The Great
Konkan Run – Day 20: Part II
The Spice
District of Mattancherry, Vallarpadam, Kodangallur, Azhikode, Munakkal Beach, Thrissur
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| Fishing on the River Periyar in Azhikode |
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| Vallarpadam Church |
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| Rubber Exchange in Mattancherry, Fort Kochi |
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| The 16th Century Our Lady of Life's Church in Mattancherry also known as Coonan Cross Church |
Jews fleeing persecution
from Europe and Goa were given places to set up trade around the Mattancherry
Palace by the Raja. In the coming years and centuries, Kochi will be the hub of
spice trade in Malabar. Weathered down houses and warehouses line up the Bazar
Road that runs parallel to the harbour and where the ships would come in and
load up with these spices grown on the hills all around here. You will have a up, close and nasal experience
in this Spice Wonderland.
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| St. Sebastian's Church established in 1833, Thoppumpady in Kochi |
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| St. Sebastian's Church in Pullarthy, Kochi |
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| St. Sebastian's Church |
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| Interesting mix of elements at the St. Sebastian's Church |
This time you find the Gateway
to Cochin Bridge to cross into the Willingdon Island. From Willingdon, you will
take the Vikranth Bridge to come to the Ernakulam mainland. There is more
island hopping coming up. Moving north towards Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary, you
will turn left on Goshree Bridge towards Bolgatty Island. You will see more
Chinese Fishing Nets in these backwaters while buildings have sprouted in
water. Yes, next to the bridge, several buildings have actually sprouted from
the water like a concrete grove of coconut palms, except they draw derision
from you. This is unbelievable. You would expect Kerala to be different from
other states. But then with money sloshing around, buildings instead of amrut
will emerge from the sea. The Supreme Court did order the demolition of
buildings in the Maradu area of Ernakulum. Hope they demolish these buildings
too and punish the officials who allowed this construction.
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| National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom - Vallarpadam, Ernakulam, Kerala |
You have crossed over into
the Vallarpadam Island known for the huge container depot and the church of
miracles. Towering over the huge approach stands the twin bell towers flanking
the façade of the National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom. The church
was established by the Portuguese and was a small shed dedicated to the Holy
Spirit when it was washed away in floods of 1676. The local Prime Minister
found the wooden painting of Mother Mary and Child titled ‘Blessed Mother Mary
of Mercy’ when surveying the damage. He donated land for the church to be
built. The altar of the church still has the painting. Over the years, Mother
Mary came to be known as Vallarpadathamma (Mother of Vallarpadam) and pilgrims
come here for her blessings.
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| Praying to Vallarpadathamma |
Inside there are no pews
and devotees, who are mostly women, are kneeling down in prayers. They say
miracles keep happening here every week. You don’t wish for a miracle. Such
trips are a miracle in themselves.
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| Climbing atop Marian Towers - Vallarpadam |
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| National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom - Vallarpadam, Ernakulam, Kerala |
You have still not been
able to go up a light tower. For the first time, you will be going up the bell
towers. For one of the bell-towers you can buy a ticket and go up on the lift.
Up here the views are exhilarating. All you can see are the waters and the
green vegetation. Yes, some buildings too on the marshland. You won’t be
surprised that when you are here next, Vallarpadam, too just like all cities in
the country has turned into another urban horror. That is why we need punitive
punishments for the authorities.
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| Backwaters of Vypin Island |
You are now crossing into
the Vypin Island. Interestingly, the island owes its existence to the same set
of cataclysmic events that turned Kochi into a hub of spice trade and closed
the doors on the ancient port of Muziris.
Muziris
– Dwarka of Malabar
You are making your way
north to Kodungallur. Muziris would have been in the vicinity of Kondungallur;
also known as Cranganur or Cranganore in earlier times, a taluka in Thrissur
district. Archaeologists are not sure so they have been digging up the area and
unearthing varied artefacts that show the importance of Muziris and the Malabar
coast as a major trading hub. Muziris or Muzirispatinam is the Mouziris of the
Romans and Muciri of ancient Tamil Sangam literature. Romans, Greeks, Jews,
Phoenicians, Arabs had been coming to Malabar in their merchant ships even
before the Christian Era. In fact, the Jews and Christians came to India first
here in Muziris. Those early days, Muziris was ruled by the Perumals, the
Western Cheras, and you are going to visit India’s first mosque reportedly
built by them. Then Kodangallur was called Makotai or Mahodayapuram.
