Paliath Achan orPaliyath Achan is the name given to the male members of thePaliam family, aNair,Menonroyalfamily from the Indian state ofKerala who ruled overChendamangalam,Vypin, parts ofThrissur and regions that were under the erstwhileKingdom of cochin. The family had palaces and forts in these regions but their primary residence remained in Chendamangalam.[1] The Paliath Achans were given the role of hereditary Prime ministership of the Kingdom of Cochin by the Kochi Maharajah.[2]
The Paliath Achans were hereditary prime ministers to theRajah ofKingdom of Cochin (Kerala) from 1632 to 1809[3] and second only to the Rajah in power and wealth in the central Cochin area during that period.[2]
The main familytharavadu (Naalukettu) is approximately 450 years old. TheKovilakam (palace) houses a large number of artefacts including ancient documents, religious sacraments, swords, rifles, and gifts brought by foreign dignitaries. Several other buildings, like the Paliath Achan'sKovilakam (which was built by the Dutch, and also known as the Dutch palace) exist adjacent to the tharavadu. The buildings in the area date anywhere from 60 to 300 years.
Both the Paliam Palace and Naalukettu are recognized as archaeological monuments by the Government of India and the State of Kerala, and both buildings are currently museums under the Muziris Project according to a joint ownership and maintenance agreement with the Paliam family, and the family still reserves their use for private functions and ceremonies, during which time the buildings are not open to the public.
TheZamorin invaded Cochin in 1757. Due to the diplomatic efforts of the Paliath Achan, the Kingdom of Cochin was saved. DuringHyder Ali's conquest of the south of India in 1776, the Paliath Achan was able to effect a treaty between Hyder Ali and the Cochin Raja.
In 1808, theBritish East India Company was trying to persuade the Raja of Kochi's men to defect their side. They had succeeded in getting the support of Nadavarambu Kunhikrishna Menon. Paliath Govindan Achan was provoked by this.[4] He took with him 600 Nair soldiers and attacked the headquarters of Colonel Macaulay, the local British Resident, who was forced to flee.[5][6] Following the attack, Paliath Achan and his men broke open the local jails and set free any prisoners found inside.[7] The Paliath Achan later joined theTravancore alliance ofVelu Thampi Dalawa.[8] During 1809 and 1810, Paliath Achan, allied withVelu Thampi Dalawa, fought the British on Travancore soil.[9] Achan engaged theBritish East India Company troops in battle, and was defeated. After this defeat, Achan surrendered to the British East India Company and defected to their side in the conflict.[10][4][11] After the rebellion, theBritish authorities deported him to Madras, where he was imprisoned at Fort St. George for 12 years.[9] He was then taken to Bombay and remained a prisoner there for 13 years, finally passing away atBenares 1832. Paliath Govindan Achan was the last Paliath Achan to occupy the position of Prime Minister in the Kingdom of Cochin.
Another notable Paliath Achan includes Komi Achan I. Komi Achan I resisted the attempts by the Portuguese to impose their power on the Cochin Family. He allied himself with the Dutch, travelling toColombo to sign a treaty with them. He also supported the Dutch against the Portuguese. In recognition of his efforts, the Dutch built him a palace (theKovilakam) at Chendamangalam.[12][13]
Between 1730 and 1740 the status of the Cochin kingdom dwindled due to the consolidation of power in Travancore underMarthanda Varma combined with the waning influence of the Dutch and a large-scale invasion by the Zamorin from the north. Paliath Komi Achan was able to effect a treaty between the Cochin and Travancore Kingdoms.[14][15][16][17] This treaty facilitated the defeat of the Zamorin.[18]
The ChendamangalamJews sing "The Song of Paliathachan" in which they mention the mention "Nayar Noblemen" who bestowed upon the Jews "gifts and books to all those who come, and titles to foreigners".[19][20]In theVishnuvilasam Hamsappattu, a Malayalam poem about the life of Vishnu (as spoken by a swan), the poet (Kunjan Nambiar) makes a reference to a Paliath Achan named Kuberan:[21]
Kochu Sankaran Muthat of Vatakketam inTriprayar was a student of Manorama Thampuratti ofCalicut. He lived at Paliam, teaching students there. He wrote a commentary namedPrasika, on the eleventh book of theBhagavad Gita, based on earlier commentaries of his student, Paliath Achan:
The Paliam family had a rich collection of manuscripts in Sanskrit and Malayalam. At the time of family partition, this collection was donated to theKerala University Manuscript Library and theTripunithura.[22]
Paliam satyagraha was amovement in 1947–48 to allow entry forHindus oflower castes in the roads surrounding the Paliam family home in Chendamangalam and the temples. The success of this and similar movements led to the temples in Kochi being opened for all Hindus in 1948.[23]