According to William Logan, along with Chembilod,
Iruveri, Makreri,
Anjarakandi,
Mavilayi, and
Muzhappilangad,
Edakkad was part of Randatara/Randattara. According to him, this place was ruled by the Randattara Achanmars. Interestingly, another name for Randattara was “Poyanad,” which means “the place from which somebody left.” This was because, according to one of the reports of the Cheraman Perumal legend, Perumal left from here to Makkah to see the Prophet
Muhammad. Logan adds that “to this day, Randattara is commonly called Poyanad (i.e., the country from which Perumal ‘went’ or ‘set out’ on his journey to
Arabia), referring to the legendary journey of the Chera king to
Makkah in Arab traditions.” Under British rule,
Edakkad was part of Chirakkal Taluk, an administrative unit in British
Malabar. At that time, the taluk was divided into 43 amshams (villages), including
Kannur,
Payyannur,
Anjarakandy, and
Taliparamba.
Edakkad was one of the villages in this taluk. During this period, judicial matters of the taluk were handled by two District Munsifs’ courts located in
Thaliparamba and
Chovva. Due to its geographical location in the southern part of the taluk,
Edakkad was traditionally served by the Chovva court.
Sree Oorpazhachi Kavu A prominent temple in the Edakkad grama panchayat is the
Sree Oorpazhachi Kavu (Ooril Pazhakiya Eachil Kavu or Ooril Pazhakiya Achi Kavu) situated at Nadal. The name of this temple renders itself to two etymological interpretations. The former meaning pazhakiya (ancient) kavu (grove) surrounded by Eachil (a herb) and the latter meaning pazhakiya (ancient) achi (mother goddess) kavu (grove). Irrespective of the interpretation of
Oorpazachi Kavu, it is the presence of this temple at Edakkad that imparts historical significance to the area. One finds reference to this famous temple in the Malabar Manual by
William Logan, the British collector of Malabar. The main deity at Oorpazhachikavu is Oorpazhachi Dhaivam locally known as 'dhaivathareeswaran' who was the deified feudal Nair warrior 'Meloor Dayarappan'. North Malabar Folklore has in its collection of traditional songs described the ferocity of Meloor Dayarappan as the 'veeran' [hero] who had killed sixty four within the age of thirtysix including his teacher who beat him during teaching even when Meloor Dayarappan was a boy. The lengthy lore known as 'Oorpazhachi Thottam' further narrates that Meloor Dayarappan with his dearest friend Vettakorumakan and twelve thousand friends resided at Oorpazhachi Kaav where Meloor Dayarappan ruled as a kshathriya king for twelve years over a territory extending from ancient Kannur to Wayanad.Meloor dayarappan, Khshethrapalan, Veerabhadran, and Vettakorumakan were deified nair warriors who were friends. They occupy place among the thirty five important 'Theyyams' known collectively as 'Muppathaivar' [The thirtyfive] in the Theyyam FolkLore of northernmost Malabar.
Ooralar In the pre-British era and to some extent through the British era local political and judicial administrations were performed through hereditary village assemblies and temple committees called
Ooralar. The term
Oor means village and
Ooraalan (
Ooraalar, if joint partnership) means master (masters) or proprietor in these villages. The
Sree Oorpazachi Kavu temple was the seat of such a socio-political body that enjoyed partial autonomy and administered the region. Nine prominent
Nambiar families were
Ooraalar and constituted the village and temple assembly that arbitrated local administration. They belonged to a further endogamous denomination among Nambiars called
Randu Illam Vargam (As they derive their ancestry from Mullapalli Illom and Velloor Illom). After the
Land Reforms Ordinance was enacted by Kerala State Government and the breaking of
Janmi- kudiyan (feudal tenancy relationship) system
Sree Oorpazhachi Kavu and the Ooralar families do not have any socio-political influence in the area. However the eldest-male from these matrilineal families still perform their role as
de facto Ooralar in the
Sree Oorpazhachi Kavu temple administration during ceremonial events. Like most villages in Malabar, Edakkad has also suffered extensively during the invasion of
Tipu Sultan.
Edakkad Bathakka Traditionally the Edakkad area was famous for its local variety / landrace of
watermelon (
Citrullus lanatus, Family
Cucurbitaceae) referred to as
Edakkad Bathakka. ==Demographics==