Ali Raja
Encyclopedia
The Ali Raja was the title of the Muslim
raja
(king) of Cannanore
(modern Kannur) from the 16th to early 19th Century. The king's palace, which he purchased from the Dutch in 1663, was named Arakkal Palace after the ruling dynasty.
There is a consensus among scholars that the Arakkal family had Nair
origins.
In the 17th century, one of the Padanairs (generals) of Kolathiri
, Arayankulangara Nair, converted to Islam
and adopted the name Muhammad Ali. His wife was the daughter of Kolathiri, and they later came to be known as Arakkal. Muhammad Ali continued in the service of the Kolathiris even after his conversion, and his successors known as the Mammali Kidavus were the hereditary Padanairs of the Kolathiri. Around this time, many Muslim merchant families became financially influential in the Malabar region. When the Arakkal family took control of Laccadives
, they achieved near-royal status.
As per another legend the daughter of Chirakkal Raja began to drown while bathing in the Chirakkal kulam (pond). Her friends cried and shouted but were unable to rescue her. A passing Muslim boy heard the shouting and came to find out what was wrong. He recognized the girl drowning in the pond as the princess, but was hesitant about saving her because of untouchability and if a lower-caste person touched an upper-caste person it was considered a sin, possibly punishable by death. However, the boy rescued her and gave her his mundu (shirt) to cover herself. When the news reached the Chirakkal Raja, he called his daughter and the Muslim boy to him. At that time, if a man gave a pudava (a long cloth used for covering the body) to an unmarried woman, they were considered married. The scholars of the court told the Raja that since his daughter was touched by a Muslim, she was no longer allowed to enter the palace. However, the boy had given her his pudava so she was married to him as well. As per the custom the Raja had no other choice but to give his daughter to the Muslim boy. The Raja was unhappy to give his daughter to a poor family, so he made the boy ruler of a part of his dominion. The area given to the boy was known as Arakkal and his family was called the Arakkal family.
, India, in what is now called Kannur City
. The Arakkal family was the only Muslim royal family of Kerala to control parts of the coast and Lakshadweep
.
The Arakkal family followed a matriarchal system of descent: the eldest member of the family, whether male or female, became its head and ruler. While male rulers were called Ali Rajah, female rulers were known as Arakkal Beevis.
Sultana Aysha Aliraja was the ruler until her death on the morning of 27 September 2006.
By 1909, Arakkal rulers had lost Kannur and the Cannanore Cantonment. By 1911, there was a further decline with the loss of chenkol and udaval (sword). They allied and clashed with the Portuguese
, the Dutch, the French and the British. The British played the biggest part in removing all vestiges of titles and power from the Arakkal rulers. One of the last kings, Arakkal Abdu Rahiman Ali Raja (1881–1946), was active in helping his subjects. The last ruler was Ali Raja Mariumma Beevi Thangal. After her rule, the family broke up.
During the time of the Samuthiries the Muslims of Malabar played a major role in the local army and navy
, as well as acting as ambassadors to Arabia and China. They forged alliances with the Moslil rulers of Gujarat and Bijapur.Even before this period they had settlements in Perumathura, Thakkala, Thengapattanam, Poovar and Thiruvankottu in southern Travancore Muslims from Pandi Desham migrated to trade with Erattupetta
, Kanjirappalli, Mundakayam
, Peruvanthanam
and Vandiperiyar
in the Kottayam district
of Kerala. In the 17th century, trade links were established with places like Kayamkulam
and Aleppy in the west. It was during the time of Samuthiris that the title of Marakkar was created. Muslim influence reached its peak at the time of Kunjali Marakkar
, the fourth in the line. After Kunjali Marakkar and Samuthiri parted company, Muslim influence declined.
During the Dutch period, a prominent Muslim trader named Moosakoi spearheaded the development of trade centers in Chenganacherri, Pandalam
, Kayamkulam and Alappuza.
