History

History of Local Administration

The erstwhile Kurumbranad Taluk was part of British Malabar. Before the British established the taluk, the Meppayyur region was under the authority of the Kurumbranad royal dynasty. The jurisdiction of the Kurumbranad dynasty comprised the amshams of Kottur, Thrikkurttissery, Naduvannur, Kavunthara, Iyyad, Panangad, Nediyanad, Kizhakkode and Madavoor. The ruler of the dynasty was the Thampuran of the Kizhakkedath Kovilakam near Balussery.

The British formed Kurumbranad Taluk by bringing together certain parts of Kurumbranad, some amshams of Thamarassery Nadu, and the entire regions of Payyanad, Kadathanad and Payyormal. The amshams belonging to Payyormal included Paleri, Cheruvannur, Meppayyur, Perambra, Kayanna, Karayad and Iringath.

Payyormal was under the authority of the Avinjatt Kuthali Nairs, also known as the Payyor Nairs, of Paleri. The ruler of the region held the title Payyormal Kotheraman. They were independent local rulers, and their allegiance to the Kurumbranad royal dynasty and the Zamorin was largely nominal.

It is believed that Payyur was one of the important areas of Payyormal and that the name Meppayyur originated from it. The administrative centre of Meppayyur Grama Panchayat is Venkapparapoyil, popularly known as Meppayyur Town. The town is situated in the Kayalad and Meppayyur localities.

There are different views regarding the origin of the name Venkapparapoyil. One traditional belief is that the name evolved from Bakanpara. However, the explanation that the term Venkalpara, referring to the abundance of white stone (venkal), gradually evolved into Venkappara is considered a more plausible interpretation.

History of the Freedom and Social Reform Movements

Meppayyur has traditionally been an agrarian society, with its social structure closely linked to agriculture. The economic system was largely dependent on farming communities who did not own land, while most of the land in the village was concentrated in the hands of a small number of large landholders. Kattumadam Namboothiri of Ponnani was one of the prominent landholders.

The national movement began to acquire an organised form in Meppayyur towards the end of the 1920s. Campaigns against untouchability, Hindi classes and adult education programmes were widely organised. In 1930, as part of the Salt Satyagraha movement, a procession led by E. P. Kunhikkannan Nambiar of Pallikkara received significant public receptions at Meppayyur and Narakkott.

At Narakkott, three enthusiastic participants expressed their protest by burning foreign-made cloth. Following this procession, E. C. Appu Nambiar emerged as an active advocate of the national movement.

The spinning activities organised at Vakayattillam under the leadership of E. C. Appu Nambiar, Thekkekopparath Gopalan Nair, Nagathinkal Kunhiraman Nair, Damodaran Embranthiri and Vakayattillam Kunjikrishna Embranthiri, as well as similar activities conducted at Kozhukallur under the leadership of Pushpoth Nambissan, deserve special mention. Adult education classes held at Kozhukallur and Nidumpoyil also contributed significantly to the movement.

Social discrimination, including restrictions on lower-caste communities and the struggle for dignity and social recognition, was an important issue of the period. In 1939, an Anti-Untouchability Conference attended by Kelappaji was held at Narakkott, with Dr. Kutty as its president. Following the resolutions adopted at the conference, two Pulaya children were admitted to Kozhukallur Lower Primary School for the first time.

Kattumadam, based at Ponnani, had extensive landholdings and spiritual influence across Malabar. The institution maintained 366 mathams in different parts of Kerala, including Sreekandamanashala Matham and Kattumadam in the Meppayyur region.

The practice of using human beings in place of cattle for ploughing fields was among the most severe forms of social oppression that existed in the region. In the Meppayyur and Kozhukallur areas, members of the Paraya community were subjected to such inhuman treatment. In protest against this discrimination, E. C. Appu Nambiar organised the Paraya community and led a procession. He also participated with members of the community in a wedding feast at the house of a prominent landlord. The procession led by E. C. Appu Nambiar created considerable social awareness and public discussion.

The incidents connected with the burning of Ration Shop No. 330 and the subsequent police repression also form an important chapter in the political history of Meppayyur. The Kuthali Farmers' Struggle remains a significant symbol of the history of agrarian movements in the erstwhile Kurumbranad Taluk.

