തിരുനാവായ

കേരളത്തിലെ മലപ്പുറം ജില്ലയിലുള്ള ഒരു ചെറിയ ഗ്രാമമാണ് തിരുനാവായ. മാമാങ്ക മഹോത്സവം നടത്തിയിരുന്ന സ്ഥലം എന്ന നിലയിൽ ചരിത്ര പ്രസിദ്ധമാണ് തിരുനാവായ. ഭാരതപ്പുഴയുടെ തീരത്തായാണ് തിരുനാവായ സ്ഥിതിചെയ്യുന്നത്.

ഒരുകാലത്ത് പെരുമ്പടപ്പ് സ്വരൂപത്തിന്റെ തലസ്ഥാനമായിരുന്നു തിരുനാവായ. സാമൂതിരി തിരുനാവായ പിടിച്ചടക്കിയപ്പോൾ പെരുമ്പടപ്പ് സ്വരൂപത്തിന് തലസ്ഥാനം തിരുനാവായയിൽ നിന്ന് തിരുവഞ്ചിക്കുളത്തേക്ക് മാറ്റേണ്ടിവന്നു. 1353-നും 1361-നും ഇടയ്ക്ക് സാമൂതിരി ചെറിയ നാട്ടുരാജ്യങ്ങളുമായി തിരുനാവായ യുദ്ധം എന്ന് അറിയപ്പെടുന്ന അനേകം യുദ്ധങ്ങൾ ചെയ്തു. തിരുനാവായ പിടിച്ചടക്കിയ സാമൂതിരി സ്വയം രക്ഷാപുരുഷനായി പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കുകയും അന്നുമുതൽ മാമാങ്കം നടത്താനുള്ള അവകാശം തനിക്കു മാത്രമാണെന്നു പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു. പ്രശസ്ത കവിയായ മേൽപ്പത്തൂർ നാരായണ ഭട്ടതിരിപ്പാട് തിരുനാവായയിൽ നിന്നും മൂന്നര കിലോമീറ്റർ അകലെയായി നിളാ തീരത്തുള്ള മേൽപ്പത്തൂർ ഇല്ലത്താണ് ജനിച്ചത്.

Tirunavaya (Malayalam: തിരുനാവായ) is a village of cultural and historical importance in Malappuram district of Kerala, southern India situated on the banks of the River Bharatha. The famous medieval festival and trade fair, known as the Mamankam, was held in the Thirunavaya Temple.
The Mamankam festival was celebrated for 28 days with great pomp and pageantry where even traders from outside India came in ships and barges to Tirunavaya through the port city of Ponnani. The economical importance of the festival was great and the authority to conduct the festival was held in a very high esteem by the local rulers.
Thirunavaya was a place of tactical and religious significance from the early middle ages. After the fall of the Cheras of Mahodayapuram, Tirunavaya and adjoining regions formed a part of the Kingdom of Valluvanadu. In 14th century, the Zamorin of Calicut captured Tirunavaya by a series of battles known as the Thirunavaya Wars. After Tirunavaya was captured, the ruler of Calicut proclaimed himself as the "Rakshapurusha" ("Chief Protector") of Thirunavaya Temple and announced that from then on, he had the sole right of conducting the Mamankam festival. The battles between the Kingdom of Valluvanadu and Calicut over Tirunavaya continued for centuries.
Rulers of Valluvanadu used to sent suicidal assassins known as "Chavers" to recapture the holy city and right to conduct the festival from the Zamorin of Calicut, who would stand on the Nilapadu Thara in Tirunavaya in festival days, surrounded by a large contingent of soldiers. The last Mamankam, was held as late as 1755, when the Zamorin had an hairsbreadth escape from a 16-year-old assassin. The Nilapadu Thara, now in the premises of the Kodakkal Tile factory, is protected by the Archaeological Department of India. A well called Manikkinar believed to be dumped with the bodies of the assassins is also protected.

• Hindus regard Tirunavaya as a converging place of the Trimurtis - (Brahma, Vishnu and Siva). Three temples, consecrated to these deities, are situated on either bank of the Bharathapuzha near Tirunavaya.
• The Navamukunda Temple, located on the right bank of the Bharathapuzha, a very important Vishnu Temple in region.
• Pitr Darppanam is a Hindu ritual, held in Tirunavaya on the day of amavasya of Karkitaka (July). ‘Bali Karma’ is offered by people in their wet clothes, after a dip in the river, for the salvation of sins of their dead relatives and to appease their souls.
• The ancient Veda Vidyalaya Othanmar Madhom is situated on the left bank of Bharathapuzha, near the Siva Temple. This institution is believed to have been a center of Brahmanisation of the region.
• The house ("mana") of the Brahmin lords, the Azhavancherry Thamprakkal, is situated 2 km north of Tirunavya.
• The famous poet Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri (1559–1632 AD) was born at Melputhoor Illam, located 3.5 km from Thirunavaya, on the northern banks of River Bharatha.
• A martial art festival is conducted during summer on the banks of the Bharathapuzha.
• The Changampalli Kalari is situated near Tirunavaya.

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