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Puthiaparampil Family History

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Village of Nedumkunnam

Nedumkunnam Village is situated sixteen kilometers east of Changanassery,  in Changanassery taluk of Kottayam district and twenty-four square kilometers on both sides of the Karukachal- Manimala road. The village Nedumkunnam was part of Thekumkur native state until King Marthandavarma Maharaja captured Thekumkur in 1750 AD. The area got its name as Nedumkunnam because there are many long hills in this village.

Centuries ago, the Chathanattu family, closely related to the Thekumkur royal family, settled here. In the early 18th century, a large number of people from different parts of Kerala migrated here and took up farming under the lease system from the Chathanattu family.

Nedumkunnum has changed now that forests have been cleared and agriculture is widespread. The tall trees on the farms were not cut down at that time. As a result, teak, rosewood, Thambakam, mango trees, Marut, Tembav, Thanni, Kattu punna, Venga, Pezhu, Maroti, and Nelli are common and abundant here. In addition, there were peacocks, kuil, quail, myna and madatta to dance and sing in these forests. As time passed, the forests disappeared. Coconuts, Aracknut, and Pepper flourished there.

When agriculture became the main occupation, a rich culture grew here. Four or five families of farmers came together and did each family's farming work cooperatively. This association existed in all matters like digging and cleaning ponds and wells, thatching houses  and transporting the sick to hospitals. Thus there were people of different castes and religions who were able to respect and love each other.

Farmers were finding it very difficult to sell their crops. Through difficult roads, they carried the goods to Changanassery and sold them there. On the waysides, there were places to alight their over head burden and rest for those going to the market..
Tapioca cultivation started in Travancore during the time of Visakham Tirunal Maharaja and within a few years it spread all over our farms. The Changanassery-Pirumedu road and the Karukachal-Manimala road built in the 19th century led to the bullock cart becoming the main mode of transport. Even today, we remember the musical sound of the bullock carts going to Changanacherry with coconuts, tapioca and other agricultural crops. Although there were few paddy fields, all other crops were being grown here. The first place of worship established in Nedumkunnam is Devikshetra, which is more than six centuries old. Kavu and Thirunada, which were in Kavumnnada, are the basis of the place name Kavumnnada. Then there was Nedumkunnam Church. This church is more than two centuries old, and festivals in the goddess temple, and in the church are occasions of celebration for all the people of the village. Other than Nedumkunnam pally tere are Nedumanni Fatimamata Church and Punnaveli Little Flower Church for the Catholics now.
In Kavumnnada there are. Juma'a Masjid, Sree Narayana Gurudeva Pratishtha and Subhananda Ashram .All these reveal that although religious fervor of this . village is high people belonging to different religious groups live in cooperation and love. We can be proud that this relationship has not suffered a scratch till today. When we look ahead, we see a flourishing future for Nedumkunnam. CMS School in Chelakomb, Government HigherSecondary School, St. John the Baptist Higher Secondary School, St. Theresa's High School for girls and St. John the Baptist CBSESchool all these has made Nedumkunnam a center of education. To top it all off, a B.Ed. College, library and reading room, a veterinary hospital, Krishi Bhavan, banks, post office, other government institutions and the market are all enriching Nedumkunnam today. Carmelite Convent the Perpetual Adoration Convent Nedumkunnam, and Vincentian Ashram at Mailady are avenues for spiritual growth. All these, churches, monasteries, schools and other service centers are giving impetus to the spiritual progress and socio-cultural education of the people.
. We know the history that Christianity also started in Kerala with the arrival of St.Thomas in Kodungallur in 52 AD. Many people were converted to Christianity as a result of his evangelisation. They established churches. Most of the people who accepted Christianity were from Brahmin families. At Palayur four families namely Kalli, Kalikav, Shankarapuri and Pakalomattam were baptized by Marthoma Shliha. Many of these four families later migrated to different places establishing Christian communities and churches.. Over time, these root families developed many branches and settled in different places. Thus Christianity started growing in the first century and spread far and wide in Kerala.

