Aithihyamala or Ithihyamala ( ml, ഐതിഹ്യമാല) (''Garland of Legends'') is a collection of century-old stories from

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

that cover a vast spectrum of life, famous persons and events. It is a collection of legends numbering over a hundred, about magicians and ''

yakshi ''Yakshinis'' or ''yakshis'' (यक्षिणी sa, yakṣiṇī or ''yakṣī''; pi, yakkhiṇī or ''yakkhī'') are a class of female nature spirits in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religious mythologies that are different from devas and ...

s'', feudal rulers and conceited poets, ''

kalari A kalari is a gymnasium or training space primarily associated with the martial art of Kalaripayattu. The word ''kalari'' comes from Malayalam. In the past, village schools in Kerala, typically run by the traditional astrologer families, were k ...

'' or ''

Kalaripayattu Kalaripayattu (; also known simply as Kalari) is an Indian martial art that originated in modern-day Kerala, a state on the southwestern coast of India. Kalaripayattu is known for its long-standing history within Indian martial arts, and is ...

'' experts, practitioners of

Ayurveda Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population repo ...

and courtiers; elephants and their mahouts, tantric experts.

Kottarathil Sankunni Kottarathil Sankunni (born Vasudevan, 1855–1937) was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature. Best known as the author of Aithihyamala, an eight-volume compilation of century-old legends about Kerala, Sankunni's writings cover prose and poetry ...

(23 March 1855 – 22 July 1937), a Sanskrit-Malayalam scholar who was born in Kottayam in present-day Kerala, started documenting these stories in 1909. They were published in the

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

literary magazine, the '' Bhashaposhini'', and were collected in eight volumes and published in the early 20th century. It includes popular tales such as about the twelve children of

Vararuchi Vararuci (also transliterated as Vararuchi) () is a name associated with several literary and scientific texts in Sanskrit and also with various legends in several parts of India. This Vararuci is often identified with Kātyāyana. Kātyāyana is ...

and Parayi (a woman of ''

Paraiyar Paraiyar, or Parayar or Maraiyar (formerly anglicised as Pariah and Paree), is a caste group found in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and Sri Lanka. Etymology Robert Caldwell, a nineteenth-century missionary and grammarian who ...

'' caste), ''

Kayamkulam Kochunni Kayamkulam Kochunni (born 1818) was a heroic outlaw from Kayamkulam, who lived during the late 19th century. He was active in the Travancore area in the present-day Kerala, India. He is said to have stolen from the rich and given to the poor. Le ...

'', ''

Kadamattathu Kathanar Kadamattathu Kathanar ( a Syrian Orthodox Church priest of Kadamattom church) also known as Kadamattathachan (Father Kadamattom) was a priest ( Kathanar) who is believed to have possessed supernatural powers and whose legends are closely related ...

'' among many others. The story of 12 children is popularly known as '' Parayi petta panthirukulam''.

Index of Eight Parts

''Book I'' * 1. Chempakassery Raajaavu * 2. Kottayaththu Raajaavu * 3. Mahaabhaashyam * 4.

Bhartṛhari Bhartṛhari (Devanagari: ; also romanised as Bhartrihari; fl. c. 5th century CE) was a Hindu linguistic philosopher to whom are normally ascribed two influential Sanskrit texts: * the ''Vākyapadīya'', on Sanskrit grammar and linguistic philo ...

* 5. Adhyaathmaraamaayanam * 6. Parayi petta panthirukulam * 7. Thalakkulaththoor Bhattathiriyum Pazhur padippurayum * 8. Vilwamangalaththu Swaamiyaar * 9. Kaakkassery Bhattathiri * 10. Muttassu Namboothiri * 11. Puliyaampilly Namboori * 12. Kallanthaattil Gurukkal * 13. Kolaththiriyum Saamoothiriyum * 14. Paandamparampaththu kodanbharaniyilaey uppumaanga * 15. Mangalappilly Moothathum Punnayil Panikkarum * 16. Kaaladiyil Bhattathiri * 17. Venmani Namboorippaadanmaar * 18. Kunchamanpottiyum Mattappally Namboothirippaadum * 19. Vayakkara Achchan Mooss * 20. Kozhikkottangaadi * 21. Kidangoor Kandankoran ''Book II '' * 1. Kumaranalloor Bhagavathi * 2. Thirunakkara Devanum aviduththaey kaalayum * 3. Bhavabhoothi * 4. Vaagbhataachaaryar * 5. Prabhakaran * 6. Paathaayikkara Namboorimaar * 7. Kaaraattu Namboori * 8. Viddi! Kushmaandam * 9. Kunchan Nambiaarudaey Ulbhavam * 10. Valiya Parisha Shankaranaaraayana Chaakyaar * 11. Aazhuvaanchery Thampraakkalum Mangalathhtu Shankaranum * 12. Naalaekkaattu Pillamaar * 13.

