Malabar History journal

ARABI MALAYALAM PRINTING

Many Islamic printing presses emerged after Thalasseri’s Bassel Mission Press, publishing a large number of Arabic and Malayalam publications. After visiting the printing press of the Bassel Mission to learn about printing processes, a local called Thooputhil Kunhi Muhammed founded the first Muslim press in Thalasseri. To get things started, he printed a copy of the Quran. Then, numerous presses started to appear. Aniyarathu Ammu’s long-running presses are located in Ponnani and Tirur. After Thalasseri became the hub for printing presses, Tirurangadi took over as the location for Arabi Malayalam printing.

PRINTING IN TIRURANGADI

The end of 19th century, Tirurangadi witnessed several socio- economic changes. One of them was the establishment of the first printing press in the area Chanthappadi. A worker at Calicut who had some expertise in the press came up with the concept for a press, and Chalilakath Kunhahammed Haji—one of the new generation of Muslims with “modern” education—was ultimately responsible for establishing the press. The press is still in operation today under the new name C.H. Mohammed Kutty and sons. The traditional literature of the Mappila Muslims were copied and printed and this literature was in a mixed language called Arabi Malayalam. A literate culture gradually began to emerge among the Mappilas, in which Tirurangadi played a central role. The printing presses at Thirurangadi have been very important in disseminating knowledge among the Muslims of Malabar, who were quite backward in the social sector. Malabar’s Muslim community was treated poorly with regard to contemporary education.

The ‘Mazhar-al-Muhimmath’ litho press, the first among the printing presses of Tirurangadi, was created in 1883. This press was discovered in Thirurangadi’s ‘Naduthodika’ area. The debut publication was a religious literary work by Chakeery Muhyudheen Kutty Sahib named Kithab Thuhfathul lawan Fee Thaveedi Ummul Quran. Every month, this press published an Arabic-Malayalam magazine titled “Hidayathul Islam.”
Chalilakath Ahmed separated from other partners before the end of 1883, and he renamed the printing press as Amirul Islam. The eldest son, C.H. Ibrahim Kutty, took over as the head of the Amirul Islam Printing press following the death of Chalakath Ahmed in 1887. During this time, a large number of Arabic-Malayalam books, mappila songs, and Holy Quran copies were printed. He worked very hard to make the printing press a profitable venture. His sons, C. H. Ali Hasan Haji and C.H. Ahmed Master had helped him operate his printing press. After C. H. Ibrahim Kutty passed away in 1938, C.H. Ahmed Master and C. H. Ali Hasan Haji shared management of the press for a while. In 1952, C. H Muhammed master introduced Litho Power press in place of Litho Hard press. He also created the letter press and cylinder machines. Moreover, as an owner of the printing press, C. H. Muhammed Master made significant literary contributions to Arabi-Malayalam literature. He died in 1957. The management of the Amirul Islam Press was thereafter turned over to his sons. C. H. Kunhammed Haji and C. H. Ibrahim Haji. C.H. Kunhahmed Haji created the ‘C. H. Printing Works’ printing press at Venniyur in 1977. The Amirul Islam Printing Press was modernised under the direction of C. H. Ibrahim Haji, who held this position until 1996. In 1979, he first developed the offset printing technology at Tirurangadi.

Numerous religious and literary works in Arabi-Malayalam were released during his ownership, K. Umer moulavi’s Malayalam translation of the Holy Qur’an was also published. The Holy Quran’s publication in Mahal was a momentous event in the history of Amirul Islam publishing. In 1957, Huzain Deedi, a scholar from Lakshadweep, translated the Quran into Mahal. At the time, the Lakshadweep authorities exiled him to a different island. Afterwards, he relocated to Parappanangadi in Kerala, where he established a mutual understanding with the owner of the Amirul Islam printing firm. By now a new administration had been installed in Lakshadweep, and Husain Deed had all the financial support he needed to complete his translation of the Quran into the mahal language. Thus, Tirurangadi Amirul islam printing press published the first mahal translation of the Qur’an. In the Amirul Islam press, book production in the Malayalam language began in 1952. The Quran is the most significant publication of the Amirul Islam publishing. 16 different sizes of the Quran were produced. The Amirul Islam press is still a well-known publishing house and bookseller. They exported the book and Quran to different regions of the nation as well as to Gulf countries.

REPUTATION OF TIRURANGADI IN QURAN PRINTING

Tirurangadi printing industry printed a large pithora of Arabi Malayalam literature and holy verses, but it had a reputation of Quran printing across Kerala. C.H. Muhamed and Sons, C.H. Printing Press, Kohinoor Press, K. Ahamed Kutty and Sons, and Ashrafi printing press in Tirurangadi were the major among the printers of Quran. Thousands of copies of the holy Quran were sent annually from Tirurangadi to places both inside and outside of Kerala. The Arabic scripts Razmul Uthmani and Malabari, are used to print the majority of the Quran. Here are 16 different varieties of Quran replicas, ranging in size from 2 inches to 16 inches. These Quran copies are also utilised within the Malayali Muslim diaspora. Along with the printing of the Quran, a large number of Quran translations and sabeenah kithabs were also printed by these printing presses. Important Quran translations published in Tirurangadi include Tharjamanul Quran by K. Umer Moulavi and the translations of Sayyid Shihabudheen Imbichikoya Thangal and Abdu Rahman Makhdoomi. Additionally, it was first among in printing history that the first print of the holy Quran in the Mahal language (Lakshadweep language) was undertaken in Tirurangadi..

RURAL INDUSTRY

Litho press industry of Tirurangadi played a crucial role in the upliftment of socio-economic status of the locals. Before the introduction of modern offset printing technology, litho hard press machines highly required manual labour force. Therefore, printing industry hired employees among the native people, and especially preferred women. When the litho press became a provider of employment opportunities, the folding and binding of the holy books and verses had become a livelihood option for hundreds of households in Tirurangadi and the neighbouring villages. This work is referred to as being sacred. It promotes independence among the local women’s population. This rural enterprise has existed for several decades, enabling the locals to support themselves.

Nowadays, the complete modernisation process of printing in Tirurangadi reduced the demand for manual labour. Modern equipment and other facilities made it possible for such folding and binding tasks to be completed more swiftly and cleanly.

References

• C. H. Smaranika. Smaranika. Smaranika Samithi, Thirurangadi, 2001.
• Ganesh, K. N. Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi – A Micro Historical Study. http://www.cds.ac.in/krpcds/report/Ganesh.pdf
• Menon, Sreedhara A. A Survey of Kerala History. Sahitya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society, National Book Stall, Kottayam, 1967.
• Moulavi, Ahmed C. N., & Abdul Kareem, K. K. Mahathayo Mappila Shithya Parambaryam. Calicut, 1978.