2. EARLY HISTORY

NOTE

FIRST GENERATION

One of the descendants of Jacob Thomas, a merchant by trade came into a lot of landed property because of a financial depression in those times. People who bought goods on credit from him found it difficult to repay. In lieu of money they offered land instead. Being a shrewd business man CHACKO accepted the land. Thus he amassed properties in KULA#-SHEKARAM(കുലശേഖരം), CHEMBU(ചെബു്) and EDAPALLY*(ഇട,പ്പളളി) and so on. Two of his sons settled permanently on properties thus acquired. They lived there doing both agriculture and business.

SECOND GENERATION

Thus living there one of the sons, THOMAS became a close dependent of the king of EDA-CHEMBIL(ഇടചെബിൽ). At that time the king of EDA-PALLY*(ഇടപ്പളളി) magnanimously gifted KALLOO#-PAARA* (കല്ലൂപ്പാറ) to the king of Edachembil(ഇടചെബിൽ) for the convenience of royal administration. Thomas acted as an emissary between the kings. Thomas was an active courtier of the king of Edachembil. He was send as an envoy of the king of Edachembil for the royal birthday of the king of Edapally. He frequented between the two kings as an emissary on various occasions. Things were thus moving on smoothly when Thomas suddenly departed from life.

THIRD GENERATION

MALLAPPALLY, AMBUKKAYAM ITTY

After Thomas's demise the family wealth depleted to a great extend. One of the sons of Thomas, a ITTY(ഇട്ടി) presented himself before the king of Edapally and informed him of his father's death and also apprised him of the loss of the family fortunes following the death. Since Itty couldn't live with the dignity and grandeur in which they had been accustomed to, he decided to migrate. Itty then bid farwell to his kith and kin, and to Edapally and migrated to Kalloopaarayil(കല്ലൂപ്പാറ). He then settled in MALLA#-PALLY*(മല്ലപ്പളളി), where the king had bequeathed him by royal decree the property AMBU-KKAYAM(അംബുക്കയം). He build a house on this property and settled there.

Itty who settled in Ambukkayam(അംബുക്കയം) had four offsprings; one daughter ANNAAMMA(അന്നാമ്മ) and three sons - THOMAS, ITTOOP(ഇട്ടൂപ്പ്) and CHACKO. The daughter Annaamma was married off to KALLOO#-KALA*THIL OUSEPACHAN(കല്ലൂകളത്തിൽ ഔസേപ്പച്ചൻ) of Changanacherry. From that alliance they had one son named Chackochan.

The eldest son Thomas married VATTA*-SSE#RIL RAHELAMMA(വട്ടശേരിൽ റാഹേലമ്മ) of Mallappally(മല്ലപ്പളളി) and settled in the Ambukkayam (അംബുക്കയം) homestead.

FOURTH GENERATION

ITTOOP PANICKER, AYYMANAM

The second son ITTOOP married KOCHU-PURACKAL MARIYAAMMA(കൊച്ചുപുരക്കൽ മറിയാമ്മ) of Kottayam. He stayed with his father for a time and then settled in AYYMANAM-KARA (അയ്മനം കരയിൽ) of Kottayam. During this period of time the youngest son Chacko remained unmarried.

Ittoop the second son of Itty left for Edappally. He became the disciple of the famous martial artist PULLOO#-RAASHAAN(പുല്ലൂരാശാൻ). Under his tutelage Ittoop studied hand to hand combat and did weapons training. Ittoop joined the weapons Kalari of Pullooraashaan and became very proficient in the use of weapons. Pullooraashaan was pleased with this smart and skillful disciple and in time Ittoop became his foremost disciple. Later on he also made Ittoop the head of the Kalari.

Activities were progressing thus, when one day the aashaan was inconvenienced and could not attend the Kalari. The pupils then trained and practiced under the watchful eyes of Ittoop. In a show of skill between the zealous acolytes things got out of hand. They started testing their techniques against each other in earnest. In the end the show of skill became stubborn willfulness and intransigence, and ended up in serious fighting. The fervor caught on and the whole kalari became involved. The brawl went out of control and many were hurt, some were mortally wounded. The Aashaan and the king believed that the main culprit was Ittoop.

Ittoop realized how fraught the situation was and that his life was in danger. He bid farewell to his parents and brothers and left the land. From that day onward Pullooraashaan and his followers were on the lookout for Ittoop, but they did not know his whereabouts and could not capture him. Ittoop took his wife and left for his wife's place in Kottayam. This was in the Malayalam year 854 (AD 1679). His wife was just twenty years old then. On the way to Kottayam with his wife, he briefly halted at his sister's house Kallukalathil in Changanacherry for two days. When he reached Kottayam he stayed at his wife's house for two weeks.

