As the British firmly established their dominance in erstwhile Travancore by 1840s, they also began to introduce their products in erstwhile Travancore. Kerosene became popular in the west in the 1850s. Kerosene lamps seemed to have taken over coconut, punna and marotti oil lamps by the turn of the 20th century (except for religious purposes). Kerosene lamps were explicitly banned in many temples in Kerala.
Kerosene was at first imported to Travancore by Alappuzha-based M/s Arnold Cheney & Co of New York and later M/s Ripley & Mackay. Burma-Shell came into the scene in 1928, importing and marketing kerosene. By 1930s petrol was also supplied. Meanwhile, oil was discovered in Assam in 1886 (Jaypore) and in 1889 (Digboi). By 1955, the refinery in Bombay High was opened. Distribution of LPG began in many places in the country.
While kerosene is a term with Greek roots, Mannenna in Malayalam means the oil from the earth. The lantern became ‘Ranthal’ (some say its origin is a Portuguese word) in Malayalam and spread fast among Malayalis.
In addition to ‘Ranthals’, and chimminivilakku, bicycles also had headlights that used kerosene and there were fans that worked with kerosene. The cans used to supply kerosene ( mannenna patta ) became a pop-percussion for kids and Malayali produced an eco-friendly seal for it, with Banana stem ( Kaalamundom).
The Ranthal is still around, but more as an ornamental light. Kerosene continues to be distributed through ration shops in Kerala, though mannenna paatta has given way to plastic cans ( khannas). Meanwhile, in 2014, Delhi announced that it had become a kerosene-free city, as a measure to reduce pollution.
Kerosene led to street lighting in the city, most likely, beginning from inside the Fort, the area of the privileged of the time.
Administration reports of Travancore confirm that streets in the city were lighted in 1870s: “Rupees 2449 have been expended in extending the lighting of the main roads and interior of the Fort in Trivandrum.”
It is not clear if it was kerosene lamps or traditional oil lamps, but is likely to be the former.
The kerosene lamps were lit by lamp lighters who carried bamboo ladders. For the convenience of placing the ladders, a horizontal bar was provided on lamp posts. The old lamp posts have almost completely vanished. One is preserved in the compound of old Padmavilasom palace, residence of the Dewan (now office of the Directorate of Technical Education). Another lamp post is preserved in the compound of Nagercoil Ammaveedu on the Airport road, near Eenchakkal. It also has the distinction of having shed light for Swami Vivekananda.
Octogenarian LalithaThankachi (a former student of the Sree Swathi Thirunal Music Academy) says that she had heard from elders in her family that Vivekananda Swami had visited the house and held discussions with her grandfather at the foot of this lamp. Her grandfather Achuthan Thampi was the adopted son of Ayilam Thirunal. Seeing the Swami walking by on the road in front of his house, he invited him inside, but the Swami chose to sit outside, at the foot of the lamp and had a chat with Thampi and accepted tender coconut water too.
( This is the fifth part of a series on lighting techniques in erstwhile Travancore)
