2. It was during the evening period of the third generation that the land that they jointly owned by clearing the forests, with the church as the central point, was partitioned among the twelve families, and boundaries established. The thirteenth family had no share in this clearance work and was still living in Niranam. (See the earlier treatise.) The present Kumbanad-Arattupuzha (Chengannur) road was only a broad footpath then or at best a narrow village road. Broadly this road formed the north-south boundary between the two main families. The seven brothers of the Vadakkethil family occupied all the land west of this narrow road while the five brothers of the Theckethil family were allotted all the land east of the road. The land in possession of the families formed the boundaries on other sides.

3. Paddy fields were also divided likewise. Theckethil family members took possession of the fields starting from the extreme east running well into the western area. Paddy fields of the Vadakkethil family were further west or on the southern side of the village.

4. There were two exceptions. The only plot of land east of the narrow road for the Vadakkethil (now Valiyaveetil) family was the plot where the family house stood. Theckethil family had a similar plot deep inside on the western side of the road - the present property of Padinjattumkara family. Interestingly, the western most limit of the paddy fields of the Theckethil family touched the western most land property of the family. The Nellimalakulam stood (and still stands) at this point.

5. The five male members of the Theckethil family - that is, the sons of Yohannan - were as listed below according to their seniority in age. Names of their sons with the names of the houses into which they moved to establish their own families are also given.

1. Kocheasaw    Puthenpuracka

His five sons:

Kocheasaw Padinjattumkara

Kochitty Poovannummootil (Kizhakkothil)

Yohannan Nadavallil (Kuzhiyidathil)

Pastor Mammen Puthen Bunglavil

Thomas Puthenpurackal

2. Kochitty Pallikizhakethil

His son:

Mathai Pallikizhakethil

3. Yohannan Mamootil

His two sons:

John Mamootil Puthenpurackal (Kanakathil)

Koshy Mamootil

4. Mammen Kochupurackal

His four sons:

John Purackal

Varughese Thengummadathil

Thomas Cheriamadathil

Abraham Kochupurackal

5. Thomas Theckethil

His three sons:

John Chempakamangalam

Mathai Kulangaramadom

Joseph Theckethil

(It must be noted here that Yohannan and John are the same name, the latter being an anglicized form of the former. See English and Malayalam Bibles).

6. Pastor Mammen of the Puthenpurackal family was ordained in 1894 in the Mar Thoma Church. He served ably as the assistant to Valiaveetil Abraham Kathanar in the Kumbanad Parish and as the first Vicar of the newly established Eraviperoor Parish. In 1895 A.D. there was a great revival in the church and one Grigson from England who used to be a speaker at the Keswick Convention held many revival meetings and Bible classes in Aiyroor. Many of the laity and priests from the church attended these meetings. Grigson skilfully injected the teachings of the Brethren faith (which included adult baptism) into his sermons and Bible classes as a result of which some of our family members including Rev. Mammen accepted that faith and left the Mar Thoma Church. While some left that faith and returned to their original church, Rev. Mammen continued there as Pastor Mammen. It is sad to note that very soon differences arose and Pastor Mammen had to keep aloof from the main congregation and cut a lonely furrow till his death. Later his only son joined the Mar Thoma Church.

7. While this is a concise picture of the larger Theckethil family the present Theckethil family comprises of the three brothers, John, Mathai, and Joseph and their descendants. The three brothers lived in great harmony. Though they had their houses and set up their own families, the three families lived as members of the same single family. The brothers saw each other practically every day. They discussed among themselves every matter of every day life - buying a cow, or oxen; tilling the land, planting, or sowing, harvesting, transactions outside the immediate family, schooling of children, construction work if any, sale of agricultural products, etc., etc. Marriages for the children were discussed in detail and then the discussion/consultation extended to cousins of the family and even to relations by marriage. Every conceivable matter was discussed and a joint line of action was arrived at. Agricultural products from their respective lands, fruits, animal products were shared without counting costs. Those who had gave to those who had not. That was the only criterion.

8. One of my boyhood memories is that children from the other two families would come here to pick up falling ripe mangoes during the season without any let or hinderance. This compound then had more than one yielding tree while the other two families then had none. If their pick was too little it was always supplemented from stock held in the house. Not only that, if any special preparation was available at home it was distributed to them. These helped the children to feel completely at home when they came to this house and nothing was denied to them either. This forged an intimate relationship of oneness among the children of the fifth generation of the three families. Though widely distributed through marriage and job opportunities, I am happy to say that this generation - the fifth - still maintains that cordial relationship and love. What about the next generation? Times have changed. Conditions are now different. And attitudes have also changed. Especially among the family members of the present day.

9. The grandfather (Thomas) was known as a lover of music and interested in agriculture. He died of typhoid at the young age of 37 or so. It is known that Joseph (my father) was only three years old when he expired. If so, my grandfather must have been born in 1858 and died in 1895. And then the whole burden of running a large family fell upon the shoulders of my grandmother who then was only 35. Typhoid fever snatched away not only her husband but one of her daughters too. And the second son Mathai was laid up of typhoid fever in a very serious condition at Edayaranmula in her own house. Under such hard conditions she neither fainted nor faltered. She had to bear the complete responsibility of running the house and all other associated matters. Children were very young, the youngest Sosamma being just one year old and Joseph (my father) three. Yet she did not flinch. Her own brothers from Edayaranmula came, stayed here and helped her in the daily running of the house. It was with their active assistance that she put up a house - a completely wooden structure of great status in those days known as "arayum nirayum". It was this structure that was dismantled in 1987 and its wood used for the present one. It was she that built up the Theckethil family and raised its members to be as successful as, if not more than, other families.

10. She was a highly religious woman who held high her faith and trust in God. She took pleasure in giving alms and helping the poor. Death and frequent illness in the family only hardened her trust in God. She took a keen interest in treating missionaries and preachers who visited the church. Often such people gathered in the house for prayer especially when some one was sick. She knew not either to read or write but her faith in God was undaunted. Amidst all the toil, sweat, and tears she saw to it that her children grew up well. All the daughters were married in reasonably comfortable positions. She got two houses built and moved her two elder sons into them; the eldest John to Chempakamangalom and the younger Mathai to Kulangaramadom. She lived long to see not only her grandchildren but her greatgrand children too. Though illiterate herself and not able to give any English education to her own children, she had the good fortune to see all her grandchildren acquiring some English education and two of them graduating from the Madras University. (Kerala had no university then and colleges in Kerala were affiliated to the Madras University).

11. The two elder sons would call upon their mother every day, generally the first thing in the morning. She formed the focal point for the grandchildren. Every child, young or old, adored her. Her laughter was contagious and so we would do anything to induce her to laugh. She had an enduring love and consideration for children. She loved to be in their midst.

12. In 1943 she passed away in her eighties (84), a long age in those days. In his memoirs, Mathai, the second son, refers to her date of expiry as M.E. 1116 Meenom 16. This would mean she expired in 1941. But my wife had told me that our eldest son Jose was brought from Maramon and placed in her lap when the boy was just over two months. Then my wife stayed on in Kumbanad with Jose and nursed her (Valiammachi) for a few weeks and was present when she expired. Jose was born in the last week of October 1942. This takes one obviously to the year 1943 as the year of death. At that time I was in Karachi and the cold season, I remember, was just over when I got the news through a letter. So the date of expiry would be M.E. 1118 and not 1116. That would make the date of expiry as 29th March, 1943. That seems correct. Next to Valiaveetil Achen she had the honour to have a sepulchre erected over her grave in the cemetery. It still stands. But it is unfortunate that the callous and haphazard way tombs have been erected later has completely blocked the writing on the front side of her tomb so as to make them invisible. At the time of her death all her children were in reasonably comfortable positions and could match with any other family where there was a male member to oversee the family affairs. She displayed great acumen and understanding in building a happy home where the family lived in unity and harmony.

13. It may interest the present day generations to know that she was married at the tender age of nine. She was carried cross country on a man's shoulders from her home Anicat in Edayaranmula to the church here in Kumbanad for the marriage. She herself had told me that she went around playing with her husband like two children, plucking berries or picking up fallen ripe mangoes, all of which were in plenty in this compound itself. After all, the husband boy was hardly two years older.

14. Braving wild animals she cut across the existing forest areas to fetch water either from Kollarkulam or Nellimalakulam. "Kulam" means tank. Incidentally, these tanks still exist but the water is not potable either due to disuse or misuse or both. (See page 5 of my earlier treatise "Kumbanattu Kudumbam".) She learned her cooking and other household work, according to her own admission, from her mother-in-law who was a very brave woman. Attacks from wild elephants were very common in those days and one night Mariamma (the mother in law) herself frightened a tusker away with a lighted frond torch held against the hind portions of the depradatory animal. This incident was narrated to me by my grandmother herself who was an eye witness to the daring act of her mother-in-law.

15. Another trip down the memory lane is the visit of the aunties - that is, the sisters to the fathers. They were four in number. The eldest, Mariamma was married to Kandathil family in Thalavady. Her husband died very early due to typhoid fever in 1896. They had no issues from that union. She was remarried to Thomas in an agricultural family, Panachamuttath in Kizhakkan-muthur. Being the eldest in the family she was received and treated with great respect even by the fathers whenever she visited her family house. She had a great liking for us children and we looked at her with awe and reverence. She had two sons and three daughters.

16. The second daughter Saramma was married to Oommen Muthalally in a staunch Jacobite family, Kanianthara Pallath in Niranam. Her husband was a prosperous timber merchant. He built a large and prestigious house completely of wood. It still stands. It is by the side of the famous Niranam Orthodox Church. (Niranam is believed to be a place visited by St. Thomas). She used to come with fresh or dried fish or at other times with special preparations out of rice flour. They were all shared by the three families. The special preparations were particularly tasty and the taste still lingers! She would come in a country boat during the harvesting period of agricultural products on the land. The three brothers would collect in this house (for the mother to see) their share of the produce; hire a bullock cart, the only mode of transportation then; they would walk along with the laden cart to the ferry at Arrattupuzha on the banks of the river Pamba (distance 5km); load the boat with the products in the cart and then see the sister off. This was an annual affair because at Niranam they had no suitable land for cultivating the usual Kerala products.

She lost her husband rather young and I have only a faint memory of him. They had two sons and two daughters.

17. Shortly after birth, the third daughter Annamma also became a casualty due to typhoid fever almost at the same time as her father passed away. These three sisters were the eldest in the family. Then came John and Mathai and next to them came Aleyamma, married to Thomas of Vettuparambil, Edathua, a place with few land areas surrounded on all sides by water. They could grow only rice and coconuts and they starved for land products. So, like the sister from Niranam, this sister also made her annual trip by boat to the 'east' as it used to be mentioned. She was confident of a warm welcome by her brothers who lived in the land of hills and valleys suitable for all kinds of cultivation and east of Edathua. She too would stay on for 4 or 5 days by which time the brothers would gather their gifts from the produce of the land, cart them to the ferry at Arrattupuzha, load the boat with it and see the sister off. Invariably she brought fresh fish which she herself took the pleasure to clean here. Of course a share would go to the other brothers too. She had two sons and three daughters.

18. Since their visits were rare they had a lot to talk about. So they would wake up by 4 or 4:30 early in the morning and start conversing with their mother who in those days used to keep a smouldering fire in a pot near her bed for warming up. Usually rice husk was used to keep the fire alive but not burning. As the conversation progressed the fire also would be lit up. The news about all the neighbouring houses and their occupants would be exchanged between mother and daughter. If the daughter did omit a house or a person the mother would not forget to raise a query on it. As a boy, I used to sleep on the floor near Valiammachi (grandmother) and so, half asleep and half awake I would listen to these conversations not knowing at that time what such long talks were all about. I could not even understand why good sleep was sacrificed for such a chit chat. But, no doubt, mother and daughters relished it. In this connection, it may be interesting to know that the pot with the fire went to the kitchen first thing in the morning and was used for lighting the kitchen fire. Where was the need for a match box? It was not an item of purchase at all. It was a luxury in those days! The pot of fire would be replenished and rekindled and placed by the side of Valiammachi's bed before retiring to bed. On very rare occasions, the fire would die off in the night and one had to go to the neighboring house to bring fire in a dry coconut husk. It would not die off but keep smouldering.

