Good Ole Choyi - The man about town!

 Choyi Butler of Cannanore, his hotel, and other stories…

Once upon a time, over a hundred years ago, there lived an interesting man called Kottieth Choyi. Though many of his time remember the colorful man who lorded a large family, Choyi Butler, as he was known, was more connected to his hotel by the sea, in Cannanore. Today a pudding is attributed to him, and only a few know that he is survived by a large family and that many of his progeny were illustrious persons. We will meet some of them in this article, and tread the path he did, for a little while, to understand the times long gone, of a period when the Englishmen lorded the land and when caste ruled Malabar. Indeed, Good Ole Choyi was a colorful man, that I can guarantee!

Choyi’s antecedents are not known, but his surname suggests that they could have come (Choyi in colloquial Malayalam, at that time, meant foreigner) from a foreign land. Choyi’s were somehow connected to Jogis, mendicants, etc., so it is not quite clear what this sub caste under Thiyya, actually did for a living, in the past. He is mentioned in history as the son of Nadukudi Kaunan (Kannan?), which possibly points to Nadukudi - a place name in Andhra or at Mannar in Sri Lanka.

In an 1886 court case, Kottieth Choyi filed an appeal contesting an excessive claim of arrears/damages by the area collector. It appears that Choyi obtained an Abkari license for Chirakkal and had instead of operating the arrack/toddy shop under the license, opened more, and sublet them to others. I will provide a quick brief only since it provides some background information on Choyi and because the great William Logan was involved!

The license stated -  W. Logan, Esquire, Collector of the District of Malabar, being duly authorized by the Board of Revenue, hereby license you, Kottieth Choyi, son of Nadukudi Kaunan, residing at Cantonment, Cannanore, to manufacture and vend arrack and toddy for the tract specified below in the Taluk of Cherakkel from the 1st day May 1885 to the 31st day of March 1886, subject to the following conditions and limitations to be observed by you, the said Kottieth Choyi. You shall sell liquor under this license in one shop for arrack and toddy combined. Such shop or shops shall be under your personal management. If you desire to open more shops, or if the above shops are not under your personal management, you must obtain a separate license for each such shop. The Collector may, whenever he thinks fit, direct shops other than those managed by you to be closed, or permit transfers of shops from one place to another, or direct new shops to be opened and a sufficient supply of spirits to be maintained in all sanctioned shops…

Justice Gopalan Nair who heard the original case decreed that Choyi should pay arrears, and Choyi appealed to the higher court where Muthuswamy Ayyar presided. The collector maintained that the original licensee was responsible for running just one shop and had to obtain separate licenses for any others (Choyi closed some of the shops). Choyi claimed that he could in effect open more shops and sublet them, and that the many orders to that effect, were arbitrary, that he suffered many a loss on that account, and could therefore not pay the Rs 11,433/ levied. It is all complicated, so I won’t get to it, but Choyi lost the appeal.

Cannanore in those days was quite different. As a German visitor mentioned - Cannanore is nothing more than a large village of twelve thousand inhabitants, who live in groups in small houses. Through wide beautiful avenues with gigantic bread trees, from which long aerial roots hang down, in an hour you arrive at the old barracks of the fort on a wide esplanade near the beach, from where you can see the forts and a lighthouse with the British flag. At the moment, I passed, some English soldiers, who were half-dressed and stretched out on the ground, were engaged in casting the sun's rays into the eyes of the passers-by with a mirror, a work which seemed to interest them very much. The beach was a sandy plain, bordered by coconut trees and fishermen's huts, where the fishing boats were currently resting.

When one leaves the bungalow to go to the fort, after passing through some gardens and walking through beautiful avenues, one comes to a lot of mud huts, where poverty abounds. Then one gets to see the long, shady avenues, where occasionally in the background of English landscaped gardens are the houses of the officers, with the names of the tenants and the designation of their company on the pillars at the entrance. Flowers and strange plants everywhere, baskets full of climbing plants and colorful hedges, from which wonderful scents rise.

