The People - Affiliations

In the political affiliation too the representative reputation of the village is kept intact. From the British time the Congress and Muslim League had their presence in Padoor. At earlier times, both parties were lead by the landed aristocracy but the League always maintained a lead in the trials of strength.


During 1960’s the Communist party too made inroads. They did even gain a handful of Muslim members with Comrade Imbichi Bava spotlighting on Muslim Community of the then Ponnani Taluk. Not that the Communists did not meet resistance but a social embargo that they had encountered elsewhere , especially from the conservative Muslim Community members, was not present in this village’s perspective.

The RSS, Jan Sangh and BJP too had their presence; but a communal flare up has always been assiduously spared.

The Christians were a traditional support base of the Congress but with Kerala Congress venturing in to the northern Kerala, the KC has some sort of a following for the present.

Padoor consistently provided top district level leaders of many of these parties, especially Congress, the Muslim League and the Communist Parties.

The People - Society

I believe that the most notable thing about Padoor is the amiable, socializing nature and the ardent bond that is kept between the populace of the village. From the older days, Padoor happened to be a potpourri of people of different viewpoints be it in religion, politics or otherwise. Fortunately a policy of live and let-live is traditionally prevailed. No doubt that the conventional morality of the village life is only too visible here.


Religiously speaking Padoor is a mixed bag; Hindus, Muslims and Christians are all present. At the moment Muslims does have a majority in the count of heads.

Hindu Community consists of of the sub-castes Nairs, Thiyyas (Chovan), Vettuvas, Kanakkas and Viswakarmas (Acharis and Thattans). The tiny existence of the Paraya community is unfortunately not there anymore.

Muslims are predominantly Sunni Mappilas but the Sayyids (Thangals) have a nearly strong presence too. Within the district, Padoor happens to be one of the three locations where the Sayyids have a large concentration; the other two being Kadppuram and Mathilakam.

While the living spaces of the Hindus and Muslims are intermingled the Christians live mostly to the eastern part of the village.

The Chettuva River – The boarder; the gateway and the Lifeline

The Chettuva River, the historical waterway, for some reason is now known as Canolly Canal - or the Canoli Canal whichever way you spell it – provided the secure line of boarder at the western part of our village. So the Canal does to so many other villages along its route.

The canal runs almost parallel to the Arabian Sea Coast from Chettuva to Kodungallore – the nearest coast point being roughly some 5 – 6 kilometers away to the west from Padoor. The water is saline; and have for centuries helped the military troop and material movements as well as the commercial inland waterway shipping.

In fact the waterway was originally called by the name "Chetwai (or Chettuvayi, Chetuvay, Chetva or Chetuva) River" and used to be one of the three important seaports under the Zamorins (Samuthiris); Calicut and Ponnani being the other two. The river and Chetwai port were the scenes to some historic events and battles involving the Zamorins, the Cochin State, the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British.

How this river came to be associated with Henry Valentine Canolly (1806 - 1855) who was the Collector and Magistrate of Malabar District during the period 1841 - 1855.



Another canal goes by the same name which on record was ordered built by H V Canolly, which was completed at 1848, according to Malabar Manual Vol. I. This latter canal connected Nilambur (where Kerala’s first teak plantations were situated) with the commercial port of Beypore during the imperial time.

The Chettuvayi river connected with the large fresh water lake previously called the Trichur Lake. In fact today this lake is come to known as the Kole Lands extending from todays Thrissur Taluk to Chavakkad Taluk. The Malabar Manual describes the Chetwai River thus:-

"N. Lat. 10o 31', E. Lon. 76o 6'. The mouth of this river and about six miles on its course lie entirely in British territory and for about two miles more it forms the boundary between British territory and the Native State of Cochin. At the end of this eight miles the river widens out into a lake, partly natural and partly artificial."

