Pakalomattom family

The Pakalomattam, Pakalomattum or Pakalomattom family is an ancient Suriyani (Syrian) Christian family in Kerala, India. Most Christian's in Kerala are known as Syrian Christians in view of the Syriac (classical form of Aramaic) liturgy used in church services since the early days of Christianity in India. They are also known as Nasrani (followers of Jesus the Nazarene).[1][2]

Statue of St. Thomas

History

According to tradition, St. Thomas, the apostle visited Kerala in AD 52, as part of his missionary work in Persia, India and Afghanistan.[3] It is believed that Pakalomattom family was evangelized by Thomas the Apostle.[4] There is no direct contemporary evidence for Thomas the Apostle being in the subcontinent, though it definitely would have been possible for a Roman Jew of the time to make such a trip. The earliest known source connecting the apostle to India is the Acts of Thomas, written in Edessa likely in the 2nd century.[4][5] The text describes Thomas' adventures in bringing Christianity to India, a tradition later expanded upon by early Indian sources such as the Thomma Parvam (Song of Thomas).[6][7] According to a Malabar tradition, he anointed and appointed elders to conduct worship from the Pakalomattom family.[8][9][10][11][12]

The legend

Palayoor was one of the places near the port of Muziris, where St. Thomas established a church. The place is referred as Palur in some old documents. At that time, according to tradition, Palayoor had a Brahmin village of families with strength of 64 adults. It is believed that in one of the temple ponds in Palayoor, St. Thomas performed a miracle. Some Nambudiri Brahmins were performing Vedic ritual called Tharpanam which means "That offering which satisfies" in which they devote Lord Sun by the symbolic submission of water in their palms along with Vedic recitation. St. Thomas was attracted to the ritual and queried about the act and challenged the logic of their submission since the water thrown above was not accepted and returned to earth. St. Thomas used this opportunity to present his subject before the present Brahmin community. St. Thomas threw water in the name of Jesus and it stood still in the air and glittered like diamond. By this magical experience, many Brahmins accepted Christianity while the other Brahmins cursed the place and left the place with their families saying that they would do their rituals from then on at Vembanattu.[13] Nedumpally, Madeipur, Koykkam, Muttodal, Pakalomattom, Panakkamattam, Sankarapuri, Kalli, Kallikav...etc. were among the families who were baptised in Palayoor. Most of these families were born out of sambandam, the change in religion gave them a different socioeconomic status with better prospects.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]

Historical and traditional facts

Even today the place is known as Sapa-kadu or Chavakadu which means "cursed forest". The place from where the unhappy Brahmins relocated from Palayur to Vembanattu out of fear of black magic. It is stated that a Hindu temple that was abandoned by the Brahmins was converted into the present church. Temple remnants in the form of broken idols, sculptures and relics of the old temple can also be seen near the precincts of the church, in addition to two large tanks near the west and east gates of the church.[23][24]

It is also stated that the conversion of Brahmins has resulted in such an aversion among the Nambudri Brahmins that they do not even accept cold water or tender coconut water anywhere in the vicinity of the church. In Vembanattu there is a Brahmin illam of Kalatt, which according to tradition is one of the families which left from Palayoor out of fear. This place is still called Pudumanassery or the "Place of the new Mana" (Illam).[25] Furthermore, a document called Grandavariola kept by a local Brahmin family (who had moved out from Palayur during the preaching) testifies to the date of the gospel work of St. Thomas. The document states:[26]

"Kali year 3153 (52 AD) the foreigner Thomas Sanyasi came to our village (gramam) preached there and thereby causing ..."

In many songs of "Margam Kali" - An art form of Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala, It is an ancient coordinated round group dance presented by women for entertainment and passing down information, a brief description of St. Thomas tradition is portrayed in it with exaggerations to make the song more interesting. A relevant part of such a song is translated below:

"He then heard about Kerala and went there, arriving at Malankara, preaching to the Brahmans of Cranganore and anointed two of them. Then he went south, erecting crosses at Quilon, Niranam, Kokkamangalam, Kottukkayal, Cayal and Palayoor. A Northern King sent for Thomas and inquired him of the completion of Castle's work. The King put him in prison when told he must wait till after his death to see the new palace, and was so mortified by the deception. However, his brother died at that night and saw the palace in heaven. He came back to life and told the King of its glory. The king, his brother and others were baptized, and the faith spread apace arousing the Brahmans"...[27]

During Tippu Sultan (1749–99) attacked Kerala most of the said marginal intermixed Christian brahmanic families runaway from Palayoor and relocated in fear. Men and Women of these families where forced to work at temples and at elite brahmins houses. Pakalomattom and Sankarapury include in this list.

Genealogical history

Some historians argue that the Brahmin's arrival in Kerala happened much later in the 6th century. Some argue that the Syrian Christians with vested interests fall for an Aryan upper caste status.Aryan religions like Jainism and Buddhism had already made inroads to Kerala in the 4th and 3rd centuries BC. The consensus among scholars is that the Aryan Brahmin immigration to South India had started as early as 1000 BC, though there are differences of opinion. Some of the poets of the Sangam period were Brahmins, and there are references to the poojas and yajnas conducted by Brahmin priests in the court of Chera kings.[28] But scientific studies with historical references points out that they are probably semitic in origin. This historical claim led to a research in the direction of DNA Analysis and tests by Dr. Mini Cariappa which suggests possibility of Jewish bloodlines intermixed with the ethnic community; the research was much scorned and method of analysis and sample group was considered as questionable and no follow up is done.

