And their links to Calicut
Some years ago, we discussed the Chaliya community at Chaliyam near Calicut, focusing on Calico and its origins, and later, as related to the mystery of Chinese Sha-mi-ti. Today, we will explore how community members migrated to Ceylon as weavers, their hardships, and how they transitioned from that traditional trade to cinnamon peelers.
And the treasure that vanished
In the previous post, we discussed the intriguing story of a Nair boy who was captured by Hyder, converted, and eventually became the Governor of Bednore (also called Bednur, Bidanoore — present-day Nagaram in the Konkan) and Mangalore. That was Ayaz Khan, or Hyat Sahib (as the British called him), the Nawab of Bednore, who was the Chirakkal chela (slave) favored by Hyder, which greatly angered and disgusted Tipu. But that was how it was, and Ayaz ruled over Bednore, a strategically located district that held significant treasures, a large 13th-century fort, an armory, and a mint.
Manuel Kotta, Ayacotta, and Cranganore Fort
Contact with Malabar, and later Goa, was established by Portuguese armadas sailing to western coastal ports such as Calicut, Cochin, and Goa. The ships sailed along the west coast with the mawsim, or monsoon winds, and took shelter in these ports from May to September, when the winds were strongest. Interestingly, this was the period when the eastern coast was busy with ships plying the Southeast Asian ports and countries. As the West Coast opened for business between November and March, the seas bustled and churned with boats, dhows, and other vessels filled with sailors, traders, and supercargo dignitaries. Vasco da Gama was the first to complete the voyage between Lisbon and Calicut in 1498 and learned of the vagaries of the winds, or the lack thereof, as his ships arrived late and departed late, facing numerous problems.
The Spanish connections to India – Manila & Mangalore
History is full of surprises. It is stories like these that make the subject fascinating, especially since some are hidden deep in dusty books, prompting people like me to seek them out. This story features a remarkable Jewish merchant named Goldsmith and how he managed to broker a deal between the Spanish crown and the Mysore Sultan, Hyder Ali. It was an elaborate scheme involving a baby elephant, one that could have caused chaos in the already tense relationship between the British and the Mysore Kingdom, with the potential to alter the course of history. Let's go to the region and find out what happened.
Marthanda Varma, Dharma Raja, the Madura Nayaks, and the Arcot Nawabs.
There are only a few papers and articles specifically about the incursions of the Madura Nayaks and Arcot Nawabs into the southern districts of old Travancore, and the motives and timelines are not very clear. I will try to fill in some gaps and provide a brief overview of the events leading to the incursions and their aftermath. The fact is that even Marthanda Varma, supported by a powerful, trained army, was always troubled by these incursions and never emerged victorious. A main reason is that these invading armies were almost always undisciplined and did not follow the traditional rules of war set by the Malayala kings. These marauding ‘Pattani’ armies usually pillaged and burned their way through until they achieved their goals.
Hanuman and the Pallimaradi
A timely question from my friend Nikhil about the Zamorin’s flag prompted me to revisit this study. Recently, an image of a flag appeared online, featuring a design with crossed swords, a conch, and a lamp, which claimed to be the Zamorin’s flag. I am not convinced, as I haven't seen such an image or description in any Zamorin-related documents I have studied so far. In fact, the only mention is that Udhhanda’s poem on Calicut’s Manvikrama referenced a tiger (sardula) symbol in this context, although some argue it was a misinterpretation of the poem, written shortly after leaving the Chola country (It is well known that the tiger was a Chola flag symbol). Anyway, let’s explore the topic a bit and see where it leads us.
Marakkars, Paravas, Portuguese, and the Zamorin…
It was, in retrospect, a decisive battle and one that signaled some amount of success for the Portuguese. Suppose the Marakkars had continued, reached Diu, and eventually joined up with the incoming Ottoman fleet. In that case, the Portuguese might have been taken out of the equation just 40 years after they arrived in Western India. But as we saw in a previous article, the Marakkars never reached Diu, and the Turkish Captain Hadim Suleiman slunk away with his fleet. I had promised to get to this part of the story, so here goes.
Roman Coin find 1847, Kizhur - Cannanore
Calicut faced nervous days in 1847, as a great storm hit the Laccadives and the mainland. Logan mentioned it in his manual and CHF had written about it. The storm waves dashed on the coast in a very unexpected manner and its effects were felt from Cannanore to Chetwai. The wave destroyed the Cannanore Custom house, it came in so suddenly that the officials had hardly time to escape by the rear as the sea swept in at the front. It was also the year when Richard Burton visited and wrote about the town, the year when a lighthouse was constructed on the Calicut beach, and also the year when the collector HV Conolly had all the shops of the big bazaar tiled. But unrelated to this, the period witnessed a major discovery near Cannanore which kept many a goldsmith near Calicut’s Big Bazar, busy.
Rajarshi Rama Varma’s final abode
First, let us get an insight into the illustrious raja. HH Maharaja Sri Sir RAMAVARMA XV ruled over Cochin 1895-1914, Maharaja [cr.1921], G.C.I.E., G.C.S.I., K.C.S.I., born 27th December 1852, passed away in 1932 at Trichur. It is said that he ruled Cochin during crucial times and was not only a legendary figure but also one of the greatest rulers of modern times. An erudite scholar in Sanskrit and English and was considered - A scholar among princes and a prince among scholars. This Raja brought permanent reforms to the Department of Revenue and Accounts. The Village Panchayat Bill was a valiant attempt to get the people at the grassroots involved in administration. The Tenancy Act was a personal triumph of Rajarshi. But after all these decorations and successes, he abdicated his throne in1914. There are many reasons attributed to his abdication. One of the very talked about version is that he had differences with British Empire because of his proximity with Germans. There is also another version in his biography that says he resigned due to ill health. Some mentions can be found about his disputes with the British Resident at Madras and the Resident’s high-handed attitude and treatment of the monarch. He died in January 1932 and is also known as Ozinja Vallia Thampuran (Note that the king is typically mentioned in contemporary times as Kochi Valiya Thampuran, not as Kochi Rajavu as we know today).
The Kamal, or the Rapalagai
Curiosity, adventure, and profits were always the lure for exploration. While travel across land masses was recorded from the oldest times, sailing the seas proved to be less costly and usually faster. However, it was virtually impossible to shelter in place when the weather turned foul, and shipwrecks and losses continued to grow. Nevertheless, human enterprise, inventions, and refinements with aids to assist navigation across vast stretches of sea or ocean allowed sailors to discover lands and conduct trade with faraway shores. The spice trade became a prime motivation for medieval sailing and proved to be very profitable over time.
Ummini Thampi’s (Marthandam Thampi Iravi, Womana Tomby) overtures against the British.
I wrote about the Munro years in Travancore in 2017, and introduced to readers a fascinating character named Ummini Thampi – Well, I mentioned therein that he was an intriguer in Travancore, the cause of so many misfortunes and deaths and was involved in what was known as the 1812 Quilon plot or the Quilon revolt. How this Dewan, who was squarely on the British side, changed sides and went against them is the thread of the plot, leaving behind questions on whether he was a patriot or schemer.