    But this does not mean that the growth of Christianity was smooth. There were wars between the city states on one side and religious persecution on the other side. For these reasons the ancestors migrated to places where the influence of enemical forces were less. Some of those who were living in Kuravilngadu, Niranam and Angamali left there and sought safer places. Christians were not the only ones who migrated. There were people of different castes and religions. History makes it clear that all of them lived in unity and harmony.

Centuries ago there were Christian families living in Vaipur.History attests that in A.D.1212 a Church was established there.It is certain that the settlement of Christian familiesare prior to that. Edoor was one of the ancient Christian families settled there.
So surely Christian families must have settled there long before the church was established. Edoor family was one of the ancient ancestral familes there. It is believed that they are people who have migrated from Nilackal. There developed nine branches from the Edoor lineage. They are as follows.
1. Edoor (root family)
2. Karuthaparackal

3. Kalluprayat (South Anikad)

4. Mecherimannil (Vaipur)]

5. Cheranayil (Kottangal)

6. Eduoraya Marungotil (Vakathanam)

7. Plakkeezhu (Iraviperur)

8. Kozhimannil (Morani Southern Anikad)

9. Pudhuparampil Peedika (Vaipur)

Centuries later, the Hindus who immigrated to Nedumkunnam area built a temple dedicated to Devi and according to the custom of the time, the high class Christian families were brought to stay near the temple premises to clean by touching the temple offerings such as oil, ghee, etc.One such was Mukkatu family.They were also the sole authorities (Tharakas) in the trading of hill products. members who settled in this way were the mainstays of the Nedumkunnam mountain goods trade. The land on the south-eastern side of Nedumkunnam Devikshetra is still known as Mukkattupurayidam. The possessions of that ancestral home, which have decayed somewhat, are at least partly in the possession of the Hindus.

A daughter from the Mukkatu family was married off to Karuthparakal, a branch of the Edoor family, the Tarakasthanikas of Vaipur.

Tradition has it that the Edoor family and the Karutapara family are the descendants of the Kalikavu family who migrated from Kuravilangad or Nilakkal due to religious persecution. There is no historical evidence to support this.
When the four sons reached adulthood, and were married, there was a problem in the family. The legend about its cause is as follows.

 A time when people were shivering  in fear of the battle, wealth was not secure. All the gold in the family was buried in a safe place by the four children and their parents. A banana was also planted there, as a sign. After a few years, when the fear of war subsided, the place was dug up and looked at. But the gold was gone. With this, the brothers became suspicious. To solve this problem, the uncle found a way. He brought two of his nephews to settle in Nedumkunnam. Thus, three branches were formed from the Karutaparaikkal lineage.

Those branches are the root family Karuthaparaikkal branch continued in Vaipur,Tathakat and Nechikat branches were brought to NEDUMKUNNAM

THATHAKATTU and NECHIKATTU

. These ancestral homes are almost two hundred and fifty years old ..

Of the two people who arrived in Nedumkunnam, the elder, Ittiavira Kurian, was settled in Tathakat and the younger, Ittiavira Thomma, in Nechikat, near the Mukattu family. Those who have seen those houses say that those two family houses were built exactly the same way.

These two families must have come between 1750 and 1780. Let's take a look at the condition of Nedumkunnam in that period.

 Nedumkunnam in the 18th century,

Nedumkunnam Parish was established only in AD. 1803. Till then Nedumkunnam was a part of the Changanacherry Parish

The parish of Nedumkunnam was very extensive. The present parishes of Champakara, Koothrapalli, Punnaveli and Nedumanni Mundathanam were fully included in the boundaries of Nedumkunnum, while the parishes of Kadayanikkad, Thottakkad and Pulikalkavala were partially included.

In Nedumkunnam Parish. Looking at it like this, the whole land which was located in the west of Kadayanikadu, east of Kurumbanadam, south of Pampadi-Kutikal area, north of the river Manimalayar was included in Nedumkunnam Parish. There is no way to know the exact population of this area in the 18th century. But at the beginning of the 20th century, there were about 120 families belonging to all caste and religious groups in the present boundary of Netumkunnam Panchayath. About half of them were Harijan families. We can only imagine what the population was like a century before that.

