The bygone days of Kannur City: The People who welcomed with soul and soil

Kannur City has welcomed the people from different parts of the world wholeheartedly from centuries. The Population of Kannur City consists of hundreds of Families who migrated to Kannur in flocks from Goa,Tamil Nadu, Kollam and Palakad.

The Arrakal Muslim Royal Dynasty of Kannur who once controlled the maritime business and markets in Kannur lost its monarchy and kingship after signing a treaty with the then British General Robert Abercromby in 1790 and was reduced to the status of governance and power.

Soon after this incident some business houses who had good ties with the Arrakal Royal Dynasty slowly started moving out. The British strategy of subduing the kingdom with such acts also played a major part in these events.

The Arrakal Beevi gave instructions to the officials to find a way out in solving this predicament of the reduction of food and grain stocks. During these days the officials of the kingdom noticed a ship that was sailing from Goa to Thalassery with food grains. The Officials stopped the ship and requested to halt at Kannur and distribute the food grains here in Kannur and the Kingdom is ready to give the price. It was found that the ship belonged to a businessman named Shenoy who was from the Gowda Saraswathi Brahmin Community. Shenoy was present on the Ship and he held a meeting with the Arrakal Beebi and a decision was made to trade the food grains in Kannur.

Soon more traders came to Kannur and warehouses and shops were given by the Arrakkal Dynasty to promote more trade. Initially around Forty Families came to settle in Kannur. The Arrakal Beebi allotted nearly Five acres of land in Thayyil for the settlers without any cost so that they could build their houses,temples and other properties and be part of the kingdom. This happened  during the 1790s to 1800s and the initial settlers were mostly Gowda Saraswath Brahmins.

Today around 150 families reside in Kannur out of which only 25 are present in Thayyil. The remaining families have migrated to different parts of kannur. The Only temple of the Gowda Saraswatha Brahmins in Kannur is in Thayyil. This was built in 1860 even though a monastery existed prior to this. The other temple in the district is in Thalasery.

In 1939 this temple became a part of an issue with regards to temple entry for higher castes and the denial of lower caste Hindus from entering the temples when some lower caste men entered this temple.

Soon after the settlement of the Gowda Saraswath Brahmins, the Christians from Goa came to Kannur City with their families to settle down. Their ancestors were in fact Gowda Saraswatha Brahmins who were forcefully converted  to Christianity during the time of Vasco da Gama who had captured  Goa.

In the beginning nearly 75 Christian families had come to Kannur City . They settled across places such as Thayyil, Padanna and Marrakarkandy were they purchased property from the local people. Then nearly 60 families from Kollam had migrated to Kannur City who settled in places such as Thayyil and Maidanapally. They are still known as Kollakaar or people from Kollam.

The Christian prayers and congregation was initially held in the Chapel which was built in 1792 which was later developed into a church in 1936 which is now known as the St. Antony’s Church. The U.P School was built in 1910 and this could be called as the first full fledged school developed by the then Government in Kannur City.

Note Prepared by : Haneef Kurikalakath, Senior Journalist, Kannur City

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Trans: Assad Hariz
Photos : Courtesy to Friends

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