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.

This theory was also suggested in the case of the Port of Muziris; the port was devastated by natural calamities of 1341. The incident at the same time is said to have caused seeping of the narrow sand banks separating the Cochin from its backwaters. This resulted in the emergence of the Cochin as a natural port there. The Vipin Islands is also said to have been formed during this spell.

There is also on record, an instance of a “great storm”, - today some scholars claim this as being a tsunami - which hit Malabar during 1847. The event permanently altered the topography in Chavakkad; according to the Malabar Manual “the sea forced a new and deep opening into the Chavakkad backwater and broke with much strength on the Ennamakkal dam (8 miles from river mouth) which however sustained no injury. But the crops in the bed of the lake were injured by the floods from inland.”

Considering the geographical position of the village, it is very much possible that Padoor as an inhabitable area would not have been in existence prior to either of these periods but as I mentioned nothing could be said for certain. There is, therefore no point in speculating on the history prior to the 14th Century.

Note 1: Known variously as Mahodayapuram, Muziris, Muchiri, Musirippattanam, Muyiricodu, Vangi, Vanchi, Vanchinadu, Tiruvanchinadu, Jangli, Gingaleh, Cyngilin, Shinkali, Chinkli, Jinkali, Shenkala , Cynkali, Columguria, Kotilingapuram, Kudalingapuram, Makodai, Kodunkaliyur, Thiruvallur, Ravivisvapuram and Balakreetapuram and Cranganore.