During the time of Hyder Ali
and Tipu Sultan
there was a revival amongst the Muslims of Malabar. The Arakkal king signed a treaty with Hyder Ali. Samathuri followed up with his own treaty with Hyder Ali. After being appointed the Naval Chief of Hyder Ali's army, Ali Raja Kunhi Amsa II's first course of action was to capture the king of Laccadives and present him to Hyder Ali after having gouged out his eyes.
The Durbar Hall section of the Arakkalkettu (Arakkal Palace) has been converted into a museum housing artifacts from the times of the Arakkal dynasty. The work was carried out by the Government of Kerala
at a cost of Rs
. 9,000,000. The museum opened in July 2005.
Although renovated by the government, the Arakkalkettu is still owned by the Arakkal Family Trust and does not fall under the control of the country's archaeology department, the Archaeological Survey of India
. The government had taken a keen interest in preserving the heritage of the Arakkal Family, which had played a prominent role in the history of Malabar. A nominal entry fee is charged by the Arakkal Family Trust.
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
(king) of Cannanore
Kannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
(modern Kannur) from the 16th to early 19th Century. The king's palace, which he purchased from the Dutch in 1663, was named Arakkal Palace after the ruling dynasty.
Origins
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
origins.
In the 17th century, one of the Padanairs (generals) of Kolathiri
Kolathiri
Kolathiri or Kolathiri Rājā was the title by which the senior most male along the matilinial line of the Mushika or Kolathunādu Royal Family was styled...
, Arayankulangara Nair, converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and adopted the name Muhammad Ali. His wife was the daughter of Kolathiri, and they later came to be known as Arakkal. Muhammad Ali continued in the service of the Kolathiris even after his conversion, and his successors known as the Mammali Kidavus were the hereditary Padanairs of the Kolathiri. Around this time, many Muslim merchant families became financially influential in the Malabar region. When the Arakkal family took control of Laccadives
Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep , formerly known as the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands, is a group of islands in the Laccadive Sea, 200 to 440 km off the coast of the South West Indian state of Kerala...
, they achieved near-royal status.
As per another legend the daughter of Chirakkal Raja began to drown while bathing in the Chirakkal kulam (pond). Her friends cried and shouted but were unable to rescue her. A passing Muslim boy heard the shouting and came to find out what was wrong. He recognized the girl drowning in the pond as the princess, but was hesitant about saving her because of untouchability and if a lower-caste person touched an upper-caste person it was considered a sin, possibly punishable by death. However, the boy rescued her and gave her his mundu (shirt) to cover herself. When the news reached the Chirakkal Raja, he called his daughter and the Muslim boy to him. At that time, if a man gave a pudava (a long cloth used for covering the body) to an unmarried woman, they were considered married. The scholars of the court told the Raja that since his daughter was touched by a Muslim, she was no longer allowed to enter the palace. However, the boy had given her his pudava so she was married to him as well. As per the custom the Raja had no other choice but to give his daughter to the Muslim boy. The Raja was unhappy to give his daughter to a poor family, so he made the boy ruler of a part of his dominion. The area given to the boy was known as Arakkal and his family was called the Arakkal family.
Location
The palace is three kilometers from Kannur, KeralaKerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India, in what is now called Kannur City
Kannur City
Kannur 'City' is a residential suburb of Kannur Town. This place is called a 'city' because it was the ancient capital of the Kannur town. It is different from the actual city of Kannur, which is the administrative head quarters of the Kannur District....
. The Arakkal family was the only Muslim royal family of Kerala to control parts of the coast and Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep , formerly known as the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands, is a group of islands in the Laccadive Sea, 200 to 440 km off the coast of the South West Indian state of Kerala...
.
Ali Rajas and Arakkal Beevis
Sultana Aysha Aliraja was the ruler until her death on the morning of 27 September 2006.
