Ponnani

Ponnani (പൊന്നനി)
—  town  —
Ponnani (പൊന്നനി) Location of Ponnani (പൊന്നനി) in Kerala and India
Coordinates	10°46′N 75°54′E
Country	India
State	Kerala
District(s)	Malappuram
Nearest city	Thrissur, Malappuram
Parliamentary constituency	Ponnani
Assembly constituency	Ponnani
Civic agency	Ponnani municipality
Population	87,356 (2001)
Sex ratio	1000:1042 ♂/♀
Literacy	71.3%
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	• 5 metres (16 ft)
Codes • Pincode • 679 577 • Telephone • +0494 • Vehicle • KL-54

Ponnani/Ponani (Malayalam: പൊന്നാനി) is an ancient port, a coastal town and a municipality in Malappuram district in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 9.32 km². Ponnani taluk is the smallest Taluk in Malappuram district. This tiny, picturesque town is bounded by the Arabian Sea on the west. It is the only port in Malappuram district and is one of the oldest ones in south India and can be identified with Tyndis in Periplus of the Erythraean Sea^{[citation needed]}. This tidal port, mainly used by the fishing industry, is at the mouth of Bharathapuza, the second longest river of Kerala. This place is an important fishing centre.

Overview

Located in Malappuram District of Kerala state in India, Ponnani is a small town at the mouth of the Bharathapuzha river. It is a port used primarily as a fishing harbour. Ponnani is a town of masjids. Though described as a place of 231/2 masjids, there are nearly 50 masjids. Ponnani has a population which is a blend of almost equal percentage of Hindus and Muslims and has set an example for tolerant and peaceful co-existence.

Malik Ibnu Dinar, the first Islamic missionary who came to Kerala, was believed to have visited Ponnani. William Logan, the historian, records in his Malabar manual about the Ponnani Juma’ Masjid built in 925 Hijrah. Ponnani was considered as the second capital of Malabar during the reign of Samoothiri and was the headquarters of Kunjali Marakkar, the naval army chief of Samoothiri.^{[citation needed]}

Ponnani enjoyed a status as an important centre for education in the philosophy of Islam.In the early period, Ponnani was considered the Al Azhar university of Kerala, for its great religious schools and teachers. Ponnani was called the 'small Makkah' in south India, Malaya, Indonesia etc.

Ponnani is a name very much associated with the nationalist movements in the freedom struggle. A number of prominent leaders from this taluk had contributed in soul and spirit towards realising the dream of Independent India. Ponnani has also contributed a great deal to the cultural and literary heritage of Kerala.

Statistics

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Ponnani had a population of 87,356. Males constitute 48% of the population and females 52%. Ponnani has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 77%, and female literacy is 71%. In Ponnani, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Geography

Ponnani is a sea shore town along the south banks of river Baratha Puzha. It is located at 10.77°N 75.9°E / 10.77; 75.9 at the earth global. It has an average elevation of 5 metres (16 feet). Ponnani provides a natural ground for establishing a port.

Trade and economy

Ponnani is one of the oldest port in Kerala and has contributed to the trade and economy of Malabar from very early times. This port was used as a hub for trading with Arabs and Europeans in the early ages of British Indian rule.

Ponnani was considered as the second capital of Malabar. Trikkavu in Ponnani was one among the seats of the Zamorin, from where he controlled the trade and commerce. The economy of this town is predominantly based on agriculture and marine products.

A Central government port customs office is also functions in Ponnani.

Agriculture

The major source of income for the people are agriculture and fishing. Rice, coconut, aricanut are the main cultivation. Ponnani is famous for its fishing harbour and houses the office of the District fisheries board. There is a light house in Ponnani under the control of Government of India, which highlights the importance of fishing in this area.

Industry

In the early days, Ponnani was a notable place for the manufacture of big wooden boats ('Uru' or 'Pathemari'). Though this place is industrially backward, some traditional industries based on coir and coir products, marine products, etc. are dominating from the very early times. Kerala State Detergents and chemicals Ltd., (KSDC) in Kuttippuram is a main Government undertaking industrial establishment in this region

Tourism

The tidal mouth of Bharathappuzha in Ponnani, where 'Bharathapuza' and 'Tirur River' join together to traverse into the Arabian Sea, is a seasonal home to hundreds of migratory birds and attracts a large number of bird watchers and ornithologists. When one crosses the river by ferry from Ponnani to Chamravattom in the summer months of March to May, one cannot miss the sights of lovely flocks of birds. Nearly 25 varieties of birds have been identified in this area.

