Guruvayur temple was facing a series of troubles from hostile attacks in the early 18^th century. In 1716 the Dutch plundered the temple treasures and even set fire to the western Gopuram. The Guruvayur temple was till then a subordinate temple (Kizhedam) of Trikkanamathilakam (mentioned as Gunavayirkottam in Silappathikaram – Circa 175 A.D.). Trikkanamathilakam was under occupation by the Dutch forces and because of their animosities and persecution, the Brahmin priests had left Trikkanamathilakam. Though the Zamorin (Puthiya Kovilakam Samuthiri) recaptured Trikkanamathilakam in 1756 from the Dutch, the Brahmins who had fled did not return. So the Zamorin dissolved the Trikkanamathilakam Devaswom, to which Guruvayur had been subordinated. The Zamorin had been exercising the Melkoyma (Sovereign Protector) rights of the Punnathur chief ever since the later acknowledged the suzerainty of the Zamorin kings in the fourteenth century. So the Zamorin now began to exercise the Oorayma rights over Guruvayur temple which thereby got out of the subordinate status from Trikkanamathilakam temple.

The Zamorin treated the temples in a similar way to that of locality chiefs and local lords. He had realised the interdependence of temples on the one side and the king, local chiefs and administrators on the other side. It is an interesting aspect of the political culture in the kingdom of Zamorin. Whenever he captured an area, he assigned private estates (Cherikkal) to the important local temples. He also collected amounts for royal feasts (Virinnamittu Panam) from the temple as in the case with the locality chiefs and local magnates. The Zamorin also offered an amount of money to the deity whenever he visited temples. They also made offerings to the deities during the royal rituals. Thus the royalty and the temples were economically interdependent. Though the conquest by Zamorin of an area did not necessarily change the way in which temples were managed by those who had authority over the temple, he was very particular to have control over the temple in the area which he captured as it was strategically important for him to ensure the control over the people and the land.

In the same year (1757) the Zamorin (Puthiya Kovilakam) became the supervising trustee with Mallisseri Namboothiri as the co-trustee of Guruvayur temple. In AD 1789 Tipu Sultan invaded the Zamorin’s province. Apprehending the destruction, the idol was hidden in a well and the Utsava Vigraha was taken to Ambalapuzha by Mallisseri Namboothiri and Kakkad Othikkan. Tipu Sultan’s Muslim Governor of the Malabar Province at Kozhikode did large-scale damage to temples including the Guruvayur temple, which was set to fire by him, but it was saved due to timely rain. Later in AD 1792 Tipu was lost to the English. The main idol, taken out from the well was re-installed on 17^th September 1792. However the daily Puja-s and routines were seriously affected on account of the Mysorean interlude in Malabar that witnessed the disintegration of the Zamorin’s kingdom of Kozhikode. The then Zamorin appointed Ullanat Panicker as the Samudaya Manushyam – to administer the Guruvayur temple with absolute powers with the status of a trustee, which by then had become the most prestigious and sacred temple possessed by the Zamorin kings in their southern territory. After the death of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the British annexed Malabar which became a part of the Madras Presidency in 1800 and there was a period of administrative confusion in the following few years. Later the restoration of proper daily Puja-s, rituals and the periodical festivals were made possible by the active involvement of Ullanat Panickers thereafter.

It is worth to note that the temple records of Guruvayur Devaswom mention that ‘the Ullanat Panickers rescued and looked after the temple for good 75 years (1825 to 1900) by contributing from their family estates. Like Chempakassery Namboothiri and Desavarman Namboothiri, the Panickers offered everything from service to property. Thus with their help daily Pooja and Utsavam (annual festival) were once again started’.

All that is quoted below is from the book “The History of Guruvayoor” by Prof. K.V.Krishna Iyer, published by Guruvayur Devaswom. (Sri. Krishna Iyer wrote this book based on Kozhikkodan Granthavari and also the Guruvayur Temple records before much of them were lost in the 1970 fire.)

“In the Ullanat Panicker-s, who managed the temple affairs for seventy-five years from 1825 to 1900, the Lord had found a chain of staunch devotees of the type of Chempkassery and Desavarman. They declined all remuneration for their services. They also made large contributions from their family estates for the daily worship and annual festival or Utsava.