History
Muslims of Kerala believe their origins can be traced back to the 7th century CE when the religion originated in Arabia. The history of Muslims in Kerala is closely intertwined with the history of Muslims in the nearby Laccadives islands. Kerala's only Muslim kingdom was Kannur's Arakkal family. Historians however, disagree about the time period of Arakkal rulers. They see the Arakkal kings come to power in the 16th or 17th century.By 1909, Arakkal rulers had lost Kannur and the Cannanore Cantonment. By 1911, there was a further decline with the loss of chenkol and udaval (sword). They allied and clashed with the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, the Dutch, the French and the British. The British played the biggest part in removing all vestiges of titles and power from the Arakkal rulers. One of the last kings, Arakkal Abdu Rahiman Ali Raja (1881–1946), was active in helping his subjects. The last ruler was Ali Raja Mariumma Beevi Thangal. After her rule, the family broke up.
During the time of the Samuthiries the Muslims of Malabar played a major role in the local army and navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
, as well as acting as ambassadors to Arabia and China. They forged alliances with the Moslil rulers of Gujarat and Bijapur.Even before this period they had settlements in Perumathura, Thakkala, Thengapattanam, Poovar and Thiruvankottu in southern Travancore Muslims from Pandi Desham migrated to trade with Erattupetta
Erattupetta
Erattupetta is a town in Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India.It is 38 km east of Kottayam, the District Centre. Erattupetta was known as Erappili and Erappuzha before the Advent of Tamil Muslims into this town. Erattupetta is situated in the foothills of High Ranges. It was the...
, Kanjirappalli, Mundakayam
Mundakayam
Mundakayam is a small town in Kottayam District of Kerala state, South India. It is the gateway to the high ranges of Kerala, and is at the border of Kottayam and Idukki districts. It is here that the high ranges of south Kerala start. It is one of the most developed towns in Kerala, with rubber...
, Peruvanthanam
Peruvanthanam
Peruvanthanam is a village in Idukki district in the Indian state of Kerala.-Demographics: India census, Peruvanthanam had a population of 16301 with 8203 males and 8098 females....
and Vandiperiyar
Vandiperiyar
Vandiperiyar is a town in Idukki district, Kerala, India.famous in tourism,tea plantation,coffe plantation, black pepper and other spicy products.Number of tea factories are situated here.Famous river PERIYAR flows through the city.-Geography:...
in the Kottayam district
Kottayam
Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative capital of the Kottayam district. Kottayam Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative...
of Kerala. In the 17th century, trade links were established with places like Kayamkulam
Kayamkulam
Kayamkulam is a town and a municipality in Alappuzha district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is an ancient maritime trading centre. One of the largest power plants in Kerala, run by the NTPC, is located in Kayamkulam. Krishnapuram Palace is located nearby and an old cashew factory.Kayamkulam is...
and Aleppy in the west. It was during the time of Samuthiris that the title of Marakkar was created. Muslim influence reached its peak at the time of Kunjali Marakkar
Kunjali Marakkar
The Kunhali Marakkar or Kunjali Marakkar was the title given to the Muslim naval chief of the Zamorin , Hindu king of Calicut, in present day state of Kerala, India during the 16th century. There were four major Kunhalis who played a part in the Zamorin's naval wars with the Portuguese from 1520...
, the fourth in the line. After Kunjali Marakkar and Samuthiri parted company, Muslim influence declined.
During the Dutch period, a prominent Muslim trader named Moosakoi spearheaded the development of trade centers in Chenganacherri, Pandalam
Pandalam
Pandalam is one among the fastest growing towns in Kerala, India. Known far and wide for its legendary connection with Lord Ayyappa and Sabarimala, Pandalam is considered to be a holy town...
, Kayamkulam and Alappuza.
During the time of Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born Hyder Naik, he distinguished himself militarily, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's rulers...
and Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
there was a revival amongst the Muslims of Malabar. The Arakkal king signed a treaty with Hyder Ali. Samathuri followed up with his own treaty with Hyder Ali. After being appointed the Naval Chief of Hyder Ali's army, Ali Raja Kunhi Amsa II's first course of action was to capture the king of Laccadives and present him to Hyder Ali after having gouged out his eyes.
Arakkal Museum
The Durbar Hall section of the Arakkalkettu (Arakkal Palace) has been converted into a museum housing artifacts from the times of the Arakkal dynasty. The work was carried out by the Government of Kerala
Government of Kerala
The Government of Kerala is a democratically elected body that governs the State of Kerala, India for a period of 5 years. The state government is headed by the Governor of Kerala as the nominal head of state, with a democratically elected Chief Minister as real head of the executive. The state...
at a cost of Rs
Indian rupee
The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India....
