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Chirayil Family Profile
The Plammoottil family of Ettumanoor now consists of eight main branches namely (1) Chirayil (2)Eruppayil (3)Plammoottil (4)Thaiprambil (5)Thazhath Vettoor (6)Valliath (7)Vattathundathil (Ponmankal) and (8)Vettoor. The following sections describe the branching of the Chirayil family from the Plammoottil family and hereafter the description is concentrated on the Chirayil family alone. The Plammoottil family and especially the Chirayil family played a major role in the economic, social, cultural and political development and well being of the people in Ettumanoor and the surrounding places. Around the year 1925, when motor vehicles were very rare in India, the Chirayil family started motor bus services in the erstwhile Travancore state. Apart from the economic commitment, Chirayils had to solve the technical knowledge and various other issues connected with the business. They started the business boldly and it brought them wealth and fame. Even before the advent of the automobiles, the Chirayils were leading a prosperous life. They had horses and horse carts for their conveyance. C.L John (Kunju), C.L Varkey, C.L Sebastian (Devasiachan) and C.L Joseph (Ousephkunju), C.T.Varkey (Chirayil Kutty) and C.T Joseph (Kunju) were the prominent Chirayils who begun the motor service business. Subsequently they joined hands with others and formed a limited company for the motor service business at a time when limited companies were very rare. The company was the well- known “Standard Motor Service Limited” (S.M.S) in the state of Travancore. Mr. C.L Varkey was the founder of the company and he served as the Managing Director and the Chairman of the board of directors of the company for several years. It is commendable that C.L Varkey ran the Limited Company at a time when the principles of business administration and management were not well known. He expanded the company into big enterprise and was the second biggest limited company in Travancore State (owned and managed by the Christians). The company operated buses in Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idikki districts. The shareholders and the people of Ettumanoor at large were benefited economically by this company. The “Angady “ (shopping center) at Ettumanoor was near the Ettumanoor temple. As the company’s headquarters was situated at “ Chirakavala” (Chirayil Junction) and as the place had grown economically, the “Angady” quickly moved to “Chirakavala” and ever since Chirakavala remains the center point of Ettumanoor town. Mr. C.L Varkey pioneered the cause of Catholics in constructing a chapel (Kurisupalli) in the heart of Ettumanoor junction in between the Kottayam and Athirampuzha roads. The chapel was constructed in the name of Virgin Mary. Ettumanoor was famous for its Mahadevar temple and its “Aarattu” and “Ezhara Ponnana” while the Catholics in Ettumanoor did not even have a church of their own prior to 1960 and had to go to their parish Church at Athirampuzha which was about two miles away. There was a strong feeling among the Catholics to have a church built in Ettumanoor. The members of the Chirayil family who were the community leaders in Ettumanoor decided that they should help in all possible ways to build a Church in Ettumanoor. The Catholics had to first come up with the land to build the church. In 1959, Mr. C.L Sebastian (Devasiachan) freely offered a plot of land (The Vattathundam Property) right at the heart of Ettumanoor town which is worth millions of rupees. Further, the Chirayil family contributed the lion share of capital to build the church. The Church was built in around 1960 and was named “Christ The King Church” and is popularly known as 'Chirel Palli'. The church was under the Athirampuzha Parish and was subsequently given independent parish status. The Christ The king Church in Ettumanoor town will remain as a standing monument of the generosity and devoutness of the Chirayil family. It was a custom in vogue that on the festival of Christ the King, a gorgeous procession was led to Ettumanoor chapel (Kurisupalli) from the St. Mary’s church in Athirampuzha and the adjoining churches. It was a very festive occasion, and the S.M.S company spectacularly decorated the ‘Chirakavala’ and the suburbs. Those processions and the beautiful decorations are still remembered by the older people of Ettumanoor. The S.M.S. Company grew into a big enterprise to the extent that it could not be managed under a single management and hence the company was bifurcated subsequently into four limited companies and the four sons of Mr. Luka Chirayil led the four branches. Mr. C.J. Luka Kunjukutty), son of Mr. C.L. John managed the S.M.S. Bus Service Company. Mr. C.L. Varkey managed the “C.L. Varkey & Sons” company, Mr. C.L. Sebastian became the managing proprietor of New Bharat Motors Limited and Mr. C.L. Joseph became the Managing Director of Ettumanoor Motors (P) Limited (E.M.S.). Subsequently E.M.S. was further divided into two, and Mr. C.L. Joseph became the sole proprietor of Rani Motors. By the end of 1960’s all these companies were forced to stop by the nationalization of routes by the government and by various other factors. Many of the children and grand children of Mr. C.L.John and C.L Joseph immigrated to US and are well settled in the Chicago (children and grand children of Mr. C.L.John) and in the New York Metro Areas (children and grand children of Mr. C.L.Joseph). Wherever the Chirayils live, they uphold the family traditions by leading a pious and cultured way of life. |
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