Whether it was before or after this, Choyi served as a butler in the Esplanade hotel run by an Englishman. When the Brit decided to go back (or died) the hotel was given to Choyi and soon after that, Choyi married again, this time, his partner was the Anglo-Indian Thottathil Amma, who was somehow connected to the Hotel. Others mention that Choyi built the hotel and married Cheruvari Kalyani, the Anglo-Indian. The Geni site mentions that Kalyani was the daughter of Lord Strickland (It can’t be Walter Strickland the Anarchist – I wonder who this Strickland was) and his consort Chirutha (Charlotte Smith). Interestingly, Chirutha’s sister Korambi was the mother of Justice Sir Cheruvari Krishnan. Krishnan had informed his colleagues at Madras that his grandfather was a British Duke. I did not get any further on this matter, though.

We understand from an account provided by his grandson (Hartland by Hari Baskaran) that the Cheruvari line offspring as well as the Anglo-Indian mother were not initially allowed inside the ancestral Kottieth house in Kannur, but after Choyi passed away, the ice was broken, and the two sets of families came together. Choyi he says, owned all the land from Payambalam beach to Kanathur Kavu and built houses for his children in large holdings, where they stayed and reared their own families. He presided over his large extended family like an ancient patriarch. Choyi’s English wife stayed in an elegant and spacious house called ‘The Gardens’ situated on the road to Payambalam beach. Choyi Butler had a very romantic image, or so we understand, and he was a tall man and of military bearing. The “white” side of the family flourished and did very well.

Choyi was considered akin to an uncrowned king of Cannanore, a grand old man who ruled over his mammoth family. The main tharavad home, the Kottieth House, was a large nalukettu building, situated in a heavily wooded compound in the choicest location of Cannanore. The homestead was mostly constructed with wood, except for the outer walls. There was a grand hall upstairs which the Cannanore Free Masons used as their temple, till they moved to their premises.

The Madras Railway Co in its 1902 guide states - There is a very good Hotel in Cannanore called the “Esplanade Hotel” and kept by a sharp, intelligent Tiyan by name “Choyi”—the traveller will find this little hotel one of the most comfortable in India and also remarkably clean. Mr. Choyi, of the Esplanade Hotel, Cannanore, can make arrangements for the jutkas to Baliapatam and the boat onwards to Hosdrug. The Tahsildar at Kasaragod will arrange for carts from Hosdrug to his own town, and onwards to Ullal on the river Netravati, where a boat can be got without difficulty across the water, where conveyances will be found to take the visitor into Mangalore.

Now we get to the delicious dessert named after Choyi, otherwise called "Choyi's pudding”, made from ripe small bananas. In North Malabar, this delicacy was usually served at the beginning of a meal and not at the end. Bananas were kneaded, the soft pudding was shaped into a round patty, ghee was smeared over it, sugar liberally sprinkled all over, and finally salty crunchy crushed pappad was layered on top and the resulting dessert was served as Choyi’s Malabar Pudding. It has been popular ever since.

Coming to the hotel - An 1889 article mentions that the proprietor of Esplanade Hotel was K Choyi. The hotel was very popular and the only well-appointed one of that period, frequented by well-heeled visitors, especially Englishmen and other foreigners. The Choyi’s seaside Hotel as it was also called, was built in one of the most idyllic sites in Cannanore, atop a hill overlooking the Arabian Sea. Choyi did well, the hotel prospered, and he was soon the owner of much land in the region. The wealthy Choyi sired some 20-odd children through 4-5 wives of his (you can get a listing from the Genie site).

The hotel was Choyi’s mainstay. From the 18^th century onwards, it boasted many prime amenities – a mile from the Railway station, with lock-up garages; private Sea-bathing arrangements; an open garden; a typewriter on request; babysitting; a small Library; a hairdresser; laundry ..and what not! There were 20-bath attached rooms with 32 beds in all, with hot and cold running water, and serving European, Indian, and vegetarian cuisine. Single rooms cost Rs 5/-, double Rs 7/ and meals were an extra Rs 6/-or 7/-. The private beach was, of course, especially appealing to European visitors.  

