When we delve into history pages, the acquisitions and accumulations would be amazing and sometimes really astonishing! In fact history should clearly reflect and point out the various shortcomings and blemishes of mankind. Then only we will be able to create new history without repeating yesterday’s flaws! ‘Mamamgham’ is connected with the history of ‘Valluvanad’ and will tell you the startling story of fighting for political supremacy and the pathetic story of soldiers who were used as ‘Chavers’ (suicide killers)! History won’t repeat as such and you can’t expect ‘Mamamgham’ to be staged once more at same rostrum with the same characters and with the same attire! But history will be always having new incarnations suiting the time and place!
Mamamgham is a Malayalam word which literally means ‘Grand Fighting’ and which denotes an event that decided who would be the future emperor of the country! During the ‘Mamamgham’ time all small rulers of the area used to assemble at ‘Thirunnawaya’ once in every twelve years and it was at this meeting the future emperor was selected. The total period of one ‘Mamamgham’ was 28 days and during these days there was a festive mood throughout the country. These days of ‘Mamamgham’ were also the days of some great trade shows. History tells us that hectic trading activities also took place in the course of ‘Mamamgham’. Active participation of the outside traders who came in ships and barges through ‘Ponnani’ port, made the ‘trade-fairs’ really attractive and useful.
The last ‘Mamamgham’ was staged in 1755 according to history books. When the reign of ‘Perumals’ was ended all the rights to organize ‘Mamamgham’ came under the Valluvanad ruler ‘Vellattiri’ and this was questioned by the ‘Kozhikode Zamorin’ who later took the rights by force. This incident gave birth to hatred between the two ‘Rajas’ and created lots of bloodshed! ‘Vellattiri’ started to send ‘Chavers’ (suicide killers) and history teaches us that these ‘Chavers’ used to stand at the ‘Nilapadu Thara’ (soil of declaration) and used to fight with the armed soldiers till they die, thus declaring that they defy the ‘Kozhikode Zamorin’ and their ‘martyrdom’ was celebrated through-out the country! This ‘Nilapadu Thara’ and the deep well, ‘Manikkinar’ in which dead bodies of the ‘Chavers’ were dumped are now protected by the archaeological department. Looking through any corner of Valluvanad history, we can see that ‘Mamamgham’ was really an autocratic foul play by the then rulers of the country! You can compare this with the modern politics also!
For creating a cultured society we have to learn from history and we must take self pledges that we won’t allow any more ‘Mamamgham’ like events to be staged here and that no more ‘Chavers’ will be born here!
