Perumthachan (പെരുന്തച്ചന്‍), also spelled as ''"Perunthchan"'' (പെരു - Peru/big, തച്ചന്‍ - thachan/craftsman), meaning ''the master carpenter'' or ''the master craftsman ', is an honorific title that is used to refer to an ancient legendary carpenter (ആശാരി Aashari), architect, woodcarver and sculptor (stone/wood) 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 C ...

, India. However Perumthachan is an important figure in the

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, r ...

of Kerala and many a wondrous structure and

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...

that still stand are attributed to him.

History and legend

Birth and related legends

Many legends of Perumthachan are seen in Aithihyamala, the compilation of legends and folklore of Kerala written by Kottarathil Sankunni. Given that Perumthachan was a Vishwakarma his parents must also have been Carpenter. After their marriage, they set out on a long journey. Each of them grew famous in their lives and many tales and lores were attributed, with them as the main cast. The eldest was Agnihothri, a Brahmin, whose place is Mezhathur in Thrithala. The others are Perumthachan (Master carpenter),

Naranath Bhranthan Naranath Branthan (The madman of ''Naranam'') is a character in Malayalam folklore. He was considered to be a divine person, a Mukhta who pretended to be mad. His chief activity consisted of rolling a big stone up a hill and then letting it fall ...

(an eccentric philosopher who was perceived as a madman), Vayillakunnilappan (a child with no mouth, whom the mother wanted to keep with her) and so on. Since Raman (രാമന്‍) was raised by parents who belonged to the Thachan, he mastered the art and science of carpentry, architecture, and sculpture to become a Perumthachan. He read the sacred texts and imbibed the ancient intellectual tradition. He was commissioned for many a great architectural project to build

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called church (building), churches), Hindui ...

s and

palace A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...

Legend of Temple Pond

Perumthachan was once assigned to construct a temple pond. But it so happened that a dispute arose among three Karakkars (local residents) of the place as to the shape of the pond to be constructed. One group wanted a rectangular pond, another a square pond and the third, a circular shape. Perumthachan agreed to construct a pond which would satisfy all the three conflicting demands. When the pond was constructed, the Karakkars from each of the sides were immensely pleased to see their desired shape for the pond. It was so because the original shape of the pond was none of these three but a highly irregular shape, which could create an

illusion An illusion is a distortion of the senses, which can reveal how the mind normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. Although illusions distort the human perception of reality, they are generally shared by most people. Illusions may ...

and fool the onlooker from each side. The

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hin ...

temple at

Uliyannoor Uliyannoor (also known as Uliyannore) is a small village situated near Aluva within the Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. The village lies on the banks of the Periyar river (also known as "Aluva puzha"), close to Varapuzha and North Paravu ...

and the Valluvanad temples that still exist in Kerala are attributed to Perumthachan. Panniyur Sri Varahamurthy Temple, situated in

Palakkad Palakkad (), formerly known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery is a city and municipality in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the Palakkad District. Palakkad is most densely populated municipal ...

district,

preserve the chisel and measuring rod (muzhakkol) used by perumthachan.

Influence on art and culture

The story of Perumthachan has been a source of artistic expression for various people. It has been the basis for a great Malayalam dramatic

monologue In theatre, a monologue (from el, μονόλογος, from μόνος ''mónos'', "alone, solitary" and λόγος ''lógos'', "speech") is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes a ...

poem of the same name by G. Sankara Kurup. The legend of Perumthachan was also depicted in the 1991

Malayalam film Malayalam cinema is an Indian film industry of Malayalam-language motion pictures. It is based in Kochi, Kerala, India. The films produced in Malayalam cinema are known for their cinematography and story-driven plots. In 1982, ''Elippathayam ...

'' Perumthachan'' masterfully performed by the acclaimed actor

Thilakan Palappurathu Kesavan Surendranatha Thilakan (15 July 1935 – 24 September 2012) was an Indian film and stage actor who appeared in over 200 Malayalam films. Thilakan was known for his elaborate method acting, realistic and spontaneous appearan ...

. The movie script was written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair and directed by

Ajayan Ajayan is an Indian surname, and may refer to * Ajayan (director), director of the Indian film ''Perumthachan'' *Pulickel Ajayan, nanotechnologist and professor of materials science * T. R. Ajayan, Indian literary and music critic *Krishnan Nair Aj ...

and has won many prestigious accolades for its brilliant cinematography and direction.

References

External links

Details of Thachan caste

Perumthachan
on

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