Makkuni Tharavad ......An Introduction.

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  Makkuni tharavad is one of the oldest and illustrious families of North Malabar today. The tharavad house is situated on a land that is four acres in area, and stands majestic at a place called Punnakapara in Azhikode, Kannur district. The family Gods Dharmadeivam and Paradevatha have their presence and are worshipped in the kotilakkam of the tharavad house. Besides the house, within the tharavad complex, there are two kottams or temples dedicated to the other family dieties- Wyanattu kulavan and Kandanar kelan; and a kazhakapura,where the offerings to the Gods are prepared.

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 The tharavad also has a huge kulam, a man-made stepped water body, created by an illustrious forefather Shri. Chandu Nambiar in the year 1897 for the use of the family members and the public. It is popular till date with people coming from near and far to swim and frolic in the water.

Under the canopy of Makkuni Tharavad family were four branches initially- Makkuni Kizhakke Veedu,   Makkuni Padinjare Veedu, Makkuni Puthiyavalap and Makkuni Varaille, each having its own freestanding mansion on a green fertile plot of land.  Makkuni Kizhakke Veedu was then divided into three sub sects down generations - Makkuni Veedu, Thekke Puthiyavalap and Makkuni Arol.  Of these branches, Arol has ceased to be, due to lack of female heirs (being matrilineal) in that branch. Makkuni Puthiyavalap branched out in two- Makkuni Puthiyavalap and Muttivalap of which the latter also inherited a large plot of land in Kakkad at Kannur. 

A trust was formed in the year 2000 to take care of the family’s members and their properties and to conduct the rituals associated with the family deities. The Trust purchased the Tharavadu house and surrounding property from Kizhakke Veedu members . This is now maintained as a common property with the various rituals being performed in the kottilakkam (considered as the sanctum of the family’s ancestors) and in the kottam (temple of the family deities).  The senior most male member (karnavar) automatically becomes the President of the Trust. The current karnavar cum President is Sri.M.Ramachandran Nambiar.

The most important functions held here are Pratishta divasam (Kumbham 21), Karkadaka Vaavu, Puthari (Thulam 11)and Theyyam. Poojas and  rituals are performed on these auspicious days to invoke the Gods and secure their blessings for all the members of the tharavad.

The annual theyyam or thira festival is the biggest event at Makkuni today when family members across the world congregate. There are five theyyams - Dharmadevan representing our forefathers, Paradevatha, the mother Goddess, Waynattukulavan and his close associate Kandanarakelan, with the Guligan being a later addition.

The beginnings of Makkuni tharavad are a bit hazy. According to one theory the origins are in a place, perhaps the Pandakal of today, between Tellicherry and Mahe, from where a forefather moved to Mundayad first and then moved to Azhikode and settled there. On his journey he also brought with him a member of the thiyya community, the caretaker of a Waynattukulavan temple at Mundayad. On reaching Azhikode, the Lord Shiva in the form of Waynattukulavan was given an abode (kottam) and a kazhakamuri.

There is also the legend about the family’s association with Wynattukulavan, that has come down orally through generations. It talks about a  forefather coming from a faraway place. One night on one of his outings he was almost lost as it was totally dark. At this time a man with a choota(flame torch made with leaves) materialized out of nowhere to show him the way. This vision disappeared after escorting the karnavar  home.  Divinity was again experienced a few days later when a calf was lost and a long search resulted in locating the calf at the bottom of the well. The reflection of the Lord Wynatukulavan was visible in the water of the well, according to some. This led to Wynatukulan becoming the family God.

There happens to be another theory relating to the origin of the family tharavad, perhaps the more probable one. According to this theory the forefathers of the Makkuni tharavad came from Wayanad and settled down at Mundayad. Here the family lived in a house, surrounded by mango trees, on a piece of elevated land in the midst of paddy fields. This probably gave rise to the name “Makkuni”-- ‘ma(vu)’ standing for mango and ‘kuni’ meaning a low hill. The family did not stay here for long, it moved to the interior village of Azhikode to safeguard the purity of its clan as there was a fear of contamination  due to the intermingling with the locals  who had re-converted to Hinduism after the death of Tipu Sultan.

The succeeding generations prospered, well-endowed with property and wealth, in Azhikode village and in Kakkad village at Kannur where some descendants continue to live in harmony.  Many family members have moved to other places inside and outside the country in search of greener pastures, in spite of which they ensure that the ties are not cut and efforts are taken in retaining the link with their roots in the village at Azhikode- their house and their land protected by their Gods!!  

 

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Dr.M.P.Devika

With inputs from

M.P.Indiradevi, Dr.Babu Ramachandran

M.Balakrishnan Nambiar & M.P.Suvarnan