Zamorin of Calicut passes away

By Our Staff Reporter The HINDU 17th August 2003

KOZHIKODE AUG. 16. The Zamorin of Calicut, P.K. Ettanunni Raja, passed away in a private hospital here today. He was 93.

The Zamorin was admitted to the hospital around 12.30 p.m. after he developed breathlessness. He died around 1.15 p.m., hospital authorities said. He was a bachelor.

Ettanunni Raja became the Zamorin on January 19, 1998, following the death of P.K. Kuttianujan Raja. Even after assuming the ceremonial post he was living in a rented house at Tiruvannur with his nieces, Sreedevi Satya Varma and Radha Bhanu Varma.

Born in Thiruvannur Puthiya Kovilakam as the son of Vamanan Namboothiri of Thanatt Illam and Sreedevi alias Aniyathi Thampuratti' in 1910, Ettanunni Raja had his education at the Zamorin-owned institutions, including the Srikrishna Vidayalam. He had celebrated his 93rd birthday on August 14.

As the Zamorin, he was the trustee of 36 temples, including the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple and the Thali Temple in Kozhikode.

He was also the trustee of many educational institutions maintained by the Zamorin family. He was entitled to the Malihana', a maintenance paid from the State exchequer.

Ettanunni Raja had worked as teacher at the Zamorin-owned institutions and as clerk and cashier at many private institutions before assuming the office of Zamorin. He was a Sanskrit scholar.

Ninety-year-old P.K.S. Raja, also of Thiruvannur kovilakam, will succeed Ettanunni Raja.