THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : On hearing the name ‘Kalady’, most people think of Adi Shankaracharya’s birth place in Ernakulam. Given the quaint town’s rich cultural heritage, that’s natural.
Thiruvananthapuram, too, is home to a Kalady, one that has not quite made it to history books. However, this Kalady – nestled between Karamana and Killi rivers – also has a story to tell.
The two Kaladys did not just end up with the same name by chance; it is because they both owe their identities to the rivers that flow alongside them. “The word ‘kaal’ [which usually refers to one’s legs] can also imply ‘border’,” explains historian Vellanad Ramachandran.
“In south Travancore, for instance, pathways by border areas were called ‘kaalupaad’. ‘Aadi’ means ‘lower area’. So, over time, people likely started calling this piece of land along the banks of the rivers ‘Kalady’.”
Since rivers flow from higher to lower regions, those living upstream probably named the area Kalady, combining geography with human anatomy – kaal means feet, the lower portion of our bodies, Ramachandran explains.
Several place names, he adds, have been derived from human body parts. “For instance, ‘Kaivazhi’ (‘hand path’ literally) comes from ‘kai,’ meaning hand. Similarly, names with ‘thala,’ like Chennithala and Thalassery, refer to the head,” he notes.
“These interpretations are not written down anywhere; they are deduced from logic and linguistics. The word ‘kaalu’ still carries the meaning of ‘boundary’ in some parts of Thiruvananthapuram.”
It is well-known that early settlers gravitated toward water sources. At a time when fetching water in earthen pots was a daily grind, living near rivers was a luxury. This led to settlements along riverbanks.
Ramachandran points out that some place names might not make logical sense in the current context. “As history shows, rivers have a habit of changing course. Just like how the Periyar shifted in 1341, leaving behind names that hint at a past we can only imagine,” he says.
What’s in a name
Weekly column on the history of place names. Got any suggestions? Write to xpresskochi@gmail.com