The Malabar Coast is one of the ancient regions in Asia where Oriental Christianity flourished right from the time of the Apostles. In fact, there is ample evidence to prove that the Malabar Coast had longstanding cultural and trade connections with the Middle East, Rome, and Egypt. Different Caucasian tribes had frequented the coast in search of spices and exotic goods and mingled with the endemic population, which included Romans, Greeks, Arabs, and Jews. Progressive Jewish communities had thrived at the traditional port cities on the coast, including Kollam and Kodungalloor. Naturally, the advent of Christianity had a sympathetic echo on the Malabar Coast as well. As the legend goes, in 52 AD, St. Thomas, one of the disciples of the Christ, had landed on this coast to reach out to the chosen people and to the ancient nations of the hinterland. In any case, a local edition of Christianity had survived on this coast for the last two thousand years.
According to the local legend, the king of the local Chera kingdom needed a gifted architect to build a palace he had dreamed about. The king’s emissary was directed by Christ to choose St. Thomas for this mission. The exploits and sagas of the Apostle are celebrated in multiple folklores and folksongs prevalent amongst the Syrian diaspora on the coast. During his brief tenure on the Kerala coast, the apostle visited different Jewish settlements and proselytized many into the new fold. He is believed to have explored the interior towns too, including Niranam and Nilackal on the Pampa, in addition to visiting the coastal towns and settlements.
At Palayoor, near Guruvayoor, the Apostle is believed to have converted and baptized scores of noble families into the new faith. Our original patriarch belonged to Kalikavu family, one of the noble families converted by the Apostle of the Christ. The converted families built a church at Kuravilangadu later on for convenience and it is one of the oldest churches in India. Until after the advent of European colonialism, the oriental Christians of Kerala had perfectly camouflaged into the upper-class Hindu community of Kerala in terms of dress codes, hairstyle and living standards.
This ancient church prided itself as St. Thomas Christians or Malabar Nasranis (followers of the man from Nazareth). The church, over very many centuries, had enjoyed absolute autonomy even though an umbilical ecclesiastical relationship was maintained with west Asia. When the Portuguese colonial masters established themselves on the coast, they decided to impose Roman Catholicism on the native traditional Christians. During this protracted struggle, the local Christians ultimately refused to yield to the Roman suzerainty and a good many families chose to assert their identity aligned with the mother church of West Asia. However, the Roman Church continued to wield its powers under colonial patronage and numerous bickering and bloody confrontations continued across the state. In one such gory incident, in 1666 a European padre forcefully entered the Kuravilangadu church and in the altercation and stampede therefrom, many perished. After this incident, the forefathers of our family had to flee Kuravilangadu and seek refuge in other parts. Itty Mathen and his train settled at Chalakuzhy in between Changanasery and Thiruvalla. The eldest of these siblings migrated to Mepral and he became the founding father of Puthikottu family. Having understood that Itty mathen’s predecessors were of aristocratic stock, the Pottis of Thiruvalla invited him into their midst and offered him space near the present-day Chalakuzhy church. This explains the genesis of our Chalakuzhy family.
Chalakuzhy family has made solid contributions to the welfare and wellbeing of the Malankara Church in more ways than one. In 1815, Paliakara church was set on fire by the local Hindu fanatics and our forefathers went and sought an audience with the then Divan Monroe to get have the culprits punished. Our forefather Mathai initiated the reconstruction of the church. Also, in 1870, the family built another church at Kavumbhagom, which is known as the Chalakkuzhy church. Later on, the church and its holy premises were handed over for free to the Faithfull faithful. The family can take pride in having a long chain of priests commanding great respect. The people of consequence from the family include C. Mathen, the director of the erstwhile Travancore Registration Department, Advocate C. M. Mathew, and Mahilamani P. M. Mammen.
C. P. Mathen, one of the founders of Quilon National Bank, was a great man of vision. He was targeted by the then Divan of Travancore, C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer, and his bank was suffocated and finally liquidated out of political vendetta. It is a landmark event in Kerala’s struggle for freedom from the British and its stooges. Though he was jailed by the repressive kingdom, he emerged victoriously, and in independent India, he became a parliament member, and later on, he was appointed as the ambassador to Sudan. It was a proud moment for the family and a fitting reply to the tyranny that strove to muffle and silence him.
Another man who made a name for himself in the political circles was C. J. Paulose, the former municipal chairman of Thiruvalla. In Kerala, many families are successful in the areas of plantation, business, industry, etc., at places like Kollam, Thiruvalla, Erumely, and Kottayam. Furthermore, the family is now spread right across the world, especially in the US, Canada, the UK, and many countries in the Middle East.
The families of repute are known for the services they rendered to society and to the church. Some families are known for the immense wealth they are master to. Some other families are known for the gestures of philanthropy and largesse. Still, many are remembered for the intellectuals and people of saintly disposition. As far as Chalakkuzhy family is concerned, all the above attributes are equally applicable to it. In the distant past, our family heads were huge landlords and successful farmers. But in modern times many in the family are successful and are professionals of consequence and have made a name for themselves in their domains of expertise. Many in the family have excelled as professionals, industrialists, entrepreneurs, and business magnates. There are great academics academicians in the family wielding great respect even in the rarefied circles of higher education.
The Chalakkuzhy family union is the annual forum wherein the family members, who radiated away into different parts of are spread across the world, to find a nostalgic rendezvous and also rediscover their ancient and sagacious roots. It is the occasion when we are in awe awfully when we realize that we are the fruits fruit of the sweat, blood, tears, and dreams of a long trail of gifted and God-fearing generations known for their tenacity and
