Question:medium

According to extracts from Fra Paolino Da Bartolomeo's "Voyages to the East Indies", in malabar, when the pupils have made tolerable progress in writing, they are admitted into certain schools, are called -

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When dealing with historical travelogues, be aware of phonetic spellings. European travelers often wrote down Indian names and terms as they sounded to them, leading to variations like 'Eutupalli' for 'Ezhuthupalli'.
Updated On: Jan 16, 2026
  • Granthavari
  • Lakya
  • Eutupalli
  • Nuddeah
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Conceptualization:
The query seeks the designation of a Malabar (Kerala) educational institution, as documented by the 18th-century Austrian Carmelite missionary Fra Paolino Da Bartolomeo. The correct designation must be selected from the provided choices.
Step 2: Elucidation:
Fra Paolino's scholarly contributions offer significant European perspectives on 18th-century Kerala societal practices. This query pertains to the indigenous educational framework.
Traditional primary educational establishments in Kerala (and Tamil Nadu) were designated as Ezhuthupalli. In the Malayalam vernacular, 'Ezhuthu' signifies writing, and 'Palli' denotes a school or an academic venue. These institutions served as the foundational centers where young pupils acquired rudimentary literacy and numeracy skills.
The term Eutupalli among the options represents a direct phonetic transcription or a variant orthography of Ezhuthupalli, likely as perceived and recorded by a European observer.
An analysis of the alternative options is as follows:
1. Granthavari: Denotes a 'chronicle' or 'archive,' referring to compilations of palm-leaf manuscripts rather than an educational institution.
2. Lakya: This term is not recognized as a designation for a school within this specific historical or geographical context.
4. Nuddeah (Nadia/Nabadwip): This historically significant and ancient hub of advanced scholarship, particularly in logic and philosophy, was situated in Bengal, not Malabar.
Step 3: Conclusion:
Considering the linguistic and historical evidence, "Eutupalli" is identified as the accurate appellation for the educational institutions in question. Consequently, option (3) is deemed the correct response.
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