Maniyur
Grama panchayat

When the tide of various stages of the struggle to break the chains of subjugation surged across the country through the national movement, this small village too made its modest contributions. Nellachery Ramar Kurup was a prominent person who participated in this glorious struggle. Kurup, who served for a long time as a disciple of Gandhiji at Wardha, also participated in the Salt Satyagraha held at Payyannur under the leadership of Kerala Gandhi K. Kelappan. The image of this man, who had been a disciple of Gandhi at Wardha, campaigning for the national movement in this village, half-naked, wearing a cap on his head and carrying a charkha and takli in his hands, still remains vivid and unfaded in the minds of the elders. Among those from this panchayat who participated in the activities of the national movement were Vakayatt Narayanan Nambiar of Mudappilavu, T.K. Narayanan Nambiar of Pathiyarakara, A. Narayanan Adiyodi (Mudappilavu), and Thathankottu Kunjappa Ashari. The echoes of the anti-untouchability movement, which sounded the trumpet of transformation in Kerala's social and cultural sphere, were also heard in this panchayat. As part of the anti-animal-cruelty struggle conducted in 1931-1932 at Gandhiji's call, the protest held at Maniyur Bhagavathi Temple has secured a place in history. In 1927, an Indian National Congress conference was held at Cherandathur in the panchayat as part of the freedom struggle. E.K. Sankaravarma Raja (Purameri) was the chief speaker. Kerala Gandhi K. Kelappan participated in the Congress conference held in 1942 at Pannithadam in Karuvanchery (the site where the high school stands today). The janmam rights of Thrikkambaram Devaswom are evidence that landlords came to Maniyur even from distant places to acquire the paddy fields that stretched as far as the eye could see. The paddy fields that remained abundant until the mid-1940s are today only a memory. In the old days, agriculture alone was the main livelihood of the people. Paddy cultivation received the greatest attention and care. The education sector in Maniyur panchayat has a history of more than a hundred years. Long before the modern era when education became universal, this panchayat had already stepped into the realm of literacy and knowledge. The oldest school in the panchayat is Mantharathur U.P. School. This institution is more than a hundred years old. During the period of military campaigns, when Tipu's army came to destroy a temple in the Elambilad area of this panchayat, there is a legend that the Muslims here entered the temple and called the azan in order to protect it, and as a result, the soldiers who had come to attack mistook the temple for a mosque and returned without attacking it. This incident is cited as an example of the panchayat's tradition of religious harmony. The national movement also grew strong in Maniyur in opposition to the feudal system. Following the instructions of K. Kelappan, known as Kerala Gandhi, Nellachery Ramar Kurup, Vakayatt Narayanan Nambiar, and Meethale Komath Narayanan Nambiar led the national movement in the panchayat. Inspired by the enthusiasm of the Salt Satyagraha led by Gandhiji in 1930, a salt-making agitation was also conducted at Palayad Nada. Since the 1970s, Maniyur panchayat has gained considerable facilities in the road transport sector. Since geographically it is an area spread with hills and mountain slopes, almost all of the existing roads were developed through the organized voluntary efforts of the people who directly experienced its difficulties. Voluntary organizations and political parties also participated in this work competitively in earlier times. The roads thus created were later improved with financial assistance from the government and the panchayat. Bus transport began in the panchayat for the first time on January 26, 1972. The first bus ran on the Thodannur-Cherandathur route. In earlier times, boat transport was also available on the Kuttiyadi River.

The education sector in Maniyur panchayat has a history of more than a hundred years. Long before the modern era when education became universal, this panchayat had already stepped into the realm of literacy and knowledge. The period of writing on the ground and village schools was active in Maniyur panchayat as in any other inhabited area of Kerala. There was also a small section here for whom imparting education was a hereditary occupation. The study of the Puranas and Sanskrit was the basis of the educational system of that time. This panchayat has a history of starting public educational institutions long before the early twentieth century, when the national movement was gaining strength. There are also schools here that began at the end of the 19th century. The oldest school in the panchayat is Mantharathur U.P. School. This institution is more than a hundred years old. Records show that this institution, the first primary school in the panchayat, also adopted a liberal approach regarding admission. Palayad L.P. School, which began in 1880, was the second primary school to be established. All the other primary schools are between fifty and more than a hundred years old. The panchayat secondary school was established in 1966. There are also many primary schools that began during the period of the Malabar District Board. Many of the primary schools were upgraded during 1955-1959. This universalization of schools helped minority communities and Scheduled Caste and backward communities enter the field of education. It was some good people in society who displayed a high level of social awareness who came forward to establish schools. What they did was to honor certain lofty values. It is an unforgettable fact that admission to schools was opened to people from all sections of the community at a time when even untouchability prevailed.

Maniyur is a panchayat that has maintained an excellent cultural tradition. The ordinary people here suffered greatly from the bitter consequences of the rule of the monarchy, the feudal landlord class, and British imperialism. There were also people in this panchayat who inherited the tradition of the warriors of Kadathanad who composed heroic epics with the tips of their swords. The Vadakkanpattu mentions that Thacholi Othenan used to visit the Kannampath tharavadu, which still exists in Elambilad. During the period of military campaigns, when Tipu's army came to destroy a temple in the Elambilad area of this panchayat, there is a legend that the Muslims here entered the temple and called the azan in order to protect it, and as a result, the soldiers who had come to attack mistook the temple for a mosque and returned without attacking it. This incident is cited as an example of the panchayat's tradition of religious harmony. The two main religious communities in the panchayat are Hindus and Muslims. The Jnanodaya Kala Samithi at Pathiyarakara, established in 1952, is the oldest cultural center in the panchayat. In 1953, a very large-scale Hindu cultural conference was held at Kurunthodi. During that period, a cultural awakening itself took place in the panchayat. Schools once served as the main sources of culture. The first formal educational institution in the panchayat is Mantharathur U.P. School. It is a matter of pride that Maniyur, the land of Theyyams, Thiras, and volleyball, has always maintained religious harmony and brotherhood.