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Unmasking the Myth of Tipu Sultan: Evidence, Kerala’s Trauma, and India’s Historiography Crisis
This essay evaluates Sandeep Balakrishna’s Tipu SultanThe Tyrant of Mysore, testing popular claims about Tipu Sultan against primary sources from Kerala and the Mysore Sultanate. It contrasts narratives of progressive reform with documented evidence of violence, coerced conversion, and economic collapse in Malabar. The analysis also interrogates the “freedom fighter” label by examining Tipu’s alliances…
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Why 825 CE Still Matters: The Kollam Era that Rewired Kerala’s Calendar and Trade
The Malayalam calendar’s year 1200 in July 2025 points back to 825 CE, when Kollam’s inauguration anchored Kerala’s enduring Kollam Era. This epoch emerged from a decisive Cēra consolidation in Venad and the elevation of Kollam as a premier Malabar coast port. Inscriptions with the phrase “Kollam tonri” support the dating, while external references are…
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Cheraman Perumal and Kodungallur Mosque: Untangling Legend, Epigraphy, and Memory
A celebrated Kerala legend claims the Cheraman Perumal Juma Masjid at Kodungallur was founded during the Prophet’s lifetime. A careful reading of Muslim, Portuguese, and Dutch narrativestested against inscriptions such as the 1122 CE Vikrama Chola record and the 1124 CE Matayi mosque inscriptionpoints instead to a later chronology, likely in the 12th century, with…
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The 12th century story of Ashu Nair and Abraham bin Yiju
Explore the captivating 12th-century tale of Abraham bin Yiju, a Tunisian Jewish merchant, and Ashu Nair, a local Malayali woman, whose unique story unfolds on the vibrant Malabar coast. Their lives are meticulously reconstructed through surviving letters, shedding light on their prosperous two-decade partnership and family, ultimately marked by a heartbreaking tragedy. This historical account…