South Malabar


South Malabar refers to a geographical area of the southwestern coast of India covering some parts of the present-day Kerala. South Malabar covers the regions included in present-day Kozhikode district excluding Vatakara and Koyilandy subdistricts, whole area of the Malappuram district, Palakkad district excluding Chittur subdistrict, and the Chavakkad subdistrict of Thrissur district.
The historical regions of Nediyiruppu Swaroopam, Eranad, Valluvanad, Parappanad, Kavalappara, Vettathunadu, and Nilambur Kingdom are included in the South Malabar.

Etymology

Until the arrival of British, the term Malabar was used as a general name for Kerala. From the time of Cosmas Indicopleustes itself, the Arab sailors used to call Kerala as Male. Al-Biruni must have been the first writer to call this country Malabar. The Arab writers had called this place Malibar, Manibar, Mulibar, and Munibar. Malabar is reminiscent of the word Malanad which means the land of hills. According to William Logan, the word Malabar comes from a combination of the Malayalam word Mala and the Persian/Arabic word Barr.

History

The northern parts of Kerala was unified under Tipu Sultan during the last decades of eighteenth century CE. When he was defeated by the East India Company through Third Anglo-Mysore War, the Treaty of Seringapatam was agreed and the regions included in Tipu's kingdom was annexed with the East India Company. British called the parts of Kerala and Lakshadweep annexed with the company as Malabar. They divided it into North Malabar and South Malabar on 30 March 1793 for administrative convenience. Though the general administrative headquarters of Malabar was at Calicut in South Malabar, the special headquarters of South Malabar was decided to be at Cherpulassery. South Malabar was the centre of the Malabar Rebellion in 1921. On 1 November 1956, this region was annexed with the Indian state of Kerala.