Chelamalai

Chelamalai is also believed to be the "Vanchinagaram" or "Vanchi" of AD first century, which was the capital of the early Chera Kingdom. The ruins of several temples located within a 10 km radius of Chelamalai clearly indicate the importance of the area and the human population that once existed here. The location of Vanchi is range from Karavur near the banks of the Amaravati in Tamil Nadu, to near Kodungalloor, to Thrikariyoor near Kothamangalam. The noted historian V. Kanakasabhai states that present-day Thrikariyoor is the location of Vanchi, but according to the `Pathitipathu' (a famous anthology of Tamil poems of the Sangam age) VI.3, Vanchi is situated on the summit of a tall hill encircled by seven hills and forest. In view of the above information why not Chelamalai be a viable candidate for the location of Vanchi. It is close to Thrikariyoor thus not completely denying Kanakasabhai's theory either. 

There are several wells located within a 5 to 6 sq. km. area. On the eastern side of Chelamalai and on the western side of the Punnekkad - Thattekad road, at the ten km milestone, the exposed portion of an underground structure, resembling a cellar, about six to eight ft. wide and ten ft. long is seen. One side of it is a laterite wall while the other three sides are granite. Only the top of the vertical stone slabs are visible, the rest being buried in the ground. In the middle of this structure, portions of granite slabs, vertically sunk in the ground, are seen. This could have been a tomb.  Oposite this presumable tomb, were found several large earthen jars or pots. Called Nanangadis, these are burial containers for people, used during the BC 2000 to AD 500 period.  This area could have been a cemetery, as the Nanangadis were found, of the Cheras who lived in the Chelamalai region.