At the end of the 18th century, Nedumkunnam was a place belonging to Changanassery Parish. It was the time when Paremmakal Achan and Kariyati Malpanachan went to Rome. Paremmakal Achan was closely related to the Tathakattu family.When he once visited Changanacherry Parish during his tenure as Governor. It is said that he took the initiative to see the wife of Mathan, the younger son who lived in the Thathakattu family..She was his aunt .She was invited to visit him in Changanassery. as he said that he wanted to see his aunt.

It should be assumed that this Mathan was the youngest of the grandsons of Ittiavira Kurian who came and stayed here from the Karuthaparackal family in Vaipur..

Ittiavira Kurian, who first settled in Tattakatu, had only one son. That son named Kurian Ittiavira had six sons and two daughters

.

Kuryan, the eldest of the sons, died before he got married. The second, Ittiavira Kunjuthomman, settled in a new plot near the ancestral home. Later that house was known as Puthiaparampil..

The third son, Chacko, settled in Pandikunnel plot. It is adjacent to the residence of black smith on the west side of the ancestral home.

The fourth one Varghese settled in the Ilavunkal plot. This site is almost half way to the east, of the present Kavunnada - Manthuruthy road .

The fifth son, Kora, moved to Mullankuzhi plot. The site is about three furlongs from the ancestral home to the south-west of the present Vincentian monastery.

Mathan, the youngest son, stayed at Tathakattu.

One of the two daughters of Ittiavira was married to Ilapunkal family in Changanassery. Late Fr. Zacharias Ilapunkal, is her great-grandson.

The second daughter was married off at Kangaza Panthalani. The Panthalani family. They are today members of the Jacobite Church. Fr.Vayalapallil belongs to this branch..

Five branches

The children of Ittiavira Kurian's son, who settled in Tattakatu, moved to five places. Thus, five branches were born from the Tathakattu familytree..

1. Ittiavira Kunjuthomman in Puthiaparampil

2, Pandikunel Ittiavira Chako

3, Ilavunkal Ittiavira Varughese

4. Mullankuzhi Ittiavira Kora

5. Tattakatu Ittiavira Mathen

PUTHIAPARAMPIL FAMILY
Ittiavira Kunjuthomman Puthiaparampil had two sons and two daughters.
Ittiavira, the eldest son, died young. The second Kunjuthomman Chacko married Thresiamma, daughter of Paulos Kadavil in Alappey..
. This Paulos was very intelligent. There is a story about him. Once the king of Ampalapuzha had some illfeeling against this Paulos and he ordered Paulos not to thatch his house that year. Paulos thought that if the house is not thatched it would be a miserable situation during the rainy season. He called a few street children and gave them some money and said that I will not be there tomorrow. You may. just remove the thatching on that day, when he came back there is no thatching for his house. He ran straight to the palace. Saddened he requested the king permission to tatch house blaming the street boys, Even the king understood the point and was amused by his intelligence. He also passed a comment when he was allowed to thatch the house. "But you are a fox".

The couple Chacko and Thresyamma had eight children. Thomman, the eldest son, died at the age of twenty.

The second son, Paulos, settled in Kokavayal
The third, Chacko settled in Puthenpurackal (Nadukkeveedu).
The fourth son, Varghese, settled in Puthiaparampil itself.
The fifth Kuryala married one of the two daughters of the Vadakkel family and settled there

Later, he moved to Kovelil and started a shop for trade near the Kovelil bridge.
Chandy, the sixth son, settled in Puthiaveetil just on eastern side of the Puthiaparampil house.
Kora, the seventh son, lived as a celibate and ascetic.
Ittiavira Kunjuthomman's elder daughter Mariamma was married to the Angadi family in Manimala
The younger daughter was married off to Choorakutty family Mithrakari in Kuttanad.

Anna, the only daughter of  Chacko-Thresiamma couple, was given in marriage to Ouseph Kannalil in Vaipur. Later, when they became financially weak, his brother Varghese bought a plot in Chelakombu and brought them back to Nedumkunnam. They had three children, one boy and two girls.

