Dr. M.G.S Narayanan states that Sreemolavsam PALLY which
received free land from king Vikramadithya Varaguna as per Parthivapuram Copper Plate
deed of C.E 829,Thazhekkaavu PALLY, Kinaloor PALLY, Alathoor PALLY,
Thirumannoor PALLY which received lands from Kings during 9,10 & 11
centuries were all JAIN Pallys or Jain TEMPLES.
Then why MGS accepted without doubt like others,that
the PALLY in Kurakeni Kollam (THARISA PALY) is a CHRISTIAN CHURCH?
All the PALLYs in Venadu during those period were JAIN TEMPLES-Jain PALLYs.There was
no CHURCH at all in Venad .
The unbelievable, incomplete History
(a mystery)
MGS Narayanan states the history of Tharisapply Copper
Plates in his famous Perumals of Kerala, Cosmo Books Trichur 2013 p78
For the history of these plates, see TA.S 11, 1, pp60-62.
The Syrian Christian bishop of Angamaly deposited them with the Portuguese at
the beginning
Of the 16th century .With the surrender of
cochin by the Portuguese to the Dutch , and later by the Dutch to the English, they
also changed the hands.They were traced
By Col. Macaulay ,British resident in Travancore ,in
1806,and handed over to the Kottayam seminary of Syrian Christians. During the
disputes between the two sections
Only 4 out of 6 plates were traced by Gopinatha Rao in 1916
and published with new translation and note
But how the plates reached the hands of Angamaly Bishop
It is statedthat there were 6 plates. The present
description is that there are only 5 plates with writings only on 9 sides only.
The facing sideof 1st plate shows no writing
.But the back sideof 5th plate contains writing. Then
why there is no writing on facing side of 1st plate? What happened
to the 6th plate?
Gopinatha Rao hides the publication of the text in 1844 by
Gundert in Madras Journal of Literature and Science X111,!,p 118
Dr.S. N. Sadasivan in his Social History of India narrates the story how the Kottayam
Bishop prompted Col Macaulay to search the plates.
He informed that the plates were given by the King for their
” St. Theresa Church in Kochi”.
But how the Angamaly Bishop got the Plates?
That is a fable.
Actually the Plates were with Dariya Chettys
of Kollam. They kept them in Thevalakara Jain
Pally. Later Thevalakara jain pally was converted to Siva Temple
Tharisa pally Copper Plate is purely a Vellala cheppedu and
was neither Syrian ,Christian or Kottayam cheppedu.
All the three ruling kings of the Chera, the Chola and
thePadya were Vellalas (see T.Pazhaini Social changes among Vellalas of
Nachinad ,Pen Books 2003 p 27)
So Sthanu Revi Emperor(as per Christian Historians) or King(as per MGS) who ruled during CE 849
was a Vellala ruler.
King (as per Christian Historians), Governor (as per MGS
Narayan etc) Ayyan Atikal was a Vellala
petti ruler( See K.Kanakasabai Pillai Tamils eighteen hundred years ago
Asian Educational Services N.Delhi 1997 p 116 Soranadu
Kunjan Pillai, Vellaras of Kerala in Sahyadri SanukkalileSamskarika pazhama ,Anjali
Publishers 1986 P
The land donated to Tharisapplly by Ayyan Atikal belonged to
Vellalas (poomikku karalar Vellalar)
Four families of Vellalas were donated along with the land
for farming ,rearing cattle ,keeping accounts and registers ,measuring lands
and writing documents on palmyra leaves with styles and also for supplying
and buying groceries and agricultural products ( according
to Edgar Thurston& K. Rengachary,
Castes and Tribes of South India Vol 7 pp 361-389 Vellala swere
landlords,tenents, shepherds ,clerks, accountants, shop keepers ,weavers and also farmers ,Palmyra writers ).
The legal document was prepared by Sundaran the Vellala
document writer.
All the 17 witnesses( See Hyacinte Anquitel Perron Zend
Avesta Paris 1771 pp 1776-177)in the group testimonial’s were Vellala merchants
So the Kurakeni Kollam Copper plate is actually a VELLALA Cheppedu and nota Christian, Sriyan or Kottayam Cheppedu
Kesavan Veluthattu while translating the text in
Tharisapally copper plates of CE489 for the UK
study group of www.849ce.org.uk , translated Vellalar as “ farm
workers”
Let us discuss whether it is an apt translation. Are they
only mere farm workers?
