The century-old Thiruvannur Chira at Thiruvannur here is in revival mode. After decades of neglect, the pond is slowly turning back to normalcy at the hands of a pond protection committee with financial support from local MLA and Minister for Panchayat M.K. Muneer, who sanctioned Rs.65 lakh from his local development fund for the initiative.
The renovation works started in March and more than 70 per cent of the project is complete.
After carrying out a thorough cleaning and de-silting work, a boundary wall is being constructed around the pond, spread over 2.5 acres. “A circular walkway and a herbal garden on one side of the pond are also planned,” said Sudheesh Thiruvannur, secretary of the committee.
According to him, the restoration of the ancient water body, one of the largest ponds in the district, has evoked an overwhelming response from the local people. A proper drainage and a shutter system to check dirty water from entering the pond has also been introduced as part of the project.
Radha Prabhakaran, a social worker from the region, says the pond has a long history of being of great use to the public. It was more than a century ago and the legend goes like this: The then Thampuratti of the Thiruvannur Kovilakam, one of the three royal abodes of the Zamorin families in Kozhikode, fell seriously ill. The royal family tried out various treatments methods and different medical practitioners of that time, but in vain.
At last the royal astrologer was summoned to look into the matter and pronounce solutions. It was a practice in those days for people to offer young bulls to the sanctum sanctorum of the ancient Thiruvannur Siva Temple to realise their wishes. The bulls thus offered would roam around streets and the temple premises and it was sort of a major concern to provide them water and feed on time.
As the parihara kriya, the royal astrologer suggested that a pond to be dug in the vicinity so that the roaming bulls could freely drink water . That was how the sprawling Thiruvannur Chira was born, says the fable.
