CHATTAMPI SWAMI'S BRAHMIN GURU

Subbajatapadikal Lived in Kalladaikurichi

We live in an era in which several historians and pseudo secularists invent a non-existent Brahmin monopolization of knowledge, and attack it incessantly. The fact is the majority of the well-known monks including Swami Vivekananda and Aurobindo are not brahmins. In Kerala, two towering figures, Chattampi Swamikal and Narayana Guru were not brahmins.

But Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, who carved out a Vivekananda was a poor brahmin. In India, for a person who seeks knowledge intensely, knowledge was not far away. In Mahabharata, there is an instance where Viswamitra learns Vedanta from a Chandala or Dalit. Viswamitra, incidentally, was not a brahmin. There is even a Vyadha Gita, Gita of the Butcher, in Mahabharata. It is deeper than even the Bhagavat Gita.

Narayana Guru went to Ramanashram at Thiruvannamalai, met Ramana Maharshi got overjoyed and wrote Nirvrithi Panchakam. One becomes a monk, surpassing the frontiers of caste and creed. Hence, Ramana Maharshi, who was born a Tamil brahmin, is not a brahmin at all before a saint like Narayana Guru. Advaita, the basic philosophy of India, speaks against casteism. Hence Sankaracharya wrote, Maneesha Panchakam. A Dalit taught him the essence of Advaita in Kashi.

I began visiting Kalladaikurichi a few years ago after I learned our family deity is Maragathavally Amman at the Kasinatha Temple there. While I am there, I remember Chattampi Swamikal, since his guru, Subba Jatapadikal, lived in Kalladaikurichi. Subbajata Padikal,a Tamil Brahmin, was a vedic scholar.

That he taught Chattampi Swamikal Vedanta is there in the biography of Swamikal by Justice K Bhaskara Pillai.

According to the Census of 1951, Nairs can scarcely be called a community though they are generally classed as Sudra, the fourth and lowest in the rank of the caste system of Hinduism. They got trained in martial arts and formed the army of the rulers of Kerala in early times but by the Middle Ages, they had already become subservient to the Nampoothiri Brahmins into whose hands most of the land had gone. Thus the Naits often became tenants and vassals of the Nampoothiris. A free mingling of the sexes -due to poverty prevalent in the past - and their expensive obligations and ceremonies, their land holdings were small and they were left with only a little cultivation. They felt it was below their dignity to do manual work themselves, they depended for the cultivation of their fields on their tenants.

Guru, Chattampi, Neelakanta Theerthapadar, before Chattampi's Samadhi

For reasons of prestige few Nairs took an active part m industries, trade or commerce, and so they were bypassed by the modern economic development which brought so much wealth to the more progressive classes of India. In this situation, the whole Nair caste in Kerala was in danger of being reduced to a backward community. Fortunately, some very gifted community leaders arose at this time who guided the Nair caste back into prominence Towards the end of the nineteenth century even the Hindu faith had begun to lose its grip on large sections of the population This rigours of the caste system, and other social disabilities which held down large sections of the Hindu population in semi-slavery had led to mass conversions of large numbers to other faiths, particularly, Christianity.

Among the Nairs, it was Chattampi Swamikal who roused them from stagnation, aptly initiating certain religious and social reforms among his community. He rendered great service to the cause of Hindu religion and society, mainly through his social and humanitarian work. At the same time, he was intensely religious and rebellious against Brahminical predominance. He wrote Pracheena Keralam, in which he theorised that the Namputhiris are basically fishermen and their sacred thread is nothing but the fishing thread on the fishing rod.

Kunjan Pillai (which was the original name of Chattampi Swamikal before he became a monk), was born m 1853 in the Ullurkott family, Kolloor, four miles to the north of Trivandrum city. His father was a Namputhiri Brahmin, Thamarassery Vasudeva Sharma from Mavelikara. His mother Nanga Pillai from Kannammoola was a Nair by caste. According to the matriarchal system prevalent in those limes m Kerala among Nairs, Kunjan Pillai became a Nair, taking his mother’s caste. Sharma was jobless. Nanga's family was so poor that although his relatives were clearly aware of the extraordinary talents of the child, they could not afford to give him a sufficient education. Nanga had two other children:Velukutty and Nani.

Owing to the great poverty of his relatives Kunjan had to contribute to the family income at a very early age by collecting flowers in the neighbouring hilly places for the Brahmin ladies who needed them for the temple service. He also collected vegetables. He had no means for proper schooling but he learned to read and write in Malayalam and Tamil from boys of his own age who attended a school nearby His memory was so prodigious that he learned Sanskrit simply by overhearing what was taught m the classes conducted in a Brahmin house.

The teacher one day discovered the little eavesdropper and made a test on his learning. To his surprise he discovered that the boy had mastered all that he had been taught in class, he consequently allowed Kunjan to attend the class without taking any fee from him. Kunjan showed such remarkable talents for learning that at the age of sixteen he was taken to the school of Raman Pillai in Petta. This Raman Pillai was a famous teacher in southern Kerala and the education that he imparted to his pupils was not merely intellectual but practical and adapted to the talents of the students. Raman Pillai soon appointed Kunjan monitor (Chattampi) of his pupils. It was then that Kunjan acquired the name Cliattampi which he was known ever afterwards.

The youth was highly appreciated by all not only for his wonderful capacity for acquiring knowledge but for his remarkable talents m teaching. It was noticed in those days that Chattampi frequently absented himself from school at night. The pupils soon found out that Chattampi was visiting a nearby Bhadrakali temple where he sat for hours lost m meditation. The teacher was highly pleased about the monitor’s love for the Devi and the pupils respected him the more for it.

At this time caste consciousness was very strong in Kerala. It was unthinkable, for instance, that a Nair would go to an Ezhava family and dine with them. Chattampi, however, was convinced that all distinctions of caste and class were man-made and against the divine law. To him, the basic equality of all men was clearly taught in the sacred scriptures of Hinduism. His sharp intellect penetrated the most difficult objects of every science. His memory was so profound. He went to the houses of his Ezhava classmates. He had food with them, he slept in their houses. But he remained a vegetarian and teetotaler. He was a daily visitor at the house of Dr P Palpu. Palpu's elder brother Parameswaran was an important player in Chattampi's gang. Nair's called him, Thottu thinnu nadakunna Thendi-the scoundrel who roams around with the untouchables. Chattampi was adept in sports as well. He was quite proficient m Indian music, played Ganjira at bhajans and mastered without a teacher, the mudras of Kathakali. He became an accomplished painter.

Adhivaraha Perumal Temple, Kalladaikurichi

But his mind was restless despite all his achievements. He was searching for a deeper meaning in his life. For this reason, he began to read Ezhuthachan's Ramayanam and the Mahabharatham and study the Advaita doctrine in the original texts. He read Kaivalya Navaneetham, a Tamil scared text repeatedly. He decided that he needed the guidance of a guru (teacher) to introduce him to the mysteries of Hindu spirituality. They were too deep to be grasped without a spiritual guide. In his search for a guru, he found a sanyasi (monk) in the yard of the temple at Kolloor. The sanyasi taught him a mantra (Balasubramanya mantra — a sacred formula) and went his way. After meditation on this mantra — replete with spiritual power, Chattampi felt his spirits rising and his vitality returning. He even began to cure diseases by anointing the sick with bhasma (sacred ash) and exorcising the possessed.

He wanted to take up the life of a sannyasin, however, the debts he had incurred and the obligation of supporting his mother prevented him from it. Kunjan found it difficult to earn a living. He began to work as an earner of bricks and mud for building construction, which enabled him to support his mother, but soon he found this manual work too heavy and had to give it up. For many days he served as a labourer carrying building materials for the construction of the Government Secretariat building in Trivandrum. For some time he worked as a document writer and also as an advocate's clerk. He stood first in a test for clerical posts in Government Secretariat Trivandrum conducted by Sir T Madhava Rao the then Divan of Travancore State. But he left the service after a short while as it curtailed his freedom and prevented his wanderings for spiritual exploitations and research.

He returned home and in 1875, at the age of twenty-one, secured a job in the Registrar’s office at Neyyattinkara. Nor did this job satisfy him. He returned to Trivandrum and Dewan T Madhava Rao appointed him as a government accountant, at a monthly salary of Rs 4 but was given Rs 10 assessing his brilliance. He returned the six rupees, saying it is beyond his salary and he doesn't deserve it. Though his poverty was extreme he would not accept a rise in salary, as he wanted no earthly goods for himself. Soon he gave up this job also and joined an association, called Jnanaprajagaram, started by Raman Pillai, which gave asylum to seekers of wisdom and students of religion. He also could learn Tamil from Swaminatha Desikar and philosophy from Professor Manonmaniyam Sundaram Pillai during his participation in Jnanaprajagaram. Thycaut Ayyavu, Manager at Residency was part of the group and he taught the primers of Vedanta and Yoga. He learned wrestling from Tamil books.

Chattampi, 40 days before samadhi

Since the Vedanta texts in Tamil were ancient, he had to acquire knowledge of ancient Tamil grammar. Chattampi approached Swaminatha Desikar, a Tamil Brahmin, who was the Tamil Teacher at Trivandrum College. He used to attend some sessions of the Jnanaprajagaram. Desikar agreed to the request. Chattampi reached Desikar's home every day and learned Tamil grammar. He learned science, Purana and Vedanta books in Tamil. Chattampi got the feeling that Tamil is the quintessential language of all wisdom in the world.He read Kambar, Thirukkural, Pattanathu Pillayar, and Nakkeerar.He got drowned in the Tamil spiritual poetry. He wished for a knowledge pilgrimage across Tamil Nadu.

