Vallikkunnu

As of 2001 India census, Vallikkunnu had a population of 22853 with 11057 males and 11796 females.[1] It comes under Thirurangadi thaluk. The northern boundary is Kadalundi river and southern side with Parappanangadi Municipality. The village has a coastline of 8 kilometers with arabian sea in the west. The east is covered with Chelembra, Tenhipalam and Moonniyoor Panchayaths.[5][6]

Names, routes and locations of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (1st century CE)

Mangrove plantation at Vallikunnu

Vallikkunnu-Kadalundi-Chaliyam-Beypore had trade relations with foreign countries like Rome and Arabia since the era of king Solomon. Tyndis, which was a major center of trade, next only to Muziris, between the Cheras and the Roman Empire, is identified with Kadalundi.[7] Pliny the Elder (1st century CE) states that the port of Tyndis was located at the northwestern border of Keprobotos (Chera dynasty).[8] The North Malabar region, which lies north of the port at Tyndis, was ruled by the kingdom of Ezhimala during Sangam period.[9] According to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, a region known as Limyrike began at Naura and Tyndis. However the Ptolemy mentions only Tyndis as the Limyrike's starting point. The region probably ended at Kanyakumari; it thus roughly corresponds to the present-day Malabar Coast. The value of Rome's annual trade with the region was estimated at around 50,000,000 sesterces.[10] Pliny the Elder mentioned that Limyrike was prone by pirates.[11] The Cosmas Indicopleustes mentioned that the Limyrike was a source of peppers.[12][13]

According to the Legend of Cheraman Perumals, the first Indian mosque was built in 624 AD at Kodungallur with the mandate of the last the ruler (the Cheraman Perumal) of Chera dynasty, who converted to Islam during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (c. 570–632).[14][15][16][17] According to Qissat Shakarwati Farmad, the Masjids at Kodungallur, Kollam, Madayi, Barkur, Mangalore, Kasaragod, Kannur, Dharmadam, Panthalayini, and Chaliyam (just opposite to Vallikkunnu), were built during the era of Malik Dinar, and they are among the oldest Masjids in the Indian subcontinent.[18] It is believed that Malik Dinar died at Thalangara in Kasaragod town.[19]

After the breakdown of the Chera Kingdom dynasty rooted in Kadalundi, Parappanad Kovilakam of Parappanangadi became the rulers of Vallikkunnu. Parappanad royal family is a cousin dynasty of the Travancore royal family.[20][21] They gave permission for the Dutch to build a fort at Kadalundi. Even though the fort collapsed after a war with Zamorins, we can see the remnants in Mulla. Later the British became the rulers of Vallikkunnu and they built railway lines from Tirur up to Chaliyam for the purpose of business. Later it was extended to Shoranur. Marthanda Varma, the founder of Travancore, belongs to Parappanad royal family.[20]

Thundi is an ancient seaport and harbor-town north of Muziris (Muchiri) in the Chera Kingdom (Keprobotos), modern day India on the Malabar Coast.[22][23] The exact location of the port is still unknown, modernday Kadalundi Nagaram, Ponnani, Tanur, and Pantalayani Kollam[24] are often identified as Tyndis located in the Sangam age Tamil kingdom of the Cheras. Tyndis was a major center of trade, next only to Muziris, between the Cheras and the Roman Empire in the early centuries of the Christian era. A branch of the Chera royal family is also said to have established itself at Tyndis. It is also speculated that Tyndis (along with ports such as Naura, Bakare and Nelkynda) operated as a satellite feeding port to Muziris.[7]

Vallikkunnu Grama Panchayat is composed of the following 23 wards:[25]

• Parappanangadi
• Chelari
• Tenhipalam
• Chelembra
• Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary
• Kadalundi–Vallikkunnu Community Reserve
• Chaliyar