Calicut had areas of economic importance even before Zamorins: historian M.R. Raghava Varier

The rise and growth of Calicut is unlikely to be “a cause and consequence of the ascendancy of the Zamorins alone,’‘ as it had areas of economic importance in the early historic period of the megalithic phase itself, historian M.R. Raghava Varier has said.

He was presenting a paper at a symposium on ‘Calicut in history’ on the second day of the 43^rd South Indian History Congress at Malabar Christian College in Kozhikode on Saturday (November 9). It was K.V. Krishna Ayyar who linked the establishment of the port town to the emergence of the dynasty in his seminal work The Zamorins of Calicut.

Mr. Varier pointed out that the conflict between the Zamorins, who originally belonged to the Nediyiruppu Swarupam near Kondotty in Ernad taluk (now in Malappuram district), and the Polanad chiefs of the Porlatiri Swarupam, the traditional rulers of the coast of Calicut, was probably to get the ownership of those areas of economic importance. It could also be to gain control over the trade routes which spread all over the hinterland, providing outlet not only to the sea, but also to areas beyond the Western Ghats.

According to the legend, the two founders of the Zamorin’s kingdom received two fields, Kokkozhikode and Chullikkadu, and the sword of the last Cheraman Perumal, the sovereign of Kerala, with a royal sanction to “die, kill, and conquer”. Both these places are in the Kasaba Amsam in the city. “Kokkozhikode is a hillock overlooking the river Kallayi. In olden days, it could have served as a strategic point where one could have a view of the entire area, including the traffic in the river. Chullikkadu is mentioned in settlement registers as a ‘patanna’ or a salt pan. According to some authorities, there were 52 salt pans in the area, indicating it was a major economic activity there,” he said.

Thus, the ‘legendary gift’ consisted of a strategic point, Kokkozhikode, and an area of economic importance, Chullikkadu. Kokkozhikode also means the ‘Kozhikode’ that belonged to the king or ‘ko’. Mr. Varier said that the quarrel between the Porlatiris and the Zamorins was for the control of this area with immense resource potential. He also spoke about how the city grew through foreign trade with the Chinese and Arabs during the Zamorin rule.

V.V. Haridas, Professor, Department of History, University of Calicut, spoke about how the Zamorins were key patrons of high culture, as they strategically supported art, literature and religious rituals. Their patronage of the dance drama Krishnattam and Revathi Pattathanam, the annual assembly of scholars, were notable, he said. M.C. Vasisht also presented a paper and Jayaprakash Raghavaiah moderated the session.