Thachil Matthoo Tharakan (1741–1814) played a key role in the history of Kerala/Travancore/Cochin in India towards the latter part of the 18th century and early 19th century. He was Commerce Minister to Dharma Raja and Balarama Varma, Maharajahs of Travancore. He was a prominent trader and was also a notable Syrian Christian leader of that era.
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Matthoo belonged to Alangad, near North Kuthiathode, in the present Paravur Taluk of Ernakulam District. He was born into a prosperous Syro-Malabar Christian family. His father was a "Karyasthan" (minister) of the King of Alangad (Alangad Karthavu), a native state which was later annexed by Travancore, another native state. Matthoo had a comfortable childhood. However, when his father died early, the fortune that he inherited made him a spend-thrift, and he squandered everything that he got. Taking to good ways later, he did business successfully, prospered again, and the friends that he made during that period later took him to great heights. His powerful friends included Captain Eustachius De Lannoy, the Dutch commander who became head of the Travancore Army. Through such friends, he got introduced to the Kings of Travancore and Cochin.
Matthoo Tharakan thus became a leading trader and influential Christian leader, from among the Syrian Christians of Kerala, India. The title 'tharakan' was granted by the King Dharma Raja of Travancore to indicate 'a noble trader'. Matthoo Tharakan was a merchant with monopoly of timber, spices, salt, and tobacco, and was reportedly the first timber exporter from Southern India. He helped Dewan Raja Kesavadas to built up the Alappuzha port. He controlled the exports from Alappuzha and Cochin ports.
Matthoo Tharakan was Commerce Minister to Dharma Raja and Maharajah Balarama Varma of Travancore. His best years were during the reign of Dharma Raja, when Raja Kesavadas was the Dewan. He loaned a large sum of money to the Kingdom to help fight its wars against Tipu Sultan.
Soon after Balarama Varma (who was then sixteen years old) was enthroned as Maharaja of Travancore, Raja Kesavadas was removed and Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri took charge as Dewan. Sankara Narayanan was the Finance minister and Matthoo Tharakan the Commerce Minister. They decided to collect large sums of money from the people for the treasury. This resulted in a revolt engineered by Velu Thampi. Maharaja Balarama Varma dismissed his Ministers and appointed Ayappan Chempaka Raman pillai as Dewan and Velu Thampi as commerce minister.
Later Velu Thampi was appointed as Dewan. Velu Thampi wreaked his vengeance on Mathoo Tharakan. Tharakan was arrested at Anchuthengu near Kollam and taken to Trivandrum, where his two ears were cut off. He was scourged and was put in prison.[1][2]. The other ministers also were severely punished. Velu Thampi ordered confiscation of Matthoo Tharakan's landholdings and assets alleging that he had to pay huge revenue arrears to the Government of Travancore. This order was later canceled by the British Resident Macaulay. Balarama Varma later repented the indiscriminate actions of Velu Thampi and symbolically gave Tharakan a golden ear. Velu Thampi's subsequent revolt against the British (without the sanction of the Maharaja) led to his defeat and suicide in 1809 in Mannadi Temple, Adoor.
Thachil Matthoo Tharakan made failed attempts to unify the Malankara Nazranis and Syrian Catholic factions to bring them under the umbrella of Catholicism. His efforts had the support of Mar Joseph Kariattil of the Syrian Catholics. He was actively involved in organizing the historic journey of Mar Joseph Kariattil and Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar to Rome in 1782 for representing before the Pope the grievances of the Syrian Catholics.[3]