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Friday, July 31, 2009

Mangavu Kovilakkam










































































































I have always had the yearning to go to the Mankavu Kovilakkam in kozhikode because that is where my grandfather belonged to,









P.C.M. Raja ( Padinjare covilakkathu Manavedan Raja )was born as one among the Zamorins but before you get impressed by the royal name let me hurry to tell you the Zamorins today are anything but royal ( probabaly only in thier culture )they are friendly and down to earth people like you and me










Unlike the kochi and Travancore royal families the ancestral house of the zamorins are in a shamble

The British and later our politicians effectively reduced them to penury ,a very few of them got educated and into good jobs but many are now average middle class families eking out a living .

Many are in other cities and abroad and some of them in very good positions and highly educated .

I also understood that family gatherings are happening in a big way these days


















Apart from the Mankavu kovilakkam in kozhikode , the Zamorin family has two other branches: the Kizzhake Kovilakkam at Kottakal and the Thiruvannur Kovilakam.

The eldest member of these three Kovilakams will be the Zamorin.

The current Zamorin, P.K.S. Raja, belongs to Thiruvannur Kovilakam

I still remember the stories of my mother in her childhood when she used to go to Mankavu in her childhood with her father and thier customs and traditions .

those days they still retained a semblance of royalty

So this june on a rainy day I took an auto from Calicut Station to Mankavu kovilakkam to see my cousin Ammani thamburan who was waiting for me ,I had called him and evinced intrest in seeing the place and he welcomed me .










I alighted near a huge tank full of blue water upto its brim ,the rain was heavy and an umbrella clad thin Ammani chettan rushed to recieve me ,he was joyous at my intrest and attitude .and we entered the walled compound called Mankavu which housed several houses .

many houses are sectioned partitions of a bigger house which was a part of the palace ( when one talks of palace please dont visualise any other palaces say like in Rajasthan ,

the Zamorins were never ostentatious but rather lived like all in tiled Kerala houses some of the residents had built thier own small bungalows with gates and gardens .

I was taken to several relatives houses and introduced ,and was touched by thier love and affection .

We went into narrrow corridors up dingly attics cobweb ridden but full of history

the rain was drumming its music all along and the paths were slushy and green

it was a very cosy and wet forenoon ,we saw the Vaikkina maliga which was the place where gatherings took place to read scriptures ,it had some lovely temple paintings on its walls ,we also saw the small temple inside the complex .

Soon it was time for me to return ,

This trip was to me just a beginning ,i do hope I can make a longer one to delve into the details of my ancestor and his way of life
















































28 comments:

anas_conversationkiller said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
anas_conversationkiller said...

nice information doctor......their life n the kovilakam.....truly impressive......sum time i thnk its nice to hav such a life style....!!

kuttettan said...

Hi Hari, thanx for the excellant blog.it was indeed an appraisal of of your ancestors way of living, their culture and their royalty .u should be feeling very proud of your ancestrol origin.please keep posting more.

Archna said...

Thanks uncle for sharing this blog with me...the information given is something i really didn't know about and the writing and photos are terrific...it feels great to know that we have such a rich n strong history...all thanks to your blog.

harimohan said...

tks anas ,kutetta and Archana goign back to your roots strengthens your moral fibre

Unknown said...

Hi Uncle, mummy forwarded this to me. Thanks so much to know regarding this amazing history!And lovely pics and great woriting on your blog. Thank you!

harimohan said...

tks meghna

Nanditha Prabhu said...

I am sure you would have had a great experience traveling to your ancestral homes and history .

harimohan said...

yes nanditha i did

Maddy said...

hi hari..
i forgot to comment on this though I spent a while looking at the pictures some days ago - remembering my own trip to the place last year..It certainly has a lot of history, especially the place where swaminatha pattar was stabbed and where the raktarakshassu pratishta is kept etc..great record of a place from where the Zamorins who once ruled the land, originated..

harimohan said...

dear maddy
u r a wealth of information ,will need ur help later

Unknown said...

pazhamayude gandham thedi.... swontham aasthithvam thedi.... the never ending journey of hari!!

-----Z@M----- said...

you belongs to mankavu kovilakam ?

nice to see the kovilakam pics

any way thanks for the updates and

really appreciate it

Anonymous said...

Dear hari


thanks a lot for your beautiful venture. So many things I have to share with you regarding Zamorins and our Kovilakkam with bits of history.

P.C.V. Raja (Rajettan),Azchavattom

harimohan said...

tks rajetta
hope iam there next hol and spend some time with u for that

Anonymous said...

dear cousin

we are happy to see views of our Kovilakam through your site.I hope this is the only site. Regards,
P.C. Remadevi Thampuratty,
Mankav Kovilakam

Anonymous said...

dear brother,
great job.



mohanakrishnan

aquamarine said...

Hi Dr.Hari,
My father belonged to Kizhakke Covilagam, Kottakkal.I had been to Kottakkal just a few days back to refresh my childhood memories and also for a family get together. Your blog is very nice and the pictures made me nostalgic. I wish these connections could be preserved forever.
Regards,
Nandakumar

Jayadevan Unni said...

Hi. This is absolutely great. My grandfather is from Padinjare Kovilakkom, Dr. PCC Raja. Whenever I visit Calicut I miss a chance to visit the Kovilakkom due to my busy schedule. But your blog has made realise that i was doing a mistake by not visiting the place. I had been to the kovilakom many times in childhood days with my father. Thank you for the info. I am reachable on 9249409124. My Name is Jayadevan Unni and my father's name is M Raghavan Unni. I am sure you would be knowing him. Do keep in touch.

Jayadevan Unni

Govind Raj said...

Great post Sir !

Anonymous said...

Hi doc..My father KK sankarankutty is from mankavu kovilakam and my grandfather's name is P C Cheriyanujan raja .its really great to see all these pics and at the same time i am sad that not much information are there in the web related to our kovilakam.

p.c.c.raja said...

DEAR HARI,VERY GLAD TO SEE YOUR ILLUSTRATIONS OF MY KOVILAKAM. I WISH TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU. IT IS REALLY INTERESTING TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE AN ONCOLOGIST AND YOUR WIFE DEVOTES HER LIFE FOR THE WELFARE OF THE SPECIAL CHILDREN. MY AREA OF ACTIVITY IS CONNECTED TO THAT. PL.Click the link
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CDMQuAIwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DKmGsKcuKJ54&ei=2AJAUqC7EYfJrAeDyIHQDQ&usg=AFQjCNFJTKFNIfeCjCm7S1uq3bRjjTIZXA&sig2=pwNvwupNeHKK9a4lDSnI6w&bvm=bv.52434380,d.bmk

harimohan said...

Sorry i did not reply
Iam keen on writing a book
Hope you all will help me find matireal

harimohan said...

Sorry didnt reply
Want to be in touch

harimohan said...

Shall call

harimohan said...

Pl b in touch

harimohan said...

Tq so much

harimohan said...

Welcome

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