Malappuram was a military and administrative headquarters from ancient times, though several of the ancient history of the town is hardly seen recorded. However, there are some pre-historic relics, particularly rock-cut caves found in some parts of the city like Oorakam, Melmuri,Ponmala, and Vengara.[23] Locality named like Valiyangadi, Kootilangadi, Pallipuram etc. points to the Jain - Buddhist history of Malappuram. Notably, the 1500-year-old Jain Temple above 2000 ft sea level atOorakam Hill of Malappuram undoubtedly proves the same.[24] During theSangam period, Eranadan Malappuram was under the Chera Empire. Places like Pattar Kadav, Panakkad, etc. are possibly evolved out of Pattars and Panars having lived there. But no further details are available about the life and culture of the people either during the Sangam age or in the post-Sangam age.[25]
Eranad was ruled by aSamanthan Nair clan known asEradis, similar to theVellodis of neighbouringValluvanad andNedungadis ofNedunganad. The rulers of Eranad were known by the titleEralppad/Eradi. Archaeological relics found in Malappuram also include the remnants of palaces of the eastern branch of the Zamorin reign. Malappuram was the military headquarters of the Zamorin in the Eranad region. The Zamorins held sway over Malappuram and their chieftain Para Nambi, ruled the area in early days with headquarters at Downhill (Kottappadi), Malappuram.[26] Details of the rulers of erstwhile Malappuram, who were the ancestors of later Zamorins, figure in the Jewish copper plates of Bhaskara Ravi Varman (1000 AD) and in the Kottayam copper plates of Veera Raghava Chakravarthy (1225 AD). The later history of the city is interwoven with the history of Zamorin's rule.[27]
During the colonial era, Malappuram was the headquarters of European and British troops. It later became the headquarters of theMalabar Special Police (M.S.P) formerly known as Malappuram Special Force formed in 1885.[28] The British established the Haigh Barracks on top of the hill of Malappuram, at the bank of theKadalundi River to station their forces, where once Tipu had a fort. Main Barracks has now been turned into the seat of the district administration as Civil Station, Malappuram.[29][25] Malappuram was the headquarters of one of the five revenue divisions of erstwhile Malabar district, the others being at Thalassery, Kozhikode, Palakkad and Fort Cochin.[30] Apart from the District Board at Calicut, Malappuram Taluk Board were one of the local boards constituted to manage the affairs in Malabar District along withThalassery,Palakkad andMananthavady (Wayanad) with jurisdiction corresponding to the divisional charges of the same names.[31] Inscription of the Malappuram Taluk Board can still be seen on the wall of one of the remaining wells constructed in 1916, over 100 years ago at Valiyangadi in the city.[32][33]Offices of the Divisional Revenue Magistrate and Assistant Superintendent of Police of Malabar district were located at Malappuram.[34]
Kottakkunnu hill station is located in the middle of Malappuram town. The name Kottakunnu comes from the fort built here when the area was the military headquarters of theCalicut rulersZamorins. Due to the geographical importance of this area, the Malappuram Fort was built here and the town of Malappuram came up around it.
Geography
Topography
Malappuram is situated in the mid land area of the state. As the name suggests, it is covered with small mountains of lush greenery, bonded with several freshwater streams flowing through the city. Kadalundi Puzha, a major river in Kerala is flowing around the city.[35] Malappuram is one of the few municipalities in the state with a tremendous track record of keeping the city clean. It has been recognised as the second best municipality in upkeeping the cleanliness and health by the state government in 2011[36] and won second prize for Swachhata Excellence Awards in 2019 by Government of India.[37] Unlike other district headquarters, Malappuram holds a significant position in west–east transit along with north–south. It makes the city accessible for everyone in the district through either National Highways or State Highways.[38]
Climate
The city has more or less the same climatic conditions prevalent elsewhere in Kerala: atropical monsoon climate (KöppenAm) that is generally hot and humid in nature. However, the South West Monsoon is usually very heavy. The best season to visit Malappuram is during the months of September to March as the weather conditions are quite pleasant. Owing to its natural habitat, Malappuram is also a city of fresh air. According to the Central Pollution Control Board data for the year 2010, of the 180 cities monitored for SO2, NO2 and PM10, Malappuram was one of the two cities which met the criteria of low pollution (i.e. 50% below the standard) for all air pollutants.
According to the2011 Indian Census, town had a total population of 101,386, of which 48,957 were males and 52,429 were females. The population within the age range of 0 to 6 years was 14,629. TheScheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population was 5,323 and 77 respectively. Malappuram had 19785 households in 2011.[40] Muslims form 74.83% of the town's population while Hindus and Christian form the remaining 25%.[41]
The Town is governed by the Malappuram Municipality, headed by a municipal chairperson. For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 40 wards, from which the members of the municipal council are elected for five years. The chairperson and deputy chairperson are elected by the councillors of the 40 wards. The municipality is presently governed by theUnited Democratic Front (UDF), with Mujeeb Kaderi of theIndian Union Muslim League (IUML) serving as Chairperson and Fousiya K. of theIndian National Congress (INC) serving as Deputy Chairperson. The functions of the municipality are divided into six departments: General Administration, Engineering, Revenue, Health, City Planning, and Welfare. All these departments function under the control of the Municipal Secretary, who is the administrative head.
