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History of Chirayil Family
In 52 A.D. St Thomas, the Apostle of Christ came to Kerala, preached Christianity at Kodungaloor, Palayoor and other places, and baptized certain Brahmin (priest class) families there. Those Brahmins converted to Christianity retained their traditions and customs through generations. The present generation of the Plammoottil family is the descendants of one of the families converted to Christianity by St. Thomas. In the earlier centuries, Palayoor (Northern Kerala) was a center of Christian activity. During the invasion of Tippu Sultan, the Christians fled to the south and settled mostly at Kuravilangad, north of Ettumanoor. After settling down at Kuravilangad they took the lead in the construction of the famous Kuravilangad Church and many members of those families became priests. Some of these people moved further south and settled at places like Ettumanoor, Athirampuzha, Palai, Ramapuram, Kottayam, Kudamaloor, Mannanam, Kumarakom, Changanacherry, Mallappally, Kallooppara, Thiruvalla, Chengannoor, Mavelikara, etc. It is believed that the Christians now living at the above said places are the descendants of the Christians who have settled at Kuravilangad. This is evidenced by the fact that some of those families are still using the old family names, which they have used at Palayoor and later at Kuravilangad. The then prevailing religious customs and traditions also have paved way for the transplanting of Christian families from Kuravilangad to the above mentioned places, where prominent Hindu temples were situated. It was a custom and belief that the temple supplies brought in could be used for the temple rituals only if it is ‘purified’ by the Brahmin converted Christians touching it. So it became a necessity to have a Christian family available for such services. Such families enjoyed special rights and privileges from the temple and were entitled to tax free land. These privileges were in effect till the mid nineteen forties. These can be verified with the temple records of Ettumanoor. As per the interests of the Brahmin families attached to Ettumanoor Mahadevar temple, they invited our forefathers who were settled in Kuravilangad and later in Athirampuzha, had been brought to Ettumanoor by offering him the “Padipurachal purayidom” owned by a Brahmin named Narayanan Moothathu son of Narayanan Varman, Thekkillom of Ashtamoorthy Mangalam in survey number 232/7 of Ettumanoor “Mandapathum vathil” (Taluk). It could also been seen from the records of the Ettumanoor Mahadevar temple that the “Plammood family” is even now entitled to receive certain rights and privilege from the Ettumanoor temple. It is believed that our forefather who came to Ettumanoor between 1758 and 1798 was Mani son of Mathan Plammoottil. His brother Thomas accompanied him. Mani married Mariamma, daughter of Varkey (Manikutty house) at Elanji. The early Christians or St. Thomas Christians practiced martial arts and engaged in trade and commerce. Our forefathers who settled in Ettumanoor were experts in “Kalarippayattu” ( traditional martial art from Kerala). Being an expert in “Kalarippayattu” Thomas was invited by the people from Kallooppara to settle down in Kallooppara and teach “Kalarippayattu”. He got married and settled there with the family name Plammoottil and that branch has many descendents there.
Mani Plammoottil's house (Padipurackal purayidom) in Ettumanoor was located on the eastern side of M.C. road opposite to the Government Basic Training school at Ettumanoor. He had two sons named Mani and Mathan and had also one daughter named Mariam. Mariam got married and settled in Chemplavu and the family later moved back to Ettumanoor with the family name “Chembilavil”.
