Odanad | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11th – 18th century | |||||||||
| Capital | Kayamkulam (after 15th century)Mavelikkara (before 15th century) | ||||||||
| Common languages | Malayalam | ||||||||
| Religion | Hinduism | ||||||||
| Government | Feudal Monarchy | ||||||||
| Kayamkulam Raja | |||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 11th century | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 1746 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | India | ||||||||
Odanad (Malayalam: ōṭānāṭŭ, also known as Onattukara,Kayamkulam, Onad, Kallikoilon and Chirava Svaroopam) was a feudal state in late medieval Kerala. It was established in the 11th century,[1] and disestablished in 1746 when it became part of Travancore after Venad King Marthanda Varma's northern expedition. The last king of Odanad was King Kotha Varma. At the time of its dissolution, it was composed of the present-day taluks of Mavelikkara, Karthikapally, Chenganur in the Alappuzha district and Karunagapally in the Kollam district.[2] Another name of onattukara is kayamkulam. In the 15th century, the capital of Odanad was moved from Kandiyoor-Muttom to Eruva and Krishnapuram in Kayamkulam, which led to the state being called Kayamkulam. After this shift, Kayamkulam became the commercial centre of Odanad, while Mavelikkara remained its cultural centre. Odanad was controlled by Nair lords, among whom the ruler of Kayamkulam was the most prominent.