History of Transportation

The early transportation history of Meppayyur began with three major unpaved roads: the Perambra–Payyoli Road, the Meppayyur–Keezhppayur Road and the Meppayyur–Cheruvannur Road. The Payyoli–Meppayyur Road was the first road in the Panchayat to be tarred.

Today, the major roads of the Panchayat pass through locations that provide convenient connectivity in accordance with the geographical features of the region.

Cultural History

Meppayyur is a land that has produced many gifted and distinguished personalities and has a rich cultural heritage. An earlier generation deeply aware of the diverse possibilities of art and culture made significant contributions to the cultural life of the region.

E. Raman Master, Panisseri Kunhammad Master, Vakayattillam Damodaran Embranthiri, Achikkulangara Ukkaran Nambiar and M. K. Chappan Nair were among the prominent personalities who lived in this region. Their contributions extended across folk arts, ritual arts, classical art forms, journalism, storytelling, youth festivals, poetry, literature, sports, chess and social service.

The village has a distinctive cultural tradition rooted in devotion and spiritual practices. Its numerous temples, places of worship and diverse traditional art forms bear testimony to this heritage.

Among the prominent temples in the region are Mangattummal Paradevatha Temple at Meppayyur Town, Kandamanashala Matham Bhagavathi Temple at Madathumbhagam, Kattumadam Temple, Cherusseri Bhagavathi Temple and Shiva Temple at Kozhukallur, Kulangara Paradevatha Temple at Nidumpoyil, Kayalukandi Temple, Chavatta Subrahmanya Temple, Kokkerni Guruji Temple, Kuniyil Temple at Keezhppayur, temples at Vilayattoor and Puthiyedath, and Ayimpadi Temple.

The Chavatta Subrahmanya Temple and the Kozhukallur Shiva Temple are notable for their male deities. Kokkerni preserves elements associated with the Tantric tradition, while the deity at Ayimpadi Temple is regarded as a deified human figure. Most of the other temples are dedicated to forms of the Mother Goddess.

The worship of feminine divine power reflects the traditions and way of life of the agrarian communities. Both the ritualistic and philosophical dimensions of religious belief were prevalent in the region. Temples served as centres of ritual practices, while Yogimathams or Choyimathams indicate the existence of centres associated with spiritual and philosophical traditions.

Traditional folk arts such as Parichakali, Vattakali, Poorakkali, Kolkali, Kuthirakolam and Malayan Pattu have devotion and faith as their principal themes, while some also reflect the everyday life and experiences of the people. Maran Pattu, traditionally performed as part of rituals intended to protect pregnant women from perceived supernatural influences, represents another expression of the community's traditional cultural beliefs.

The noteworthy activities of the Cheruvattatt Kathakali troupe and drama troupe form an integral part of Meppayyur's cultural history. Manattu Govindan Nair, who received the President of India's Award for his contribution to Kathakali crown-making, is a source of pride for the village. His creations have been displayed at the National Museum in Delhi.

Meppayyur's theatrical tradition was already well known in the 1920s. During that period, a theatre troupe is said to have conducted performances continuously for ten days near Meppayyur Angadi. As part of the national movement and the agrarian communist movement, art and theatre were used as powerful means of raising awareness against social inequalities and outdated customs.

Drama and music witnessed significant development in the region, with E. Raman Master playing a leading role. One notable event in the history of theatre was the staging of Abdul Razak, a play directed by E. Raman Master in 1951 as part of the jubilee celebrations of Elambilad Mappila Upper Primary School at Vilayattoor.

Meppayyur has also produced several accomplished instrumentalists and musicians. Organisations such as the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad, Progressive Arts and Literature Association and Balasangham have played an active role in the cultural life of the region.

Sports and Traditional Games

The roots of Meppayyur's sporting culture can be traced to its traditional Kalaris. The region has been home to several renowned and accomplished masters and practitioners of traditional martial arts.

According to local tradition, the original form of the name Payyormal was Aivar Mala, referring to the five Pandava brothers. It is believed that archery competitions developed as a traditional sporting activity in the Payyormal region as a commemoration of the Pandavas.

Archery competitions continue to have a strong place in the traditional life of the Payyur region. During the Onam season, these competitions add colour, excitement and vibrancy to village life and remain an important part of the region's cultural heritage.