Kaviyoor is a village located in Thiruvalla Sub-District & Taluk In Pathanamthitta district of Kerala State, India, situated on the western bank of the Manimala River.It Is Located Adjoining Thiruvalla Municipal Town.
The origin of the word 'Kaviyoor' has not yet been acceptably traced. An edict (951 C.E.) calls it Kaviyoor; another record (1551 C.E.)during the period of Brahmin supremacy, refers it to as in Sanskritised form 'Kapiyoor'. Since Jainism reached Kerala through Karnataka, the Jains, after settling in what is now Kaviyoor and carving a cave out of a huge rock for stay and prayers, might have named the place Kaviyoor (Kavi=Cave, in old Kannada & Oor=Place). The claim that Kavi is Cave in old Kannada has not been examined by scholars. Some believe Kapiyoor became Kaviyoor over a period of time;(Kapi=Monkey, Oor=Place).Thus kapiyoor means place for monkeys. They attribute the name to the presence of the Lord Hanuman.
Etymology The argument against Kapiyoor is that the author who wrote this word using either Ezhuthani (pointed writing instrument made of iron, എഴുത്താണി) or any etching instrument might have accidentally put a small round or curve at the beginning of the letter 'വ'. When the curve at the beginning is smaller, 'വ' becomes 'പ '. This minor mistake from an ancient author is no reason to conclude that the place might have been named Kapiyoor (കപിയൂര്). Even now, literate people make the same mistake. Unfortunately, the word 'kapi' was even entered on the dhwaja sthambhom (flag mast) of Mahadeva temple – the Sanskrit verses written on it refer to 'plavagapuram' (Palvagam=monkey in Sanskrit), a synonym for 'Kapiyoor'. At least one old record in vattezuth (old script used before modern vedic Malayalam script formulated by Aryan settlers) refers to the village as 'Kaviyoo' – the author missed out the last letter. Historians are of the opinion that 'Kaviyoor' means overflow land, because the Manimala river flooded every year and surpass to the vast punja (rice field).
Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism The village is listed in Brahmin history as one of the 64 Brahmin villages (32 in Kerala and 32 in South Karnataka) established by Vishnu-incarnate Parashuram. These settlements were on the banks of rivers. Kaviyoor has remained fertile thanks to river Manimala that flows south of the village. The original inhabitants were Dravidians who embraced Jainism and later Buddhism due to the missionary work of the powerful Maurian emperors throughout India, China and southeast Asia. The Vedic seer, Shankarachayra defeated Buddhists monks in debates throughout India, which forced them and their followers to embrace Hinduism by 8th Century, C.E. In Kerala, the people then stuck to Vedic Aryanism, because the Dravidian Chera king Kulashekara Azhwar was a staunch follower of it. The word 'Palli' denotes Buddhist school/hermitage. (The area behind N.S.S. High School is still called 'Pallipuram'. The N.S.S. High School was established around 1924, over the traditional cemetery of stonesmiths/masons). There are two other places called Pazhampalli and Mundiyappally which border the Panchayath of Kunnanthanam, indicating a Buddhist past. After the spread of Vedic Hinduism post-800 C.E, the prayer centres of Jains/Buddhists might have been converted to temples. There is no proof or even hints as to what happened in Kaviyoor from 800 C.E. to 1750, C.E. However, the strong Brahmin presence of Kaviyoor is an important feature of this period.
Early history It was a part of Nanruzhai Nadu which had its capital in what is now Thrikkodithanam, 9 km west of Kaviyoor that covered Thiruvalla and Changanassery of central Travancore. Definitely, in the 12th century, C.E, as Nanruzhai Nadu fell apart, Kaviyoor became part of the kingdom of Thekkumkoor rajas who were believed to have ruled from five centres, the nearest being Puzhavathu, Changanacherry. Was it ever part of Vilakkili (വിലക്കിലി) Namboothiris who ruled Thiruvalla? Thekkumkoor Rajas had apparently allowed Brahmins to rule the 'graamam' under his suzerainty. Kaviyoor was a prominent Brahmin village and they were considered superior to the Brahmins of Thiruvalla, another Brahmin village of repute. (Kaviyoor Brahmins never married Thiruvalla Brahmins till about 50–75 years ago). Vilakkili Namboothiris were the main priests of Kaviyoor at some point of time, esp. 1400–1600, C.E. That all the Namboothiris of Kaviyoor were close to both Thekkumkoor and Vilakkili is evident from the fact Marthanda Varma, the king of Travancore, barred them from taking part in Murajapam, the annual prayer ritual at Sree Padmanabha Temple, Trivandrum. The village Brahmins are all Yajurvedis. Many Brahmins in Kottarakkara, Kalanjoor, Paipad, Vaypoor, Keezhvaypoor, Thrikkodithanam, Puthoor, Kavungumprayar, Kulathoor etc. are known as 'Kaviyoor Graamam' Brahmins.Thrikkaviyoor by P. Unnikrishnan Nair
Pathillam Pottis Most of land was owned by the temple which ensured the welfare of the Brahmins. There is a reliable version that Naithelloor, a Brahmin family, had the upper hand in administration during pre-Travancore days. Their descendants still live in the village. It is one of the thirteen Brahmin families that owned the Kaviyoor Temple once upon a time. Earlier the system of management by Pathillathu Brahmins (പത്തില്ലത്തില് പോറ്റിമാര്) existed in Kaviyoor in which the whole village (ബ്രാഹ്മണഗ്രാമം)was owned by the main temple and in turn the temple was managed by Brahmin families, with each bramin family getting one tenth of the income of the temple. The families and their rights (share, in bracket) are as shown below:
1. Kaviyoor Illam (1), 2.Kizhakkineth Illam (1), 3. Vengassery Illam (1), 4. Kaduthanam Illam (1/3), 5. Nedungala Illam (1/3), 6. Attupuram Illam (1/3), 7. Naithelloor Illam (1), 8. Padinjare Thengumpally Illam (1), 9. Kizhakke Thengumpally Illam (1), 10. Kachira Vadasseri Illam (1), 11. Moothedath Vadasseri Illam (1), 12. Chaathyaattu (Chaathikaattu) Vadasseri Illam (1).http://www.namboothiri.com/articles/kaviyoor-graamam.htm by Thiruvalla P. Unnikrishnan Nair.
