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The domain of the feudal lords
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The reputed College of Engineering in the city is located at Kulathoor
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Photo: S. Gopakumar
College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, at Kulathoor
TILL THE 18th century, the road that linked the capital to Attingal and Kollam ran via Kulathoor, Sreekariyam, Tripadapuram and Kazhakoottam.
This road was used by the palanquin-bearers of the royal family and the aristocracy. And in those days, Kulathoor near Sreekariyam was known as Kolla-Kulathoor, while the Kulathoor near Neyyattinkara was known as Desa-Kulathoor.
The proximity of Kolla-Kulathoor to the city has increased after the College of Engineering was shifted here from the PMG premises in 1961.
Kulathoor also has a transmission centre of the AIR.
Feudal lords
Once upon a time, Kulathoor was the domain of powerful feudal lords knows as Kulathoor Pillais. They were one of the eight such powerful clans called ettu-veettil pillamar, who played decisive roles in the administrative and economic matters of erstwhile Travancore, till the period of Maharaja Marthanda Varma. These feudal lords were also called matambis.
Besides Kulathoor Pillais, those who comprised `the powerful eight' were Chempazhanthy, Venganoor, Kazhakoottam Pillais, as well as Pallichal, Kudamon, Marthandam and Ramanamadom Pillais. Before the period of Maharaja Marthanda Varma, these lords were often a pain in the neck of the rulers. Their arrogance and apparent allegiance to the Ettara-Yogam or trustees of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple often soured their relationship with the ruling monarch. Sometimes, the bitterness lead to confrontation.
When Marthanda Varma ascended the throne of Travancore, he was firm in his resolve to dissolve the hegemony of the `powerful eight'. He ruthlessly killed the men, while the women and children were made slaves or extradited. A few men managed to escape.
The renowned artist and sculptor A. Ramachandran and his brother, the former Vice-Chancellor of the Mahatma Gandhi University A. Sukumaran Nair, are descendants of the ettu-veetil pillamar.
Ashram
The ashram at Kulathoor - Swayam Prakasha Ashram - founded by Swayam Prakashini Yogini in the 1940s has become a haven for those who seek spiritual solace. Swayam Prakashini Yogini was initiated into the spiritual discipline by Thycattu Ayya Guru and Sarvasakshi Yogini Amma. Later, her disciples, Prof. Saradamma and Prof. Easwari Amma, were responsible for expanding the ashram, and spreading the message of their mentor. The present head of this ashram is Jyothi Prakashini Amma, who is a nonagenarian. There are also three temples of Ganesha, Subramanya and Lakshmi-Narayanan inside the ashramam complex.
Kulathoor is also closely associated with Sree Narayana Guru. It was at the Kolothumkara temple in Kulathoor that the Guru installed the second Shivalingam after the epoch-making installation at Aruvipuram. It was believed that Mahakavi Kumarasan met Sree Narayana Guru for the first time at this temple.
The devotional poem, Kolatheeshasthavam... , in praise of the lord of Kolothumkara temple, is also believed to be written jointly by the preceptor and the poet.
M. G. SASIBHOOSHAN & BINDU SASIBHOOSHAN
Photo: S. Gopakumar
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
|
