KOCHI: One of Kochi’s fastest-growing commercial regions, Edappally is known for the Sri Maha Ganapati temple, St George’s Church, and LuLu Mall. Many Kochiites assume the place gets the name from the palli or church here. However, that does not seem to be the case.
According to historian, writer and artist Venugopal A U, “the actual name of this place was Vigneshwarapuram”. It was probably the only principalities to be ruled by Namboothiris, not Kshatriya kings.
“So, the Namboothiris of north Kerala, who would go to Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram for Murajapa Vayana (Vedic recitals), used to halt here for taking rest, or palli kollan,” notes Venugopal. “This place came to be known as edak palli kollunna stahalam (resting place in between the journey). Eventually, that became Edappally.”
Changampuzha Saamskarika Kendram president P Prakash says there are different takes on the origin of the name Edapally. “One is that there was a Buddhist temple in Kochi. Back then, palli was a word used for Buddhist and Jainist places of worship, too. The name, Edappally, might have come from idayilulla palli (shrine in between the kingdoms of Cochin and Travancore),” he says.
He adds historian V V K Valath noted that in Suka Sandesham, which is written mostly in Sanskrit, Edappally is mentioned as Madhyaviharam (madhya means middle, and viharam means monastery). Prakash adds, the rulers of Travancore and Cochin, and even the colonial powers, used to go to Aluva Palace for vacation. “These rulers would halt and take rest at Edappally,” he says.
Another legend is that, before the 14th century, the area was known as Dhanthali; and the ruler was called Dhanthali Thampuran. “Padmanabha Pillai in Shabdadharavali equates Edapally with Dhanthali,” says Prakash.
Former editor and writer Ravi Kuttikad says Namboothiris in the principality held sway over the Thrikkakara temple. “When Thrikkakara came under the control of Namboothiris, the Buddhists residing there moved out and set up a monastery or what used to be called palli at the place that’s referred to as Edappally today. It was initially known as Edakkalapally.”
Edapally councillor Deepa Varma believes the place got the name from the “Edappally rajakudumbam (royal family)”. However, Damodara Raja, a member of the family, says the ruling Namboothiri clan used to be known as Elangallur Swaroopam, the ‘Edappally’ tag came much later.
Weekly column on the history of place names. Got any suggestions? Write to cityexpresskoc@newindianexpress.com