It is believed that St. Thomas the Apostle, a disciple of Christ, arrived in Vellore in 56 A.D. Through numerous miraculous deeds, he converted many people to Christianity, including several in Vellore Illam. Subsequently, the temple in Kothamangalam was transformed into a church. Then, a Christian kingdom known as Velluvanadu was established, with Kothamangalam as its center, and Vellore’s Marthoma king ruled over it. This situation continued for nearly two hundred years. During this time, Christian families in the area lived in unity.
However, other local kings became upset and dissatisfied with this. Under their influence, a group led by a gang leader named Manikyasekhar from Pandirajya and his followers attacked Velluvarnadu. They forced 160 families from Velluvarnadu to reconvert to their religion. Unable to withstand the intense persecution, 96 families agreed to convert. However, 64 families endured extreme torture and remained firm in their Christian faith. These families became the ancestors of the Marthoma Christian communities in Vellore. They came to be known as the “Dharisaykals,” which means those who did not wear the sacred ash, and they engaged in agricultural work and other trades alongside Hindus.
The First Syrian Migration (A.D. 345)
At that time, a Syrian man named Knana Thommen, who was involved in trade with the Malayalam land, brought the suffering of the Mar Thoma Christians to the attention of the Patriarch of Antioch. As part of efforts to alleviate these sufferings, in A.D. 345, under the leadership of Knana Thommen, a group of more than four hundred people, including Mar Yoseph, a bishop, priests, deacons, and seventy-two families, arrived in Malankara in three cargo ships from Syria. The Velloor family leaders, the Dharisaykals, received them.
Following the intervention of this group, Cheraman Perumal, the ruler, granted the Mar Thoma Christians the right to live as free citizens like others. Knana Thommen was granted land in Kodungalloor to build a church and a town, and thus, the Syrians and Mar Thoma Christians together established a church in Kodungalloor. A total of 472 families, including the Velloor Mar Thoma Christians, settled on the northern side of the church, and 72 Syrian families settled on the southern side. This area came to be known as Mahadevarppattanam.
Milestones
After two centuries, when caste and colour distinctions between the Syrians and Mar Thoma Christians became intense, the Velloor Nasranis returned to their ancestral home in Muvattupuzha. In A.D. 510, they established a church at Udayamperoor, located to the west of Velloor. Thus, the Knanayas continued to reside under the fort of Kodungalloor, and the Mar Thoma Christians continued under the fort of Udayamperoor.
The Second Syrian Migration (A.D. 825) and the Royal Authority
Over time, the Patriarch of Antioch sent a group to Kerala to unite the Malankara Christians and the Knanaya Nasranis. They arrived in Kollam in A.D. 825. The group consisted of two bishops and two Rambans. They presented jewels and gold coins to the king of Kollam, acquiring land and other rights. These bishops took measures to ensure that there would be no division in the Malankara Church. As part of this, the spiritual matters were placed under the responsibility of bishops and deacons, who were to be sent periodically from Antioch. To manage the situation in the absence of bishops and deacons, someone from the Pakalomattam family was appointed as an archdeacon.
The secular administration of the Malankara Church was given to the Velluvarnad family, and a person named Yoseph was honored with the title “Yoseph Raja of Udayamperoor Velluwal Vettath Yakobaya Swaroopam.” (This title was later given to all subsequent kings). The Velloor family members from Kottayakam were the successors of this king. Thus, the Velloor family became known as the royal family of the Malankara Mar Thoma Christians. The Udayamperoor Marth Mariam Church came to be known as the royal family church. From A.D. 825 to A.D. 1500, the Velloor family kings ruled over the Malankara Church.
The Tekkumkoor Connection
After the arrival of the Portuguese, things changed drastically. Since they were unable to bring the Malankara Church as a whole under the Pope’s authority as they desired, the Portuguese attempted to create instability in Malankara. With the help of the King of Kochi, the Portuguese attacked the Udayamperoor fort, the Udayamperoor church, and the surrounding areas. King Yoseph, who survived the battle, fled. Fearing the Portuguese, King Yoseph, who was secretly staying at Karthikapalli, was invited by the King of Tekkumkoor to Thaliyil Fort. King Yoseph demanded the authority to confront the Portuguese, and the King of Tekkumkoor, Veera Keralavarma, agreed to this condition. He appointed King Yoseph as the supreme ruler (Sarwadhikar). The lands granted to him came to be known as Veloor. This event occurred between 1515 and 1520.
