History of Nairs, Ezhavas (Billava), Syrian Christians and Namboodiris of Kerala
The Nestorians appeared in Kerala only after the Arab ships of Iraq / Bhagdad after 800 AD. Tharissappalli Shasanam issued by Venads Tamil Ay King Ayyanadikal Thiruvadikal in 825 AD granting permission to build a Church at Tharissappalli to Nestorian Syrian trader Marvan Sapir Easho was the first authentic Dravidian document in Tamil. The signatories of Tharissapalli Sashanam had signed in three languages Hebrew Pahlavi and Kufric languages indicating that they are with Jewish Persian and Palestinian roots. Christianity was not a known religeon to Dravidian Tamils of Kerala in ancient or medival times until the end of 13th century except few immigrant Nestorian Syrians (Nasrani Mapillas) practiced it.
The ancient Tamil Sangam literature (470 books) many written by Tamil aristocracy of Kerala speak about Jainism Dravidian Hinduism and Buddhism but not Christianity. Silappatikaram a Tamil work written by Chera Dynasty prince Ilango Adigal at 4th century from his palace at Kana Vayil Kottam (ancient Kochi) gives vivid accounts about ancient Kerala. Syrian Christians or Jews were never mentioned in Sangam literature. Saint Thomas was not known to ancient Tamils of Tamilakam (Tamil Nadu and Kerala). Nambudiri Brahmins are not Tamils but ar from Tulunadu who had migrated from Ahichatra in Nepal-Uttarkhand to Banavasi in Karnataka in 345 AD. Nambudiris appeared in Kerala only in the 8th century AD when Karnatakas Chalukya dynasty invaded and subjugated Kerala.
The Nestorians appeared in Kerala only after the Arab ships of Iraq / Bhagdad after 800 AD. Tharissappalli Shasanam issued by Venads Tamil Ay King Ayyanadikal Thiruvadikal in 825 AD granting permission to build a Church at Tharissappalli to Nestorian Syrian trader Marvan Sapir Easho was the first authentic Dravidian document in Tamil. The signatories of Tharissapalli Sashanam had signed in three languages Hebrew Pahlavi and Kufric languages indicating that they are with Jewish Persian and Palestinian roots.
Christianity was not a known religeon to Dravidian Tamils of Kerala in ancient or medival times until the end of 13th century though few immigrant Nestorian Syrians (Nasrani Mapillas) practiced it. The ancient Tamil Sangam literature (470 books) many written by Tamil aristocracy of Kerala speak about Jainism Dravidian Hinduism and Buddhism but not Christianity. Silappatikaram a Tamil work written by Chera Dynasty prince Ilango Adigal at 4th century from his palace at Kana Vayil Kottam (ancient Kochi) gives vivid accounts about ancient Kerala. Syrian Christians or Jews were never mentioned in Sangam literature. Saint Thomas was not known to ancient Tamils of Tamilakam (Tamil Nadu and Kerala). Nambudiri Brahmins are not Tamils but are from Tulunadu who had migrated from Ahichatra in Nepal-Uttarkhand to Banavasi in Karnataka in 345 AD. Nambudiris appeared in Kerala only in the 8th century AD when Karnatakas Chalukya dynasty invaded and subjugated Kerala. Prior to 800 AD none of the Dravidian documents mention Christians in Kerala neither foreign nor Tamil.
Christianity was not a known religeon to Dravidian Tamils of Kerala in ancient or medival times until the end of 13th century though few immigrant Nestorian Syrians (Nasrani Mapillas) practiced it. The ancient Tamil Sangam literature (470 books) many written by Tamil aristocracy of Kerala speak about Jainism Dravidian Hinduism and Buddhism but not Christianity. Silappatikaram a Tamil work written by Chera Dynasty prince Ilango Adigal at 4th century from his palace at Kana Vayil Kottam (ancient Kochi) gives vivid accounts about ancient Kerala. Syrian Christians or Jews were never mentioned in Sangam literature. Saint Thomas was not to ancient Tamils of Tamilakam (Tamil Nadu and Kerala). Nambudiri Brahmins are not Tamils but are from Tulunadu who had migrated from Ahichatra in Nepal-Uttarkhand to Banavasi in Karnataka in 345 AD. Nambudiris appeared in Kerala only in the 8th century AD when Karnatakas Chalukya dynasty invaded and subjugated dKerala. Prior to 800 AD none of the Dravidian documents mention Christians in Kerala neither foreign nor Tamil.
