KOCHI: Brahmapuram, located in the Vadavucode Puthencruz panchayat near the Infopark in Kochi, has, of late, become infamous as the ‘garbage bin’ of the city. However, it was once a picturesque village, bustling with farming activities.
“There were about 70 families in the village, and the people were mostly into paddy farming,” says a longtime resident of the area, Paul P Abraham. “Those who used to live near the current dumping yard depended on the Kadambrayar river, which is polluted now. Now, the air in the area stinks, and what remains are only abandoned houses.”
The name ‘Brahmapuram’ has several stories attached to it. One legend is that it came from a demon called “Brahman Rakshasan”, who lived in the dense forest that used to cover the area, says P Prakash, president of Changampuzha Cultural Centre. “This is a myth passed down from generation to generation,” he adds.
Prakash also notes that places with “Brahma” in the name would usually have a connection with Lord Shiva. He cites the example of Brahmamangalam in Thalayolaparambu, which got its name due to the presence of a Shiva temple. The terms ‘Brahma’, ‘Brahman’ and ‘Brahmam’ are used in references to the ‘supreme cosmic spirit’.
Another version, Prakash adds, is that Brahmins used to own most of the lands in the area. Many of the will documents had “Kokara Brahmaswam Vaka Stalam” written on them, he notes. “This place too could have been under the ownership of Brahmaswam. However, there are no records linking to the place name,” he says.
Prakash also recounts a “true incident” that happened around 100 years ago. “There once lived a ruthless man named Thuppan Namboothiri, who was not very popular among the local natives,” he says. “He was shot dead by someone in the forest on March 23, 1923. The case was eventually closed for lack of evidence. According to belief, Brahmin souls that don’t attain salvation would turn into ‘Brahmarakshas’. However, it is unlikely that the place got the name from this story.”
What’s ina name
Weekly column on the history of place names. Got any suggestions? Write to cityexpresskoc@newindianexpress.com