He also studied English books on philosophy with the help of others. While at Jnanaprajagaram, he studied the ancient works of the Vedanta written in Tamil. His love for Dravidian culture and spirituality increased so much tint he decided to go to Tamil Nadu for further studies. Meeting Subba Jatapadikal, a Tamil Brahmin, was a turning point.

In one of the Philosophical Conferences organised annually by the Travancore Kings at the Palace complex adjacent to Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple Kunjan Pillai met Subba Jatapadikal from Kalladaikurichin in Southern Tamil Nadu; a renowned teacher well versed in Tarka, Vyakarana, Mimasa, and Vedanta. He had come for the Navarathri Scholars meet. Chattampi went along with Swaminatha Desikar and waited on the sidelines of the dais and met Jatapadikal. Desikar introduced Chattampi. Both were impressed by the other and Kunjan's wish to learn at Kalladaikurichin under him was granted. He invited Chattampi to his home in Kalladaikurichi.

Kalladaikurichi is a town on the right bank of the Thamiraparani river in Ambasamudram Taluk of Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. any Indian rural town, this town too is steeped in tradition and is rich in heritage, but struggling to hold on to its past glories. Here the modern co-exist peacefully with the bullock carts and rickshaws of yesteryears.

Kallidaikurichi's Hindu shrines are of ancient temple architecture style, having high-rise gopurams (ornamental gateways of temples) with sculptures that herald the past glory of this region. Muthuswami Dikshitar, the great Carnatic composer, whose songs abound with geographic and iconographic references, sings of the curative properties of the river Thamiraparani. To him, the Goddess at Tirunelveli is Hima-saila-sutaa (daughter of the mountain snow) and Suddha Thamraparni tatha sthitha.Vishnu is Bhangahara thamraparni Theerastha. The local language is Tamil. Adivaraha Perumal temple represents the principal deity in present-day Kalladaikurichi. Dikshitar has sung a song, Sri Lakshmi Varaham in the raga Abhogi, on the Aadhivaraga Moorthy Swamy. Dikshitar settled in the nearby village Ettayapuram in 1835.

Kothai Adithya Varma the Venad King who ruled during 1469-1484 resided in Kalladaikurichi. The Adhivaraha Perumal Temple was rebuilt by him, retaining the original structure by Kandan Keralan of Kurukenikkollam ( Quilon ) of Malaimandalam ( Kerala ). The King's figure is engraved in the parikrama and the deity is called Aditya Varmeswara. Vishnu is called Veerakerala Perumal, and Parvathi is Nila Sjundari Nachiyar. Krishna is Veerakerala Pillayar. Saivites later removed images of Vishnu and Krishna, but these names remain as inscriptions. 

The Thamiraparni river flows through Kallidaikurichi. Originating from the Pothigai nearby, it flows down to the Bay of Bengal after travelling for about 125 kilometres. In the hills are several waterfalls, such as Courtallam Falls, Banatheertham Falls, Agasthiar Falls, and Manimuthar Falls.

Kalladaikurichi is on the border between the Pandya and the Chera countries of the past. The road, either from the south via Nagarcoil or from the north via Shencottai takes about 164.4 km. A determined and sturdy person can easily climb the bridle paths and move between hills, without undue exertion. The boundary between the Pandya and Chera Kings was subject to frequent changes, this way or that way, depending on who felt the more powerful between the two of them, at any point in time. At times the Pandyas drove deep into Kerala and reached up to Kanetti near Karunagapally. At other times the Cheras went up to Madurai and beyond. At one point the Cheras held in their hands entire south India, for a tantalizing brief period of five years. Kalladaikurichi got accustomed to these changes to her fortune and readily absorbed the characteristics of both streams of culture and language.

Subba Jatapadikal was known as Subbajata Vallabhar in Kalladaikurichi,the town on the banks of the Thamraparni river.His ancestral family had come from Andhra to be the priests of the Tamil Bramins there and they began staying at Koottikkal street. It became the reputed headquarters of the Vedanta scholars in South India. They taught inquisitive students Veda, Vedanta, logic and grammar. None could beat Jatavallabhar in these, in Tamil Nadu. His home was a meeting place of scholars from various parts and the atmosphere was replete with scientific dialogues." Chattampi got knowledge of all sastras in Sanskrit and Tamil from here", Justice Bhaskara Pillai records, "It is the iron that sharpens the iron".

Subbajata Padikal was an expert in chanting Vedic hymns. The suffix Jatapadi was derived from his expertise in chanting Jata Padam, one of the four ways of chanting Vedic hymns.

He used to chair scholarly discussions during Navarathri. Being the guest of the royal family, he stayed inside the palace complex in the Fort.

Jatapadikal had no children.Chattampi became close to him like a son. In Sadguru Sarvaswam, a disciple of Chattampi described that relationship thus:

In the days of childhood and youth of the great sage

Profound scholars from different spheres of knowledge

The enlightened souls who understood his greatness

Like Subbajatapadikal adorned the position of his gurus.

Chattampi spent long hours at Thiruvaduthurai Madam reading ancient texts on Saivism. Unfortunately, he failed to systematically preserve documents in later life.

Chattampi spent almost four years learning under Subba Jatapadikal. There he acquired deep and extensive mastery of all sastras in Tamil and Sanskrit. He also learned Siddha medicine, music, and martial arts. During this period he was greatly influenced by the works of Kodakanallur Sundara Swamikal, a great Advaitin. He later translated his work Nijananda Vilasam containing the cream of Vedanta into simple Malayalam to guide spiritual aspirants.

At Kalladaikurichi,near Ambasamudram, Subbajatapadikal guidcd him in Vedas and Upanishads.He learned to play classical instruments. The learning laid the foundation for Chattampi's future prospects. Close to Jatapadikal's home, a yogi was living in deep meditation. He too blessed Chattampi.

After completing his studies under Subba Jatapadikal he spent long periods of learning under a Christian priest. In a secluded church in Southern Tamil Nadu assisting the priest, he learned Christian meditation and learned Christian Religion and philosophy. Later he lived with an old Muslim well versed in the Qur'an and Sufi mysticism who taught him the main tenet of Islam. Kunjan acquired proficiency in reading Qur'an. Leaving him he wandered for months with many avadutas in Southern Tamil Nadu and also travelled all over India. These days revealed to him that the basic concepts of all religions are the same.

At the end of his wanderings and quest, Kunjan Pillai was led to self-realisation by an avaduta whom he met at a wayside in Vadaveeswaram a village in Tamil Nadu with whom he lived for many months in the forests without any contact with the outside world. It is believed that this avaduta belonged to the line of immortal masters of Southern India; the Siddhas who knew the scientific art of realising God. He returned to Kerala as a great scholar and saint.

In 1882, at the Aniyoor Temple near Vamanapuram, Swamikal met Nanu Asan, later known as Narayana Guru. Asan was three years younger than Swamikal and in search of spiritual guidance. By then Swamikal was well-versed in yoga and spiritual matters and their meeting proved to be the start of a profound and cherished companionship, although the two were of different temperaments. In those days Nanu Asan was a soft-spoken introvert and Swamikal was an outspoken extrovert. They lived and travelled for many months together. Swami introduced Asan to all arts and sciences he had mastered and also gave him the Balasubrahmanya mantra. These were the formative years of Asan, who later became a social reformer. Later Swamikal took Asan to his guru, Ayyavu Swamikal. After completing Asan's studies under Ayyavu Swamikal the men left him and wandered together in southern Tamil Nadu where they met many scholars. They would have together met Subbajata Padikal since Narayana Guru's poems contain the essence of Advaita.

Guru Visited Chattampi before Samadhi

Chattampi Swamikal wrote many guides and commentaries on Vedanta for the common man. Notable among them is Advaita Chinthapaddhathi (1949), an introductory manual on practical Advaita. written in simple language to enable ordinary people without knowledge of Sanskrit to learn Vedanta. The book describes the trigunas, trimurthees, jivatmas, panchabutas, sukshma, sthula, sarirotpatti, dasagunas, prapancholpatti, Tatvamasi, and related Vedic concepts. His Vedadikara Nirupanam is considered one of his greatest works. It refuted the baseless customs and rules that existed in Kerala. For the first time in the region's history, the work questioned the monopolisation of Vedas, sciences and education by a minority. Pracheena Malayalam also aimed at awakening the mind of the people of the region divided by various complexes to a collective sense of 'We'. Convictions of common origin and belief in a common ancestry were indispensable for the development of a collective mindset. Swami explored the roots of Kerala society and original inhabitants, and sociologically and genealogically connected most of the present groups in Kerala including the priestly class to common ancestors who were the original inhabitants known as the Nakas.

Swamikal settled down at Panmana, a village in the Kollam district, towards the end of his life. He attained samadhi on 5 May 1924 after a short illness during which he objected to taking any medicine.

Narayana Guru practised austere Jnana and Yoga under Swamikal during this period. It was with Chattampi Swamikal that Asan made his first trip to Maruthuvamalai, and later to Aruvippuram, which was chosen as his abode for meditation and spiritual activities and which was where he was led to self-realisation. It was after this that he was known as Narayana Guru. Swamikal did not stay there for long, although the two maintained lifelong contact, respect and regard for each other. The poem Narayana Guru composed when he came to know of Swami's samadhi was the only offering he gave to any person and it reveals how he considered Swamikal to be a realised soul.

Both Chattampi and Narayana Guru had another common Guru in Thycaud Ayyavu Swamikal. Thycaud Ayyavu Swamikal (1814 – 1909), also known as Sadananda Swami, was a spiritualist and a social reformer, the first to break customs related to caste in Kerala when caste restrictions and untouchability were at their extreme.

