सत्यं माता पिता ज्ञानं धर्मो भ्राता दया सखः
शान्तिः पत्‍नी क्षमा पुत्रः षडेते मम बान्धवाः
satyaM maataa pitaa jnaanaM dharmo bhraataa dayaa sakhaH
shaantiH patnI kShamaa putraH ShaDete mama baandhavaaH

Honesty is mother; knowledge is father; moral merit is brother; kindness is friend; peace is wife; forgiveness is son - these are my six relatives.

MY ANCESTRY

Thanur (Thavanur), Thrikkandiyur, Chaliyam, Thriprangode etc., some provinces were under one administration known in the name of Vettathu or Vettathu Nadu (Nadu means Province in Malayalam).  It was also called as ‘Thanoor Swaroopam’ – ‘Swaroopam’ is the local form of self-government. 

In course of the ‘64 Gramam’ of Namboothirys of Kerala, Vettathu Nadu belongs to ‘Chowara Gramam’.  Queen Gangadhara Lakshmi of Kochi had adopted children from Vettathu Nadu because of this background of Chowara Gramam. (Rani Gangadhara Lakshmi -1656-58).

Hinduism is the word used by the invaders on a group of civilized province east of River Sindhu, which is not a Religion or faith, but a long aged civilization on the concept of “Unity in diversity with Diversity in Unity” (This is said somewhere in this web-log), which splitted again and again  many a times based on social obligations, nature of works,  life styles, opinions, principles, goals, etc., viz.,  communities, casts, colours,  family traditions, associations, organizations,  political parties, unions, federations, and so on., which are all different group on similar  themes)  and still under growth and development

The competitions among the Swaroopams, had inspired each of them to support the foreigners and Vettathu Swaroopam  had to extend support to Portuguese.  Portuguese had the very mission and tendency to adopt (conversion of faith of) local people to Christianity, by every possible ways and they preferred the top personnel of the Society.  The then-Ruler of Thanoor had been taken away to Goa and baptized as Christian with a grand celebration under a priest called Anthonio Gomus.  The trap was the offer that Portuguese would help and make him to be the Ruler of the whole Keralam.  The Thanur Ruler was nursing a grudge against the neighbouring  Zamorin which lead him to fell in the trap of Portuguese.  It was this King who granted permission to Portuguese to construct the Chaliyam Fort.

Kings of Vettathu Nadu had been encouraging arts and literature and their contribution had the deserving return and there is a ‘Vettathu Sampradaayam’ in the Kathakali of Kerala. (Sampradaayam means Culture).

Thunjath Ezhuthachan, the Valmiki  of Kerala, was born in Thiroor, (16th Century) which is a part belonged to Vettathu Nadu.

In spite of many Kings of India,  who constructed huge palaces with jewel and marbles, the kings of Kerala were leading very simple life-style.  Hamilton who visited Kerala during 1703 says that the “Palace of Kadathu Nadu is built of bamboo and coconut leaves”.  They were rich and their rich was reflected in the life-style of the people and not in the rulers.  “One for all and all for one” was the ever existing principles in their mind.  They were wearing a dhothi without veiling above waist and there may be ornaments of one or two in their ears and neck and wrist, as a part of their identity on social occasions, that also very rarely.   They were dedicated themselves for the welfare of the people and leisure was utilized for the contributions to arts and literature - the encouragement of civilization.   The jews who had to fled from their own country were treated passionately by the Kings of Kerala was an example.  Many Budh and Jain Vihars in Kerala are the examples of how they were welcomed to this country by then-kings.  ‘Mavi Mekhala’ wrote by Chathanar says that when the ‘Kaveripoompattanam’ immersed in sea and when Kanjeepuram was badly affected by famine, the kings of Kerala offered every protection and food to those refugees in ‘Vanchi Nadu’ and other provinces.

While looking back to the history, this region of India was consisting of mainly three places – ‘Aay’ at South from Nagercoil to Thiruvalla;  'Cheras' in the middle for Kuttanadu and Kudanadu and then ‘Poozhi Nadu’ to northern parts of Kerala and western parts of Mountain "Sahya".  Foreigners known it as ‘Malabar’ only and there was no other names.   In addition to these three, there were a lot of tribal kingdoms – Kolli Mala, Paranki Mala, Pazhi Mala, and so on. – then comes Kulasekhara dynasty (Perumals) who ruled this part till 12^th Century.

Kulasekhara empire was scattered  due to frequent attacks by the Cholas from East and then about 32 Swaroopams (self-government) were born – Venad, Attingal, Karunagappally, Karthikappally, Kayamkulam, Purakkad, Panthalam, Thekkumkore, Vadakkumkore, Poonjar, Karappuram, Kochi, Edappally, Parvur, Alangad, Kodungallur, Airoor, Thalappilly, Valluvanad, Kollamkode, Palakkad, Kavalappara, Vettathunadu, Kozhikkode, Kadathunadu, Kottayam, Kurungoth, Randathara, Kurumpuranad, Kolathunadu, Neeleswaram, Kumbala and so on.  There was as such a proverb that “..for keeping two steps forward, ask permission of three kings.” which shows the number of divisions.