During the management of Ukkanda Panicker (1825-1855) [Ikkanta Panicker –(8)], who enjoyed the confidence of the Zamorin, P.K.Ettanettan Raja, the wounds of the Mysorean occupation began to heal. With the return of peace and order, pilgrims began to come. An Ashtabandhakalasam (fixing of the image permanently on its pedestal) was performed in 1825. The ancient custom of presenting and passing the accounts of the previous year on the Chathurdasi following Ekadasi festival on the eleventh lunar day of the month of Vrischika was resumed. The Ooralan-s or hereditary temple executive committee began to hold their sittings, as of old, in the Thekke Vathilmadam. In 1841 the then (British) Madras Government restored the Devadaya alleged to have been originally granted by Hyder Ali and later on revoked by Tipu. In the following year (1842) as evidenced by the inscription, the Kizhakke Gopuram was rebuilt.

Unfortunately, differences broke out between the two Ooralan-s, the Zamorin and Mallisseri, the former claiming overriding powers as representing the defunct Trikkanamathilakam Devaswom. In the end, it was agreed that the Zamorin was to appoint the Samudaya Manushyam or the chief executive officer of the temple, though Mallisseri might recommend the person to be so appointed and also report on the conduct of the Samudaya Manushyam in a sort of supervisory jurisdiction.

In 1855 Ukkoma Panicker succeeded Ukkanda Panicker [Ikkanta Panicker (8)]. With the wholehearted support of the Zamorin, P.C.Ettanettan Raja, the central shrine and the Mandapam in front were covered with copper sheets. And a permanent flagstaff, encased in bell metal, was set up in 1861.

In 1880 Kunjikkoma Panicker succeeded Ukkoma Panicker. His zeal for safeguarding and augmenting the Lord’s estate naturally aroused the ire of the vested interests. They took advantage of the provision in the agreement which gave Mallissery the right to report on the conduct of Manushyam. And disagreement broke out again between the Zamorin and Mallisseri. This led to considerable bickering and violence…. K.C. Cheriya Kunhunni Raja became the Zamorin in 1892. A person of rare ability and tact, he came to an understanding with Mallissery. The Koothambalam, the Vilakkumadam, Vathilmatam or platform on either side of the pathway leading from the main entrance of the temple to the central shrine and the Sastha temple were all either remodeled or rebuilt, roofing with copper sheets and covering the western Pradakshinavazhi with tiled roof. The Rahasya Ara or the underground secret chamber was walled up.

There was no lack of funds in the temple. The Zamorin and Kunjikkoma Panicker were also willing to supplement them from their own purse. The theft of 1893, systematically carried on for fifteen nights or more, did not therefore interfere with the construction programme…Surprisingly most of the articles that were so stolen were however recovered before they were disposed of and the leader of the gang died just before the investigation was completed.

The 75 years of managing Guruvayur temple by Ullanat family ended when Konthi Menon (who was an officer deputed by the British Government) succeeded Kunhikkoma Panicker in 1900.”

Ikkanta Panicker (8) constructed a bungalow (known as Poosakam) at Guruvayur (the location behind the present-day Vaijayanthi shopping complex of Devaswom Board in the East Nada) for staying when the Mootha Panicker visited the temple for administrative purposes. There is still a story passed down from the elders of the family highlighting the dedication of Ikkanta Panicker Karyakkar in the Guruvayur temple administration. Once while he was walking inside the temple, he saw a temple worker dragging carelessly a large vessel on the granite floor. He immediately stopped that man and asked for the golden ring he was wearing in his finger. When the worker gave it, Ikkanta Panicker rubbed the ring on the floor. The man cried saying that it is a golden ring. Ikkanta Panicker told him - as it hurts him to see his ring damaged on account of rough handling, it would also hurt the Lord to see his property damaged on account of rough handling.

Ikkanta Panicker was instrumental in starting the Vilakku before Ekadasi festival in the Malayalam month of Vrischika (November-December) at Guruvayur temple. The third day’s Vilakku (known as Thritheeya Vilakku) was an exclusive right of Ullanat family for a long time (until the right of holding was handed over to the Ayyappa Seva Sangam, Guruvayur after the partition of the Tharavad owing to the financial inability or lack of interest.)