Epilogue
By Pallikonam Rajeev
By the seventeenth century, during Thekkumkur rule, a new marketplace was established in the eastern part of old Kottayam town, between Thirunakkara Hill and Narikunnu. Besides the ancient Thazhathangadi — old Kottayam's principal market — Valiyangadi, established earlier by King Aditya Varma in the sixteenth century, already existed as well.
Certain prominent Nazrani trading families, who had arrived from Poonjar, Kuravilangad, and Niranam and settled along the slopes of Eruthikkal Hill and Narikunnu, gained favor with the local ruler in various ways. The educated among them were appointed to administrative offices, while the rest were given the means to engage in trade. This was also a period when a section of the Nazranis moved away from the marketplaces into farming. The practice of leasing and cultivating the western lowland paddy fields (punchappadam) grew increasingly common among these settlers. As this cultivation proved highly successful, a market became necessary to sell the rice, paddy, and beaten rice (aval) produced. There also arose a need to dry and process coconuts harvested in the western areas into copra, and to press that copra into oil for sale. As various communities migrated into the eastern hill regions to cultivate spices, small settlements began forming there too — creating demand for rice, oil, and dried fish to be sent to them. To serve this trade, a marketplace was established on the flat land below the eastern slope of Narikunnu. A canal was cut so that boats carrying goods from the western region via the Kodoor river could reach Karappuzha, running along the eastern side of this newly begun market up to Parasuraman Chira. Another canal flowed south through the middle of the market, joining the first canal at Karappuzha.
With the establishment of the Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple in the early sixteenth century, various communities had already begun settling in Thirunakkara. Bullock carts arriving from eastern regions, passing through Thirunakkara, would reach the eastern bank of the Puthenangadi canal, where they would load goods brought by boat. Beyond this pre-arranged trade, surplus goods were also brought by boat along the western canal and stored in the granaries and storerooms of merchants' homes, from where small-scale trading took place as needed.
As this trade prospered, other families arrived as well. Skilled in both trade and agriculture, they also possessed knowledge of traditional medicine and other hereditary sciences. Alongside them came a number of Ezhava families to assist with trading matters, who settled along the slopes of Narikunnu. Many respected and prominent individuals came from among them too.
The merchants of Puthenangadi brought to market not only the paddy grown on the western lowland fields they held on lease, but also paddy purchased from other farmers, which they processed into rice and beaten rice for trade at Puthenangadi.
The southern part of the market was marshy, while the western slope of Narikunnu was forested. It is said that the thickets of Narikunnu were, in those days, home to plenty of jackals! Porcupines, too, had dug burrows extending from the hilltop down to the edge of the canal.
There was also an old burial ground on the southern side of the market. It was near here that the Malankara Nazranis who broke away from Kottayam Valiyapally were first granted land to build a church. Since this site proved unsuitable, they were later granted the location where Cheriyapally stands today.
The prominent Nazrani families of Puthenangadi came, over time, to be known collectively as the "Pathinettara Veedar" (the "Eighteen-and-a-Half Houses") — eighteen Nazrani families and one Ezhava family (given "half" status, likely owing to lower social rank at the time). They maintained good relations with the Thekkumkur dynasty throughout every period, and it was largely they who held administrative positions in the offices at Thalikkotta. Members of these families could enter Thalikkotta, the royal seat, without needing anyone's permission! Historical references mention Konoppadathu Korula Mappila, who served as Karyavicharippukaran (equivalent to today's Chief Secretary) under King Aditya Varma, who ruled from AD 1717 to 1749.
It was in September AD 1749 that Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma of Travancore launched his invasion, bringing an end to the Thekkumkur kingdom! Having conquered Aranmula and Changanassery and crushed Thekkumkur in its advance, the Travancore army seized the Idathil palaces at Pallam and Karappuzha, and, under the leadership of Ramayyan Dalawa, pitched camp atop Narikunnu. In those days, Thalikkotta could be clearly seen from the crest of the hill. While waiting for the naval force under commander De Lannoy to arrive at Thazhathangadi, the infantry kept Thalikkotta under observation, camped here for two days. Puthenangadi St. Thomas School stands today at that very spot.
Puthenangadi is well known today for housing Kurishupally, a Marthoma pilgrimage center. This sacred shrine is, notably, a place of pilgrimage for people of all faiths! Established in the name of St. Thomas the Apostle, this church's stone cross holds great significance in worship. Kurishupally has a history of having originated as a marketplace cross that became a place of worship. This stone cross, now installed at the altar, originally stood on the western side of the church. In AD 1898, under the officiation of the revered Parumala Thirumeni, it was moved and reinstalled at the altar. But the church's founding is actually connected to an older wooden cross — and behind its discovery lies a cherished legend.
This is a story said to have taken place about a century after the market was established. One monsoon season, a wooden cross, swept along by the strong current of the Kodoor river from some unknown place, caught on the tilted branch of a fence-hibiscus (velipparuthi) plant near the canal on the eastern side of the market, and spun in the eddy of the water there! Some young Ezhava workers of the market, arriving by boat, spotted it. Astonished, they lifted it out and set it on the bank. They then called the elder woman (ammachi) of a nearby house by the landing — later known as the Kurishummoottil family — and showed it to her. Sensing something unusual about it, she instructed the workers to simply place it in the cattle shed. They leaned it against the side of the shed.
That night, the cows in the shed lowed continuously without stopping. The household, woken from sleep, could not at first make sense of it. Then they remembered the cross placed there that day. What if it held some divine power? The devout ammachi thought to herself: the Savior of the world, the Messiah, was born in a cattle shed — and it was these very dumb creatures who first rejoiced at that sight! And now, here in this shed, stood the cross — the sign of the Lord's final sacrifice. How could this be right? Perhaps that was what was distressing the cows! It ought to be moved away, she decided. She had her attendants take up the cross at once and place it elsewhere, out of the cows' sight. After that, they never lowed again!
By morning, the story had spread throughout the area as a wonder. This gave rise to a deep reverence and devotion toward the cross among the local people. As word spread further and more people began arriving, the family instructed the workers to move the cross and set it up in the marketplace instead. With everyone's consent, it was taken and installed at the very center of the market. From that time, not only Christians but Hindus too came forward to pray before this wooden cross and light lamps before it. Gradually, it became a place of worship for people of every faith. As these accounts circulate only through oral tradition, they should not be taken as historically authoritative.
As those who worshipped and prayed before the cross began to report positive experiences in their lives, faith in it grew stronger among everyone. All who visited the market would light a lamp there and leave an offering before moving on. Fearing that the cross would deteriorate from continuous exposure to rain and sun, it was decided to build a church around it. In AD 1731, with the support of Aditya Varma, the last king of Thekkumkur, a thatched church incorporating the cross was constructed. Madathunkal Moothashari, the royal architects, determined the site and carried out the construction.
With the fall of Thekkumkur in the mid-eighteenth century, all the marketplaces of old Kottayam declined, and Puthenangadi too became merely nominal! Even so, a modest amount of goods storage and exchange continued here through the Travancore period. Though the market itself ceased to function, devotion to the cross did not diminish — if anything, people from distant lands began arriving at the church, having heard of it, to venerate the cross. Believers referred to the divine presence residing in the church as "Kurishoppan." St. Thomas the Apostle is, after all, also known as "Kurishu Muthappan" (Grandfather of the Cross)! Devotees regard Kurishoppan in their hearts as the formless, supreme divine presence that watches over and protects them.