Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker was also known as Kallaseril Velayuthan Panikker or Chekavar of Arattupuzha
He was an Ezhava warrior who fought against oppression by the upper castes.
He was born on 7 January 1825
He was the son of Kallisseri Perumal Chekor of the renowned Kallissery Tharavad.
Stories claim him to have been tall, muscular and fair-skinned and he acted as a protector.
The anthropologists Filippo and Caroline Osella consider Velayudha Panicker to be a forerunner of Sri Narayana Guru
His grandfather Vallikadavil Perumal Chekavan was even proficient in Tulunadan Kalari Techniques
Velayudhan studied Ayurveda, Astrology, Sanskrit and Kalripayattu
He married Velumpy of Varanapally
He caught hold of the thief who robbed Salagramam from Tharananaloor Namboothiri.
As a compliment the Travancore King gave him a title of Panickan, later it was modified as Panicker.
He learned Kathakali, considered to be a Namboothiri Brahmin art
He started a Kathakali troupe called Kalisseri Kathakali Yogam with the help of Ambalapuzha Madhava Kurup.
Panicker organized Achipudava Strike
It was for Achipudava for lower caste women that cover the portion below the knee and he was succeeded.
He was also associated with Mookkuthy Chantha incidence in Pandalam.
By this a permission granted to lower class women to wear gold ornaments
Panicker had commanded all Channar women in his area to cover their upper body and he bought and distributed upper cloths to all Avarna women in Kayamkulam market.
He had gone to Guruvayur temple, dressed like a Brahman and spent ten days of learning puja and installion of temple deities.
When his identity was uncovered by a Brahmin, he threw a bag of Gold onto the table saying, “Yes, I am a Panicker; take this Gold for your services.”
The irate temple officials chased him as far as Cherthala
In 1852 he travelled to Goa where he learned Brahminical rites used for temple worship.
In 1852, he founded a temple in Mangalathu village.
Viswanathan Gurukal of Kandiyur, Mavelikkara installed Sivlinga and panicker himself did the pooja.
The founder of Edackadu Njaneshwaram Temple was Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker
All castes and tribes were allowed to worship there.
Panicker built another temple in Cheruvaranam in 1853.
Panicker also founded a school and a library in Arattupuzha.
He was killed in 1874 during a boat journey by a group of upper class people who attacked him from behind during the darkness of night.
Community Hall in memory of Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker is situated in Mangalam (Alappuzha)
Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker Research Foundation and Cultural Centre is also situated at Mangalam
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