Anthikad

This village held an important position in shaping the political and the social perspectives of Kerala. The toddy tappers were organised by communists who were hiding from the police to avoid arrest for their role in freedom movement. Com. George Chadayanmuri, who working underground (evading arrest as per instruction of communist party) took pains to talk to the toddy tappers and bring them under the umbrella of a union.

The Communists converted the toddy tappers from slaves of brutal contractors to modern-day human beings and these workers became the leaders of the society. The farmers, teachers and other people accepted the leadership of toddy tappers and together they took part in the freedom struggle and also fought for the upliftment of lives. Comrade(Late) Chathu Master, K.R. Kelu, K.G. Kelan, K.S. Chathu Kutty, N.C. Shankaran, K.S. Kittunni, M.R. Shankaran Kodappully, and many others who were several times arrested, jailed and tortured for their crimes of organising workers against contractors. Today's Revenue Minister Mr. K.P. Rajendran is son of a leader of toddy tappers who himself was once made a minister. He, late Mr. K.P. Prabhakaran is the product of the agitations toddy workers led relentlessly during the pre-and-post independence period.

The height of the Toddy Tappers agitation is remembered as 'Kola Muri Samaram'. There were several tappers who did not want to take risk and join the struggle. These people united under the banner of Congress Party and their trade union. This rival union activists acted as agents of the Contractors and the Police. When the agitating communists decided to go on an indefinite strike, the Contractors were hurt by the financial losses in business they suffered. At that time, the opposing union members decided to manufacture more toddy and supplement to the loss suffered due to the non-working agitators.

It was then, the strikers decided to cut the flower-buds of coconut trees from which the agents of the contractors were producing toddy. During night time, simultaneously at several places the flower-buds of their trees were cut off. This was later called 'Kola Muri Samaram'.

Very cruel suppression with all the forces of Police and Govt. Administration supported by Courts of Law followed. House searches, illegal custodies, lock up tortures of all kinds and forms, jailing, atrocities on women - everything the government and the Contractors tried to defeat the strikers failed. Finally, they had to call the Communist leaders for negotiation.

The people in Anthikad area are mainly engaged in foreign employment in the Middle East, farming, trading and service sector. The number of toddy tappers, a traditional employment, got drastically reduced due to the collapse of the traditional industry. The farming, especially green house cultivation has become a passion for many including those returned from abroad. The land value is very high and real estate business is very lucrative business in the whole area of Thrissur Parliamentary constituency. Even though large area is under rice cultivation and coconut (the area is declared as Ramsar site), rice or coconut-based agro-industry is far away in neighboring Ernakulam, Malappuram and Palagaht districts. But dairy industry is developed like rural banking in cooperative sector since the 1960s. In short, the major source of income and cash flow is from foreign remittance, farming, dairy and service sector. The people belong to Hindu, Muslim and Christian religions and co-exist very peacefully. Due to the influence of materialism and rational thinking since the Indian Independent Movement, socially people are advanced with 100% literacy and computer literacy.

The Brahmin, Nair and Ezhava community is very strong here in the so-called furka and adjoining Manappuram, but they do not show any interest in organizing under any community. The society is very secular and the pagan God "Chathan" itself is a symbol of the unity among different castes or religions. It is believed that the Power or Energy of the pagan God "Chathan" was an ancient gift from a Brahmin family to certain Ezhava families.

General Hospital Anthikad or Community Health Center is situated in the Anthikad Grama Panchayat which is in the west part of Thrissur District and 15 kms to Thrissur town. This hospital is a refuge for the ordinary people of Anthikad, Kanjani, Peringottukara, Manalur areas. As this hospital is working as Government Hospital now it is upgraded to CHC.

• V.S. Sunil Kumar Minister
• Sathyan Anthikad- Malayalam Film Director and script Writer.
• V. M. Sudheeran-KPCC President
• K.P.Prabhakaran-Former minister, communist leader, freedom fighter and trade union leader
• K.P.Rajendran-Former Minister, Communist leader, national trade union leader and social activist

As of 2001 India census, Anthikad had a population of 9051 with 4204 males and 4847 females.[1]