Rajamudy

History

The place called Rajamudy (Malayalam: രാജമുടി), one of the smallest villages in Idukki district, came to its present stage due to few families’ hard work and accordance only. The place was the actual chunk of the Forest (The WLM and Evergreen/Moist Deciduous Forest Lands) which was safe guarded by State Forest Department. During the end of 1960s (Just before the official formation of Idukki district 26th January 1972 having the then headquarter as Kottayam and later it moved to Painavu in June 1976) few families migrated (Central Travancore; mainly from Pala, Thodupuzha and Kottayam) to these locations roving through the forests. Irrespective of those first migrants’ torture, destitution and adversities, their thirst for piece of lands to develop into arable lands in support of their children and their own livelihood did never shove them back, but were stimulus towards retention.The migrant families mostly depended for their daily needs, groceries, worshiping and other essentials the nearby place called Upputhode, which was having postal office, village office, church and other basics. Till the establishment of Post Office on 29 March 1993, Rajamudy’s post office was Upputhode. Till 1968 the Syrian Catholic and other RC believers of Rajamudy were the members of Upputhode RC Church. Since inception as a habitation, Rajamudy is a harmonious village for all major religions and followers in Kerala with all castes except Muslim community up to its recent years.

Etymology

There are basically two views apropos the derivation of its name as "Rajamudy". Though there is no fabulous one; one view is that there were forest dwelling communities who lived over the areas when it was the part of the thick and deciduous forest. As of the common features of typical tribal habitations, here also the tribal people had their own king “Raja” (Equivalent in vernacular Malayalam language to “king”). And “mudy” (Crown in English); thus forming the words to “Rajamudy”; meaning “King’s Crown” or “King with Crown” (There is also a meaning to “mudy” in Malayalam equivalent to “Hair” which can also be defined to crown). The second one (Which, I the one who wrote this page; being born as one of the first Rajamudy-born generation members; is known from the first migrant persons) is that Sri. Pappachan Vadakel had named “Rajamudy”. The evidential discourse goes that while he and the writer’s father were working in the field, they got few relics and vestiges which the early inhabitants used and among which “Vadaval” (means great sword in English); and holding them in hand Sri. Pappachan Vadakel named the place as “Rajamudy”. Similarly such objects, utensils and remnants were also received by many people while they were working, construction of houses and even in the Christuraja Church construction spell too. These instances exemplify the existence of historical tribal groups’ habitations and domains in ancient or bygone days here.

Geography and demographics

Rajamudy includes in “High Ranges” of the district Idukki under Vathikudy Grama Panchayath as a ward and village at an altitude of 2,372 feet (723 m) with coordinates of 9.897032°N and 77.180953°E. It borders with Upputhode in the West-South, Pathinaramkandom in the North-East having a distance of 1.5 kilometers, Padamugham and Mannathara in the East respectively 3 to 5 kilometers. Though there is no much precipitous hillocks and hilly-rocky heights as of nearby or other “High Ranges”, there are, after the plain town or junction of Rajamudy, vertical agricultural lands down towards North-West plain valley of Upputhode, and a slight steep to North towards the small river that separates Rajamudy-Pathinezhukambani and flows making Rajmudy fertile towards the valley of Upputhode Separating Rajamudy, Upputhode and Karikinmedu. The areas of Rajamudy further extends to the beneath of Mannathara heights towards East thus forming Rajamudy as a lovely and spectacular knoll and hummock with all fecundity for agriculture and safety free from the bout of natural calamities. The district Idukki gets all seasons and climate accordingly; especially rainy and winter seasons give more down pour and cold due its high range hills and forests, but Rajamudy has pleasant and moderate weather.

Culture

Dissimilar the other villages and areas of the district Idukki, which is concomitant and interspersed with Tamil Nadu culture by sharing long borders and other developed districts of central Kerala, the people of Rajamudy has an impulsive and renowned culture san external stimuli developed and conserved by the people itself- Culture of Accordance and Unity beyond segregative notions, attitude, superstitious rituals, following and customs. The custom of Rajamudy is a mixed one as of its bygone harmony could be traced back to the migrant days of the populaces onwards. There were families and people of different religious, caste, colour and creed from migrant days to present days. Though the prominent religion of this small village is Christianity (RC, CMS, CSI, Pentecost), there is no any type of dominance in any realm. There was no such communal segregation or violence and discriminatory attitude from any leading personnel, elected representatives (ERs), religious leaders of Rajamudy so far. The famous Christuraja Church Mass Celebration (Thirunal or Perunnal), Srinaryana Jayanthi and Sobha Yathra etc. everyone cordially invite each other and attend in the celebrations, processions and cultural events. The visit of Christmas Message Propagation Groups (Carol) visiting every house in the Month of December from the Chriistu Raja, CMS and CSI Churches and every house offers refreshments exemplifies the identical culture and accordance of people.

Languages

Malayalam, the popular and official governing vernacular language of Kerala is the etymological dialect of the people of Rajamudy. Though there are no illiterates in the village, most of the people use only Malayalam. There are youngsters who use English and Hindi too. In earlier days there were people who speak the local dialect that was seen among the tribes like Mannan, Urali and Murriken. Nonetheless progressively the contemporaneous generation of those groups speaks and uses the official language of Kerala, Malayalam.