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| Cheraman Juma Masjid, Kodungallur, Kerala |
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| India's Oldest Mosque: Cheraman Perumal Mosque, built in 629 AD, Kodungallur |
On the main street, in a
gated complex among the trees stands the Cheraman Juma Masjid. It is a small
pastel blue structure apparently built and rebuilt over the years since 629 AD
when it was first built on the orders of the local Chera King, Perumal. The
always to rely upon for some good old-style mayhem, the Portuguese demolished
this mosque too. In the coming years, the Dutch and English will destroy
Portuguese and each other’s churches.
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| Model of the original Cheraman Mosque - Cheraman Islamic History Museum, Kodangallur, Kerala |
You are walking in the back
towards the Cheraman Islamic History Museum. The museum is a tiled clean place
with the model of the original mosque. There are a couple of laterite bricks
that were apparently part of the original structure, few models of a Chinese fishing
nets, sailboats and few pots and other artefacts recovered from excavations. There
is other paraphernalia probably collected and donated over the years.
Now this is what you are
looking for. The display has the leaflet of recently conceived Muziris Heritage
Project by Kerala Tourism. So instead of buses, there are Hop-On-Hop-Off boats
that you can ride on the backwaters and see these three circuits that will
transport you to the Golden Age of Spice Trade of the Mysterious Muziris.
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| Muziris - Map of the general area in Kodungallur |
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| Circuits of Muziris Heritage Project |
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| A beautiful traditional bungalow |
There is so much to see
here in Kodungallur. There is Pattanam, a site of excavations with interesting
finds; there is Chendamangalam with its synagogue, church, mosque and temple,
Paliam Palace, Bhagavathy Temple and Kottappuram Fort. You will come back soon
to go through these circuits. A 3000 year history of Muziris will need few days
to explore. For now you are walking to see the Shiv Temple few metres away
based on a local tip.
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| Shiv Temple of Thiruvanchikulam in Kodungallur |
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| One of the four gateways into the temple complex |
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| First time seeing sculptures in Kerala temple |
The Shiv Temple
of Thiruvanchikulam is a nicely preserved laterite temple maintained by ASI.
You love these steel and laterite signs put up by Kerala ASI at every heritage
site. The 11th-12th century temple has fortress like walls whose plinth
apparently is granite while the upper laterite part is covered with plaster
with pilaster work that you saw at Sri Rajarajeshwar Temple in Kannur. Of
course, the fortress like setting could not discourage Tipu Sultan who looted
and damaged the temple. Wooden brackets support the gabled sloping wooden roof
topped with reed tiles. For the first time in Kerala you are seeing sculptures
on the granite stone.
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| Map of Thiruvanchikulam Shiv Temple in Kodangallur |
The caretaker who saw you
come in is following you like a shadow. At least he allowed you inside in your
Robinson Crusoe looks and attire. But he will not allow any photography. This
really sucks big time. There is no use arguing with these people saying this is
an ASI temple and that you are not taking photos inside the garbhgriha. The
only photos you can manage are from outside and he has already chased you out
in five minutes flat. And this brings you back to the argument why you like going
to churches where everybody minds their own business and lets you be.
Love Churches -
they are always open, they are open to all, they are spotlessly clean, there
are no photography restrictions, you could be wearing anthing; there is no
dress code and there are no pot-bellied people harassing and chasing you
And that’s where you will
go now. There are lots of temples and synagogues around here but they will have
to wait for another day. This is the wonder of Kodangallur; the likes of a
place you will not find anywhere in the world where temples, mosques, churches
and synagogues all co-exist in this shining example of multi-culturism.
The Marthoma Church is
built on the banks of quietly flowing Periyar River. Under the shade of trees, men
nap on the concrete benches and look out at the river as the occasional boat
hums by. You could kill to find such a spot in your city.
Ponnode
vanthu kariyode poka
Come with gold and go with pepper –
that is how Sangam literature describes trade in Muziris
It is unfathomable to
believe now that the same westerners who today frown upon and pour scorn on the smells of India’s
spices and curries once risked their lives sailing over unchartered seas to
attain this small ugly pearl. The black-pepper became a status symbol. It
would add spice to the dishes of the wealthy who would show-off their stash of
pepper to guests. Tributes were paid in thousands of pounds of pepper. The wealthy would body-spray pepper scented Axe and turn into chick magnets. For later activities, aphrodisiacal pepper made them longer lasting like the Energizer Bunny. The Roman
emperors paraded their wealth through their acquisitions from the East. Pepper
was needed by the ordinary folk too who would preserve the meat of the
slaughtered cattle in the long winter months. Pepper was the only medicine
available that was used to treat fevers. The higher priests would wear garlands
made of pepper which would cure all diseases just by smelling the garlands.
