Vellinezhi

A small hamlet in Palakkad district, Vellinezhi is situated about 25 kms north of Ottapalam. The place has contributed incomparable artistes to the classical dance form, Kathakali. It is said that there is not a single-family in the village which has not produced at least one Kathakali artiste. The place has also produced traditional Kerala percussion artistes and generously contributed to the cultural scene of Kerala.

Olappamanna Mana:

Olappamanna mana is the ancestral home of a Namboothiri family, who were patrons of art, especially Kathakali. The mana also functioned as a Kaliyogam (school of Kathakali), and it is from here that the Kalluvazhi style of Kathakali had its rebirth.

The Rig Veda institution, Brahmaswam Mutt and a traditional Vedic institution in Thrissur have maintained links with the scholars of this family for over 200 years. The mana was also a cradle of classical music and literature. The renowned musician Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar once performed at the mana.

Many renowned scholars " like Kunjunni Namboothiripad, O. M. C. Narayanan Namboothiri, O. M. Anujan and the poet Mahakavi Subrahmanian Namboothiripad " hail from this esteemed family.

The 300-year old mana is an architectural wonder created in the Kerala style, built-in perfect sync with the norms of Vastu Shastra, the ancient Indian science of architecture. The building is a combination of eight structures with eight open quadrangles. It is now managed by a trust and is frequently rented out for film/documentary shoots.

This mana has not only withstood the ravages of time but has also sheltered the cultural and social heritage that is rooted in the soil of Vellinezhi.