It is the history of an ancient and traditional Syrian Christian family in Kerala. Kallarackal Kadavil is one among the other different offshoot branches of Kallarackal Family. The root family Kallarackal, now have so many banches offshoot from it. During AD 1700, one predecesor Vareeth, of the Kallarackal Family, has establised the Kallarackal Kadavil Family. The root family and all its branches have a traditional history right from the origin of Christianity in Kerala, i.e. from 52 AD onwards. The history regarding the origin of Christianity in Kerala is still under controversy as it lacks substantial documents and evidences. The history of Kallarackal Family is connected with the history of the origin of Christianity in Kerala. To establish the history regarding the origin of Christianity in Kerala, we are mainly depending on legends, hear say information from the elders, and also those information passed to the elders and the traditional beliefs handed over by generations.
In the earlier Kerala traditions, we do not have any system of recording and handing over historical incidents and records. Just like the origin of Christianity in Kerala, for the history before AD 1650 the Kallarackal Family, is completely depending on the Church history, social history, hear say information from the elder people, oral traditions and legends that is handed down to generations by the generations.
It may be remembered that even secular histories like that of Emperor Asoka or even Vikramaditya we do not have historical evidence. Indians usually treating traditions as history. We even call the legends of India as purana and Ithihasa meaning history. Hence, writing history on pure historical records alone will not be possible as far as the Indian tradition is concerned; as Vincent Smith commented "Indians lack a sense of history".
The St. Thomas Christians started writing their history on the compulsive persuasions of Portuguese and other Europeans from the 16th Century onwards. Christians of Kerala call themselves Marthoma Christians, remembering the traditions of their conversion by St. Thomas the apostle of Jesus Christ. When they reduced it to writing, their history happened to be the crystallization of their traditional history held to be true by them and believed to be true by the contemporary society. History of a family turns out to be a mere myth for the next generations, if it is not properly reported. Unless there is a co-operative effort to preserve the history intact, the real life and life enthused incidents of a glittering past will be banished into forgotten. At the same time, writing family history should not be an effort to monumentalise the predecessors and to spiritualise a family line. It should only be a true journey back, through the memory lane. It must be an attempt to inspire the enthusiasm of next generations, and help them to create a good bondage to their family and its members. The history recorded must be a smoothly working escalator that helps to strengthen the bondage between the family members to their roots. It must also help them to have a thorough knowledge about their root family and its different offshoot branches in everywhere. It also should help them to know the noble deeds of their predecessors and to follow their noble path. It must help to feel the elder generation, an experience of repeating the ever loved memories of a cheerful and bright past. A properly written family history will enable the present generation, as well as their successors a feel that they all belong to a single clan.
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Kallarackal Kadavil Family, Pallippuram, Cherthala
| History of Syro-Malabar Christians (part 1) |