Kodaikanal - History

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Kodaikanal - History

Kodai has been put on the anthropological map by the presene of prehistoric remains scattered around the Palani Hills. Some of these may date to 5000 BC in the Stone age: others are more recent, a mere two thousand years old. Walking around tge gaint stone slab dwellings (how on earth did they lift them?), the low box-like structures, the mysterious circles of stones perched on bare promontories, questions bubble in the mind. What sort of people were these? How did they live, what did they ear?

What, or whom did they fear? There is plenty of room for this sort of speculation because very few studies have been done on these fascinating ruins. What we do know comes from the work of the Anglade Institute of National History in Shenbaganur. A. Anglade, after wrote, it 1954, These crude stone structure, dolmens, cists, stone circles, were the work of an agricultural people with fixed ways of habitation. They built their dolmens on the high spurs of the hills, while they cultivated the lower valleys. Hunting, fishing and gathering forest products skilled potters. They were good masons too, able to build strong perfectly vertical walls with rude unhewn stones and without ay cementing material.

They lived in days when hey must have had to struggle for their life, against wild beasts and men and tribes. Then, the old men, children and women had the shelter of the dolmens higher up, and when they were safe within the strong walls, the men would fight to keep the invaders at bay. There are two types of structures: dolmens, some of which were dwellings or hiding places as well, and kistaven’s or burial sites. It seems, however, that it was the person’s possessions and not the body which were placed in these. Students from the Anglade Institute have found copper and brass implements and ornaments. Hopefull the stone habitations of our ancestors will not be totally destroyed before further academic light is shed on their life and times.

Kodaikanal Tribal settlements

Several thousand years later, two tribews migrated into the Palnis, the Palaiyans and Puliyans. History books suggest that they were fleeing persecution on the plains, and found sfety in the uninhabited hills, Of the two, the Palaiyans seem to have been the real jungle people. Kukkal, Caves, some 40 kms form Kodai, show traces of Palayan occupation. They wore dresses made of grass and leaves, ate roots , wild fruit and honey, and smoked out flying squirrels from trees. They made fire using steel and quartz and by lighting floss from silk cotton seeds. Compared to them, the Puliyans were a tame lot. But they were probably the first architects and builders of the hill terraces which characterize the lower slopes around Kodai. Early missionaries reported that their social customs were simple and practical; Divorce, for instance, was a quick little ceremony.

But happy times were over when, in the 14th century, there was another migration to the hills. This time it was the kannuvar Vellalans, farmers from the Coimbatore plateau. Energetic and industrious they took over Pulaiyan lands and made them their slaves, The 17th and 18th centuries saw further invasisons during vijayangar, Maratha and Muslim rule. Heavy taxes imposed by alien rulers, cholera, famine and the persecution of the lower castes drove more and more people hill-wards, soon to form the first settlement of the upper palnis, Vellagavi. There is proof of settlement of prehistoric tribes at Kodaikanal by visible artifacts such as dolmens homes of great stone slabs. After the primitive tribes of Paliyans and Pulyans in 14th century, villagers of Palani foot hills fled into Kodai hills, to escape from the oppressive rule in the plains and also from the invasion of Tippu Sultan.

The first European to visit Kodaikanal was Lt. B.S. Ward a surveyor in the year 1821. His Head Quarters was Vellagavi village. There were many American missions in South Tamil Nadu. The foreigners could not bear the oppressive heat in Tamilnadu and they faced sickness from epidemic diseases and consequential deaths. They wanted neat and healthy natural surroundings near Madurai to rest and improve their health. They were happy to find from the report of Lt. B.S. Ward about the hills with wonderful climate and easy accessibility from Madurai & Periyakulam. Many English and American missionary people visited Kodaikanal through various routes. Notable among them are J C Wroughton -Sub Collector, C R Cotton Judge and Dr. Weight. Dr.Fane built two houses in 1845 in the lake road. More houses were built by British Govt.

The American Missionaries moved in and built a lot of dwellings in the southern side which is still there and now called 'Sunny Side' and 'Shelton' . In the year 1860, the first church was built jointly by the Bishop. American Madurai Mission built the union church in 1895. From year 1860, there was all round improvement due to the visit of several dignitaries. Roman Catholics came, purchased a bungalow for Jesuit fathers, as rest house which is now called La Providence in upper shoal road. Governors of Madras Sir Charles Travelyon and Lord Napier visited in the years 1860 and 1871.

One major JM Partridge of the army introduced Eucalyptus and wattle trees in the year 1867. Bier Leverage, collector of Madurai lived in Pamhar house after his retirement. Only through his tireless efforts and initiative the man-made Kodaikanal lake, the foremost attraction of the tourists was formed. He arranged boat rides in the lake. He planned and executed several approach roads to Kodaikanal. He introduced several foreign trees and vegetables such as Pine Forms and Pears. In the year 1872 Lt. Coaker cut a path along the ridge of steep south eastern side which commends a magnificant view of the plains below. The path was named after him as Coaker's Walk

Kodaikanal - History

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