Revealations-P.J.Cherian and Links With Knanaya Church

 http://knanayafamily.googlegroups.com/attach/7a27cd2d39272dcb/My+quest.pdf?view=1&part=4

Accession Date and Time-29-10-2011; 11.40 AM

My Quest to unravel the Antiquity of the Knanaya Community

In my quest to uncover the truth behind the legacy of the Knanaya heritage while
recognizing the sad truth that we are not in possession of any original source evidence
to put forth the proof of the legacy, I began by identifying important milestones of the
legacy since AD 345 and have been engaged in understanding the circumstances of the
period since AD 345 which ought to have influenced the migration of our ancestors and
their immediate environment which shaped their lifestyles as well as their heritage over
the last 16 and more centuries.
To understand the circumstances that influenced the culture and the important turning
points during the history of Knanaya community since ancient times, one must study
ancient source records which have been documented during the contemporaneous
period by recognized historians and other authors. These sources are to be found
documented in Greek, Latin, Syriac, Aramaic and Hebrew texts. I began my studies in
the year 1996 studying the English sources beginning with a very brief construction of
the general history of the Middle East in the late ancient period beginning from the 4th
century onwards. After analysing the broad outline of the chronology of historical
events, I began studying each historical event in detail which were relevant to the
migrationary legacy held by our ancestors and codified in our ancient songs. Since
2005, I have been engaging myself in discussions with scholars regarding the historical
milestones of the Middle East and I was encouraged to study the affairs of the nation of
Israel since ancient times and also to analyse the migrationary pattern of the 12 tribes of
Israel. By coincidence, Dr.P J Cherian of the Kerala Council of Historical Research and his

team comprising of Dr. K P Shajanand Dr.Selvakumar had hit upon an archaeological site near Kodungallur atavillage called Pattanam. On a detailed analysis from the archaeological dig commenced from the year 2007, theydiscovered that this site was an ancient port and that it was a part of the ancient port of
Muziris which has been talked of at length in the ancient Roman period beginning from
the middle of the 1st century BC till the 4th century AD. Three successive years of
archaeological excavations from that site has thrown up much evidence of remains of
that trading period. I have visited that site in 2008 and 2009.
The existence of the site reveals to us that there was a strong trading activity in this part
of Kerala since the 1st century BC and the trade was mainly between Egypt and Kerala.
While Kerala exported pepper and other products from the Gangetic region, Sri Lanka,
China and South East Asia, it imported wine and Roman Gold coins or Cestaes and
Dinarii. While big Roman ships visited Muziris during September each year by cruising
with the Monsoon trade winds, they departed from Muziris before the 13th of January so
as to catch the North East monsoon winds which blows them towards South Arabia.
Cana was a port in South Arabia from where the ships embarked on the oceanic voyage
to Muziris. Cana was a mercantile haven which provided ships with drinking water,
Frankincense, and Myrrh and also, it was like a tavern where one could hire navigators
and other skilled mariners who have expertise handling the Monsoon winds as well as
the pirates near Muziris. Besides, there were also local translators and other
intermediaries who were available for hire as this port had a rich blend of Indian, Semitic
and Greek mariners and traders as evidenced from all the household vessels
discovered from archaeological sites. It may have been a trader/mariner’s mercantile
cosmopolitan city as it lay in the cross roads of the land route between India and the
Mediterranean Sea and Egypt as well as the two sea routes – the Egypt - Barygaza
(Indus/Broach) trade route and the Egypt - Muziris pepper trade route.

I began my seriousresearch studies by first trying to define the word Knanaya from historical sources beginning with the description of the zealots as per the ancient works of Flavius Josephus. I began engaging myself in discussions with International scholars regarding interpretation of these ancient source texts. First I had discussions in the year 2005 with Dr. Shalva Weil a renouned Anthropologist of the Hebrew University who has done a comparative study between the Knanaya community and the Cochin Jews in 1982. I continue to have discussions withher. The following year, I engaged in discussions with Dr. Robert Eisenman, an archaeologist and historian who has done extensive research on the Dead Sea scrolls
as well as the Zealots. He has done a thorough study regarding the migration of the zealots out of the nation of Judea and their flight to Edessa and has hypothesized that they would have reached South India and merged within the Syrian Christians of Keralabesides the remaining being converted into Islam. Though he was scheduled to address the Knanaya youth during the KnaZeal 2007 Conference, he was not able to make it due to certain personal commitments back home on the occasion of the birth of his
grandson. But eventually, he did make the trip in early April of 2008 thanks to voluntary
contributions from committed members of the Knanaya community such as Thomas
Elias Paarel, Abe Abraham Vazhayil (Kunjavarachayan), Monsy Chemmachan, Joe
Thomas Vadasserikunnel, Celia Vazhayil who supported my endeavor and shared with
me the cost of making arrangements for the commutation of this scholar. I must also
thank Mr. Jose Dominic of CGH Earth who has taken great interest in my activities
beginning with the tour of Dr. Shalva Weil and has supported me on every occasion to
engage scholars in meaningful discussions in the pursuit of unravelling the ancient
history of the founding of Christianity in Kerala. I met Dr. P J Cherian for the first time
during the visit of Dr. Eisenman at KCHR at Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan in
Thiruvananthapuram and we had a meaningful discussion then. Later in November that
same year, Dr. Cherian hosted a Seminar on the Muziris Heritage Project which was
addressed by atleast four ministers as well as historians. I had meaningful discussions
with Dr. Steve Sidebotham (in the picture below) who is an archaeologist currently
exploring the ancient Egyptian port of Berenike and is tipped to do an excavation in
Cana of South Arabia (presently Yemen). I also met Dr. Federico De Romanis of the
University of Rome and Dr. Roberta Tomber of the British Museum.

