The name Kakkilaya is said to have been derived from the name of a place called KAKKOL. This place is in Muliyar village of Kasaragod Taluk.
The history of Kakkilayas is closely entwined with the history of the Shivalli Brahmins of this area. The earliest recorded history dates back to 4th Century A.D.
It is believed that Mayura Varma, the Kadamba King of 4th Century A.D., brought Kakkilayas, along with other Tulu Brahmins, from Ahi Kshetra and appointed them as Jannis (Temple Trustees) at Kakkol in Shreepadi village of Kasaragod. (At present, Kakkol is found in Muliyar village and Shreepadi is non-existing). A branch of this migrated from its original abode to Bevinje, located in the neighbouring village of Chengala. A new habitat was built on the Northern bank of river Payasvini, otherwise called river Chandragiri. Subrahmanya is believed to be the deity worshipped by the Kakkilayas when they were in Muliyar village, where an ancient Subramanya temple exists. The branch that migrated to Bevinje established a Subramanya temple at a place called Mayangara in Chengala village. To this day Kakkilayas are addressed by the Daivas as ‘Mayangara Devante Tantry ‘ , meaning devotees and worshippers of Mayangara Deva. The family prospered in its new habitat and acquired extensive landed properties in Chengala, Muliyar and in other villages of Kasaragod taluk. Another branch of the same original family is now called as Ballullayas of Muliyar. Even to this day Kakkilayas and Bullullayas do not inter-marry and both trace their origin to Athree, the great Indian Sage. Kakkilayas of Bevinje assume the role of the last outpost of Tulu Nadu. Payasvini or Chandragiri river is said to be the traditional boundary between the home land of the Malayalis and that of the Tuluvas.
Later in history, Kakkilayas of Bevinje along with Ballullayas, Kunikullayas, Irnirayas, Pejathayas, Kamadas etc. (8 families in all) were ministers and advisors of the Rajas of Kumbale who ruled over ‘Kumbale Seeme’. The domain of the Rajas of Kumbale was under the overlordship of Ikkeri Kingdom and Vijaya Nagara empire.
Although Chandragiri river was the cultural and linguistic line of divide between Tulu and Malayalam speaking people, the areas both to the north and to the south of that river were under the Kannada speaking rulers of Ikkeri and Vijayanagar. The area from Thalapady to Kaveri rivers, which comprised Kasaragod taluk under the British, was a single administrative unit called “Tulu 32 -cum- Malayala 32” land.
During the British regime, Kakkilayas of Bevinje were prominent and influential agricultural land holding family and they were hereditary ‘Patels’ or village officers of Chengala village.
