ALAPPUZHA: More than 150 years after his death, Kerala’s legendary outlaw Kayamkulam Kochunni often compared to Robin Hood has finally received a memorial in his hometown. A lakeside auditorium in Kayamkulam has now been officially named the Kayamkulam Kochunni Memorial Auditorium, marking the first formal recognition of the folk hero.

Kochunni is remembered for stealing from the rich and helping the poor. He became a symbol of resistance against feudal landlords in 19th-century Kerala. Though he has long been celebrated in songs, ballads and folklore, there had been no public tribute to him until now.

The auditorium’s renovation was funded with Rs 65 lakh from the local development fund of Kayamkulam MLA U. Prathibha.

“The decision to name the renovated auditorium after Kochunni was met with wide public support, especially from those who feel his legacy deserves recognition beyond legend and stories,” Prathibha told TNIE.

Kochunni was known for his skills in disguise, martial arts and black magic, which made it hard for authorities to catch him. He was eventually captured through deceit and died in prison in 1859 at the age of 41. Local legend says he was buried at Pettah Juma Masjid in Thiruvananthapuram. Interestingly, it is also believed that a deity worshipped at the Edappara Maladevar Temple near Kozhencherry, a Hindu temple, represents Kochunni, a Muslim, showing how deeply he was respected across communities.