History of Grama Panchayat
The Karappuram region, which is now part of the Panchayat, was once under the rule of the King of Kochi. Maharaja Marthanda Varma invaded the Kingdom of Kochi, and as part of a treaty, Karappuram was ceded to the King of Travancore.
During the reign of the Kochi King, the fertile Vettakkal area, which constituted nearly one-third of the Panchayat's territory, was granted as a reward to Kochai, a person of Jewish descent. The area granted to Kochai later came to be known as "Vettakkal", a name associated with this grant.
During the period of monarchy, the entire Panchayat region remained under the dominance of landlords and local feudal chiefs. The major landlords included Vettakkal Kocha, Thirumala Devaswom, Paliam Anakkode, and Parayi. Feudal and landlord systems sought to keep the oppressed and socially backward communities as wage slaves by denying them fair wages, a dignified life, and even basic rights such as covering their upper bodies.
Gradually, resistance against these injustices emerged through social reform movements and various protest campaigns. The social renaissance movement led by Sree Narayana Guru played a crucial role in accelerating these struggles. Guru's call for liberation through education inspired Kochuraman Vaidyan, a prominent member of the Parayil family, to establish Parayil Bharathi Vilasam Lower Primary School, the first school in the Panchayat area. This institution marked an important step toward educational and social advancement in the region.