This was long due in the list. This historical place in Thrissur is a place that is just below 20 km from where I stay, but maybe that's the reason, the visit got delayed and delayed and no one wasn't interested too. The place caught my attention when I came across the references in multiple Kerala history books (Sreedhara Menon's especially). These are found in various places across Kerala.
Suggested time for the visit - 10 AM-5.30 PM IST. Not sure about the holidays. Location: Munimada , Ariyannur/Kandannissery Kudakkallu, ariyannur
Munimada (Dolmen)
This was the first place we went. There was a watcher ( a localite, who is assigned to look after), but other than that there was no one around.
Munimada is a cave-like structure, megalithic (construction using a stone) that would have got built in prehistoric times (2/3 BC as per various sources) On the information board it is mentioned as a burial cave, that may be because it is a common board used for both munimada and kudakkallu but from what I have read, these were known to be meditation place for the sage/rishis.
Umbrella stone / Kudakkallu
We managed to reach here too, on time and as expected there were no other visitors than us.
Kudakallau in Ariyannur is a megalithic burial site (approx 2500 BCE). That means a burial site that existed almost 4000 years before! They buried the bodies and then keeping the stone like this above must be an ritual that was followed.
There is nothing that attracts the public unless you know the importance of these places through books. The archaeological department has managed to maintain it very well but the attraction factor is missing. Recently, somewhere read about how this can be changed to our version of Stonehenge. If not that level, a 25% Stonehenge should work.