Mani, the eldest son of Mani Plammottil lived with his father at the Plammoottil house had also four sons. The eldest son Varkey lived in the house now known as Thazhathu Vettoor and his descendants are now living on either side of the Athirampuzha road near the Alankar Theatre. The second son Mathan's family name remains as Plammoottil and his descendants live at Ettumanoor and Athirampuzha. This family is further branched out as Pothanamthadom, Nariankunnel and Ambatt families located near the present day KSRTC Bus Station in Ettumanoor. The third son Mani's descendants are now known as the Vettoor family and live on the eastern side of M.C. road near the KSRTC Bus Station. The descendants of the fourth son Punnan are now living south of Athirampuzha Church under the family name “Eruppel”. The youngest was Mariamma married to Thumpasseril Family Ettumanoor. The present generation of ,Thazhathu Vettoor, Plammoottil, Vettoor and Eruppayil families are the descendants of Mani Plammoottil. The Thazhath Vettoor family: The members of this family are mainly engaged in business and are also landlords. The Plammoottil Family: They are subdivided into various branches namely Pothanamthadam, Nariamkunnel, Ambatt etc. They are well-known business people agriculturists and government officials. They are highly influential and are respected by the people around. The Vettoor Family: The Vettoor branch of the Plammoottil family are well-known business people and landlords. The Eruppayil family: The members of this family are mainly agriculturists and are well settled near the Athirampuzha Church. Mathan, the second son of Mani Plammoottil shifted to Thoompunkal property and later moved to Chirayil house (The house was located at 'Chira' and hence the name 'Chirayil') located between ‘Chirakulam’ and present day Ettumanoor police station. This became the "Tharavadu" of Chirayil family. Mathan had four sons named Mathan, Varkey, Devasia and Mathai and two daughters named Mariam and Kocheley. Varkey continued to live at the Chirayil house with his father. Mathan and Devasia shifted their residence to Mundakapadom, near the present day Caritas hospital. Mathan’s family at Mundakapadom is now known as Thaipparambil and that of Devasia is now known as Vattathundam. Mathai lived on the southern side of Ettumanoor and this family is now known as Valliyath.
The Thyparambil Family: The members of this family are settled near the present day Caritas (Thellakom) area. They are landlords and business people. The Chirayil Family: Varkey Chirayil married Mariam of Panamparambil house, Ettumanoor and they had four sons and one daughter Annamma. Annamma got married to Kaniyodikal (Nellikkattil) house at Kalathoor.
Add Diagram here !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Varkey Mathai (Mathachan) , Luka, Thomas (Umman) and Ouseph (Kunjaouseph).
The sons of Varkey Chirayil are Mathai (Mathachan) , Luka, Thomas (Umman) and Ouseph (Kunjaouseph). The eldest son Mathachan lived in the house which is situated east of the present Christ The King Church at Ettumanoor and now known as “Pullukalayil”. He married Rosa from Edattel family of Kadappoor. His descendents are now living in Ettumanoor, Athirampuzha and Carithas(Thellakom) area. The members of this family are well known business people and landlords. The second son Luka married Elizwa from Nellippallil family of Athirampuzha and lived in the house east of Pullukalayil house. The third son Ummen (Thommen) married Aley from Paadiyath family of Ettumanoor and lived next to the house of Luka. Ouseph married Kathri from Madathil family of Arumanoor and lived next to the house of Ummen and west of Ettumanoor police station. This is the house where Mathan lived. After him, his son Varkey lived there followed by his son Ouseph. As Ouseph had no issues, he adopted his brother Luka’s son Joseph (Ousephkunju, C.L Joseph). who then inherited the ‘Tharavadu’. C.L Joseph’s youngest son Jose Eugene Chirayil (Appukkuttan) is residing at this house now (2005) along with his unmarried brother Vincent Damien Chirayil (Raju). The Vattathundam Family: The members of this family are well-known landlords and business people. They are settled near the present day Caritas (Thellakom) area. The Valliath Family: The members of this family are now well settled at Ettumanoor, Caritas and Kottayam. They were well-known landlords and business people. Among them - Advocate (Late) V.M. Mani was famous civil lawyer in the Ettumanoor Munsiff court. V.T Mathew (Valliath Ponnachan) is a businesses man at Kottayam and owns the “Beena Travels” and luxury coach services. V.T.Devasia (Valliath Vavachan) was the president of Ettumanoor Panchayat and was member of the director board of the Service Co-operative Bank Ltd. Ettumanoor.
The present generation of Chirayil, Valliyath, Vattathundam (Ponmankal) and Thyparambil families are the descendents of Mathan Chirayil.
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