The Kingdom of Tanur (also referred to as Vettathunadu, Vettam, Tanur Swaroopam, and Prakashabhu; or the Kingdom of Light) was a feudal principality on the Malabar Coast of the Indian subcontinent during the Middle Ages. It was governed by the Tanur dynasty, a Hindu ruling family that claimed Kshatriya status. The kingdom encompassed parts of the coastal taluks of Tirurangadi, Tirur, and Ponnani in present-day Malappuram district, including locations such as Tanur, Tirur (historically known as Trikkandiyur) and Chaliyam. The kingdom also contained the coastal villages of Kadalundi and Chaliyam in the southernmost region of Kozhikode district.
The rulers of Vettathunadu were long-standing feudatories of the Zamorin of Calicut. With the arrival of the Portuguese on the Malabar Coast, the Vettathunadu kings began to manoeuvre between the Portuguese and the Zamorin. They were among the first vassals of Calicut to stand up against the Zamorin with Portuguese support. In 1546, Francis Xavier visited Tanur and the Keraladeshpuram Temple located there.
In 1549, a ruler of Vettathunadu converted to Christianity under Portuguese influence. This conversion marked a shift in the kingdom's alliance, allowing the Portuguese to construct a fortress at Chaliyam.
In the 17th century, the Queen of Cochin adopted some Vettathunadu princes. This adoption included parts of the Chovvaram (Sukapuram) village, which was one of the 64 historic villages of Nambudiris. The adoption contributed to tensions among the regional powers and principalities.
The Tanur royal family became extinct following the death of the last king on 24 May 1793. Afterwards, the kingdom came under control of the English East India Company. In 1842, the temple associated with the royal family was transferred to the Zamorin of Calicut, marking the end of the kingdom's independent identity.Madras Legislative Assembly Debates. Official Report by Madras (India : State). Legislature. Legislative Assembly, p. 373
The Vettathunadu rulers were renowned patrons of arts and learning. A Vettathunadu ruler is credited with introducing innovations toKathakali, which have come to be known as the Vettathu Sambradayam ('Vettathu tradition'). The region was also the birthplace of the famous poets Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, celebrated as "the father of modern Malayalam", and Vallathol Narayana Menon, the founder of Kerala Kalamandalam.
The Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics flourished between the 14th and 16th centuries. Scholars from the school made significant advancements in addressing astronomical problems and independently developed a number of important mathematical concepts, including series expansion for trigonometric functions.
Etymology and dominions
The name Tanur Swaroopam (Tanni-ur Swaroopam) is derived from three words in the Malayalam language: tanni refers to the tree bastard myrobalan, ur translates to "village", and swaroopam to "kingdom". In literary works, the kingdom is often referred to as Prakasa Bhu ('The Kingdom of Light'), and its ruler as Prakasa Bhu Palan. The king of Tanur Swaroopam was addressed raja, thampuran, or naduvazhi.
During the British arrival, the Kingdom of Tanur ('nadu') was divided into 21 administrative divisions called amsoms as documented by William Logan. Each amsom often had a central bazaar. The divisions were as follows:Logan, William: Malabār, the manual of Malabār
Political history Ancient history
The ancient port of Tyndis, mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, was located on the northern side of Muziris and is believed to have been situated near Tanur. The exact location of Tyndis remains disputed, with suggested sites at Ponnani, Tanur, Beypore–Chaliyam–Kadalundi–Vallikkunnu, and Koyilandy. Notably, Ponnani marked the southern boundary of the kingdom of Tanur, while the Beypore–Chaliyam–Kadalundi–Vallikkunnu region was at its northern end. Tyndis was a major trade hub, second only to Muziris, facilitating trade between the Cheras dynasty and the Roman Empire.Coastal Histories: Society and Ecology in Pre-modern India, Yogesh Sharma, Primus Books 2010
Pliny the Elder, writing in the 1st century CE, noted that the port of Tyndis was located at the northwestern border of Keprobotos (Chera dynasty).Gurukkal, R., & Whittaker, D. (2001). In search of Muziris. Journal of Roman Archaeology, 14, 334–350. During the Sangam period, the North Malabar region, lying north of the port at Tyndis, was ruled by the kingdom of Ezhimala.A. Shreedhara Menon, A Survey of Kerala History According to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, the region known as Limyrike began at Naura and Tyndis. However, Ptolemy identified only Tyndis as the Limyrike'''s starting point. Limyrike likely extended to Kanyakumari, corresponding approximately to the present-day Malabar Coast. The annual value of trade between Rome and this region has been estimated at around 50,000,000 sesterces.According to Pliny the Elder, goods from India were sold in the Empire at 100 times their original purchase price. See Pliny the Elder also mentioned that Limyrike was prone to attacks by pirates.Bostock, John (1855). "26 (Voyages to India)". Pliny the Elder, The Natural History. London: Taylor and Francis. Cosmas Indicopleustes identified it as a key source of peppers.Indicopleustes, Cosmas (1897). Christian Topography. 11. United Kingdom: The Tertullian Project. pp. 358–373.Das, Santosh Kumar (2006). The Economic History of Ancient India. Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd. p. 301.