John of Monte Corvino and Friar Jordanus Catalanini (1324 AD) were the first ever European missionaries to convert Indians to Latin Christianity who at Quilon converted few thousand Malali Tamils at Kollam. Kollam Latin Catholics faced threat from Arabs as well as Pandyan Kingdom. But after 1350 the Latin missionaries stopped coming the Latin Catholics might have joined the Nestorians of Kollam. When Portuguese came in 1498 AD the Latin Catholics of Kollam had completely integrated with the Nestorian Syriac Christianity (Nasrani Mappilla). Only Nestorian Syrian Christianity under Eastern Orthodox Christianity existed in Kerala at 1498 AD. Thus European missionaries like Giovanni Montecorvino and Friar Jordanus might have been responsible for increasing the Nasrani Mapilla population of Kollam from few hundred to three thousands in the 14th century. These middle eastern immigrants with some local mixture were called Nasrani (Christian) Mappilla (Son in law) because the Syrian sailors married Kerala girls. As the trade winds which would enable their return journey to Iraq wil blow in the reverse direction only after six months they married hence called Syrian Mapillas. Portuguese Mestizo community had integrated these Syrian Mappillas into Latin Catholicism and army.
When Portuguese came to Kerala Keralas language was Tamil. However the Tamil Chera (Villavar) Vellalar and Ayar aristocracy had been defeated and replaced by Tulu tribes (Nayara Menava Samantha) by the invasion of Malik Kafur in 1310 AD. Portuguese printed many books in the native language Lingua Malabar Tamul. Early Lingua Malabar Tamul or Malayalam-Tamil Christian books were using Portuguese script to write alternating lines of Portuguese and Tamil. Jesuits of Angamaly Kollam and Thalassery printed books in Tamil (eg Flos Sanctorum or Thamburan Vanakkam written bz Henrique , copies preserved at Copenhagen).In the 16th century except a few Paravas of Tuticorin Tamilnadu did not have Christians. Thousands of Tamil books printed in Kerala in the 16th to 18 th centuries by the Jesuits or Eesho Sabha at Angamaly Quilon and Thalssery suggest that Mestizo-Syrian catholics were using Tamil as their Liturgical language used in Church. Though Portuguese established a Syriac college Syriac was never used for preaching or giving sermons. Few lines of Syriac was read out by the Kattiyakaran in the Churches 17th century onwards which Malayalees never understood. Similarly Sanskrit was never used by Keralas Christians prior to British residency. Monro-Mecaulay Dewan-Resident of Kerala in the 1815 forced Kerala Christians to adopt the Tulu-Sanskrit language of Nambudiris as Malayalam while using Tulu script to write it. (See: Neria Haris Hebbar Tulu language)
Friar Jordanus Catalanini was the first ever European missionary to convert Indians to Latin Christianity who at Quilon converted few thousand Malali Tamils at Kollam. Kollam Latin Catholics faced threat from Arabs as well as Pandyan Kingdom. But after 1350 the Latin missionaries stopped coming. When Portuguese came in 1498 AD the Latin Catholics had completely integrated into the Nestorian Syriac Christianity (Nasrani Mappilla). Only Nestorian Syrian Christianity under Eastern Orthodox Christianity existed in Kerala at 1498 AD. These middle eastern immigrants with some local mixture were called Nasrani (Christian) Mappilla (Son in law) because these sailors married Kerala girls. Portuguese Mestizo community had integrated these Syrian Mappillas into Latin Catholicism and army.
