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'Kodungallur' (anglicised name: 'Cranganore' ) is a city and a municipality in Thrissur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is known in ancient times as Shinkli, Muchiri (anglicised to Muziris), Muyirikkodu, Muchiripattinam was a famous and prosperous sea-port at the mouth of the Periyar (also known as ''Choorni Nadi'') river in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It is located about 38 km from the present day city of Kochi at upon NH 17.
The name Muchiri (Malayalam for cleft lip) denotes the three branches of the Periyar river that open into the Arabian Sea at the town.

Contents

Geography

Ancient fame

Flood of 1341

Sights

Various names

Demographics

References

See also

External links

Geography

Kodungallur is located at ^[1]. It has an average elevation of 9 metres (29 feet).

Ancient fame

Kodungallur was a critical trade link in Indian Ancient Maritime History. It was known as ''Muziris'' to Pliny the Elder (N.H. 6.26) who describes it as ''primum emorium Indiae''.
The port was familiar to the author of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea which described it as being situated on river ''Pseudostomos'' (Greek for "false mouth" - a precise translation of the Malayalam description of the mouth of the Periyar, ''Alimukam'') two miles from its mouth ^[2].

The ancient Greek explorer, Hippalus landed at this port after discovering the patterns of the Indian monsoon trade winds on his way from the East coast of Africa. The evidence of the Peutinger Table suggests that there was a temple to the Roman emperor Augustus.
The Greeks, the Romans (known locally as the ''Yavanas''), and the Jews all have come to this place at different times in its ancient history.
Roman gold and silver coins bearing impressions of Roman Emperors Tiberius and Nero were discovered in the village of Parur near the town during 2000.
A second-century papyrus from Egypt concerning the transshipment of goods originating in Muziris from the Red Sea to Alexandria attests the continued importance of the port in the Indian Ocean commerce a century after Pliny and the ''Periplus''.^[3]
Thomas the Apostle of Jesus with his followers is believed to have landed in Cranganore in the year AD 52 and preached the gospel. It thus became the earliest ''Nasrani'' Syrian Christian centre of Malabar with monuments built in the memory of Thomas still existing. The existence of a thriving Christian Community here attracted the attention of others and the Bishops who came from Persia chose this place for their residence. The bones of the right hand of St Thomas were placed in 1953 as a memento.
Malik Ibn Dinar and 20 others who were the followers of Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, first landed here when they came to India. Islam received royal patronage in some states here, and later spread to other parts of India. He built a mosque there in the shape of a Hindu temple. It could also have been the first mosque in the Indian subcontinent as the exact date of making is not known but is believed to be in 629 AD. Though, generally it is considered to be the second mosque of the world after the mosque in Medina,Saudi Arabia


Kodungallur was also the capital of Cheraman Perumal, the last Chera ruler, in the 7th century AD who is believed to have been abdicated his throne and divided his kingdom among thelocal chieftains and left for Mecca to embrace Islam After this, This place was later ruled by Perumpadapu Swaroopam for sometime.
The Syrian Church was firmly established here before the 9th century. In fact the Jews' settlement in Kodungallu was still earlier. The latter, claimed to hold grants dated A.D. 378. The cruelty of the Portuguese drove most of the Jews to Cochin. Up to 1314, when the Vypin harbour was formed, the only opening in the Cochin backwater, and outlet for the Periyar, was at Kodungalur, which must then have been the best harbour on the coast. In 1502 the Syrian Christians invoked the protection of the Portuguese. With the influence of Portuguese, most of the Syrian Christians accepted Latin Rite in Kodungallur. Kodungallur was an archdiocese before it was moved to Goa. Catholics in Kodungallur today belong to Kottappuram Diocese. In 1523 Portuguese built their first fort there, and in 1565 enlarged it. In 1661 the Dutch took the fort, the possession of which for the next forty years was contested between this nation, the zamorin, and the raja of Kodungalur. In 1776, Tipu Sultan seized the stronghold. The Dutch recaptured it two years later, and, having ceded it to Tipu Sultan in 1784, sold it to the Travancore raja, and again in 1789 to Tippoo, who destroyed it in the following year. After Tipu's death, The Kodungallur kovilakam controlled the lands of Kodungalur. The Kodungalur then formed an autonomous principality and a subordinate to the Raja of Cochin and remained thus until Indian Independence in 1947.

