Punnan Thomas

Shri. Punnan Thomas was born as the second son of Ouseph Kochankunnel and Anna Vallamkulam (Thaithara). His father died when he was a young lad. His uncle was Punnan Vaidyan Vallamkulam who was a medical practitioner who lived in Kottayam near the present CMS college. He practiced medicine in Pala. He used to travel from Kottayam to Pala in a chauffeur driver Bullock cart. During the week he stayed at a rented house in Pala. His Bullock cart had bow-shapped metal springs to absorb the shock and make ride smoother. Only very few people in Kerala had these shock absorber fitted Bullock carts known as വില്ലു വണ്ടി (villu vandi). One day Shri. Punnan Thomas' mother Annakutty went to visit her brother Punnan Vaidyan at Pala. At night she was bitten by a snake. Before she died she requested her brother Punnan Vaidyan to adopt her son Thomma in case she died. Punnan Vaidyan and wife who didn't have any children adopted Punnan Thomas. Young Punnan Thomas completed his school education at CMS high school and studied to become a doctor. As he was afraid of surgery he dropped out and became a medical practitioner by working with his uncle. He later became a hyena ecologist/midwife and had delivered many hundreds of babies in Kidangoor and surrounding areas.As Punnan Thomas came of age he married Aley daughter of Chummar Pullukatttu and Mariamma Maplet who had five daughters and no sons. Since Chummar Pullukattu had no sons, it was agreed that Punnan Thomas Kochankunnel will live in the in- law’s residence and inherit the wealth. I. Due course Punnan Thomas was known as Punnan Thomas Pullukattu or Pullukattu Vaidyan. Except Punnan Thomas all other siblings used Kochankunnel family name while Punnan Thomas continued to be known as Punnan Thomas Pullukatttu. As per tradition all his children adopted Pullukatttu as their family name/surname. Punnan Thomas practiced medicine and had a medical shop in the Main Street of Kidangoor from around 1920’s in a building known as “Vaidyashala” which has the family name “പുല്ലുകാട്ട്” (PULLUKATTU) engraved on the stone step. That building still stands in Kidangoor.