When Portuguese came to Kerala Keralas language was Tamil. However the Tamil Chera (Villavar) Vellalar and Ayar aristocracy had been defeated and replaced by the the invasion of Malik Kafur in 1310 AD. After 1310 Kerala was occupied and ruled by Tulu tribes (Nayara Menava Samantha) etc. The new rulers of Kerala after 1310 might descend from the Naga tribes brought by Karnatakas kadamba kings from Nepal as slave warriors hence called Bunts. Bands of Nagas from Ahichatram had migrated to Tulunadu under Brahmin(Nambudiri Shivally Brahmins). Since the Buntas were not allowed to marry or have families a Matriarchal society had evolved. The Tulunadus Bunt/Nair dynasties of Kerala practiced Matriarchy and Polyandry. Tamil Chera Pandya or Chola dynasties had never practised Matriarchy. Kerala with a Tamil population,(Villavar/Panickar Vellalar/Pillai Parathavar and Ayar) ruled by ethnically and culturally different Bunts (Samantha Nayara Menava Kuruba etc) and Nambudiris with Tulumadu roots. Portuguese chose to support the primitive weak Matriarchal Tulu Samantha rulers with their Christian Mestizo army. The Mestizo support to the Tulu Samantha rulers with Nepalese/Ahichatra origins led to the destruction of Dravidian Tamil culture of Kerala.
The Indian Mestizo Christian army might have been a racial intermixture of Poruguese Syriac and Tamils. Nestorianism was abandoned and Catholicism became official. Chavittu Natakams or Tromping dance performed in Tamil was the main entertaintment of Malayali Christians throughout colonial period. Chinnathambi Annavi a migrant from south was the Shakspeare for Portuguese printed many books in the native language of Kerala Lingua Malabar Tamul or Malayalam-Tamil. Jesuits of Angamaly Kollam and Thalassery printed books in Tamil (eg Flos Sanctorum or Thamburan Vanakkam , copies preserved at Copenhagen). The political alignment of Portuguese with the Tulu migrants (Bunt/Nair and Nambudiri) against Tamils(Villavar Vellalar Ayar Paradavar etc) declined. NonDravidianTulunadu customs such as Matriarchy and Polyandry flourised as the colonial rulers supported the Tulu tribes with their Mestizo Christian army. The decline and disappearance of Tamils in Kerala was the result of genocide. Though Malayalam-Tamil survived till 19th century the British replaced it with the Tulu-Sanskrit language of Nambudiris written with Tulu script in the 19th century
European missionaries claimed that ancient Tamiakam was dominated by Many of the Syrian family names are in medival Tamil indicating military service eg Padayattil Payinedathu( payilunnedathu) etc. Thachil (Carpenter house in Tamil) Tharakan (broker) Mapillai(Son in law) etc. After the Portuguese left the Portuguese mixed Catholics of Kerala were left in the care of new Dutch Colonial rulers in 1660. Dutch were Protestants. So some of the Mestizo-Syrians left Latin Catholicism and founded Syro-Malabar Catholic sect in 1662 when Pope sent an emissary. Some Mestizo-Syrians founded Syro-Malankara (Jacobite) sect under Western Orthodoxy (Nestorians had been under Eastern Orthodox y ) in 1665 when the Bishop of Jerusalem was sent by Syriac Patriarch of Antioch Turkey. Syro-Malankara split into various modern sects Marthomite Jacobite, Orthodox Reeth and Knanaya sects. Only Foreign Methrons (Bishops) were allowed till 1875. Syrian Christians were integral part of European colonialism who occupied high offices. British tried to rule Kerala with Thachil Mathu Tharakan in 1800s provoking a revolt by Veluthampi Thampy Thalava. British appointed Syrian Judges and ministers in the 19th century.
British missionaries claimed that Nambudiris (with Ahichatra Tulunadu roots) owned ancient Kerala not Tamils. Europeans could claim that Saint Thomas came and converted Nambudiris .Only Tamils (Villavar Vellala Meenavar Maravar etc)are mentioned in ancient records of Kerala. Jews or Syrian Christians or Nambudiris were unknown to ancient Tamils of Keralas Chera Kingdom.
The important landmarks 1)As the Arab ships from Bhagdadian empire of Iraq started dominating the waterways first Syrian Mappillas appeared in Kerala as mentioned in the Tharisappalli shasanam of 825 AD. Mar Sapir Esho Mor Proth and perhaps Kanai Thomman may belong to this group as Kodungaloor became famous only after the Arab ships started frequenting Keralas port cities after 800 AD (The Second Chera empire). Tha Nasrani Mapillas were very few perhaps few hundred who stayed around Kollam, Kayaal and other port cities along with Arabs. 2)Patriarch John of Monte Corvino and Friar Jordanus Catalini convert many to Latin Christianity who join the Nestorian Mappillas after the Italian franciscans stopped coming after 1350s.