Another tourist attraction is Biyyam Kayal. This placid, green fringed waterway has water sports facilities. A boat race is conducted here annually, during Onam celebrations. A permanent pavilion is built for the spectators and nearly two dozen country boats, including some rowed by women, participate in the race. A big scheme is underway to develop a tourist complex here, with hotels, parks, etc. Today, a rest house situated on the banks of the lake, welcomes the tourists for a comfortable and cozy stay.

Landmarks

• Saraswathi Temple, Thrikkav (1900 year old)
• Harihara Mangalam Warriam
• Karuvattu Mana
• Ponnani Juma Masjid (500 year old)
• Ponnani Lighthouse: Ponnani Lighthouse is situated close to the South bank of Bharathapuza River joining the sea on the outskirts of Ponnani town.
• The Bharathapuza joins the Arabian Sea at Ponnani.
• Fishing Harbour

Utilities and facilities

Ponnani Lighthouse

Transportation

• Kozhikode International Airport (62 km)
• Railway station at Kuttipuram (21 km)
• Railway station at Guruvayoor (19 km)
• Road - The NH-17 Panvel - Cochin passess through Ponnani
• Ponnani is also linked by an inland water navigation system of canals to south Kerala.

Ponnani ferry service

Bank and financial institutions

• State Bank of Travancore (SBT).
• State Bank of India (SBI).
• Canara Bank.
• Vijaya Bank.
• Federal Bank.
• South Indian Bank.
• Punjab National Bank (PNB).
• Dhanalakshmi Bank.
• South Malabar Gramin Bank.
• Malappuram District Co-operative Bank.
• Ponnani Service Co-operative Bank.
• Ponnani Urban Bank.
• Catholic Syrian Bank.
• ICICI Prudential.
• HDFC Standard life insurance Co.
• Life Insurance corporation of India
• Bajaj Allianz

Educational Institutions

Colleges

• M E S College Ponnani:

Established in 19 hundreds. MES college has played a significant role in parting quality higher education to the youth especially from Ponnani, Tirur and Chavakkad taluks. This college is affiliated Calicut Univarsity. College offers Masters and Bachelors degree courses in arts, science and commerce discipline.

• M E S engineering College in Kuttippuram
• Kelapplaji College of agricultural engineering and technology, Thavannur are in ponnani taluk and caters to a large number of students to pursue engineering studies in various disciplines.

• Scholar college
• Govt ITC
• Regional Arts and Science College
• IHRD College of Applied Science, Vattamkulam

Schools

• A.V. High School Ponnani

- This century old school started in 1885 is one among the oldest in Malabar and has brought up a number of notable personalities like C Radhakrishnan, artist Padmini etc.

• M.I. High School Ponnani

- Established in 1947, has very important role in educating the backward people whom mostly came from coastal area. This school was recently upgraded to Higher Secondary and now boasts of two full fledged higher secondary schools for boys and girls.

• Thrikkavu Government High school,
• Ponnani Girls High school,
• I S S School,
• Vijaya Matha High School.
• N S S High school, Nariparambu.
• Bharathiya Vidhya Bhavan,Ponnani.
• Al Basheer Educational Trust.
• Al-Falah English School,Veliancode
• Makhdoomiyya English School,Ponnani

Culture, art and people

People and social civilization

Ponnani has a population which is a blend of almost equal percentage of Hindus and Muslims and has set an example for tolerant and peaceful co-existence. Ponnani is constituted as rural region, with agriculture and fishing being the main means of livelihood. The area boasts a few NRI pockets, wherein foreign remittances have created an aura of prosperity.

From the books of history

Malik Ibn Dinar, the first Islamic missionary to come to Kerala, is believed to have visited Ponnani. William Logan, the British historian, records in his Malabar Manual that the Ponnani Juma Masjid was built in 925 Hijrah Era. Ponnani was considered as the second capital of Malabar during the reign of Zamorins of Calicut and was the headquarters of Kunjali Marakkar, the naval chief of Zamorin.

It attained a status as an important centre for education in the philosophy of Islam. In the early period, Ponnani was considered the Al Azhar University of Kerala, for its great religious schools and teachers. Ponnani was called the 'small Mecca' of South India.

Hyder Ali of Mysore conquered Malabar in 1766 and established an outpost in Ponnani. During his son Tipu Sultan’s regime Ponnani became an important centre for Islamic studies. Tipu developed the port at Ponnani for trade and security reasons. Ponnani was the southern most town of Tipu's regime. After Tipu’s defeat in 1799, the British took the territory of Malabar under their control.

Trikkavu in Ponnani was the summer capital of Zamorins of Calicut, the rulers of Malabar.

Ponnani and nationalist movements

Ponnani is a name very much associated with the nationalist movements in the freedom struggle. A number of prominent leaders from this taluk had contributed in soul and spirit towards realizing the dream of Independent India. Role of great freedom struggle leaders like Zainuddin Makhdoom II, who wrote a book Tuhafat Ul Mujahideen, which is the first authentic book on Kerala history, to inspire people to fight Portughese invasion is remembered for ever. Ponnani has also contributed a great deal to the cultural and literary heritage of Kerala.