19. Next to Aunt Aleyamma came my father Joseph and then Sosamma, the last sister and last in the family too. She was married to Chacko of Mangat house in Poovathoor. They were members of the Salem Mar Thoma Church which is so close by. So even after church service she could run up here, see every one, and go back. Nearness made her visits frequent. Later the family left the Mar Thoma Church. She had one son and three daughters. The son now follows Pentecostal faith.

20. The Maramon Convention, which is now in its centenary year, was an event which evoked great interest in us children. Local schools would remain closed for two days. A large crowd, brisk trading in progress, wading through the river water to the Pandal, the bishops in their coloured gowns were all interesting attractions. Relations from far and wide would meet and exchange news. Many used to carry their lunch to be eaten in the neighbouring houses. Because of the various attractions walking the distance of 4 miles (6-7 km) was no trouble then. Of particular interest was the arrival of Ammachi (that is how the aunts were addressed) from Edathua for the convention. The whole family would come in their own country boat and moor it on the Maramon side of the river so that not only those of the immediate family but others too from the larger Kumbanattu Kudumbam (family) could spot and visit the boat. She would come well prepared with sufficient stock of rice, a good stock of fish prepared in different ways, special preparations of buttermilk, chutney powder made out of coconut pulp, etc. During the convention days she would serve lunch to all those visiting her in the boat. To the family members it was a must to take food from the boat. Who relished it more? Those who ate or those who served? Certainly as a boy, I did.

21. On Sunday, the closing day of the Convention she would come home by land and the boat would be rowed down the river to Arrattupuzha where it would wait for the brothers to load it a second time in the year with agricultural products.

22. I am sure this cordial relationship of love and consideration between the brothers and sisters which they assiduously maintained till death did them part had a lasting though silent influence upon the children in moulding their conduct and behavior even from childhood.

23. Agriculture was the main source of income for all the families. Every family had some coconut trees. Tapioca was then largely cultivated all over Kumbanad. In fact, tapioca and coconuts were the main sources of income for all the families. Other products were seasonal like bananas, yams, colacasia, etc. Bananas, the special Kerala variety, was grown almost by everybody. This type of banana is a nutritious food and is not very quickly digested. During the season it often forms a part of the breakfast. It is in great demand and fetches good income. Along with the laborers the fathers and other grown up members of the family also used to work in the fields. Even before 18 years I have stood and worked along with the labourers all day long. Paddy yield in those days was poor due to many reasons. Scientific methods of cultivation or use of fertilizers were practically unknown. Fertilizers were not readily available too. Seeds were not of high quality and the fields were totally infertile. Vagaries of nature such as lack of rain or too much of it affected the yield. Rush of rain water would break the weak bunds and a good area of the crops would be buried under sand, slush or rubble causing serious loss. Although two crops were harvested every year the total yield was insufficient to meet the yearly needs of the families. The life of an agriculturalist in those days was one of constant struggle and it is literally true to say that he lived a life of constant toil, sweat, and tears, always in want and devoid of any plenty. Over-stepping frugal living always landed him in debt.

24. And yet it is always amazing how these fathers and mothers could smile and move about with a cheerful demeanor. Going without some essentials of life (as considered today) posed no problem to them. Sacrifice and contentment, coupled with hard work were ingredients of their daily life. They shared their problems and needs with each other. St. Paul's comment on the Macedonians, "that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality" is equally true of our parents. (This liberality refers to a liberal contribution for the poor saints of Jerusalem.) All three families were noted for their charity. It is no self praise but only a statement of a mere true fact that this trio that formed the Theckethil Family was respected by one and all from the other families, so much so, others sought their aid and advice in their own family affairs.

25. Along with rice, tapioca had a second place as the staple food. All families had their own produce of many edible vegetables and tubers which were all freely utilized to supplement these staple foods. Tapioca was a seasonal crop and so it was necessary to preserve tapioca till the next season. One method was to scrape off its outer skin only, cut it into thin slices, dry the slices in the sun for 3-4 days and store. A second method was to heat these slices in water just short of boiling or full cooking, filter the water off, dry them on large bamboo mats for 4-5 days and store. Special methods of storage were also employed but they were largely for house use only. After partially peeling off the second skin also, selected tapiocas were sliced into thin small bits, half-boiled and dried. This was stored for special occasions particularly the rainy months of June and July. These chips would then be fried and eaten, sometimes with coconuts; or after frying they would be coated with jaggery and bits of fried rice. This is a special preparation of Kerala and is liked by young and old alike. It is known literally as fried tapioca but does not reflect its sweet taste in its name. The boiled variety would remain unspoiled longer and so would be used usually only when the stock of the other variety was out. Since large areas were subjected to tapioca cultivation, both these varieties were prepared for sale also. In view of the increased labor involved, the boiled variety was costlier. Keeping it for the off-season (rainy months) also would fetch higher prices.

26. Although all three families had some paddy land and took two crops every year the total yield was insufficient for all three families to meet the needs of the whole year. The paddy had to last for the whole year's food, special preparations, payment of wages in kind to laborers because cash was so short and for seeds for the next crop. Purchases had to be made to supplement the year’s yield. There were no rice mills near by. Para boiled paddy was dried and hand pounded at home. There were labor women in those days who would do the pounding, winnowing, cleaning, etc. for payment of midday meal and half a measure of rice. Large copper vessels were held for Para boiling of paddy as well as for boiling of sliced tapioca. Pounding was done in small lots. Occasions arose when this pounding had to be done by the mothers and elder daughters at home when these women failed to appear. Specially made mortars out of wood or granite stone and pestles made out of coconut stem were available for pounding of paddy. (The large copper vessel, granite mortar, and pestle are in this house even now). When grinding machines and flour mills were not even heard of, this mortar and pestle combination served to prepare rice flour also. Raw rice was soaked in water, the water was drained off, and the rice pounded and seived for fine flour.

27. As the families grew up the elder two brothers were under greater financial strain. They had larger families and more girls to be married. With the system of dowry in vogue, compulsory payment of a percentage of it to the church, ornaments for the bride and entertainment (feast) expenses all combined to make marriage expensive and sometimes beyond one's means. Relatives would start arriving for the marriage two or three days early to stay till the marriage was over and then sometimes say another two or three days. This would mean a full house for almost a week. Eating, feasting, and talking would go on. Every conceivable subject and person would be discussed. There were no politics at all then. Life and welfare of the different members and relatives of the family formed the main topics. Obviously, food was a very expensive item. In many cases it pushed the families into debt. Instead of running into debt the two brothers disposed of some of their properties to meet the commitments - the elder sold off his paddy field and the younger his share of the land close to the Salem Mar Thoma Church. By this time the two elder brothers stopped paying any maintenance allowance for their mother, simply because they could not afford it. The youngest brother Joseph (with whom the mother lived) took it well, clearly understanding the problem the elder brothers were facing. I mention this only as yet another example of the cooperation and consideration that existed among the three brothers.

28. The eldest (John) and youngest (Joseph) had a labor family (Harijan) each under them living in their compounds by sufferance. They had huts with mud walls and thatched roofs. The men and women in these families did all the manual work for the three families. This was yet another area of cooperation between the three brothers. Yokes, oxen, agricultural implements were all shared. Where these laborers were insufficient those from outside were employed. Owing to the primitive methods in vogue, agricultural exercises whether cultivation, harvesting, or other works required in between, were all hard and tiresome. Very often grown up members, especially men, in the family also had to work all day long with the laborers. Certain jobs were exclusively for men and certain others for women, though the line of demarcation was not very sharp.

29. Harvesting jobs were not on daily wages while all others were. The labourers got tithes for what they harvested - that is, for every ten measures of threshed paddy they got the next one measure as wages. This involved cutting, bundling and carrying the paddy to the threshing floor, threshing the paddy and cleaning it. This cleaned paddy was measured then for giving wages. In the case of tapioca it meant plucking, transporting the tapioca tubers often to some convenient place near the house of the master, cleaning and slicing the whole lot. The slices were measured. If they were to be dried or boiled that job too fell upon the laborers for no additional wages. What a difference today! All these activities are on payment! And that too on heavy payment, so much so, both paddy and tapioca are not to be seen in Kumbanad. You have to purchase them today. Other agricultural products like yams, colacasia, ginger, turmeric, and a variety of vegetables which were all grown by the families are also not seen in the village now as in the old days. This decline is not merely because of the absence of able-bodied men and women at home either to do it by themselves or to order and supervise these cultivation jobs. What few youngsters who are at home are not acquainted with any kind of agricultural procedures either. The sum total of all these factors is that a village which entirely depended upon agriculture for its sustenance is now fully dependent upon income derived from abroad for all their daily needs including not only clothing etc. but even the agricultural products produced in the village before. A very insignificant number depends on some kind of earning at home.

30. The labourers were on daily wages, both men and women. They would be given noon meals and a payment in the evening in cash or kind - usually paddy. Today it may be a laughable amount but in those days the payment was very reasonable. To appreciate it one must know the conditions and value of things in those days . A 'single' dothi could be had for less than half a rupee while a good 'double' would cost a rupee and quarter. One full bag of rice cost only five rupees and if the gunny was returned intact its cost would be refunded. Coconuts fetched per hundred a mere rupee or slightly more but not exceeding a rupee and quarter - that is, just a paisa for a good coconut! Unbelievable isn't it? But that is the time I lived through and had my school and college education. That remains as hard and indelible realities of the times. And a male labourer was paid 3 or 4 paise for a days work over and above the noon meal. That amount in those days would buy him enough rice for a meal! This was in the pre-war period especially in the nineteen thirties.

31. The labourers were compensated in other ways too. For Onam, they were given presents like new clothes, few measures of paddy, coconuts, etc. and sometimes cash too. For Easter, after the early morning church service, a grand feast would be prepared at home and served to the permanent labourers of the family and their immediate family members. It would invariably be more than what they could eat and so the whole lot would be packed and taken to their huts and eaten for two or more meals. Vices like drinking or smoking were quite unknown and so whatever they got or earned did not drain away through undesirable means. They were always helped handsomely for their marriages and deaths. There existed a warm relationship between these labourers and their masters. Each had the interest of the other at heart. The labourer toiled for the good of his master while the latter had the good of the former at heart. If any unexpected calamity or problem arose the master would always rise to the occasion and extend whatever help could be given.

32. The labourer now demands increased wages devoid of any perquisites. Vices of all types have not only increased, but have taken deep roots among them and there is none to care for them at times of dire need nor do they dare to ask for any, in view of the high wages they take. The happy bond that existed between the two classes has snapped never to return. The hatred that the communists inject into these poor people of the lower strata towards the upper class has a lot to do with this state of affairs. The blunt reality today is that the labour class, particularly their women folk, is neither happy nor contented as in the days when a man earned a mere 3 or 4 paise a day. But they are one with their men folk in fanning resentment and hatred. And today's wage ranges between Rs 50/- and Rs 70/- a day! Yet many huts go without two square meals a day. Why? Hatred is blind to reason and vices quickly lead to self destruction engulfing the whole family in the process.

33. Like the labour class, tradesmen also worked on daily wages ranging from 15-20 paise a day. But he would get two meals a day - breakfast and lunch. Both the carpenter and blacksmith did odd jobs throughout the year for no payment. They also got presents for Onam and Easter. They too remained happy and maintained a healthy relationship.

