Minister moots new Kunjali Marakkar museum

‘Existing museum inadequate to showcase history of erstwhile naval chief’

Minister for Museums, Archaeology and Archives Ahammad Devarkovil has mooted the construction of a new museum at Iringal in memory of Kunjali Marakkar, the naval chief of the Zamorins, the erstwhile rulers of Calicut. The Minister visited the existing Kunjali Marakkar museum on Sunday and found it inadequate to showcase the artefacts and history of the Marakkars. The museum at Puthanpadam near Iringal in Payyoli municipality, functions out of an ancient building that belonged to the Marakkar family. It was in 1976 that the Department of Archaeology took over the building, added another one next to it, and converted it into a museum that features artefacts such as the swords used by Marakkars, cannon balls and some wall relics. The museum proposed by Mr. Devarkovil will also have a reference library that will feature documents, including those in the Portuguese language. The government will take over land belonging to Payyoli municipality to build the museum.