Malabar District
Encyclopedia
Malabar District was an administrative district of Madras Presidency
in British India and independent India's Madras State
. The British district included the present-day districts of Kannur
, Kozhikode
, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad
(excluding the Chittur Taluk), and Chavakad Taluk of Thrissur District
(former part of Ponnani Taluk
) in the northern part of Kerala
state. The district lay between the Arabian Sea
on the west, South Canara District
on the north, the Western Ghats
to the east, and the princely state
of Cochin
to the south. The district covered an area of 15,009 km (5795 square miles), and extended 233 km (144.8 mi) along the coast and 40–120 kilometers (25–75 miles) inland. The name Mala-bar means the "hill country".
in 1792 by Tipu Sultan
of Mysore
at the conclusion of the Third Anglo-Mysore War
; Wayanad was ceded in 1799 at the conclusion of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
. The region was organized into a district of Madras Presidency
. The administrative headquarters were at Calicut (Kozhikode
). After Indian independence, Madras Presidency was reorganized into Madras state, which was divided along linguistic lines on November 1, 1956, when Malabar District was merged with the Malayalam-speaking Kasaragod District
immediately to the north and the state of Travancore-Cochin
to the south to form the state of Kerala. Malabar District was divided into the three districts of Kozhikode
, Palakkad
, and Kannur
on January 1, 1957. Malappuram District was created from parts of Kozhikode
and Palakkad
in 1969, and Wayanad District
was created in 1980 from parts of Kozhikode
and Kannur
.
The name Malabar was not in general use until the arrival of the Europeans
. The word is most probably the fusion of the Dravidian
Mala (Hill) and Puram (region) derived or westernized into bar. Malabar may so be taken to mean the hill country, a name well suited to its physical characteristics.
Wayanad District:
Kozhikode District:
Malappuram District:
Palakkad District:
Thrissur District:
Note:
Kasaragod
and Hosdurg taluks in Kasaragod district
is sometimes considered as part of Malabar region, however not part of erstwhile Malabar district.
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
in British India and independent India's Madras State
Madras State
Madras State was the name by which the Indian districts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Northern Kerala, Bellary and Dakshina Kannada were collectively known as from 1950 to 1953....
. The British district included the present-day districts of Kannur
Kannur district
Kannur District is one of the 14 districts in the state of Kerala, India. The town of Kannur is the district headquarters, and gives the district its name. The old name Cannanore is the anglicised form of the Malayalam name Kannur. Kannur District is bounded by Kasaragod District to the north and...
, Kozhikode
Kozhikode district
Kozhikode District , formerly Calicut, is a district of Kerala state, situated on the southwest coast of India. The city of Kozhikode, also known as Calicut, is the district headquarters. The district is 38.25% urbanised...
, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad
Palakkad district
Palakkad District is one of the 14 districts of the Indian state of Kerala. The city of Palakkad is the district headquarters. Palakkad is bordered on the northwest by the Malappuram District, on the southwest by the Thrissur District and on the east by Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. The...
(excluding the Chittur Taluk), and Chavakad Taluk of Thrissur District
Thrissur district
Thrissur is a revenue district of Kerala situated in the central part of that state. Spanning an area of about 3,032 km2, Thrissur district is home to over 10% of Kerala’s population. Thrissur district was formed on July 1, 1949, with the headquarters at Thrissur City. Thrissur is known as...
(former part of Ponnani Taluk
Ponnani taluk
Ponnani Taluk is a tehsil in the Indian state of Kerala. Its Headquarters is in Ponnani.- Villages :There are 11 villages this taluk:# Perumpadappu# Veliyankode# Marancheri# Alamcode# Nannamukku# Ezhavathuruthi# Vattamkulam# Edappal# Tavanur...
) in the northern part of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
state. The district lay between the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
on the west, South Canara District
South Canara
South Canara was a district under the British empire, located at . It was bifurcated in 1859 from Canara district. It was the undivided Dakshina Kannada district...
on the north, the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
to the east, and the princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
of Cochin
Kingdom of Cochin
Kingdom of Cochin was a late medieval Hindu kingdom and later Princely State on the Malabar Coast, South India...
to the south. The district covered an area of 15,009 km (5795 square miles), and extended 233 km (144.8 mi) along the coast and 40–120 kilometers (25–75 miles) inland. The name Mala-bar means the "hill country".