34. All houses in Kumbanad had thatched roofs. Every year during the summer months, houses would be rethatched. The fronds of coconut leaves would be pleated or weaved into shape and used for rethatching. Old thatchings would be pulled down, roof swept, and cleaned of all cobwebs and insects and then thatched again. Pulling down the old thatch, cleaning the roof, laborers walking criss-cross over the naked roof, throwing up the pleated fronds for rethatching together with the preparations in the kitchen made the day a happy one for children - a day they looked forward to every year. A new pleated leaf at the bottom and a good one from the old lot on top of it together would be tied on to transverse members fixed by nails to the rafters of the roof. Such roofs gave good protection from wind and rain and the house was equally cool in the hot season. Getting ready enough of these leaves for thatching was a tedious and tiresome job and involved a lot of labour too. So when the financial conditions of families improved, one by one all houses in the area got tiled roofs. New houses these days invariably have concrete roofs.

35. The gaining of independence saw a lot of increased activities in diverse directions in the country. Government expanded its existing departments and established new ones. Private business and firms also expanded on a large scale. All these increased tremendously job opportunities in the country, both in and outside the state. The period after the war saw expansions in the Gulf countries where the Westerners occupied most of the jobs. The large casualties during the war created an acute shortage of personnel in the Western countries and those in the Gulf area withdrew to their homeland. This also created a large number of vacancies in foreign countries, especially the Gulf area, which were filled by people from other countries.

36. A few years before the war, the State of Travancore (now a part of Kerala) started its own university (perhaps in 1936) which gave a stimulus to opening of more colleges and English high schools. This helped more boys and girls to get higher learning. Professional training also gained a momentum. More nurses and skilled persons came out in large numbers. English education spread widely. The war brought about a lot of changes in the country which trickled down to our village too. Job opportunities both in the civil and military side increased. The Gulf countries also opened up many opportunities. Nigeria is another country which absorbed a good number of our people in different professions.

37. The result of all these was that a large number of our youth - men and women - from the Kumbanad family secured jobs not only in India but outside the country in different capacities. Our own family members were also thus benefited. Needless to say, these job opportunities were and still remain a boon to the different families in raising their financial position and the living conditions. Kumbanad today is not what it was, say 30 or 40 years ago. Where 3 or 4 paise were the daily wages before the war, it is Rs 50/- or more per day now. Where there was not a single bank, banks are now vying with each other to establish their own branches in this place. Today there are branches of eight different banks and two or more are opening their branches here soon. There is one bank dealing with only N.R.I. (Non-resident Indian) accounts which is an indication of the flow of foreign money into this small village. Apart from banks there are three or four private agencies also doing financial transactions. The post office and local treasury also receive deposits and deal in National Savings Schemes. Unit Trust of India has many clients here. All these point to the level of flow of foreign money into the families in Kumband and its neighbouring areas. Our people are now spread all over the globe employed in various capacities and grades. It is very heartening to know that they hold responsible high positions even in Western countries and acquit themselves admirably.

38. This flow of foreign money has raised the living standards of our village folks and hence of our family members too. More and more of our people take to higher and professional learning which increases job opportunities for them. That, in turn, takes more people out of the country, the village, and the home to foreign countries depleting the village and the homes of the presence of precious youth. Establishment of Indian schools especially in the Gulf area helped parents to keep their children with them and send them to schools. This has left many of our homes only with an aged couple to occupy it. In some cases an aged father or mother alone lives in the house. Where they cannot have their own children with them, these aged people are made by circumstances to look after their grandchildren. They live a hard life because they are on their own with none to help them, to keep the house, or cook a meal or make a purchase or do any of the numerous chores at home. They often feel lonely too, for want of proper companionship especially at times of need such as sickness or death. Our family members are also passing through this experience. Money which the youngsters feed the aged with can fetch a lot of physical comforts but the heart longs not for the physical but for the medical comfort and satisfaction. What they need and long for is a little consideration, care, love, sympathy, kindness, companionship, and such other virtuous nobilities. These are all beyond the reach of money and can flow out only from loving hearts. It is not bank balances or cheques and drafts but these invaluable virtues rendered in time and in all kindness that can make life a bit more happy and peaceful when shadows lengthen and the sun sets over life.

39. Old age homes are coming up in succession in our state. They are mainly run by churches or other philanthropic institutions. There are two at Tiruvalla, one exclusively for women; there is one in Kumbanad at the Dharmagiri Mandiram which is being expanded now. These provide certain essential amenities but the longings and loneliness linger. This is a growing problem and happy are they who have caring sons or daughters living with them. The Red Cross Society has an arrangement for providing some nurses to needy families on a monthly payment basis. They are young girls with some basic training in nursing the sick and aged. Depending on their mental attitude and inclination their services vary in quality. Some do render sympathetic nursing. To many it is only an employment, however good they may be. They stay only for a short while and are not a complete answer to the yearnings of the sick or the old. These institutions or schemes go to show how acute the problem is. It remains a growing problem as the growing demand on the Red Cross or the expansion of old age homes show. Our family is not exempt from it.

40. While job opportunities take our people away to foreign countries, sickness and death at home cause a lot of heart burning to both those at home and those abroad. It is everyone's desire to see the sick or to have a last look at the dead. Those at home crave in greater measure for the presence of those abroad on such occasions. Leave, traveling problems, children's schooling, distance and sometimes money too stand in the way. Mortuaries are, therefore, springing up to preserve the dead body until relatives reach home from abroad. There is one in Kumbanad. Funeral then becomes a hurried affair. However, it is now a fact of life that even after death one cannot reach his/her final resting place unless he/she passes through a mortuary. Again, our family is not exempt from this either.

41. A Family vault in the cemetery for each family is now both a fashion and a necessity. Conservation of space in the cemetery has become necessary. And members of a family entertain a feeling, however sentimental it may be, to be close together while in death instead of lying scattered in the cemetery. Any anger or estrangement, if present, lie buried in the desire of the members to be laid to rest in the same cell of the vault. In 1972 the three brothers or their families joined together and erected a family vault of three cells, one for each family. This, the Theckethil Family Vault was the first of its kind in the Parish Cemetery. As time went on it was felt that the names of those buried inside ought to be displayed. So in 1994 the granite slab with the names of the three brothers on it adorning the front side of the vault was removed and small slabs each with the name and date of birth and death of individuals beginning with the three brothers and their wives, were displayed on the front side. There is space in the front to add future names. The vault and some names on it can be seen from this house.

42. A glance into the education system prevalent in those days or which we of the fifth generation had to study would be interesting. We had a primary school with four years of study and a child of 5-6 years of age could enter it. This was followed by an English school with seven years of study. The seven years were divided into four years in middle school and three years in high school. Some were middle schools only. Those who wished to continue their studies then had to join a high school. Those who joined a high school could continue and complete all the seven years in the same school. That is what we brothers and sisters did except for one. Classes were designated as forms. The first class was known as preparatory class (prep class) and the remaining six were Forms I-VI. There was a public examination at the end of Form VI conducted under the responsibility of the University - then, Madras. Form VI was also known as Matriculation class. Anyone who passed was a 'matriculate' and there was a halo around that individual because an English education was scarce. Those who passed could join a college or take up any job in government or in private institutions. A matriculate could teach in all the classes in the middle school. I remember all my teachers in the middle school section were only matriculates. Graduate teachers were compulsory for the high school section; i.e. form IV, V, VI. Teachers had to take their diploma or degree in teaching but it was not so strict or compulsory as it is now.

43. Till two or three years before my matriculation in 1930 there was a system in vogue whereby a category of failed candidates were licensed to take up 'public service', i.e., office jobs. They could not teach nor join a college. Perhaps it was a system introduced to find enough persons for government jobs, etc. when English education was not so prevalent. The matriculation certificate was stamped with two different wordings to differentiate the two categories.

44. English, a second language (Hindi was not even heard of then) and optionals had to be studied in the high school. Except the second language all other subjects were taught entirely in English. The groupings of the optionals were almost the same as it is today except that British History found a place in the history group.

45. Corresponding to the English schools there were Malayalam middle and high schools also, where the class fees was very much lower than those levied in English schools. This helped the spread of education and at the same time offered an opportunity to the economically weaker sections of the society to educate their children. It was good education except that English was either not taught or taught very little. Greater emphasis was paid to Malayalam. Those who passed the middle school could secure a primary teacher's post. At the end of class VII in the middle school and class IX in high school there were public examinations conducted by the government. Those studying in these schools could at any stage switch over to English schools but not in the equivalent class but some class lower due to lack of knowledge of English. The Kumbanad English High School was started originally in 1936 as a Malayalam High School and later switched over to English High School when the former system was abolished by government.

46. In the primary section, we had to learn two systems of money in Arithmetic. The Travancore State had its own systems of money different from the British Indian System. Both these systems and the conversion of money from one system to the other and vice versa was a nightmare to many. The conversion involved multiplication and division of big numbers - big at least to an eight year old - when study of multiplication and division was itself only in the beginning stages. In the English schools, the state money system was dropped and the British system introduced. Conversion from British Indian System (Rupees, annas, paise) to British System (pound, shillings, pence, with Guinea and Crown added) and vice versa was an unavoidable part of Arithmetic. Questions would be in one system and answers required in the other system.

47. Again, two systems of measurements had to be learned - the F.P.S. and C.G.S. systems. Foot for length, Pound for weight, and Second for time were the British system and from the first letters we have the F.P.S. system. Centimeter, Gram, and Second for the three measurements (then known as the French system) formed the C.G.S. system. The Foot and the Pound had multiples and sub multiples in the F.P.S. system and there was no rhyme or reason in maintaining a peculiar table of these measurements. Memorizing the tables itself was a debilitating effort. The tables were so confusing and difficult to remember.

48. All these systems of measurement of length and weight as well as the money systems were abolished when the independent Indian Government introduced throughout the country the unified present systems in measurements, weights, and money. The metric system, as it is called, is systematic and easy.

49. Now, for a closer look at the three families. Upon the death of Thomas, the grandfather, Yohannan (John), the eldest son had to assume charge of the whole household at the tender age of 12 or 13 under the able guidance of the widowed mother. As mentioned earlier he had two elder sisters (the third had died because of typhoid), two younger brothers and two younger sisters, making a total of eight members in the house. Though young, it is understood that he made his presence felt in all spheres and activities. He took particular care to ensure that neither his brothers nor sisters suffered for want of anything. He was always a sure support to his mother.

50. Sosamma, his wife, was the daughter of Chacko of Kumbambuzha house in Pallipad. She herself told me that she came here at the age of thirteen. She was married here in the Kumbanad Mar Thoma Church, now called the Valiapally. She was four years younger than the groom, so it can be assumed that he was then 17 years old and the marriage conducted in 1899 - most probably by Valiaveetil Atchen because he remained the priest of this church for over 50 years till his death in 1911. So this 'ammachi' also had a lot to do with the upbringing of the younger children. In my childhood as well as in my school days, I often wondered why the family members (my father and others) gave so much respect to this 'appachen and ammachi'. Obviously, it was not merely because of their seniority in age. It is now clear that this young couple bore the brunt of running the house and conducting the marriage of all of their younger brothers and sisters. Obviously it was respect being paid where it was due. Affinity and love built up in the growing stages of life last forever. They were like a father and a mother to them. The two elder sisters also did not lack in respecting them for they knew how much along with their mother this couple labored in the interests of the whole family. Appachen remained a highly respected person among the whole larger Theckethil family and even in the still larger Kumbanattu family. He was a much sought after person at all important events in the village. He was a good friend and guide. His honesty and integrity was beyond question. He was helpful and sympathetic to the poor. He attended church regularly and took part in other religious activities.

