Chachipunna

Chachipunna is a small village in the Kollam (Quilon) District of India's Kerala State. It is situated 6 km southeast of Pathanapuram and 12 km northeast of Punalur. It is also considered a part of a bigger village, Punnala. The village is surrounded by hills on north and south.

History

Ruins of an ancient Hindu temple and houses indicate that an early civilization existed probably 500 to 1000 years ago. According to folk stories, the people who lived here earlier were either killed by or fled away from invaders from Tamil Nadu. These invaders were known as Thee-Vetti-Kollakkar, or attackers with fire and swords.

There is also evidence of a much older civilization in the area: swords were discovered from a burial site in 1970s, and urns or nannangadis were also found in 1980s.

Most of the families living here migrated from places like Kozhencheri, Kumbanadu, and Thiruvalla 50 to 70 years ago. The stones (vettu-kallu) from the ruined houses of the earlier civilization were used by some of these families—viz Kadichira, Keerickal, Kooppil and Pellelil—to build their first homes.

Social Life

Majority of the senior inhabitants are farmers; main crops are rubber, paddy(rice), coconut, and black peper. A good percentage of young men work in cities of North India and Middle East. The money sent back home by these emmigrants brings prosperity to the village. Some of the problems the village face are poverty, lack of industiral work, and alcoholism among men.

Institutions

The village has a primary school (Marthoma School), a bank (State Bank of Travancore) and a library.

Religions

The villagers follow Christian, Hindu and Muslim faiths. The village has four Churches, a Hindu Temple and a Madrasa.