“Tolkappiyam the ancient Tamil grammar, refers to four
castes with distinct professions , the Arivar-men of knowledge who later came
to be known as Brahmin, the ULAVAR thosewho plough the land later became the
Vellalas”
According to the classical work, Silappadikaram, there was a rudimentary hierarchial order of social groups in which Ulavar , also called
Vellalas, were assigned the first place. Ilanko Adugal, the author of Silapapdikaram
said that farmers were responsible for the triumph of the king and wellbeing of
the poor. There were two classes off farmers, The Vellala tenants and the
Vellala landlords.
….The Vellala had the prerogative of making marital alliance
with the royal household
…. The Vellalas ruled as powerful chieftains throughout the
Sangam Times and the kings of the three ruling houses ,the Chola ,the Pandya
and the Chera who themselves were Vellalas. The great kings like Karikala Ch ola
and Cheran Shenkuttavan married the daughter
of Nankur Vel and Alumbil Vel respectively who were Vellalas.
(T .R. Seshaiyar, Dravidian Indi a Vol 1 p.178.)
The duties of the higher strata of Vellalas turned to Vedic
learning, making sacrificial rites,giving alms, cultivating land, carrying on
trade and tending cattles,while those of lower strata of V ellalasturned to
giving alma,cultivating lands ,tending cattles ,carrying on trades and service
to others excepting the study of Vedas.(Ibid p.179)
According to Manimekalai the word Vellala was interpreted as
”benevolence”(helping others)
Marshal (Mohenjo-Daro and Indus Civilization) says that Velal
means man of Trident .Velan (Murukan or Subramanian )is the god of Vellalas (H. Heras, Vellalas in
Mohenjo-Daro The Indian Historical Quarterly Vol X1V, Calcutta pp245-255
(T .Pazhani his
Doctoral Thesis , Social change among Vellalas of Nanchinad , Pen Books 2003 p
26
In The Tamils eighteen hundred years ago Mr.V.Kanakasabhai
Pillai writes that the Farmers occupied the
highest position .They formed the nobility or the landed aristocracy
of the country. They were also called Vellalar,” lords of the flood” or “karalar”,
lords of the clouds,titles expressive of their skill in controlling floods, and
in storing water for agricultural purposes.The Chera,Chola and Pandyan Kings an
d most of their petty chiefs of Tamilakam belonged to the tribe of Vellalas.
Edgar Thurston& K .Rangachary <Castes and Tribes of
South India Vol 7,Asian Educational services, N. Delhi 1993 p 368
In the Madras Census Report 1891Vellala is recorded as a caste
ofJaines (Ibid p 389)
References
1. Edgar Thurston& K.Rengachary <Castes and Tribe sof
South India Vol 7 Asian Educational services,N.Delhi
2. Kankasabhai Pillai V The Tamils Eighteen Hundred years
Ago Asian Educational Services N.Delhi
1997
3.Pazani T.Dr, Social Change among Vellalas of Nanchinad Pen
Books 1st Edn 2003
Dr.Kanam Sankara Pillai @ Dr.K.A.Sankara Pillai, MBBS (1968), DGO,(1978),MS(1983) ,well known Surgeon, Obstetrician & Gynecologist of Kerala, India, prefers himself to be called as Heath Educator of Malayalees. Anil Mangalam , Editor, Manorama Arogyam (Formerly that of Arogyam) describes Dr. Kanam as the” Father of Medical Journalism in Malayalam”.
Kotchukanjirappara Ayyappan Pillai Sankara Pillai (Mony) was born on 27th July 1944 (12 Karkitakom 1119, star Chithira), as the second child of his parents in Kanam kara of Kangazha Muri in Changanassery Taluk of Kottayam Dist in Kerala, India. His fore- fathers belonged to Saiva Vellala, Farmer-Surveyor-Accountant community migrated from Kumbakonam in Tamilnadu, about 300 years back and Settled in Thazhathangady- Thali, in ancient Thekkumkoor. His great great grand father settled in Thundathi l In Vazhoor about 150 years back and his grand father Chollathu Sankara Pillai purchased the 500 acre Hamlet Kanam for 70 vellipanams from Kudaluvally Nampoothiri,120 years back.
Sankara Pillai was the second child of Kalappurayidathil Sankara Pillai Ayyappan Pillai (1911-2013) and Smty Kalloor Raman Pillai Thankamma (1915-1956) of Elampally , Anickadu, Kottayam. Mr. K.S .Ayyappan Pillai was a good farmer. Dr.Kanam’s eldest sister, Late K.A.Parukkutty Amma was Head Mistress of Netaji High School, Pramadom, Pathanamthitta .He has two younger sisters, K.A.Rajamma and K.A.Sarojini Amma ,both are housewives.
