In the European narrative, it was a ‘fanatic zone’ inhabited by ‘untameable Moplas’ who would resort to violence at the slightest provocation. The colonialists thought the Mappilas could be reined in only by enforcing black laws such as the Mappila Outrages Act. Thus, in popular imagination, Malappuram attained an image that was far removed from reality. This notion was further reinforced by creative expressions like Kumaran Asan’s ‘Duravastha’ that soaked the Eranad landscape in blood.
“The remnants of the colonial mindset are prevalent in some sections even now. That’s why Malappuram is often portrayed in dark colours by vested interests in north India,” says historian Hussein Randathani.
But a journey through areas like Vallikkunnu, Perinthalmanna, Tanur and Kondotty would convince anyone that Malappuram is just another town in Kerala, with its own set of woes and joys.
“Tipu Sultan did away with the oppressive laws related to landholdings in Malabar. After his defeat, the British reintroduced the system, which led to violent uprisings,” Randathani says.
The struggle attained a nationalist colour with the emergence of the Khilafat movement, in which Hindus and Muslims participated, he points out. “We had people like Mozhikunnath Brahmadathan Namboodirippad and M P Narayana Menon, who went to jail as part of the struggle. The perceived treachery of the Congress midway through the revolt alienated Mappilas from the party to a great extent.”
It was the formation of the Muslim League that gave a political direction to the Muslim community, embittered by the Congress’ U-turn. Now, the Congress and the Muslim League are part of the UDF but the old mistrust between the two parties has not vanished completely. Leaders like Aryadan Muhammad and his son Aryadan Shoukath represent the stream of Congressmen who have a different opinion on the Muslim League.
The Malappuram Lok Sabha constituency is a pocket borough of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and it has sent the party’s candidates to the parliament for decades. The only exception was the dramatic defeat of IUML candidate K P A Majeed in 2004, when the constituency was known as Manjeri. Over the years, the seat has been represented by senior party leader B Pocker, Muhammad Ismail, Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait and E Ahamed. Political enemies would say that leaders like Sait did not care to visit the constituency after the elections to address people’s issues. But party workers were convinced that Sait and Ahamed had a different role to play in national politics.
At the same time, the IUML cannot evade responsibility for the poor infrastructure in Malappuram constituency. The KSRTC bus depot in the town speaks volumes about the sad state of affairs. A village bus waiting shed in other parts of Kerala would have more facilities than the Malappuram depot.
People believe that more attention needs to be paid to infrastructure development. “Despite having five ministers in the UDF cabinet, IUML hasn’t undertaken any significant efforts for the development of the bus terminal,” says Abdul Kabeer, a driver from Kavungal.
Radhakrishnan Kizhakathra, a resident of Manjeri, attests that many challenges faced by the local people, such as inadequate drinking water supply and transportation, need to be addressed. “Many areas in Manjeri have no supply from the state water authority. Additionally, KSRTC buses don’t enter private bus stands in the vicinity, making it difficult for many to access these buses,” he says.
However, most concerning is the state of the Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) in Manjeri, which lacks facilities to adequately serve the people of Malappuram. “Several patients coming to this hospital are being referred to the GMCH in Kozhikode. Both the LDF and the UDF have failed to take steps to enhance the infrastructure and amenities at the hospital,” Radhakrishnan says.
The constituency also houses one of the four international airports in Kerala. Though known as the Kozhikode airport, it is located in Karipur within Malappuram.
“Despite its significance, the authorities haven’t accorded the Karipur airport the attention it deserves. The airport holds substantial revenue potential that remains untapped. Moreover, there’s a noticeable lack of effort from the authorities in developing the roads leading to the airport,” says Muhammed Basheer, a Manjeri resident employed at a school in Pulikkal.
Malappuram is also known for its craze for football. Huge cutouts of top players appear at every nook and corner of its villages during FIFA World Cup, sometimes forcing Muslim clerics to warn against the unbridled football mania. But to no avail. Every villager here is a football expert who would not mind sitting at a local tea shop and giving free advice to international teams.
The Sevens football tournaments in Malappuram are almost like a local festival where the entire village participates. The spirit of the game and the humaneness of the people of Malappuram are captured in the movie ‘Sudani from Nigeria’ that tells the poignant story of a foreign player who came here to participate in a Sevens’ tournament.