Ezhimalai
| Ezhimala ഏഴിമല |
|
|---|---|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 286 m (938 ft) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Kerala, India |
| Parent range | Independent, adjacent to the Arabian Sea |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike |
Ezhimala (Malayalam: ഏഴിമല), a hill reaching a height of 286 metres, is located near Payyanur, in Kannur District of Kerala, South India. As the former capital of the ancient Mushika Kingdom, it is considered to be an important historical site, and is a conspicuous and isolated cluster of hills, forming a promontory, 38 km north of Kannur Town. A flourishing seaport and center of trade around the beginning of the Common Era, it was also one of the major battlefields of the Chola-Chera Wars, in the 11th century. It is believed by some that Lord Buddha had visited Ezhimala. The hill was once known as Mount Delly by the English or Monte D'Ely by the Portuguese.
This region is also known as Elimala, Mooshika Sailam (മൂഷിക ശൈലം) and Sapta Sailam.
Ezhimala, which is part of Ramanthali panchayath, is one of the most important places in the recorded history of North Malabar. From before the period of known history, some chapters of the Ramayana and local Hindu legends associate the Ezhimala Hills with the famous epic, in particular with Lord Hanuman.
Ezhimala, Pazhayangadi, and several villages and towns in this region find plenty of mention in the extant Tamil Sangam Period's literature (500 BC to 300 AD). Pazhayangadi is the present corrupted form of its ancient name of Pazhi. Pazhi is mentioned as the ancient capital of King Udayan Venmon Nannan (known as Nannan or Nandan) of the Mushika or Kolathiri Royal Family. Though the Dynasty of Nannans was a cousin or sister dynasty of the Cheras and Pandyas and Cholas, warfare among them was nearly consistent, and the period of Nannan was no exception. There are texts that speak of Nannan fighting heroic battles at Pazhi against the Chera Kings who invaded his kingdom (Kolathunadu). Eventually, Nannan was killed in battle by the Chera king, Narmudi Cheral. Like the other kings of the then Tamilakam cultural polity, Narmudi Cheral was a great patron of scholars and poets, and he once gifted his court-poet, Kappiyattu Kappiyanar with 40 lakhs gold coins, as a token of his poetic genius.
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