Being the district headquarters city, Malappuram comprises the Civil Station area which consists of administrative and other Government offices of the district such as District Collectorate, District Treasury, Regional Transport Office, PWD Division Office, District Panchayat Office, Town planning Office, Text depot, District Medical office etc. to name a few. The city also hosts several important district-level offices, including the District Police Office, the Malabar Special Police headquarters, and the office of the Deputy Director of Education, among others.
The Malappuram Police Station, established in 1927, is responsible for law enforcement in the city and its surrounding suburbs. Its jurisdiction covers Malappuram,Melmuri, Kodoor,Koottilangadi,Ponmala, andPanakkad revenue villages. The limits of the police station include Malappuram Municipality, Koottilangadi Panchayat, Kodur Panchayat, and Ponmala Panchayat. Law and order in the region is maintained under the Malappuram subdivision of theKerala Police, headed by aDeputy Superintendent of Police. The Malappuram police subdivision consists area of Eranad taluk; includes Malappuram, Vengara, Manjeri, and Kottakkal police stations, along with traffic and vanitha units.
Apart from these, there is 24/7 highway police patrol as well as a special pink patrol (Dial-1515) under Malappuram police division catering to women.[44]
Malappuram also hosts the office of the District Police Chief and several special units, including the District Crime Branch, Special Branch, Crime Records Bureau, Narcotics Cell, District Headquarters Camp, and the Malabar Special Police, one of the oldest armed police battalions in the state.
Proposed Malappuram Municipal Corporation
Malappuram City Map showing proposed corporation limitThe headquarters ofKerala Gramin Bank
Malappuram is the only city in Kerala with a million-plus urban agglomeration that is yet to be upgraded to a Municipal Corporation. However, there is a demand to upgrade the MalappuramMunicipality into aMunicipal Corporation by incorporating the local bodies in the Greater Malappuram region.[45]The proposed Malappuram Municipal Corporation comprises:
The town has several educational institutions from the school level to higher education. These includeKendriya Vidyalaya, Malappuram,Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Malappuram, and Malabar Special Police HSS.Government College, Malappuram, which is the oldest college in the district started in 1972,[46]College of Applied Science Malappuram started in 1987[47] and Govt. College for Women, Malappuram[48] started in the year 2015, serve the higher educational purpose. Govt. TTI, Malappuram,[49] MCT TTI[50] and Fazfari TTI[51] are teacher training institutes. MCT College of Legal Studies, one of the two law colleges in the district is located in the city.[52]The Regional Directorate of Higher Secondary Education[53] and Regional Office (Malabar) of State Open School[54] are located in the city inside the Civil Station.
The district has the most schools as well as the most number of students in Kerala as per the school statistics of 2019–20. There are 898 Lower primary schools,[62] 363 Upper primary schools,[63] Besides these, there are 120CBSE schools and 3ICSE schools.
Media
A junction in the townPassport office
Malayala Manorama,Mathrubhumi,Madhyamam,Chandrika,Deshabhimani, Suprabhaatham dailies have their printing centres in and around the city.The Hindu has an edition and printing press at Malappuram. A few periodicals-monthlies, fortnightlies and weeklies mostly devoted to religion and culture are also published. Almost all Malayalam channels and newspapers have their bureau at Up Hill. There are some local cable TV channels including (MCV), (ACV) etc. Malappuram Press Club is also situated at UP Hill adjacent to Municipal Town Hall.Doordarshan has its major relay station in the district at Malappuram. Government of India's Prasarbharati National Public Service Broadcaster has FM station in the district, broadcasting on 102.7 Mhtz. Even without any private FM stations, Malappuram is in the top ten towns with the highest radio listenership in India.[64] There is amultiplex and four standalone cinema halls that screen movies inMalayalam,Tamil,English andHindi. Rasmi Film Society, one of Kerala's oldest film forums is from Malappuram. The 72nd International film festival of Malappuram was conducted in March 2011.[65] The government of India'sPrasar Bharati National Public Service Broadcaster has an FM station in the district (AIR Manjeri FM), broadcasting on 102.7 Mhtz. Even without any private FM stations, Malappuram,Ponnani, andTirur, are also part of the ten towns with the highest radio listenership in India.[64]
^Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig (eds. "Malayalam"Ethnologue: Languages of the World. 2014: (Dallas, Texas) Web. 29 September 2014.
^EncyclopaediaDictionaryIslamMuslimWorld Volume 6. 1988. p. 460.Contemporary evaluation within India tends to the view that the Malabar Rebellion was a war of liberation, and in 1971 the Kerala Government granted the remaining active participants in the revolt the accolade of Ayagi, "freedom fighter"
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Kerala
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