Thycaud Ayya Swami

Ayyavu Swamikal was born in 1814 in Nakalapuram in Tamil Nadu. His original name was Subharayan. His parents were Mutthukumaran and Rukmini Ammal. His father and grandfather Sri Hrishikesan were scholars and experts in yoga and spiritual sciences.

At the age of twelve, Subharayan received spiritual initiation from two Tamil Saints, Sachidananda Maharaj and Sri Chitti Paradeshi who used to visit his father. They told his family that his life has a specific assignment, that he is destined to serve humanity in another place and that when it is time they would come and take him to mould him to fulfil his duty. These avadutas are said to be connected to great Siddhas from Tamil Nadu living in the Himalayas who knew the science of immortality. When he was 16, the two Siddhas took him with them to Palani where he learned advanced yoga. He travelled with them to Burma, Singapore, Penang and Africa. With them, he met teachers of many religions and saints. Subbarayan mastered English during his stay and travelled with them. He also acquired proficiency in English, Siddha medicine and alchemy during his wanderings with the Siddhas.

At the age of nineteen, he was sent back home with instructions to look after his parents and brethren. At home he continued worshipping Goddess and yogic practices, often entering the state of Samadhi. His biographers and disciples state that by this time he had acquired the Ashtasiddhies or divine powers including that of astral travel. Occasionally he visited Pazhani, Chennai and other religious places as part of pilgrimages for participating in scholarly discussions going on there. He also started writing and composed 'Brahmothara Khandam' and 'Pazani Vaibhavam'. At the age of 27, as suggested by his gurus he visited Kodungalloor Devi Temple in Kerala. It is said that his devotion was so deep and his prayers were so strong that when he recited the kirtans the temple bells rang by themselves and the doors opened to give him darshan.

 He went to Trivandrum during the period of Swathi Tirunal Maharaja. The king came to know of his scholarship and expertise in Sivaraja Yoga and invited him to the palace and also learned many things from him. One day while a family gathering related to marriage was going on at the house where he stayed a very old lean woman told him that someone will be coming to meet him from his village and asked him to go to the traveller's shed nearby on that night. The Goddess gave darshan to him at that travellers' shed that night. Later Thycaud Devi Temple was constructed at this site. Before long he went back to Tamil Nadu.

Within a few months, his father left for Kasi. The whole responsibility for the family fell on his shoulders and he started a business to support his family. Following the direction of his guru, Subbarayan got married. He used to deliver spiritual discourses in Chennai. As part of his business, he was supplying goods to a military camp in Chennai, where he came in contact with a British official Atholl MacGregor.

MacGregor became fond of this English-speaking Tamil villager and established a friendship with him. He was interested in Indian religion, language and culture and he became his student. During the reign of Maharaja Ayillyam Thirunal, Atholl MacGregor became the Resident of Travancore. When the selection of a manager for Residency came he appointed him as the Manager of his Residency in Thycaud in 1873. It was MacGregor who prepared a list of birds for Logan's Malabar Manual, based on Jerdon's Birds of India.

As this post was one of the senior-most offices that the British allowed to natives, people respectfully called him 'Superintend Ayyavu'. The term 'Ayyavu' means a respectable or venerable person. Gradually when people understood his yogic powers and scholarship the name changed from Superintend Ayyavu to Ayyavu Swami. Swami kept strict discipline at work and was extremely punctual.

A Page of Pracheena Malayalam

Ayyavu Swamikal visited Vaikunda Swami of Nagarcoil and also the famous Maruthwamalai where he sat in meditation for days. At his residence, he spent most of his time in meditation and in initiating and instructing his disciples in spiritual practices. Ayyavu used to deliver lectures on Bhakti, Yoga and Vedanta in Jnanaprjagaram; where the leading literary, social and spiritual personalities in and around Trivandrum used to assemble discuss and deliver lectures and discourses. He in association with Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai founded the Saiva Prakasha Sabha of Trivandrum.

He already knew that he had to permanently withdraw from this objective world and enter into Samadhi on that day. When the King knew about his approaching Samadhi he wanted to provide a place for Samadhi near the palace and construct a temple there. But Ayyavu insisted that his Samadhi should be in the Thycaud cremation ground and should be a very simple and small structure. Ayyavu Swami attained Samadhi on 20 July 1909. A Shivalinga was installed over the Samadhi site of Ayyavu Swami in Thycaud in 1943. This temple was improved under the patronage of Sri Chithira Thirunal Maharaja the last king of Travancore. This is now known as Thycaud Siva Temple.

When Ayya Vaikundar (1833–c.1851 )s a 19th-century social reformer and iconoclast who worked for the upliftment of downtrodden people in the Kingdom of Travancore, was arrested by Swati Thirunal, he was released by the King, on the advice of Thycaud Ayya who was the Guru of Swathi Thirunal Maharaj and a disciple of Vaikundar as well. Vaikundar made some controversial statements like mentioning the Travancore king as the ‘Devil in Ananthapuri’ and the British rule as the ‘Rule of White Devils’. Against the background of the growing popularity of Vaikundar and the convergence of people around him in multitudes, a complaint was lodged against him with the king of Travancore. The Travancore king Swati Thirunal arrested Vaikundar in 1838 and imprisoned him at Singarathoppu jail. After 110 days of imprisonment, on March 26, 1839, he was released.

© Ramachandran 

THE FIRST HOSPITAL IN KERALA

It was in Thalassery,by J L Oakes

John Laverock Oakes ,Master Attendant at the Thalassery Factory of the British East India Company,was the person behind the first hospital in Malabar.It was founded in 1819,the first in Kerala.Both Travancore and Cchin had only dispensaries then,one each.

Dr. Proven was the first person appointed as the physician of the royal palace in Travancore at Quilon (Kollam) and Dr. James Rose was appointed as the deputy physician at the palace. Rani Parvathi Bai (1814 – 1829), established a charity dispensary at Thycaud in 1816 where the jail convicts were treated first.Ernakulam General Hospital was founded by the King of the Kochi princely state in 1848.The first attempt to introduce modern medicine was made in Cochin in 1818 by a missionary,Rev J Dawson,who opened a dispensary in Mattancherry.

Rev Francis Spring, Chaplain of the British East India Company, who was based at Thalasserry, had translated the Bible from Sanskrit to Malayalam with the help of regional language scholars by 1822. The Sanskrit translation of the Bible had already partially taken shape as far as 1808 and the full version appeared ten years later. But Spring’s translation into Malayalam never saw the light of day.

Spring was part of the team that established the first school in Pallikkunnu,Thalassery on 25 June 1817,along with Parson John Laverock Oakes,
Edbert ( Canara ),and the Magistrate Thomas Harvey Baber,who was instrumental in the fall of the Pazhassi Raja.

The first schoolmaster was a Portuguese called John Baptist or Bapiste, a “native catechist,” who had four native assistants.Spring left for England in 1824.It was taken over by the CMS that year.In 1824, it contained 59 children of various castes and classes.Spring was able to take over control of the school to a greater extent in the years after 1820; it began to try to convert pupils to Christianity. John L. Oakes died in about 1819, leaving Rs 20,000 of his own fortune for the relief of the poor of Thalassery.This was the capital for the hospital.

Spring wrote about Thalassery:

“Something is almost daily occurring to animate us in our course. Here, flashes of heavenly light are continually gleaming through the darkening atmosphere. I hear that there is, on every side, a readiness amongst great numbers to receive the tidings of the Gospel.”

A hospital in Thalassery was opened in 1819,which grew out of Oakes' work.

John Oakes monument,St Johns Church,Kannur

John Oakes was in the forefront of the humanitarian efforts in Thalassery; he had begun these relief efforts from his own resources. He went out into the settlements  of Thalassery where the poor came to live, fed and nursed many of them himself. His efforts attracted the attention of the other Europeans, who contributed towards not just a school but a public hospital as well.

An excerpt from the will of the late J. H. Oakes:

"After the legacies shall have been paid, I then bequeath the sum of Rupees Twenty Thousand in Company’s paper, or to be invested in that paper, should I not then possess any, as a fund for the poor of this place, the annual interest of which to go to the purchase of rice to be served out weekly: perhaps the disposal had better be placed in the hands of the Portuguese Church Wardens with the Padre at the head: no preference of cash in distributing the rice, poor of all descriptions equally included. No part of the funds at any time to be diverted to building or church affairs, but purely to Charity. The Clergyman of the Church of England, resident at this station being requested, and hereby authorized to demand yearly account of the managers of this expenditure shall should the disposal be placed as above suggested. Should, however, the Chaplain think any better plan could be adopted of ensuring a more faithful discharge of this trust, he is at liberty so to adopt it. I must request of Mr. Spring whether he executes to my estate, or not, that he will, at least, put this part of my will into execution that relates to the funds for the poor; that he will address the Government intimating the sum wished to be invested in Company’s paper to form a fund for the relief of the poor at Tellicherry, requesting it may be received into the Company’s treasury and continued there on the same terms, and under the same protection other charitable purposes meet at their hands, the interest to be transmitted, as it becomes due, to one of their servants at Tellicherry, and by him made over to those with whom the contribution is intrusted, and thus for ever."

Koduvally School,Kannur

Francis Spring, in his report to Fort St George,enclosed the following account of the first six months of operations of the new Thalassery Hospital:

Association for the relief of the Poor of Tellicherry Report 1818 – 19.

"The Superintendent of your association for the relief of the poor of this place in presenting the report of proceedings for 1818-19, meets the Society with mingled feelings of satisfaction and sorrow.

"He has much grounds for rejoicing in the prosperity of the Society’s funds; in the reliefs afforded to the really distressed; in the general improvement of the executive department; and, last, though not least, in the establishment of a Hospital for the cure of the diseased.

