The various believes behind the birth of Thunchath Ezhuthachan, the creed and the clad to which he belonged, were proved to be just concocted myths rather than facts but the historical research and studies have revealed that ezhuthachan was born in 16th century(400-450 years back) to Narayan an Ezhuthachan and Lakshmikutty Amma who were belonged to Ezhuthachan community at Thunchanparamabu near thrikandiyur, a part of Alathiyor Gramam,near Tirur,Malapuram Dist.He was the youngest child of that family.Due to the political and social atrocities prevailing at that time,the thunchan family was forced to leave their native place and settle in Telungu province along with the remaining RAMANUJA CULT to which thunjan family belonged. At that time Thunchath Ezhuthachan must have been 16 or 18 years old. Under the influence of his brother Thunchan,joined the Ramanuja Mutt run by the Ramanujan Sect under that patronage of Vijaya Nagar kings. With the knowledge acquired from that institution he become a highly learned scholar and teacher In the same institution.During the Talikotta war thuncahn along with his family left the Telungu provice to Kerala and settled at Chittur near Palakad.At chittur he established a Sree Rama temple and a mutt near the river “Shokanashini” and took up teaching and leading a brhamacharya life.Then he completed the great epics ramayanam and mahabharatha. At this Mutt.he died(Samadhi) at the age of 80 at Chittur.The date of death is in the “Uthram” star in the month of “Dhanu”.The real memories of Thunchath Ezhuthachan still lives in and around Chittur.
Thunchath Ezhuthachan belonged to the Ezhuthachan caste without any iota of doubt. In kerala history 15th and 16th centuries were culturally, socially and intellectually most degraded era. Ezhuthachan’s life and literature was an antidote to this degradation and stagnation. The period from 12th to 16th centuary is considered as Namboothiri era in kerala history. Ezhuthachan was born during the last decades of Namboothiri era. Ezhuthachan inaugurated or rather strengthened the “Bhakthi-cult”, in kerala society.”Bhakthi-cult” was an all India phenomenon, and Ezhuthachan was most dominant figure in is this part of India. Ezhuthachan used Aryan themes like Ramayanam and Bharatham to ridicule degraded Aryan culture. According to him, there is no need of intermediary between God almighty and devotee. He also rediculed the varna-caste system in the very first stanzas of “Adhyatma Ramayanam”.
These lines represent the manifesto of BHAKTHI movement. Ezhuthachan was hunted by Namboothiri Brahmins in and around Tirur, under the leadership of Namboothiri chief Azhvancherry Thamprakkal,. Under this onslaught he had to leave Tirur and settle in Chittoor, in former palakkatussery kingdom,present day Palakkad district. It was a non -Namboothiri area because, Namboothiris deserted palakkatussery. thanks to the ex-communication of palakkad Raja by Namboothiris. Ezhuthachan was a great friend of Tamil Brahmins. He patronized them and vice versa. According to Dr. A.C. Burnnel, noted historian, outstanding scholar, vedicist and paleographer also a British civil servant and the author of monumental work “South Indian Paleography” categorically stated that Thunchath Ezhuthachan belonged to Ezhuthachan caste only.
In south Indian paleography (pages 14& 15) he stated this truth. When Mr Burnnel edited and published an authentic work of F.W. Ellis, after his death in 1887, on the origin and evolution of south Indian Languages Tamil, Malayalam Telugu and Kannada, in a noted prestigious research journal “Indian Antiquary”, restated this supreme truth. Dr. A.C. Burnnel’s account was the first historical document concerning the caste of Thunchath Ezhuthachan. Legendary historian and scholar, late K.Balakrishnakurup in his work (vishvasathinde kanapurangal Mathrubhumi Publications) categorically proved that Thunchath Ezhuthachan belonged to Ezhuthachan community only. Every other thing is only misinformation campaign with no historical backing.
Prof T.B. Vijayakumar also published numerous scholarly articles about him in leading journals like Mathrubhumi weekly,Malayalam weekly, Bhashaposhini, Malayala Manorma and Mathrubhumi Sunday editions etc etc.. He also proved that Thunchan belonged to Ezhuthachan caste.
According to scholary assessments of Dr. K. N. Ezhuthachan, Thunchath Ezhuthachan wrote only two works, one “Adhyatma Ramayanam” and the other “Maha Bharatham”. Even Uththara Ramayanam was not his composition. All other works were attributed to him. Only in Ramayanam and Bharatham his stamp, genre witnessed.