KOTTAYAM: Long before the advent of paper, Kerala had an elaborate method for preserving ancient knowledge and wisdom. The ancient people collected leaves of palm trees, dried them and etched letters onto them using a stylus, ‘narayam.’ The well-crafted palm-leaf manuscripts (thaliyola) are not just records, but rather bridges that connect the past and the present.
The discovery of a large collection of such manuscripts at the Kumaranalloor Devi temple, in Kottayam, has opened up a treasure trove of insights into the rich cultural heritage of Kerala, especially Central Travancore.
The documents and ‘thaaliyola grantha’ (books made from palm-leaf manuscripts) were recovered from the attic of the temple office last year. After a nearly year-long dedicated effort, with the help of an epigraphist, temple authorities salvaged nearly 37,200 leaves, marking one of the largest recoveries of manuscripts from a temple in India.
Believed to be three centuries old, they shed light on life and times during the royal era. According to temple authorities, the collection includes temple documents, information on rites and rituals performed at the temple, details of ‘Brahmini pattu’-- a traditional style of devotional singing at temples, scores of title deeds from the region, revenue records, account details, communication notes, and so on.
Some of the documents have proved difficult to decipher due to the use of ancient scripts such as Vattezhuthu and Kolezhuthu. Thus far, only 10% of the documents have been analysed.
Plan to digitise entire manuscript collection and develop Sevadhi
Some of the leaves are marked with an emblem containing two objects; a conch sign (like the one that adorns images of Ganesha) and four characters: ‘bha’, ‘ga’, ‘va’, and ‘ti’ (goddess). Two centuries ago, Kumaranalloor Devaswom utilised this punched symbol as an emblem on palm leaves.
In order to conserve the artifacts, authorities reached out to noted epigraphist S Rajendu and sorted the manuscripts, carefully bundling them into groups of 100 leaves each. “The leaves were found in deteriorating condition, with some irreparably damaged. We have been able to recover over 37,000 leaves. We are now making an effort to make them readable by cleaning them with a mixture of citronella oil and collyrium,” Rajendu said.
As part of the conservation, authorities have sorted the leaves into three primary categories: daybook of the temple, land-revenue records, and miscellaneous data. Moreover, they have prepared a plan to establish a museum and research facility at the 500-year-old ‘nelpura maalika’ (a house used for storing paddy), next to the temple. The proposed Sevadhi museum and Indological Research Institute, run by Kumaranalloor Ooranma Devaswom, which manages the temple, is expected to benefit researchers studying epigraphy and manuscriptology.
“We have prepared a design for the museum with the help of architects. After the palm leaves are fully restored, the museum will be opened to the public,” said Hari C T, administrator of the museum.
Authorities also plan to digitise the entire collection and develop Sevadhi into a full-fledged centre with a museum of temple history, including items from the temple’s collection, a digitisation lab, a library for references in Indology, and a repository with 300 bundles of unique palm leaves. The institute will house a bust of Mahatma Gandhi, in remembrance of his visit to the temple in 1937.
At the same time, efforts are underway to decipher and publish some of the interesting records from the collection. “Once these palm leaves are revealed, Kottayam’s history will be transformed,” Hari added.
Kumaranalloor Devi temple is believed to have been established by 16 families in the 10th century CE under the Chera rulers of Kodungalloor. This is narrated in a Vattezhuthu inscription located on the temple premises.