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8. PLACHERIL ANCESTORS

Kurian Placheril married Mariam Tharayil and settled in Pathyil. That was how the
family name originated. But the origins of Placheril family also make interesting reading.
A book in Malaylam about the family history written for the “Kudumba Yogam” by Fr.
Lucas Pathyil, Jose Nedunthuruthy and others, is the invaluable source book for this
chapter.

Thomas of Keenan, a merchant from the present Iraq came with a few followers to settle
in the Malabar coast in A.D. 345. The Sudhists as they came to be known lived in and
around Kodungalloor, a harbor town near Kochy, for several centuries. After the arrival
of Vasco da Gama of Portugal to India, and subsequent western colonization of the
country, several wars took place between the native kings and the foreign invaders. In
1524, during one such war, the town of Kodungaloor was burned to the ground.
Hundreds of Christians escaped the buring city, and relocated in other places.
Kaduthuruthy was one such centre of the Knananites. It was a prosperous capital of the
Vadakankore kings. The kings welcomed the Christians, and treated them well. Lands
were given free for the construction of churches. (The present Kerala was formed in 1956
by amalgamating the former State of Travancore, Kochy, and Malabar . The State of
th
Travancore had been consolidated in the 18 century by Marathanda Varma, one of the
kings, who conquered several petty kingdoms and brought them all under his rule.)
Commerce in Kaduthuruthy dwindled after Marthanda subjugated Vadakancore. Several
Christian families went to neighboring villages in search of new ventures, or to become
farmers. One such person was Ittiavira Ouppan.

Malyekal Ittiavira Ouppan was born in 1717. He settled in Neendoor, became a
prominent landlord, and had the title of “Tharakan”. His younger brother lived in
Puthenpura, Neendoor. (Their only sister was given in marriage to Ittikuruvilla Malayil,
and settled in Poothathil. The famous Poothathil Ittikuruvilla Tharakan as well as
Thomman who would become the scion of the Makil family, were his grandsons.)
Ittiavira Ouppen had three sons: Kuruvilla, who inherited the Malyekal house, Uthup who
settled in Placheril, and Ittiavira, who became a priest, known as Fr. Abraham Malyekal.
Kuruvilla had two sons: Ittiavira, who had no issue, and Mathai who had three daughters.
Anna married Uthuppan Vettimattam and lived in the Malyekal ancestral house; Maria
married Kuruvilla Vettikattil, Kaipuzha, and lived in Vadakedathu; Achu married
Kochuthomman, the brother of Bishop Makil, and settled in Theranthanam, Neendoor.

Uthup who lived in Placheril had two daughters and three sons. The girls were married to
Marangattil in Manjoor, and to Tharayil, Kaipuzha. As for the sons, the eldest Mathai
settled in Kallidikil, Ouseph lived in Nendunthuruthil, Ittiavira lived in Placheril. Ittiavira
had four sons: Uthup, who inherited Placheril house, Kurian who married Maria of
Tharayil and settled in Pathyil property, Mathai who lived in Placheril Puthenpurayil, and
Pappan who had no children. Uthup had three sons and four daughters: Kunjachu married
to Mappilathondathil, Mariam married to Thalayolapparampu Ilakattil, Anna to
Kudallore Nedunthuruthil, Chachy to Kudallore Pattarkuzhy. The sons wre: Kunjeppu
who married Pazhukayil Anna and settled in Kallara; Ittiavira married Anna of

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