The shares add up to ten, spread among 13 families. The prominent ones among them were Naithelloor and Moothedath Vadassei. The latter owned the mount where Shiva temple was built. The former ended up as the de facto rulers of the village. Many of these illams do not exist now. What is significant is that there is an illam called 'Kaviyoor'. Was their name given to the village or did they take the name of the village? Naithelloor Namboothiris are migrants from Kodungallor. They brought with them the Nair family of Nilakkal and Marar family of Parakkattu. The annual pilgrimage of this Namboothiri to Kodungalloor and the establishment of Njaliyil temple are mentioned ibidem. People interested in Kerala history should note that there was a 'Kaduthanam' (കടുത്താനം) Illam in Thrikkodithanam too. Some blocks of land there still bear the same name. Did Thri-kaduthanam become Thri-kodithanam (alright, there is this thiru-khadika-sthaanam theory)? In Perunna too an illam called Kaduthanam existed. The assets of some of the Brahmins without any legal heirs were merged with other Brahmin families. Some left for other areas. Only a few Brahmin families remain in Kaviyoor now.
Deshams The ancient Kaviyoor Graamam comprised five , viz, Padinjattumcherry, Anjilithanam, Kunnanthanam, Iraviperoor and Murani (Mallappally West). Parts of Muthoor East also fell within Kaviyoor. The temple procession (Ooruvalathth, ഊരുവലത്ത്) still goes to these areas – except to Mallappally west (Murani) which is done only symbolically.
Thirunelli Temple Near Thrikkalkudi Para, there was a temple, dedicated to an unknown deity. Some say this used to be known as Thirunelli (തിരുനെല്ലി) probably encompassed by a fort. There is no mark left of these institutions now. However, these theories have since been discounted by historians. There was no fort either. What actually existed there was not a temple, but fane - a tribal shrine dedicated to some tribal deity, predating even Jain and Buddhist occupation. As the shrine fell in ruins, the idol was shifted to Kuriyan Kavu temple, where it is kept as 'upadevta', (lower deity). The deity is now merely called 'Moorthy'. The reasons for naming the area 'Kottoor' is yet to be studied.
Thrikkannapuram Temple There is not even a trace of the structure where this small Krishna temple stood at Padinjattumcherry, near the Mahadeva Temple. Some idols of nagdevathas are the only reminder of the temple that was probably owned by a Brahmin family. This family might have stayed close to the temple. As the family shifted to other place or ended up not having any legal heirs after the last of them died, the structure gradually collapsed and the beautiful idol of Krishna was shifted to Kazhanoor Illam where it is preserved in a small shrine. The site was passed on to others and ultimately a small church of Mar Thoma sect of Christians was built there. There was an attempt by some people to remove the Naga idols which failed due to the resistance of locals led by the Namboothiri of Kazhanoor Illam.
Kaviyoor became part of Travancore when King Marthanda Varma gobbled up all the territories up to Udayanapuram (20 km south of Cochin) in 1752–53.
Cave temple An ancient rock cut temple is located there, carved on a huge rock and the carved rooms and sculptures aore well preserved. The Kaviyoor Thrikkakkudi (തൃക്കക്കുടി. see the correct name below) Cave Temple, also known as the Rock Cut Cave Temple, is of historical importance and is preserved as a monument by the Archaeological Department. The temple was taken over by the Travancore Devaswom Board on 20 December 1967(See:http://www.archaeology.kerala.gov.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=77).
The temple has a verandah with a sculpture of Lord Ganapathi carved into the wall and inner sanctum containing a tall shivalinga, all carved out a one huge rock. It bears close resemblance to the Pallava style of architecture. The engravings here are among the earliest specimens of stone sculptures in Kerala. Enshrined in a square cave is the main deity of the shrine, Lord Shiva, represented in the ' Shivalinga' which is about three feet high and carved out of rock. The shrine also has idols of Ganapathy, Maharshi and Dwarapalakas. It was constructed during the rule of the Pallava dynasty who reigned over South India from 608 to 850 AD.
The rock, housing the cave, is actually called Thri-kal-kudi Paara. (Thri/Thiru= Divine, Kal=Stone/Rock, Kudi=home/settlement, Paara=Rock/Boulder. Mal. തൃക്കല്ക്കുടി ). Literally, this means cave settlement. The land surrounding the rock also was called 'Kal-kudi' (കല്ക്കുടി). Still, there is a nearby piece of land by name 'Kakkudiyil', a corrupt form for 'Kalkudiyil' (കല്ക്കുടിയില് ). More corrupt forms (like Thrikkaakkudi, Thrikkokudi etc.) are doing rounds as newer generations of people, defying rhyme and reason, use words, ignoring their etymological significance.
Kaviyoor Mahadeva Temple History: