ALAPPUZHA: As Kerala observes the Ramayana month, ‘Karkkidakam’ in the Malayalam calendar, a rare collection of centuries-old palm-leaf manuscripts including the revered Adhyatma Ramayanam Kilippattu is drawing the attention of history enthusiasts and devotees alike in Kayamkulam.
The priceless collection is carefully preserved by Hakkim Maliyekkal, a resident of Chirakkadavam, as part of his lifelong effort to safeguard Kerala’s cultural heritage. Besides Adhyatma Ramayanam Kilippattu, the collection features the Mahabharata and several other palm-leaf manuscripts believed to be around 350 years old.
For the 65-year-old collector, these manuscripts are far more than historical artefacts.
“They are invaluable cultural treasures that preserve Kerala’s literary, spiritual and historical legacy,” Hakkim says.
His fascination with antiques began during school days. However, financial constraints initially limited his hobby. Later, Hakkim worked as a physical education and Arabic teacher at the Indian International School in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, for more than a decade. During his stay abroad, he significantly expanded his collection by acquiring antiques from different parts of the world.
Now, his personal museum houses more than 400 old currency notes from various countries, along with numerous rare coins, including coins dating back to the Mauryan period.
He now plans to convert a part of his residence into a permanent exhibition hall to showcase the collection to the public. Around three decades ago, he acquired the Adhyatma Ramayanam palm-leaf manuscript from an ancestral house in Varkala. Later, the collection expanded to nearly 100 palm-leaf manuscripts covering diverse subjects.
Among them are Sambhava Parvam (Mahabharatha), Tattwabodhini (ayurvedic text), medical treatises attributed to Sage Agastya, Ayurvedic texts, manuals on daily rituals and penance, astrological works such as Kaladeepakam, horoscopes based on different birth stars, and manuscripts written in Malayalam, Tamil and Sanskrit.
Adhyatma Ramayanam, which narrates the spiritual journey of Lord Rama and upholds the ideals of righteousness through the lives of Rama and Bharata, has long occupied a special place in Kerala’s devotional tradition. Its preservation in the palm-leaf format offers a rare window into the state’s literary and religious heritage. To encourage younger generations to appreciate this legacy, Hakkeem welcomes visitors to view the manuscripts and the traditional ‘narayam’, the stylus once used to inscribe palm leaves.
Hakkeem’s wife, Bharisha, is a retired pharmacist from Chengannur Government Hospital.