In search of the Muziris...

For the past few days, I’ve been feeling a passion for something I have hated till now – History. Our hatred was well built over the years, starting from the days when Social Studies branched out into History, Geography, Civics and Economics in the school curriculum. For someone who hated mugging up, I was always frustrated with the huge volume of insignificant data it carried - the names of people, kings, the countless important dates and years!!! And it is really strange that I suddenly found it interesting. I don’t know how it happened or why it happened, but for the past few days, I’ve started reading on the ancient history and culture of Central Travancore, especially my hometown Thrissur and its nearby areas.

I was specifically drawn to the history of a long-forgotten-never-found-land, Muziris (Muchiri or Mucciri). Even though I had heard a lot about this particular word, I never knew what it was. I could have never even guessed that it was a place! Until recently, the whereabouts of this sea-port was unknown. Thought to be lying on the upper banks of the River Periyaar, the port-city was later destroyed; by what, is still a mystery.

Muziris is said to be derived from the local name “Mucciripattanam”; mucciri meaning cleft palate while pattanam means port. A few years back, in an idle village called Pattanam, 10 kilometres from Kodungallor in Thrissur, excavations revealed the existence of a port city some 4 metres down in the earth. The discovery included coins from Roman& Chera era, a wharf, a canoe, terracotta, Roman glass, beads and stones etc. But there is no solid proof that these discoveries points to the location of Muziris. Muziris is believed to have been a major commercial hub for the European trade route to India. Also, being very near to Kodungallor, it would have been, by all chances, a gateway to religions like Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

The city of Muziris finds mention in many ancient writings by people like Pliny the Elder, Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (Frankly, I haven’t heard of any of them but it does feel good) and in the ancient Tamilian Sangam literature. This city might have been pivotal in many a wars between the European powers and the local rulers. It might also have been the reason for the setting up of India’s oldest and the world’s second oldest mosque at Kodungallor.

What led to the decline and ultimate fall of this city is not know. Some historians think it would have coincided with the fall of the Roman Empire. The sea route through the Red Sea, passing through Roman Egyptian cities of Berenike and Myos Hormos, was the heart of the trade to this South Indian port. Muziris was believed to be on the mouth of the river Periyaar. But an interesting observation is that, except a “thodu” (a branch of the River Periyaar) called as the Paravur Thodu, there is no existence of the mighty river Periyaar. It is believed that Periyaar branched out into two near Muziris and the Great Floods of 1341 caused this branch to silt up changing the course of the river.

Whatever might have happened to this port city, it surely did ignite a passion in me; a desire for knowing my land, its culture and its rich heritage. A curiosity to know more, explore the unknowns. And I hope to keep the fire burning and set out on a quest satisfy my urge. Oh, and I’m feeling jealous of the historians and the archaeologists!!!