Information on Kunchan Smarakam Fort (Palakkad, Kerala) - History & Architecture

Kunchan Smarakam Fort is situated at Killikurissi Mangalam, Lakkidi Taluk, Palakkad District, Kerala State in India. This is the fort built in the memory of the famous Malayalam ancient poet and performer artist named 'Kunchan Nambiar 1705 Ad to 1770 Ad'. This fort is in his village named Killikurissi Mangalam, which is a national monument for preserving the 'Thullal' art form of Kerala State.

Kunchan Smarakam Fort Architecture

Kunchan Smarakam Fort is a built in the traditional Kerala architectural style. It was built for the Thullal dance form and it had many arenas to perform these dance patterns. This smarakam is laid in the low level areas of Pal Ghats. This smarakam used teak woods, granites, large clay bricks, lime stones and terracotta tiles. It has a single storied main edifice to practice indoors, which is the large hall supported with wooden pillars and stone pillars. Its roofs were filled with terracotta tiles which look like a typical village house. This smarakam has many plain grounds to Thullal performers. There is a special room for keeping their special Thullal costumes and other dance material like the percussion and cymbals. This smarakam is surrounded by clam and silent environment with great pasture lands. This doesn't have any large fortification as compared to other forts here. This is the rare kind of smarakam ever built for art and culture in Kerala State.

Kunchan Smarakam Fort History

Kunchan Smarakam Fort is the only place to recite and perform this art form and it also teaches this form of dance to the young aspirants of this present generation. The Ottam Thullal dance for is believed to be found by the Kunchan Nambiar, who belongs to the upper class in the Malayalam society. He was many times opposed by the local Rajas and his class peoples, since it was believed to be the poor man's dance. But he dint mind his class in society and mingled with local tribes and made them cheer with this Thullal dance. In the 18th century Kerala was very strict in cast base classification and discrimination of lower cast peoples existed here. This dance form is performed by a single person with a drum and cymbal accompanied with recital of folk songs. The performer wears a similar dress of kathakali. The first Prime Minister of India 'Jawahar Lal Nehru' saw this Ottam Thulla and commented as poor people's Kathakali dance. On the eve of Shiva Rathri, it is celebrated with large audience as festivals here. Peculiarity of this dance is it is performed only in the night time, with oil lit lanterns and large fire lights lit on woods. The 5th of May month is celebrated here as Kunchan day and many professional from all over Kerala show their talent here. In the present day's all of the major temple festivals include this Ootam Thulla dance as one of its attraction all over Kerala. Now this smarakam is taken by the Kerala State government as heritage place and conduct an Institute to propagate Ottam Thullal dance form. There is a controversy with this dance by the historians, that this dance form was practices here in the ancient times backed to 2nd century BC and declined in the passage of time.

Kunchan Smarakam Fort Tourism Importance

Kunchan Smarakam Fort is as important as its Kathakali. It is an alternative of Kathakali in Kerala State. It is locally and internationally inspired art form. This is a cultural place of heritage and artistic significance. This smarakam is under taken by the archeological department of India and the tourism board to cater and facilitate national and international tourist coming to the Pal Ghats Valley.