Economy

Rajamudy is agrarian in all aspects. Almost all families; 95.9% are regular agriculture-investing families and farming communities only. Thus Rajamudy’s mainstay income is agriculture only. There are few families depend on agro-allied activities and agro-labour too. There are few handful artisan and construction, quarry working-class families. There are no landless or homeless families in Rajamudy. Major crops grown here are black pepper vines, cocoa, coffee-beans, aromatic spices like clove, jathi, sarvasugandhi, edible items like ginger, turmeric, tapioca cassava and commercial crops & tree-based farming items like rubber, coconut trees, areca palm etc. and very few families cultivate vegetables too. And the comestible fruit bearing trees and plants like jack-fruit, guava, elumbi, mango etc. can also be seen here.

Sports and significance

Since settlement inception onwards the youths of Rajamudy engage in sports and games; especially Rajamudy is famous for Volley Ball Tournaments. A volleyball court had been made in front of the Christuraja Church and for more than two decades, it was the favorite place for all villagers gathered in the evening hours playing in the court and watching the youngsters played. Rajamudy hosted and organized many local, district and state level tournaments. Two ever-rolling Trophies; Vadakel Trophy and Poothakuzhiyil Trophy meant for first and second place-winner prizes exemplify the sports promotion and interests of Rajamudy.

Later in 1991 one of the intense longing of the youths and people came true that an exclusive stadium was constructed and inaugurated at Rajamudy under the PRI scheme of VGP facilitated by the then Ward Member Sri. Babu Panachinanickal, place being shared by Sri. Thomas Ouseph, Olickal, Sri. Baby Antony Vazheparambil and the CR Church. It is also a common get together and common conjoint sharing spot for people. And its importance goes further that in this premise, the one and only Anganwadi functions with respectable niceties.

Another area or sports in fame for Rajamudy is the native competition of tug-of-war, for which Rajamudy has always been updated professional team. The teams contested and attended in many district/state level competitions fetching and crediting commendations and prizes.

Assembly constituency

Rajamudy falls under the Assembly and Parliament Constituency of Idukki. There are 956 voters in this small village which alike support all major national and regional political parties of Kerala.

Schools and colleges

Rajamudy has two schools and an Anganvadi. The school that is being run under the Christuraj Church Management (aided) on the Church’s own land established in 1983 closely knitted to its premises under the shadowy and studious calmness is the primogenital one among the two schools of Rajamudy. And the second school named De-Paul Public School situated on the side of Pathinaramkandom-Rajamudy road is the paramount one functions in a multi-storied building with all modern amenities and campus marks Rajamudy gratified and proud. The school with its vast area that has three slanting and aslant sides and fringes makes the school and its campus an illustrious, benign and innocuous one with pleasant and studious atmosphere. The nearest and old Government School is GHS Pathinaramkandom only (The School was started in 1968 and now it is a higher secondary school), in which most of the Rajamudy children got education up to the 10th Standard. And before the establishment of the school, the children used to go to Parathode for education. Now Rajamudy is blessed with a professional college Mar Sleeva College of Arts and Science as a culmination of the first-migrant families to present generation wished and intensely longed for.

Christu Raja Church

The believers or followers of Syro-Malabar denomination or churches, who were at Rajamudy till 1970 (totally), attended St.Joseph Church Upputhode, St. Mary’s Church, Murickassery and Holy Family Church, Kiliyarkandom. Priests form these churches visited at the time of necessary to Rajamudy to bless and pray for the believers. And among the migrant families who were the RC backgrounds and others, Sri. Pappachan, Vadakel, Sri. Chandikunju, Paikada, Sri. Thommachan Punnakuzhi and Kuttikattu families were the leading believers who took the initiatives for establishing an exclusive church at Rajamudy for the Syro-Malabar believers. Thus separating land for church (mostly by Vadakel family about 3 acres) in 1969 onwards the Church (RC) came to establishment at Rajamudy with holy mass (Was not on all weekdays, on Sundays and occasional important ceremonial days). Fr. Mathew Pothanamuzhy was the first vicar of CR Church. Along with the afore-referred leading people, few families started working on the lands in support of the church’s economical needs to be met. It’s great and unique thing that the families worked without taking money or they never desired for the same counting equally their communal prerequisite. The Olickal family’s works and others in growing the coconut trees and other trees and black pepper vines and all would never be forgotten. Thus since then the Church being progressively grown and developed to its present status of “Rajamudy’s Raja” in terms of providing basic infrastructural and other facilities to Rajamudy located at the heart of Rajamudy town. Now the church has more than 280 active families and 1000 believers. It is the one and only episcopal or pontifical or papal kind church at Rajamudy.

CMS Church

The CMS (Church Mission Society-Anglican Church) at Rajamudy (Presently shifted to opposite of the De-Paul school) is one of the oldest worshiping centers of Rajamudy, perhaps the gathering can be stated back even before CR Church. The church was established by the early migrant-Christian families who belong to Cheramar Christian or Converted Christian group. It was started in the late 1960s by few families in their houses as home-gathering and later separating land the gathering came to existing as a church in 1978. The leading families of early and present congregation are Pottankulangarayil, Mudayananickal, Cheenkallel, Vazheparambil, Panamthottathil etc. and their efforts was the real accordance in behind the establishment of the church. There are 27 families under this church with around 150 active members.

Indian Pentecostal Church (IPC)

Though the IPC as Church with its own building cannot claim the existence or history as of other two prominent denominations’ churches, the gathering and prayers started in earlier 1970s onwards. The prayer and its beliefs or doctrinal teachings were started in home-gathering on Sundays and infrequent for house-prayers or cottage-meetings. The pastors (Church leader) visit to the believers’ houses often for prayer common (House visit) and special prayers (Fasting prayers) etc. The Church is now located on Rajamudy-Pathinaramkandom road side around 890 meters away from Rajamudy in its own building from 1990s onward with more than 50 families and around 200 members.