"But he has much cause for regret when he reflects upon the loss, which the association has sustained in the death of one of its undaunted patrons and finest supporters. Liberal as was the sum which he annually subscribed in support of the fund, it is the active part which he took in the Society’s proceedings, that must especially call for the feelings of regret at his sudden and premature departure.

"Like another Howard and scarcely on a smaller scale, he visited the habitations of the destitute, and prevented the abuse of his charity by personal examination of the old and the sick, the lame and the blind. Thus was he better enabled, and it need not be said that he did so, with the greatest readiness to co-operate with your superintendent in discriminating, from amongst the numerous applications, the proper proportion to be afforded to each. His own humane heart always suggested a due liberality; his sense of the necessity of distributing judiciously, that every one might have a little, with held him from profusion. Like another Howard too he fell, speaking after the manner of men, a victim to his benevolent exertions. His tender constitution, probably so rendered by the sparing manner in which he lived in order to give more abundantly to the poor, was ill [entated?] to resist that dire disease, which hath, alas, with him, cut off so rising a flower of our country.

"The association will not consider this tribute of respect to a departed member as irrelevant to the object of this report, or unconnected with its future proceedings, when they learn that he has bequeathed no less a sum than 20,000 Rupees in the Honourable Company’s paper, the annual interest of which is to be applied to the purchase of rice for the relief of the poor of this place for ever. Your Superintendent would now proceed to specify what has been done during the past year; and first with regard to the funds. At the close of the preceding year, there remained in the Trustees Funds a balance of Rupees 817.1.16. The last year has produced donations and subscriptions, and some small arrears paid up, the sum of Rs. 2111.2.80. making a total of rupees 2,928,3,96. From this sum have been expended in the purchase of rice Rupees 2201, 0, 20; for a writer and sundry expenses Rupees 115, 2, 40; on account of the hospital, of which a detail will be subjoined, Rupees 55, 3, 71, making a total of Rupees 2372,2,31, which, subtracted from the receipts, leaves a balance in funds of the Treasurer at the close of the year ending September 30 1819 of Rupees 556.1.65.

"While however the Superintendent thus rejoices in the prosperity of the Societies funds, he cannot refrain at this stage of the report from suggesting to the subscribers the great necessity of their continued and liberal support.

"The Hospital is a recent Establishment, and therefore has not yet drawn largely upon the funds. All things being take into consideration, upon a rough estimate formed from the disbursements of less than 3 months, the expenditure attached to this institution cannot be less than Rupees 300 or 400 annually. Besides this addition to the disbursements by the loss of our benevolent fund there is made in the receipts an annual deficiency of Rupees 600, the amount of his subscription, so that in fact a thousand Rupees are to be made up from our own resources. This true, that by the will of our departed friend, a much larger sum than what he subscribed is devoted to the very same purposes in which we are engaged, and at the same place. Yet it is to be supposed that he thereby intended to increase rather than lessen the number of objects to be relieved, and to set us an example that we might follow his steps. And it is rational to expect that many proper objects will apply to us for relief now that the streams of his personal charity are dried up.

"The next object which this report embraces is the great relief afforded to the really distressed. It is quite needless to insist here upon the number of persons relieved, the nature of their wants, their destitute conditions, their particular infirmities. A visit to the place of distribution at the time appointed would set forth more eloquently than words the quantity, and quality of human misery to which by your liberality and generous sympathy some alleviation has been afforded.

"There are two points of view, however, in which your Superintendent the utility of this institution eminently shine forth, the discouragement which is given thereby to common begging, and the help which is afforded to the deserving in distress. It is impossible wholly to prevent mendacity, but since it has been the established rule of this association only to give a scanty subsidence, and to them alone who stately reside at the place, common itinerant beggars can neither obtain nor retain a ticket. Many deserving persons, on the other hand, have been relieved, who, upon the recovery of health, and obtaining employment, have gladly relinquished their claims on the fund to earn an honest livelihood.

"The third part of this report relates to the general improvements made in carrying into execution the objects of the Society.

"To prevent abuse from fraud, and waste, is not an easy, is not an easy thing at any time; experience can alone conduct to the most effectual measures. There were considerations which, in the first instance, seemed t suggest the propriety of making a weekly distribution of rice at 3 different places.

"The superintendence was thereby rendered more difficult, nor was the measure found productive of any good result. The plan therefore has been recently adopted of distributing the whole at one place. This, together with list of the persons relieved, the quantity given to each, the time of admission and removal, and the reason thereof, and also weekly returns of the quantity of rice absolutely distributed, renders the mode of distribution as perfect as the nature of the case will admit.

"Lastly, the report has to advert to the establishment of an Hospital for the cure of the diseased. Several circumstances led to the forming of this institution, but mainly the consideration, that many objects, who, through sickness, were chargeable on the poor fund, might be easily restored to health, and again capable of providing for themselves. The opinion has even already been found to be correct, and the value of the Establishment, as an auxiliary to the poor fund, sufficiently shown. It is therefore very satisfactory to know, that out of 43 persons admitted to the Hospital, only 6 have died, 2 been dismissed as incurable, and 29 cured, the remaining 6 either went away of their own accord, or were removed for improper conduct. For general information it seems proper to subjoin that, on admission to the Hospital, each individual receives a cloth/ except there be especial reasons for the contrary / a mat to lie on, and an earthern vessel for food (which are not taken away, on dismissal / and, where requisite, a comley is lent. Every individual also receives daily rice and salt and 1 pice for the purchase of Curry stuff; a Tieta is employed to cook for and to attend upon the sick at 3 pice per day, and a Muckawata at 1 Rupee per month. By favour of the Zillah Judge carrying of water, and other labourious work for the Hospital, are done by the prisoners.

"The Superintendent cannot close this report without expressing his Conviction that the association for the relief of the poor of Tellicherry will continue to flourish and abound yet more and more in usefulness, and that as in a certain place it is written the poor shall never cease from off the lands, so there shall never want persons, moved by the bounds of compassion, the common feelings of humanity, and the enlarged principles of benevolence to relieve them."

The name of Rev Francis Spring find mention in Proceedings of the Church Missionary Society for Africa and the East.It records his success in converting the "heathens".The Missionary Register 1819 records:

"At Tellicherry,Mr Spring has prepared in Malayalim,the Church Catechism ,and parts of the Scripture and Liturgy.The more learned natives are struck with the beauty of our "Shasters":in ythis work he is much assisted by ( J ) Baptiste,the school master his Public Native School.Portugues and Nativ es come to Baptiste,there are 90 boys in the school ..a Poor Man's Fund had been established and is most liberally supported by Europeans and Natives of all ranks.upward of 400 objects-the blind,the lame,the destitute and the sick-being relieved thereby,weekly.a prejudice in favour of Mr Spring ,the "English Padre" has been hereby created among the Natives;and may,it is hoped,be eventually improved into more than a prejudice in favour of Christianity."

The primary agenda was conversion.

The Religious Miscellany Vol III of 1924 records:

"Rev Francis Spring, Chaplain at Tellicherry reports but unfavorably of the congregation at Cannanore .The irregular attendance at the school was such as to lead him to give it up".

Obviously, people were not interested in catechism or conversion.

He gave up in 1924 and went to England.

The protestant teacher J Baptiste was there in Rev Samuel Ridsdale's school in Fort Cochin,after his stint at Tellicherry.He was there inside,when a fire engulfed the building.

© Ramachandran 

FATHER OF ANTHROPOLGY IN INDIA WAS A MALAYALI

Three Generations of Anthropologists in a Family

Dr L K Ananthakrishna Iyer was a great pioneer in the younger branches of biological sciences, namely, Anthropology and Ethnology, and his indefatigable industry and remarkable activity in fieldwork and his study have been the admiration of all who knew him intimately. The results of his labours, besides diffusing general knowledge of the customs and manners of the different groups and communities of South Indian people have created a general interest in the science itself, which has made rapid progress under his inspiring example and guidance. His life comprehended well-nigh forty years of ethnographical research.

We stand too near the period during which Dr Iyer laboured to be able to assess the real value of his accomplished work. But there is no doubt that as Anthropological studies progress in India, his contributions will be regarded as the great foundation on which the superstructure has to be built.

Ananthakrishna Iyer is best known for his books Castes and Tribes of Mysore, and Castes and Tribes of Cochin. Both are pioneering works on the tribes inhabiting India's west coast.

Dr Iyer was born in Lakshminarayanapuram, one of the Brahmin villages in Palakkad, in the Malabar district of British India, in 1861. His father L N Krishna Iyer was a Vedic scholar. Ananthan was the eldest son of Krishna Iyer's family of four sons and two daughters.

Ananthakrishna Iyer

Iyer's educational career was synonymous with the development of English education in Palakkad. He completed Matriculation from the High school, which was the forerunner of Victoria CollegeHe went to Kerala Vidyasala in Kozhikode for higher studies-now Zamorin's College. At Kerala Vidyasala, he came under the notice of Barrow, the Principal of the College, with whom he was later destined to work as a colleague in the Palghat College. After FA here, he studied at Madras Christian College. He came under the influence of its Principal, Dr William Miller. He took Natural Science, but under the curriculum then in force, he had also a grounding in Psychology, Philosophy and History. Due to adverse family circumstances, he could not complete his degree then. He joined the Revenue Settlement office in Ooty as a clerk in 1888 but left in 1890 to become a teacher at Victoria College School. He worked there doing 1890-97, took his degree and also the diploma of licentiate in teaching.

Dr Iyer's official career ranged over a very wide field and although he shifted from one appointment to another he had the power and capacity to enrich his experience. I-Ie had, therefore, opportunities of coming into intimate contact with numerous people who were his colleagues or superior officers and from his early days he developed habits of close and critical observation of men and manners. This experience formed the foundation of his later interest in anthropological research. Dr Iyer was a man slow in forming his opinions and had a very large measure of scientific scepticism which accounts for the great rigour with which he applied the scientific methods to his studies and for the great precision and clearness of his descriptions.