Dr.Sankara Pillai had his Primary education from Shanmukha Vilasam LPS ,Kanam, which was founded by his uncle, Shanmukhavilasom Arumukham Pillai in 1935. He remembers M.N. Sankara Pillai of Manimanglam , the HM of the LPS as one of his mentors who promoted his reading habitat the age of 7, by supplying weeklies like Mathruboomi ,regularly. As a result Dr.Sankara Pillai published his first short story , an adaptation from Hindi text book of his elder sister ,in Kerala Bhushanam Sunday Supplement in Adult pages at the age of12 in 1956.
His middle school studies were from CMS school Kanam, where Ms .Sosamma Philip, wife of Novelist Kanam E.J was a teacher .At the age of 12, in 1956 he published the first Manuscript Magazine of CMS Middle School, ”Bala Rasmi”, in which he introduced Cartoonist Nathan (Later Er. K.Somanathan Nair).For the 3rd Forum Public Examination in 1957, he got second rank in Kottayam Educational District. For this achievement he got Pezhamattom Bankers’ award (Rs.20/- year for 3 years).This award was a boost for his studies. High School Study was at SVRV HS, Theerthapadapuram Vazhoor .Mahopadhyaya Kaviyoor Sivarama Pillai(Malayalam Teacher) promoted his writing capabilities and published his articles in School Manuscript Magazine. For the SSLC examination in 1960 he got 510 marks out of 600 and this was school record for about 30 years. During High School studies he got prices for almost all literary competitions and got famous literary works in Malayalam as prizes .He passed Madhyama exam of Dakshina Hindi Prajar Sabha with 3rd Rank.
Dr.Kanam had his Pre University Study from CMS College, Kottayam (1960-61).He published his study on Auto biographies in Malayalam ( Aathamakatha Sahithyam malayalathil) in 1961 Vol of Vidya Samgraha the well known, prestigious College Magazine of CMS College
He passed PUC with high first Class, which qualified him for admission in both Medical and Engineering Courses in Kerala. He chose Medical Corse in newly started Kottayam Medical College (3rd college started in1961).
He had his one year Pre-Professional training from S.B. College ,Changanasery(1961-62). Even though he got admission in Govt .Medical College Kottayam, he had to attend classes for the first six months in Govt. Medical Collge, Trivandrum, where Dr.M.Thanga Velu was the Principal. Dr.Kanam got his MBBS degree from Kerala University in 1967.He underwent one year House Surgeoncy in Dist cum Medical College Hospital, Kottayam. For six months he worked as Junior Doctor in Philip Memorial Hospital, Mavelikara. On the Xmas day in 1968 he joined at Primaray Health Centre. Mundan kunnu of Pampady NES Block as Assistant Surgeon.
In 1970 he was transferred to Dist cum Medical College Hospital Kottayam, where he worked as Assistant to Dr. V.Thomas, the Surgeon. In 1972 he was transferred to PHC,Erumely of Kanjirappally NES Block. During this period he organised number of Medical camps and got the Best PHC Medical Officer award from then Health Ministser N.K.Balakrishnan (1976).During this period he took life Membership of Kerala Sasthra Sahithay Parishath and started mass Health Education Programmes in Malayalam. He wrote health education articles in most of the Periodicals, then available in Malayalam.During this period he got interest in Rubber planation. In 1976 he joined for DGO Course (first batch)in Kottayam Medical College .After that he worked in THQ Hospital, Vaikam as the first Obstetrician and Gynecologist of that institution. He worked there for
3years,During this period he managed lot of complicated and rare Ggynec and maternity cases.
One of the rare cases was an alive extra uterine (Broad Ligament) pregnancy, reported in JIMA(1982.)The girl grown outside her mothers womb is now 36 years and has 3 children. Many a cases were published in Medical Journals. For a short time he worked in THQ Hospital, Palai after which he joined Trivandrum Medical College for MS (General Surgery )Courese .After passing MSin 1983, he worked for some time in W& C Hospital,Thycaud and then in THQ Hospital,Cherthal.Then he worked in General Hospital, Pathanam thitta,District Hospital
,Kozhencherry and in THQ Hospital, Mavelikara. For 4 months he was the Acting Superintendent of THQ Hospital,Mavelikara. During this tenure he renovated the ancient Maharajas Ward in record time of 4 months with the help of then MLA, M.Murali and Ommen Chandy, then Finance Minister.