In January of this year, I attended a two day seminar on Indo-Portuguese era trade
history organized by the Vasco Da Gama Research Institue at Cochin.This seminar
was inaugrated by the Portuguese Ambassador in India and the keynote address was
by the Portuguese Architect and Art historian Paulo Varela Gomes. In the keynote
address, the influence of Portuguese architecture in the design of Syrian Christian
Churches were explained. It was a well organized seminar and many aspects of Indo-
Portuguese heritage were deliberated. I have made a suggestion that the VGRI must
explore the influence of the Portuguese on the Syrian Christians as well as the glorious
period of trade and goodwill between these two people during the major part of the 16th
century until the advent of Dom Alexis Menezis. It must be said in favor of Menezis that
he tried to work for the benefit of the Knanaya community until the Inquisition was
initated during his governorship. He had infact demanded the King of Kodungallur to
restore the land of the Thekkumbhagakkar which was gifted to them by Cheraman
Perumal since ancient times. He also intended to have that site turned into the center of
Indian Christianity and that is why the Vicarate of Kodungallur situated very close to the
Portuguese Fort was given high importance till the 17th century. Unfortunately, events
turned for the worse and the relations between the Syrian Christians and the
Portuguese Governor turned very bad and hence these promises where not followed
up. The evidence of this incident is provided in the Journal of Alexis Menezis. I
interacted with Dr. Varela Gomes regarding the dating and restoration of the Portrait of
Mother Mary and Infant Jesus which is today at the Sanctum Sanctorium of the St.
Mary’s Knanaya Valiyappally at Kallissery. I sent him a picture of the portrait and
looking at the picture, he explained that the portrait did not appear to be more than 80
years old. But he did admit that he could not say whether there was an even earlier
picture behind the present painting and that that would have to be ascertained using Xray
and laser technologies. His assessment is correct as the Portrait was last painted by
therenouned artist K M Varghese in the 1930s. He has also explained to me that if an
Indian organization such as INTACH were to certify that the painting is to be dated and
restored and a cost estimate could be prepared, he would try and arrange for the funds
to meet this expenses. I have informed our Bishops and priests about this offer and I
await their decision.