History
Most of Malabar District was included among the territories ceded to the British East India CompanyBritish East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
in 1792 by Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
of Mysore
Kingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
at the conclusion of the Third Anglo-Mysore War
Third Anglo-Mysore War
The Third Anglo-Mysore War was a war in South India between the Sultanate of Mysore and the British East India Company and its allies, including the Mahratta Empire and the Nizam of Hyderabad...
; Wayanad was ceded in 1799 at the conclusion of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
The Fourth Anglo-Mysore War was a war in South India between the Sultanate of Mysore and the British East India Company under the Earl of Mornington....
. The region was organized into a district of Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. The administrative headquarters were at Calicut (Kozhikode
Kozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
). After Indian independence, Madras Presidency was reorganized into Madras state, which was divided along linguistic lines on November 1, 1956, when Malabar District was merged with the Malayalam-speaking Kasaragod District
Kasaragod district
Kasaragod District is one of the districts of the Indian state of Kerala. Kasaragod District was organised as a separate district on 24 May 1984...
immediately to the north and the state of Travancore-Cochin
Travancore-Cochin
Travancore-Cochin or Thiru-Kochi is a former state of India . It was created on 1 July 1949 by the merger of two former princely states, the kingdoms of Travancore and Cochin....
to the south to form the state of Kerala. Malabar District was divided into the three districts of Kozhikode
Kozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
, Palakkad
Palakkad
Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...
, and Kannur
Kannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
on January 1, 1957. Malappuram District was created from parts of Kozhikode
Kozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
and Palakkad
Palakkad
Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...
in 1969, and Wayanad District
Wayanad District
Wayanad District in the north-east of Kerala, India, was formed on November 1, 1980 as the 12th district by carving out areas from Kozhikode and Kannur districts. Kalpetta is the district headquarters as well as the only municipal town in the district. The region was known as Mayakshetra in the...
was created in 1980 from parts of Kozhikode
Kozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
and Kannur
Kannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
.
The name Malabar was not in general use until the arrival of the Europeans
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
. The word is most probably the fusion of the Dravidian
Dravidian languages
The Dravidian language family includes approximately 85 genetically related languages, spoken by about 217 million people. They are mainly spoken in southern India and parts of eastern and central India as well as in northeastern Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, and...
Mala (Hill) and Puram (region) derived or westernized into bar. Malabar may so be taken to mean the hill country, a name well suited to its physical characteristics.
Geography
The district was widely scattered and consists of the following parts:-- Malabar Proper extending north to south along the coast, a distance of around 240 kilometer, and lying between N. Lat 10° 15′ and 12° 18′ N and E.Long. 75° 14′ and 76° 56′.
- A group of nineteen isolated bits of territory lying scattered, fifteen of them in the native state of CochinKingdom of CochinKingdom of Cochin was a late medieval Hindu kingdom and later Princely State on the Malabar Coast, South India...
and the remaining four in those of TravancoreTravancoreKingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
, but all of them near the coast line. These isolated bits of territory form the taluk of British Cochin. - Two other detached bits of land within the TravancoreTravancoreKingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
. - Four inhabited and ten uninhabited islands of LakshadweepLakshadweepLakshadweep , formerly known as the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands, is a group of islands in the Laccadive Sea, 200 to 440 km off the coast of the South West Indian state of Kerala...
. The four inhabited islands are: AgattiAgattiAgatti Island , also known as Agathy, is a 5.6 km long island, situated on a coral atoll in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It is located about 459 km off Kochi in the mainland and 7 km to the southwest of Bangaram, the nearest island...
, KavarattiKavarattiKavaratti is a census town in the Indian Union Territory and the capital of Lakshadweep. Kavaratti is also the name of the island upon which the town stands.-Geography:...
, Androth, and KalpeniKalpeniKalpeni is an inhabited island in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It lies 71 km south of Androth and 201 km to the NNE of Minicoy, with the broad Nine Degree Channel between them...
