Panangattiri Agraharam - 100 Agraharams Project
There is another agraharam called Paingattery in Mananthavady, Wayanad. The elevation of that place is nearly 2500 feet. However the Panangattiri agraharam is only about 350 feet above MSL. This is amongst the Palakkad Agraharams
Panangattiri is famous for the Iravan temple. The temple here is dedicated to Iravan, son of Arjuna in the Mahabharata. It is believed that this is the only Iravan temple in Kerala and is well known for the festival Koothanda vela.
2.5 Kilometers away from the Iravan temple and about 30 Kilometers from Palakkad is the Agraharam of Panangattiri. It is scenic with the backdrop of Nelliyampathy in the western ghats.
'Panangattiri ' -The name literally means 'land of Palm groves'.
I read that 'Iravan is the family deity (kula devata) of ten families who took refuge here from Kaveripoompattinam. The families include Moothan, Tarakan, Mannadiyar, Vadhyar, Panickar, Chettiar and Guptan.' I read that the Pathukudi or the PathuMadakkar were a "Arya Brahmin community, who later adopted Vaishya tradition, and accepted Tamil as their mother tongue. In their heyday ,during the reign of the tiger flag imperial cholas ,they had the merchant guild, king, army ,and lion flag and land in the Chola empire. Due to the difference with mighty Cholas they left the Chola kingdom and met Zamorin of Malabar. Zamorin gave Panangattiri(ThenPanasai Nagara) to this community which is a part of Palakkad kingdom. The community got the right to rule this land and termed this land as classical Tamil land."
I also read that the "PathuKudi community is found mainly in Panangattiri village of Kollengode sub district, of Palakkad district and spread across Vallanghy, Nemmara, Alathur, Vadavannur and Vithanassery. Other names used to refer to this community are PathuMadom and Dashagotram."
The rains add magic to this quiet agraharam which is much away from the bustle of the highway and also a cul-de-sac.
The energy of Sri Shankaran who spoke about the temple, the festivals and its residents (which is mostly a single family) is infectious. He is so upbeat and positive about the place and about life in general. It comes with a life that is filled with gratitude. My cousins in-laws are the Bhimas of Tirupati and I see that this village folks are related to them and thus establishing a Tirupati-Panangattiri-Kumarapuram connection. Many Vishnu temple agraharams I have been to say their Idols were brought from Tirupati.
I delight in agraharams that still retain wells in the middle of the road. I also like them when the mud roads exist.
I wonder if there is any kinship between the founders of this Agraharam and Pathukudi.
Radhe Krishna
Sriram(Hari)
100-Agraharams Project
Rama Bhagavathar Charitable Trust
July 3, 2024
