2 weeks Ago By Parvana K B
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: From local street food to juicy shawarma, crunchy snacks and chai, or ice-cold treats, Kuravankonam has it all. This little place in the heart of the capital city is the ultimate one-stop food hub. However, all this development in Kuravankonam came about very recently.
Centuries ago, this area was a hilly, elevated region inhabited by the Kurava community. The people here relied on hunting and cultivation. The word Kuram, meaning hill, highlights their deep connection to the terrain they called home.
In the ‘Ainthinai’ culture of the Sangam period, the land was divided into five regions based on topography, each named after a specific flower. Hilly areas were called ‘Kurinji’, and the people there, ‘Kuravar’. The dry lands were called ‘Palai’, and its inhabitants, ‘Maravar’.
The forest regions were known as ‘Mullai’, and the people there were referred to as ‘Ayanmar.’ The fertile riverine valleys were termed ‘Marutham’, and the people, ‘Velalalar’. The fifth region, the coastal area, was called ‘Neithal’, and its people ‘Parathavar’ or ‘Paravar’, with Paravam meaning the sea.
“These gotras were one of the key aspects that divided people during that time,” says historian Vellanad Ramachandran. According to him, Kuravankonam refers to the corner of the elevated area where the Kuravar once lived. “It is not the specific settlement of the Kauravas; rather, it signifies a corner of the hill where they lived,” he says.
The nearby areas of Kuravankonam were also home to Kurava settlements. That’s why talking about Kuravankonam, Ramachandran says, is incomplete without mentioning Kowdiar, because the names of the neighbouring places and their histories too matter. “Governance and devotion were closely linked during those times.
The Kuravas worshipped Cheyon or Murugan, creating thickets known as ‘Kaavu’ as sacred spaces. The leader who held the authority to perform the religious rituals in these Kaavu was known as ‘Kaavinte Adiyaar’ or ‘kaa-va-di-yar’. He was also the head of the gotra.
This connection led to the area being named Kaavadiyaar, which was later shortened to Kowdiar,” he explains. The development of this area began in the early 19th century. Between 1885 and 1924, Travancore was ruled by Sri Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma and he had a nephew called Aswathi Thirunal Marthandavarma.
He was the first Travancore royal to complete his BA in ‘photography,’ a new invention then. He had a tutor known as Appa Durai Iyer, who resided in a bungalow on Kowdiar Hill. One of the highlights of Kowdiar Hill during that time was its breathtaking sunset views, Seeing this beauty, Ashwathi Thirunal wanted to buy the land and property.
He acquired the bungalow with the assistance of his uncle Moolam Thirunal, offering land in the Nedumangad region in exchange. The mansion was later renovated into a grand structure with 16 sections, specifically for him. However, he passed away at an early age due to chicken pox and it was Chithira Thirunal who first moved into the palace.
This marked the beginning of the area’s significant development. By the 20th century, the entire region had transformed. Now, it has become one of the most happening places in the city, bustling with activity day and night.
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