. 9,000,000. The museum opened in July 2005.
Although renovated by the government, the Arakkalkettu is still owned by the Arakkal Family Trust and does not fall under the control of the country's archaeology department, the Archaeological Survey of India
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India is a department of the Government of India, attached to the Ministry of Culture . The ASI is responsible for archaeological studies and the preservation of archaeological heritage of the country in accordance with the various acts of the Indian Parliament...
. The government had taken a keen interest in preserving the heritage of the Arakkal Family, which had played a prominent role in the history of Malabar. A nominal entry fee is charged by the Arakkal Family Trust.
Reigning rajas
- Ali Raja Ali (1545–1591)
- Ali Raja Abubakar I (1591–1607)
- Ali Raja Abubakar II (1607–1610)
- Ali Raja Muhammad Ali I (1610–1647)
- Ali Raja Muhammad Ali II (1647–1655)
- Ali Raja Kamal (1655–1656)
- Ali Raja Muhammad Ali III (1656–1691)
- Ali Raja Ali II (1691–1704)
- Ali Raja Kunhi Amsa I (1704–1720)
- Ali Raja Muhammad Ali IV (1720–1728)
- Ali Raja Bibi Harrabichi Kadavube (1728–1732)
- Ali Raja Bibi Junumabe I (1732–1745)
- Ali Raja Kunhi Amsa II (1745–1777)
- Ali Raja Bibi Junumabe II (1777–1819)
Heads of the Arakkal dynasty since 1819
- Ali Raja Bibi Mariambe (1819–1838)
- Ali Raja Bibi Hayashabe (1838–1852)
- Ali Raja Abdul Rahman I (1852–1870)
- Ali Raja Musa Ali (1870–1899)
- Ali Raja Muhammad Ali V (1899–1907)
- Ali Raja Bibi Imbichi (1907–1911)
- Ali Raja Ahmad Ali (1911–1921)
- Ali Raja Bibi Ayesha (1921–1931)
- Ali Raja Abdul Rahman II (1931–1946)
- Ali Raja Bibi Arakkal Mariumma (1946–1947)
- Ali Raja Sultan Hamza (1981-1998)
- Ali Raja Sultana Muthu Beevi (1998-2006)
- Ali Raja Sultana Zainaba Aysha Beevi (2006–present)
Cultural depictions
- Ayesha Ali Raja (played by Genelia D'SouzaGenelia D'SouzaGenelia D'Souza is an Indian actress, model, and host. She has appeared in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam language films. After gaining wide attention in a Parker Pen commercial with Amitabh Bachchan, D'Souza began her acting career with Tujhe Meri Kasam in 2003...
) appears as a character in a Malayalam film titled UrumiUrumi (film)Urumi is a 2011 Malayalam historical-fantasy film directed and co-produced by Santosh Sivan and written by Shankar Ramakrishnan. It stars Prithviraj, who was also one of the producers of the film, as Chirakkal Kelu Nayanar, Prabhu Deva as Vavvali, Robin Pratt as Vasco da Gama, Alexx ONell as...
. The film is based on a fictional story about a young Indian who tries to assassinate Portuguese explorer, Vasco da GamaVasco da GamaVasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
. The movie was released on 31 March 2011.
See also
- Arakkal MuseumArakkal MuseumThe Arrakkal Museum is a museum dedicated to the Arakkal family, the only Muslim royal family in Kerala, south India. The museum is actually a section of the Arakkalkettu . The durbar hall section of the palace has been converted into a museum by the Government of Kerala. It was opened in July 2005...
- Keyi familyKeyi familyThe Keyi family are nobles among the Mappilas of Malabar known for their immense wealth and landed properties which they acquired through brisk trade they carried out in Kerala even before the advent of English East India Company...
- Kannur Fort - (St. Angelo Fort)
- List of Sunni Muslim dynasties
- Mysore invasion of Kerala