Shri. KV Raman Menon (1900–1974), known as Ponnani Gandhi, was a great Congress leader of the time who had actively participated in the freedom movement of Malabar. He was a social reformer and was a leading lawyer of the Court of Ponani.

EK Imbichibava has played a tremendous role in its development. He is known as The Soul of Ponnani. He was a great Communist Leader and former Member of Indian Parliament and Member of Kerala Legislative Assembly.

Ponnani Juma Masjid

Religious and heritage monuments

Ponnani is well known among Keralites for its numerous mosques build across Ponnani municipality. To name one is the oldest mosque Ponani Juma Masjid which is five hundred year old. As equal it is also known for Hindu temples such as Thrikkavu Temple and the Navamukunda Temple in Thirunavaya, located on the northern banks of river Barathapuzha. Another famous temple in Ponnani is Mookkuthala Bhagavathy Temple. Mookkuthala Kannemkavu temple is situated nearby the Mookuthala temple. This temple is owned and managed by Azhvancheri Thamprakal. Centuries ago, saints from the famous Chettikulangara Temple, Mavelikkara, visited and stayed here for bhajanam, at the time of their journey to Azhvancherry Mana.

Peoples and their contribution to Kerala

People from Ponnani had contributed much for Kerala's rich cultural treasure and plays a significant role in the cultural history of Kerala. Few people on the list,

• Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan, who is considered as the Father of the Modern Malayalam language
• Vallathol Narayana Menon (1878–1958)
• Kuttikrishna Marar
• Krishna Panikkar
• Illustrious novelists like Uroob (pseudonym of P. C. Kuttikrishnan), M. T. Vasudevan Nair, Madhavikkutty and C. Radhakrishnan, poets like Edasseri Govindan Nair etc.,
• The well-known painters like K.C.S. Panikkar, Namboothiri
• The role of EK Imbichibava is remembered for his contribution to the town and people.
• VP Cherukoya Thangal was a Muslim League MLA in early days.
• Vakil K. V. Raman Menon was the lynch pin of Ponani for its religious harmony especially during the Khilafat Movement.
• Edasseri Govinadan Nair, the popular poet as Vakil's follower and also as his clerk also has contributed to many of the social reformations in Ponani.
• Advocate Koladi Govindan Kutty, K. Krishna Warrier, Justice Kunhammad Kutty, Fatima Teacher, K.V. Syed Kutty, Prof. A. V. Moideen Kutty, Prof. M. M. Narayanan, Prof. K. V. Abdurahiman, Prof. Kadavanad Mohammad, K.V.Noorudheen sahib, Kodambiye Rahman, P. Surendran etc. have contributed a lot for the cultural development of Ponnani.

Politics and governance

Local Administration

There are two administrative systems prevailing in Ponnani taluk:

• Revenue
• Local self-government.

The local self-government system constitutes the Municipality and Block Panchayat. Ponnani Municipality has 50 wards. Each ward is represented by an elected member in the Municipal council. Under the revenue system, the taluk is divided into 13 villages. Ponnani taluk is constituted of the following villages.

• Alankode
• Edappal
• Ezhuvathiruthy
• Kalady
• Maranchery
• Nannam Mukku
• Perumpadappu
• Ponnani
• Thavannur
• Vattamkulam
• Veliyancode
• K K Junction
• Kuttikkadu

Located in Malappuram District of Kerala state in India, Ponnani is the smallest Taluk of the district.

Ponnani Assembly constituency

It is part of Ponnani (Lok Sabha constituency).

Ponnani Parliament constituency

Ponnani is one among the 20 parliament constituencies of Kerala. The Ponnani constituency comprises the assembly segments of

• Tirurangadi
• Tanur
• Tirur
• Ponnani
• Mankada
• Kuttipuram
• Perinthalmanna
• and Thrithala.

Between 1957 and 1977, when Ponnani was a reserved constituency, it was held by the Marxists. Once it was re-labeled a general constituency in 1977, the balance of power shifted to the IUML. General Statistics (Municipality as per 1991 Census):

Ponnani Lok Sabha constituency is composed of the following assembly segments:

1. Tirurangadi
2. Tanur
3. Tirur
4. Ponnani
5. Tavanur
6. Kottakkal
7. Thrithala

As the Chamravattom project becomes a reality, a landmark growth is expected in the tourism, irrigation and transportation sectors. The foundation for this ambitious project was laid in 1982.

See also

• Ponnani (Lok Sabha constituency)

External Link

• YouTube Documentary on Ponnani in Malayalam