The elder daughter was married off to Cheruvallil Pampurikal and the younger daughter Nedumkunat was married off to the Cherusseril family
Pappan, the only son of the Kannalil second generation and his family sold the landin Chelakombu about thirty-five years ago and moved to Umikuppa near Pampavally. Five branches of family Puthiaparampil
1. Kokkavayalil (Chacko Paulose)

2. Puthenpurackal  Nadukkeveetil (Chacko Chacko)

3. Puthiaparampil (Chacko Varghese)
4. Vadakkel Peetikayil (Chako Kuriala)

5. Puthiaveetil (Chacko Chandy)

PUTHIAPARAMPIL KORA
HERMIT
Kochu Kora, the youngest son of Chacko Kunjuthomman, lived as an ascetic. People called him Korasanyasi. He lived a life of ecclesiastical activity and penance with Edathua Puthenparambil Thommachan, the founder of the Franciscan Third Order. Palakunnel Vallyachan's Nalagamam has recorded about this on pages 105 to 108. The Franciscan Third Order was started on 8th December, 1868 (In the Nalagamam it is written that the inauguration of the Franciscan third order was on the 8th of the month of Dhanu in 1868 on the feast day of The Immaculate Conception of Mother Mary). The first member of the Third Order, which was started in the Kurumbanadam Church, was Thommachan, Puthenparampil,Edathua. Kochukora also became a member of the Third Order along with Thommachan. In the same year both of them together spent one week in penance and prayer at Mulamala from 17th to 24th in preparation for Christmas. On 26th December(Dhanu) Thommachan went again to the Church at Kurumbanadam and as per the law he officially vested with the Uniform of the Third Order. In 1869 Kumbham,that is the time of the time fifty days fast Thommachan along with Kochu Kora spent %0 days in fasting and penance in a solitary place in Azhammala (Korati).

Korasanyasi stayed in a house with only one room, which was built near the Parish Church at Nedumkunnam so that      he can attend Holy Mass daily.His elder brother, Chacko Varghese was the one who constructed it for him. In 1879 it was officially handed over to the Third Order.  Later after his death, the room was donated to Chethipuzha Monastry. Even now we can see it at the Cemetery Chapel, Chethipuzha.

We do not know the exact date of his death. Before he died he requested that he be buried far away from the Church near the Cross on the way side so that people may walk over his tomb. He was buried as he wished. Later it became the Cemetery of the Puthiaparampil Family.

NEDUMKUNNAM PARISH
The Syrian Christians who migrated to Nedumkun had no place of worship of their own. They had to go to Vaipoor or Changanassery for participating in the Holy Qurbana. In those days, when there were no vehicles, our forefathers traveled miles on foot to fulfill their spiritual needs. It was their dream to build a Church.
With the establishment of Alappuzha port, when the European traders arrived, thinking that they would go back because of the lack of churches, the government took interest to establish churches. The influence of Mathutharakan, who was the leading person in the timber business of the government, also created ideal conditions for Christians to establish churches. On top of this, King Ramavarma Maharaja was very interested in the well being of the Christians. When these favorable circumstances and the goodwill of the native Land Lords were combined, many Christian churches were established at that time. Thus, in the second half of the 18th century, the then native Chathanattu Panikkar allotted six and a quarter acres of land free of cost to build a church in Nedumkunnam. Locals built a grass shed on the donated land. Its location was near the present Church. That was the first church. According to the Directory of the Arch Diocese of Changanacherry NedumkunnamParish was established in1803

It is said that the statue of St.John the Baptist which is venerated in this Church is brought here from Purakkat. It was brought to Purakkad by the crew of a ship. The hearsay about it is something like this.. A ship coming from Portugal to Travancore got caught up in a storm midway. When the crew felt that the ship was sinking, the sailors on board prayed before the image of St.John the Baptist and vowed to build a church in the name of that saint somewhere in the eastern regions where there were no churches if the ship reached the harbor safely. After reaching the shore safely, they handed over the Statue of the saint and some money to build the church to the people of Purakkad. As time passed, they handed over the statue to the Alapuzha parishioners and from there to the Changanassery parishioners. From Changanassery the statue was brought to Nedumkunnam

