K. C. Ammaalu Amma

K. C. Ammalu Amma (1898 - 1985)

K. C. Ammaalu Amma is our maternal grandmother and the inspiration behind our family kitchen, the Cranganore House. This blog is a tribute to her and all the good that she was.

Ammaalu was born towards the late 19th century in Kodungalloor (then Cranganore), in Kerala. Her parents were Ikkavu and Krishna Iyyer.

Ammaalu was the eigth child of Ikkavu Amma. While Ikkavu was expecting Ammaalu, her eldest, her 15 year old daughter Kunjikkavvu was expecting her first born too. In matrilenial societies, the eldest comes to be named after their mother. And thus the name Kunjikkavu (Junior Ikkavu). Sadly, Kunjikkavu gave birth to a still born. Kunjikkavu asked her mother if she could have Ammaalu as her own. Thus Ammaalu enjoyed the love from two mothers.

Polygamy was the norm and Krishna Iyer’s Brahmin wife was Swarnambaal. They had two sons and two daughters. Swarnambal was exceptionally fond of little Ammaalu. For every festival she took Ammalu over and gifted her with clothes and jewellery. Ammaalu, fondly called Thangu, thus grew up having the love of three mothers. These women bore a strong influence on Ammaalu.

In the matrilineal society of Kerala yore, mothers and daughters lived together forever. No girl would ever have to leave their home upon marriage. There have been families where upto seven generations of women lived under one roof at the same time; mothers, daughters, sisters, grandaughters, and so on. The only other known matrilineal communities in India were the Bunts of Karnataka, Garos/Khasis/Jintias of Meghalaya, and the Malikus of Lakshadweep.

Ikkavu Amma

It was the polyandry system of the eighteenth century. Nair women were never married off. The men were “married in”. The man and the woman chose to live together for as long as they wanted. If the man left, the woman was free to choose another man.

In turn, the man could choose to live with his first wife or second wife or alternate between both. Since polygamy was the accepted culture, there was perfect harmony between the families and any children that ensued.

Ikkavu Amma's first Nair husband moved on after having four children with her. Iyyer was her second husband, a Brahmin. He had a Brahmin wife and two sons. Ikkavu had five children with Krishna Iyyer. A total of nine children. Ammalu was Ikkavu Amma's eighth child. 

The Madras Marriage Act attempted to legitimize this polygamous system with a reasonably sensible definition that read “an alliance between a man and a woman, by reason of which they, in accordance with the custom of the community to which they belong, or to which either of them belongs, cohabit or intend to cohabit as husband and wife”

These marriages were known as Sambandham, followed by the matrilineal communities of eighteenth century or earlier Kerala. Prevalent commonly among the Nair community and among the priestly class - Namboodiris and Brahmins. 

The Lost Port of Muziris?

Cranganore Mail attempts to deliver to you stories from the early 19^th century lifestyle in Kerala, tales told to us as kids by our grandmother Ammalu Amma. Our maternal ancestors hailed from Cranganore, originally Kodungalloor, also called Shingly by the Jews, Muziris by the Romans/Greeks and Cranganore by the Portuguese.

Cranganore is the oldest known sea port on Malabar Coast. It is believed that this is also the lost port of Muziris from the 1st century BC. An ancient Roman map shows Muziris port on the southern shore, near the island of Sri Lanka. The inlet of water is presumed to represent the backwaters of Kerala. 

Ancient Roman Map showing Muziris Port

The Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans came here for the trade in spices and stones. The place has deep religious significance in history. It was here St. Thomas landed to center the first Syrian Christian community of India. Cranganore also hosts the first Muslim mosque in India, the Cheraman Juma Mosque, built in 629 A.D. This was during the time of Prophet Muhammad, the second mosque to be built in the world, the first being Medina. This place, on the Malabar Coast, is where the Jewish immigrants reputedly established their first foothold in India.

The Dutch East India Company ships at Cranganore

After the last of the Cheras, Cranganore became part of Cochin State or the Kingdom of Cochin, a princely state, an absolute monarchy under the rule of the Maharajas of Cochin, known as the Kochi Thampuraans.

--- If we know where we came from, we may better know where to go. If we know who we came from, we may better understand who we are. ---