Aarats for Bhagwati and one Aarattu for Shiva. For Ettampuram, Bhagwati and Shiva walk together on the river pier. On these days, Valluvakonathiri is escorted with a machete in front of the Ezhunnallip wearing a Chembarathi mala. Children marching in front of Ezhunallip with flags are symbols of fallen soldiers. Komaras from Kongad Tirumandhamkunn, Kadambazhipuram Vailyamkunn, and Alikal temples will arrive here to escort Ezhunnallip.
The aboriginal inhabitants of Valluvanad have an important place in Pooram. It is said that Pooram should leave only when the king of Malaya and his team come from Kalamparam with flowers. Such umbrellas can be found at Thirumandhamkunn.
On the twelfth day after the 11th Pooram, the Malaya king arrives at the palanquin and is received by Valluvakonathiri. Thirumandhamkun’s Pooram ends with the meeting between Valluvakonathiri and the King of Malaya. There is a deity of Thirumandhamkunnilamma in the temple of the King of Malaya. In ancient times, it may have been the Kaavu(an area where plants grew heavily,in the center, there has a place for worshipping) of the Malays.
The ruler of this region may have been the Malayan king. Later they may have had to withdraw from the temple land. There are three main fields in Angadipuram. Kalamparam, Thaliparam, Puraparam. Among these, the residence of the King of Malaya is at Kalamparam. Valluvakonathiri’s reception of the Malayan king is symbolic of a prehistoric event, like the story of Maveli being trampled down and given permission to visit his subjects once a year. Let such ceremonies continue. It is historical Chitrakootam, which was the first headquarters of Perumbatap Swarupa, at a place called Vanneri near Perumbatap in the Malappuram district. Today only a large well of the royal palace remains as a remnant of the Chitrakoot. The archaeological department has taken over and renovated the well, which was largely filled in by a private individual. It is said that the water in this well, which is a large source of water, will be a solution to the shortage of drinking water. In the 13th century, when the Samuthiri invaded Perumpadap, the capital of Perumpadap Swarupa was shifted from Vanneri to Thiruvanchikula in Kodungallur. A century later, the capital was shifted from Thiruvanchikula to Kochi due to the combination of the capture of Trikanamatilakam near Thiruvanchikulam by the Samudiri, the destruction of the port of Kodungallur due to a heavy flood in Periyar in AD 1341 and the formation of a new port at Kochi. That is how Perumpadap Swarupam becomes the kingdom of Kochi. The coronation of Kochi kings took place from Vanneri. When the place was conquered by the Samuthiri, the coronation from Vanneri became impossible. The agreement between them was that if one day the King of Kochi defeats Zamothiri and comes to Mamangam wearing the crown from Vanneri, he should vacate the chairmanship of Valluvakonathiri on that day. But later Valluvakonathiri was also defeated by Samothiri.
