Sunil Tani at 11:56, 14 March 2026

2026-03-14T11:56:38Z

New page

{{Short description|Feudal city-state in Malabar, India}}
{{For|the city at the centre of the kingdom|Kottayam-Malabar}}{{Distinguish|Kottayam}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
[[File:Veera Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja.jpg|thumbnail|Veera Kerala Varma [[Pazhassi Raja]]; painting by [[Raja Ravi Varma]].]]
'''Kottayam (Cotiote)''' was a feudal city-state in [[Malabar Coast|Malabar]], present-day [[Kerala]], India.<ref name="Logan2000">{{cite book|author=William Logan|title=Malabar Manual|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9mR2QXrVEJIC&pg=PA1|year=2000|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=978-81-206-0446-9|pages=1–}}</ref> Kottayam (Cotiote) is famed for [[Pazhassi Raja]], one of the principal leaders of the Wayanad Insurrection (Kottayam Pazhassi rebellion or [[Cotiote War|Kottayam War]]). Pazhassi Raja was a member of the western branch of the Kottayam royal clan.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Menon|first=A. Sreedhara|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RE5rewAACAAJ|title=A Survey of Kerala History|date=2006|publisher=S. Viswanathan|isbn=978-81-87156-01-7|pages=172|language=en}}</ref> When [[Hyder Ali]] of the [[Kingdom of Mysore]] [[Mysore invasion of Kerala|occupied Malabar]] in 1773, the Raja of Kottayam found political asylum in [[Travancore]]. In 1790, the British recognized Pazhassi Raja as the head of Kottayam instead of the original Raja who had taken refuge at Travancore.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Menon|first=A. Sreedhara|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wnAjqjhc1VcC|title=Kerala History and its Makers|date=2011-03-04|publisher=D C Books|isbn=978-81-264-3782-5|pages=168|language=en}}</ref>

==History==
The origin of the Kottayam royal family is lost in obscurity. By tradition Harischandara Perumal who built a fort at Puralimala and resided there is regarded as the founder of the Kottayam family. The rajas of Kottayam were therefore called Puralisas and were also known as Purannattu rajas, who ruled over the land of Purainad. Descendants of the Puraikizhar family and are referred to in the Tirunelveli copper plate of Bhaskara Ravi Varman. At times, the part of Kolathunad, the Kottayam principality gradually acquired independent control over the territories lying in the [[Thalassery|Tellichery]] taluk, shared the area with the Iruvazhinad Nambiars and also extended its jurisdiction up to the borders of [[Coorg Province|Coorg]]. The family came to have three branches: Eastern, Southern and Western. The first two had their seat at Kottayam and the last at Pazhassi.<ref name=":0" />

==Geography==
[[File:Wellington, soldier and statesman, and the revival of the military power of England (1904) (14593177119).jpg|left|thumbnail|India in 1804. [[Thalassery]], [[Kozhikode]], and [[Kochi]] are marked as cities in the present-day state of Kerala]]
The Kingdom of Kottayam covered what is today Talassery taluk, [[Iritty taluk]] (1000 km<sup>2</sup>) of [[Kannur District]] and [[Wayanad District]] (2000 km<sup>2</sup>). The headquarters of this kingdom were located in [[Kottayam-Malabar|Kottayam]], a small town not far from [[Tellicherry]]. The royal [[dynasty]] of the princely state of Kottayam was called Purannatt Swarupam. The Padinjare Kovilakam or Western Branch of this royal dynasty was located at Pazhassi and is famous for its heroic royal rebel, [[Pazhassi Raja]].

==Cradle of Kathakali==
The institution of [[Kathakali]] gained in progress and richness during the time of the Raja of Kottayam, between 1665 AD and 1725 AD. The then-raja of Kottayam was a brilliant actor-dancer who structured several compositions to complete the transition of Kathakali from its earlier form, [[Ramanattam]], developed by Kottarakkara Thampuran. The Kottayam family produced two distinguished scholars, [[Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran|Kerala Varma Thampuran]], the author of ''Valmiki Ramayanam Kilippattu'' and Vidwan Thampuran, the great patron of Kathakali and composer of [[Aattakatha (performance)|Attakathas]].<ref name=":0" /> Many dedicated artists like Chathu Panicker also endeavoured to lay the foundations for what is known as Kathakali now. Their efforts were concentrated on the rituals, classical details, and scriptural perfection. Even now the basic details of Kathakali have not changed considerably from this format. Bakavadham, Kirmeeravadham, Kalyana Saugandhikam, and Nivathakayacha Kalakeyavadham are the four perfect Kottayam works. After this, the most important changes in Kathakali were brought about through the efforts of a single person, namely [[Kaplingad Narayanan Nambudiri]]. After basic instruction in various faculties of the art in Vettathu Kalari of [[North Malabar]], he shifted to Travancore and there in its capital and many other centres he found many willing to co-operate with him in bringing about these reforms.

==See also==
* [[Kottayam-Malabar]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20101106011523/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mag/2006/05/21/stories/2006052100310400.htm The Royal 'Rebel']
* [http://www.shreevarma.homestead.com/books2.html Pazhassi Raja: The Royal Rebel] by Shreekumar Varma (Macmillan, 1997)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070717153127/http://www.keralahistory.ac.in/peasantprotests.htm Peasant Protests in Kerala]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110304173935/http://www.library.mq.edu.au/digital/lema/1797/1797may.html Eye witness account from Lachlan Macquarie who participated in one of the battle against Pazhassi Raja ]

{{Feudal states of Kerala}}
{{Coord|11.828|75.55|display=title}}
{{Malabar}}

[[Category:Former monarchies of India]]
[[Category:Kingdoms of Kerala]]
[[Category:History of Kottayam district]]
[[Category:Kingdom of Kottayam]]

Kingdom of Kottayam - Revision history

Sunil Tani at 11:56, 14 March 2026