Kerala's Pattom, a border that separated old kingdoms
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The presence of hospitals, educational institutions and shopping spaces makes Pattom an important commercial area in Thiruvananthapuram. As it turns out, there is also an interesting tale behind its name. “Pattom doesn’t only mean kite in Malayalam. It also means junction or border,” said historian M G Sashibhooshan. Pattom was on the northern border of the Thrippapur region of the Old Venad Kingdom, he said.
“Venad extended from Pattom to Karamana before the 19th century. For any celebration, including a birth in the royal family, decorations would be put up from Karamana to Pattom. Ulloor was part of Nedumangad of the Perakam Kingdom, which falls near Pattom,” he said.
“In the past, Pattom was a large area formed by three regions: Gowreesapattom, Mekke Pattom and Kizhakke Pattom,” Sashibhooshan said, adding that the Kizhakke Pattom included the present Kuravankonam. “As time passed, the three regions started to be known as Pattom. The region has several old, important buildings. In 1949-50, Ilayaraja Marthanda Varma started living in Pattom at the Thulasi Garden which is now the building of the SUT Hospital,” he said.
The historian said several other important administrative buildings in Pattom were actually royal establishments. They include the LIC office in Pattom, which was once the mango garden of Kowdiar Palace. Among Pattom’s landmarks, one cannot miss the PSC Office, MILMA office, and the St Mary’s Higher Secondary School, one of the largest schools in Asia.
Pattom is also popular due to Pattom A Thanu Pillai, the second chief minister of Kerala. “He was an important figure in India’s freedom struggle, a brave man whose stature was similar to national leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.”
What’s in a name
Weekly column on the history of place names. Got any suggestions? Write to cityexpresskoc@newindianexpress.com