51. It was mentioned earlier that he moved as a family into the house built for him by his mother and named it Chempakamangalam. He extended or modified it three times and his son further modified it to the present condition. In the 1920's, he was the first in Kumbanad to plant a cocoa plant; he nursed it for many years. He took pains to cultivate bitter gourd and cucumber as summer crops. Assisted by his daughters he watered them with well-water drawn by hand. In one year, he injured his right eye while watering the plants. A small bamboo branch from the pandal for the bitter gourd pierced his eye and unfortunately, as a result, he lost sight in that eye. Had there been a good eye surgeon close by, would he have lost his eye sight?

52. He built up the side walls of his well and made it easier to draw water by using a pulley. Pump sets were not heard of and there was no electricity anywhere nearby. He could only just read and write.

53. He had to bear a heavy commitment to marry off his daughters. To avoid falling into debt, he sold off his paddy field. All his children are married and settled in reasonably comfortable positions.

54. In 1962, on 18th of August, after attending church service, feeling chest pain he got into this house, where he grew up and for which he labored, lay on the cot on which his own father slept and breathed his last. I was in Jammu in those days and knew of his demise through a telegram. I cherish sweet memories of his liking and consideration for me (as well as for my wife Aleykutty). As a boy, he took me to Alleppey town when he did Copra business. He wrote to me in Jammu saying he was specially keeping the marriage date of his only son to coincide with my leave period. It is a happy memory that along with Kulangaramadom Ammachi, Aleykutty and I could take a lion's share in the preparations at home for the marriage. Whenever I came home on leave, right from the time of my college days, he used to make detailed queries about me (and my family). I also made it a point without fail to meet him within the shortest time possible after arrival at home on leave.

55. There was no family vault when he passed away and so he had his own grave. After his death Ammachi spent another 19 years almost all alone in the house during the daytime. Then at the ripe old age of 95 she had a fall in the house. Word came to me and I took her to the Fellowship Mission Hospital. She suffered internal head injuries and succumbed to it after two days on the 4th of June 1981. She was the first to rest in their cell of the family vault. A few years after her death Appachen's remains were collected from his grave and deposited in the family vault on the initiative of his son.

56. Given below is a list of the whole family members, pet names, if any, are given in brackets.

T.T. John (Kochoonju) 2.7.1882 -18.8.1962 (father)

Sosamma 12.7.1886 - 4.6.1981

(mother)

1) Thomas - died as a teenager

2) Annamma (Kochannamma). Married to V.T. Abraham B.A.,L.T., Vadakekara, Mallappally West, retired as English High School Headmaster (expired).

3) Aleyamma (Kunjeli). Married to K.V. Thomas B.A., Kunnuthara, Othera, retired as Tahsildar (expired).

4) Mariamma (Podiamma). Married to Henry Ipe of Kunnamkulam; settled in Vythala, Ernakulam, expired while in service in Port Trust, Cochin.

5) Saramma (expired). Married to P.K. Mammen, Parayil, Chingavanom, expired while in service in Port Trust, Cochin.

6) Sosamma. Married to C.P. Alexander, settled in Alleppey doing private business (expired).

7) Kunjamma. Married to P.C. Oommen, Panameduthathil, Elevanthitta, retired from Indian Army Service.

8) John Jacob B.A. (Kunjoonju). Married to Sosamma. B.Sc., B. Ed. from Keezhukara, expired while working as an English High School teacher.

Remarried to Chechamma from Vypeen, Cochin.

9) Baby. Married to P.K. Thomas, Perangattu, Chengannur, worked for some time in Gulf area.

Kunjoonju has three children from the first marriage:

1) Jacob John (Ambotti). Married to Dija from Ankamali , they have two sons.

2) Ambi Sosamma, B. Com. Married to Lalu M. Thomas, Poovappallil, Peroorkada, Trivandrum.

Both are employed in Kuwait.

3) Jacob Mathew (Kochumon). Employed in Kerala State Government Service.

57. The second son Mathai, was also caught in the epidemic of typhoid. He lay sick at Edayaranmula in his mother's house where he had gone on a routine visit. At one time all had lost hope and even a false alarm reached his father's ears through the mother that he had passed away. Unperturbed the father responded that he would meet him in heaven. However it was the son who went later to heaven to meet his father. It so happened that the father fell sick of typhoid and passed away while the son survived to reach the good old age of 87. But he knew of his father's death only about three months after the incident - the time he took for a full recovery from the ill effects of typhoid.

58. He has published a small book of his memoirs in which he had given a great deal of information about him and his family. So I shall be concise. He married Mariamma, daughter of Mathai, Pallipeedikayil, Kozhencherry, in 1902 when he was 16 and she was 13. Mariamma was strong, healthy, and a very resourceful woman. She took an active or even a leading part in cooking and serving food whenever a marriage or death took place in any of the local families. She always extended a helping hand in delivery cases, no matter whether it be a hut of the poor or any of the houses in the family. To the poor she even extended material help. In those days women delivered in their own houses with the assistance of neighbouring women. Hospital was costly beyond means and distant. Only extremely difficult cases were referred to a hospital and that too, if a private doctor could not be brought home.

59. She always maintained a cheerful demeanor and was a source of encouragement to many, especially the young women who on marriage joined the local families. She was an active member of the ladies association of the Church (Mar Thoma Suvisesha Sevika Sangom) and was its secretary in the local parish. She believed in the goodness of others and was deeply religious. She attended church and all its activities regularly and punctually. She had a good voice and sang hymns and litany in church loudly.

60. It is unfortunate that on two separate occasions she suffered some mental aberration lasting for a few weeks each time. Each time she recovered after a few days of sustained fasting and prayer by a group of Atchens and evangelists who knew the family and had its good at heart. Valiammachi went and stayed there in that house throughout the period of her illness in the first instance.

61. Of the three brothers Mathai was fortunate to have a better education. He had his primary education in the local grant school (I have mentioned the working of this school in my earlier treatise). Then he joined the Maramon English middle school and got married while still a student there. From there he moved to S.C.S. (Syrian Christian Seminary) at Tiruvalla - a high school - but did not continue for long due to family compulsions. Thereafter he moved into his own house built for him by his mother and named it Kulangaramadom.

62. Agriculture was the main source of income but it became increasingly difficult to make both ends meet especially when the family size increased. Like a bolt from the blue he then got a government job as Anchal Master. (During the British period certain princes of native states were given the privilege of issuing their own coins and maintaining their own postal systems within their state boundaries. Travancore State was one such and Anchal was its postal system. Within the state all postal dealings could be done through Anchal. With independence, Anchal was merged with postal system). Anchal had two types of offices - one, manned by regular government employees such as Anchal masters, clerks, peons, etc. who were liable to transfers, promotions, pensions, etc., the other, a class of Anchal offices called 'Experimental' offices where a master served all his life on a reduced salary. He had no promotion, transfer, or pension. Peons and any other staff were government employees and the office could not conduct all types of business e.g. it could not deal in savings bank business. These offices were subject to all departmental rules including periodic inspections. Anchal Master was paid from government funds. However, the point is that he got the job and an experimental Anchal office was opened in Kumbanad.

63. Owing to the presence and influence of a foreign missionary, Kumbanad then had an experimental post office also, operated almost on similar lines, where one of Appachen's cousins was the post master. So Kumbanad from the earliest times had the benefit of a Post Office as well as an Anchal office. It is worth mentioning that while Anchal offices were established almost in all villages, between Tiruvalla and Kozhencherry, Kumbanad alone had a Post Office. On merging, one office only functions now. He had to pay a security deposit of Rs 100/-, a big amount in those days which he had to borrow. The salary was Rs 8/- in State money which in present terms is Rs 7/85. It may look too small an amount but it was a substantial addition to his monthly income. It went a long way in easing the financial strain.

64. While better and moving about he was bitten by a very poisonous insect resembling a jet black spider (called 'uruma puli' in Malayalam). The poison remains in the body causing serious and powerful effects. So he had to take treatment for a long period to get relief and cured.

65. He was instrumental in getting a broad road running in front of his house where only a footpath existed thereby permitting vehicular traffic into the interior from the T-K Road (Tiruvalla - Kozhencherry Road).

66. He had to face a heavy commitment to marry off all his daughters. To avoid debt he sold off his landed property near the Salem Mar Thoma Church. All his daughters are now in well-to-do positions. Aleyamma is in the States with her children.

67. Some years after crossing eighty he had prostrate trouble and suffered because of it. In his later years he grew his beard. Because of his constant ill health and his job in the Anchal Office he could not take part in an active way in any of the local activities. He was regular to church and taught in Sunday School functioning as its headmaster for sometime. Perhaps Ammachi compensated for all his inabilities! He died in 1973 at the ripe old age of 87 and was the first to be buried in the family vault within a year of its construction. I was away in Madras (Tambaram) then with family and so we could not attend the funeral.

68. Ammachi survived Appachen for a little over eight years during which period she lost her memory power. In February, 1982 after some minor ailments for 2-3 days she passed away on the 26th. Funeral was conducted the next day. She joined her husband in their cell of the family vault. I had by this time settled down here with family but was sick and bedridden at the time of her death. I travelled in a car to and from the house to see the dead body but did not attend the funeral.

69. The family details are as follows:

T.T. Mathai 18.1.86 to 27.11.73 (father)

Mariamma 20.10.89 to 26.2.82 (mother)

Children:

1) Annamma (Pennukunju). Married to M.M. Mathai, Mukkaranath, Kumplampoika.

(This was the first marriage in all the three families and was held in the church here.)

2) Dr. K.M. Thomas (expired). Married to Achyamma, daughter of Rev. Mathai, Alummootil, Tiruvalla. He started as a Homeo doctor; ended up as allopothic; was in Iran for some time; then served in different estates in the state.

3) Sosamma (expired). Married a Hindu, Raj Bahadur who later became a Christian, (expired). Family settled in Bombay. She was a trained nurse; served in Burma and then in K.E.M. Hospital, Bombay.

4) K.M. Mathews (Baby). Married to Iyyamma, Polachirackal, Kottayam. He was in Burma when war broke out; retired from Indian Army Service; later worked in Batlibois, Bombay for some time.

5) K.M. Abraham (Avarachen) (expired). Married to Saramma, Edamala, Kumplampoika. Settled in Vechoochira.

6) Mariamma (Thankamma). Married to M.I. Thomas, Mylamootil, Kumbanad, (who joined the Evangelical Church and became a priest in that church). She retired as crafts teacher (needle work) from State Government Service.

7) Saramma. Married to M.E. George, Manalur, Chirayirambu, Maramon (expired). She retired as a nurse.

8) Aleyamma. Married to P.T. Mathew, Punnamootil, Kuzhikala, (expired). She now lives in U.S.A.

9) Lillykutty. Married to V. M. Mathew, Vairasseril, Edayaranmula, retired from Indian Army Service. She was a Telegraphist and retired as Post Mistress.

10) Susamma. Married to C.G. Thomas, Chiramannil, Kuzhikala. She expired while serving in the Gulf.

11) Rajamma. Married to K.E. Philip, Cheruvattolil, Kozhencherry, who served in Gulf area, on retirement settled in Kumbanad. She was for some time in Railway service.

12) K.M. John (Johnykutty). Expired as a child of 3 years.

The eldest son of Dr. Thomas is in U.S.A. and ministers in the Church there. The next two sons are employed in Bombay and the last one is in Kuwait. Only daughter is a Doctor who with Doctor husband is in Kuwait.

Baby's eldest son is an officer in the Reserve Bank, settled in Bombay. The next one is in Muscat and the third in Saudi Arabia. Of the two daughters, elder one is in Bombay and the younger in Cochin, both with families.

Avarachen had two sons; elder one is in Gujarat with family and the second is a technician doing private business. Details of daughters are incomplete with me.

