MADE IN KUNNAMKULAM
kunnamkulam, Thrissur dit Kerala,
Trichur
,
കേരളത്തിലെ തൃശ്ശൂർ ജില്ലയിലെ ഒരു പട്ടണവും മുനിസിപ്പാലിറ്റിയുമാണ് കുന്നംകുളം. നോട്ട് ബുക്ക്-അച്ചടി വ്യവസായത്തിന് പ്രശസ്തമാണ് കുന്നംകുളം. കേരളത്തിലെ നോട്ട് ബുക്ക് ഉദ്പാദനത്തിന്റെ 90 ശതമാനത്തിലധികവും കുന്നംകുളത്ത് നിന്നാണ്. തൃശ്ശൂർ ജില്ലാ ആസ്ഥാനത്തുനിന്ന് 22 കിലോമീറ്റർ അകലെയാണ് കുന്നംകുളം. ഒരു കാലത്ത് വ്യാജ (ഡ്യൂപ്ലിക്കേറ്റ്) സാധനങ്ങൾക്കും ഉപകരണങ്ങൾക്കും കുപ്രസിദ്ധമായിരുന്നു കുന്നംകുളം Geography;
Kunnamkulam is located at 10.65°N 76.08°E.[4] It has an average elevation of 57 metres (187 feet). It is around 23 KM from Thrissur City and 10 km from Guruvayur. It is located on the route connecting Thrissur, Kochi to North Kerala.
The word Kunnamkulam means kunnu (mountain) and kulam (ponds). The terrain condition and geomorphology of the area itself lead to the name. There are several hills there namely Aduputty,Cherukunnu, Kizhoor, Kakkad etc. while the same is interspersed with ponds namely Eeenjakulam, Iyyankulam, Madurakulam etc. Kunnamkulam town has its remote antiquity and evident from the history and it was a part of Mahodayapattanam, the capital of Chera Dynasty. It is written in history about the crossinstalled by Thomas the Apostle, at Chattukulangara (a part of Arthat in Kunnamkulam). During the invasion of Tippu Sultan the Christians from Chattakulangara migrated to Kunnamkulam town.[1]
Manakulam, Cheralayam and Kakkad, the suburbs of Kunnamkulam were the seats of the Nambidis of Manakulam, Ayinikur and Kakkad Karanavappad respectively. They were collectively known as Thalappilli Rajas and belonged to three branches of the same dynasty. The history of Kunnamkulam turns back to the Paleolithic age. Kakkad cave and Chowannur cave support this fact. It is said that this place was part of ‘MahodayaPattanam’ and was known as ‘Kunnamkulangare’. C. Achutha Menon in the Cochin State Manual says that, “it is in fact the chief center of the Jacobites in the State, and there are several of their old churches in the town and its neighborhood”.[2]
Moreover, “Most of the oldest and wealthiest Christian families are to be found in Kunnamkulam”.[citation needed] Kollannoor,Panakkal, Paramel, Pulikottil, Thengungal, Tholath and Kakkassery were prominent among them. The ascendancy competition between these wealthy families, its contexture to literary activities opened new dimensions in the development of printing. Panakkal Chakku, Cheru, Thengungal Ittoop, Varu and Koothur Paramel Iyyu Uttoop were arbitrators of some of these families. It is said that the Christian families were settled earlier at Chattukulangare shifted to Kunnamkulam after the invasion of Tippu in 1789. They were invited by the Thalappilli Rajas, provided residences and places of worship. They resided on both sides of the street. This may have helped to avoid threat from Tippu against Thalappilli Rajas. Those settled on both sides of the street started trade and business, began a new era of transaction
Government;
The Kunnamkulam Municipality was formed as a IVth grade Municipality in the year 1948. The Municipality has an area of 6.96 km2 and is divided into 31 electoral wards. In 2000, it was upgraded to Grade-II Municipality by merging adjoining panchayats of Arthat (full) and panchayats of Porkulam and Chowwannur (parts). Original area of the municipality was 7 km2 which was increased to 34.18 km2. Earlier, there were only 16 municipal wards. The municipality extended its area in 2001 and now it has 31 wards. Total population is 51,585 of whom 24,396 are males and 27,189 females with the density of population being 2,824 per km2.[5] Kunnamkulam assembly constituency is part of Alathoor (Lok Sabha Constituency). Earlier it was part of Ottapalam Constituency
