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10. CONCLUSION

The story of the Pathyil Kalluvelil clan has no conclusion. It will continue to expand and
grow all over the world, going beyond the bounds of Kerala and India. But we are what
we are due to our antecedents of ancestry. We do not want to, nor can we, renounce our
heritage. For good or ill, at least in part, that is what shaped us.

The history of our ancestors is intertwined with the history of the Knananites in the last
three centuries or so. And the history of the Knananite community is integral to the
growth of Christianity in Kerala. It was Thomas of Kana who brought the Syrian rituals
into India. It was Cathanar Ittithomman Anjilimoottil, a Knananite arch-deacon, aided by
a few Knananite families, who led the revolt against the Portuguese domination of the
Malabar church, and the subsequent koonan kurisu sathyam in 1653, where a substantial
number of Christians pledged not to follow the Portuguese authorities on church matters.
Only a few of the Knananites followed the archdeacon in this revolt. The majority of the
Knananites helped reestablish the authority of Archbishop Garcia and subsequent
Portuguese Bishops appointed by the Holy See. However when the Portuguese authorities
continued to choke the indigenous church, seventy-two catholic parishes decided to send
a delegation to Portugal and Rome to seek relief. Poothathil Ittikuruvilla Tharakan, one of
our ancestors, was the chief organizer of the meeting held by the Catholics of the vicinity
in Athirampuzha, He funded the journey of Rev. Dr. Joseph Cariatti, elected to lead the
delegation to Rome. Chacko Malayil, the nephew of Tharakan accompanied Cariatti to
Chennai in 1782. Rome appointed Cariatti as the Bishop of Malabar, but before he
reached the shores of India, he died, probably at the hands of the Portuguese. Two
centuries later, P.C. Lukose Pannivelil led the delegation that brought the remains of
Cariatti from Goa to be interred in Kerala. Both Kaipuzha and Kaduthuruthy churches
were bastions of Knananite belief and tradition. Our ancestors were prominent members
of these churches. When Bishop Choolapparambil encouraged the integration of the
Knananite Jacobites into the mother church, our people helped by intermarriages and
common celebrations. Thus one of the early meetings of the Knanaya Catholic Congress
was held in Kallissery, a centre of Jacobite community. Abraham Pathyil persuaded his
colleagues to hold the third convention of the Knanaya Catholic Congress in Kalliserry, a
bastion of Knanaya Jacobites.

This tradition of service to society has continued to the present generations. The children
of these stalwarts have been at the forefront of the community’s expansion to North
America, Europe, and the Middle East. Wherever our members are, they have taken
interest in the community’s growth and expansion. Their involvement in community
activities embraces the Kerala and Indian communities. Some have also been participants
in mainstream church and political realms.

In the new realities of the Kalluvelil Diaspora we must continue to demonstrate our
concern for each other and for our neighbors. We are blessed with members of the clan
who are scattered in various places in the world, so that one can literally travel around the
world and be guests of our own people. And generally we are hospitable and eager to
receive our own. We must foster these qualities of closeness and affection for each other.

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