70. As was the custom or practice in those days the youngest son Joseph inherited the family house THECKETHIL. Again according to the custom, the mother stayed on in the family house with the youngest son and for her maintenance, (which was to be shared by all three brothers) the other two brothers were to give an agreed measure of paddy at times of harvest and some money. This again was the practice of the time. As mentioned elsewhere this payment of either paddy or money was not kept up yearly owing to real hardships experienced by the two brothers. The youngest brother was only too willing to forget about it and accommodate his brothers. Not only that, I know from personal knowledge that he had on several occasions gone to their help without counting the cost.

71. My earliest recollection of my father is his going to the paddy field with a spade after an early breakfast and then returning home only after dusk. He would be working in the field all day forgoing his lunch. The field was a little distant and there was none to carry lunch for him and if he had come home for lunch it would mean loss of work for many hours. As soon as he reached home in the evening he would eat something - probably the lunch or some other light stuff. Dinner would follow after a proper bath etc. Agriculture being the main occupation, he worked hard on the land and in the paddy field doing all sorts of work.

72. In July 1925, when I was eleven and a student at Eraviperoor High School, central Travancore saw the worst flood so far. Valiammachi who had experienced the sudden overnight flood of 1882 (1057 M.E.) which held the record for the severest flood till then, readily agreed that the flood of 1925 was far more severe than the record 1882 flood. Huge trees and many houses, from huts to pucka houses, floated down the river. Pamba was the most dangerous river. I remember, along with others, Appachen went to some vantage point to watch the raging waters and then describing at home the destruction he witnessed.

73. Meanwhile there arose an agreement between Appachen and one of his cousins (Mamootil Koshy) to start a provision store on partnership basis in our compound which is now the share of my youngest brother John. Accordingly Jack fruit trees were purchased from nearby areas. It was the duty of the cousin’s son and myself to carry lunch for the workers to the work site where felling, cleaning, or sawing of the wood was in progress. This went on for many days. A shop building was put up in the north eastern corner of the land mentioned above. When the flood subsided, Koshy the cousin left in a 'vallom' (a country boat) for Alleppey to buy provisions in bulk at wholesale rates to start the provision store. Many of us were present to see him off. The stores were brought in the 'vallom' itself and then transported to the shop by bullock cart.

74. For 10-12 years the shop did good business. Cloth was added to the provisions for sale and a tailor also worked in the shop. It was the beginning of the worst of times for agriculturists when prices of products were steadily sliding down to ridiculously low levels. Both partners withdrew heavily from the shop to meet the cost of children's educations and other unavoidable needs. The two cousins therefore agreed to dissolve the partnership. Appachen bought the business over by settling accounts with his cousin. On his own he ran the business for another 10-12 years but the business could not be improved because not only was there no input but also there was heavy withdrawal. He was forced to wind up. It is comforting to think he did not run into any debt or other difficulties but only that he could not improve and run it. The shop building was sold off. There was nothing to be sorry for, for all of us brothers and sisters had our school or college education by this time. It was the shop that was drained for this. Had there not been a business like that, perhaps all of us would not be what we are today because it was education that gave us the little rise we made. From 1936-39 when I stayed at home teaching in the local high school I assisted Appachen outside school hours and on holidays in running the shop.

75. Appachen had his primary school education at Vallamkulam, a distance of about 5km. There was only a village road as good as a mere footpath, to the school and he had to cross areas which would remain flooded or treacherously slushy during the rainy season for many weeks. So he discontinued, as he told me, after the second class (standard).

But one of my earliest recollections of him is his reading at home of the 'Bhasha Poshini' a leading malayalam literature magazine containing articles and poem from persons of eminence in the language. He used to recite many slokas and poems. Thinking of it now, it is amazing that a man who saw school for just two years should interest himself in the top-ranking magazine of the day. This steady habit of reading not only improved his knowledge of malayalam but it gave him a good general knowledge also. He acquired a good skill in clear, legible reading, so much so, for many years he used to read Bible lessons, especially the Old Testament portions in the Church.

He possessed a beautiful handwriting. Because of it he was often sought to write petitions and applications. In my early days I often tried to imitate his good writing. It had a deep impression upon me and I believe it kept on prompting me to improve my own writing. He had a good command of the language because of his wide reading habits which in turn made him good at speech also. He was often invited to preside over local functions. He remained the elected President of the local Farmer's Association for many years. He also served on the advisory committee of the Fellowship Mission Hospital and Dharmagiri Mandiram for many years.

76. People of all castes and faith in and around Kumbanad respected him as a man of honesty and integrity. He was trusted for his impartial judgements of events and he was often called upon to settle disputes. He had a kind and generous disposition and gave donations and endowments to institutions.

77. During the first government run by communists, the labour class in the village, almost all of them Harijans, prompted by communist agents, boycotted transplantation operations in the paddy fields of the village. As the operations could not be delayed for long and since the labour did not budge from their position, Appachen rallied the local youths from different houses, led them to the fields and began the transplantation. The job was soon completed with great enthusiasm, much to the shame of the onlooking number of labourers. Never again, till today, has the word boycott been sounded by labour.

78. Starting from the age of 15, till he was 85, he was associated with the Sunday School in the local parish, serving as its Headmaster for almost 60 years. He was my teacher too for a year. He was unanimously elected Trustee (treasurer) of the parish after its members came to a voluntary settlement outside the court of the long drawn out case in court (discussed in my earlier treatise). He continued in that position for many years. He was elected to the representative assembly of the church (Prathinidhimandalam) for several terms.

79. In July 1932, when I was a college student at Trivandrum, the foundation was cut for a new church building. Shortage of funds prompted the members to resort to self-help as much as possible. Granite stone blocks for the foundation had to be bought from the quarry more than a km away. The whole parish turned out; young and old, men, women, and every child carried head loads of rock to the site of the church. Later, again every family was detailed to do the necessary labor to prepare mortar and get 100 laterite stones constructed. I remember working on it when I reached home on vacation from the college. In spite of all such efforts the building remained incomplete.

On condition that he would be retained as the trustee till he recovered his money, Appachen advanced money and got the construction completed. Purackal John of the Kochupurackal family, with selfless devotion, supervised the construction throughout voluntarily, taking no remuneration whatsoever. In 1944, in the month of January, the church building was consecrated by Rt. Rev. Abraham Mar Thoma, Suffragon Metropolitan, since the Metropolitan was sick.

80. It was during this period that the church compound was let out for the first time for cultivation. Appachen won the bid in the auction. The whole compound was planted with banana tubers. I was also engaged in digging pits for the tubers when a human skull and some bones were recovered from one or two pits. No one knows till today where our ancestors up to and including the third generation (except two or three) lie buried and hereafter will never know. The skull and bones that came up must have been from old graves of our ancestors.

81. Our well is very deep being at the top of a hill. Till about 20 feet down it is soft earth before the laterite shelf is reached. So the sides of the well used to break off and fall into the water especially during the rainy season. And even certain shrubs grew on the sides shedding their leaves into the well. Worst of all, one had to stoop down and hand draw water using the very primitive method of drawing the ropes over a beam of wood which was only the trunk of a tree. So in 1927, with a loan of Rs 75/-. from the then functioning co-operative society, the sides of the well were built up and a pulley fixed on a concrete beam. On the beam are three letters, T.A.M. meaning Thomas Annamma Memorial - a simple tribute from a grateful heart to a loving mother. Rs 75/- is not enough today to pay for a mason's wage for a day!

82. The family house then had two blocks (parts); one built by Valiammachi completely of wood, and the other a kitchen block. The latter had only a mud floor and had to be periodically washed with cow dung. In my primary school days it was pulled down and a new structure was erected with laterite stone walls, lime plastering and cement flooring. This structure, in later years, underwent several minor modifications or additions to improve the facilities. But the basic structure remained the same.

83. From the earliest times a cattle shed stood where the present eastern wing of the house stands. It was too close to the living area and was therefore shifted to the present location and a two room structure was erected in its place. The house thus consisted of three blocks - the middle main block, the kitchen block on the right and the two room structure on the left (as you face the building), the two wings on either side jutting forward. And for the first time a toilet/bath room was added to the house.

84. Appachen sold the land near the Salem Mar Thoma Church chiefly because it became a landlocked area with no access to it from any side; the adjoining plot belonging to his brother Mathai was sold off and incidentally it gave some ready cash, too, to finance some urgent needs, including marriage.

85. He gave prime importance to the education of his children. All his attention was to ensure that it did not suffer. Whatever money was available was first earmarked to meet the cost of education. The elder daughter voluntarily discontinued from the high school while the younger spent only two years in college. All the boys successfully went through the colleges; two took Bachelor's degrees while the others took postgraduate degrees; one of them went even further to win a Ph.D., thus earning a doctorate. After two cousin sisters many years older than me who became graduates, I was the next graduate from the larger Theckethil family. It is unfortunate that even though every one went for English education, my cousins could not make it for various reasons. They dropped one by one at different stages. Hardly one or two reached the college. Still younger cousins did better. So the success we four brothers achieved became a matter for envy. No other family had a full complement of university graduates. Obviously it brought pride and satisfaction to our parents who both had only scanty education. Ammachi knew the English alphabets while Appachen managed to sign his name in English though he did not complete the primary school.

86. They were both deeply religious and did not miss church services. As far as possible, both of them attended other activities too. For many years, Appachen was the Vice President of the Parish and Ammachi that of the Sevika Sangam.

87. The actual date or year of marriage or the ages at the time of their marriage are not known now. But the marriage was solemnized by Valiaveetil Atchen and according to Appachen, it was considerably delayed in church owing to a dispute about some payment either to the church, or to the Atchen, or both. It was conducted in this church. There are reasons to believe that it was in 1912.

88. Mar Thoma Church introduced voluntary payment to church and abolished any compulsions near about 1930 only. Any default in payment to the church on any account whatsoever before that time, invited denial of performance of rites, be it a baptism, marriage, or even a funeral. It is within my memory that such rites were inordinately delayed due to default of payment. The stipulated amount for the particular rite and arrears, if any, had to be cleared. Denial of rites to defaulters was an accepted or authorized penalty. The only way to realize money due was to enforce the penalty at the time a rite had to be performed.

89. In later years Appachen became a diabetic and contracted ulcers in the stomach (intestines). Once, he vomitted a good deal of blood and no one thought he would survive. But he lived for many years more and was since a sick man. He became progressively weak due to daily loss of blood in his stool. Even then he did not stop his health walk twice a day to the main road till about six months before his death. They were opportunities for him to keep abreast of local events also. He went for weddings too, to distant places. Finally towards the end of 1980 he was overtaken by cancer in the stomach and became too weak. Nursing at home was beyond the capacity of those at home and so he was transferred to the Fellowship Mission Hospital for mere nursing care. After two weeks in the hospital, he expired at 2 p.m. on 21 December, 1980. He was 88. Ammachi, my brother George, Baby, and Saramma, my daughter Mary, Aleykutty, and I were present at his bedside. On the last day he had two severe heart attacks which in the doctor's words, saved him from the ugly consequences of cancer. He was fully conscious till the last moment and enquired who were all present near his bed. He heard the answer from me and seemed to be satisfied; and then while all were watching his heavy breathing, I prayed and he was no more. His body was brought home and the funeral was at 2 p.m. on 22 December. It was largely attended. His Grace Dr. Alexander Mar Thoma Metropolitan and many Atchens were present. Rev. C.K. Athyal was the Vicar of the parish then. His was the first body to be interred in the family cell of the vault.