Shortly after the renovation he was transferred to Ramamangalam Rural Dispensary, Haripadu, by the initiative of NDP Party Leadership .As a protest, he took long leave and joined Archana, a budding Private Hospital in Pandalam. With in a short period of five years he developed it to a well known major Multi Speciality Hospita lwhich got recognition for starting a Medical College (During the Ministry of A.K.Antony). Following some irritating action from the managemen , t he left the hospital and joined the nearby Christian Medical Centre. In 1999 July he rejoined in KHS a d retied on 30th July 1999 as Dpty DHS. Again he worked for 5 years in CM Hospital and after that he returned to his native District Kottayam and worked in KVMS Hospital , TMM Hospital ,Santhi Nikethan Hospital, Erumely Medica l Centre and High Range Hospital Parathodu. Now he stopped surgical works and is doing Consultation only service in Sri Hari Clinic Ponkunnam and takes Family Life Education Classes
For Higher Secondary Schools in Kottayam District.
Dr. Kanam was Columnist in various weeklies, fortnightlies and magazines in Malayalam and used to discuss various health problems of Malayalees. He started his popular health education articles in Vijnana Kairaly Magazine of Kerala Bhaksha Instiute in early 1970’s.Then he started in Doctor answers column in Janayugam weekly of Kollam. He published lot of articles especially on Sexually transmitted diseses, family planning ,sterility, alcoholism, scabies ,rabies,drug addictions etc
He had columns in Malayala Nadu(Kollam).Mana Sasthram(Trivandrum),Kutumba Jeevitham(Trivandrum,)Vanitha (Kottayam),Manglam(Kottayam), Grihalakshmi(Calicut) etc.
During 1970-1790 his health education article series appeared in most of the Sunday editions of various news papers in Malayalam .His articles appeared in about 50 Souvenirs. He was a regular speaker for AIR Trivandrum for 25 years(Total50 topics).He had published 10 books in Malayalam
The idea of first Mini Magazine in Malayalam, distributed with Kanyaka Fortnightly of Mangalam Publications,was conceived and designed by Dr. Kanam, along with late N.P.Gopinath,Editor of Kanyaka. He had edited the Rotary Path ,Magazine of Rotary Club of Pathanamthitta and also the Golden Jubilee Souvenir of C.M. Hospital, Pandalam for which he wrote the history of Modern Medical Practice in Central Travancore. He was District Secretary and President of KGMOA, Kottayam and also IMA ,Pathanamthitta .H e edited IMA Path, the Year Book of IMA Pathanamthitta in 1984.
He was the Charter Vice President of Lions Club of Vaikom and President of Lions Club of Pandalam. He was the Founder Chairman of Holistic Foundation of Pandalam.
He is the Founder Chief Co Coordinator of PonFarm (Ponkunnam Farmers’ Club)with 200 odd members which promote Zero Budget Natural Farming .
Dr.Kanam is active in various social medias for the last 19 years. His articles first appeared in number of expage web pages, Tripod and worldpress. Now he is active in blogger(50 odd blogs on various topics) ,facebook,twitter,koottam etc. He takes health education classes invarious colleges,higher secondary schools, churches, clubs etc with power point slideshows.
He had visited UK and Singapore. Stayed in UK for 2 months in 2008,2 months in 2009 and for 4 months in 2013.
He had the rare fortune of redsicovering the lost Venadu group testimonials of 17 Vellala Merchnats in Tharisappally Copper Plates of CE849.He presented a papeer about this 17 Venadu Witnesses of Thrisappaly Cheppedu inthe 3rd International Seminra of Kerala HistoricalConference on27 th November in his almamter CMS College, Kottayam.
Dr.Kanam is married to P.R.Santhamma @ Santha Sanka,r youngest daughter of Late Punnamparambil Ramakrishna Pillai of Ponkunnam .She is a graduate in Political Science(NSS College,Changanacherry and is a planter .
His 103 old father.S.Ayyappan Pillai (1910-2013) died in April 2013.
He is living in Neelakanda Nilayam(old name Thaliyanil,Punnamparmbil and Santha was born in this ancient heritage house built in 1940) in KVMS Road,Ponkunnam
Why I argue that the West Asian group testimonial in Tharisappally
Copper plates is forged
The Elephant Seal of Ayyan Atikal ,the King of Venadu CE 849
According to the description by Alexander Hyacinthe Anquitel
Du Perron, the French traveller of 18th
century who published his Zend Avesta in Paris in 1771, all the plates were tied
together with a ring with square head of equal legth an d breadth and all were
of equal dimensions two palm in length and four finger breadth. The present
plates are of different size. They vary in length and breadth. ( Hyacinthe Anquitel
Du Perron , Zend Avesta Vol I Paris
1771, p 175-178)
The last plate is written in foreign languages and is
written in portrait style, while all others are written in
Indian languages, Vatteluthu and grenthaksharam and are in landscape style.
