Tirur is a town and a municipality in Malappuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is birth place of Thunchathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, the father of Malayalam literature. Thunchan Parambu is highly venerated and its sand is believed to be sacred. The sand is used in Vidyarambham, especially on Vijaya Dasami day. Tirur is one of the most important business centres of Malappuram district and is situated 41 km south of Kozhikode or Calicut, on the Mangalore-Madras railway line.

It is a major trading centre of fish and betel leaf.

Geography

Tirur is located at . It has an average elevation of 2 metres (6 feet).

Tourism

The Tirur-Koottayi road ends at Padinharakara, better known as Padinjarekara Azhimugham, where the Bharathapuzha and Tirur river s converge to drain into the sea. This place is noted for migratory birds, gathering in their thousands during February - April. This beautiful beach is very near Tirur and is also famous for its astonishing scenic beauty. This beach has long been a favourite destination for both domestic and international travellers as well as nature lovers. Most of the travelers to Malappuram district and pilgrims who are heading to the Kadambuzha Baghavathi Temple and Other temples are boarded here.

This railway station has a sad history in the freedom fight of India. The incident Vagon Tragedy Happened in this place. Hundreds of prisoners where killed to death suffocating in the closed compartments of a goods train.

History

Tirur was in the kingdom of Vettattnad in medieval times. Tirur is a part of the first laid railroad by the British in Kerala, and hence historically significant.

Wagon tragedy

The Wagon tragedy was the death of a large number of prisoners on 10 November 1921 in the Malabar region of Kerala state of India. The prisoners had been taken into custody following unrest known as Mopilah rebellion in Malabar, and their deaths through apparent negligence discredited the British Raj and generated sympathy for the Indian independence movement.

Initially inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and the national leaders of India, there was a widespread and violent uprising against the British colonial rule of India,later Hindus became the target in which hundreds of Hindus got killed and thousands forcefully converted to Islam. After a series of events that culminated in violent clashes between police and protesters, Martial law was introduced and the rebellion mostly crushed. The British packed 70 prisoners into a railway goods wagon at Tirur railway station to be sent to the Coimbatore jails. By the time they reached their destination 61 of the prisoners had died from suffocation. A monument to this notorious tragedy can be now seen in Tirur.

Famous Personalities

Thunchathu Ramanujan Ezhuthchan

Thunchan Parambu is a small place in Tirur where Thunchathu Ramanujan Ezhuthchan, the poet considered as the father of the Malayalam Literature was born in the 16th century AD. Thunjan Parambu is located near Annara, 1.5 km away from Tirur railway station.A memorial for the great poet has been built at Thunjan Paramba, where a week long literary mela is organised in the last week of December. This place is sacred for all who speak Malayalam. The famous "Thunchan Utsavam" is held here every year in the first week of February. During this festival many literary luminaries, singers and classical dancers gather here.And of all those who starts learning,they come here to write "Hari Sree Ganapatheya Namah" in the white sand or in the rice, helped by the poets, narrators and other language "acharyas"

Important works of Ezhuthachan, Adhyatma Ramayanam and Harinamakeerthanam are widely recited in Kerala homes. Thunchan parambu is a hallowed ground where hundreds of children are introduced into the world of writing, soon after infancy, when they first trace the letters of the Malayalam alphabet in sand taken from that revered spot which was Ezhuthachan's home. People in their hundreds reach Thunjanparamba with their children, to initiate them into the world of letters on the Vijayadasami day. Children are made to write on the white sands of Thunjanparamba with their fingers. Young poets of Kerala come on that day to offer their first poem. A Nux vomica (Kangiram) tree, the leaves of which are not bitter, is a surprise at the Thunjan parambu.

Vallathol Narayana Menon

Vallathol Narayana Menon, one of the celebrity poets in Malayalam language, was born in Chennara, near Tirur. Up to his 27 years he lived in Chennara and wrote so many poems after that he moved to Cheruthuruthi.

Mamankam Festival

The land of ancient Mamankam, Thirunavaya is 7 km south of Tirur. Situated on the banks of Bharathapuzha River, it is a place of historical importance.

The place has three temples, dedicated to the Trimurtis, the gods of creation, sustenance and annihilation of life, according to the Hindu belief strewn on the banks of the Bharathapuzha. The famous vedic Vidyalaya Othanmar Madom of ancient times, is on the bank of Bharathapuzha, near the Siva Temple. This madom was a centre of Aryanisation through Sanskrit and Vedic education, as Thirunavaya was believed to be the main centre, where Parasurama brought and settled Brahmins.

The Palace (Mana) of Puranic fame Azhvanchery Thamprakkal is 2 km north of Thirunnavaya.

Navamunkuda Temple, believed to be constructed by Nava yogis on the right bank of Bharathapuzha, is an important Vishnu temple of Kerala. Pitru Tharpanam is a ritual, held here on the day of Amavasi in Karkidaka (July). Balikarma is offered by people in their wet clothes, after a dip in the river, for the salvation of sins and to appease the manes.