The history says that the Vettathu Swaroopam was diminished  by the beginning of 18^th Century, during Tippu Sultan's invasion till 1799 and forcible conversion of people of defeated areas.   Thus Ponnani became famous for Muslim rule and the place for conversion.   Ali Raja and his brother, Sheikh Ali,  who were trustworthy lords of Kolathiri Swaroopam,  betrayed Kolathiri and nearby Swaroopams, with a body of over 8,000 Mappilas (Muslim converts - name derived from Macca Pillai, Ma-Pillai) and opened the doors for Tippu Sultan.  None of the Hindu Rajas in Malabar at that time was under the tutelage of the British or any other European power.  Hyder as well as his son Tippu were invaded for for wealth, but for strengthen the Islam Religion by destroying everything on the way and forcibly converting to Islam every Hindu warrior defeated or captured by betrayals or false offers, when the remaining three sisters of Vettathu Swaroopam were fled away who found a refuge in Chalakudy, where the history of Thekke Madam starts.

KNOWLEDGE & EDUCATION

When somebody asks me, "do you know him or her", I used to reply " Yas Yas Yes,  I know even the Presidents and Prime Ministers of my nation and I know him very well"  It is enough for the reply, because when one says that he knows Mr. X or Madam Y,  it is merely gives a hint that he knows the visible distinction.   In fact my approach is that he is a general human and unless I have any dealing with him, he and myself would be good persons. So, it is not knowledge.
At the same time, if somebody asks me "do you know repair of an electric light".  I would say, "Yes, I know" which means from the atom and electrons till the electricity passes through the electric bulb and the filament or the fluorescent glows  - how to create, produce, maintain, and even destroy it is well aware to me.    The special emphasis should be given to the part of 'destroy' as it should not affect the living space or environment after use.   It concludes that everyone has knowledge but none of them is self-sufficient - to live without depending anybody, whatsoever.  Since childhood, my goal in life was that and I had won to a great extent, but still to overcome few more.   Here the Knowledge to my interest should be defined as the "where the words and meanings are under divorce suit, not interested to live together.  


So, KNOWLEDGE IS the awareness of a thing, from its creation, function in our life, technology behind it for production, its maintenance for  existence and survival till destruction - the evolution or attachment to the transformation cycle.  Lack of anything in the series can merely be called as 'misuse of word', i.e., application of a word at a undeserving place.    The film industry and cheap entertainment programs of the television and media has greatly influenced the "misuse of words" on the pretext of 'dialogues'.  It is also a misuse the expression of a language at cheap situations and vice versa. 

Thus, the beginning of knowledge is the right use of words.  A child when starts talking, simple voices are coming out and parents take it granted to understand its needs.   Slowly, the child starts uttering the right voice and accenting the correct pronunciations.  And thus the right use of words and language it is the primary step of seeking knowledge in social life. 
.............(insert..)  


Knowing something, understanding something, making out something, etc., are entirely different.  Knowing is ‘to make a physical and mental feeling through senses’ on something, with special emphasis to the emotion behind it, and it is the end of need to any further clarification. 

Understanding is the ‘accumulation of relevant information so as to make a mental process for something’ to act.  Making out is ‘the process of making the distinction from one another’ and learning is ‘acquiring the ability to convey to others what is learned’.

 There is a vast difference for KNOWLEDGE from the other similar words in every language, people praise knowledge.  
Knowledge is based on one's own experience and judgment, which remains inside his mind but Education is only the process of deriving the knowledge or information.   Here is a discussion on the distinctions among the words similar to knowledge.

First of all, the most famous 'subhashita'   - There are lot of  "subhashitam" in every language on knowledge.  Knowledge is something that grows as much as it is shared to others.  Knowledge  is wealth in home or foreign land.  Knowledge is power that can defeat the whole world.  and so on.  One is here:

न चोरहार्यं न च राजहार्यं न भा्रतॄभाज्यं न च भारकारि |  व्यये कॄते वर्धत एव नित्यं विद्याधनं सर्वधनप्रधानं ||
It cannot be stolen by thieves, Nor can it be recovered by force by kings. It cannot be divided among siblings or children and it does not cause a load on your shoulders. If spent, It indeed always keeps growing. The wealth of knowledge is the most superior wealth of all!

This is merely the qualities of knowledge, but still the genuine meaning of 'knowledge' is being discussed among students as well as teachers though everybody knows what it is, but unable to express.   The following is some difference among the words used in place of knowledge and the first word is 'information'.  See the famous quote of  "knowledge at your fingertips .......".
I remember, I had left my home town in search of 'knowledge', which I meant the ability to act and the procedure for successfully carrying out the same - to do any work or act at any time, and spend days and months with the courage beyond death and the result was embarrassing - man would not die for non-eating or non-drinking - and after long travel of India on an anti-clock-wise circle, I learnt what knowledge is and how it works.  My experience taught me that the 'coinage system' or the monetary outlook is the trouble making medium in social life.  There was a time of sharing the product itself to the labourers which is converted to be the term of  monetary value later.

(Cont'd... ...)