Flood of 1341

The flood of the river Periyar in 1341 AD resulted in the splitting of the river into two tributaries at Thottummukham. That silted up the natural harbour at the mouth of the river, and resulted in the creation of a new harbour at Kochi. During this time there was the rise of the Samoothiri Rajas of Kozhikode. A local area called the ''Putu Vaipu'' or Vypin
The town was nearly completely destroyed by the Portuguese (Suarez de Menezes) on September 1, 1504 in retaliation for the Samoothiri Raja's actions against them^[4].
Perumpadapu Swaroopam still has their roots here.
The present day natural beauty of the place is enchanting, and it is a popular tourist destination today.

Sights

The present day town has some very interesting monuments for the tourist to view:

★ Kodungallur Bagavathy temple - believed to have been constructed during the reign of Chera King, Cheran Senkuttuvan, is famous for its Bharani festival. The temple requires the pilgrim to carry pepper as one of the offerings to the deity.

★ Kali temple - has an interesting history since it portrays the Hindu goddess, Kali with only one breast. It was believed to have been built to immortalise a woman called Kannagi who was led through the wilderness by a Jain monk, and who in turn led the local people. The temple is famous for its annual festival where alcohol is drunk and lewd songs are sung by untouchables. The pattern of alternation makes it possible for a single female figure to contain polar opposite qualities; this female is both chaste and vulgar, socially proper and socially unacceptable, clean and unclean.

★ Cheraman Jama Masjid - built around 629 AD by Malik Ibn Dinar in the typical local style of architecture and the bodies of some of the original followers are said to have been buried here. This is said to be the first mosque constructed in India.

★ Kodungallur is also famous for Bharani/Thalapoli Festivals.

★ Thiruvanchikulam Mahadeva temple - One of the oldest Siva temples in south India where Lord Siva is said to live along with his whole family. This temple has got a healthy relation with south India's famous Chidambaram temple. This temple has another rare event called "Anayottam" which is part of the annual festival.

Various names

Kodungallur has enjoyed various names over the past millennia. In addition to those mentioned previously these are Jangli, Gingaleh, Cyngilin, Shinkali, Chinkli/Jinkali, Shenkala, Cynkali, Columguria.There is also a belief that the name Kodungallur is derived from Kodi-linga-puram(Core Siva Lingas).

Demographics

As of 2001 India census^[5], Kodungallur had a population of 33,543. Males constitute 47% of the population and females 53%. Kodungallur has an average literacy rate of 83%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 86%, and female literacy is 81%. In Kodungallur, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.

References

1. Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Kodungallur
2. Menachery, Professor George. ''Kodungallur - The Cradle of Christianity In India'', Thrissur: Marthoma Pontifical Shrine, 2000, Ch.I
3. Thür, G. 1987. Hypotheken Urkunde eines Seedarlehens für eine Reise nach Muziris und Apographe für die Tetarte in Alexandria (zu P. Vindob. G. 40. 8222). ''Tyche'' 2:229-245.
4. Logan, William. ''Malabar Manual'', Delhi, Asian Educational Services, 2000, 1186 pgs. pp 312, ISBN 81-206-0446-6 (Originally published in Madras, 1887).
5.

See also

★ Perumpadapu Swaroopam

★ Cochin Jews

★ Knanaya

★ Kerala

★ Saint Thomas Christians

★ Trichur

★ North Paravur

External links

★ Indian Christianity - Cranganore:Past and Present

★ Indian Christianity - The Glory that was Cranganore

★ Catholic Diocese of Kottapuram