John Beddoe

In 1897 he was headmaster of the S B High School, Changanassery for a brief period. The logbook kept at St Berchmans H S Changanacherry states, "He took charge of the school as Headmaster on 22 February 1897 He was there till May that year. Then the Cochin state offered the job of an assistant master of Science at Ernakulam Maharajas College and he settled there. For the next 23 years, he was in the Cochin service.

The turning point came in 1902 when he was appointed Superintendent of Ethnography in addition to his job at the college. His educational service ended in 1914 when his organizing capacity and scientific training were sought to create the State Museum, the Zoological Gardens in Thrissur and the Industrial Bureau. When he retired in 1920, the state issued an extraordinary gazette, which said:

"The Government desire to please on record their high appreciation of the valuable services rendered by Mr Ananthakrishna Iyer during his twenty-three years of service. His work in the field of Indian ethnology is known throughout India and Europe and has brought honour not only to himself but also to the State under which he has been employed."

The Government of India soon conferred on him the Rao Bahadur title ( 1921).

His activities after retirement, as Senior Lecturer in the Department of Anthropology, Calcutta University and officer in charge of Ethnography, Mysore for 17 years were tremendous. They form a logical continuation of the work in Anthropology he started at Cochin.

Soon after the Census of 1901, Sir Herbert H Risley inaugurated a comprehensive ethnographic survey of India. It embraced British India and the States. It was in response to this, the Cochin state agreed to take a survey of its people and appointed Iyer as the Superintendent of Ethnography. He held during 1902-1924 and carried out his work even after his retirement from the state. The results of this investigation were published from time to time in brief monographs n each caste or tribe which were later incorporated in his work, Cochin Tribes and Castes, published in two volumes (1908-1912.)

The publication of this evoked massive interest in the anthropological fraternity. Dr John Beddoe, in the preface, testified "to the importance and interest and to the great desirability of it being read and pondered by students of Ethnology and Sociology in England and the West generally."A H Keane, who had invited special attention in Man in March 1907 to the earlier monographs by 'this enthusiastic student of primitive peoples' wrote an introduction to this volume.

John Beddoe (1826 – 1911) was one of Victorian Britain's most prominent English ethnologists. Educated at University College, London (BA ) and Edinburgh University (M.D. 1853). He served in the Crimean War and was a physician at Bristol Royal Infirmary from 1862 to 1873. He and his wife were both friends with Mary Carpenter and they hosted what was said to be the first women's suffrage meeting in 1868. Invitees included a young Annie Leigh Browne. Beddoe retired from practice in Bristol in 1891.

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1873. In 1887 he was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society. He was a founder of the Ethnological Society and president of the Anthropological Institute from 1889 to 1891.

He died at Bradford-on-Avon on 19 July 1911.

Augustus Henry Keane (1833–1912) was an Irish Roman Catholic journalist and linguist, known for his ethnological writings. He was born in Cork, Ireland. He was educated in Cork, Dublin and Jersey, and graduated from the Roman Catholic College, in Dublin. Keane was editor of the Glasgow Free Press from 1862. He and his deputy Peter McCorry turned the first Scottish Catholic newspaper into a campaigning sheet, setting the Irish priests against the Scottish priests, and in particular the vicars-apostolic. He studied in Germany and taught at Hameln and became a linguist. He taught languages including Hindustani at the Hartley Institute, Southampton; a chair of Hindustani was created for him at University College, London, in 1883, but he left it in 1885. He then spent a period lecturing on ethnology at the University of Virginia in Charlotteville. His first important book was “History of the English Language” (1878).

Keane belonged to the "philological" group of British linguists, with Richard Garnett, Thomas Hewitt Key, Isaac Taylor, John Horne Tooke and Hensleigh Wedgwood. He began attending meetings of the Royal Anthropological Institute in 1879, read papers there, and became a Fellow, serving as vice president. He was granted a Civil List pension in 1897. Keane was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Keane's racial theories were published first in Nature in 1879–81. He affirmed the specific unity of human beings in his 1896 text Ethnology, even if his views had some other implications. He produced racial typologies, in his expository writings; they were more systematic than those of John George Wood and Robert Brown and were intended for rote learning. Keane was out of step with the anthropology of the time, preferring linguistic data to that of physical anthropology and came to occupy a marginal position in the emerging scientific discipline. On the other hand, his efforts at popularising anthropology were praised by Sir Harry Johnston.

Iyer's eminence as an anthropologist had been established by 1913. He was elected as President of Anthropology in the foundation session of the India Science Congress at Calcutta in 1914 with Asuthosh Mukherjee as General President. At the University of Madras in 1916 appointed Iyer as a Reader in Indian Ethnology to deliver 10 lectures.

During the eight years 1912-20, Iyer was engaged in further studies of the peoples of Cochin. The original plan was to complete the Cochin survey in three volumes, the last one being devoted to an Anthropamatic enquiry. This was interrupted by an independent enquiry on the Syrian Christians of Malabar, Cochin and Travancore. The same monograph was published by the Cochin Government Press in 1924.

The University of Calcutta invited him in 1920 to deliver a course of university readership lectures in Anthropology, after which he was appointed a lecturer in anthropology there. He remained Head of the Department and Chairman of the Board for Anthropology till his retirement in 1932. In 1924 he was appointed to complete the ethnographic survey of Mysore started by the late Dewan H V Nanjudaiya. Every year, after the University sessions in Calcutta, he proceeded to Mysore and toured the villages. After his retirement from Calcutta, he continued in Mysore as an Officer of ethnographic Survey. The work was completed in 1936 with the publication of four volumes and an appendix. He retired only by his death.

His work in Mysore comprehended a critical survey of 104 tribes and castes published in four superb volumes, most beautifully edited and illustrated. These four volumes to which prefaces and introductions were contributed by European savants such as Baron yon Eickstedt, Dr Marett and others, will always remain a monumental contribution to the descriptive science of South Indian Anthropology and should provide the basis for future anthropologists for further investigations. In the first volume which was curiously published last, he adopted a more extended canvas and discussed in great detail the ethnology of Mysore in the South Indian setting. It might be regarded as one of the finest and most exhaustive treatises on South Indian Ethnology.

Early in 1934, he was invited by European universities for lectures. At 72, the vegetarian began his voyage. His youngest son L A Natesan accompanied. He sailed on 23 April 1934 and spent about five months in Europe. Disembarking at Brindisi, he proceeded to Rome and Naples. He addressed the Department of Indian Culture of the Royal University of Rome, on 'Black Magic in India."In Florence on 14 May, he spoke on 'Primitive Culture in Southern India', at the Institute of Anthropology at the University of Florence. Towards the end of May, he arrived in Paris and spoke at the Anthropology Institute and the School of Indology under Dr Sylvain Levy. Early in June, he lectured on South Indian Culture at Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford. He then went to Austria and Germany. In Vienna, he addressed the Asiatic Society and Anthropological Society.

He next travelled to Breslau, Berlin, Konigsberg, Halle, Munchen, Heidelberg, Bonn and Cologne. His lectures were illustrated with lantern slides.

Sylvain Lévi (1863 – 1935) was an influential orientalist and indologist who taught Sanskrit and Indian religion at the École pratique des hautes études.

Lévi's book Théâtre Indien is an important work on the subject of Indian performance art, and Lévi also conducted some of the earliest analyses of Tokharian fragments discovered in Western China. Lévi exerted a significant influence on the life and thought of Marcel Mauss, the nephew of Émile Durkheim.

Dr Iyer attended the International Congress of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences in London on 30 July. It was the first international gathering of its kind. His contributions were recognised and he was elected unanimously to the Comite D'Honneur. He presented a paper,' The Agricultural Basis of Religion in India' and was Vice President of the sessions on General Ethnology and Sociology. He was back in India at the end of August 1934.

The Director of the Anthropological Institute and Ethnographical Museum of Breslau, Baron yon Eickstedt, in a communication dated September 23rd, 1930, expressed the general opinion of the European Anthropologists on Dr Iyer's works thus: " All are unanimous in that India possesses in you one of the most careful, active, and assiduous scholars of which Ethnology can boast of in any culture or country. Accordingly one finds your name mentioned with appreciation in English, German, Austrian and Italian works. The great textbook of Father W. Schmidt--who first started the connections between the Mundari and Monkhmer peoples--is full of the results of your research work and full of your instructive pictures from Southern India.  This is the recognition of the fact that your works are considered to be a real storehouse of cultural and historical knowledge and are highly appreciated. We, therefore, not only honour you but venerate you as the father of Indian Ethnology... Should there be any scholar really interested in the civilisation, history and cultural future of his country, who should not know and respect your name, the name of the father of Indian Ethnology? Your admirable assiduity, your useful activity, your sound judgment and extensive knowledge are rendering you an ornament to every university, which may be so lucky as to have you in the ranks of her Professors."

After returning from Europe, He desired to take up the ethnographic survey of Coorg, which he felt was the only blank in the literature on South Indian Ethnography. He conducted this survey in the cold weather of 1934 and the summer of 1935 with Prof Lidio Cipriani, whom he had invited from the University of Florence. The manuscripts were ready for publication by February last, when he was cut off unexpectedly and without warning.

France honoured him in 1935 by electing him to the distinction of Officer D' Academie. The University of Braslau awarded him an honorary doctorate of Medicine and Surgery. In continental universities, the Department of Anthropology comes under the Faculties of Medicine.

He was five times President of Anthropology of the Indian Science Congress. On 13 February 1937, he breathed his last. To the last moment, he was apparently in the enjoyment of excellent health and spirit and those that met him at the Indian Science Congress Session in Hyderabad could hardly have imagined that his end was so near.

