The waters that surged into the historic Chembola Kalari in the heart of Alangad town on the night of August 15 has swallowed a piece of history in the form of a collection of palm-leaf manuscripts.

Legend has it that Lord Ayappan took lessons in the traditional martial art form at the Chembola Kalari.

It is also strongly linked to festivities at the Sabarimala temple. A member of the Chembola family said there were nearly 80 manuscripts in the collection, and around 20 to 25 of them have been damaged in the floods. The manuscripts mostly dealt with Sanskrit grammar and literature, he said.

It is believed that the Chembola family settled in Alangad from north Malabar at least 600 years ago.

The family member said the Chembola Kalari premises had escaped the great deluge in 1924 and it was a refuge for hundreds of people around the area.

He recounted an orally transmitted account of how people in the area used a big tamarind tree at the kalari premises to escape from the floods in 1924.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – August 31st, 2018