A dam separating the saline river from the fresh water lake, thus protecting the valuable agricultural land, was said to have been built by the joint efforts of the Rulers of Cochin and Zamorin. Incidentally the Trichur Lake formed the border between the Zamorin's and the Cochin territories at the time. This masonry dam was later breached by the British during 1802 but filled the following year. Attempts were made at rebuilding the dam 1823 & 1842. This happens to be todays Enamakkal Dam (or bund). The surrounding locality is now come to known as Kettungal (Kettu - കെട്ട്- meaning a bund).

The Malabar Manual also described about proposals to construct a new dam down the river at Chetwai between 1855 and 1858 which were later abandoned.

The canal brought us merchandise up until the late 1970’s. There was a thriving production of coir fiber industry along the canal. In fact lot of land was reclaimed out of the canal by filling with the coir fiber waste, don’t ask me if that was legal, by private owners who did coir processing alongside. The coir products were for most part transported through the waterways. The main commercial centre - in my memory - was Kandassankadavu, but I heard elders telling me that in their times the canal used to connect us with such cities as Kodungallore, Thrissur and Ponnani.

Perhaps the only merchandise that still comes through the canal is some supply of fresh fish. In our younger ages it used to be the sole route for the fish to get to Padoor. The fish vendors bought their stuff from Puthiya Kadappuram where the sea going timber boats brought their catches. Our retail fish vendors would bring the fish using their canoes. They then carry the load in their shoulders to sell it in the village market or by going round the village. The male vendors used “kavu” (a wooden shoulder balance from either side of which a pair of “kotta” hanged) and “kotta” (basket). The females used a “kotta” which they carry on their head.

Venkitangu Panchayath

Upon the reorganization of the revenue districts post the 1957 State Reorganization, a new panchayath merging the existing Kundazhiyoor Panchayath with two other adjacent panachayaths came in to existence. This new panchayath was named Venkitangu Panchayath. The other two panchayath that got merged in to Venkitangu Panchayath were Irimbranelloor (Enamavu & nearby areas) and Venkitangu (Venkitangu & Kannoth).

The first election to the unified Venkitangu Panchayath was conducted during 1962.

This was the time when, perhaps the most famous son of the unified Venkitangu Panchayath - Rev. Father Joseph Vadakkan - had split from the Praja Socialist Party (PSP) and formed his own Karshaka Thozhilali Party (KTP). The KTP had allied with the Communist Party and the Muslim League against the Congress. The KTP Alliance had defeated the Congress in Venkitangu Panchayath elections by 6 – 4 margin.

Late Mr. Zainul Abideen Thangal alias Kochu Koya Thangal, representing Muslim League for the Alliance, was elected unopposed from Padoor. Mr. Thangal went on to represent Padoor in the Pnachayath for a long time after that and perhaps he still remains the longest serving vice president in Venkitangu Panchayath.

Mr. K K Mohammedali, hailing from Padoor and elected on Communist Party ticket from the Kannoth/Thoyakkavu Ward, became the first President of the Venkitangu Panchayath representing the Alliance.

Kundazhiyoor Panchayath

GMUP School in the village displayed a name board which reads “Govt. Mappila School – Kundazhiyoor”. As a child I always wondered why a school in Padoor should bear such a different place name. None of my friends were able to tell me where Kundazhiyoor actually is!

Later on when I have started seeing the land ownership certificates, my curiosity was multiplied as there too our place name was mentioned as “Kundazhiyoor amsam, Padoor desam”.

In the Malabar District, elected local bodies were functioning since 1930. In the Madras province, their powers were enhanced after the Independence (Madras Village Panchayt Act 1950). As you know, Malabar remained part of the Madras province at that time.

A Panchayath was constituted in every village with a population of at least 500 people. The Panchayath President as well as members was directly elected by the people. The panchayath elections were done by a show of hands (not ballots) of those present at the venue of the electoral meeting.

The name of Panchayath in which Padoor included was Kundazhiyoor which also incorporated the Thoyakkavu & Kundazhiyoor desams or villages (Please see the Basel Mission Archieves map. Name of the desam was shown therein as "PATUR" #421). Interestingly the panchayath at the opposite side of the Canolly Canal was named “Kundaliyoor”.