The vast output of his scientific investigations and reports was all during the last thirty-six years of his life, and a large part of it was done after his retirement from the full term of official service in the Cochin State, a year or two before he attained his sixtieth year. So great a capacity and zeal for a type of work which necessitated frequent travel mostly in out-of-the-way places and a dislocation of his ordinary habits of life are not easily matched. Dr Iyer's efforts to popularise the subject of Anthropology in Indian Universities is an important contribution to the progress of scientific education in this country. 

He was simple in his habits; did Pujas every morning, and was a man of genial temperament and unfailing courtesy. Dr. Iyer will always be remembered by his numerous friends for his great geniality, stern rectitude of character, simple habits of life, and unostentatious and unassuming manners. His scholarship was as wide as his powers of exposition were remarkable. He was happy in his domestic life, and his sons have already earnt a great reputation in the respective fields of their activity. Dr Iyer had the most lovable gift of making friends and retaining them. He never offended anyone nor made a single enemy in his long and honourable life.

His wife stood by him for 45 years. He had four sons and four daughters. Eldest son L A Krishna Iyer was an Anthropologist in Travancore. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1972. His second son Dr L A Narayanan was with the Geological Survey of India.Third Dr L A Ramdas in the Indian Meteorological Service and the youngest L A Natesan Professor of Economics at the Scottish Churches College, Calcutta.'

The son, Lakshminarayanapuram Ananthakrishna Krishna Iyer was an Indian Anthropologist and a writer of several books on the subject. He was the head of the department of Anthropology at the University of Madras and was credited with studies on the tribal and scheduled caste people of Kerala, a work initiated by his father, L. K. Ananthakrishna Iyer. Anthropology in India, Social History of Kerala, a two-volume historical study and The Travancore Tribes and Castes, a three-volume account of the tribal people of southern Kerala are some of his notable works. His son, L. K. Balaratnam, is also a known anthropologist. His daughter, L.K. Ganga Bhagirathy married K.A.Seetharaman, Chief Engineer of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board.

_________________

The review of Iyer's book, Anthropology of Syrian Christians in, American Anthropologist,1930 by H D Griswold:

Anthropology of the Syrian Christians. RAO BAHADUR L. K. ANANTAKRISHNA AYYAR. (Ernakulam: Cochin Government Press, 1926. Pp. XVII, 338.) 

The appearance of this book from the pen of an Indian lecturer on Anthropology, Ancient History and Culture, Calcutta University, is more evidence of the interest which Indian scholars are taking in the history and antiquities of their own country. The author is already well known for his two volumes on the Cochin Tribes and Castes.

The Syrian community in South India is the oldest Christian community in India, going back certainly to a date as early as A.D 547 when Cosmas Indicopleustes wrote, and probably much earlier. In fact, it is now fully known that there was a large commercial intercourse during the first and second centuries A D between the Roman Empire and India, or more exactly between Alexandria and the western coast of India next to Ceylon. The Periplus (A D 75) bears ample testimony for the first Christian century. Hence, as the Apostle, Paul journeyed westward to Rome, so it is quite possible that the Apostle Thomas, as tradition asserts, journeyed eastward to India, first to the capital of King Gondophares (at Taxila?) who reigned circa A.D., 20-48, and later to South India. This view is admitted as possible by S. M. Edwardes, editor of the 4th edition of Vincent Smith’s Early History of India (p. 249). Dr J. N. Farquhar in his exhaustive monograph on The Apostle Thomas in India (1916) has turned this possibility into a probability and (in the opinion of the reviewer) almost into a certainty.

The existence of Christians in South India, at least by A D 547, raises the interesting question of whether the Bhakti cult in Hinduism was influenced in any way by Christianity. Chronologically, such an influence was quite possible. Bhakti, “loving devotion,” however, has its roots in the ancient literature of India, the Bhagavadgita and the Varuna hymns of the Rigveda. Hence, if there was any Christian influence, it consisted probably only in strengthening a movement already underway long before the time of Ramanuja (11th century, A D). The case of the Madonna and Child in Christianity is somewhat similar. There was ample legendary material for a parallel Hindu development, without borrowing anything from Christianity. The presence, however, of the Christian cult of the infant Christ may have stimulated the development in the 6th century A D of the corresponding Hindu cult of the infant Krishna.

The Syrian Christians of South India have had a long and involved history. The immemorial connection between the coast of southwestern India and the Euphrates valley continued and Nestorian migrations to South India took place in the 9th century. The arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century resulted in the winning over to Rome of a large number of Syrians and the annihilation of most of the old Nestorian influence. The division into Chaldean, Jacobite, Roman and Reformed Syrians has been a fruitful cause of controversy. The religious practices of each group are carefully described by the author.

We come now to the more strictly anthropological material contained in the book. William Crooke, the great authority on Indian folklore, has furnished a valuable introduction, stressing points of special anthropological interest.

The Syrian community has sprung almost entirely from converts recruited from the lower and middle classes, and according to the census of 1921 (as interpreted by the author) numbers about 2,62,000. The Hindu origin and environment of the Syrian community show itself in the existence of many Hindu customs, especially those connected with domestic rites. The tendency of most of the different sections into which the old Syrian community has been broken up has been to crystallize into what practically may be called “castes,” intermarriage being forbidden, though interdining is allowed. Caste prejudices still persist, including a strong feeling against low-caste people, even though they may be Christians. Marriage arrangements are made by parents, and child marriage in the past and to some extent in the present is not uncommon. Widow remarriage, however, is allowed among all sects of Syrian Christians. Childbirth takes place, as a rule, at the home of the wife’s parents. Children receive the names of maternal grandparents rather than those of the paternal line, possibly a survival of the matriarchal system which has long been in evidence on the Malabar coast.

In earlier days the Syrian Christians were not free from the practice of magic and witchcraft. Hindu astrologers were called in to fix auspicious times for domestic ceremonies. Magic circles were made on wedding days and books containing charms were used. Many of these practices were banned by the Synod of Diamper (A.D., 1599).

Appendix E contains a brief statement on the physical anthropology of the Syrian Christians, which will be supplemented shortly by volume 3 of the author’s Cochin Tribes and Castes.

© Ramachandran 

KERALA HAD A CHRISTIAN KING

King Thomas Died in 1450

Kerala had a Christian royal family, probably the only such in the entire Indian subcontinent. It had only one King, Thomas.

It was a royal family that ruled for a brief period of 60 years between 1400–1460. The family was called Villarvattam Pana Swaroopam which ruled originally from Chendamangalam in the Kodungallur region near Kochi and then shifted to Udayamperur, a suburb of Kochi. The ruler was called Thoma Valiya Raja (the Great King- Thomas).

Kerala’s tryst with Christianity started in 52 AD (1st century AD) even before it went to Europe when St.Thomas the Apostle visited Kerala, which has been proven just a myth. St Thomas was never in Kerala. As per Jewish accounts, Chera Emperor Bhaskara Ravi Varman issued a right to their leader Joseph Rabban and their community an elevated social status in the Kingdom. Jewish accounts claim this happened around the 4th century AD, but the accepted date is 1000 CE. Rabban was a Jewish merchant magnate of Kodungallur.The charter shows the status and importance of the Jewish colony in Kodungallur (Cranganore) near Cochin.

This imperial charter as popularly known as the Jewish copper plates of Cochin gave a very high social status to Jews, much similar to Nair Princes and lords. This gave them permanent settlement rights in Kerala forever, rights equal to a feudal prince with all 72 privileges as fit for kings/princes, rights over a guild (Anjuvannam), rights over a village (presumed to be Chendamangalam near Kodungalloor) and other social benefits.

There is documented history available in Kerala about the Villarvattam family from 1400 to 1460. As per Kochi Granthavari (State Archives),

Udayamperur region was ruled by a vassal of the Kochi King for a brief time and he was addressed by Kochi Kings as Thoma Raja (King Thomas). The elder one of the family- Moopil Thoma (Senior Thomas) died without any children in 1410 AD. Thus his brother- Yakoba (Jacob) became the Moopil Thoma. Yakoba was married to a Hindu lady from the Paliam Family (the hereditary Prime Minister dynasty of Kochi who was a cousin of Villarvattam). In this relationship, he had a daughter called Mariyam.As per Granthavari, her Hindu name was Krpavathi.Nairs consider the mother’s lineage as their own. Mariyam was formally baptized, so essentially for Villarvattom, she was a Nasrani.

Mariyam met Prince Rama Varma of the Karoor branch of Kochi Royal house when she was visiting her mother’s house, Paliyam. Prince Rama Varma fell in love with her and gave a mundu to her, in accordance with the Hindu custom of Sambandham. This was not acceptable for Yakoba as he believed his daughter was a Christian and Sambandham rules were not applicable. So for them, Rama Varma got baptized as Ittimani (Immanuel) and married as per Nasrani customs.

The news of the conversion was a huge shock for Kochi Royal House. Kochi King ordered his arrest and he was dragged to Mattancherry and thrown into prison. He died as per folk stories. It is also said he escaped to the North. Mariyam didn’t marry again and waited for the return of Ittimani. Yakoba died in 1460 without any male in succession as he had only Mariam.

The plight of Mariam was brought to the notice of the Kochi King by Paliath Achan. The Kochi king felt sorry for her and decided to marry her in her Hindu identity, Krpavathi (in Sambandam ) and brought her as a concubine to Kochi. She was adopted by Paliam. From then onwards Paliyam family began to wield huge power in Cochin, becoming traditional Prime Ministers during 1632-1809. By the 1590s their fortunes began to spiral: the ruler gave them the seat of a dead chieftain and in 1622 a portion of Vypin Island. Nearly 12,000 tenants tilled Paliam lands, added to which was the ownership of 41 temples.

