Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

Ariyallur and Nirakaithakotta temples, all of them in the riverside alluvial regions and
holding considerable areas of paddy lands until recently. It is also not surprising that they
were held both by Kovilakams, such as Samuthiri raja holding Trikkulam devaswam, and
Tacharakkavil Eradi holding Ariyallur temple, and by Nambuthiri families, such as
Chiramangalath mana holding Ullanam devaswam and Velimattath Mussad and
Pappanur nambi holding Urayma over Pappanur Devaswam. This shows the standard
pattern of occupation of the river valleys seen in other parts of Kerala, through Brahmana
households and Kovilakams The existence of garden crops and substantial areas
cultivating modan until recently, may indicate that paramba cultivation in the elevated
regions might have developed even before the occupation of the river valleys, which
obviously required better knowledge of the seasons and sophisticated water management
systems, in which the Brahmanas might have played a significant role.
Another possibility has also to be discussed. The lands held by the Vettam royal family
and Alvancheri thamprakkal might indicate an expansion from the south. Families like
Moothedath mana, Thekkiniyedath Keerangat mana have relationship with the south
rather than with the north. Kalpakancheri, the Head of the Panniyur kur, does not appear
to own any land in the area. Even as the British occupied the region, parts of the area
were controlled by Vettathnad. Hence, it is possible that when the Samuthiri occupied the
land or even before that, parts of the area were occupied by migrants from the south.
However, one important qualification to the account of the process of migrations will to
be added. From the available information, only the Kovilakams, Nambutiris and some of
the nayars migrated as land holders, and very few of them except Parappanad
Thamburans, and possibly two or three Nambutiri illams seem to have migrated. The
ancient remains, mentioned earlier, probably indicate an indigenous population, and the
migrations resulted in the growth of a hierarchical agrarian and social order, and