While staying in Kottayam, Ittoop roamed around visiting various places. On one such travel he met a nobleman in the service of the king of Kottayam. Ittoop and this courtier became friendly. When this aristocrat KURUPPAN KAIMAL(കുറുപ്പൻ കൈയ്മൾ) of AYYMANAM kara(അയ്മനം കര) came to hear the intriguing and poignant story of Ittoop, he in time related this to the king of Kottayam. Kerala; in those times were ruled by numerous petty kings and they were always fighting with among themselves. This wise and intelligent king knew very well that the strength of a kingdom depended upon the quality and skill of the warriors that a king had. The king wisely decided to use the services of Ittoop for his, and his kingdom's benefit. The king ordered Ittoop before him and bestowed upon the formal title of PANICKER(പണിക്കരു സ്ഥാനം). He also gifted him the MUTHU-MAALA KADUKKAN (മുത്തുമാല കടുക്കൻ) as a sign of the knighthood and by royal decree endowed Ittoop with a property and house in Ayymanam kara. This property was called 'the Panickers' [പണിക്കരുടെ എന്ന പുരയിടവും]. As per the royal command of the king, Ittoop Panicker established a Kalari and imparted weapons training to the people of five karas' including Ayymanam(അയ്മനം), Kumma-nam(കുമ്മനം) and Mallaan-thuruthu(മല്ലാൻതുരുത്തു) without distinction of caste or creed. Over time Ittoop Panicker had a lot of disciples and trainees under him.

Meanwhile Pullooraashaan and his followers had never given up their quest for Ittoop. As Ittoop Panicker's fame spread, Pullooraashan came to hear of it and heard that Ittoop was in Ayyamanam. Pullooraashaan and his followers came to KALLU#-MADAKKAL(കല്ലുമടക്കൽ) in Ayymanam. On hearing this news Ittoop Panicker appraised Kuruppan Kaimal the facts. Kuruppan Kaimal in turn informed the king the graveness of the situation. The wise king ordered the courtier Kuruppan Kaimal to settle the matter amicably by offering cash and gold ornaments as guru dakshina to the aashaan. Ittoop Panicker went and paid obeisance to Pullooraashaan and respectfully invited the aashaan to the kalari. In the Kalari, Ittoop Panicker reverentially seated the aashaan in the most honored position and gave money and gold ornaments as guru dakshina. Pullooraashaan was enamoured by his former disciple. The respectful behaviour and the guru dakshina appeased Pullooraashaan. He blessed his former disciple Ittoop Panicker and went on his way. All this happened within a decade of Ittoop Panicker's coming to Kottayam.

Thus the years passed and Ittoop Panicker lived happily. He had a large following in his Kalari. In the course of time he had four children, two boys and two girls. Both his boys THOMMI(തൊമ്മി) and ITTY(ഇട്ടി) became his pupils at a young age and trained in weapon fighting. Both of them were very good martial artists. Of the two, Thommi was more proficient in the art of weapon fighting. The king bestowed both the sons of Ittoop Panicker the titles of Panicker by royal decree. The daughters ANNA(അന്ന) and SARAH(സാറാ) were well brought up, courteous and beautiful. They were also well educated.

The older daughter Annaamma was married off to PARA*MBIL KURIACHEN(പറബിൽ കുരൃച്ചൻ) of Kottayam. The younger Sarah was married off to KUNNUM-PURA*THU OUSEPACHAN (കുന്നുപുറത്തു ഔശേപ്പച്ചൻ) also of Kottayam.

The eldest son Thommi Panicker married OLA*-SSA#YIL CHAKKA-LA#YIL MARIYAAMMA (ഒളശയിൽ ചക്കാലയിൽ മറിയാമ്മാ). The second son Itty Panicker married THAA-ZHA-THU-VEETIL ANNAAMMA (താഴത്തുവീട്ടൽ അന്നാമ്മ) of Kottayam.

Thommi Panicker also served the king of Kottayam as an officer in the king's army. Itty Panicker became proficient in Ayurvedic Medicines and became an Ayurveda vydian (doctor). He ran his own practice.

During this period Ittoop Panicker's sister Annaamma and her only son Chackochan came to Kottayam from Changanacherry. Her husband had expired recently. She pleaded with her brother to help her recover her husband's property which had been illegally taken over by her husband's brothers after his demise. Ittoop Panicker and his sons left for Changanacherry and wrested the property belonging to Chackochan from his uncles by force. There were protracted quarrels and skirmishes relating to this issue. The Kallookalam(കല്ലൂകളം) brothers finding themselves on the losing side addressed their grievances to the reigning regent ( നാടു വാഴി). To settle the dispute, the regent summoned the interested parties and heard their arguments. After both the sides had presented their arguments, the regent came to the conclusion that Ittoop Panicker's protegee Chackochan was in the right and awarded the properties to Chackochan, that were rightfully his by inheritance.

