RESTING PLACE OF PAZHASSIRAJA

In 1980s as a simple boy I also feared our Maths teacher and his punishments with stick. I was a normal student at the Goverment UP school Mananthavady(Board School) .Among our kids there was a belief that if we keep a leaf of Pazhassis tree in our pocket, we won’t get punishments. Believe me it worked well !! And for that reason, I visited first the tomb site which is very close to our primary class. Then it became an obsession. The place is seemed abandoned and scary for children. Only brave kids go there. The place is like woods and lots of greenery around there. There was a big Banyan tree exactly engulfed the tomb which was made up of red laterite blocks which can be seen in a close look only.

I learned to read from this Board School, a gift of Britons to this backward area. The first letters I could read out of school was in the huge wooden display board of archeological department which describes briefly Pazhassis cremation. I still remember the words. It was in Malayalam and reads like:
The brave heart of Kerala, Veera Kerala Varma Pazhzssi Raja is lying here. In 1805 Nov 30 he was killed in the battle with British. And his dead body brought to Mananthavady by Britons in Colonel Baber’s Palanquin and cremated here with all military respects.
On lunch breaks we frequently goes there, sometimes with the free school made pudding with Amrican Wheat – Upma in Malayalam in a plastic cover. We often put some wild flowers in his tomb. We cared to clean the area after lunch and not to make big sounds- as our senior boys always warned- Pazhassi will be Awake from sleep.
The tree was huge.There was a big fissure in the left back side of the Tree and it leads to a small cave like structure in the tomb. One or two boy of 10 years can easily sit inside the cave. We had seen so many small snakes and small creatures around the tomb and cave and nobody dare to go inside except fool enthusiastic like me and my friends. One day, might be in 1983-84-We were exploring the tomb cave. We were sitting inside the cave as I said earlier which is fully covered with the huge tree trunk. I found deep in the mud, remains of two small sword like things inside the inside tomb wall. I took them and examined. One is about 2 feet length, with a handle like sword, too rusty as nearly thin dust. Other one is 1 foot length and seems little thick and like a big knife. As we are not aware of these things we took them to our school and explained to the headmaster Mr. Balakrishanan, about the artifacts. He agreed to keep them in the office. Rest I don’t know. But I strongly believe that some pazhassis followers kept them there.
When I matriculate, and in my early youth, the place is our groups gathering point up to midnights..We saw every portion of society is coming there either to spend an evening or to put flowers in the tomb. We welcomed everyone. The archeological department of local government posted one Manager and one Gardener there. The Gardener was a native of Travencore and seems doesn’t care about his job. We became friends and we couldn’t see the Manager. He used to come once in a month to collect the salary. Government planned to renovate the tomb place and made a small museum and put laterite wall around the tree and planted some local herbs and flowes. But sooner the big tree became dried up within one year and ultimately fell down. Being a nature lover, we feel badly. We the youth made a non governmental organization on environmental issues. We called it Green Lovers and I was the founder Advisor. We decided to plant a same type tree and after long search we got permission and planted the sapling. We put seeds of all available wild trees around the vacant land of the tomb. we also included lots of local seeds of jack fruits, mangoes, figs etc. The Aim is to attract birds and small animals when they give fruits. But thanks to governments decision to renovate again the site, they started work and all our efforts were gone in vain. We also separated in course of time to seek a Job. Today Green lovers attached with Pazhassi Library working outstandingly.

Just down the road to Mananthavady town there was an old building built in 1929 and working as Pazhassi Raja Memorial Library. In 90s I was one of the office bearers. It was demolished and built a new commercial complex with Library. It is now one of the best Libraries in Wayanad. I read several books on local history, though my primary subject in college is Pure science. History became a fascination. I searched William Logan’s Malabar Manual , but I could not read. I read it recently.
Several years later I am posted to Tellichery General Hospital by the government which is near to the British FACTORY. I saw all the places with a different eye. The church, fort and even the playground made me fascination. In mind I want to rewind the process of history. I got several tips from internet and Maps. And name of places. With this aim I wandered in my motorbike to all the historical places like Tellichery, its old city, old buildings. I found in our climate with six month strong rain, the buildings are ruined easily. All the people getting nice money and new structures are rising everywhere. I extended my search to Calicut, Beypore Faroke,Kannur, Darmapatanum, Darmodam, Valapatnam, Mahe, Peria, Kottiyoor etc. most of the route are familiar to me before, because I have to travel these areas with work related trips, for example I can travel Tellichery to Mananthavady (My home) through kathiroor, KOTTAYAM, Kannavam, Kottiyoor, Elapedika, Peria, Palchuram etc, all relevant to history. I visit some of the Nambiars houses and spent time with elders to grasp an idea of old days.
And search now continues.

The word in that board given an Impression of Britons in my child mind and it was shining. That is , This Baber Brought Rajas dead body in His palanquin and buried with respects and customs. I found how these forign people respect even their enemy.