Sangam Literature: A tantalizing description of Muziris is
in Akanaṉūṟu, an anthology
of early Tamil bardic
poems (poem number 149.7-11) in Eṭṭuttokai:
The city where the beautiful vessels,
the masterpieces of the Yavanas [Ionians], stir white foam on the Culli [Periyar],
river of the Chera, arriving with gold and departing with pepper-when that
Muciri, brimming with prosperity, was besieged by the din of war (Wiki)
The merchants of middle
east smelled the opportunity and droves of Egyptians and Phoenicians ships landed
on the shores of Muziris and took back sackfuls of the black pearls. Periplus Maris Erythraei probably written in 1st AD reports one major item of trade was "great quantities of spice". Who could have
believed that these wild creepers that twined around the jackfruit trees in the ownerless hills yielded
these magic fruits? From then on pepper became the black pearl of the hills with the pet name 'curry.' From Aden it would make its way around the Red Sea and
Mediterranean and by the time it reached Rome and Greece, there was a markup of
200 times. Pliny the Elder lamented how pepper emptied out Roman treasuries.
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| The Spice Route - Muziris to Bernike and then by Nile to Alexandria and to Rome |
Soon the Greeks would
dis-intermediate the Arabs and would unfurl their sails to the south-west winds
of the monsoons and reach Muziris in forty days from the port of Bernike on the
Red Sea. Every year about 120 ships would come. Goods would be exchanged,
payment made in gold. Muziris, Pliny in 1st Century CE would
declare, just like Alexandria, was the Emporium in India.
Another
interesting story is about Cleopatra, the last queen of the Hellenistic
Ptolemiac Kingdom in Egypt. It is said that she had known the Chera Kings because of
the long history of trade between Alexandria and Muziris. She wanted to make
her son Caesarion, the future king of Rome. She feared for his life at the
hands of Octavius and there was a talk of her hiding Caesarion in
Muziris! When she died, the embalmers would have put some Malabar black pepper in her nostrils.
Wiki Account:
After
the defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in
31 BC, Cleopatra seems to have groomed Caesarion to take over as
"sole ruler without his mother".[2] She
may have intended to go into exile, perhaps with Antony, who may have hoped
that he would be allowed to retire as Lepidus had. Caesarion reappears in the
historical record in 30 BC, when Octavian invaded Egypt and searched for
him. Cleopatra may have sent Caesarion, 17 years old at the time, to
the Red Sea port
of Berenice for safety, possibly as part of
plans for an escape to India; he may have been sent years
earlier, but the sources are unclear. Plutarch does
say that Caesarion was sent to India, but also that he was lured back by false
promises of the kingdom of Egypt:
Caesarion,
who was said to be Cleopatra's son by Julius Caesar, was sent by his mother,
with much treasure, into India, by way of Ethiopia. There Rhodon, another tutor
like Theodorus, persuaded him to go back, on the ground that [Octavian] Caesar
invited him to take the kingdom.
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| The Perfect Spot - Boat Spotting at River Periyar |
Sitting on the bench and
looking out at Periyar you can see ships with their sails unfurled leaving the
harbour laden with spices and other Indian goodies; some carrying 250 tonnes of
cargo. Roman and Greek merchants (Yavanas) who have just spent the monsoons
here in Malabar, stand on the deck with their robes billowing in the north-east
winds, taking last look at the people who had taken care of them and the women
who have loved them over the years. The arrivals and departures would continue
for years until the waters decide to change the narrative.
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| Map of the Roman Times - Muziris is shown at the right bottom corner (wiki) |
You are back in
times of long ago. This land had something magical that brought people from all
over the world to these shores. The Romans could not get enough of black pepper
and bankrupted themselves buying it with gold. In 5th century, Roman Empire folded up. The ships stopped coming
and Muziris started to lose its golden sheen. In the 14th century
cataclysmic events flooded the Choorni, also called the Periyar River. Muziris
was submerged in the waters, its harbour lost. It was the end of the glorious
Muziris. Waters brought wealth to the city and waters finished it all in a
matter of days.
A little distance to the
south, the waters opened a new port. The ships and merchants moved to the
sleepy village of Kochazhi. New warehouses were opened in Mattancherry. The
descendants of the ruling Perumals also moved to the now thriving city and port
of Kochi. Muziris was already forgotten. Muziris that was spoken of by Sugriva
to the monkeys leaving to search for Sita in the Kishkindha Kand; that was
mentioned in the Sabha Parva of the Mahabharat and Varahmihira’s Brihatsamhita
has disappeared from the landscape. Even Krishna could not save Dwarka. Muziris
was just a port.
