Vellinezhi

Last updated

Vellinezhi
village
Vellinezhi
Coordinates: 10°54′10″N76°20′38″E / 10.902878°N 76.34394°E / 10.902878; 76.34394
CountryFlag of India.svg India
State Kerala
District Palakkad
Government
  ChairmanPosition Empty
Languages
  Official Malayalam, English
Time zone UTC+5:30 (IST)

Vellinezhi is a village located in the Palakkad district of Kerala in southern India.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Geography

The land is located on the banks of the Kunti, a tributary to Bharatapuzha. Vellinezhi is located about 25 km north of Ottapalam in Palakkad district. [1] The nearest small town is Cherpulassery, seven kilometres away.

Art and culture

It is famous for many Kathakali and traditional Kerala percussion artistes. [1]

History

Vellinezhi is one of the fourteen desams (small duchy-like territories) and is home to Olappamanna Mana, a centuries-old feudal Namboothiri (Kerala Brahmin) mansion (Illam). [ citation needed ] Olappamanna Mana currently operates as a trust that facilitates public events, film productions, and performing arts classes. [ citation needed ] The trust, known as the Deviprasadam Trust, was established in 1990 by Sri Olappamanna Damodaran Nambudiripad to preserve the cultural heritage of the mana. [ citation needed ]

The mana was historically associated with Kunjunni Nambudiripad, who received the title of Rao Bahadur from the British authorities. [ citation needed ] It was also the ancestral home of several notable scholars and literary figures, including the late O. M. C. Narayanan Nambudiripad (known for his Malayalam interpretation of the Rigveda), the poet Mahakavi Subrahmanian Nambudiripad (widely known by his pen name, Olappamanna), and author-scholar Dr. O. M. Anujan. [ citation needed ]

In the early twentieth century, Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon contributed to redefining the aesthetics of the Kalluvazhi tradition of Kathakali at Olappamanna Mana. [ citation needed ] Following the death of Sri O. M. C. Narayanan Nambudiripad, his son Sri Olappamanna Damodaran Nambudiripad undertook efforts to preserve the heritage of the mana and promote its cultural significance internationally until his death. [ citation needed ]

Political history

Vellinezhi was originally part of the Nedunganad Swaroopam dynasty, which ruled over large parts of present-day Pattambi and Ottapalam taluks. [2] By the late fifteenth century CE, Nedunganad came under the control of the Zamorin of Calicut, the principal ruler of the South Malabar region. [2] The Zamorin appointed a local chieftain based at Kavalappara Kovilakam to administer the area. [2] During the British Raj, the region formed part of Walluvanad Taluk in the Malappuram Revenue Division of the Malabar District, with its administrative headquarters at Perinthalmanna. [2]

Temples

Centred around the cultural patronage of the Olappamanna Mana and the locally known temples such as Kanthalloor Kshethram [3] and Chenginikottu Kavu, Vellinezhi has developed a reputation as a hub for several classical Kerala art forms. [ citation needed ] Among these, the most prominent is the dance-drama Kathakali, whose technical precision and aesthetic refinement reached significant levels during the period of Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon, who enhanced and systematised the Kalluvazhi style. [ citation needed ]

His disciples, along with playback musicians, percussionists, make-up (chutti) artists, and costume (petti) designers trained under him, contributed to establishing Vellinezhi’s artistic identity. [ citation needed ] The village also includes a residence named Kothavil, known for its expertise in designing and producing Kathakali costumes. [ citation needed ]

Notable people

1. Vishnu Achutha Menon, Filmmaker, Author and Researcher [4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Vellinezhi and Olappamanna Mana | Heritage & Cultural Zone | Palakkad District | Malabar Districts in Kerala". 24 December 2020. Archived from the original on 24 December 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Logan, William (2010). Malabar Manual (Volume-I). New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. pp. 631–666. ISBN   9788120604476.
  3. Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217155248/http://kanthalloortemple.com/ |date=17 December 2014
  4. "Mohanlal's Vanaprastham's location Vellinezhi village makes a documentary debut - Times of India". The Times of India. 18 January 2018.

1. Vishnu Achutha Menon & Krishnanunni R (2019) The Voyage of vellinezhi by Economic and Political Weekly [1]
2. S Rajendu (2012). Nedumangad Charithram, Kerala..
3. Vellinezhi Achuthankutty (2018). Valluvanadan kalakalum vellinezhi kalagramavum by Natakkam publishers. Kerala.
4. Logan (1887). Malabar (2 vols). Madras.

  1. "The Voyage of Vellinezhi". Economic and Political Weekly. 54 (12): 7–8. 5 June 2015.