As she was brought to Kochi Royal house, Villarvattam ceased to exist and the estate fully got under the control of the Kochi Kingdom.

This created tensions between other members of the Villarvattam family and the Kochi royal house, though the former weren’t powerful enough to take Kochi Royals.

The death of Villarvattam King Thoma (Thoma raja) on 2 January 1450 is mentioned in the book, ‘Malabar and Portuguese’ by Sardar K M Panikkar and in ‘Jesuits in Malabar vol-1. Historians have different opinions with regard to the origin of the name of this dynasty. One suggestion is that the river flowing around Chendamangalam was shaped like a villu (bow) and the name ‘Villaruvattom’ (which means the place within this area of villu) was its first name, later it became Villarvattom by usage.

And it is in this context, Europeans actually entered Kerala.

There is a folklore about an attack on Jews and Nasrani Christians by Arab merchants who reached Muziris Port for trade over the price of certain goods which ended up in a civil war and these Christian communities fled the place for safety. They ended up in a faraway place called Udayamperur where they set their new base. So as by the 8th century, two Syriac monks came to Kerala to preach the gospel. They were  Mar Sabor and Mar Proth and they founded a large church in Udayamperur, thanks to funding from Villarvattam Family.

In these oral traditions, this family ruled this area as a sort of estate vassal of the Chera Emperor. It was much like a feudal fiefdom based in Chendamangalam. It is through their accounts that we actually understand they were Nasaranis and their head called Moopil Thoman (Senior Thomas or Lord Thomas), was some sort of ruler.

As per folklore, the original name of this family was Valeyadattu and some say it was originally called Chenna Managalathu Mana (normally Manas were residences of Nampoothiris ). Though they lived in the Udayamperoor area, their ancestral base was Chendamangalam and essentially had relations back there. Over a period of time later, it came to know as Villarvattom. Valeyadattu could be Valiyedath-a mana that still exists at Udayamperoor, from which, a myth says, a girl merged with the idol of Poornathrayeesa, at the Tripunithura temple.

By the 11th century, the Chola-Chera war started and Chera Empire was on the brink of its collapse. Cholas at one instance won and ransacked the imperial capital of Mahodayapuram and the dynasty almost ended.

With the collapse of the Chera Empire, Kerala almost ended up in 587 principalities and essentially every Royal family which we know today started its origin in this period.

In this period, Villarvattam also became a principality of its own right by declaring independence. But being part of the erstwhile Chera Capital, most of these principalities owe an allegiance to the successor of the Chera Empire and it's here, the Kochi Kingdom arose. The Kochi Kingdom or Perumpadappu Swaroopam was in direct succession line of the Chera dynasty, hence the founders of this dynasty enjoyed instant vassalage of numerous principalities in central Kerala.

Cochin State Manual states that Villarvattam originally was a Kshatriya vassal of the Kochi King under whom Paliyath Achan was a landlord. K P Padmanabha Menon in Travancore State Manual quotes Asseman to record that as the power of Christians grew, the Cochin, Kollam nasranis decided to consecrate a King of their own and did it by selecting Beliarte ( Villarvattam).

“They chose from among their own number a king, who was called Beliarte, who was obliged to engage that he would defend them from the Mahometans as well as the Pagans,” wrote Fra Paolino da san Bartolomeo, the 18th-century orientalist in his work, Voyage to the East Indies.

Mappa Mundi (the Catalan Atlas) of 1375, the first-ever portrayal of India in its peninsular form, shows two Christian kingdoms in South India – one on the Kerala coast. 

Kottayil Kovilakam Jesuit Church

Historian N M Namboodiri cites Kozhikode Granthavari (Zamorin’s Archives), the presence of a Christian/outsider community as one of the blood-related vassals of Perumpadappu swaroopam. This could be referring to the legends of Villarvattam, the Christian royal family’s presence in that era. Probably such references were made in that era to discredit the Kochi Royal house as having blood relations with so-called Mlchhas (foreigners). It could be purposefully done due to the Zamorin-Perumpadappu rivalry. The Granthavari reveals that Villarvattam attacked and looted Adoor village in 1713, they destroyed the temple, harassed the brahmins and seized the boat of the temple. They removed Nedunganatt Nambidi Achans from their position, at an event in Perumundamukk. It also describes a consecration of a King in 1558-59.

M Radha Devi, a history professor who belongs to the Paliyam family, in her book, Paliyam Charithram also mentions Villarvattam. According to her, the Kochi royal family, when they lost Vanneri, Ponnani and the Valluvanad as a whole to the Zamorin, fled and reached Thiruvanchikulam near Kodungallur. Around 1400, Zanorin seized Thiruvanchikulam and the family shifted to Kochi,20 km away, on the southeastern side. In the floods in 1341, Kodungallur port disappeared and Kochi had become a port. At that time, Radha Devi states, Chendamangalam and the surrounding places belonged to Villarvattam. He was a vassal of the Kochi King. His palace was on the Villarvattam hill at Chendamangalam. He gave Jews and Christians lands generously for building places of worship. Before Paliyath Achans settled there, Villarvattam King was very much there.

S N Sadasivan in A Social History of India writes: "The Paliyam copper plates of Vikramaditya Varaguna, an Ay King, categorically state that he has made a liberal grant of extensive land to the Buddhist University of Sreemoolavasam together with the pulayas (serfs) attached t it. The copper plates on which the edict was inscribed, are lost except two, but what is written on the two plates is adequate to have a complete understanding of the nature of the transfer of land and the persons associated with it. The house Paliyam, which means (Pali+Ayam ) storehouse of Pali was once the seat of Buddhist studies and later on its ownership was taken over by a prominent family of Cochin."

Francis Day, L K Ananthakrishna Iyer, Puthezhath Raman Menon, Kodungallur Kunjikuttan Thampuran, M Sankara Menon, and P Sankunni Menon have also mentioned Villarvattam Kings. An inscription in Pahlavi in the Udayamperoor Church reads: "The Villarvattam King Thoma who resided at Chendamangalam died, in 1500."

As long as Villarvattam was in Chendamangalam, they were Hindus. It has to be assumed that they got converted at Udayamperur. There was a royal branch called Vettath. Records show that the only queen of Cochin, Rani Gangadhara Lakshmi adopted five princes during 1656-58 from Aroor and Vettath branches. Some Christian scholars seem to confuse Vettath with Villarvattam, to make the Christian fiefdom look archaic.

Renowned anthropologist K Ananthakrishna Iyer (1861-1937)  records in The Anthropology of the Syrian Christians:

"One other interesting point connected with the early history of Syrian Christians is that they still cherish the tradition of having attained the dignity of possessing a king of their own at Villarvattam, near Udayamperoor and that at the death of the last king without issue, the kingdom lapsed to the Cochin royal family. Ever since that time, the Christians of St Thomas have been loyal subjects to the rulers of Cochin and Travancore. Who the rulers are and how long the kingdom lasted, is not possible to say. When the Portuguese landed in India, the Syrians, seeing their conquests and their zeal for the propagation of their faith, desired to make an alliance with them with many of the demonstrations of their fidelity, the red -staff mounted in gold and three silver bells of their last Christian ruler, as marks of submission to them. But as they received from them no compensation, they continued the old form of government and lived in a great union, scattered as they lived in distant communities all over the land."

The actual documented history of this family appears initially not from Kerala historical works, but rather from European historical works, particularly Papal documents of the Vatican.

The news of the existence of a Christian royal family in Kerala somehow reached European shores It was the period of the rise of Papal Kingdoms in Europe and the assertation of the Pope’s authority over European territories. The news of a Christian royal family was likely to be interpreted (or misinterpreted) as Catholic Rule and Pope even believed that the fabled lands of the Indies were ruled by a Christian Emperor.

Pope John XXII

Believing in this myth, Pope John XXII wrote a letter and gave it to a travelling Catholic priest, Jordans Kattalani on 8 April 1328. Pope even assumed that he has Papal rights over the so-called Christian Emperor of Indies and appointed Jordans as the new Bishop of Kolllon-Kollam or Quilon which was the newly formed capital of Later Cheras. Due to the Crusades happening between Catholics and Muslims in the Middle East, it was almost impossible for any Catholic priest to make a move to the east over Muslim regions. Thus Jordans never reached Kerala.

The second time, Pope Eugene IV wrote an Apostolic Charter in Latin on 28 August 1439 appointing Villarvattam King as Emperor of India, assuming the absolute Papal rights to ordinate a Christian King:

”To my most beloved son in Christ, Thomas, the Illustrious Emperor of the Indians, Health and the Apostolic benediction. There often has reached us a constant rumour that Your Serenity and also all who are the subjects of your Kingdom are true Christians”.

This order also never reached Kerala, so none of the Villarvattom rulers ever had an idea of some Pope living in Rome was addressing him as Emperor of India. In fact, he was just a feudal lord of the area, not a King as such.

In this period, Europeans had not discovered a sea route to India; they had knowledge of exaggerated rumours and fabled tales from many places in the East, including Kerala.

In 1498, when Vasco da Gama finally succeeded in discovering a sea route between Europe and India and landed in Kozhikode. he was searching for a mythical character called Prester John whom Europeans believed to be a living Christian King of India. He found the Nasrani community in Kerala, but not what he expected. They were not Catholics which he couldn’t comprehend as Christians. When Vasco da Gama came to Kochi in 1502, members of the Villarvattom family and local Christians met him and presented the preserved royal sceptre, which was a red rod probably made of wood, tipped with silver, having three small bells at the upper end. There has been no trace of this sceptre since then. They sought his assistance in ensuring the return of the estates of Villarvattom from Kochi. Kochi had become the key ally of the Portuguese. It was then da Gama realized, the much exaggerated Villarvattom Kings of the Malabar coast as heard in Europe, were nothing but petty feudal lords in reality. da Gama promised to look into the matter, but he never cared much about it, as he was involved with a larger political game in Malabar.

