Thacholi Othenan

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Thacholi Meppayil Kunjhu Othenan (Udayana Kurup of Thacholi Manikoth House) or more popularly Thacholi Othenan (Malayalam: തച്ചോളി ഒതേനന്‍) was a legendary hero from North Kerala, a small state in south India, who lived in the 16th century. Highly stylised songs and stories of his valour and chivalry abound. His real name was Udayana Kurup. He is praised about in vadakkanpattu (ballads of North Kerala).

Othenan was born into the feudal Nair family of Manikoth in Thacholi near Vatakara (His father was a King of a small fiefdom) a small town in Kerala. He practised Kalarippayattu (ancient martial art form of kerala) from a very young age and grew up to be an extraordinarily brave and skilled warrior. Legends portray him as being a merciless opponent to enemies and a friend to the helpless. Even the powerful Zamorin of Calicut respected him. He defeated Mathiloor Gurukkal in ankam (dual/war) and killed him. But one of the Gurukkal’s disciples killed Othenan through treachery at the young age of 32.