History of Grama Panchayat

History

Socio-Cultural History

Local elders believe that human settlement in Thenmala Panchayat began more than 200 years ago. In the early days, around twenty Ezhava families migrated and settled around the Edamon region. Later, this area came into the possession of Tamil migrants. Compared to neighboring areas, this region was more expansive and highly suitable for agriculture. Surrounded by mountains, this plain came to be known as "Edamon", which translates to "the land in between" (Idaykkulla Mannu).

The majority of the Tamil migrants were Tamil Brahmins and Thevars. Among them, Ragha Iyengar—who was a Siddha physician, farmer, and trader—was prominent. The area where the Thevars resided is known today as Thevarukunnu.

  • The Plantation Era (1865): Companies like Kannan Devan, Rani Rubber Company, and H&C (Harrisons & Crosfield) acquired forest lands on lease and started rubber and tea plantations. This led to the influx of a large number of laborers from Tamil Nadu to work in these estates. With the arrival of rubber cultivation, several Christian families migrated here, followed by Muslim families for trade and business purposes.

  • Infrastructure and Growth (1880–1904): In 1880, during the reign of King Sree Moolam Thirunal, the Revenue Settlement came into effect. The Kollam-Shenkottai road transport was already functional before this. Initially, the royal highway passed through Aryankavu, Chenagiri, Florence, Nedumpara, Nagamala, Mampazhathara, and Chaliyakara. The present Kollam-Shenkottai road was developed and made suitable for transport later. Around 1904, more people arrived in connection with the construction of the Kollam-Thirunelveli railway line. Thenmala gained prominence with the arrival of the railway station, forest depot, and plantations.

History of Place Names

There are multiple beliefs regarding the origin of the name Thenmala:

  1. It means the "Land of 10 Hills" (Pathu Mala).

  2. It signifies a place with a hill on its southern side (Thekku Mala).

  3. It refers to a place where honey (Then) is available in abundance.

Other local names derived their meanings from geographical features:

  • Andoorpacha, Edatharappacha, and Nedumpacha: Named so because the lush vegetation grew into wide canopies (Pacha meaning green).

  • Ottakkal: Named because it was an area with abundant stones and featured the largest single boulder (Otta meaning single, Kal meaning stone).

  • Urukunnu: Derived from being a land or village (Ooru) made of hills (Kunnu).

Places of Worship and Land Reforms

The ancient Mampazhathara Temple was established in connection with the Aryankavu Temple and was renovated during the reign of Sree Moolam Thirunal Maharaja.

The Nedumpara Motta, one of the peaks of the Sahyadri (Western Ghats), stands at an elevation of 2,965 feet above sea level between Ottakkal and Nagamala. Legend has it that a Muslim mystic named Nedumpara Sahib lived here, and the current Ottakkal Mosque is built where he was laid to rest. In the early 19th century, the London Mission Society (LMS) established a church in Edamon and conducted missionary work. Established in 1932, St. Joseph's Church is the oldest existing Christian church in the region today.

  • Food Production Initiative (1948): To combat post-independence food scarcity, the regions from Thenmala to Andoorpacha (Blocks 1 to 17) were selected as a 'Food Production Area' and leased to farmers for cultivating paddy and other grains at a lease rate of ₹3.50 per acre. At the time, Pattom Thanu Pillai was the Chief Minister, T.M. Varghese was the Forest Minister, and P.C. Adichan was the local MLA.

  • Farmer Struggles: Farmers only had the right to cultivate grains. A hand-pound rice cooperative (Kaikkuthari Sangham) operated during this period to collect the produced paddy, convert it into rice, and sell it. The historical farmer agitations led by late social activists Ummarkutty Labba and S. Achuthan—demanding rights to grow other crops and to secure land ownership—are highly memorable.

  • Land Ownership (1956–1969): With the formation of Kerala state in 1956, the forest department transferred the land, granting more freedom to farmers. With the implementation of the Land Reforms Bill in 1969, these lands were officially assigned to the farmers under the principle of "land to the tiller." Following this, 80 acres of land were released from the forest department for the residents of the Urukunnu Malavedar Colony, and another 80 acres were assigned in the Edamon Teak Coupe.

Administrative History

Eroor Panchayat was one of the first panchayats formed in the Kollam district. At that time, the present Thenmala Panchayat was merely a single ward within Eroor Panchayat. Thenmala Panchayat was formally established following the 1963 panchayat elections, and it initially included the present Aryankavu Panchayat as well.

Following a division in 1969, Thenmala Panchayat was bifurcated, creating two distinct panchayats: Aryankavu and Thenmala.

Leadership Legacy:

  • 1963 (Combined Panchayat): The first President was the late T.C. Nariyarath.

  • 1969 (Bifurcated Panchayat): The President of the newly formed Thenmala Panchayat was N.C. Pillai.