. - The solitary island of Minicoy.
Taluks
- Calicut (Area:379 square miles (981.6 km²); Headquarters:Calicut)
- Chirakkal (Area:677 square miles (1,753.4 km²); Headquarters:Chirakkal), now KannurKannurKannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
- Cochin (Area:2 square miles (5.2 km²); Headquarters:Cochin)
- Ernad (Area:979 square miles (2,535.6 km²); Headquarters:)
- Kottayam (Area:489 square miles (1,266.5 km²); Headquarters:Kottayam), now Talassery
- Kurumbranad (Area:505 square miles (1,307.9 km²); Headquarters:),now Vadakara
- Laccadive Islands (Headquarters:Kavaratti)
- Palghat (Area:643 square miles (1,665.4 km²); Headquarters:Palghat)
- Ponnani (Area:426 square miles (1,103.3 km²); Headquarters:Ponnani)
- Valluvanad (Area:882 square miles (2,284.4 km²); Headquarters:), now Perinthalmanna
- Wynad (Area:821 square miles (2,126.4 km²); Headquarters:Kalpetta)
Today's Taluks in erstwhile Malabar
Kannur District:- TaliparambaTaliparambaTaliparamba is a city and a municipality in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala and spread over an area of 43.05 km2. It stretches from the coastal area of Ramanthali to Nuchiyard and Vayathur villages, touching the Karnataka border.Taliparamba is a big town of 67,000 people...
- KannurKannurKannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
- Talassery
Wayanad District:
- MananthavadyMananthavadyMananthavady is a small town on the banks of Mananthavady Puzha a tributary of the Kabini River in the Wayanad district of Kerala, India.This area was once ruled by the Pazhassi dynasty and the tomb of Pazhassi Raja is an important heritage site located in the heart of the town. This is also the...
- Sulthan BatherySulthan BatherySultan Bathery - is a mid-sized town in Wayanad district of Kerala, India. It derives its present name from Tipu Sultan of Mysore who used the abandoned Jain temple here and used it as his battery here in the 18th century, hence the name Sultan's Battery. This town was part of Kidanganadu...
- VythiriVythiri talukVythiri Taluk is a Taluk in Wayanad district in the Indian state of Kerala. It comprises 18 villages....
(KalpettaKalpettaKalpetta is a city and a municipality in Wayanad district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a small town surrounded by dense coffee plantations and mountains, is the headquarters of Wayanad district...
)
Kozhikode District:
- Vadakara
- KoyilandyKoyilandyKoyilandy is a city and a municipality in Kozhikode district in North Malabar region of the Indian state of Kerala. This town is between Calicut and Badagara and is on NH 17. It can be identified with Tyndis in Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. The freedom fighter K...
- KozhikodeKozhikodeKozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
Malappuram District:
- Tirurangadi TirurangadiTirurangadi is a small town in Malapuram district of Kerala, South India. It is a historical old town which is much famed for its active participance in the freedom struggle, especially those dating back to 1920s. It is a panchayat as well as a taluk...
- EranadEranad talukEranad Taluk is a Taluk in Malapuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. The headquarters of the taluk is Manjeri.It comprises 33 villages:*Vazhayur*Cherukavu*Pulikkal*Kondotty*Nediyiruppu*Manjeri*Narukara*Payyanad*Pandikkad...
(ManjeriManjeriManjeri is a town and municipality in Malappuram District in the state of Kerala, India. It is the commercial capital of Malappuram District and is 28 km from an international airport and 50 km from Kozhikode railway station....
) - NilamburNilamburNilambur is a municipality and a taluk in the Malappuram district of Kerala, South India. It is famous for its forests, especially its wildlife habitats, rivers, waterfalls and teak plantations. It is situated close to the Nilgiris range of the Western Ghats on the banks of the Chaliyar River...
- Perinthalmanna
- TirurTirurTirur is a town and a municipality in Malappuram district in the Indian state of Kerala spread over an area of 16.55 km2 . It is birth place of Thunchathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, the father of Malayalam literature. Thunchan Parambu is highly venerated and its sand is believed to be sacred. The...