* 14. Kaipuzha Raajniyum Pulinkunnu Desavum * 15. Orantharjanaththintaey yukthi * 16. Pazhur perumthrukkovil * 17. Paakkanaarudaey bhaaryayudaey paathivrathyam * 18. Randu Mahaaraajaakkanmaarudaey swabhaavavyathyaasam * 19. Kochchunamboori * 20. Chempakassery Raajaavum Maeppaththoor Bhattathiriyum * 21. Vattapparampil Valiyamma * 22. Vaikkaththu Thiruneelakantan ''Book III '' * 1. Kiliroorkunninmael Bhagavathi * 2. Poonthaanaththu Namboori * 3. Aalaththoor Nampi * 4. Vayaskara Chathurvedi Bhattathiriyum Yakshiyum * 5. Raamapuraththu Warrier * 6. Chemprayezhuththachchanmaar * 7. Kochchi Shakthanthampuraan Thirumanassukondu * 8. Ammannoor Parameshwara Chaakyaar * 9. Cheranalloor Kunchukkarthaavu * 10. Kottarakkara Goshaala * 11. Thaevalassery Nampi * 12. Chila eeshwaranmaarudaey pinakkam * 13. Parangottu Namboori * 14. Paakkil Shaasthaavu * 15. Kodungallur Vasoorimaala * 16. Thripoonithara kshethraththilaey ulsavangal * 17. Aaranmulamaahaathmyam * 18. Konniyil Kochchayappan * 19. Maanthrikanaaya Rawther ''Book IV '' * 1. Oorakaththu Ammathiruvadi * 2. Swathithirunal Mahaaraajaavuthirumanassukondu * 3. Pilaamanthol Mooss * 4. Shasthamkottayum Kuranganmaarum * 5. Mazhamangalaththu Namboori * 6. Vayaskarakkudumbavum aviduththaey Shaasthaavum * 7. Kaayamkulaththu Raajavintaey shreechakram * 8. Kulappuraththu Bheeman * 9. Mannadikkaavum Kampiththaanum * 10. Shreekrishnakarnaamrutham * 11.

* 12. Puruharinapuraeshamaahaathmyam * 13. Tholakavi * 14. Kunchukuttippilla sarwaadhikaaryakkaar * 15. Achchankovilshaasthaavum Parivaaramoorththikalum * 16. Avanaamanakkal Gopalan ''Book V'' * 1. Pallipuraththukaavu * 2. Elaedaththuthykkaattu Moossanmaar * 3. Kaipuzhathampaan * 4. Kollam Vishaarikkaavu * 5. Vayaskara Aaryan Narayananmooss avarkaludaey chikilsaanaipunyam * 6. Chamkroththamma * 7. Avanangaattu Panikkarum Chaaththanmaarum * 8. Kuttanchery Mooss * 9. Pallivaanapperumaalum Kiliroor Desavum * 10. Kaadaamkottu Maakkam Bhagavathi * 11. Oru europiyantheyantaey swamibhakthi * 12. Sanghakkali * 13. Kottarakkara Chandrashekharan ''Book VI '' * 1. Panayannaar kaavu * 2. Uthram Thirunaal Thirumanassukondum Kathakali yogavum * 3. Kaplingaattu Nambooriyum Deshamangalaththu Warrierum * 4. Vijayadri Maahaathmyam * 5. Naduvilaeppaattu Bhattathiri * 6. Aaranmula Devanum Mangaattu Bhattathiriyum * 7. Mundaempilly Krishna Maaraar * 8. Mannaarassaala Maahaathmyam * 9. Oru Swaamiyaarudaey shaapam * 10. Pullankoottu Namboori * 11. Panachchikkaattu Saraswathi * 12. Vellaadu Namboori * 13. Aaranmula Valiya Balakrishnan ''Book VII '' * 1. Chengannur Bhagawathi * 2. Edavettikkaatthu Namboori * 3. Payyannur graamam * 4. Olassayil Vaettakkorumakan kaavu * 5. Shabarimala Shaasthaavum Panthalaththu Raajaavum * 6. Vaikkaththaey Paattukal * 7. Perumpulaavil Kaelu Menon * 8. Chempakassery Raajaavum Raajniyum * 9. Vilwamangalaththu Swaamiyaar * 10. Paambummaekkaattu Namboori * 11. Kalidasan * 12. Panthalam Neelakantan ''Book VIII '' * 1. Chittoor Kaavil Bhagavathi * 2. Kalloor Namboorippaadanmaar * 3. Thakazhiyil Shaasthaavum aviduththaey ennayum * 4. Arackal Beebi * 5. Thiruvizhaa Mahaadevanum aviduththaey marunnum * 6. Pazhur perumthrukkovil * 7. Thekkedathu kudumbakkaar * 8. Mookkola Kshethrangal * 9. Kumaramangalathhtu Namboori * 10. Mandakkaattamanum kodayum * 11. Thiruvattattaadhi Kesavan

References

{{Kerala Kerala folklore Asian mythology Malayalam-language literature Malayalam-language books