Over time, three families formed in the Kottayakam region: Velloor Tharavadu, Kizhakkeyattathu Velloor, and Karakkat Velloor. Yoseph, the supreme ruler of Veloor, passed away in 1540 at the Velloor Tharavadu in Kottayakam. [The descendants of King Yoseph’s three sons, Yoseph Kathanar, Cheriyan, and Mathu, later settled in areas like Amayannoor, Manarkad, Thiruvanchur, and Puthupally.]
During this period, a division occurred among the Christians, and in 1577, the Knanaya Christians established the Valiya Palli in Kottayakam. In 1579, under the leadership of Velloor Mappila, the Mar Thoma Christians completed the construction of the Cheriya Palli. From 1520 to 1700, the Velloor Nasranis lived in the Tekkumkoor Kottayakam region as influential people.
The Veloor Cross was also erected during this period. This black stone cross was set up at the western side of Thoombilthodu, on the northeast edge of Veloorkarra. The cross was built at Kallishery and brought to Velloor for installation.
However, in 1700, after the King of Tekkumkoor unlawfully exercised his power at the Cheriya Palli, a conflict and separation arose between the Velloor Mappilas and the king. The King ordered the Velloor Mappilas to go outside the fort and forbade them from entering the area. As a result, the Velloor Mappilas moved back to the Velloor area, which had been granted to them two hundred years earlier.
Due to the prohibition of the King of Tekkumkoor, the Velloor Mappilas faced difficulties in entering the Cheriya Palli in Kottayam. Hence, they later constructed the Puthanangadi Kurishupalli, which included the Veloor Cross.
Later, in 1729, Velloor Kurianoupan allied with Marthanda Varma, the King of Travancore. The King of Tekkumkoor surrendered to Marthanda Varma, and these areas came under the Kingdom of Travancore.
Subsequently, the Puthanangadi Velloor family primarily branched into three lines: Velloor Tharavadu, Thekkethalaykkal and Karakkat.
Puthanangadi Kurishupalli (Kurishauppan’s Church)
The Puthanangadi Kurishupalli (Kurishauppan’s Church) was built in the name of St. Thomas, the Apostle. Here, the annual feast is celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. In 1790, Velloor Thommi Tahsildar granted the church rights to the 18 families that existed in Puthanangadi at that time. In 1816, he dedicated a 36-kilogram foreign-made bell to the church by his two-year-old son, Kochidi Chandi.
However, over time, the church bell became obsolete. As a result, the Velloor family members collectively created a new bell weighing 210 kilograms and consecrated it in Puthanangadi Church on December 21, 2006. Even today, only the 18 families from that time or their descendants are given the right to manage the administration of the church.
Velloor Family’s Contribution to the Growth of the Land
The Velloor family has made significant contributions and had a great influence on the growth of the old Tekkumkoor, the development of Thazhatthangadi, and the establishment of Puthanangadi. Our family member, late Kurian Uthup, served as the Municipal Chairman for 12 years and contributed significantly to the development of the Kottayam town. He received the award for the Best Municipal Chairman from the then Chief Minister K. Karunakaran.
In the field of education, our family has made commendable contributions alongside the CMS missionaries. The Velloor family members have also made significant contributions in the agricultural and industrial sectors. The family has played a crucial role in the establishment and growth of several churches, including the Kottayam Valiya Palli, Cheriya Palli, the Puthanangadi Kurishupalli, the Puthuppally Church, and the Manarkad Church.
Purpose of the Family Assembly
The purpose of the Velloor Family Assembly is to foster mutual recognition among the members of the families belonging to the branches of the Velloor family, to nurture love and brotherhood, to raise awareness about family relations, to promote the spiritual, cultural, and educational development of the family members, and to work for the welfare of our land, country, and society.
Office-Bearers of the Governing Committee
- Patron
- President
- Vice President
- Secretary
- Joint Secretary
- Treasurer
- Representatives from branches
The Present Branches of the Velloor Family
- Puthanangadi Velloor
- Padinjarepparambil
- Elanjithara
- Karayorathil
- Kaniyattusheriyil
- Pazhayachantha Velloor
- Valayathil
- Kulangara Parambil
- Kaithala Kudumbam
- Pulluruthikkari