Transport;
The State Highway No 30 which connect Thrissur and Kozhikode (NH 47 and NH 17) pass through Kunnamkulam. Also two major district roads are emerging from Kunnamkulam, one of them goes to Wadakkancherry meeting at Thrissur-Shornur Road and the other goes to Guruvayoor, Chavakad meeting at Kochi-Ponnani road. All these roads meet at the heart of Kunnamkulam town namely the ‘Parayil Centre’
Business
Kunnamkulam is big market for arecanuts
Kunnamkulam region witness a number of traditional, informal and household manufacturing activities. It comprises mainly the creation of rock-cut products, metallic and clay utensils, screw-rings and screw-hooks and paper-based products. Among these, the manufacturing of paper-based products is the bandwagon of these activities for which Kunnamkulam has a unique place in the state. The different paper-based products include, exercise books, X’mas stars, greetings card, paper files, envelopes, cartons and millboards. Printing and binding are the related activities.[7]
Beginning of Printing;
It has been seen that Iyyu Uttoop, an appreciator of Malayalam literature, a businessman having trade relationship with Cochin, decided to reveal the literary talents of Kaikulangara RamaVarrier. He published the works of Kaikulangara from the St. Thomas Press at British Cochin. The books he published from there include; ‘Raghuvamsom’, ‘Magham’, ‘Nyshadham’, ‘Kumarasambhavom’ etc. Within a short period he started a press on his own at Kunnamkulam in the name of Vidya Ratna Prabha (VRP) in the IInd floor of his house. He published a number of religious and other books from there. It includes, ‘Astangahrudayam’, ‘Amarakosam’, ‘Samudrika Sastram’, ‘Noothana Sidharoopam’, etc. These books and Christian religious books published from here at a cheap rate have got wide currency in the State. According to Ulloor.S. Parameswara Iyyar, it is the wealth of Uttoop, the intellect of Kaikulangara and the caliber of Malliammavil Kunjhuvareedu, an expert in printing, brought together the human and material resources for publishing books in Malayalam.
There are differences of opinion regarding the ownership of St. Thomas press at British Cochin, VRP press, and the commencement of VRP press at Kunnamkulam. According to Ulloor, Paramel Iyyu Uttoop started St. Thomas press at British Cochin, later on shifted to Kunnamkulam as VRP press. But there are evidences in the ‘Malayalam Grandha Soochi’ showing books published from St. Thomas press and VRP in the same year. Quotes from Christian Encyclopedia, 1976 that, it was established by Pulikkottil Mar Dionysius V in 1869. But P.J. Thomas says that, it was started by Paramel Uttoop. Prof. A. Balakrishna Varrier indirectly says that St. Thomas press was not owned by Paramel Uttoop. Regarding the beginning of VRP, the Development Report of Kunnamkulam for the year 1996 says that, it was established in 1860’s. As per the Malayala Grandha Soochi Vol.I list, it was established towards the close of the 19th century. To K.M. Govi it was started about 1881. He cites the evidences of the publication on behalf of VRP in the 1880s. Moreover, there are evidences to show the publication of ‘Nyshadham Kavyam’, (Appendix) from St. Thomas press at Cochin in 1879 by Koothur Paramel Iyyu Uttoop. If the VRP had established before this we can presume that it would not have been published from St. Thomas Press at Cochin
Printing vs Binding
The question as to whether printing or binding initiate first in Kunnamkulam is relevant. The oral statement of the local people goes in favour of binding. There are evidences of ancient bounded manuscripts of religious books available at the Church library at Thozhiyoor in Kunnamkulam. Moreover, the we