The plates does not show numbering , that
is not the case with other plates in Ancient Kerala. For
Example the Thiruvalla copper plates of Kollam Era ? 300 (?
C.E 1125) gives numerical number on one side and serial alphabet on other side
on each plate and on each sides.
When Perron saw the plates were tied together with a ring
with its head having equal length and breadth.
Perron has not seen the West Asian group testimonial. So it
was added after say CE 1771.
The West Asian group testimonial does not bear elephant seal
of King Ayyan Atikal of Venadu.
Perron gives the list of Venadu group testimonial which
gives the list of 17 indigenous witnesses and there is elephant seal of Ayyan
Atikal between the names
The plate , one before the last plate gives the name of
one and half names of witneseses .Velkula Sundaran as first witness. The second
name is incomplete on that plate and we read the incomplete name VIJAYA………In Perron
list first one is Velkula Chandiran (of course Chandiran is mistaken for Sundiran and the second name
is Vijaya NARAYANAN . So the plate maintains continuity
The linking copper ring with square head of equal length and
breadth was broken and destroyed to take away the original Venadu group testimonial and to add another group
testimonial from some other legal document of unknown origin of land .
Infact the West Asian group testimonial of Tharisapally
Copper plates is a forged one and it is not a part of the legal document given
by Ayyan Atikal in Ce 849.
It was the custom in ancient Kerala to write the name of the
writer of the document in the end. But this document does not give the name of
the writer at the end.
References
1. Alexander Hyaciinthe
Anquitel Du
Perron, Zend Avesta, Vol I. Paris 1771, p 175-178
3. Sankara Pillai K.A. Dr 17 Venadu witnesses in
Tharisapally Cheppedu, Paper presented in 3rd International Kerala
History Conference, 27 November 2015, CMS College ,Kottayam, India
List of 17 Vel Nadu witnesses with elephant seal of Ayyan Atikal
Zend Avesta (Paris 1771 p 178)
The web site www.849ce.org.uk
gives the details of ongoing research studies being undertaken at Montfort
University Leicester UK in collaboration with British Museum about the early
history of the Indian ocean and its connections with other oceans .The research
is based on the 9th century legal document written by one Velkula
Sundiran on behalf of King Ayyan Atikal of Venadu in South India in CE 849. The
document was written in ancient Jain Vatteluthu (vattezhthu) and Brahmnical
Grenthaksharam of Ancient India.
Forged West Asian Group Testimonials
NO ELEPHANT SEAL of AYYAN ATIKAL
The study project is lead by De Montfort University ,Leicester UK in collaboration with
the British Museum and is funded by the Arts & Humanities Reserch Council
of UK.A multidisciplinary team of 30 scholars from 10 different countries are collaborating
with this studies .M/s M.R.Raghav varyar and Kesvan Veluthattu from Kerala are among
the team.Kesavan Veluthattu made the English translation of the Venadu text. The
photographs of e plates are given by
them.
It is with this legal document , the Kollam Copper Plates
the multilingual plates the present holistic study is going to ground breaking
exploration of the medieval Indian Ocean maritime relations are going to reveal
as per the claim of the site.
Their main base is the list of 25 Arabic, Pahlavi (Middle
Persian) and Judaeo Persian (a form of Middle Persian written in Hebrew script.
They claim that it gives in understanding the diverse communities from the
Middle East& West who visited or settled in Kurakkeni Kollam in or around
CE849. They describe the trade associations MANIGRAMAM and ANCUVARNNAM
also.
The site gives many pictures. The most important one being
the WEST ASIAN group testimonial written on both sides .It is the last plate.
We are not sure whether the team made it sure that the
photos are that of genuine documents. The photos does not give plate numbers or
sides. It was the custom to give numbers and Tamil alphabets
One on each side of the plates as in the case of Thiruvalla
plates of CE .Moreover there is a
description by Alexander Hyacinte Anquitel Perro in 1771 in his Zend Avsta that
when he saw the plates they were tied with a ring and its had equal length and breadth.
He saw a group of four plates tied togethrer and the last and the last one had
a testimonial of Venadu witnesses with an elephant seal (of Ayyan Atikal). The
writings were on inside only. There was no West Asian witness in his
description.
After reading his description on ecan arrive at a conclusion
that the testimonial without elephant seal is a forged one and is not a portion
of Tharisapply Copper plates.