“They sent his majesty [king of Portugal] a rod tipped at both ends with silver, with three bells at the head of it, which had been the sceptre of their Christian Kings,” writes Michael Geddes in his 1694 translation of the Portuguese work “The History of the Church of Malabar”. The representatives of the Christian population in Kodungallur, which was estimated to be 30,000 by one of the chroniclers of Gama’s time, had handed over the sceptre on December 7, 1502, during Gama’s second visit to India.

Years passed and the Villarvattam family were reduced to ordinary fief lords of the area, unlike the larger position and power they once held.

Their memorandum to Vasco da Gama remained in Portuguese records and since the 1550s Portuguese were actively involved in Catholicizing these so-called Nasranis In this period. Portuguese were actively involved in evangelical activities and the Goan Inquisition was in place. The Jesuits were not successful in Kerala. They could convert only the Tanur King.

Pope Eugene IV

They thought, if they could convert Kochi King to Christianity, the entire Nasranis and other Hindus in Kochi would automatically be converted. Kochi King had become a subordinate ally of the Portuguese and the throne had a cross as insignia. Goan Arch-Bishop Aleixo de Menezes sailed to Kochi and met Kochi King and presented him with the idea of converting him, which horrified the King. At the same time, he wasn’t in a position to displease the Portuguese who were protecting his kingdom from Zamorins.

When Archibishop Alex de Menezes sailed to Cochin in 1599, he deplored the inability of the catholic clergy to baptize at least one of the Rajas of Cochin to Christianity in spite of the might of the Portuguese over the local Rajas for over a century. He also visited Udayamperur, Chennamangalam and the Syrian seminary at Vypicotta.

On his way to Udayamperur, he was jeered at by a few Nasranis who obviously took offence to the Portuguese interference in their lives. Enraged at this, Archbishop Menezes stopped at the Cochin fort and visited the Cochin Raja who was in his palace at Calvetti adjacent to the fort. He held the Raja responsible for instigating this incident and also discussed religion with him while urging him to be a Christian.

The King made a tactical move by asking the Bishop to meet members of the Villarvattam family and convert them. Kochi King issued a decree elevating the senior member of the family as a Thampuran (Lord/Raja), thus keeping the family happy as well as Portuguese too as they could evangelize a Raja at least. When Bishop Menezes met the senior head of the Villarvattom family, he realized how deeply religious Christians they are, even though they didn't follow Catholic rites.

Villarvattam’s Valiya Thampuran was ready to accept Catholicism contrary to general opposition among the Nasrani community primarily because they felt they could gain a lot from the Portuguese and have an upper hand over Kochi King. Within a few days, in March 1599, the Raja was baptized at the Chennamangalam Seminary by Archibishop Menezes himself and christened ‘Thomas’. He was henceforth known as Villarvattom Thoma Rajavu.

Thus they converted to Catholicism and Udayaperur became one of the biggest Catholic hubs shortly. Under the support of Vallarvattom Thampurans, Menezes organized the celebrated Synod of Diamper in 1599 which led to the foundation of Kerala’s Catholic traditions. During the synod, Syrian religious texts were burnt. Later the huge library in Angamaly itself was burnt by Menezes.

Thomas Raja had no heir to succeed him and did not or could not adopt a nephew from his family. He adopted his vassal, the Paliath Achan with the sanction of the Cochin Raja. Very soon Paliath Achan became the overlord of the whole of Vypeen and became the Prime Minister of the Cochin Raja. However, the Paliath Achan remained a Hindu Kshatriya and did not accept Christianity.

King Thoma breathed his last on 9th February 1701 and was interred at his request in the ‘Pazhe Palli’ built by his ancestors at Udayamperur. With him ended the line of the last Christian kings in Kerala.

The ancestral property of Villarvattom Kings in Chendamangalam became a Catholic Seminary, the Vypeekotta Seminary which became the site of the third printing press in India after Goa and Kollam.

The senior member of this family remained a titular Thoma Raja as no other powers or independent authority was given by Kochi Kings. In 1665 Dutch overthrew the Portuguese from Kerala and without Portuguese support, Villarvattom once again became dormant.

On 9th February 1701, the last Thoma Raja passed away without any direct and indirect heirs and the Kochi Kingdom nationalized the properties of the family citing a lack of successors. Some of the key properties were handed over to the Archdiocese of Verapoly while the majority were taken over by the state. By the time of nationalization, the family got disintegrated and new branches of the family with different family names, emerged mostly in the Travancore Kingdom side, thus the formal Villarvattom family ended in oblivion.

Joseph Simonius Assemanus says in his Bibliotheca Orientalis (1728) that the Villarvattam dynasty died out as the last king was issueless. “…and when after some of his [Beliarte’s] sons had reigned, at last by adoption, the dynasty passed from the Christians to the Heathen Kings of Diamper [Udayamperur]. When Portuguese first came to the shores, the Malabar Christians were the Kings of Cochin.”

However, there are multiple versions of who inherited the dynasty. Julius Valentijn Stein Van Gollenesse, the former Dutch commander of Malabar, writes in his 1743 administration report that Paliyath Achan possessed the right to the old state of ‘Villar Vattatta’.

There is a third version, from a local historian, which says that the last king Yakob Svarupi’s daughter was married to a prince of the Perumpadappu royal family, who was converted to Christianity. A few years later, the princess died and the prince reverted to Hinduism as Svarupi was already dead, the territories of the kingdom were distributed among neighbouring rulers.

 KP Padmanabha Menon in his ‘History of Kerala’ says that the Cochin royal family came into possession of the estates of the ‘influential house’ of Villarvattam through adoption. Historians have quoted Giraud’s Bibliotheca Sacra to claim that the dynasty lasted from the fourth to the fourteenth century AD.

A few years ago, Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, the Portuguese national archives and various archaeological museums in Lisbon went online and many documents that shed light on the history of Kerala are now searchable, but there is nowhere a mention of the stature of that red sceptre of Beliarte, which was handed over to Gama for safekeeping.

Aleixo de Menezes 

A considerable number of Syrian Christians began to be recruited as fighting forces for the local rulers, particularly with the disintegration of the Cheras and the consequent fragmentation of central authority in the 12th century. Most of the Christian settlements had their own kalaris (schools for training in martial arts and fencing) run mostly by Christian panikkars and in places where there was no Christian Kalari they had to join the kalaris run by Nairs. 

Jornada says that some Christian Panikars had eight to nine thousand disciples, both Christians and Nairs, getting trained as fighting forces for the local rulers. One of the most famous Christian Panikkars of this period was Vallikkada Panikkar who had his Kalari at Peringuzha on the banks of river Muvattupuzha, one of whose descendants was Mar Ivanios, who later got reunited with the Catholic Church in 1930, laying a foundation for the Syro-Malankara church in India.

The rulers of Vadakkenkur and Cochin banked very much upon the Christian fighting force for their wars of defence and expansion. In 1546 the king of Vadakkenkur offered the Portuguese about 2000 soldiers for the purpose of helping them to lift the Ottoman siege on Diu. Later in 1600 the king of Cochin also offered St.Thomas Christian soldiers to the Portuguese for the project of conquering Ceylon, though the project was not materialized for other reasons. 

The military tradition of the St.Thomas Christians was preserved by this community as something integral to it and they even resorted to the usual practice of the fighting force to form chaverpada (suicidal squad) to protect their bishop Mar Joseph from being arrested by the Portuguese by the end of 1550s. About 2000 Christian soldiers organized themselves into suicidal squads to prevent the Portuguese from arresting their Bishop.

The Syrian Christians used to go to their churches along with their swords, shields, and lances in their hands, as Antonio de Gouvea mentions in Jornada. Eventually, weapon houses (Ayudhapura)were constructed in front of the churches for the purpose of keeping swords, guns, and lances during the time of church service, whose remnants are now visible in front of the churches of Ramapuram, Pala and Cherpunkal. 

Later when all the smaller principalities of central Kerala were amalgamated into the Travancorean state during the period between 1742 and 1752 and with the creation of a standing army under Marthanda Varma, the importance of Christians as a fighting force for the regional political players declined.

Once the seat of the Kshatriya chieftains of Villarvattom, Kottayil Kovilakom of Chendamangalam has a strong link with the Paliyathachans or the prime ministers of the erstwhile Cochin maharajas. In 1663, the Dutch built Paliyam Kotta (fort), as a gesture of gratitude to the Paliyathachans, for helping them defeat the Portuguese. Inside the fort, a kovilakom (palace) was built especially for women, hence the name Kottayil Kovilakam.

In 1790, when Tipu Sultan’s marauding army reached this place one of the caretakers of the Paliyam family, named in records as Koya Muhammed was killed and his last rites performed by the Paliyam men. The mosque at Kottayil Kovilakom that stands close to the Sree Krishna temple is testimony to this amity. The narrow road that runs close to the mosque leads to the rundown Jewish cemetery. The Jews were supposed to have settled here in the 15th Century. A synagogue they built still stands but the Jews have all migrated.

Close to the synagogue stands the church built by the Jesuit missionaries in 1577 and the Vaipikkotta Seminary. Both structures were severely damaged during Tipu Sultan’s attack. Although the church was restored, the ruins of the seminary can be still seen. Stone inscriptions in ancient Malayalam script provide valuable information about a long-lost culture.

A well in the churchyard, now closed, is believed to have led to Tipu’s fort. A printing press, started here by the Jesuits that was completely destroyed by Tipu’s men, also stood in this compound.

© Ramachandran