Aromal Chekavar

Aromal Chekavar, also known as Puthooram Veettil Aromal Chekavar, was a warrior who is believed to have lived during the 16th century in the North Malabar region of present-day Kerala, India.[1][2] He was a warrior from a Thiyyar community[1][3][4] and a paramount chief of the Puthooram family.[1] His sister, Unniyarcha, was also a skilled warrior.[1]

Puthooram Veettil Aromal Chekavar

Aromal Chekavar
Nickname(s)Chekavar of Puthooram Veedu
BornVadakara, Malabar, present day Kerala
Service/branchKadathanadu
RankChieftains of Kadathanadu
Battles/warsPuthariyankam

Puthariyankam

According to historian A Sreedhara Menon, Chekavar was expert in ankam fighting, a quality which he inherited from his father Kannappa Chekavar, who in his own days was a master of this technique.[3] The story of how Aromal Chekavar went for the ankam and later died a heroic death is the central theme in the group of ballads concerned. The Kaimal of Kurungadi, the Koranauar or head of a matrilineal family, left on pilgrimage in his old age leaving the management of the household jointly in the hands of his two nephews, Unni Chãndror and Unni Konãr. As one of them was elder to the other by a day, he felt aggrieved that he was not given full charge.[3]

Meanwhile, the Karanavar returned home from his pilgrimage and died of old age. The dispute between the two nephews reached a stage when it could be settled Heroes and Heroines of the Northern Ballads only by an ankam and a decision to this effect was taken.[3] Unni Chãndror engaged on his side Aringotar Chekavar, a well known expert in ankam who was also notorious for his lack of respect for the ethics of warfare. Unni Konãr who wanted to outwit his rival enlisted the services of Aromal Chekavar by paying a handsome sum of money ( Ankappanam). The attempt of his parents, brother and sister Unniarcha to dissuade him from this resolve did not bear fruit. Chandu Chekavar, the nephew of Chekavar's father, accompanied the hero to be of assistance to him at the ankam. He had a grouse against Chekavar for having opposed the suggestion to give Unniarcha in marriage to him. He entered into a secret understanding with Aringotar.[3][5]

He also influenced the Kollan who made the weapons for Aromal Chekavar to commit fraud and thus ensured that the weapons with which he fought were defective.[3] Though Aromal Chekavar could kill Aringotar, in spite of the fact that the shield broke at a crucial moment during the encounter, he fell on the field exhausted and with minor wounds. Chandu took advantage of this opportunity to thrust the rod of his lamp (Kuthuvilakku) into one of the wounds which eventually brought about his death. However, Chekavar breathed his last only after telling the story of Chandu's treachery to his father and sister, A Sreedhara Menon Conclusion.[3][6] History has it that Chandu Chekavar was later responsible for the death of his uncle Aromalunni Chekavar, the son of the brave Unniyarcha, and later beheaded Chandu Chekavar and returned home to Puthuram Veedu.[7]

Chandu eventually married the daughter of Aringotar and became the owner of his estate and treasures.[3]

Several films about Aaromal Chekavar have been made:

References
  1. Nair, K. Ramachandran (1997). "Medieval Malayalam Literature". In Paniker, K. Ayyappa (ed.). Medieval Indian Literature: Surveys and Selections. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. pp. 315–316. ISBN 9788126003655. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  2. Nisha, P. R. (12 June 2020). Jumbos and Jumping Devils: A Social History of Indian Circus. ISBN 9780190992071.
  3. Menon, A. Sreedhara (4 March 2011). Kerala History and its Makers. D C Books. pp. 82–86. ISBN 978-81-264-3782-5. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  4. കാവാലം നാരായണ പണിക്കർ (1991). floklore of kerala-India. National books,kollam. p. 108. ISBN 9788123725932. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
  5. Zarrilli, Phillip B. (January 9, 1998). When the Body Becomes All Eyes: Paradigms, Discourses, and Practices of Power in Kalarippayattu, a South Indian Martial Art. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-563940-7 – via Google Books.
  6. Pushpa Kurup (2021). Power Women A journey into Hindu Mythology. Bloomsbury. p. 15. ISBN 9789354350764.
  7. B.Shyamala. Kumari (1985). Intermediate Course in malayalam. p. 41.
  8. Chathoth, Vidya (October 17, 2016). Reel to Real: The mind, through the lens of Malayalam cinema. Notion Press. ISBN 9781946129529 – via Google Books.
  9. McCarthy, Grace (July 27, 2021). Shakespearean Drama, Disability, and the Filmic Stare. Routledge. ISBN 9781000416824 – via Google Books.
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