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Thumpamon Diocesian Church A Historical Look Thumpamon Martha Mariam Dicesam Church , Historical Out Look D 717 to Ad 1932 Thumpamon Church is one of the ancient churches in the state. It was after the establishment of the 7½ Churches by St.Thomas, that the Martha Mariam Church was built in Thumpamon. Most of the historical documents were some how lost but the forefathers had spoken about the history of the church. Same in the case with many other churches, but the words are counted as proof of the history St Thomas had built the Nilackal Churches in AD 52. It became difficult for people to stay there by AD 325. So from there people started moving on to places like Thumpamon, Chenganoor, Kadampanad, Kanjirappally and Kayamkulam. This is being mentioned in the Ranny Taluk Diary 1 Thumpamon is just forty miles away from Nilackal, and it is on the banks of the river Achenkovil. There was no difficulty in reaching this place through waterways and so the history of people settling in this tertile area is considered as something believable. This place was good far cultivation and there were no dangers from wild animals and no threats from robbers in this place. The people who came to settle here realised that they could have a peaceful atmosphere here. The people who came here liked the place and in the places they built huts and started staying here. Those ancient Christians were very much hardworking and at the same time they were prayerful and loving human beings. Even from very ancient days, Quilon was a place where agricultural products were brought and sold, ginger, pepper and such agricultural items were sent from here to China and other persian countries. The trade connections that Thumpamon with Quilon helped to increase the fame of Thumpamon and it also helped to strengthen the bonds with other places. This trade connection also helped to increase the settlements in Thumpamon. The Christians who had settled here in the first half of the fourth century and those christians from Kadampanad had trade connection with the Christians in Quilon . The Church in Quilon was completed destroyed due to the flooding of the sea there and the Christians there moved to other places by AD 700. The early Christians in Thumpamon used to go to Kadampanad Church for attending Services on the Holy Days walking several miles. This long journey was very difficult and so by about Ad 325, on the northern side of the Pandalam- Pathanamthitta road a small place was arranged for conducting services. This is being recorded in the book titled Dinavrithantha Kuripukal 2 The First Church A D 717 3 In due course, the number of members of the families increased , Their connection widened. The number of the settlers also increased So in the same place where worship was conducted, a church was establised in the name of the mother of Jesus, and was named Martha Mariam Church. The people in Thumpamon gave this name to their church following the tradition of the Martha Mariam Church establised by St.Thomas, the disciple of christ at Niranam. That Church was a very simple one not like the present church with it architectural style or width or shape. It was a symbol of simplicity made of grass, palm leaves and bamboos. It was a place where one would being ture with nature and could feel the present of got and worship him. The People who attended the worship were symbols of innocence and among them there was no mutual hatred or malignant accusations . It was prayer group who would commit everything to the lord and concentrate on worship with tearful eyes. 717 has been recorded on the elephant door’s stone steps on the west side of the church as in the old malayalam numbers. It must have been the eldest in the group who would have given leadership to the prayer. In every word that they spoke one could see the reflection of the culture of a prayerful life. AD 900-The Second Stage 4 In A D 900 the Church was reconstructed. It is believed that this reconstruction work was totally different from the former construction, that stones and soil used to build a bigger church in a beautiful manner in an architectural style. For two centuries, worship was conducted in this church. The number of believers increased every ten years. At that time families were not nuclear in nature. Their financial status increased with the passing of years, and they believed that this was mainly because of the intermediary prayers of St. Mary. Third Stage - AD 1175 5 Chingam 15th onwards The social situation in the Nilackal region underwent change. In the beginning, the people had difficulties because of the problems created by the anti-social lements in Nilackal. The Raja of Pandalam who was responsible for the safety of the people could resist the antisocial elements. The administrative headquarters of the Pandalam Raja was in konniyoor till the capil was shifted to Pandalam in 1170 5 The life in the highly regions were completely changed because of the continuous attacks of Fakruddeen Aligar, the leader of the robbers, and also that of the Marava army. It put on end to the peaceful life in Nilackal . Both agriculture and trade came to a stand still. The people who were to put an end to the activities of robbers became helpless. The Raja of Pandalam then left the place. That is how the Raja of Pandalam, who belonged to the family of Pandhya Kings settled in Pandalam. This happened in AD1170. The christians who had settled in Nilackal shifted to different places like Thumpamon, Chenganoor, Kanjirappally and Kadampanad. When the number of settlers in Thumpamon increased there was lack of space in the church for all the worshippers and therefore efforts were made to build another new church in Thumpamon with the supports of all believers. The Opposition and the Solutions found When the church which was built before 1175 was brought down and the building of the new church was started, the authorities of Thumpamon Vadakumnathan Temple which was built in 950 AD 7 expressed their opposition to the building of the Church. Their argument against the building of the new church put the christians in dilemma. The Christians who knew that the ruler of Nilackal had settled in Pandalam and that he was ruling from Pandalam went to him and informed him about the situation Christians were generally agriculturists and traders and were rich. More than that, they lived their lives based on the Christian values and ideals and they were considered as good models by others. for the same reason the rulers had love and respect for the Kerala Christians. Several days after the petitioners met the King, the King himself with him attent came to Thumpamon and in the place where the church is situated now, he generously donated land to build the church (\mev B\-t¡m-em ZWvUv Øew) .The intenvents of the king himself helped to silence the local leaders of Thatta who had opposed this. The people of Thumpamon were happy and satisfied and thanked god for his blessing in the Malayalam year 350, on the 15th of the month of Chingam (AD 1175) on the day of the departure of mother mary from this earth, the foundation stone of the church was laid amidst the prayers. The people who were to do the construction of the church the sculptors, workers, carpenters etc. came from different places to Thumpamon . Their descendants, though they belonged to different religions still live in Thumpamon without giving up the respect and adoration towards the holy mother Mary. The hightoned roof, and the top part of the Madbaha which looked beautiful like the blue sky, the stone cross which had different types of sculpting on it, the haikla which had the top part decorated on both sides, the place where dramas were enacted, called natakasala on the western side, the two poomukhams (Varandah on either side) on the left and right side which were constructed according to the norms of the church architecture all these were very special and note worthy. Poomukhams were held on four stone pillars which had beautiful stone works on it. The top part was also decorated with beautiful sculptures. The Poomukham on the northern side has been heightened and preserved even now. The administrative works were done by the responsible elders sitting in the nothern Poomukham. The priest used the Poomukham on the left side . There were doors in the church to move out to the Poomukhams. The lower parts were covered with wood so that they could be used as pace to sit. Murithattu Malika At the extreme end of the Haikala, on the western side was built a room on top as restroom for metropolitans. This was called Murithattu Malika. Pallimeda On the “Pathara Pillars” the basement had twenty into twenty square feet which was really strong . The walls on the Pallimeda and Pallimalika Muri were beautiful with pictures made from the juice of leaves. Archadiyakons and metropolitans met the people of the church in the Pallimeda. Natakasala (Where dramas could be performed) Natakasalas were very rare in the churches located in the southern part of the middle of travancore. During those days, the bible was not easily accessible. So in order to inform people about biblical stories, dramas, Margomkali, dance froms, chvittu nadakam and vilpattu were all performed in this place. The door of kidness the door of hope and the door of Repentance The construction of the church was completed drawing from both the old yestament description and the faith of the Malankara Sabha.