Pre-Portuguese history The early history of Vettathunadu, prior to the arrival of the Portuguese armadas, remains largely obscure. According to legendary traditions, the origin of the dynasty is often dated back to the Chera period. The Chera Kingdom began to disintegrate in the early 12th century. During the following period of instability, most of the Chera lands were taken over by newly arrived Namboothris and Nair chieftains, who defeated the Tamil governors and vassals of the Chera administration. Many of these local rulers proclaimed independence.
The ruler of Vettathunadu was among the earliest Nair chieftains in Malabar to acknowledge the suzerainty of the Zamorin of Calicut. The neighbouring states of Parappanad and Beypore also became vassals of the Zamorin. Calicut annexed these regions probably between 1340 and 1350 AD. The primary objective of these conquests was not territorial expansion but rather control of strategic ports and the fertile paddy fields of the Bharathappuzha (Nila) river valley.Welcome to the home page of C. Radhakrishnan, Malayalam novelist and Author While regions like Parappanad, Valluvanad, and Vettathunadu prospered due to their geographical advantage in maritime trade, the inland Eranad region suffered from limited access to the Arabian Sea and less fertile lands for paddy cultivation. Following the annexation the Zamorin himself prepared and attended a coronation function of the Vettathunadu king. This was a unique occurrence, as no other vassal state under the Zamorin received such attention. This may be interpreted as the Zamorin's strategy to solidify his authority over the parts, the Bharathappuzha river system, and its fertile valley.
The successors of the Zamorin, known as the Eralpads, governed the banks of the Bharathappuzha river after the annexation of territories formerly belonging to Vettathunadu and neighbouring principalities. During the Thirunavaya Wars, fought between the Cochin–Valluvanad alliance and Calicut, the rulers of Vettathunadu supported the Zamorin. Following the capture of Thirunavaya, the Zamorin declared himself Protector and assumed the sole right to conduct the famous Mamankam festival. As part of their allegiance, all feudatories, including the Vettathunadu king, were required to send flags to Thirunavaya during the festival as a symbol of respect for the Zamorin. During the Mamankam festival, the king of Vettathunadu held the right to stand on the right of the Zamorin of Calicut, while the Shah Bandar Koya of Calicut stood on the Zamorin's left.Malayala Manorama daily from Malayala Manorama group, India
After the puberty ceremony (thirandu-kalyanam) of the Zamorin princess (Thampurati), the Zamorin selected a suitable husband for his "anathiraval". They were generally chosen, for political and strategic reasons from the dynasties of Vettam, Berypore, Kurumburanad, and Kodungallur.
As the coronation ceremonies (Ari-yittu-vazhcha) of a new Zamorin, held after the death of his uncle, included a ritual where the Zamorin entered the pulakuli pond hand-in-hand with the raja of Punnattur. Until 1793, the Vettathunadu king also participated in the ceremony, holding the Zamorin's right hand, with the Punnattur king holding his left. The lord of Kalpakanchery (a region within Vettathunadu) was also present during the coronation of a new Zamorin.
Portuguese arrival
The rulers of Tanur aligned with the Portuguese during the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Portuguese Armada, led by Vasco da Gama, first landed in Malabar in 1498. However, the Zamorin of Calicut soon expelled the Portuguese from his territories. The Portuguese quickly found local allies among some of the city-states on the Malabar Coast, such as Cochin, Cannanore, and Quilon. The ruler of Tanur (Vettathuraja), who was partially subject to the Zamorin at the time, also seized this opportunity to break away. Like the kings of Beypore and Chaliyam (Parappanad), he secretly opposed the policies of the Zamorin regarding the Kingdom of Cochin. Despite these alliances with the Portuguese, the Tanur forces under the king fought for the Zamorin in the Battle of Cochin (1504).
The Defection of Tanur After the raid on Cranganore in October 1504, Lopo Soares de Albergaria, commander of the Sixth Portuguese Indian Armada, received an urgent appeal from the ruler of Tanur. The Vettathuraja, in conflict with his overlord, the Zamorin of Calicut, offered to submit Portuguese suzerainty in exchange for military assistance. The Vettathuraja reported that a Calicut column, personally led by the Zamorin, had been hastily assembled to counter the Portuguese hold on Cranganore. However, the forces of Tanur managed to block the Zamorin's passage at Tanur. Responding to his request, Lopo Soares dispatched Pêro Rafael with a caravel and a sizeable Portuguese armed contingent to aid Tanur. The combined forces defeated and dispersed Zamorin's column upon its arrival.
The raid on Cranganore and the defection of Tanur dealt serious blows to the Zamorin, pushing the frontline northward and placing the Vembanad lagoon out of the Zamorin's reach. The loss dashed any immediate hopes the Zamorin had of resuming his attempts to capture Cochin via the backwaters. Equally devastating were the battles at Cranganore and Tanur, involving significant numbers of Malabari captains and troops, which exposed the waning authority of the Zamorin.
On 31 December 1504, commander Lopo Soares de Albergaria set out from Cochin with plans to dock briefly at the port of Ponnani to pay respects to his newly aligned ally, the king of Vettam. During the negotiations for entry at the port, Lopo Soares received a message that redirected him to the Battle of Pandarane (modern-day Koyilandi). Later in 1505, the king of Vettam invited a small Portuguese force to his kingdom. Despite a growing alliance with the Portuguese, the king hesitated to openly defy the Zamorin. Instead, he sent the Portuguese back with numerous presents and a pledge of secret support against the Zamorin.