History of the Grama Panchayat

When tracing the heritage of this village, the period after the 12th century is closely associated with the history of the Perumpadappu Swaroopam (Kingdom of Cochin). Pazhayannur, Vannari in Ponnani, and Thiruvanchikulam served as the capitals of the Perumpadappu Swaroopam during different periods.

The devastating flood of 1341 caused the port of Kodungallur to become silted up and unusable. The development of Cochin Harbour and the threat posed by the Zamorin of Calicut also contributed to the eventual shifting of the capital to Cochin.

Vasco da Gama, who arrived in Calicut in 1498, began to interfere not only in trade but also in political affairs. In 1502, he returned with a fleet of 20 ships carrying soldiers and established Portuguese dominance in Cochin. The Portuguese engaged in the extensive export of pepper, cardamom, and other spices. In 1503, with Portuguese assistance, Cochin gained the upper hand by defeating the King of Edappally and the Zamorin.

By 1505, the Portuguese had acquired considerable influence. They appointed a Viceroy in Cochin and brought members of the junior branch of the royal family to power.

In 1663, at the request of the Zamorin and the rulers of Edappally and Kodungallur, the Dutch attacked and captured Cochin. They installed Veera Kerala Varma of the senior branch of the royal family as the king.

During the period of Paliyath Achan, who served as the commander-in-chief and prime minister of Cochin, the Dutch brought the kingdoms of Paravur, Alangad, and Vadakkumkoor under their control.

In 1756, the Zamorin invaded Alangad and brought it under his authority. In 1762, with the assistance of the Travancore army, the King of Cochin defeated the Zamorin and gifted Paravur and Alangad, which had belonged to Cochin, to Travancore.

For administrative convenience, Alangad was divided into six divisions: Manjali, Aluva, Angamaly, Chengamanad, Parakkadavu, and Kothakulangara. Over time, the Alangad royal family split into two branches, known as the Karutha Thavazhi (Black Branch) and the Velutha Thavazhi (White Branch). The headquarters of the White Branch was situated in an area known as Alangad-Kottappuram.

The northern boundary of the Alangad kingdom was the Periyar River, which also forms the boundary of the present-day Karumalloor Grama Panchayat.

Manjali, one of the six divisions, served as a military camp for the Mysore army during the Mysore invasions. The remains of Tipu's fort and a tunnel extending from the fort to the Periyar River can still be found in Manjali.

Although Tipu, the son of Hyder Ali, brought Alangad, a feudatory kingdom of Travancore, under the flag of Mysore in 1790, this situation did not last long. The Aluva River changed the course of events.

During summer, a sand embankment was constructed across the river to prevent seawater from flowing upstream and damaging agricultural land. This very embankment unexpectedly played a decisive role in the conflict. The Travancore army suddenly cut through the embankment. The resulting torrent swept away a Mysore military contingent that had been positioned on the sandy riverbed with its battle preparations, carrying the soldiers towards the sea. Those who managed to reach the southern bank, including Tipu himself, narrowly escaped the fierce attack of the Travancore army. According to the account, none of the other soldiers in the Mysore contingent involved in the battle survived.

Following the Treaty of Seringapatam in 1792, Mysore's domination over Kerala came to an end, and the entire region, except Wayanad, came under British control. Cochin and Travancore accepted British protection in full. The East India Company transferred responsibility for the regions of Paravur, Kunnathunad, and Alangad to Travancore. This arrangement continued until 1947.

The present-day panchayat formed part of the princely state governed by the Maharaja of Travancore.

The ancient Kanjirakkattu ancestral house, where Kunchikkutty Pillai, the Sarvadhikaryakkar (a high-ranking administrator) under the Maharaja of Travancore who led military campaigns against Tipu, was born, is located within the Karumalloor Panchayat. The Kanjirakkattu Bhagavathy Temple, associated with the family, also remains in the panchayat.

Dr. S. K. Nair, who was born and brought up in this panchayat, was a scholar of folk arts who conducted research and earned a PhD in the field. He served as a professor at the University of Madras and as a visiting professor at several universities abroad.

Kalappurakkal K. A. Damodara Menon, Narayana Pillai of Thazhatthu Veedu, popularly known as Paravur T. K., and V. C. Ahmedunni, a member of the Vezhapilly family of Veliyathunadu, were prominent figures who connected the panchayat with India's national freedom struggle.