Kodungallur
Kodungallur (anglicised name:
Cranganore ) and known in ancient times as Shinkli, Muchiri (anglicised to Muziris), Muyirikkodu, Muchiripattinam was a famous and prosperous sea-port at the mouth of the
Periyar (also known as
Choorni Nadi) river in the
southern Indian state of
Kerala. It is located about 38 km from the present day city of
Kochi at .
The name Muchiri (
Malayalam for broken lips) denotes the three branches of the Periyar river that open into the
Arabian Sea at the town.
Kodungallur was a critical trade link in
Indian Ancient Maritime History. It was known as
Muziris to
Pliny the Elder (N.H. 6.26) who describes it as
primum emporium Indiae.
The port was familiar to the author of the
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea which described it as being situated on river
Pseudostomos (
Greek for "false mouth" - a precise translation of the Malayalam description of the mouth of the Periyar,
Alimukam) two miles from its mouth .
The
ancient Greek explorer,
Hippalus landed at this port after discovering the patterns of the Indian
monsoon trade winds on his way from the East coast of Africa. The evidence of the
Peutinger Table suggests that there was a temple to the
Roman emperor Augustus.
The Greeks, the
Romans (known locally as the
Yavanas), and the
Jews all have come to this place at different times in its ancient history.
Roman gold and silver coins bearing impressions of Roman Emperors
Tiberius and
Nero were discovered in the village of Parur near the town during
2000.
A second-century papyrus from Egypt concerning the transshipment of goods originating in Muziris from the Red Sea to Alexandria attests the continued importance of the port in the Indian Ocean commerce a century after Pliny and the
Periplus.
Thomas the Apostle of
Jesus with his followers landed in Cranganore in the year
AD 52 and preached the
gospel. It thus became the earliest
Nasrani Syrian Christian centre of
Malabar with monuments built in the memory of Thomas still existing. The existence of a thriving
Christian Community here attracted the attention of others and the Bishops who came from
Persia chose this place for their residence. The bones of the right hand of St Thomas were placed in
1953 as a memento.
Malik Ibn Dinar and 20 others who were the followers of Prophet
Muhammad, the founder of
Islam, first landed here when they came to India. Islam received royal patronage in some states here, and later spread to other parts of India.
Kodungallur was also the capital of
Cheraman Perumal, that is known as the famous cherama Palli the last
Chera ruler, in the 7th century AD. After this, This place was ruled by
Perumpadapu Swaroopam till India's Independence.
Kodungallur is also famous for Bharani/Thalapoli Festivals.
The flood of the river in
1341 AD resulted in the splitting of the river into two tributaries at Thottummukham. That silted up the natural harbour at the mouth of the river, and resulted in the creation of a new harbour at Kochi. During this time there was the rise of the
Samoothiri Rajas of
Kozhikode. A local era called the
Putu Vaipu era was commenced in commemoration of this event.
The town was nearly completely destroyed by the Portuguese (Suarez de Menezes) on
September 1,
1504 in retaliation for the
Samoothiri Raja's actions against them.
Perumpadapu Swaroopam still has their roots here.
The present day natural beauty of the place is enchanting, and it is a popular tourist destination today.
The present day town has some very interesting monuments for the tourist to view:
* Kodungallur Bagavathy temple - believed to have been constructed during the reign of
Chera King, Cheran Senkuttuvan, is famous for its Bharani festival. The temple requires the pilgrim to carry pepper as one of the offerings to the deity.
*
Kali temple - has an interesting history since it portrays the
Hindu goddess,
Kali with only one breast. It was believed to have been built to immortalise a woman called Kannagi who was led through the wilderness by a
Jain monk, and who in turn led the local people. The temple is famous for its annual festival where alcohol is drunk and lewd songs are sung by
untouchables. The pattern of alternation makes it possible for a single female figure to contain polar opposite qualities; this female is both chaste and vulgar, socially proper and socially unacceptable, clean and unclean.
* Cheraman Jama Masjid - built around
612 AD by
Malik Ibn Dinar in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture and the bodies of some of the original followers is said to have been buried here. This is said to be first
mosque constructed in India. A block of white marble in the mosque is believed to have been brought from
Mecca.
Kodungallur has enjoyed various names over the past millennia. In addition to those mentioned previously these are Jangli, Gingaleh, Cyngilin, Shinkali, Chinkli/Jinkali, Shenkala, Cynkali, Columguria.
* Logan, William.
Malabar Manual, Delhi, Asian Educational Services, 2000, 1186 pgs. pp 312, ISBN 8120604466 (Originally published in Madras, 1887).
* Thür, G. 1987. Hypotheken Urkunde eines Seedarlehens für eine Reise nach Muziris und Apographe für die Tetarte in Alexandria (zu P. Vindob. G. 40. 8222).
Tyche 2:229-245.
* Menachery, Professor George.
Kodungallur - The Cradle of Christianity In India, Thrissur: Marthoma Pontifical Shrine, 2000, Ch.I
*
Perumpadapu Swaroopam*
Cochin Jews*
Knanaya*
Kerala*
Saint Thomas Christians*
Trichur*
Indian Christianity - Cranganore:Past and Present*
Indian Christianity - The Glory that was Cranganore