The first election on the basis of universal adult franchise to these panchayaths was conducted during 1954.

During this election to Kundazhiyoor Panchayath, the Muslim League fought with the backing of the Congress. By that time, the Communists become very active in the village and they too managed to form an alliance.

Othulli Abdul Kader was the ML-Congress front’s presidential candidate. He was opposed by Muthattu Parakkutty pitted by the Communists. S M Moosal Kassim Thangal, R P Bavoo and P K Bapputty were the League Combine’s member candidates. The other side fielded A M Thangal, P K Mohammedunni and Kanichiyil Krishnan.

At the end an intense campaign – on a scale never witnessed before that - the League Combine won by a mere 9 votes. This itself was a surprise since in Kundazhiyoor Panchayath the League-Congress combine backed by the privileged class was always considered formidable.

History: Where do we fit (4)

The Avarnas were not allowed to use the roof tiles till 1903 (only coconut leaf thatches were to be used) or to build upstairs or a gateway to their houses. They should wear not more than a single cloth around the waist which too shouldn’t fall below the knees. They were not allowed to stand before the doorway of their own family or community shrine. Bowing the deity directly was a taboo for the out-castes.

Caste segregation was strict. Many absurd customs were prevailing in the light of such strict separation of the society. One good example of such aggressive segregation was the existence of the dreaded custom - Pulappedi and Mannappedi - in the medieval period. According to this custom if a member of the slave castes like Pulaya, Paraya or Mannan happened to see a high caste woman alone after dusk she would be expelled from her caste. It was enough for the woman to be excommunicated, if the Mannan or Pulaya threw a stone or a stick at her or called out that he had seen her. He could take her with him. This custom prevailed till around 1696 A D.

Strictly followed rules and regulations were maintained such as 

1. keeping prescribed distance (which is different according to the status of the castes) in order not to pollute the person from superior caste 
2. removing the cloth covering the shoulders and the head, 
3. using standardized self-denouncing servile expressions in conversation and 
4. asserting bodily. 

Higher caste men when walking along the road utter a warning grunt or hoot to person of any lower castes who thereupon should retire to the prescribed distance. The minimum penalty to those who violated the law was excommunication or often death.

History: Where do we fit (3)

After flourishing during the 4 – 8 Centuries AD the Jain and Buddhist influence was present in Kerala society until they completely disappeared by the 12 C. The famed Kodungallore temple itself is said to be a deconsecrated Buddhist shrine. Some have claimed that the Parampan Tali, situated at Mullassery (a few kilometers east of Padoor) to be a surviving ancient Tali temple (Tali temples were originally Buddhist, before the 8th century). 

That makes the Paramban Tali (or Parambamthali) Temple as perhaps the oldest surviving religious shrine around the area. The temple is situated in a hilly area; which conforms to the hypothesis that the earliest people were residing in the hills and higher terrains.

The emergence of Southern Indian Brahmanism has led to the introduction of caste system, altering the social, ritual and political positions within the society. The system was prevailing until the mid-part of the 20^th Century. Although the system was named chathurvarnya (four castes system) a three tier caste system existed in Malabar. The Brahmins themselves, the ruling chieftains as kshathriyas and the Nair warriors as shudras. The third tier of vanikas were absent. All others were reduced to the position of Avarnas or Mlechas.

History: Where do we fit (2)

During the 14^th and 15^th Centuries B. C. the Zamorins  (Samuthiris or the Nediyirippu Swaroopam) extended their authority to whole of Malabar area. Villages in our area (up to the Enamakkal Lake) appear to have been formed the most secure boarder (at the south) of the Zamorin’s Kingdom for a long time.

