MYLAKKATTU FAMILY

  മൈലക്കാട്ട് കുടുംബം
Named after Thomas the Apostle
Formation AD 52
Headquarters Kottayam,Kerala,India.
Affiliations Christianity
Website www.mylakkattufamily.org.in and www.facebook.com/MylakkattuFamily/
Formerly called
 Pakalomattom

Mylakkattu,Mylakkadu or Mylakkattu family[1] is an ancient Suriyani family in Malankara, Kerala,India. St. Thomas[2] introduced Christianity in Kerala,India. He preached the gospel and administered baptism to many of the native Hindu Brahmin families and appointed priests for them. As per historians it was from the four main families that St Thomas appointed priests for Malankara.They were Kalli, Kaliyankal, Sangarapuri and Pakalomattom.In order to have a further understanding in this regard Mylakkattu family was among the first in kerala to involve in the genome mapping projects.The ancestors of Mylakkattu family are from Pakalomattom. Mylakkattu family currently has branches named Mylakkattu,Amakkattu,Thekkel,Malathu,Perumanakunnel and Neelambadavathu.

Contents

History

According to historians the Apostle reached Muziris in AD 52 and baptized several people making the way for Christianity in Kerala.[3]Thomas is believed to have traveled by vessel to the Malabar coast[4] landing at the former flourishing port of Muziris in the company of a Jewish merchant Abbanes (Hebban). From there he is said to have preached the gospel throughout the Malabar coast. The various churches he founded were located mainly on the Periyar River and its tributaries and along the coast, where there were Jewish colonies.In accordance with apostolic custom, Thomas ordained teachers and leaders or elders, who were reported to be the earliest ministry of the Malabar Church.[5]

He is believed to have established Ezharappallikal or Seven and Half Churches in Kerala. Thomas evangelized this area and then crossed to the Coromandel Coast of southeast India where after carrying out a second mission he died in Chennai. Throughout the period under review the church in India was under the jurisdiction of Edessa which was then under the Mesopotamian patriarchate at Seleucia-Ctesiphon and later at Baghdad and Mosul. Historian Vincent A. Smith says, “It must be admitted that a personal visit of the Apostle Thomas to South India was easily feasible in the traditional belief that he came by way of Socotra, where an ancient Christian settlement undoubtedly existed. I am now satisfied that the Christian church of South India is extremely ancient…”.

Saint Thomas Christians remained as an independent group, and they got their bishops from Church of the East[6] until the 16th century. Saint Thomas Christians were greatly affected by the arrival of the Portuguese in 1498. The Portuguese attempted to bring the community under the auspices of Latin Rite Catholicism resulting in permanent rifts in the community.

Migration

Portugese arrival on the latter century which tried to destroy the inherited syrian christian faith, along with enemity from the other religious rulers made the forefathers to leave from there, Spices trade flourishing in travancore and proximity to the “Queen of Arabian sea” may also be seen as a reason. In these circumstances family members left from there and came to Athirampuzha and kuravilangadu.Here they were known by the name Vembeny Family.

Origin of family name “Mylakkattu”

Forefathers came to kottayam from the nearby “Athirampuzha” and “kuravilangadu”.They settled in a beautiful place rich with myla trees.Native name of this tree is Myla maram(മൈല മരം),scientific name is Vitex altissima Linn commonly called as “tall chaste tree” which belongs to Verbenaceae tree family and almost identical to “Vitex alata”.In native language kaadu(കാട്) means forest,hence come the name “forest of myla trees” which in native language is called Mylakkadu(മൈലക്കാട്) and the derivative Mylakkattu(മൈലക്കാട്ട്).It is here the Jerusalem Marthoma Church,Kottayam is now situated.This is also seen in the old documents of the church.From kottayam our family members also moved to other Districts and different parts of the world.

Family digital calender

In view of the various ommisions of syrian christian religious and cultural events in the current malayalam calenders distributed by various malayalam news paper publishing houses,we are publishing calendars each year.This digital calendar has emphasis on major events and festivals of the kerala suriyani christians and provided free for personal use and distribution.Calenders can be downloaded for free from the family website.

Family application

Mylakkattu family has already developed family android and IOS applications for the fastest transfer of family events and news amoung family members.Members are encouraged to download and use the same free of cost.Future updates with live voice,video,group chats and secure access are also planned.

References

    • Medlycott A E (1905). India and the Apostle Thomas. (Gorgias Press LLC).
    • Rev James Hough (1845). The history of Christianity in India. London: ( Seeley and Burnside).
    • Marco polo,transilation by Ronald Latham (1958). The Travels of Marco Polo,Reissue Edition. (Penguin Classics).
  • Leslie Brown (1956). The Indian Christians of St Thomas. (Cambridge University Press).
  • Edwin Fahlbusch,Jan Milic Lochman,John Mbiti,translation by Geoffrey W Bromiley (2005). Encyclopedia of Christianity. (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company).

External links