Keyi family
Keyi (
History
Kunhipacki Keyi – the fourth lineal descendant who became the head of this affluent family in 1809 was the first to be addressed with this honorific title.
His predecessors Aluppy and Moosa started trading with Gujaratis They were addressed by
The term Keyi is of Urdu origin meaning owner. In those days crew of the ships called their masters as Keyis. Since the Keyis were also owning ships they also came to be adored with this title. The Keyis were very generous, honest and truthful. Owing to the immense wealth of the family a kind of aristocracy is attached to them. Even today, the Keyis enjoy a high and elevated position in the community.
Aluppikakka
The history of Keyis can be traced back to 17th century - about 1671 AD when English East India Company established their factory at Tellicherry, it resulted to the large scale migration of merchants from other trade centers of North Malabar. Aluppikakka who is regarded as the founder of the family, the first among the
Aluppikakka purchased a small strip of land in Thalassery from the Kottayam Raja near the foreshore, built a thatched warehouse and started the business. Within a short time his business developed and he brought his two sisters and children. This group form the basis of Keyi family – a family to be remembered, hereafter a name to figure brilliantly in the history of Malabar. Since the family come from Chovva they were called 'Chovvakkaran' and their name begins with the initial 'C'. The small warehouse was replaced with a big one, which came to be called Kakka's Pandikasala, and he began exporting spices to foreign countries.
Thalassery was ruled by English East India Company and Aluppikaka got extensive help from them in his business but the worst he had to face was from the Vaniambalath, a powerful Muslim family. They were jealously watching the growing wealth of Aluppikaka. Aluppi was very diplomatic and he tried to win over their favor through a marital alliance –- but his decision to marry a lady of their family was disapproved by their Karanavar. So he took a bride from Achorath family. The refusal to grant consent for Aluppikakka's marriage with a lady of their house was taken as an insult by Aluppikaka and he gave an injunction to his family members not to have marital relation with them in future.
All the Keyi's famibeauty.
When he died he was buried in his own mosque.
Moosakakka
Although Aluppikakka laid the foundation of Keyi family, it was his nephew Moosakakka, who was responsible for strengthening the family's position to the extent that it came to dominate the Malabar economy.[2] He was also known as Chovvakkaran Moosa.
When the Mysorian interlude began Moosakakka proved to be a friend of British and came to the rescue of the Rajas. Chirakkal Raja and family, who took refuge in Thalassery's Sri Ramaswamy temple, were taken along with all their wealth in pathemars and small ships to Travancore. The Travancore Maharaja gave them asylum (The Travancore Dynasty was the mother family (or lineage) of the Kolathiri (Chirakkal) Royal Family who ruled over the Kannur-Wayanad-Kasaragod regions which included Thalassery)[3]
During the Mysorean raids in the late 1700s, trade decreased and the business which Moosakakka started with the help of his uncle, struggled greatly.
With immense wealth he returned to Thalassery and constructed a warehouse designed along the lines of the warehouses in
Finally Kerala came under the suzerainty of the British. The Keyi dominance in trade increased considerably. With British help, Moosakakka established trade relationswith the British East India Company and deployed a network of family agents throughout India and in Europe, specifically, in London, Paris and Amsterdam. He was also a contractor to the company for supplying essential commodities.[6]
Like his uncle, he also constructed a beautiful mosque in Thalassery in the 'Karimbin-odam' (Sugarcane plantation), which formerly belonged to the Dutch, but was occupied
by the British and later purchased by Moosakakka. Odam means 'garden' in the Dutch language. Since it was constructed in Odam the mosque came to be called
Moosakakka became a mediator in the war between British and the
The title Elaya was conferred on the consort as per custom guest like the Elaya Koyil Thampuran confers on the consort in Travancore. This nobleman died in 1806 and was buried in his own mosque, the Odathilpalli, and a mausoleum is erected on his grave.
Kunhahmed Keyi
Moosakaka did not live to see the domes of the Odathil Palli erected so the ceremony was done in 1861 by Kunhamed Keyi of Keloth branch of Keyis. A strange practice of mass entertainment was done by emptying sugar bags in a well to give sweetened water to the large number of coreligionists assembled to witness the function.
Keyi descendants
Moosakakka was followed by Valia Makki Kakka and then by Kunjipakki. Keyi has already been referred to Aluppy Kakka and Moosakakka lived in pomp and splendour but none of the descendants had the grandeur of their predecessors. Cheriya Makki was the last of the Keyis to head the whole family. After his period Keyi family was divided subdivided and now altogether there are ten branches of Keyis. Cheriya Makki Keyi was least interested in his forefathers' business so it began to decline.
Contributions to society
Even from the beginning of 19th century Keyi began to play a dominant role in all fields and produced leading figures [
Modern-day Keyis
C.K.P. Cheriya Mammoo Keyi whose name is memorable as a kingmaker in Kerala politics. C.P. Pocker Sahib and Kunhipackey Keyi were famous
See also
- Arakkal Raja
- Odathil Palli
- East India Company
- Mappila
- Thalassery
References
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (August 2008) |
- ^ Malayalam Manorama Yearbook (Malayalam language), 2006 pp 408
- ^ W. Milburn, Oriental Commerce, vol. 1, London, 1813, pp. 322, 329.
- ^ M.P. Mujeebu Rehiman, 'Merchants and Colonialism: the Case of Chovvakkaran Moosa and the English East India Company', History Farook (working paper series, August 2006), pp. 1-3.
- ^ A.P. Ummer Kutty, Keyi Charitram, Thalaserry, 1916, pp. 185-208; M.P. Mujeebu Rehiman, 'Merchants and Colonialism: the Case of Chovvakkaran Moosa and the English East India Company', History Farook (working paper series, August 2006), p. 2.
- ^ A. Bulley, The Bombay Country Ships, 1790-1833, Abingdon, 2000, pp. 38, 41-48, 51, 72, 77, 93, 283; M.P. Mujeebu Rehiman, 'Merchants and Colonialism: the Case of Chovvakkaran Moosa and the English East India Company', History Farook (working paper series, August 2006), pp. 2-3.
- ^ W. Logan, A Collection of Treaties, Engagements and Other Papers of Importance, London, 1891, p. 212.
- ^ A.P. Ummer Kutty, Keyi Charitram, Thalassery, 1916, pp. 106-107.
- Keyis played a role in the history of North Malabar[usurped], The Hindu online edition
- Keyi family patriarch's legacy of harmony hailed News item in The Hindu newspaper
- Keyis of North Malabar Article from Kerala government website
- The Keyi Mappila Muslim Merchants of Tellicherry
- Keyis of Malabar
- [1] Odathil Mosque