The Arrakkal Palace: A legacy of the Mappila life of Kannur

Hidden along the shores of Kannur, stands a palace that tells a story unlike any other in India  - Arrakkal Kotta, the seat of Kerala’s only Muslim royal family. Walking through its age-old corridors, one can almost hear the echoes of prayers, diplomacy, and the rhythm of waves that once carried ships bound for faraway lands.

The Arrakkal Royal Family follows a matrilineal system of succession, a rare tradition that placed equal importance on both men and women. The eldest member, whether male or female, ascended the throne. Thus, Kannur witnessed not just kings, but queens who ruled with wisdom and grace like the Arrakkal Beevis. In a time when patriarchy defined kingdoms, this family’s vision of shared power made them truly exceptional. Though their domain was a principality of Kannur and the distant Lakshadweep Islands their influence rippled across the Arabian Sea. Skilled traders and shrewd diplomats, the Arrakkal rulers built cordial ties with powers near and far: the Kolathiris, Zamorins, Mysore Sultans, and even the Dutch and British when they arrived as merchants. Their trade relations with the Arabs gave birth to a rich cultural fabric that still defines the Mappila communities along Kerala’s coast.

Stepping into the Arrakkal Museum today feels like traveling back in time. Part of the sprawling Arrakkal Palace complex, the museum opened to the public in 2015 and offers a window into the royal life of a family that once ruled the waves. The architecture reflects a subtle blend of Kerala tradition and Islamic aesthetics with long courtyards, prayer halls, and sunlit verandas that whisper stories of devotion and diplomacy. Inside, a soft glow lights up a small room where a chair and an ever-burning lamp stand in quiet reverence to Muhammad Ali Raja, the family’s first ruler. The Durbar Hall showcases gifts, medals, royal artifacts, and everyday items that speak volumes of their maritime past. From the palace balconies, one can still see the tranquil Mappila Bay, where royal ships once set sail to Lakshadweep, carrying spices, coconuts, and the hopes of a thriving trade.

Legends too breathe life into the Arrakkal story. One speaks of Cheraman Perumal, the great Chera king who embraced Islam in the 7th century and left for Mecca, asking his nephew to rule Kannur under a new faith resulting in the beginning of the Arrakkal lineage. Another tale tells of a Kolathiri princess saved from drowning by a Muslim youth, their union giving birth to the first Beevi of the Arrakkal dynasty, a story where love and faith intertwine with destiny. For centuries, the Arrakkal rulers were both merchants and monarchs. They weathered the tides of change from the Portuguese monopolies to British treaties, often shifting alliances to safeguard their people and trade. Their relationship with Mysore’s Tipu Sultan brought them favor for a time but also suspicion under British rule. Eventually, the British stripped them of power, leaving them with only memories of sovereignty and a modest pension that continues to this day.

Yet, their true legacy is not measured by their conquests or losses. It lies in their values & in their equality between men and women, in their devotion to their people, and in their embrace of coexistence that shaped Kannur’s cosmopolitan soul. As you wander through the echoing halls of Arrakkal Kotta, you don’t just walk through a palace, you walk through a story of the sea, of faith, and of the enduring spirit of Kerala’s royal past.