History
Idukki District came into existence on the 26th
January, 1972 as per the notification No. 54131/C2/71/RD dated the 24th
January, 1972, carving out Devikulam, Udumbanchola and Peerumade Taluks
from erstwhile Kottayam District and Thodupuzha Taluk (excluding
Kalloorkad Village and portion of Manjalloor Village included in
Kalloorkad and Manjalloor Panchayats) of erstwhile Ernakulam District.
The jurisdiction was slightly altered by a subsequent notification
No.7754/C2/72/RD dated the 14th February, 1972. The name Idukki was
derived from the word ‘Idukku’ which means a gorge.
Idukki District Inauguration
As per G.O.(MS)/No.1026/82/RD dated 29.10.1982,
North Pamba Valley area and the area around Sabarimala Sannidhanam in
Mlappara Village of Peerumade Taluk were transferred to Pathanamthitta
District. At present, the District consists of 5 Taluks viz., Devikulam,
Udumbanchola, Thodupuzha, Peerumade and Idukki.
The pre-history of the District is shrouded in
obscurity. We have no clear evidence about the Palaeolithic period. The
uru buriah, the vaults called pandukuzhies, menhirs, dolmens and graves
found in high ranges and hills date back to the Megalithic period. The
excavation of the State Archaeology Department in Marayoor in the
Anchunad Valley of Devikulam Taluk, Thengakkal near Vandiperiyar, Bison
Valley and Thondermalai show distinct characteristics of pre-historic
civilization. The dolmens and menhirs discovered from these places show
the cultural and well developed civilization of inhabitants of the
Megalithic period. It is worth mentioning that, this District had an
important role in the spice trade of ancient period as spices such as
pepper, cardamom, etc., grow more in abundance in this District than
elsewhere in the State.
Some historians believed that Kuzhumur, the
capital of early Chera Empire, is the present Kumily in Peerumade Taluk
of the District. During the age of Kulasekharas, Nanthuzainad inclusive
of Devikulam, Udumbanchola and Peerumade Taluks, Vempolinad and Manjunad
of Kottayam District and Kuzhumelainad inclusive of Thodupuzha Taluk
formed part of Kulasekhara Empire. By about 1100 AD, Vempolinad was
split up into Vadakkumkur and Thekkumkur and Karikkode in Thodupuzha
Taluk became the capital of Vadakkumkur Rajas. The Vadakkumkur was
subordinate to the Perumpadappu Swaroopam for a long period. The
Thekkumkur was the most powerful Kingdom in those days and occasionally
they had quarrels between Cochin and Vadakkumkur Kingdoms.
The Dutch East India Company was attracted by
the enormous growth of pepper in high ranges. According to the formal
treaty signed on June 16, 1664, Dutch East India Company had trade
contracts with Thekkumkur Rajas on spices, cinnamon, opium, etc.
Manavikramakulasekhara Perumal, the Pandya King with his family had to
imigrate to Kerala and were settled in Vadakkumkur as refugees. With the
help of Vadakkumkur Rajas, the Pandya King purchased the land lying to
the West of the Western Ghats known as Poonjar from Thekkumkur Rajas.
The territory of Poonjar was transferred to the Pandya King with all its
rights and dignitaries and the coronation of the Raja was performed at
Poonjar in the presence of the Thekkumkur Rajas. In the 15th Century,
Poonjar Raja acquired the extensive areas in the high ranges from
Peerumade to Devikulam which form part of Idukki District. Immediately
after the annexation of Thekkumkur and Vadakkumkur, Poonjar Principality
was also annexed to Travancore in 1749-50 and afterwards its history
was associated with that of Travancore. The participation in the freedom
struggle by the people of this District is less as compared to other
parts of the State.
At the turn of the Century, there were four
Revenue Divisions in Travancore State. Though not a revenue unit,
Cardamom Hill was treated as a separate Division for magisterial,
general, planning and census purposes. In 1909, a fifth Division in the
State viz., Devikulam was newly carved out taking regions of adjoining
Taluks of Kottayam Division and pruned Devikulam was renamed as High
Range Division. In the next decade, there were no changes in
jurisdiction. However, during the period 1931-41, the High Range
Division was amalgamated with the Northern Division.There was no major
change in jurisdiction till September 1956. On the 1st October 1956,
Udumbanchola taluk was newly constituted taking two villages from
Devikulam taluk and one village from Peerumade taluk.
Idukki Dam Construction
The history of the present population is very
recent. It is a history of colonisation braving inclement weather, wild
animals and epidemics. It is also a history of the exploitation of
labour and labour struggles. Settling in the district began with
seriousness during the ministry of Sri. T.K. Narayana Pillai as a
sequence to the grow-more food campaign in the State. These migrants who
constituted a few planters and a cross section of the people became the
nucleus of the present population. During the ministry of Sri.Pattom
Thanu Pillai systematic colonisation started. Kallar Pattom Colony in
the Udumbanchola taluk bears the imprint of his name. The earliest human
habitation of the district which started from Tamil Nadu in the first
two decades of the present century can be gauged from the story that
while Maharaja Sree Moolam Thirunal was personally supervising the
construction of the Dam on Mullaperiyar river he felt thirsty and a
shepherd called Ankur Rauther gave him milk from Udder of the sheep. The
delighted Maharaja gave him title over extensive forest lands which his
descendants sold to land owner’s in Tamil Nadu and with the help of
cheap labour these were converted into Cardamom or Tea plantation. The
area around Munnar was developed from time to time when British made it
their summer resort. As the immediate accessible population was from
Tamil Nadu, Munnar became a Tamil pocket in Kerala.
Idukki District Inauguration Image