Page 11 - Microsoft Word - My story of Pathyil Kalluvelil as told by Joseph Pathyil

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2. 2. PATHYIL

The Sanskrit word Pathy means ruler, protector, or provider. However, the Pathyils were
never rulers or lords. The Pathyil family is an offshoot of the Placherils of Neendoor.
When one of the Placherils - Kurian - married Mariam Tharayil, a piece of land in the
island of Tharayil was given to Kurian as dowry. That land had been the burial place of
Hindus, and was therefore known as “Pathy” - a burial or cremation ground. Therefore
when Kurian set up his house in the plot, his household came to be known as Pathyil.
(While other spellings are possible, Abraham had always used “Pathyil”, and so we shall
adhere to that spelling.)

The Tharayil family has been one of the prominent families in the Knanaya community.
More than three centuries ago, the Kalingala family from Ettumannor was invited to
settle in Kaipuzha by the Idathil Nobility to look after the Hindu temple at Shasthangal
and help the vast holdings of the Idathil land lords. The family members lived in several
places in the vicinity of the temple, including Malayil. In 1759, the family was given the
island of Tharayil for themselves and their progeny. The first one to settle there was
Luka. He had two sons: Thomas and Chacko. Thomas resettled in another part of the
island, had two sons known as Chacko and Luka. Luka had no children. Chacko’s sons
were Thomas (who settled in Njellakattil, was a member of the Travancore Legislature,
and had no children of his own.), Luka who too had no children, Joseph who became a
priest, and Kuruvilla who had an only son. This son was Chacko who inherited all the
paternal and family property, was knighted by the Pope, and had four sons: Joseph,
Kuruvilla, Thomas (who later became the Bishop of Kottayam), and Kochokan. Luka’s
other son, Chacko, lived in the Tharayil ancestral house and could legitimately be termed
the true inheritors of the Tharayil name. Chacko had two sons: Thomas and Luka.
Thomas had an only child who was a girl. Her name was Mariam and she was given in
marriage to Placheril Kurian. Since Thomas had no male issue, Kurian was invited to
settle in the Pathyil plot of the island. Mariam’s cousins (by Luka) were Chacko Medayil,
Uthup, Thomas Chamakalayil, and Simon. It was with these cousins that Kurian had
major disagreements. Kurian would brook no interference in his personal businesses. One
day he locked one of them in his granary, and walked away to Neendoor. The cousins
pursued him. But when they reached Kurian’s house of Placheril in Neendoor, they found
themselves confronted by Kurian’s supporters. Caution prevailed over valor, and they
returned to Tharayil household. As for Kurian, he stayed away from Pathyil for almost
thirteen years, until others mediated and when peace was restored Kurian returned to
Pathyil. Simon’s sons were Chacko and Joseph. Joseph’s sons were Chacko who married
Annamma Pathyil Placheril, and Mathew who was a revered and beloved teacher of Fine
Arts and Physical Instruction for generations of children in St. George’s School,
Kaipuzha. (Note, in passing, the repetition of names. There is a system to this apparent
recurrence. The custom was that the eldest son inherited the paternal grandfather’s name,
and others immortalized other names of ancestors. It is hoped that the charts at the end of
the book will facilitate matters.)

We will deal with the Placheril clan extensively in another chapter. Suffice it to say for
now that they had been prominent in Neendoor. No wonder that Tharayil family was

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