Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

appears to have been relatively less known at that time. Vanjeri Granthavari refers to the
kavalpalam or protection dues from Mamburam Taramal to Triikandiyur temple, which
may indicate that the area was under Trikandiyur Devaswam (Narayanan (ed), 1987,
Doc.I-C). The reason for the decision of the Ba Alawis to take up residence in
Mamburam is hard to obtain from the existing evidence. Jamaluddin maqdum of Ponnani,
called by the people as ‘Arabi Thangal’ appears to have invited Sayyid Hassan Jifri to
settle at Mamburam. Jifri stayed at valiyakkathodi given by Kammu Molla, the Mutavalli
of Tirurangadi Juma masjid. Jifri then married Kammu Molla’s daughter, and set up
residence at Mamburam Taramal in the northern bank of Kadalundi River.
What led to this settlement? Two factors may be important. One is that Calicut, as we
have noticed was on a process of decline and had come under the influence of the English
factors operating from Thalassery, and the family was already familiar with the role of
the Europeans in fields of trade and proselytisation. Secondly, Calicut Muslims already
had their spiritual leaders in the Qazi and Musaliyar, who had their rights and privileges
traditionally sanctioned. Hence, it is possible that the family decided to take up their
residence in the newly growing region of Tirurangadi, with a dense Muslim population
and commercial activities that were rapidly developing. It is clear that Sayyid Hasan was
interested in transforming Mamburam into a spiritual centre, as the institution of blessing
, for which Mamburam is famous, was instituted by Sayyid Hasan.It should be noted that
another of the Sayyids, Ali Shihabuddin took up his residence in Panekkad also on the
banks of Kadalundi River in eighteenth century. Apart from the cultural importance of
this migration, which we will take up shortly, the settlement of the Sayyid family at
Mamburam illustrated the growing importance of Tirurangadi.
Sayyid Sheikh Jifri and his successor, Sayyid Hasan Jifri, were able to make a name as
pious Muslims, proselytizers, intellectuals, who also had the quality as healers.Their
impact among the local population is shown by the construction of the Mamburam