- PonnaniPonnaniPonnani/Ponani is an ancient port, a coastal town and a municipality in Malappuram district in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 9.32 km2. Ponnani taluk is the smallest Taluk in Malappuram district. This tiny, picturesque town is bounded by the Arabian Sea on the west...
Palakkad District:
- MannarkkadMannarkkadMannarkkad , formerly known as Mannarghat is a town in Palakkad district of Kerala State, South India. It is the headquarters of Mannarkkad Taluk, and is one of the largest revenue Taluks in Kerala. It is situated 40 km north-east of the district headquarters Palakkad, on the way to...
- Ottappalam
- PalakkadPalakkadPalakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...
- AlathurAlathurAlathur is a small town in the Palakkad district of Kerala, South India. It is the headquarters of the Alathur Taluk and is situated at the south west end of the district 24 km from the district headquarters at Palakkad. Alathur Taluk is predominantly rural and has an agricultural economy...
Thrissur District:
- ChavakkadChavakkadChavakkad is a municipality in Thrissur District of Kerala state in India. Chavakkad is noted for its beach and fishing. It lies on National Highway 17 is located about north of the city of Kochi, the commercial capital of Kerala and west of Thrissur, the cultural capital of Kerala.-History:The...
Note:
Kasaragod
Kasaragod
Kasaragod is a town and a municipality in Kasaragod district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of Kasaragod district as well as of Kasaragod Taluk...
and Hosdurg taluks in Kasaragod district
Kasaragod district
Kasaragod District is one of the districts of the Indian state of Kerala. Kasaragod District was organised as a separate district on 24 May 1984...
is sometimes considered as part of Malabar region, however not part of erstwhile Malabar district.
Representatives from Malabar to Madras State
- In C. Rajagopalachari Ministry: 1) Kongattil Raman Menon (1937–39), 2) C. J. Varkey (1937–39)
- In Prakasam Ministry: 1) R. Raghavamenon (1946–47)
- In Ramaswami Reddyar Ministry: 1) Kozhippurathu Madhavamenon (1947–49)
- In P. S. Kumaraswami Ministry: 1) Kozhippurathu Madhavamenon (1949–52)
- In C. Rajagopalachari Ministry: 1) K. P. Kuttikrishnan Nair (1952–54)
See also
- North MalabarNorth MalabarNorth Malabar , is a historic as well as geographic distinction in India used to refer the area covering; present Kasaragod and Kannur Districts, Mananthavady taluk of Wayanad District and Koyilandy & Vatakara taluks of Kozhikode District in modern Kerala and the entire Mahé sub-Division of...
- KeralaKeralaor Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
- Malappuram District
- MalappuramMalappuramMalappuram is a municipality in the South Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 33.61 km2. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Malappuram district. As per the 2011 census Malappuram urban agglomeration is the fourth largest UA in kerala with a total population of...
- Kozhikode DistrictKozhikode districtKozhikode District , formerly Calicut, is a district of Kerala state, situated on the southwest coast of India. The city of Kozhikode, also known as Calicut, is the district headquarters. The district is 38.25% urbanised...
- Wayanad DistrictWayanad DistrictWayanad District in the north-east of Kerala, India, was formed on November 1, 1980 as the 12th district by carving out areas from Kozhikode and Kannur districts. Kalpetta is the district headquarters as well as the only municipal town in the district. The region was known as Mayakshetra in the...
- Kannur DistrictKannur districtKannur District is one of the 14 districts in the state of Kerala, India. The town of Kannur is the district headquarters, and gives the district its name. The old name Cannanore is the anglicised form of the Malayalam name Kannur. Kannur District is bounded by Kasaragod District to the north and...
- Arakkal Kingdom
- VettattnadVettattnadVettathunad or Tanur swaroopam was a small erstwhile feudal kingdom in southern Malabar on Arabian Sea in southwest India ruled by a Hindu dynasty known as Tanur dynasty, over whom the Zamorin of Calicut claimed certain nominal suzerain rights.The King was called 'raja'or 'thampuran' or...
- Mysore invasion of Kerala