90. Ammachi quietly bore her sorrow and spent her time as happily as she could. We did our best to mitigate her loneliness. She was a patient of hypertension for many years. Regular check ups and medication kept it under control. But late in February, 1986 she showed sudden symptoms of weakness and had a little temperature too. She was immediately hospitalized when pneumonia was suspected. But on the third day of admission she suffered a stroke, as a result of which she lost speech, her eyes remained closed and she lost movements of all limbs. There was no way to ascertain if she could hear what was spoken to her. It was the Maramon Convention week and a false rumor spread there three or four days later that she expired. His Grace the Metropolitan and others rushed to the hospital from the convention site only to find that it was a false rumor that they had heard. However, she lasted only a day more and passed away at 11:10 a.m. on Saturday, March 1, 1986 while in the Fellowship Mission Hospital. Ammini, Alice, and I were present. She was 92. The body was brought home and funeral was conducted the next day - 2nd March, 1986 - at 2 p.m. It was the concluding day of the Maramon Convention. John, the youngest son had by this time returned from Nigeria and taken residence here and so, he and his wife were present. Funeral was largely attended. Till the stroke overtook her she had a sharp memory. Many a time have I depended on her to remember for me dates, times, and other matters. She read through the Bible several times and had a good knowledge of the book so much so she won the first prize in the local parish for Bible Quiz.

91. These two deaths left me and Aleykutty alone in the house. All our children were away in distant places and countries on employment. In all the three families the fathers expired first and the mothers followed. We stayed on alone when after six years a momentous event took place in our lives. It was a moment of truth and had far reaching and lasting consequences. More of it later.

92. The family details are as under:

T.T. Joseph 5.6.1892 - 21.12.1980

(Father)

Annamma 14.4.1894 - 1.3.1986

(Mother)

Children:

1) T.J. Thomas, (Kunjappy) B.A. Married to Aleyamma, (Aleykutty) daughter of Benjamin, Thelapparath, Maramon, (expired).

2) A baby boy (expired).

3) Annamma (Pennamma), (expired). Married to M.O. Oommen, B.A., Meenathathil, Venmony, settled in Trivandrum, retired from Forest Department Service, (expired).

4) Dr. Joseph George, M.Sc., Ph.D. Married to Alice, B.A., daughter of Dr. P.M. Joseph, Punnamparambil, Kottayam.

5) A baby boy (Johnykutty) (expired).

6) T.J. Mathew, (Mathaikutty), B.A. Married to Ammini, B.A. Thacheril, Banes Compound, Nanthenconde, Trivandrum, (expired).

7) John Joseph, M.Sc. Married to Annamma, (Kunjumol) (B.A.) of Kattanom, settled at Hill Cottage, Valakom, Kottarakara.

8) Saramma. Married to Dr. John K. Abraham, MBBS, M.S., Eye Surgeon, Karimparambil, Edathua, settled at Pattom, Trivandrum.

I have given in brief a few details of the above family members in the following paragraphs.

93. T.J. THOMAS (19.7.1914)

I have no information about my early childhood. I must have grown up like any other village child of those days. A primary school started functioning in Kumbanad in 1912 and so I did not have to go, as my elders did, to distant places for primary education. In 1923 I passed out of the primary school. I was then admitted in the English Middle School in Eraviperoor. Next year it was raised to a high school level.

On passing matriculation, I wrote to U.C. College, on a blank sheet of paper, seeking admission in the college in Group I (Maths, Physics, and Chemistry) in the Intermediate class. After matriculation it was four years study in college for graduation; the first two years were known as Junior and Senior Intermediate; and the last two years as Junior and Senior B.A. classes. The four classes were written as Class I, Class II, etc. Science and Arts groups were all awarded the same B.A. degree. There were no B.Sc. degrees in the Madras University under whose jurisdiction came all the colleges in Travancore.

I passed out in 1932 with distinction in optional subjects. Distinction meant 60% marks or above. Again on a blank sheet of paper I wrote to the principal at His Highness the Maharaja's College of Science in Trivandrum for admission in B.A. classes for Chemistry with Physics as subsidiary (known as Main and Minor now) stating that I passed Intermediate exam from Alwaye scoring distinction in Optionals. Admission card was soon in hand. I enjoyed the two college years 1932-34 and passed out in 1934 with a second class in subjects - Chemistry. In the whole of Madras University there were only two first classes that year.

All education was intended to secure a job and accordingly I went to Madras to stay with a cousin to look for a job. That was the period of severe depression and jobs were hard to get. After a few months I got a job as Accounts clerk in Spencer & Co. I could just manage to live frugally with the pay. So after about fifteen months in Madras, I came back home.

Within a month or so after coming back from Madras, a Malayalam High School started functioning in Kumbanad. The school offered me the post of a Science teacher. I joined in June 1936 when the school opened and continued till November 1939.

While serving the school, my marriage took place on 12 January, 1939 in the church here. Appachen's youngest maternal uncle was an elderly Atchen and he assisted Rt. Rev. Mathews Mar Athanesius Episcopa who officiated. The bride was Aleyamma, better known as Aleykutty from Thelappurath, Maramon, a branch of the Palakkunnath family. She was then almost twenty years old.

Aleykutty's elder brother was then in Karachi with family as a civilian employee in the Defence Department of the Government of India. I left alone for Karachi in November 1939, first by train to Bombay and then by ship to Karachi. At Karachi harbour my brother-in-law received me. In less than a month's time I was selected in the Indian Air Force to undergo training as a radio technician at Ambala.

Between 18 Dec, 1939 and 18 July 1969 on which day I finally left Air Force, I have crossed and recrossed the length and breadth of India. A year by year and incident by incident description of all places and events that took place throughout this period will be too voluminous to be included here.

On October 1, 1970 we moved to Madras from Bangalore. A small house had been put up there in a plot of land which had been purchased five or six years ago out of money provided by Johnykutty. In September 1976, we left for home.April 12, 1992 was Palm Sunday. The next day Aleykutty had a stroke, her right hand and right leg were paralyzed and she lost her speech also. She suffered a heart attack in July 93 and was hospitalized for about ten days. In mid-December, 1993 she fell straight backwards on the bed due to a heart attack. On the evening of February 21, 1994, she had another massive heart attack at home and died instantly.

The details of our family members are as follows. I do not intend to deal in detail on children's lives. They are current matters. Many of their details have appeared elsewhere while describing my life.

T.J. Thomas, B.A., (Kunjappy)

(19.7.1914)

Aleyamma (Aleykutty)

(10.8.1919 to 21.2.1994)

1) Joseph Thomas (Jose) M. Sc., A.M.I.E., M Ae SI, P.S C., (25.10.1942).

Pilot and U.S.A. trained Test Pilot in I.A.F. Now retired and settled in Bangalore. Married on 26.12.1968 to Elsie, B.A., B.T. from Madras. They have three children.

(i) Rekha (1.11.1970) DM (Nephrology) . Married to Bobby, MD. They are in Kinston, NC.

(ii) Ranjit (17.11.1973) B Tech, MBA. Married to Pramita, MBA. They are in New York.

(iii) Rajiv (1.7.1978) MS (Statistics). Married to Vineetha, BBA. They are in Columbus, OH

2) Annamma (Lizzie) M.B.B.S., D.A., D.M.R.D.

(8.5.1945)

Married on 1.5.1969 to Dr. Koruth (Raju) M.B.B.S., M.S., F.R.C.S., M.Ch., now working in the University Hospital, Aberdeen, Scotland as Consultant. They live in Aberdeen. They have three children:

(i) Roy (10.3.1974) married to Monisha and living in London

(ii) Anita (12.7.1977) Surgeon in England

(iii) Nina (31.8.1979) Working for PhD in Scotland

3) Mariamma (Mary) B.Sc.; B.Ed. (11.11.1946)

Teacher in Lawrence School, Lovedale. Took early retirement. Married on 14.7.1980 to K. Koshy (Appu) M.A., M.Phil., originally from Chengannur, but parents settled in Cochin. They have settled down at Kalhatty, near Ooty.

4) Benjamin (Ben) B.Tech. (Civil Engg) (23.3.1949)

Married in Oct. 1978 to Tammy from U.S.A. Settled in Phoenix, AZ as a citizen of U.S.A. Has one son:

(i) Adam (6.2.84) In final year BA at Phoenix, AZ

5) George (Georgie) B.Com. (26.1.1951) Workedin Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Married on 14.7.1980 to Rachel (Usha) M.A., from Trivandrum. From the time of Aleykutty's stroke Usha stayed at home with two children. Georgie is now settled in Kumbanad.

(i) Tina Elizabeth (15.3.1982) MA. Working with a software company in Trivandrum as a Technical Writer.

(ii) Jay Joseph (25.3.1986) B Com

6) Saramma (Gracie) M.Sc. (Mathematics)

(21.5.1952)

Married on 23.7.1979 to Mathai (Kunju) M.Sc., B.Ed., (also Maths) from Uthimood (Ranni). Both worked as school teachers in the same schools in Nigeria and Botswana. Now in Roselle Park, NJ. They have a daughter and a son.

(I) Sangeetha (19.12.1980) MBA, working with Mahindra & Mahindra, Mumbai

(ii) Sandeep (13.5.1985) College student.

7) Sosamma (Suzy) M.B.B.S., M.R.C.Path.

(4.8.1954)

Married to Thomas (Roy) B.Sc.; M.B.B.S.; D.A.; F.F.A.R.C.S.I., from Naranammoozhi (Ranni). Both are doctors with postgraduate degrees from London.She is working in the Royal Hospital, Muscat.

(i) Rohit (29.11.80) MSc, working in Melbourne

(ii) Vivek (28.6.83) MS in Engineering at LA

(iii) Suja (1.9.88) College student. In USA

94. Next to me was born a baby boy who expired as an infant. Being immediately next to me I have no memory of him of any kind. Neither do I have any more information.

95. ANNAMMA (10.9.1918 - 14.6.1960)

The deceased infant boy was followed by Annamma (Pennamma). She had some childhood problems and was very late to walk. I remember her sitting at a place or crawling when she should have walked. She voluntarily stopped going to school while studying in the High School. She was married to M.O. Oommen B.A., Meenathethil, Venmony, an employee in the Forest Department of the State Government. They sold off their ancestral property and settled in Trivandrum. Both of them have passed away, she due to cancer in 1960 and he, many years later due to more than one cause. She lies buried in the cemetery here. All their children got good education. They have four sons and a daughter, who is the youngest.

The eldest son, Blesson (2.10.1942) is B.E. in Mech Engineering and is married to Mercy, M.B.B.S., from Thalavady. Both of them are working in Muscat and their children study there. The son, Binu is in the high school and daughter Anu in the lower class.

Next to Blesson is Jose (24.12.1947), a pharmacist with a degree in pharmacology, working in the Gulf area near El Ain. His wife Susie, B.Sc., B.Ed., is from Kottarakara and teaches in a school close to his place of work. They live as a family in the place with their two daughters Anne and Anuja who are students at school.

The next son George (16.12.1949) B. Com., is engaged in private business in Bahrain where his wife, Jolly from Pullad, is employed. They live there with their two school-going sons Vinai and Ajay.

The youngest son Tom (24.10.1951) is a Mechanical Engineer who took his B. Tech. degree from I.I.T. Madras and is an officer in the Hindustan Machine Tools (H.M.T.) in Bangalore. He lives there with family and has two school-going sons, Chindu and Bachu. His wife Anu, M.Sc. B.Ed. is from Maramon and teaches in one of the Central Schools in Bangalore.

The only daughter Usha is a doctor M.B.B.S., M.D. (dermatologist) married to Sunny, M.B.B.S., D.A., M.D., a doctor (anasthetist) from Tiruvalla. Both are working in Muscat area but in two different hospitals. They have three children, two girls and a boy. The girls attend school.

