പൊന്മുണ്ടം
ഗ്രാമ പഞ്ചായത്ത്

Socio-Cultural History

Ponnmundam is a village with a rich legacy of historical memories connected to Tipu Sultan’s military campaigns and the vigorous activities of the Indian national movement. During British rule, Ponnmundam was part of the Malabar District of the former Madras Presidency. The people of this village experienced the hardships of feudal landlordism, caste oppression, and British imperial rule. The village also has stories of resistance against the absolute authority exercised by local feudal chiefs.

The first public meeting held in connection with the boycott of foreign cloth was presided over by Sayyid Kunjikkoya Thangal of the prominent Klariputhur Valiya Maliyekkal family in this village. He also participated in the Salt Satyagraha. The courageous struggle waged by the local people against British imperial rule continues to inspire younger generations.

During the height of the Khilafat Movement, which emerged as part of the broader freedom struggle, the Malabar Special Police Camp was established at Kozhichena. This facility now serves as the headquarters of the Rapid Action Force. When the Malabar Rebellion reached its peak, nearly forty local men fought bravely against the British, using whatever they could find as weapons, and were martyred in the struggle. Their memories are still preserved in and around Puthur Mosque in the Perumanna area of the Panchayat.

The people of this region also wholeheartedly supported the Indian freedom movement. The Kozhichena Malabar Special Police Camp was originally established to suppress the Malabar Rebellion and to capture and persecute those involved in the uprising. During the peak of the freedom struggle, British cavalry forces reportedly shot and killed seven freedom fighters who were in hiding south of the Mana house at Perumanna East. The site where these patriots fell and the place where they were buried are still preserved as historical memorials, evoking memories of sacrifice and sorrow.

The Karuthal region within the Thennala–Ponnmundam Panchayat area is associated with another grim chapter of local history. Nearby lies Ammikkodan Kundu, a place that was once a source of fear among the people of Ponnmundam and Thennala. An old saying still remembered by local residents goes: “Even if one is exiled to the Andamans, let it not be to Ammikkodan Kundu.”

In the Parammal area of Ward Three stands an ancient stone structure known as Kudakkallu (“umbrella stone”), a prehistoric monument believed to have served as a shelter or habitation site for early human settlers of the region.

The Pandyaala of Vailathur was once an important commercial center. It featured surrounding buildings and a spacious courtyard. Local tradition holds that British officials used to sit in reclining chairs there while collecting taxes and tributes. In earlier times, the present-day Vailathur Juma Masjid served as the center for charitable food distribution during Mawlid (the Prophet’s Birthday celebrations).

Vailathur and the wider Ponnmundam Panchayat are well known for communal harmony. Traditional religious festivals in the area include the Shivaratri celebrations at Adrisseri Temple, the annual festivals of Kavanad Temple, and the devotional offerings (Nerchas) that were once held at Cholappuram.

During the British period, Ponnmundam was an underdeveloped Muslim-majority region. Muslims continue to form the overwhelming majority of the population, while Hindus and a small number of Christians also reside here. The village is notable for its strong tradition of communal harmony, with people of different faiths and communities living together peacefully.

Education has also played an important role in the development of the Panchayat. Several long-established educational institutions are located here, including Ponnmundam Government School, Ponnmundam North GMUP School, Chilavil AMLP School, and Ponnmundam North AMLP School, all of which have served the community for many decades.