Head of the Arakkal dynasty passes away

KANNUR:

Sulthan Arakkal Adiraja Zainaba Aysha Beebi

, the

head of the Arakkal dynasty

, which is the only

Muslim dynasty

in Kerala, died in the early hours of Tuesday. According to her son Muhammad Rafi Adiraja, she had been bedridden for quite some time.

She was 93.

Born in 1925, the female ruler, known as Arakkal Beevi, assumed the charge in 2006, following the death of the then ruler Sultana Aysha Aliraja. The Arakkal family, which follows a matriarchal system of descent, chooses the eldest member of the family as its head and ruler. The male rulers are called Adiraja (Ali Rajah), while the female rulers have the title Arakkal Beevis.

The only Muslim royal family of Malabar, they were the rulers of Kannur town and the southern part of

Lakshadweep

, including Agatti, Kavaratti, Androth and Kalpeni, as well as

Minicoy

. Though it is claimed that the dynasty had been in power since 13th century, there is no consensus among the historians about it.

Though the headquarters of the dynasty, Arakkal Kettu, is in Kannur town, near Ayikkara, the present head was living in Thalassery, along with her daughter, after a paralytic stroke a few years back. A portion of the Arakkal kettu is now a museum.

According to the family, the funeral will be held, at Odathil Mosque in Thalassery, following the afternoon prayers around 4 pm.

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