Under the Zamorins a feudal set up was evolved out between political administration, religious activities and temple centered Ara and Tura political power structure. Zamorins implementation of all types of ruling factors was based on temple set up. The largest administrative unit called Cherikkal is an almost equivalent to the present-day taluk. Cherikkals were subdi­vided into  Desom, Tara, Angadi etc. for maintaining the revenue system, toll collections, local law and order, village army system (Lokar) and village treasuries (Ara). There were Koymas, Talakkappu nayar, Patanayar and numerous other officials to collect tolls, revenue and to look after law and order. All these official duties were distributed to a large number of aristocratic families living far and wide in the kingdom. These families with the right to collect revenue, maintain local army men, look after law and order and administer the temples enabled them to centralize money, land, control of religious activities and customs to themselves. 

History: Where do we fit (1)

Padoor lies in the immediate vicinity of some of the earliest known historical points in the state.

The ancient sea port of Kodungallur (see note 1 below) is not far.

The important port of the yesteryears, Chettuwai, which played a crucial role in trade and had been of strategically vital for the Zamorin’s Kingdom is barely few kilometers away down through the Chettuwai River.

As we all know, there is very limited information available about the ancient period of Kerala history. This is because there is hardly any written record left behind our ancestors. Many of the facts passed as history are words of mouth, myths or speculations; not enough evidence ever found to prove them. 

There are geologists who believed that Kerala was formed by some seismic activity, gradually or suddenly. Some researchers say that the Arabian Sea once extended as far inland as the Kalladikkodan mountain ranges. Geological changes resulted in recession of the sea, leaving dry large tracts of land. 

About the underlying areas of Padoor, the seismic or environment changes appear to bear particular relevance. There is an argument that a part of Chavakkad Taluk had been under the sea prior to the flood of 1341 and these parts of land were formed as a result a geographical drift following the 1341 nature’s event.

Padoor - The Place

The legend goes that Padoor acquired its name from the combination of the Malayalam words “Padam” (paddy land) and “Ooru” (neighborhood). The name thus means the Place of Paddy Fields.

True to its name, the village used to be interspersed with paddy fields (lowlands), placed between the corridors of inhabited coconut estates (elevated lands). It almost looks like the elevated lands were man-made landfills of then originally existing paddy fields.

To cap it all, the lowlands of Thanneer Kayal (which used to be opulently cultivated rice fields) provide the boarder to Padoor at the east end.

Padoor is locked between the paddy field stocks of Thanneer Kayal at the east and the inland waterway of Canolly Canal in the west.

Thoyakkavu lies to the south and Thirunelloor (Peringadu) to the north. The boundaries on both these fronts are separated by canals; the smaller Thannolli Thodu and newly broadened Irrigation Canal - that hooks Mullasseri to the Peechi Irrigation Canal network at Elevally - respectively.

Padoor – Part in politics

After India’s Independence, the area comprising todays’ Padoor remained part of the Malabar District within the State of Madras. Within this disctrict, we were part of the Ponnani Taluk. In Ponnani Taluk, Padoor and Thoyakkavu together formed the smaller revenue unit named Kundazhiyoor Panchayath (Kundazhiyoor Amsam).

(Note: A map of the Padoor Desam within the Ponnani Taluk during 19th or early 20th Century (undated though) is included in the Basel Mission Archieves published during 2012. Name of the desam was shown therein as "PATUR".)

(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Malabar_district_Map.jpg)

The States Reorganization Act of 1956 that came into being as on 1st November 1956 was responsible for formation of the India's provinces based on linguistic and semantic barriers. In line with this Act, the new State of Kerala was formally inaugurated on November 1, 1956.

My Lord Almighty, in thy name!

Which is the most boring subject? I would certainly say history. Is this my attempt at that boring subject? Certainly not!

Being a curious student of Padoor’s history, this represents just an attempt to share some information which I wasn’t fortunate enough to find recorded elsewhere in the past.

Is this a historical blog; nope. Do I vouch for the authenticity of all of what is written here, certainly I don’t.

My wish is that perhaps this attempt could inspire someone to do better research and come up with more enlightening information, so that a record shall exist somewhere of our Village’s history for the posterity.

May Allah bless us all! Amen.