kunnathukal

KUNNATHUKAL
KUNNATHUKAL means KUNNATHU KAAL
Kunnu= Hill (MALA) KUNNATHU = on hill
Kaal = Leg

According to early adage this name was kept by ancient Sage. PARASHURAMA who kept his legs upon these hills thus the name KUNNATHUKAAL.
Geographically this village has more than 30 small hills.
Other neighbouring villages named PARASHUVAIKKAL (means where PARASHURAMA kept his axe) and DHANUVACHAPURAM (Means where PARASHURAMA kept the Bow) are supporting such stories.
One of the oldest historical places is CHEZHUNGAANOOR SHREE MAHADEVA TEMPLE which''s age and construction details are older than TIRUVITAAMCORE dynasty which has a monkey engraved in its NYRATRYA (southwest) similar to the ancient temple constructed by AYAR dynasty of historic days.
SREE BHADRAKAALI ILAMKAM and CHIMMANDI (probably CHAMUNDI) NEELAKESHI temples are the perfect examples of ancient ARYA DRAVIDA civilisation.

CHIMMANDI NEELAKESHI temple has MUDI (an idol carved from live jackfruit tree) IRAKKAM festival which you cannot find in entire Kerala which''s rituals are don by URALIES (URALI= tribal people like KANIES).

SREE BHADRAKAALI ILAMKAM is accompanied by MULLASHERI MANA (Namboothiries and Ambalavasis) and as CHEZHUNGAANOOR SHREE MAHADEVA TEMPLE is to MATHAM (Tulu Bhats) and VARYAM (Varyers and Unnies)
CHIMMANDI NEELAKESHI temple is surrounded by Nairs.
YAKSHI KOVILs(an old fretful female deity known as INA EKSHI who''s idol is made by potters with mud and then baked, Prathista and pooja are don by non Brahmins and VILLADICHAN PATTU one of the oldest Dravidian art form is offered to the goddess ) are many and somany SARPPAKAVUs are also few.
You will find almost all community except Muslims in this village in which some most minority communities like Ambalavasi (children of Nambootiri and Nair) Chekkala, Panar, Uraali, Pandaaram, Gurukkal, Anpattaru (the selected 56 Nair families by the Travancore king for safeguarding the treasury ) Pilla (possibly the descendants of ETTUVEETTIL PILLAMAAR who opposed the king MAARTHANDA VARMA and was wiped out by him after his reign as the king of Travancore, some of them might have been escaped and took shelter under another Nair family which had favor in the king''s eye, two families MOOLAYAM veedu and NARUVIL are these as the former on might have been given shelter to the later as MOOLAM stands for ancient and have their own KUDUMBA YAKSHI KOVIL and the later have only a place where they worship CHAMUNDI as their KULADEVI.) Nadars an ancient Dravidian community, Izhavar, Pulayar, Parayar etc are also living in harmony.
A R.C.Church and the beautiful Kottukonam CSI church and so many other local churches are also situated in its vicinity.
Vidyavilasini Vayanashala one of the oldest VAYANASHALA having rare books in its collection and a Gvt.Hospital (CHAVADI) Three high schools and so many other institutions are some which I knew before 18 years when I left Kerala.

KUNNATHUKAL is even known for its foolish acts which has a link with the MANINADU Krishna temple where the doubtful natured KUNNATHUKALAR tested the RISHI who was pleased with their hospitality and gave them the MANI (Bell) which can be used in a case of emergency to call the sage back to the village for help. But they rang the bell two times without any reason and each time the sage warned them to not disturb him without any reason. But the bell rang again for the third time and the SANYASI who immediately appeared gave the curse which maid the villagers to make at least a mistake every ear.

Even though I have seen so many places around the world nothing can be compared with my village in any manor as it has SHAIVA VAISHNAVA SHAKTEYA CHRISTAVA Sanskruti stands for human welfare.