3)Portugguese soldiers establish a strong Mestizo community with three subsects Mestizo, Castizo and Toepass.
4)The alignment of Portuguese with the Tulu Bunt/Samantha/Nair ruler of cochin leader leads to the strengthening of the Mestizos who mostly practiced Latin Catholicism
During Portuguese period (1498-to 1660) the Portuguese period only Roman Catholicism ie Latin Catholicism existed.It is ridiculous to say that Syrian Christians were revoliting against Portuguese. Only after the Portuguese came Christian population leaped to thousands. as The Mestizos were owning vast tracts of land and doing Pepper cultivations. The Mestizo sub castes Castizo Mestizo and Toepass are mentioned in the Portuguese and Dutch records not Syrian Christians. Syrian Christians were integral part of the Portuguese colonialim and Mestizo culture.Koonan Kurisu was itself situated at the Portuguese fortified port of Mattancherry where only Portuguese soldiers were allowed entry. The 2000 strong Syrian Christians who demonstrated at Koonan Kurisu at 1653 in a peaceful manner by tying a rope and singing songs were left alive by the Portuguese because of their Mestizo connection. Though the Mestizos survived in the Dutch period (1660 to 1760) they were relatively weak as the Portuguese mixed inland Christian community of Kerala increasing identified themselves as Syrian Christians. Even during the British period the Syrian Christians were a pillars of the British colonial rule. Thachil Mathu Tharakan was appointed along with Sankaran Namboothiri and Sankaran Chetty as the administrators of Travancore. Velluthampi Thalava revolted against them. Still Mathu Tharakan continued as the first ever Christian minister of Kerala. The Forest minsister Mathu Tharakan stripped Keralas forests to aid the British in the Nepoleanic wars. Palayayam Horona Palli was built by him. The Syrian Christians were appointed as judges by the British in the 1800s who aided British. The European colonilalism favoured group of Christians of Kerala with Syrian Mapilla-Mestizo roots who inturn supported colonialism.
http://www.gnosis.org/library/actthom.htm
Saint Thomas did come to the Kingdom of Gondophares at Takshashila at the Indo-Persian border. But Gondohphares was not an ethnic Indian but a Persian (Parthian) with Greek mixture. This kingdom was situated at presentday northern borders of Pakistan. Saint Thomas visited the kingdom Gondophares as a building contractor promising a palace to the king.Because of Gad Saint Thomas escaped Gondophares wrath. However Saint Thomas earned the wrath of King Misdeus of Persia when saint Thomas converted Princess Tertia, son Juzanes courtiers Marikia Carisius and Princess Mygdonia (Mygdonia is a province between Euphrates and Tigris). Saint Thomas became a martyr in Persia when King Misdeus or Mazdai ordered four of his soldiers to take him to a nearby hill and execute him by pierching with spears. Saint Thomas could not talk any language other than Hebrew. Even in the Gondophares kindom a Hebrew girl translated his language to the king.
