Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

the Rajas of Beypore, Parappanad and Vettathnad were required to pay their revenues
through the Samuthiri (Logan 1951; 480)
The system of revenue was now being managed by a Pravarthyar or Adhikari, a Menon in
charge of the accounts and the Kolkar or assistant in all the Desams. These desams were
organized into hobilies and were further organized into taluks. A large part of the region
under discussion was organized as Parappanad taluk in 1801. Later, Parappanad and
Cheranad were included in Eranad taluk. The new system appears to have created a
number of new power centers at the local level. The most important among them was the
adhikari, who had all the information on the extent of lands, yield, nature of the tenure
and the amount collected as taxes, including the reduction given on special occasions.
The catcheries or the offices where the accounts are kept became the centers of power.
There are several places in the region where catcheries flourished, such as
katcherikkunnu in Vallikkunnu and catchery of Tirurangadi, now in Chemmad..
Memories of the people on British period hover around the adhikaris. Invariably
adhikaris are sources of power and terror. Majority of them were corrupt and oppressive.
Memories of people in the region refer to Kunhali adhikari of Munniyur, Kunhikkanna
Menon and Kumaran Nair of Velimukku, Moosakkutty of Tirurangadi as some of the
famous or infamous adhikaris. Among them only Kumaran Nair is fondly remembered.
Information shows that a large number of the adhikaris came from the landlord families
themselves or were related to them in some form. Kaprat Krishna Panikkar, murdered by
the mappilas in the Cherur incident, was an Adhikari.
Apart from the adhikaris, another center of power apparently emerged. They were kanam
holders of the major janmis who functioned as collectors of rent or karyasthas. In the
conventional literature, the Karyasthan is a man who shadows the janmis carrying the
betel box or umbrella, but he was a source of terror for the tenants. Thus Poozhikkal and