96. GEORGE M.Sc., Ph.D. (1.10.1921)

He is the next member in the family. As a child he had some stomach pain which would erupt usually at night and at odd hours too. He preferred me to Ammachi to carry him around then. Perhaps it lasted one or two years and I had many sleepless nights! Ayurveda was the only treatment and many nights he too was brought home during those odd hours. From the high school at Eraviperoor he went to U.C. College, Alwaye where he had some skin problems and had to come home from the college for treatment. I was then a teacher in the Kumbanad High School and took him to see the famous Dr. Somerwell on his outstation visit to Kundara, near Quilon. He directed us to wait for him at his headquarters hospital at Neyyoor where he reached well past midnight and immediately went round the wards looking for "a small boy with some skin trouble on the left leg."

(Vellore was then (1937) only in its formative stage and Neyyoor was very popular attracting patients from all over S. India because of Dr. Somerwell. He was an efficient all-round doctor. Specialization as of now had not gripped the medical world. An M.B.B.S. doctor was good to treat all kinds of ailments be it in Medicine, Surgery, Gynaecology, Pediatrics, or anything else according to present day categorization. There were no compartmentalized treatments then. Dr. Somerwell was a member of the Everest expedition of 1924 which lost the two climbers Irwin and Mallory at the top of the mountain).

I spotted Dr. Somerwell moving around that night. When I showed him where George was sleeping, he sat on his legs, lofted George on to his left thigh and examined him in the light of his torch. He then exclaimed "I have not seen such a case before. Anyway, come to X-Ray Dept. in the morning." For two or three days he directed the X-Ray at the affected part of the leg. George never had any trouble since then. More than 35 years have passed.

After passing his Intermediate from Alwaye he joined St Joseph's College at Trichinopoly and took his degree in Chemistry scoring a first class. He pursued his studies at St. John's College, Agra and took his M.Sc. in Chemistry with record marks in the University of Agra. There were no Postgraduate Science courses in those times in South India except for a seat or two in the Presidency College at Madras. It was war time and the Government of India had a scheme then to send selected scientists oversees for advanced training. He got selected under the scheme and had his training in Wisconsin in U.S.A. Government met all the expenses. Availing of a few days leave from Air Force I saw him off at the Bombay docks.

On return he was appointed to the Forest Research Institute (F.R.I.) at Dehra Dun where his research was mainly on building materials. He specialized in plywood and the various kind of adhesives and resins. He has published many papers on these subjects, many of which the Govt. of India accepted as authoritative literature on the different subjects. One on white ants (termites) is an example. Precautions given in it against termites while putting up houses and other buildings are accepted all over. The three houses constructed here between 1982 and 1987 adopted those preventive measures.

His favorite hobby apart from reading is bird watching. He spent time and money on it and became an erudite ornithologist.

His attention finally turned on adhesives and resins and he has published many papers on making hard boards out of bamboo mats, rice, or wheat husks, coconut fibers, etc. They are as strong as any wood for making furniture, screens, etc. Boards of exquisite designs can be manufactured. Some of them are even fire and termite proof. The world is slowly adopting these methods and such hard boards are in the market now.

From Dehra Dun he moved to the Building Research Institute at Roorkee and rose to the position of Asst. Director of the Institute. Then he moved on deputation with the Plywood Manufacturer's Association of India and was in that connection in Peeniya, Bangalore with a plywood manufacturing firm as its Director. Plywood manufacturers from all over India (Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam and N. India) seek his on-the-spot-advice which makes him travel all over India and many times too. Companies have gained immensely from his advice. Even after retirement from Government service he is in great demand to visit and advise these industries and to prepare project reports for them. Living in Bangalore he is now engaged on such work.

He married Alice, B.A., from Kottayam and has put up a house in Kottayam for their final settlement. He disposed of his ancestral share here. They have a son and a daughter.

The daughter Anna (2.1.1957) is M.Sc., B.Ed., and is married to V.T. Ninan (Ani) M.B.B.S., M.D., D.M., a specialist in Nephrology who after obtaining his D.M. from Vellore worked there for a short time before leaving for Australia where he works in a hospital in Adelaide. He lives there with his family and has a daughter Tara (15.3.84) and a son Harsha (17.3.87). Originally from Kuriannoor, Ani's parents are settled down at Oddenchatram near Madurai.

The son Joseph (25.10.1959) is a doctor with M.B.B.S., M.D., D.M. degrees - all qualifications from Vellore - and is a specialist in angioplasty. He works in the Cardiology Department of Christian Medical College Hospital (C.M.C.H.) at Vellore and is married to Manju, M.B.B.S. from Nedungapra, near Kuruppumpadi, north of Kottayam. She also works in Vellore. They have a daughter named Ranjana. He has plans to go to Milwaukee in U.S.A. for a year or so of advanced training in Interventional Cardiovascular treatment.

97. A baby boy was born next in the family whom everyone called Johnykutty. I remember him as a boy crawling around everywhere with a pleasing face and smile. It might be the year 1926 or so. He would come to me when I used to take breakfast before going to school. With one hand I would hold him and he would then stand up. He wanted and would eat what all I gave him from what I ate. Due to an attack of pneumonia he passed away even before he was of age to walk. There were no hospitals or other medical aid close by. A Brethren missionary by name Noel lived in Kumbanad in those days and his wife practiced some medicine. I do not know what her qualification was. Medicines were in liquid or powder form but not tablets. The baby was taken to her and she gave some medicines and a baby black sweater. I still remember the baby with a very high temperature and breathing very heavily. I carried him around a lot. It all lasted only two days and the end was quick. He was greatly attached to me and I to him and I cried a lot. The same day the Biology teacher in our school (Eraviperoor) also died. He was from Puthenparambil, Kadapra, Kumbanad in whose memory his doctor son Baby (now deceased) established the P.G. Alexander Memorial Hospital (Baby hospital) in Kumbanad. Both the funerals were on the same day but in two different churches. Large numbers of teachers and students from the school attended the funeral. I had my own brother's funeral to attend.

98. T.J. MATHEW (Mathaikutty) (28.10.1928)

My earliest memory of him is as a child crawling around. Though very fond of children and used to playing with them too, I did not like carrying around babies who were only to be held in the arms in a lying position and who could not be held in any other position. Obviously about crawling age was when I carried them. Perhaps that is why my memory does not go beyond to the earlier days. There was no hospitalization then for confinement. All deliveries were at home assisted by women from neighbouring houses. I remember to have gone out for such help. When he was about a year old he contracted scabies all over his body and whenever I was at home I used to carry him around. He would be sitting on my lap when I used to read or write. As a maths student I had lot of problems to work out every day and perhaps all my algebra problems were done with him on my lap. He was treated by an Ayurvedic Vaidyan residing at Kaviyoor, a little to the north of the Sleeba Jacobite Church at Thottabhagom. Three to four times a week I used to go to him early in the morning to obtain prescriptions or medicines before going to school. I have elsewhere mentioned that I could never study in the mornings at home. Further, collecting herbs and roots to prepare 'Keshayam' (medical concoction) according to the prescription received was also my responsibility.

He began his English education at Pullad, the only one from the family who studied there. It was a favor Appachen did to oblige a cousin of ours who was then a teacher in the school. He was obliged to canvass for students for his job preservation. From there he moved to Eraviperoor and later to U.C. College, Alwaye. He did his degree course in Physics (all other brothers did Chemistry; he too applied for it but only got Physics, a second choice) at the Madras Christian College, Tambaram. One year he stayed with us in Madambakam Camp and then moved to the College hostel. He taught for a short time in the Metropolitan High School, Puthencavu.

On 26.5.1955 he married Ammini, B.Sc (Biology) from Trivandrum. She was then in the State Govt. Service working as Education officer in the Block Development office at Pulikeezhu (west of Tiruvalla). While traveling from Trivandrum to Kumbanad, Ammini's car met with an accident. She had to be taken to the nearby hospital of Kottarakara. Her left collarbone was broken and her left arm was in a sling when she presented herself for marriage in church at about 6 p.m. instead of the agreed 10 a.m. Certainly she displayed great courage amidst all the shock, pain and suffering to undergo all the formalities of a marriage after such an accident. Obviously the marriage feast etc. which follow a marriage was held only after the marriage was conducted at or after 6 p.m. All the guests and invitees had their food (lunch it was!) perhaps by 7 p.m. I was then under training in Jalahalli and Aleykutty was living alone with children in Tambaram. Aleykutty and children attended the wedding. I could not.

Both of them left for Nigeria in 1957 and taught in schools at Ilaro, Ibadan, Lagos etc. Ammini also taught in the same schools. They were the first Asian teachers in that country. He worked as Senior Science Master in all places. Their students are now occupying very high positions in the State of Nigeria. When serving conditions became unfavourable they left the country in 1987 and settled down in Trivandrum in their own house, which was erected before their arrival on a plot of land they purchased. He had disposed of his ancestral share here earlier. Their younger daughter Jaya was with them and attended college while the other three children were in Nigeria. The marriage of Jaya and her sister Jean were held here in Kerala.

They spent their time giving tuition to students. On 1st Feb. 1993 Ammini suddenly felt uneasy, vomited and fell unconscious. Taken immediately to hospital doctors examined her and came to the unanimous conclusion that her condition was too bad and nothing could be done to save her. She did not regain consciousness and within 30 hours of the uneasiness she passed away in the evening of 2nd Feb. 1993. The body was taken immediately in the night and kept in a mortuary in Kozhencherry (there was no mortuary then in Kumbanad). It was interred in the family vault here on the 6th Feb. 1993. All her children were present at the funeral. A good number of those who were in Nigeria with them also attended the funeral. Her name appears third on the vault.

Mathaikutty being alone now spends greater part of his time either in U.K. or U.S.A. with his children.

Family details are as under:

T.J. Mathew, B.A. (Mathaikutty) 28.10.1928 -

Ammini, B.Sc. 18.1.1931 - 2.2.1993

1) Joseph (Joe) (21.5.1957). Primary schooling in Nigeria; Secondary education at Lawrence School; Lovedale. Took M.B.B.S. degree from Lagos University in Nigeria. After working for some time in the University Hospital left for U.K. and took his Postgraduate degree in Pathology from London University. Married Deena on 14 May 1994. She and her parents are settled in U.K. He works in a hospital near London.

2) Anna (Jean) (3.3.1959). Except for four years in Lovedale, had all her school education in Nigeria and took her M.B.B.S. degree from Lagos University; worked for some time in University Hospital. Left for U.K. and took M.R.C.P. degree in Paediatrics from London. Married to Roy, a working computer engineer in London. She works in a hospital in London. They have two daughters.

3) Paul (Jojan) (22.8.63). Primary education in Nigeria. Secondary at Lawrence School, Lovedale. Took M.B.B.S. degree from Lagos University. Won many prizes for outstanding academic performances. Left for U.S.A. in 1986 and took his M.D. in general medicine and later a Fellowship in Oncology (scientific study of tumors) from Mayo Clinic, U.S.A. It is equivalent to D.M. in India. Now working in U.S.A.

4) Leya (Jaya) (27.9.66). Complete school education in Nigeria. Took her B.Sc and M.Sc. (Zoology) degrees from Kerala University. Married to Shajan, a computer engineer. They live in Florida U.S.A. and have a daughter. She is working for her Ph.D.

99. JOHN JOSEPH (Johny) (20.10.1931)

He was born while I was in college and then I was away in Madras so that I do not have any recollection of his childhood. In his primary school days he was adept at tearing out sheets from his notebooks so that during a school year more than one notebook had to be provided for the same subject. It is surprising that one who can easily keep awake a whole night now could not keep awake just enough to take his dinner by 8 p.m. when he was a boy. Almost all nights he would sleep with his food in front and his hand in an attempt to take it. It was the responsibility of elder children to look after the younger ones. That was the practice. So after we were married it was Aleykutty's turn to wash him and put him to bed. He had his English education at Eraviperoor; Intermediate at U.C. College, Alwaye, and degree in Chemistry at Madras. On passing out in first class he worked as Junior Lecturer in Chemistry at the Mar Thoma College, Tiruvalla between 1953 and 1955. Then he did his M.Sc. at St. John's College, Agra, secured a first class and became a lecturer in Chemistry at the Malabar Christian College, Calicut where he worked between 1957 and 1960.