Among the many illustrious visitors to the hotel was the famous poetess Laurence Hope - writing from Cannanore to her sister-in-law Carrie, she mentions it as a cheap and nice hotel, with good food, and a kind obliging manager. She wonders – How he makes it pay, I don’t know! Choyi made special arrangements with boats and boatmen for estuary and sea fishing too, if someone wanted that diversion! Another account mentions - Choyi's Hotel has been a familiar name for many decades and Choyi himself well known to West Coast visitors. His son now carries on…Eric Stracey (INA Cyril’s brother) of the Madras Police relives his memories of happy camps in Cannanore and family paddles on its lovely beach below Choyi’s hotel (who does not know Choyi’s – he asks) where we sometimes stayed.

A Harper’s magazine article mentions - Perhaps the greatest hotel bargain I found was in Cannanore on the Malabar Coast , where I had my own cottage at the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea for $2.50 a day, including very good meals. Another review stated – Bags of character in this super clean old-fashioned complex of bungalow cottages set around a lawn. The hotel was previously the exclusive British Cannanore club, according to some old-timers. Upto 1921 it was a hotel frequented only by Europeans.

But things were starting to get a little rough -An article from 1920 mentions - The situation of the hotel facing the beach was ideal, but sanitation appeared the one word missing throughout the place. As we had written to the management and had received their confirmatory reply, we had expected to find everything spick and span, the moment we alighted. A disagreeable surprise awaited us, for we were greeted at the entrance by a cow, who roamed at large throughout the halls and verandah. She mowed as loudly as she could, giving us a warm welcome in the absence of those concerned, and inviting us to share with her the wonderfully clean surroundings for which unwittingly she had been responsible. Whether this beast was considered sacred or lucky we could not conjecture, but from the way she peacefully roamed about the premises at her sweet will and fancy she certainly appeared to be the pet mascot of the entire hotel staff, which by the way consisted of an old deaf proprietor, an assistant to match, a limpy butler who had his own ideas about his dignity and an invisible cook, who was an adept in the art of cooking all varieties of inedible fishes. Though we had heard volumes about Cannanore being a very healthy station and renowned for its sea-bathing, yet we were considerably disappointed with the town, which affords no singular sight for the tourist, except the old Portuguese Fort on the promontory facing the beach.

I was passing Cannanore, driving down after seeing the Bekkal fort, and going about the St Angelo’s fort nearby. Unfortunately, the Arakkal Palace was closed to the public, being a Monday, and try as I did, I could not find the location of the Choyi Hotel at Payyambalam or its remnants. Some opined it was the Choice homestay place, others said it became the Choice hotel, and some sent me to the Savoy hotel, but I never found the old Choyi hotel or its remains, though the Savoy seemed to fit my mental bill, in style. Still, it was way off the beach and not it.

Choyi during his lifetime, was very active indeed, with many social causes. He seems to have been the first to start a girls' school in the area and granted space for it, as well as employing a Gurukkal (teacher) for the 10 or so students who studied there. He was also involved in community matters especially the Sree Narayana Guru visit –VK Kunhi Kannan decided to bring Sree Narayana Guru to Cannanore and consecrate a temple there. The Guru agreed to it and a committee comprising prominent Thiyya’s including Choyi Butler, was formed then. Sree Narayana Guru thus visited Kannur in 1907 and stayed at the home of Kottiyeth Choyi. The Sundareshwara temple construction started in 1909 and it was inaugurated in 1916.

Now let’s look at a few of his offspring, especially some of the luminaries. CK Bharatan looked after Choyi’s hotel, after the patriarchs’ death. Considering that it remained with the CK branch, it could be that Kalyani Amma held the title of the hotel.

CK Lakshmanan - Lakshmanan was born on 5th April 1898 in Cannanore, Kerala. He had his early education in the Christian College, Madras. He passed his L.M & S from Madras Medical College and was a noted all-round sportsman. During his college days, he captained the Madras University Cricket Team, won many Trophies in Tennis and Athletics, and represented India in the Olympic Games in Paris in 1924.

