Ali Raja

Ali Raja

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Ali Raja

Arakkal Ali Raja was the Muslim Raja (king) of Kannur who resided in the Arakkal Palace. The palace is three kilometres from Kannur, Kerala, 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 Kannur Fort was owned for some time by the Arakkal family. The Dutch captured the fort from the Portuguese in 1663 and sold the fort to the Arakkal Ali Raja.

Origins
Ali Rajas and Arakkal Beevis
History
Arakkal Museum
Predecessors

Rulers from the Arakkal dynasty

See also
References
External links

Origins

Mappila Bay with the old Arakkal kingdom in the distance

There is a consensus among scholars that the Arakkal family had Nair origins.^[1]^[2]^[3]

In the 17th century, one of the Padanairs (generals) of Kolathiri, Arayankulangara Nair, converted to Islam. His wife was a daughter of Kolathiri and they later came to be known as Arakkal. Around this time, a lot of Muslim merchant families became financially influential in the Malabar region. When the Arakkal family took control of Lakshadweep, they achieved near-royal status. Subsequently, they received support from Mysore.

There is a legend that, centuries ago, Kolathu Nadu (presently Kannur district) was ruled by Chirakkal Raja. His daughter started drowning 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: at that time untouchability was practised in Kerala and if a lower-caste person touched an upper-caste person it was considered a sin possibly punishable by death.

The boy rescued her anyway, despite the risk to his life, and gave her his mundu to cover herself.

When the news reached the Chirakkal Raja, he called his daughter and the Muslim boy to him. The boy was afraid that he would lose his life.

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 king 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 part of the country.

The area given to the boy was known as Arakkal and his family was called the Arakkal family. The ruler's daughter was known as Arakkal Beevi.

Many people believe that the Chirakkal kulam still exists today in Chirakkalkulam, located between Thayatheru and Kannur City.

Ali Rajas and Arakkal Beevis

Former ruler Sultana Aysha Aliraja.

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 September 27, 2006.

History

Inside St. Angelo Fort

Muslims of Kerala have always believed that their origins go back to the 7th century CE when the religion originated in Arabia. The numbers increased in the 9th century. In the 8th century there were many centers for religious conversion in the state. Cheraman Perumal's pilgrimage to Mecca was a major influence in this regard. The history of Muslims in Kerala is closely intertwined with the history of Muslims in the nearby Laccadives (Lakshadweep) islands. Kerala's only Muslim kingdom was Kannur's Arakkal family. Historians disagree as to the time period of Arakkal rulers. Some claim that ancient coins date the Arakkal rulers to the 8th century. Kerala historian A. Sridhara Menon seems to believe that the Arakkal kings came to power in 16th or 17th century and issued their coins at the earliest in the 18th century. One of the rulers that presided over the kingdom was Junumma Beevi who ruled for 49 years. 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). During those years 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 meantime 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. During their reign the four Marakkars played a significant role in trade. During the time of the second Marakkar, Muslims spread from port areas to the hillsides of Valapattanam, Thikkodi, Pandalayani, Kakkad, Kozhikode and Ponnani. From there many migrated to Palakkad. 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 Hyderali and Tippu Sultan there was a revival amongst the Muslims of Malabar. The Arakkal king signed a treaty with Hyderali. Samathuri followed up with his own treaty with Hyder.

Arakkal Museum

The durbar hall section of the Arakkalkettu (Arakkal Palace) has been converted into a museum housing artefacts from the times of the Arakkal dynasty and providing a place of interest for tourists. 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.