He was married on 18.6.1959 to Annamma (Kunjumol) B.Sc. from Kattanom. (The family later moved and settled down at Valakom, south of Kottarakara). This is the only marriage I attended in the family. He left for Nigeria in 1960; later that year she followed him. Both of them taught in the same school at Nsukka and Ikire. Later in 1966 he joined Govt. Service and worked as Senior Science teacher in Kano, Ilorin, Yola, Maiduguri, Biu, and Potiskum. Then he held many responsible positions in Govt. Service as Vice Principal, Principal, Principal Inspector of Science, Chief Education Officer in charge of Secondary Education, etc. Most of his service was in the northern region of Nigeria.

Returning in 1986 from that country he settled down in his own house which was by then complete. He had bought the ancestral share of the land property belonging to George and Mathaikutty. His house stands on that land. Their share of the paddy land was sold off in 1978 when Appachen was alive.

In 1987 when the Mar Thoma Residential School at Kuttapuzha (Tiruvalla) decided to upgrade the school and open +2 (Plus Two) course in Science, he was appointed its Principal. He stayed on till the school closed for its summer vacation in 1994. In all the intervening years the school scored highly creditable results gaining 100% pass both in Std X and Std XII except in one or two years when a single child failed. A good percentage of those who passed secured first classes and distinctions.

On retirement from the school he has become the Trustee of the local parish and a member of the Local Advisory Committee of the Fellowship Mission Hospital. The Wise Men's Club, the Y.M.C.A. and other matters keep him busy.

They have a son and a daughter.

The son Joseph (Shaji) (23.12.1961) after his primary education in Nigeria, joined Lawrence School, Lovedale where he distinguished himself not only in academics but in extracurricular activities too. In 1979 he passed Std XII from Lovedale winning the coveted President's Gold Medal, 22 years after his eldest cousin Jose (my son) won it in 1957. Among the six brothers/ cousins from the family that passed through the portals of Lovedale, five stayed on to complete their secondary education there. The first and the last (Jose and Shaji) left their footprints in the school by winning the prestigious medal. After that Shaji studied Civil Engineering in the Regional Engineering College at Calicut. After a short spell with a company in Jamshedpur he joined S.K.F. as its Sales Engineer. He rose in steps to become Branch Manager, Regional Manager, and Divisional Manager (International marketing) at Bombay. In between he had training in Amsterdam as a lead assessor of ISO 9000. Leaving SKF in 1993 he has set up his own company "Quality Solutions" at Coimbatore. On 18.1.1988 he married Nimmie, M.Sc.; M.Phil (Nutrition) who worked for some time as Assistant Professor in a college in Coimbatore. Nimmie's family is originally from Tholassery (near Tiruvalla) and had settled down in Coimbatore. They have a daughter named Diya.

The daughter Anna (Sheba 17.4.1964) had all her school education in Nigeria except for two years in the secondary stage at Bangalore. She had her degree from Bangalore University from where she obtained her Postgraduate degree in Literature also. Thus she is a B.Sc., M.A. and the only arts graduate in the whole family. While working as an English teacher in the Mar Thoma Residential School at Tiruvalla she was married on 7.1.1989 to John George (Reji), an engineering graduate with M.B.A. added to it. He belongs to the Inchakkalodil family in Chengannur and now works with the Tata Teas at its Packing Centre in Madupatty (Munnar). They have a daughter called Sneha.

100. SARAMMA (28.1.1934) Saramma is the youngest. After completing High School at Eraviperoor she joined C.M.S. College, Kottayam for Intermediate and was married to Dr. John K. Abraham (Baby) M.B.B.S., D.O., M.S. (Opthalmology). He worked for some time in Bombay and then in Rajnandgaon (near Bhilai). Later he went to Bahrain and worked there for over twenty years. His parents hailing from Edathua had settled down in Trivandrum many years ago. He bought a plot of land in Pattom, a part of Trivandrum and lives in his own house built on that plot. He does private practice in a portion of the house. They have two daughters, both doctors, passed out of Manipal and both are married to doctors.

Leela (31.7.57) the elder, is M.D. in Gynaecology and works in a private hospital in Mundakayam. Her husband Dr. George Chandy (Gibu) M.B.B.S., D.A., D.C.H. belongs to Matteethra family in Kottayam and now works as a paediatrician in the same hospital as Leela.

The younger daughter Latha (6.1.62) M.B.B.S., D.O.M.S. follows in the footsteps of her father as an eye doctor. Her husband, Dr. Mathews Mangat (Reju) M.B.B.S., M.S. is from Mangat family in Poovathoor and is a general surgeon working in a private hospital in Alwaye. They have two children, a girl and a boy.

101. A family tree of the Kumbanattu Kudumbam is given in order to understand the position of Theckethil Family in the large Kumbanattu family. A complete family tree of Theckethil family is also given. It is corrected up to 30 June 1994. (There is a complete family tree of the whole Kumbanattu family - all the thirteen families - prepared by me for the Kumbanattu Kudumba Yogam. Copies can be had from the Secretary).

102. A 'Dayara,' (church) a Christian Sanyasi who held the values and virtues of life in all its pristine glory in the light of christian teachings, and a boy of eleven whose christian upbringing was supplemented by absorption through constant contact with all that was good both in the practice and precepts of the Sanyasi, and who grew up to be the founder father of this great family which came to be known as the Kumbanattu Kudambam, are the triple corner stones on which this family was established. The establishment and growth of the family are inextricably and intrinsically linked with the establishment and growth of the church at this village which took its name from the name of the family itself. The church and the family were mutually dependent and grew side by side. The church remained for almost 150 years as a family church until in 1910 by a treaty the supremacy of the Mar Thoma Metropolitan was accepted over the church and all its properties. Kumbanad thus became a parish in the Mar Thoma Church. All other churches in and around Kumbanad emanated from here. All the family members at all times took time and care for prayer, fellowship and worship. Every morning and in the evening all the members of the family came together for the family worship which consisted of singing hymns and Bible readings followed by a prayer usually by the elder in the group. "A family that prays together stays together." Nothing would tempt them to deviate from the path of love and holiness as propounded in the Holy Book or expounded by priests and preachers. Our ancestors, amidst multifarious distractions had chosen, like Joshua, "to serve the Lord." They "walked in His ways" and were happy. They knew that "through wisdom is a house built, and by understanding it is established, and by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches." They were not affluent but did not allow "mercy and truth to forsake them." They had them "written large upon the table of their hearts." And so they did not fail to "find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man." For their well-being, progress, and happiness they followed daily the maxim, "trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes." In their arduous daily life they experienced that the observance of the "statutes and commandments of God" was the essential thing to do "that it might be well with them and with their children forever." Accordingly they took all possible steps "to teach these words diligently unto their children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house" etc. (Deut. 6:7). This, our fathers did not fail to do.

103. God himself saw that it was not good for man to be alone and He created woman as a fitting help and companion for man. St. Paul said that "woman is the glory of man." The Psalmist saw the wife of a blessed man "as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house." Solomon in his wisdom said "whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favour of God." He further said that "houses and riches are the inheritance of fathers and a prudent wife is from the Lord." The price of a virtuous woman is far above rubies in the estimate of Solomon for "she will do him (the husband) good and not evil all the days of her life." Paul commanded that wives should submit themselves unto their own husbands while the husbands were to love their wives as Christ loves the Church because "he that loveth his wife loveth himself." Our mothers implicity submitted themselves to the husbands and prudently ran the affairs of the house enjoying in return whole-hearted love and support. This mutual love, consideration and understanding not only brought concord and happiness in the family but invited the blessings from on High. The family life was always a joint effort wherein grown up children also had their part to play. Like the wise man who built his house upon the rock, our forefathers built up their homes brick by brick upon solid foundations so that when the "floods came and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not." Women in the house, often in the background, were pillars of strength.

104. These factors then, in a nutshell, give the underlying causes for the blessings our forefathers enjoyed. They knew it was more blessed to give than to receive. "With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again;" and "therefore all things that whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." Our ancestors knew the importance of these biblical injunctions and did their best to observe them as best they could. Times have changed and will keep changing. Men may change and habits too. But in this fleeting world there are far too many things that will not and must not be allowed to change or fleet. He or she who upholds truth, the fear of God, and the indestructible values and virtues of life shall not fall nor falter but shall forever be happy. "The generation of the upright shall be blessed." I am not a St. Paul but would like to end this weak labour of mine with the mighty words of Paul. And let them ring in the ears and minds of all those who read this, whether it be now or later, and amidst all the cares and tribulations of this world. "Rejoice in the Lord always. Let your moderation be known unto all men. Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the Peace of God, which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." They that wait upon the Lord shall not faint or be weary but shall renew their strength.

185. A house is built by hands, but a home is built by hearts. A home cannot be built up in the span of one, two, four, or ten years. It is a continuous process for years together. It is an invaluable and holy duty to be fulfilled during a lifetime. What makes us human is our heart, the center of our being where God has hidden trust, hope, and love. Deep speaks to deep, spirit speaks to spirit, heart speaks to heart. A Christian home is to be a miniature of God's kingdom on earth. We always say Home, Sweet Home.

The Blessing of the Home is Godliness;

The Beauty of the Home is Orderliness;

The Honor of the Home is Friendliness;

The Richness of the Home is Cheerfulness.

Man is a frail creature. Often "the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do." So we realize we cannot do it alone.

The waves dash fast and high;

The fog comes chilling around,

And the light goes out in the sky.

But I know that we two shall win in the end,

Jesus and I.

Coward and wayward and weak,

I change with the changing sky,

Today so strong and brave,

Tomorrow too weak to fly;

But - HE never gives in!

So we two shall win -

Jesus and I.

This year (1994) I completed 80 years of age. I am thankful for my life. The day was spent quietly. The birthday being a working day a prayer meeting was held at home on Sunday, 17th July - the usual Sunday afternoon prayer of the parish members. That Lizzie, Gracie, Suzy and all their family members were present for the prayer meeting demands special mention. Mary also came from Ooty. Ten out of the fourteen grandchildren were present - the first time such a group met together. "The days of our years are threescore years and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." The "cut off" time is fast approaching and I have to be ready to "fly away."

Life's day is short - I soon shall go

To be with Him who loved me so;

I see in the distance that shining shore,

My beautiful, beautiful shore.

When at last I near that shore

And the fearful breakers roar

'Twixt me and the peaceful rest -

Then, while leaning on Thy breast,

May I hear Thee say to me

Fear not - I will pilot thee.

Nothing can be more satisfying and fulfilling than the love, respect, consideration, and security found within a happy family.

A family is a place of warmth when the world is cold; a place of safety when the world is hostile; a place of light when the world is dark - this is a family........It is the core around which great nations are built. It is the foundation of any great society. A family is many things; a family is love around the dinner table; devotion walking to church together; friendship laughing under the same roof. A family is mother singing in the kitchen; father whistling around the house; children playing in the yard. A family is a light on the front porch on a dark night. A family is happy songs around a piano........A family is a cheering section when a victory is won; a family is a very private organization.

Rudyard Kipling once wrote about families, "All of us are we - and every one else is they."

A family shares things like dreams, hopes, possessions, memories, smiles, frowns and gladness...... A family is a clan held together with the glue of love and the cement of mutual respect. A family is shelter from the storm, a friendly port when the waves of life become too wild. No person is ever alone who is ever a member of a family.

Thank God for the warmth and fellowship of a happy family! And when Christ is included, it is truly a foretaste of heaven.

A Christian home is earth's sweetest picture of heaven.

Adapted from 'Our Daily Bread' (March 1983)

(The End)