It is time to go see the
Church. Kodangallur is the place where St. Thomas first arrived in 52 AD. So, logically
this Church probably would be the first church in India and the church you saw
on the way to Kochi in Palayur would be the second in the series of seven
churches that the apostle established in India. The current structure of the Marthoma
Pontifical Church, was built in 1953 on the banks of River Periyar in the
village Azhikode. The architecture is inspired by the classical Greeks with a
pediment porch and a dome. A colonnaded walkway makes an arch leading to the porch. The interiors are modest. The altar has the relic of
right hand bone of St Thomas, turning the shrine into a destination of
devotees from across the country.
The soporific Periyar has
lulled you into this sweet stupor. No more churches or temples for now. You are
heading to the Munakkal Beach where Periyar meets the Arabian Sea.
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| The Chinese Fishing Nets on River Periyar in Azhikode |
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| Chinese Net being repaired - River Periyar in Azhikode |
Chinese Fishing nets are
sprawled across the Periyar as you walk the pathway to the Munakkal Beach. It
is a back breaking job as the net is raised and lowered into the waters
repeatedly. There isn’t much luck as each dive of the net brings up a single or
two average sized fish. The net design is quite innovative but not too sophisticated.
It is all built of wooden poles and is apparently easy to maintain and fix. The
cantilevered net has counterweights which keeps the frame holding the net from
not collapsing into water and just hover over the water. The net sinks into the
water and scoops up fishes.
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| Map of Azhikode and Munakkal Beach |
Up ahead on the corner
where serene Periyar meets the rough Arabian Sea, sitting atop the concrete
tetrapods, people angle for fishes. Every now and then excited waves of Arabian
Sea crash into the barriers drenching the anglers. The Brahminy Eagle circles
overhead. The crows hop on the beach just out of reach of the lapping waves.
The fishing trawlers make a beeline for the seas where they will fish in the
quiet of the dusk. The crew of the Chinese Fishing Net raise the net and there
is no fish. In one swoop, the eagle skims over the waters, and plucks the fish
in its claws. The crow gobbles up a stranded fish on the beach. The fishing
crew has hit the jackpot. Excited cries rent the air as an angler snares a big
one.
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| Munakkal Beach, Azhikode, Thrissur District, Kerala |
The golden sands of
Munakkal Beach spread to the north. Sun is setting in the hazy sky. A few families
are out on the beach. The darkening skies quietens the air while the waves
continue their twosome salsa dance with the sands. It is as if the live band
has packed up and gone home while the couple in love still dances on the floor
to the unheard music. That delicious stupor seems to have hit few notches
higher. The buzz is incredible. You could just sit here on the rocks and let
the intoxication wash over you. This will be your last evening watching the sun
go down on the Malabar coast. It took almost a lifetime to get here. You are
not sure when you will be here next. These few days here have given you some
idea what made all these people from across the seas head to this
land of backwaters, sand, hills and those black pearls. Like the Yavana on the
sailboat, you will be back here again next year riding the monsoon winds.
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| Moon Shining over River Periyar |
Full moon shines over the
Periyar. Long ago these waters were Rivers of Gold. Now the waters shimmer in ephemeral silver.
These waters of Periyar write the story of Malabar and Muziris. Nobody knows
what twists the next page holds for Muziris. The world is changing fast. And Periyar watches
it all. The Jews have reached ‘The Promised Land’. Roman, Greek, Portuguese,
Dutch, British empires are long gone. The Phoenicians have been subsumed. But some
things do not change - the monsoon winds still blow over the Arabian Sea. Who will they bring next? The
rivers have the power to create and destroy civilizations; and Periyar could
already be plotting its next move.
You will stay in Thrissur
for the night.
The journey continues.
Day's Progress
References
The most comprehensive guide
Malabar by William Logan, Vol I & II, 1887 & 1951
Muziris - pages 78, 79, 250, 251 Cleopatra - 248
Early
History of Malabar
The Land of the Permauls,
Or Cochin, Its Past and Its Present by Francis Day (1863)
The Cochin State Manual by
C. Achyuta Menon (1911)
The Saga of Muziris by
Sethu – translated by Prema Jayakumar – Pages 55, 107, 111, 200, 289
Our Lady of Life’s Church
in Mattancherry
Coonan Cross Church
The
Miracles of Vallarpadam Church
Muziris
Muziris
Heritage Project
Detailed
Story on the Excavations
Spices
Spice: The History of Temptation
by Jack Turner
If you liked the blogpost then
Very very interesting. It seems while going to Kodungallur from Vallarpadam through Vypin you missed the Pallipuram fort (Actually a hexagonal watch tower), supposed to be the oldest European structure in India.
ReplyDeleteYes Sir, missed the Pallipuram Fort on the way to Muziris. Now that I am looking at the map it was on the main road. Probably it did not have a sign and i missed it while researching. Will look for it next time! Thanks Sir for reading. Regards
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