THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The name of a place is mostly connected with the rituals or event that the region observed or witnessed centuries ago. Ooruttambalam, which lies in Neyyattinkara taluk in Maranalloor, is no different. The place got its name from a ritual that was observed in the region, says historian Vellanadu Ramachandran. This used to be the place where natives worshipped their gods long ago, he adds.
‘Ooru’ means a region or settlement. “According to linguistic archaeology reports, the name of the place has been in existence for over 2,000 years. The natives used to provide offerings to the gods they believed in. So, Ooruttambalam became the worshipping place where the natives used to offer prayers to the almighty,” says Ramchandran.
The offerings were mainly food items, including sweets, and the rituals were held annually. The place Ooruttambalam is also associated with the Kandala Lahala a revolt initiated to ensure education for all students during the freedom movement.
The Govt UP School, Ooruttambalam, which witnessed the historic protest in connection with the revolution, got renamed Mahathma Ayyankali Panchami Memorial School earlier this year.
The history of the school traces back to 1882, when Velloorkonam Parameshwaran Pilla, a prominent personality in the village opened the first educational institution in the region. The only students who enrolled were from upper caste families.
“In 1912, a law was proposed by the governing body which ensured education for all. The upper caste community refused to execute it. Under the leadership of Ayyankali, the protesters fought to allow the education of lower-caste students. He entered the school with a girl Panchami and made her attend class,” adds Ramachandran.
The act agitated the upper class and they burned the bench on which Panchami sat. The partially burnt bench of Panchami has been preserved in the school as a memorial of the revolt.