China Kuttiali Marakkar
Posted by Labels: Chinna Ali, Chinna Kuttiali, Chinna Kutty ALi, Malabar - Portuguese, Marakkar
Chinna or China?
The exact identities of the various Marakkars have continued
to confuse me throughout my Malabar studies. We all know Kunhali IV and his
story, especially the final stages when
the Portuguese managed to capture and behead him, to ‘apparently’ bring an end
to the line of Malabar corsairs and admirals of the Zamorin. But there is one Marakkar
who has slipped the cracks as they say, in history books and got lost or
miscast. He was the most notorious of the lot, perhaps the most powerful, yet
he is mentioned only briefly. Why so? Let’s uncover his story.