Thrissur
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Thrissur (त्रिस्सूर) , also known by its former name Trichur (त्रिचूर), is a city and district in Kerala, India. Author (Laxman Burdak) visited it on 03-09.02.1987 and stayed at Vellanikkara Agricultural Institute Trichur.
Contents
Location
It is located 300 kms towards north-west of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. One of the main cultural events in Thrissur is the Thrissur Pooram, which attracts quite a number of tourists and travellers.
Variants
Etymology
The name Thrissur (Malayalam: തൃശ്ശൂര്) is a shortened form Malayalam word Thiru-Shiva-Per-Ur (Malayalam: തിരു-ശിവ-പേര്-ഊര്, Lord-Shiva-Name-Town) literally translates to 'A Big City or Town with the three places of worship of the "Lord Shiva"'. The name owes itself to the most prominent feature of the city, that is the Vadakkumnathan Temple, which has Shiva as its presiding deity.[1] Alternately, Thri-Shiva-Perur (Malayalam: ത്രി-ശിവ-പേരൂർ, Three-Shiva-Palace) means the place with three Shiva temples which are said to be – the Vadakkumnathan Temple, Kottapuram Shiva temple and the Poonkunnam Siva Temple. Thrissur was known by its anglicised name Trichur until 1990, when the government decided to replace it with its Malayalam name. Thrissur was also known as "Vrishabhadripuram" (Kailasam of the South) in ancient days.[2]
History
Pre-history: The Ramavarmapuram monument is in granite and is of the menhir type. The monument in Ramavarmapuram is 15 feet (4.6 m) in height and 12 feet 4 inches (3.76 m) wide. Since 1944, it has been protected by the Department of Archaeology. The monument is locally known as Padakkallu or Pulachikkallu. These menhirs are memorials put up at burial sites for the departed souls. They belong to the Megalithic Age of Kerala, which is roughly estimated between 1000 BCE and 500 CE.[3] All such monuments have not been dated exactly. Some experts are of the view that these are the remnants of the Neolithic Age in the development of human technology. The Ramavarmapuram menhir is also believed to be a monument belonging to the Sangam period in the South Indian history.[4]
Another monolithic monuments like Dolmens and rock-cut caves are at Porkulam, Chiramanengad, Eyyal, Kattakambal and Kakkad. According to historians, the dolmens are burial sites. Though most of the monuments were well protected, the dolmen at Porkulam was in a neglected condition. The monument excavated under eminent Archaeologist B. K. Thapar, between 1949 and 1950, was under the Department of Archaeology.[5] Another megalithic monument is situated at Ariyannur in Thrissur. This place has unravelled monuments such as the Kudakkallu or Thoppikkallu (Mushroom stones or Umbrella stones) and 'Munimada' (Saint's abode). The laterite hillocks of Ariyannur rise to about 50 metres. Another reference in Ariyannur dates back to the early 15th century in the poem Chandrotsavam.[6] Pre-colonial history: The region can claim to have played a significant part in fostering the trade relations between Kerala and the outside world in the ancient and medieval period. The early political history of Thrissur is interlinked with that of the Chera Dynasty of the Sangam age, who ruled over vast portions of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. After the Cheras, the place was later ruled by the Kingdom of Cochin (Perumpadapu Swaroopam). Later, a powerful dynasty known as Zamorins of Calicut captured most of the Thrissur in 14th and 15th century.
त्रिचूर
विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर[7] ने लेख किया है ...त्रिचूर (केरल) (AS, p.416): कोचीन का एक बड़ा नगर है. त्रिचूर वेदक्कनाथ के प्रसिद्ध प्राचीन शिव मंदिर के चतुर्दिक बसा हुआ है.
त्रिस्सूर
त्रिस्सूर केरल के सांस्कृतिक राजधानी के नाम से भी जाना जाता है। इसे पहले 'त्रिचूर' के नाम से जाना जाता था। प्रशासनिक दृष्टि से यह त्रिस्सूर ज़िले का मुख्यालय है। इसका शाब्दिक अर्थ होता है "भगवान शिव का वासस्थान"। तृश्शूर का सन्धिविच्छेद है: तृश्शूर = तिरु + शिव + ऊर. तिरु एक तमिल आदरसूचक शब्द है (जैसे कि - तिरुचिरापल्ली, तिरुपति, तिरुवल्लुवर) जिसका हिन्दी समानान्तर है श्री (जैसे - श्रीमान, श्रीकाकुलम्, श्रीनगर, श्रीविष्णु इत्यादि)। ऊर का मतलब होता है पुर। तृश्शूर श्री शिव के मन्दिर के नाम से प्रसिद्ध है।
External links
References
- ↑ The Indian Encyclopaedia. Books.google.com. 2002. ISBN 9788177552577.
- ↑ "THRISSUR – HISTORY". Thrissur district website.
- ↑ S Hemachandran, "Monuments Embossing History"[permanent dead link], Kerala Calling, July 2007.
- ↑ V V K Valath (1992). Keralathile Sthalacharithrangal: Thrissur Jilla,(Malayalam: കേരളത്തിലെ സ്ഥലചരിത്രങ്ങൾ: തൃശ്ശൂർ ജില്ല) p.217. Kerala Sahithya Akadamy, Thrissur.
- ↑ "A tour of heritage sites in Thrissur". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 4 December 2009.
- ↑ "Students prepare manual on flora". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 4 March 2005.
- ↑ Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.416