Edessa where the Mortal remains of Saint Thomas was taken was also in Persia. Many of the Indian Nasrani Mapillas also come from Iraq and Persia. But there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that Saint Thomas came to Chera Pandya or Chola kingdoms of Tamils. Not only Jews were not known to ancient Tamils. Jews though very important people to Christianity were perhaps only sheperds who were mostly slaves to Persians Romans and Assyrians. Greeks and Romans were well known to ancient Tamils who were known as Yavana (Ionian).Portuguese used the Saint Thomas legend to their own advantage. Marco Polo initially identified the Saint Thomas grave at Kayalpattinam. But once Portuguese had interests at Bombay Cochin and Madras Portuguese declared all these places were visited by Saint Thomas. Thus King Misdeus of Persian became a Tamil king from Madras. King Gondophares comfortably became Cheraman Perumal. Nasrani Mapillas from Iraq were declared as Brahmin Namboothiri converts who were not even present in South India in the early Christian era.Portuguese also had suggested the Bombay Kalyan could be Calamina (possibly if Madras failed they can shift the Portuguese empire to Bombay). None of the Dravidian legends support such Portuguese fabrications. Gonophares, Misdeus,Tertia, Carisius, Syphorus, Juzanes all these names of Greco-Persian and not Tamil names. Madras gained importance only after it became the southernmost outpost of the Delhi Sulthanate in the 13th century. The Earlier Chola kingdom never knew about Saint Thomas or Christianity. But it is quite possible that some of the earlier Nasrani Mapillas were converted by Saint Thomas before they booked a deck in an Iraqi ship to come to India. But after Portuguese came only Mestizos existed
All the Non-Dravidian people of South India joined the European colonial rulers during the five hundered years of colonial rule in the South India.Thus Aryan Brahmins who migrated to south India (Nambudiris migrated from Ahichatra in Uttarpradesh Nepal border at 345 AD during the rule of Kadamba king Mayuravarma to Banavasi and Tamil and Telugu Brahmmins otherwise called migrated from Narmadha river basin after the Somnathpur attack in the 13th century. Tamil and Telugu Brahmins still wear the Gujarati dress and have fair colour and northern accent) in the past 2000 years eagerly join Syrian Christians often supporting their claims. Ancient Dravidian Hinduism was radically different from laterday Aryanised Hinduism. Anthanar Vediar, Maraialar Velar were the priests in the ancient Dravidian country. The word Brahmin was rarely used to denote priesthood. Most of the priests were Dravidians some of whom was trained in Vedas. Kapilar was a Dravidian priest not an Aryan Brahmin. Vedic Yagas were conducted in the ancient Dravidian country Palyaghasalai Mudhukudumin Peruvazhuthi was a ancient king who performed Yagas. While the early Brahmins were called Parpanars or supervisors of the Vedic rites. Parpanassery Parapanagadi are few placed linked with them.The Aryan Brahmins (Aryar or Ayyars) have Gotras to indicate their Aryan origins (Kasyapa(Caspian) Bhargava or Angirasa(Anglo)Kaudinya(Afganistan ancient Kaund)). The ancient Dravidian priests like Kapilar or Gauthamar never had these Aryan Gotras. British not only organised all the Non-Dravidian people against the Dravidians they did everything to undermine the Dravdian culture. The indigenous Dravidian Malyalam-Tamil or Malayanma language was banned by British thereby destroying all the Kerala records since time immemorial. They replaced Keralas langauge with the Tulu- Sanskrit langugge of Nambuthiris. Most of GRANTHA books of Nambuthiris written in the 17th and 18th centuries were not at all Malayalam but Sanskrit written with Tulu Script even today unintelligible to most Malayalees. (Tulu Script was banned in Tulu Nadu by the British while it was being promoted in Kerala http://shivallibrahmins.com/tulu-language/tulu-language-and-script/).
The British ruled Kerala with Syrian Christians and Madras Brahmins (Telugu and Tamil Brahmins). British Government in Tamil Nadu and Kerala were dominated by Non-Dravidians.
I am convinced that the modern day syrian Christians of Kerala are the descendants of Persian settlers who were present in large numbers in Kerala, for many centuries. There is also a possibility of these Persians intermarrying the local keralites, to give rise to the present day Syrian Christians. Whatever it may be, the syrian Christians have a distinct culture and tradition, and they enjoy a very high social status in kerala.. They were traditionally aristocratic, wealthy and educated, and were known for their loyalty, Valour and hardwork. They are strictly endogamous too.
While it remains that the bulk of the SYrian Christians of Kerala are the descendants of the Persian settlers, who came to India at least 1500 years ago, the are some who clearly trace their ancestral origins to authentic namboothri Brahmin families - Brahmins who converted to Christianity centuries ago. These conversions might have occurred due to the active evangelization by Syrian and Persian missionaries, who did carry out such missions from the 9nth century onwards. So one cannot thoroughly say that there are no Christians who are of brahminical descent. Many traditional and aristocratic Syrian Christian families such as pakalomattom, shankarapuri, kalliyankel, and kalliyil trace their roots to brahminical origins.
