Kerala Tourism | Arakkal family

Arakkal family of Kannur

Ali Raja Sultana Zainaba Aysha Beevi, Arakkal Bibi, Arakkal family, Arakkal Museum, Muslim royal family of Kerala

Arakkal family is the only Muslim royal family of Kerala. Kannur city was under the control of the Arakkal family. The senior most member of the family is its head. The male chief is called the Ali Raja and the female chief the Arakkal Bibi. The Arakkal family was responsible for the construction of many mosques in northern Malabar,for example, Mohiyuddin Masjid of Kannur. The house is the managing trustee of several mosques including the mosque at Madayi. The offices of the Arakkal family were open to Hindus also. The Arakkal house has a good collection of religious and philosophic works on Islam. Arakkal Museum had been set up to preserve the heritage of the Arakkal family. The durbar hall section of the Arakkal Palace has been converted into a museum displaying artifacts from the times of the Arakkal dynasty.

The origin of the Arakkal family is not clear. According to legend, the family had its origin from Cheraman Perumal,the last ruler of the Second Chera dynasty. It seems that Arakkal house was the feudatory of the Kolathiris and in course of time , they became an independent principality. A few customs continue till the present time which reveals the vassalage of the house towards the Kolathiris. It seems that the Arakkal ruling house originated in the 12^th century.

In course of time, Arakkal family became the masters of the Kannur market. Their income mainly came from the foreign trade. The Poruguese,the Dutch and the English tried to maintain friendly relations with the Arakkal family due to their influence in the field of commerce.

Arakkal family also had the possession of the Lakshadwwep islands.

Arakkal Bibi’s palace was vey huge and one of thr finest buildings in Malabar.

Ali Raja had become a prominent figure after the acquisition of Fort St:Angelo,Kannur from the Dutch in 1772. But after some years, Arakkal Bibi had forced to surrender her political independence to English .

Even after that, during the 1921 Malabar Rebellion Arakkal family stood on the side of the British Government and appealed to the Moplahs not to participate in any outbreak. When there was a riot between the Thiyyas and Moplahs in Kannur,the Arakkal house played a prominent role in restoring peace.

Ali Raja Sultana Zainaba Aysha Beevi is the present head of the Arakkal dynasty.