The early post man of Travancore & Cochin were called as Anchal pillai ( Kunchu Pillai was one of the Anchal Pillai of Tranvancore Anchal department). In the olden days the Anchal pillai was running with the postal bag carrying on his head and with a two-foot staff on his hand on which bells are attached. His uniform was Khaki shorts, Khaki shirt and a Khaki hat with red lining on it. When the Anchal man comes running everybody move away hearing the bell sound to make his way. Legally the mail man had a priority then. The carriage of post was like a relay running of Anchal men
I just found out from my September 2017 Kerala Trip covering aranmula, Palode, Palayamkunnu, Varkala and Mailakkadu that my great grand father from my mother’s mother’s side was a Anchal Pillai ( Kunchu Pillai of Puliyathu Kudumbam )
His real name was Kunchu Pillai and was married to Kalyani Amma and were last know to have lived and worked somewhere near Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple which is also our family temple. And later moved to Palayamkunnu. My Grandfather and Kunchu Pillai’s son-in-law, Madhavan Pillai later re-built the ancestrol home and renamed it as “Puth-than Veedu” meaning the new home. My Grandmother’s siblings ( 7 others I guess) moved to places closer to Palode. My father is also from palode and son of Palode Kuttan Nair of the “Sree Mangalathu”
Was a little disappointed when I was not able to trace our family name in any of the Karayogam records. We were known as the Puliyathu Kudumbam. The closest match I got from Aranmula is “PuliParayathu Kudumbam”.
Unlucky me, the oldest living family member of PuliParayathu Kudumbam at Aranmula, (about 85 years old) was bedridden when I wanted to talk to him. Could not even meet him. He could have confirmed if Puliparayathu and Puliyathu Kudumbam were the same.
Hope to find more details of my ancestors from my future trips to Kerala.