Traditions, stories and ballads points out that St. Thomas (or St. Bartholomew) had come to preach the Good News to Jewish settlements in Kerala. The Jews later intermarried with Brahmin and Nair communities and became Syrian Christian families with a distinct Judeo-Indian culture.

Conclusion

Thus Christianity gained a foothold in Kerala well over 300 years before it succeeded in obtaining official recognition in Europe, or in becoming the established religion of Rome. This community, though a minor one, was accepted in the social structure with a respectable orientation. The tolerance shown to this faith, found expression in the fraternal treatment extended to its adherents, who were guided and firmed to the emigre way of life and uplifted their socioeconomic life in Kerala. They succeeded in doing this because they were true Christian's in faith and in all else Indian in seed. There were no doubt in their staunch adherence for the new-found faith, and the heritage of the apostolic origin of the church. But their primary concern was to live in harmony and with jesus christ as their center of lives and incorporate the rich values of Christian faith to the welfare of the society.[29]

References

  1. Puthoor Family
  1. ↑ David Daniel (1986). The Orthodox Church of India: History. History of Christianity in India. (University of Michigan).
  2. ↑ Edgar Thurston. Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Google Product Search.
  3. ↑ Bayly, Susan Saints, Goddesses and Kings in South Indian Society Cambridge University Press 22 April 2004 ISBN 978-0-521-89103-5
  4. 1 2 Frykenberg, Eric (2008). Christianity in India: from Beginnings to the Present, p. 93. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-826377-5.
  5. ↑ Bornkamm, G. "The Acts of Thomas" in E. Hennecke, New Testament Apocrypha, Vol. 2. London: Lutterworth, 1965.
  6. ↑ Frykenberg, Eric (2008). Christianity in India: from Beginnings to the Present, p. 92. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-826377-5.
  7. ↑ "The Song of Thomas Ramban" in Menachery G (ed); (1998) "The Indian Church History Classics", Vol. I, The Nazranies, Ollur, 1998. [ISBN 81-87133-05-8]
  8. ↑ James Arampulickal (1994). The pastoral care of the Syro-Malabar Catholic migrants. Oriental Institute of Religious Studies, India Publications. p. 40.
  9. ↑ Orientalia christiana periodica: Commentaril de re orientali ...: Volumes 17-18. Pontificium Institutum Orientalium Studiorum. 1951. p. 233.
  10. ↑ Adrian Hastings (2000-08-15). A World History of Christianity. Wm. B. Eerdmans. p. 149. ISBN 978-0-8028-4875-8.
  11. ↑ Benedict Vadakkekara (2007). Origin of Christianity in India: a historiographical critique. Media House Delhi. p. 61. ISBN 978-81-7495-258-5.
  12. ↑ Benedict Vadakkekara (2007). Origin of Christianity in India: a historiographical critique. Media House Delhi. ISBN 978-81-7495-258-5.
  13. ↑ George Menachery and Edward René Hambye - The St. Thomas Christian encyclopaedia of India, Volume 2
  14. ↑ Anthony Korah Thomas (1993). The Christians of Kerala: a brief profile of all major churches. A.K. Thomas.
  15. ↑ Orientalia christiana periodica: Commentaril de re orientali aetatis christianae sacra et profana, Volumes 17-18
  16. ↑ Pontificium Institutum Orientalium Studiorum (1951). Orientalia christiana periodica: Commentaril de re orientali aetatis christianae sacra et profana. Pont. institutum orientalium studiorum.
  17. ↑ ":: Aruvithura Plathottam Family ::". plathottam.net.
  18. ↑ "PALAYOOR CHURCH of ST. THOMAS Thrissur Kerala India". angelfire.com.
  19. ↑ Kerala History - Christians of Kerala
  20. ↑ Castes and tribes of Southern India, Volume 1 By Edgar Thurston, K. Rangachari
  21. ↑ Balakrishna N. Nair: The dynamic Brahmin: a study of the Brahmin's personality in Indian culture with special reference to South India ; Popular Book Depot, 1959 - Page 228
  22. ↑ Joseph Thekkedath: History of Christianity in India, Volume 1; Theological Publications in India, 1982 - Page 33
  23. ↑ Bezbaruah-Gopal-Girota 2003, pp. 60-62.
  24. ↑ Church 1969, p. 93
  25. ↑ "Origin of Christianity in India". google.co.in.
  26. ↑ "PALAYUR CHURCH, CHAVAKKAD". thrissurkerala.com.
  27. ↑ "Margam Kali – History, Text, Lyrics, Theme, Early Reference and Modern Developments". Nasranis.
  28. ↑ A. Sreedhara Menon - Political history of modern Kerala, D C Books, 1987, pp. 36 -39, ISBN 81-264-2156-8
  29. ↑ "The Heathen and the Syrian - Syrian Christian Ritual and Tradition pre 1599 A.D. Nasranis". Nasranis.

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