The Kudakkallu Parambu located in Cheramanangad of Thrissur district is one such dolmen, that speaks volumes of how advanced the art and technology at the time was. It is a megalithic burial site that constitutes about 69 megalithic monuments, spread over a small area. Kerala has a rich megalithic culture with the remains of dolmens, cist burials, urn burials, umbrella stones and hood stones. The Kudakkallu Parambu is permeated with different types of burials, primarily the Thoppikkallu and Kudakkallu.
The “kudakallus” are burial sites in which sepulture was carried out during the iron age, where curvilinear blocks were installed on the ground with a hollow space in between. An umbrella-shaped block was kept on top. The structures resemble giant umbrellas. Kudakkallu literally translates to ‘Umbrella Stones’. In the case of “thoppikallu” (hood stone), the umbrella-shaped rock is placed on the ground. The Archaeological Survey of India has declared it as a centrally-protected monument. The megalithic burials are the predominant archaeological remains of the iron age. Buses are frequently available from Kunnamkulam to Thrissur.
