The Paliath Achans, Prime Ministers of the rulers of the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin, were key figures in the history of Kerala. The Achans, who governed from their home, the Paliam Kovilakam, at Chennamangalam near North Paravur, devised military and administrative strategy for the Maharajah of Cochin and acted on his behalf.
Two new books, ‘Paliam History’ written by M. Radhadevi and ‘Paliam Charithram’, a Malayalam re-telling by Sreekumari Ramachandran, seek to illustrate the role of the Paliath Achans in the history of the State and their impact on its culture and life.
The book begins with a brief explanation of how the port town of Kochi rose to prominence in the 14th century following a massive flood of the Periyar which changed the landscape of the area and the city’s fortunes.
The Paliath Achans owed their allegiance to the Perumpadappu Swaroopam, the rulers of Cochin. The Paliam family is believed to have moved to Chennamangalam from Chavakkad along with the Perumpadappu Swaroopam following wars with neighbouring States. In Chennamangalam, the Paliath Achan found his position as the most powerful man in the Kingdom, second only to the King himself.
From the 16th to the 19th centuries, the successive Paliath Achans dominated the politics of Cochin. He led wars with the Samoothiri and the British, and negotiated treaties with the Dutch. The Paliath Achan was a master of arms and politics.
The book ‘Paliam History’ tells a comprehensive history of the Paliam family and their involvement in various wars. Copies of official and personal letters between the Paliath Achan and the rulers of Cochin and Travancore, and foreign powers draw a picture of the influence of the Paliam family. The letters show that the Paliath Achan was a close confidant of the Maharajah of Cochin.
Interesting documents
Achan regularly corresponded with the Dutch and the British Governors in India. These letters cover everything from the affirmation of the relationships between the States to the nitty-gritty of negotiations. The book covers the history of the Paliath Achans right up to the Paliam Partition of 1956. It also comments on the cultural life of the times through the history of the Paliam family. The letters published in the book are also interesting documents for Malayalam linguists, as it shows the evolution of the language over the years.
Both books, published by the Paliam Eswara Seva Trust, will be released at a function at the Paliam Kovilakam at Chennamangalam on Saturday.
