Meenadam (Kottayam): The Kerala High Court’s order to set in motion a treasure hunt in a rocky patch of land at Vennimala comes as a relief to the family that owns the plot. Eliamma Marcos and son Prince Punnan Marx had gone to the court to put an end to the constant intrusions from treasure seekers and self-proclaimed experts offering to unearth the bounty from the three-acre plot.
The Mallakkatt family’s property near the famed Vennimala Temple has been the fodder for local legends. People say the huge boulders sit over vast riches probably left from the period of royalty. Vennimala was the capital of the Thekkumkoor dynasty.
Marcos said she was constantly being nagged by visitors drawn by the rumors. Some people have even sneaked into the property at night and dug up the earth for the treasure. She finds it difficult to deal with the phone calls offering to dig up the treasure for a price. And then there are the astrologers who hop in for a profitable prophecy.
The family sought the archaeological department’s intervention to clear the air and later followed it up with a petition in the HC. The court has ordered the department to conduct a preliminary investigation at the site.
The district collector had asked for a report on the treasure from the revenue officials. The revenue department said there was no prima facie evidence of any treasure but some points raised by the family members called for detailed examination.
Treasure trove
Vennimala is a treasure trove for history enthusiasts. The historical Sree Rama Lakshmana Temple is an architectural marvel. A cave near the temple is said to be the place where the sage Kapila meditated.
Vennimala is also famous as the birthplace of classical musician ‘Shadkala’ Govinda Marar.
As the capital of an erstwhile royal family, Vennimala had witnessed bloody battles, elders say. They even cite forgotten place names such as ‘Valu Kazhuki Kulam’ to substantiate their theories. Another legend related to the area is about two subterranean paths that links Vennimala to the temple and Manikandapuram near Vakathanam. Manikandapuram do has a depression that looks like the entrance to a tunnel. The place finds a mention in literary works including ‘Unnuneeli Sandesam’.
The HC order has also rekindled speculations about deposits of iron ore at nearby Arani. Some households in the area still have huge pits on their premises, which elders say were modest mines for iron ore.
The boulders from the area has a reputation as fine raw material for stone sculptures.