A marital art festival of Kalripayattu, is conducted during summer on the sands of dry Bharathapuzha. The famous Changampalli Kalari, is near Thirunavaya.

During the second week of February a Sarvodaya Mela is conducted in Thirunavaya where the Gandhians of Kerala used to assemble. The Santikudeeram established by the national leader K. Kelappan, is the centre place of this mela.

South of Tirur is the Chamravattom Sastha Temple, which is constructed on the banks of Bharathapuzha.

GarudanKavu

Situated at GarudanKavu, 6 km from Tirur, is the only temple in Kerala dedicated to Garuda, the bird deity.

The Hanuman kavu temple is also located near this place. Thousands of pilgrims from all over India come here to worship lord Hanuman. This is supposedly the place where Lord Rama described Sita, and gave Hanuman his ring to authenticate Hanuman as his messenger, and sent him off to visit Sita in Lanka, where she was being held captive by Ravana. This is supposedly the spot where Hanuman took a huge leap towards Lanka. The speciality of this temple is that Lakshmana, Lord Rama’s brother, has a separate Sanctum. It seems that Lord Rama asked Lashmana to leave the room when he was describing Sita and giving Hanuman his ring. Lord Rama and his brother Lakshmana were inseparable, and so this temple is sort of unique in that they are not together.

Triprangode Siva temple is also nearby which has historical importance too. The legend behind the temple is that Markandeyan, a very young devotee of Lord Siva, who had his parents to take care of, was scheduled to die at a very young age. When lord Yama came to take his soul away, Markandeyan approached Lord Vishnu (at the Navamukundan temple), to request him to save him from death. Lord Vishnu had to turn him down, and direct him to request Lord Siva instead. So off Markandeya goes to Lord Siva. He is said to have embraced a Siva Linga at the Triprangode temple, and Lord Siva is said to have killed Yama, the messenger of death, at this spot. There are a total of five Siva lingas at this temple. The first being the linga that Markandeyan embraced, the next three being the steps that Lord Siva took on the way to killing Lord Yama, and the last being the extremely angry Lord Siva, immediately after killing Lord Yama. The saints and other gods had to request Parvati, Siva’s consort to appear naked, except for jewelry to appease and cool Lord Siva down.

Vyrankodu Bhagavathi temple is another famous temple near Tirur (approximately 8 km away). The Theeyatt (jumping into fire) is the well known festival here. Vyrankottu Bhagavthi is worshipped as 'Desathin Devatha' (Goddess of the land) of this part of Ernadu. The Bhagavathi's thattakam (territory) extends from Kuttipuram to Kadalundi, Ferok. She is considered to be very powerful and is worshipped by all people irrespective of caste & creed.Another smaller Bhagavathi Thara (Temple of Goddess) considered to be the sister of Vyrankodu Bhagavathi is situated in Kuttur. The annual festival (Bhagavthi attu) of this temple attracts many people.

Chandanakavu, the birth place of the great 16th century Sanskrit poet and grammarian Melapthur Narayana Bahttathiri, is 10 km away from Tirur in Thirunnavaya–Kottakal road. A memorial has been built there for the poet, where small children are brought for their formal initiation into learning, on Vijayadasami day, as in Thunjan parambu.

One of the major pilgrimage centre in Tirur is the Trikkandiyoor Siva Temple situated at Trikkandiyoor. Several other temples are also there surrounding this temple such as Ambalakulangare temple,Ayyapan kavu and Krishna temlple. Vaavulsavam is the major festival associated with Trikkandiyoor temple.

Puthiyangadi is a small town near Tirur and is considered sacred by Muslims. The Puthiyangadi Mosque is very famous and annually, in the month of January, the 'Pudiyangadi Nercha festival is held at this mosque. Several elephants line up in the famous procession from Tirur to Pudiyangadi, during the festival. This festival has been discontinued for the past few years owing to difference of opinion among the families responsible for the conduct of the festival.

Tirur is also famous for the harmony among different religions. Its secular nature has attracted immigration from various areas in the south of India. In addition, the supposedly divine presence of Islamic saints has caused interest among potential residents.

Demographics

India census, Tirur had a population of 53,650. Males constitute 48% of the population and females 52%. Tirur has an average literacy rate of 80%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 81%, and female literacy is 78%. In Tirur, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Politics

Tirur assembly constituency is part of Ponnani (Lok Sabha constituency).

Educational institutions

There are many govt schools and a college in Tirur. Fathima Matha English school, NSS English School, MES Central School are the prominent private schools in tirur. [[Bharathiya Vidya BhavanEnglish School is located at Tirunavaya, Tirur. Seethi Saheb Memorial Polytechnic College is one among the prominent centres of engineering studies in Kerala. Govt. Girls HSS, Govt. Boys HSS, Govt. HSS Ezhur, Govt. HSS Niramaruthur are High Schools in tirur.

ARTISTS

Kalamandalam [[Tirur Nambissan- Kathakali Music

References

External links

Kottakkal News, Blog, Community Website and Discussion forum

Vellamassery GarudanKavu - Official Website

Category:Cities and towns in Malappuram district Category:Populated coastal places in India