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During this period, Kerala was ruled by the Perumals, who
were the Pro-consuls sent by the Kings of Chera in Madura.
Thomas of Cana visited Cheraman Perumal who was the
sovereign King of Malabar from A. D. 341 to A. D. 377.
Cheraman gave a respectful audience to Thomas and extended
several privileges to the Christians besides giving them land to
build chuches and shops for carring on their trade. The 72
pivileges and special rights conferred by Cheraman to these
Christians were inscribed on six plates of copper and were
attested by eight important chiefs of Malabar, including the
then sovereign of Travancore. By this grant, Thomas was given
the lordship of Manigramam and also the title of Grand
Merchant (Perum Chetti). Among the privileges mentioned in
the copper plates are the use of elephants howdas, palanquins
umbrellas, flags, and musical instruments, and the right of
hunting in forests. The Christians were also given authority over
seventeen other low castes who belonged to the artisan class.
Thomas presented the King with a large number of precious
stones to adorn his crown, and helped him with money and
men when enemies invaded his country.
The copper plates mentioned above were entrusted for safe
custody to the Portugues factory at Cochin in the 17th century
by Mar Jacob the Syrian Bishop, and for several years they were
considered as lost. But they were later on recovered through
the noble endeavours of Colonel Maculay the British resident
who entrusted them to Jacobite Syrian Metropolitan in who
safe possession they are now kept of at Kottayam.
The followers of Thomas Cana lived for several years at
Cranganoor which was alos called Mahadever Pattanam (the
city of the great God). Those who lived in the four hundred
houses at the northern side of the town were called the
Northerners. and those who lived in the seventy houses on the
southern side were named as the Southerners.There also exists
a third version that there were two immigrations from Syria,
the first under Thomas of Cana in 345 A. D. and which settled
at Cranganoor, and also a second one in 824. A. D. under two
persian Nestorian Bishops called Mar Sapir and Mar peroz and

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