Pre-historical and Early Historical (2nd century BC – 3rd century AD) nature of this settlement is shrouded in mystery. It is one of the oldest ports in
South India and can be identified with the port of
Tyndis, which was a satellite feeding port to
Muziris, according to the
Periplus of the
Erythraean Sea. Tyndis was a major center of trade, next only to Muziris, between the Cheras and the
Roman Empire. The River
Bharathappuzha (River Ponnani) had importance since
Sangam period (1st-4th century CE), due to the presence of
Palakkad Gap which connected the
Malabar coast with
Coromandel coast through inland. at
Edappal Even in the latter times, Ponnani served as the major rice supplier to the Portuguese outposts in India. Throughout the Colonial rule, the Ponnani rice cargoes were shipped across the West Coast.
Tobacco was the other major commodity exported from Ponnani to
Goa. '' (1st century CE)
Pliny the Elder (1st century CE) states that the port of
Tyndis was located at the northwestern border of
Keprobotos (
Chera dynasty). The
North Malabar region, which lies north of the port at
Tyndis, was ruled by the kingdom of
Ezhimala during
Sangam period. According to the
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, a region known as
Limyrike began at
Naura and
Tyndis. However the
Ptolemy mentions only
Tyndis as the
Limyrike's starting point. The region probably ended at
Kanyakumari; it thus roughly corresponds to the present-day
Malabar Coast. The value of Rome's annual trade with the region was estimated at around 50,000,000
sesterces.
Pliny the Elder mentioned that
Limyrike was prone by pirates. The
Cosmas Indicopleustes mentioned that the
Limyrike was a source of peppers. An inscription which dates back to 932 CE, found from
Triprangode, mentions
Goda Ravi of
Chera dynasty and
Thavanur. Several inscriptions written in
Old Malayalam those date back to the 10th century CE, have found from
Sukapuram near Ponnani, which was one of the 64 old
Nambudiri villages of Kerala.
Pre-Portuguese era: centre of Muslim trade Ponnani used to be under the control of the
Brahmins of "Tirumanasseri Natu", with protection from the Vellattiri (Valluvanatu/
Angatippuram) chief, in medieval times. Later the Tirumanasseri Namputiri handed over the port Ponnani to the Samutiri of
Kozhikode. An arrangement was reached between the Brahmin and the Samutiri, as a result of which, the former was obliged to protect the interests of the latter against the neighboring chiefs of Valluvanatu (South Malabar) and Perumpatappu (
Cochin). • When the Samutiri Kovilakam at Kozhikode was besieged by the
Mysore Sultan
Haidar 'Ali (18th century AD), the Samutiri sent his family members to safe heavens at Ponnani. • It is believed that Malik ibn Dinar, the first Islamic missionary to Kerala, visited Ponnani and established a mosque. It is widely written that the Muslims were ready to defend their bastion of Ponnani with their life ("to die as martyrs"). It is known that large number of men and vessels from Ponnani took part in a battle against the Portuguese off the coast of Kannur on 16 March 1506. In addition to the native Muslims, the Kozhikode Fleet of around two hundred large vessels carried large number of "red-coated"
Turkish soldiers. Lorenzo Almeida was able to defeat this combined forces, and near 3,000 Muslims were killed the battle. The Portuguese loss was very trifling. Ponnani at the time was defended by a strong battery of
artillery (forty guns), and a number of well-armed ships under Kutti Ali. Kutti Ali of Ponnani was a powerful captain of the Samutiri Fleet having with him more than 7,000 armed men. The harbor was protected by fortifications on either side of the entrances. The Portuguese writers later recorded that "the men were rather frightened by the prayers and shouts of the enemy" as approached the port. Tristao da Cunha defeated the Muslim forces (24 November 1507) in the subsequent engagement. Eighteen Portuguese were killed in the assault. Lorenzo was wounded by the Muslims and the fight was stubborn. • The Treaty bound the Portuguese also to neutrality even if the Samutiri of Kozhikode attacked their allies. In return the Samutiri of Kozhikode agreed to accept the Portuguese Passports for the Moorish vessels. It is also known that Gil Eanes Mascarenhas opened fire from his ships to Ponnani port and killed large number of natives in 1582. Mascarenhas was later captured, and executed by the forces of Kunhali Marakkar. Muslims from Ponnani is known to have actively participated in the Siege of Fort Chaliyam in 1571. The construction of a Portuguese fort at Ponnani began in 1585.
Dutch Factory By a treaty signed between the Dutch Admiral
Steven Van der Hagen and the Samutiri of Kozhikode (11 November 1604), the Dutch were permitted to open a factory at Ponnani in return for their help against the Portuguese. In 1607, the Dutch had inaugurated negotiations with the Samutiri of Kozhikode at Ponnani. Tipu considered Ponnani as a major exporting centre in Malabar.
Ponnani Canal Ponnani Canal was constructed for the transportation of goods from Ponnani to
Tirur railway station. Here is a description about the Ponnani Canal by
Basel Mission employees at Codacal.
Response to British Colonial rule included
Lakshmi Sehgal,
V. T. Bhattathiripad, and
Ammu Swaminathan. The ashes of
Mahatma Gandhi,
Jawaharlal Nehru, and
Lal Bahadur Shastri, were deposited in Kerala at
Tirunavaya, on the bank of the river
Bharathappuzha. He was a social reformer and was a leading lawyer of the Court of Ponnani. Presently, Ponnani is one of the major fishing centers in
Malappuram. == The Makhdums of Ponnani ==