The monument of Itty Achudan Vaidhyan, the world renowned ayurvedic scholar and co-author of Hortus Malabaricus, is lying in a debt trap. The land on which ‘kuriala’ (a small wooden room used by the scholar) is situated is in huge debt.
The state Archaeological Department is also facing difficulties to take over the memorial because of these liabilities. ‘’The matter is under the consideration of the department. But the liability of the property is over `11 lakh.
There is no option in the Department to take over a monument with such huge financial burden,” says J Rejikumar, the director of Archeological Department.
Itty Achudan was the co-author of Hortus Malabaricus, a compilation of vast information on the florae of Kerala in the mid-seventeenth century. Dutch Malabar governor Hendrik van Rheede wrote the book and it was published in Amsterdam. The land in Kadakarapally panchayat was owned by Pushkaran, a fourth generation member of Itty Achuthan’s family. He pledged the land in two banks and the debt increased with dues and added interests.
The huge liabilities and illnesses prompted Pushkaran to commit suicide. At present, Pushakaran’s wife Uma and children are living in the house. The kuriala is situated in the 66-cent land and the botanical garden prepared by Achudan is in 26 cents.
A sum of `2 lakh had been taken from the Service Cooperative bank of Thanki after pledging the land in 2004. The amount has increased to `5.65 lakh, said bank president K M Joseph. Another plot is pledged in Service Cooperative bank Vettackal and the liability is 5.5 lakh.
If the government does not write off the loan the bank will go ahead with confiscation of the land,” says Thanki bank president K M Joseph.