In 1825 Rev.Fr.Abraham Kalathukkunnel was appointed the Vicar of Nedumkunnam Church. Abraham Kathanar who was a committed spiritual leader, later became famous as Nedungothachan. He was like a hermit. He ate only vegetables and tubers. He is believed to be the originator of “Puzhukku Nercha” at Nedumkunnam which is served on the last day of the feast. As a prayerful  man,many people  approached him when they were sick, he healed them by offering small coconut chips over  which he prayed. That is how Nedungothachan's Thengakothu became famous. Nedungothachan built a small Church and a presbytery, just west of the present old Church, near  the tamarind stands. He lived there. But the 

order from the church authority was that this church, which was built without the permission, should be demolished. It was then demolished and a church was built east of the small Church with permission(See the Auto Biography of Fr.Joseph Puthiaparampil ,Life Without Complaints p. 203). Nedungotthachan, a spiritual star shining with golden light in the history of Nedumkunnam Parish, passed away in 1847. The body was buried in Nedumkunnam church. The present small church was built in 1878. The Madbaha of Kochupalli was built during the time when Chacko Varghese was the ‘Kaikkaran’. It is fully made of teak wood by carpenters from Muthoor. All these works were supervised by Chacko Varghese. The accounts of the wood used for the work and the wages paid to the carpenters were kept in Puthiaparampil house.

There was also an Elementary school under the supervision of the parish church. It was Chacko Varghese who donated 18 cents of land required for the same on the north side of the present Valiyapalli. Children were taught to write on the ground and on the palmleaves by bringing Teachers(Asans) from distant places. Later, the government established a Malayalam Primary School(Pallikoodam) at the place where this Kalari stood. This school was later shifted to Chatthanat as a result of the efforts of the then Vicar, Peedikail Kuryala Ouseph, Ponnolikal Chacko, Nechikkattu Madhavan Nair and Pelianikal Thomas. That is the present Nedumkunnam Government School. The new land was bought by the Church and given to the school, the 18 cents of land given to the school by the government at that time is now shifted to the western end of the church land where the new Village Office built..

The foundation stone of the present Valiyapalli was laid in 1936 during the time of Pulikaparampil Mathai Achan, who was the Vicar. The church was completed in 1940 when Rev. Fr.George Thachankary was the Vicar. Mar James Kalacherry, Bishop of Changanacherry consecrated it. It is established near the location of the first church. At the time of the completion of the New Church, Pelianical Thoma Ulahannan and Chacko Paulos Kokavayalil were the Kaikars. The plan of New Church was prepared by Rev.Fr.Francis TOCD (CMI),Puthiaparampil. On each and every stage of its construction he came from Mannanam and was supervising it. The a Altar is carved out of a single stone. He gave necessary instructions at every stage of its work. The Presbytery where the priests lived was built under the supervision of Chacko Varghese. It was Chacko Chacko Ponnolikal who did the whole wood works under his supervision.

 In 1863, there was an order from the Church authorities, to  establish  Schools, near the church. After that, the method of burying the dead around the church was changed. The present cemetery was leveled for the burial of faithful. Then a wall was first built around it with cut stone. Then a gate with an arch was erected south of the present gate. All these works were led by Chacko Varghese Puthiaparampil. The members of the Puthiapaparampil family were buried in the cemetery near the Cross in front of the old  Church. It was Mr. PT Devasia, Puthiaparampil    who died  in 1956, was first buried in the common cemetery of the church. 

It was Chacko Varghese who took the initiative to establish the’ Darsanam’ of Vyakulamatha. Himself and Ankan Mathew Kandankery

went to Varapuzha for permission to establish the Pious Union.
It is Kuriala Ouseph Peedikayil who gave the land for the construction of Kurishupally in Kavunnada. It was Chacko Varghese took the leadership in getting fifteen cents of land for the Chapel  in Karukachal. The Kurusupally was built at the time of  Rev. Fr. Maniachan Mecherikunnel. The architect of the old Kurisupalli,was Rev Fr. Francis Puthiaparampil.
The parishes of Champakara, Koothrapally, Mundathanam, Nedumanny, Punnavely and Panayambala were fully  and Pulikalkavala, Mallapally, Kadayanikkad and Thottakkad were partially seperated  from the parent parish of Nedumkunnam. 

St.John the Baptist Forane Church. stands quenching the spiritual thirst of thousands of believers. There are many who have received blessings from the saint. This Church has been considered a pilgrim center. Let us advance firmly trusting in the patronage of the saint. May He, the forerunner of Christ, request for us showers of spiritual blessings.