ESTABLISHMENT HISTORY 

Mudakuzha Grama Panchayat is a village panchayat falling within the Vengoor West revenue village limits, Koovappady block, Kunnathunad taluk in Ernakulam district. Spanning an area of 21.97 square kilometers, its boundaries are: North - Vengoor, Koovappady, and Okkal panchayats; West - Koovappady and Rayamangalam panchayats; South - Rayamangalam and Asamannoor panchayats; East - Asamannoor and Vengoor panchayats. Mudakuzha panchayat was established on January 1, 1962, by combining small villages like Elambakappilly, Chundakuzhy, Meempara, and Mudakuzha, which are spread about 2 kilometers south of the Periyar riverbanks, along with Thuruthy and Pralaykkadu, small villages extending about 8 kilometers north of the famous Jain temple, Kallil Temple. Prior to this, all these areas were part of Vengoor panchayat. At the time of its formation, there were 6 wards, and Chundakuzhy constituency was a two-member constituency. The first election was held in December 1963. The Vadoor Trikka Temple here, built entirely of granite, is a historical truth reminiscent of the Stone Age. The carvings in the Pralaykkadu Shiva Temple are examples of the craftsmanship of the Thrissamangalam Marasaris (artisans). Their descendants are now permanent residents in these parts. Even in times when iron was not readily available, traditional workers here dug up soil, melted it in hearths, and produced wrought iron, as evidenced by the leftover 'Ennakkeedan stones' excavated from various parts of the panchayat.

CULTURAL HERITAGE 

Mudakuzha, which was a part of Venad, came under the dominance of the Vadavoor King when royal rule began after the era of the Perumals. Although the Vadavoor royal family became extinct and this territory later technically belonged to the Kingdom of Cochin, local chieftains known as Karthas continued to rule the region independently without annexing it to Cochin. Eventually, Marthanda Varma annexed these independent territories to Travancore. The Sahodara movement was a great movement initiated in Cherai for the Chaturvarna system and the eradication of caste. With the formation of Kerala, the Kerala Karshaka Sangam came into existence. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd conferences of the Kerala Karshaka Sangam were held at Shornur in 1956, Kalady in 1957, and Perinthalmanna in 1959 respectively. A major share of the agricultural land in this village was in the possession of the Karthas and Brahmins. With the Land Reforms Bill passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1969 coming into legal effect on January 1, 1970, the landlord-tenant (jenmi-kudiyan) system collapsed in Kerala. In the early days, 'Kudi pallikoodams' (indigenous schools) existed in this village. Teachers who taught in these schools run in houses were called 'Nilathezhuthasans'. Schools began in Mudakuzha panchayat towards the end of the 19th century. Mudakuzha UP School is the first educational institution here. Currently, people's education centers are functioning in Thuruthy, Trikkeppara, and Chundakuzhy. Intertwined cultural elements of ancient tribal culture and modern culture are the hallmark of Mudakuzha village. This is a region where different religious communities live together in harmony, cutting across caste, religion, and political differences. Temples and Christian places of worship stand as symbols of Hindu-Christian religious amity. Ancient art forms that proclaim the depth and glory of Dravidian culture, such as Parichakali, Thudikottu, Kudakali, and Vadathallu, still survive. Numerous art clubs, cultural organizations, and 4 libraries operate in this village. T.M. Isaac is a great personality who proclaimed Mudakuzha's representation in the battlegrounds of the freedom struggle. The Isaac Ground stands in Thuruthy in his memory.

PLACE NAME HISTORY 

In the 9th century AD, all these parts were a part of Tamilakam, and deep Tamil was the spoken language here. Therefore, all the place names here are connected with Tamil. Ancient Tamils classified Tamilakam, which included the three nations of Chera, Chola, and Pandya, into four types of lands: Kurichi (hilly region), Mulla (forest region), Marutham (agricultural region), and Neythal (coastal region). Similarly, based on geographical terrain, places were classified as kuzhi, kulam, kayam, kattam, chirai, and thadam. There is sufficient evidence that Mudakuzha village was a dense forest in ancient times and served as a habitat for wild animals. The tiger's cave can still be seen in a place called Kaduvallachal in Akanad. The Tamil word 'Mulla', meaning forest region, later evolved into the vernacular word 'Mudi', which had the same meaning. Furthermore, since this was a lower terrain compared to the mountain ranges of Malayattoor surrounding Mudakuzha, the place might have been called 'Mudikkulam' by combining the word 'Mudi' with the Tamil word 'Kulam', meaning lower region. Over time, this may have evolved into Mudakuzha. Jains used to travel through Mudakuzha and Akanad to reach two Jain centers known as the famous Kallil Temple and Malayattoor Kurishumudi. This path is known today as the Keezillam-Kurichilakode Road. The village of Akanad must have originated as an area situated between these two Jain places of worship. Similarly, a medicinal plant known as 'Mudakkay' grew abundantly in the areas known today as Mudakuzha, which is why elders believe this region got the name Mudakuzha. The Kerala Language Institute's 'Kerala Place Name Dictionary' states that the place name Mudakuzha was also referred to as Chundakuzhy. However, elders say that the plant 'Anachunda' grew in abundance in the northern valley of the area known today as Chundakuzhy, which is how it got its name. The eastern side of the high region called Pettamala on the southern side of Mudakuzha is known as Pralaykkadu. Three very ancient temples can be seen here. 'Aanandam vanathil kavu' corrupted over time to become 'Aananandath kavu'. Primitive tribal communities worshipped the goddess. When man entered the New Stone Age and took his first steps in agriculture, the goddess's importance increased. Artifacts unexpectedly excavated recently from the vicinity of this temple indicate that this temple dates back to the ancient tribal era. These artifacts are still preserved in the temple. It is said that weapon training was imparted in the past at a place called Kalarikkudy in the fourth ward of the panchayat. The Kalari platform and related remnants can still be seen here.