Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

British rule brought about complex changes in the region. The most obvious among the
changes was the transformation of political authority. Before the British conquest, the
region was part of several nadus. The regions of Olakara and Trikkulam were part of
Cheranad. Vallikkunnu, Neduva, Parappanangadi, Thenhippalam and Nannambra were
part of Southern Parappanadu. Places like Velimukku and Kodakkad are not mentioned at
all. Obviously they were part of other desams. Tirurangadi is also not mentioned as a
separate area, and was a part of Trikkulam. The region was treated as under the nominal
rule of the Samuthiri, but southern Parappanad was under the Parappukoyil and
Cheranad, under the Vettath Raja. The nadus were taken out of the control of these rajas
as well as the Samuthiri.
There were early rebellions against the British rule during the beginning of 19 th century.
In order to put down the rebellions, the British recruited Nair corps in 1802 against the
Mappilas. The records state that majority of the landlords also were Hindus and among
the 103 landlords summoned by Thomas warden only eight were Mappilas. (Sattar, 1999;
105) The seeds of the later revolts could be found here itself.
The survey of Ward and Conner (Ward and Conner, 1831) describes Cheranad as the
region bounded by Calicut and Beypore river in the north, Ernad and Urakathmala in the
north East, Valluvanad in the East, Vettathnad in the South and South-East, and a
seacoast of 12miles in the West, covering an area of about 165 ¾ square miles 37 square
miles of the area was covered by wetland agriculture, and the interior areas were ‘high
flats with extensive valleys between them’. The flat lands in the west were covered by
‘dense groves of Coconut, jack and other productive trees’. According to the estimates of
population made in 1827, the area had a density of population of about 400 per square
mile, with the highest density in the coastal area. Kadalundi river was’ navigable all the
way’ and ‘there are large streams having their sources in OOrutimallay(Urakathumala)
and valathur, meandering through the cultivated valleys join the river at alternate