Beyond sports, he was a member of many professional organizations and continued his medical education at St. Bartholomew's Medical College & Hospital, London, taking his MRCS, DTM & H, and DPH in the U.K. Lakshmanan was commissioned in the Indian Medical Service in 1925 and continued in military service up to 1935. He held various responsible civil positions in the Government of India. He was the Director of Public Health, in Bengal, and Director and Professor of Public Health Administration at the All-India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Calcutta. He was Director General of Health Services, Government of India, for six years from 1952. He was the Honorary Surgeon to the President of India from 1957-58. After retirement from Government, he joined the Indian Red Cross Society as its Secretary-General in July 1958 and continued in that capacity until April 1969. He was made Honorary Major General in June 1960 and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1967.

KC Kausalya was no less. Kausalya completed her BA in 1910 from the Madras Presidency College, perhaps the first Malayali science graduate among women or at least the first to graduate in botany. Obtaining a Licentiate in Teaching in 1913, she joined the Government Girls’ High School, Cannanore as an Assistant. After her return from England in 1924, she was appointed Professor of Natural Science at Queen Mary’s College (QMC). Quoting Savithri Preetha Nair, she was the first Indian woman to visit the institution as a volunteer worker, Kausalya was at this time pursuing a second BSc degree at London’s Bedford College for Women (today’s Royal Holloway College) as a government scholar. The petite Kausalya would spend a year in the United States, but it does not appear this was in the capacity of a Barbour Fellow. In June 1933, she would visit the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the purpose of her visit was rather than botanical, a direct influence of the proceedings of the AIWC (1931). Kausalya wished to begin ‘home economics extension work’ in India similar to that in America. She also visited Redlands in California, where at a Forum Club meeting held at Beach City (Laguna Beach), to which she had been invited as guest, she spoke about the customs of her country. By May 1934, Kausalya along with her young niece, Miss Vimala Karunakaran were homeward bound on the Hakozaki Maru, heading for Colombo, from where they would travel by boat and then train to reach Madras.

C.K. Vijayaraghavan who was educated at Madras Christian College and Law College; joined the ICS, and served in Madras as Asst. Collector and magistrate, Collector of Tanjore, etc. and became the first Indian IG of Police of the undivided Madras Presidency, in 1947. He was later to become the Home Secretary in the Government of Madras. Interestingly the IG post was first offered to Pulla Reddy who however declined stating that he did not have the “necessary build” and so recommended the appointment of C.K. Vijayaraghavan, ICS to the post. He died in 1950.

Many children on the Kottieth Adiyeri and the other branches also rose to prominence, there are simply too many to recount. Some examples are Kottieth Anandan, Sub judge Kunhikannan, Deputy Collector Mukundan, etc. So many of the progeny also shone in the armed forces and in the administrative services.

People may wonder why I write about such characters, well, my friends, it is quite simple – they are the ones who rose from nothing to something, and that is the most important thing in the journey of life, lessons others can learn from. Choyi in those caste-ist periods in Kerala history, was placed in the lower rungs of society, see how he and his family made a place for themselves, in the annals of history!!

NB: The title for this article comes from the mouth of an 89-year-old family member of the Adiyeri line with whom I had a very interesting conversation. She told me about the vast family and narrated that in her lifetime, and family discussions, she often heard of many a thing - starting with – In the days and time of Choyi Butler.

I wish my friend Murkoth Premnath had been still alive, he would have recalled and narrated a few more legends, which could easily fill a few more pages…

References

Chromosome woman, nomad scientist E. K. Janaki Ammal, A Life 1897–1984 - Savithri Preetha Nair

Hartland – The spirit of a family – Hari Baskaran

Obituary Major General C.K. Lakshmanan – TB Association of India

Family members and friends of the Choyi family may suggest corrections if any under comments and I will gladly oblige. Thanks to Nikhil, Akhil for their help and Tushara and her grandma for the nice conversation.

 

Photo from http://sreesundareswara.com/Administration.aspx