The matter ended there or so it seemed. The Kallookalam brothers were dissatisfied but they could do nothing as long as Ittoop Panicker backed Chackochan. So they pretended friendship but were in fact deviously planning treachery. One day the Kallookalam brothers invited Ittoop panicker and sons for dinner on the pretext of burying the hatchet and dispelling all mistrust. The Kallookulam brothers had evil intentions and had poisoned the food. Ittoop Panicker and sons who happened to consume the poison laced food fell ill. Ittoop Panicker was consumed by vomiting and dysentery. At the age of forty one, Ittoop Panicker died in Changanacherry. By God's grace both the sons who were affected by food poisoning recovered after many days of treatment.

When the news of Ittoop panicker's death was heard in Kottayam, his followers and pupils of all religions and castes along with friends and relatives came in droves to Changanacherry. They took the dead body to Kottayam in a country boat (വഞ്ചി). The body was kept intestate at PUTHEN-ANGADI KADAVU(പുത്തനങാടി കടവു്) in Kottayam. People came in large numbers to pay their last respects. His disciples did dakshina(ദക്ഷിണ നടത്തി) according to the prevailing customs and afterwards the body was buried at Kottayam CHERRIYA PALLY*(ചെറിയ പളളി). He was buried on the North side; west from the grill of the church where the royal courtiers are buried. During those times there was great rivalry among neighbouring kings. In order that the neighbouring kingdoms do not vandalize the tomb and carry off the body of important officials to tarnish the kingdom - as per royal order, the kings soldiers along with Ittoop Panicker's disciples stood guard over the tomb for forty days. Thus an eventful life which spanned just forty one years came to an end - R.I.P.

FIFTH GENERATION

THOMMI PANICKER

After the death of their father Ittoop Panicker, the sons moved from their homestead (തറവാടു്) Panicker's house(പണിക്കരുടെ എന്ന ഭവനം) and settled a little north of it, but south of the MANI-KANDA-SSERY stream (മണികണ്ടശ്ശേരി തോടിനു) in the property MUTTUM-PURAM (മുട്ടുപുറം എന്ന പുരയിടം). They build a large and strong house. Both Thommi Panicker and Itty Panicker lived there with their families.

There was bitterness between the king of Kottayam and the king of Kalloopaara(കല്ലൂപാറ) during that period. In time the bitterness intensified and became a quarrel and ultimately ended up in war. The king of Kottayam appointed Thommi Panicker to lead his army against the forces of the king of Kalloopaara. The Kalloopaara forces were led by the aging Pullooraashaan. As the battle progressed, the forces led by Thommi Panicker started gaining the upper hand. When it came to a point where the Kalloopaara forces would be routed, their leader Pullooraashaan came into the vanguard of the Kalloopaara army and led the fighting. It was inevitable that Thommi Panicker and Pullooraashaan would have to face each other on the battle ground and it put Thommi Panicker in a dilemma. He could not fight the old man out of respect for his father, as Pullooraashaan was his father's guru. So Thommi Panicker stopped the fighting and thus the battle was lost.

The king of Kottayam was appraised of the matter through the royal courtier Kuruppan Kaimal. The King was furious with Thommi Panicker. Thommi Panicker was lucky that he was not executed, but the king withdrew all royal allowances to Thommi Panicker . As a compensation for the disgrace of losing a winning battle, Thommi Panicker was ordered to pay into the royal treasury Three Thousand and one Gold coins. In order to pay this penalty, Thommi Panicker had to sell the big house and property. He also had to sell most of their other properties too. What remained was the outer grounds of the Muttumpuram property (മുട്ടുപുറം പുറവും) and the small house only. Thus Thommi Panicker in one stroke lost most of the combined wealth of the family. They lost their pride and were cast into penury. Thommi Panicker also earned the wrath of his king. Therefore Thommi Panicker decided that staying on in this kingdom had no prospects and was not healthy for him any more. Whatever family properties were left, he gave it to his brother Itty Panicker and tearfully bid farewell to his brother and family. Thommi Panicker with his family embarked on a country boat (vanchi) for Kuttanadu.

NOTE

All these details are recorded in the family histories of both AMBUKKAYAM (അബുക്കയം) and PULICKKAMPARAMBU (പുളിക്കംപറബു്) families. Not only that, I have heard these stories from the elders of my family too. These were also verified from some documents found at MAMBALAM (മബലം) house of Kannady(കണ്ണാടി).

[N.J.Antony]