Kottayi

Kottayi is a small village in Palakkad district of Kerala state, South India. It is under Alathur Taluk in Palakkad district of Kerala state, India and is 15 km away from Palakkad town. Kottayi is well-connected by road. The main landmarks are the Kottayi Junction (Koottumukku) and the Kottayi High School.

Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, the great Indian Classical music (Carnatic) singer was born in Chembai, a very small village, near Kottayi, in 1895. The annual Chembai Parthasarathy Ekadasi Music festival, in memory of Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, takes place in Kottayi in February–March. One of Chembai's disciples, K. J. Yesudas makes it a point to attend this event every year.

Historical Importance

Kottachantha is a nearby village that spread in both Kottayi & Peringottukurissi grama panchayat.

It is said that Hyder Ali had plan to build the famous Palakkad Fort at Kottachantha, before it is built in its present location. Granites and rocks were kept there for constructing the fort. But the plan was changed and the fort was constructed at Palakkad. The resulted massive plain land was used by the people of nearby villages as a market of ancient times. Since then this area is known as 'Kottachantha' of which 'Kotta' means Fort and 'Chantha' means Market in malayalam language.

It is believed that the name of the village Kottayi is derived from the use 'Kottayilekkulla Vazhi/Vayi' meaning 'The way to Fort' which also strongly support Hyder Ali's plan to build the fort at Kottachantha. However, there are no disputes over the arguments on historical importance of Kottayi & Kottachantha connected to Palakkad Fort.

To see more details in Malayalam in Wikipedia please visit this link ml:കോട്ടായി (KOTTAYI)