Eranad

Eranad ഏറനാട് Ernad
Province, Taluk and Assembly Constituency
Kondotty Qubba
Eranad Location in Kerala, India Eranad Eranad (India)
Coordinates: 11.119198°N 76.119631°E / 11.119198; 76.119631
Country	India
State	Kerala
District	Malappuram
Taluk Headquarters	Manjeri
Languages
• Official	Malayalam, English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registration	KL 10
Website	www.eranad.com

Ernad refers to the erstwhile province in the midland area of Malabar consisting of Malappuram and nearby regions such as Anakkayam, Manjeri, Kondotty etc. It's also one of the seven taluks (tehsils) in Malappuram district (formerly in Kozhikode district) in the Indian state of Kerala.

Ernad had two capitals during various times, Nediyiruppu, Kondotty under Chera rule and Kottappadi, Malappuram under Zamorin rule. Present day ernad taluk head quarters is at Manjeri.

History

Eranad (from "Erala-nadu", the Land of the Cattles according to William Logan) was originally a province in the Chera Kingdom (9th-12th century AD) ruled by a clan known as the Eradis. They had their provincial capital was at Nediyiruppu, near present-day Kondotty. The ruler of the Eralanadu was known as the Eralanadu Utaiyavar, Elar-thiri or Nediyiruppu Mooppan or Mooppil Nayar. Manavepala Manaviyan, a Governor of the Eralanadu, signs in the famous Jewish Copper Plate (1000 AD). The Syrian Copper Plate (1225 AD) is also signed by the Eralanadu ruler.

After the fall of the Cheras, the region became an independent political entity. Later, the Eradis expanded their Kingdom to the west and moved their capital to Calicut while setting up regional capital at Kottappadi, Malappuram with Paranambi as the chieftain. The Eradis came to be known as the "Kings of the Oceans" (Samoothiri/Zamorin) in later times.

Whereas the Ernad taluk existed during Colonial rule in India and was a part of the Malabar district under Madras Presidency. In the first decade after independence, large-scale changes in the territorial jurisdiction of this region took place to form new taluks. On 1 January 1957, Tirur taluk was newly formed, taking portions of Eranad taluk and Ponnani taluks. Two more taluks, namely Tirurangadi taluk and Nilambur taluk, were formed later by bifurcating Tirur Taluk and Eranad taluk.

Malabar Rebellion

The region was the centre of the Moplah Uprising of 1921. The armed uprising, an independent move towards British, was brutally eliminated by the Colonial government. This was also a major center of the brutalities heaped upon the Hindu populace during the Moplah uprising.

Villages in Ernad Taluk

Modern day Eranad taluk comprises 33 villages (sub-division)

• Manjeri
• Narukara
• Payyanad
• Pandikkad
• Vettikkattiri
• Chembrasseri
• Pulpetta
• Elankur
• Thrikkalangod
• Karakkunnu
• Edavanna
• Perakamanna
• Areekode
• Kizhuparamba
• Kavanur, Areekode
• Urangattiri
• Vettilappara
• Malappuram
• Panakkad
• Anakkayam
• Pandalur, Pandikkad
• Melmuri

Eranad, the name also used by

• Eranad Knowledge City Manjeri
• Eranad Hospital Edakkara
• Eranad Online Areekode

Culture

Ernad or Eranad tehsil is as predominantly Muslim populated area. Hindus are exist in comparatively smaller numbers. So the culture of the locality is based upon Muslim traditions. Duff Muttu, Kolkali and Aravanamuttu are common folk arts of this locality. There are many libraries attached to mosques giving a rich source of Islamic studies. Some of the books are written in Arabi-Malayalam which is a version of the Malayalam language written in Arabic script. People gather in mosques for the evening prayer and continue to sit there after the prayers discussing social and cultural issues. Business and family issues are also sorted out during these evening meetings. The Hindu minority of this area keeps their rich traditions by celebrating various festivals in their temples. Hindu rituals are done here with a regular devotion like other parts of Kerala.

Transportation

Ernad area connects to other parts of India through NH966. Multiple state highways connects the region with other part of the district as well as the state. The nearest airport is at Karipur. The nearest major railway station is at Tirur.