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Keralolpathi
The Keralolpathi (Malayalam: കേരളോല്പത്തി; IAST: Kēraḷōlpatti; transl. Origin of Kerala), formerly transliterated as "Kerala Ulpathy", is a Malayalam Hindu prose chronicle that deals with the mythical origins and legends of Kerala in southern India.
The Keralolpathi covers the legendary history of Kerala and its people from ancient times through the medieval period to the colonial era, serving as an early attempt to historicize Kerala as a distinct entity. The narrative is generally regarded by scholars as "an expression of the historical consciousness" rather than "a source of history". The text contains multiple historical layers, with the earliest influenced by Nambudiri-Brahmins and the later ones shaped by non-Brahmin (Nair) regional rulers. Some versions of the Keralolpathi were likely intended for public or community performance.
The currently available Keralolpathi texts were primarily composed in the Calicut (Samoothiri) and Cannanore (Kolathiri) countries of northern Kerala. The tradition was also adapted by the rulers of Cochin (Perumpadappu) in central Kerala.
The date of the Keralolpathi remains a subject of debate among Kerala historians. The existing versions of the text are generally dated between the 15th and 19th centuries AD. By the 18th century AD, modified versions of the text had begun to appear, varying from kingdom to kingdom and region to region across different parts of Kerala.
The Keralolpathi text exists in numerous manuscripts and multiple versions. The Tamil text "Keraladesha Varalaru" and parts of the Sanskrit text "Kerala Mahatmayam" notably employ the Keralolpathi tradition. The authorship of Keralolpathi is traditionally attributed to Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, the renowned 17th-century scholar from northern Kerala.
The currently extant versions of Keralolpathi are composed in heavily Sanskritized Malayalam prose. There are numerous versions of the text available, many of which exist in print editions. The texts are written from the perspective of Kerala's 17th- and 18th-century elites.
Keralolpathi traditions usually begin with an account of the god Parashurama creating Kerala (and Tulu country) by reclaiming it from the sea with a toss of his sacred battle axe (the Parasurama tradition). He then settled the land with Brahmins brought from "the north", establishing 64 villages, 32 of which were located in present-day Kerala. The Brahmins initially brought and settled refused to stay, returning to their original northern homeland out of fear of the ancient "serpents" of the land. In response, Parashurama brought "a second wave" of Brahmins. To prevent them from being accepted back if they attempted to return north, he "altered" their sacred hairstyle and dress code. Parashurama also convinced the Brahmin community to adopt "matrilineal descent" as a way to atone for his own matricidal sin. However, only one village, Payyannur in the north, complied with his request. As a result, he brought Shudras from other regions and established matriliny among them. He then sanctified 108 temples dedicated to gods Shiva, Shastha, and goddess Durga. Following this, he selected 36,000 Brahmins from various settlements and granted them "the right to carry weapons", sanctioning them to defend their land independently like the Kshatriyas, thus ruling Kerala as "brahmakshatra". He also introduced sacred rites, rituals, duties, and entitlements of Kerala.
Over time, however, the Brahmin rulers of Kerala, represented by the Four Kazhakams (the four settlements of Perunchellur, Payyannur, Paravur, and Chengannur), realized that governing the land compromised their integrity. They decided to appoint a Kshatriya as their king (during a meeting at Tirunavaya). Accordingly, a Kshatriya prince and his sister were invited to Kerala. The brother was anointed as king, the Perumal, by the Brahmins, who required him to pledge "unwavering loyalty" to the Brahmin councilors. It was decided that the descendants of the royal princess and a Kerala Brahmin would inherit the throne of Kerala, ensuring that the offspring belonged to the Kshatriya varna under matrilineal descent. The Brahmins also arranged that each Kshatriya king should rule over Kerala for twelve years.
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Keralolpathi
The Keralolpathi (Malayalam: കേരളോല്പത്തി; IAST: Kēraḷōlpatti; transl. Origin of Kerala), formerly transliterated as "Kerala Ulpathy", is a Malayalam Hindu prose chronicle that deals with the mythical origins and legends of Kerala in southern India.
The Keralolpathi covers the legendary history of Kerala and its people from ancient times through the medieval period to the colonial era, serving as an early attempt to historicize Kerala as a distinct entity. The narrative is generally regarded by scholars as "an expression of the historical consciousness" rather than "a source of history". The text contains multiple historical layers, with the earliest influenced by Nambudiri-Brahmins and the later ones shaped by non-Brahmin (Nair) regional rulers. Some versions of the Keralolpathi were likely intended for public or community performance.
The currently available Keralolpathi texts were primarily composed in the Calicut (Samoothiri) and Cannanore (Kolathiri) countries of northern Kerala. The tradition was also adapted by the rulers of Cochin (Perumpadappu) in central Kerala.
The date of the Keralolpathi remains a subject of debate among Kerala historians. The existing versions of the text are generally dated between the 15th and 19th centuries AD. By the 18th century AD, modified versions of the text had begun to appear, varying from kingdom to kingdom and region to region across different parts of Kerala.
The Keralolpathi text exists in numerous manuscripts and multiple versions. The Tamil text "Keraladesha Varalaru" and parts of the Sanskrit text "Kerala Mahatmayam" notably employ the Keralolpathi tradition. The authorship of Keralolpathi is traditionally attributed to Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, the renowned 17th-century scholar from northern Kerala.
The currently extant versions of Keralolpathi are composed in heavily Sanskritized Malayalam prose. There are numerous versions of the text available, many of which exist in print editions. The texts are written from the perspective of Kerala's 17th- and 18th-century elites.
Keralolpathi traditions usually begin with an account of the god Parashurama creating Kerala (and Tulu country) by reclaiming it from the sea with a toss of his sacred battle axe (the Parasurama tradition). He then settled the land with Brahmins brought from "the north", establishing 64 villages, 32 of which were located in present-day Kerala. The Brahmins initially brought and settled refused to stay, returning to their original northern homeland out of fear of the ancient "serpents" of the land. In response, Parashurama brought "a second wave" of Brahmins. To prevent them from being accepted back if they attempted to return north, he "altered" their sacred hairstyle and dress code. Parashurama also convinced the Brahmin community to adopt "matrilineal descent" as a way to atone for his own matricidal sin. However, only one village, Payyannur in the north, complied with his request. As a result, he brought Shudras from other regions and established matriliny among them. He then sanctified 108 temples dedicated to gods Shiva, Shastha, and goddess Durga. Following this, he selected 36,000 Brahmins from various settlements and granted them "the right to carry weapons", sanctioning them to defend their land independently like the Kshatriyas, thus ruling Kerala as "brahmakshatra". He also introduced sacred rites, rituals, duties, and entitlements of Kerala.
Over time, however, the Brahmin rulers of Kerala, represented by the Four Kazhakams (the four settlements of Perunchellur, Payyannur, Paravur, and Chengannur), realized that governing the land compromised their integrity. They decided to appoint a Kshatriya as their king (during a meeting at Tirunavaya). Accordingly, a Kshatriya prince and his sister were invited to Kerala. The brother was anointed as king, the Perumal, by the Brahmins, who required him to pledge "unwavering loyalty" to the Brahmin councilors. It was decided that the descendants of the royal princess and a Kerala Brahmin would inherit the throne of Kerala, ensuring that the offspring belonged to the Kshatriya varna under matrilineal descent. The Brahmins also arranged that each Kshatriya king should rule over Kerala for twelve years.