In the month of May of 2009, I took my family to the Pattanam archaeological site when
Dr. Cherian and his team where doing their 3rd season of dig at the site. It was a great
experience visiting this site and seeing for oneself the environment in which people of
the 1st to 4th century AD had lived while engaging themselves in Maritime trade.We saw
pottery items and jewelry used during that period, besides, the layout of dwelling units,
wells etc. The ropes of that period were apparantly made from the fibres of Aloe Vora
and these ropes are used even today to handle elephants. We also saw iron nails of
that period and it is said that ironsmiths of Muziris had a very advanced technology in
metallurgy. It was a good experience for my family. There is another project involving Muziris heritage. The
second project is a tourism project by the Tourism department and is the brainchild of Dr. Thomas Isaac,
our Finance Minister. The project is intended to highlight the heritage of the ancient port city of Muziris and covers the region from Chettuva to Paravur. This project is being coordinated by Mr. Benny
Kuriakose, a well reputed Conservative Architect who is based at Chennai and
he has prepared a very detailed heritage conservation oriented tourism project with a
budget of Rs. 140 Crores meeting International standards of conservation as well as
tourism promotion. A two day camp was held at Kodungallur on the 27th and 28th of June
2009 under the watchful eye of Dr. Thomas Isaac and the project was explained to the
members of the Panchayats which came under this conservation project. I attended the
Seminar and was very impressed to see the commitment of the State to promote
Kodungallur and it’s surrounding areas as part of a new wave of Kerala tourism initiative
as a Heritage Tourism model.
Dr. Cherian organized a Greek and Latin training program under Dr. Federico De
Romanis of the University of Rome from 27th of July till the 31st of August. There were
two batches consisting of 30 students. The students constituted historians, Engineers,
Linguists, and even a Dentist with a passion for history. I attended this program and we
covered the grammar and syntax of ancient Greek and Latin used between the 1st
Century BC till the 4th Century AD. We read ancient texts of Pliny the Elder’s Naturalis
Historia, Strabo’s Geography, Arrian’s Anabasis and History of Alexander’s Expedition,
Costas Indicopleustes, Periplus Maris Erythraei, Tabula Peutingeria, Ptolemy’s
Geographia VIII, the Vienna Papyrus, Charition (an ancient drama involving a language
once spoken in ancient Kerala). We did nearly 100 hours of reading and our Professor
empowered us with the necessary skills and tools required to read ancient documents
on our own even after the course was completed. During our course, we realised that all
translations of these ancient documents are done by European scholars who are not
aware of the ground realities that existed in Kerala during the period when these texts
were composed. Hence, the Professor, Dr. Athiyamman, a marine archaeologist and
myself embarked on a discovery tour to identify the places in the ancient Venad region
mentioned in these texts which were connected with ancient spice trade. The Professor
and the archaeologist came to Kallissery on 22nd of August. We visited the ancient
Syrian Church at Chengannur, our Kallissery Valiyappally, and did a boating expedition
across the Vembanad lake upto the St. Thomas Church at Kokkamangalam beyond the
Thaneermukham bund which is believed to be the site of one of the seven churches
reportedly founded by St. Thomas. We feel that this region could be the location of an
ancient port recorded as Bacare which is still elusive. I have hypothesized that Bacare
is a corruption of ‘Ba Akkare’. This hypothesis is based on an ancient narration where in
it is stated that Roman ships unloaded the goods that were imported to the ancient port
of the Kingdom of Nelkynda on the Eastern bank of the back waters and berthed there
till the end of Autumn. For loading spices into these large ships, the ships had to be
ferried empty to the Western bank of the river from where the spices would be loaded.
This was necessitated because, if these ships were loaded at the port on the Eastern
bank, then the weight of the spices would cause the ships to be submerged more into
the waters and if they were to cross the backwaters, the bottom of the ship would get
stuck in the clayey bottom of the back waters which was so hard that the ships could not
be wrenched free. This phenomenon can be experienced even today. Hence, the ships
had to be as light as possible so that the major portion of the ship would be above water
while crossing the shallow mid region of the backwater lake. The local traders those
days would have used the expression Ba Akkare to inform the Roman ship captain to
take the ship to the port on the opposite bank of the Vembanad so as to load spices into
the ships. Also, these ports are reported to be nearly 22.2 Km upriver from the sea.
Besides, Vembanad is fed with water by the rivers – Muvattupuzha river, Manimala river
and Pampa besides Achenkoil until it was redirected in the 19th century by the
Tranvancore ruler. These rivers formed the channels through which spices was
transported from the hilly regions of the Western Ghats to the sea ports. The Periyar
and the Pampa are the main source of spice transportation as they originate at the heart
of pepper growing regions of Idukki and Pathanamthitta rain forests. The region from
Kottarakkara to Kothamangalam could have been part of an ancient principality namedKottonara where pepper and elephants are reported to grow. We reached Thekkady on
the night of 22nd from Coconut lagoon at Kumarakom and stayed at Spice Village. On
the 23rd morning, the naturalist at Spice village explained to us how pepper is harvested
and also took us through the spice garden of the resort owned by CGH Earth. We were
also given a walking tour through the vast expanse of the vegetation being maintained
by this eco-friendly resort which includes a bio-decomposition plant for generating
organic fertilizer, a waste paper conversion plant for manufacturing recycled paper, an
organic kitchen garden where all the vegetables required by the resort kitchen are
grown besides the natural spice museum cum botanical garden. From Thekkady, we
drove to Ranni via Kanjirappally, Manimala. We stopped at Aythala to have a view of
the Pampa. The Professor was shocked to know that river which appears very calm
rises during the monsoon season to scale the banks and encroach into the houses
located at the Banks and considering how high the Thamarappally Aapeesil house is
located from the river bed, he could not believe that the river water has entered into the
house many a times. After being entertained by the lady of the house, Pennamma
Thomas, with juice and information, we travelled further eastwards towards Nilakkal
forest. By the time we crossed the Lahai Estate and entered into the Rajampara forest,
we accosted an accident site and the traffic was blocked during an attempt to recover a
tractor that had skidded off the road and fell into a ravine. As it was getting dark with the
sun setting fast and the Italian Professor not being comfortable at the thought of
confronting a wild elephant in the forest, we decided to turn back and headed for
Thiruvananthapuram via Pathanamthitta – Kottarakkara route. It was a memorable
weekend for us and the Professor admitted that all the ancient works regarding Kerala
will have to be retranslated keeping in mind the ground realities of Kerala which have
not been taken into consideration thus far by European scholars. In short, there is much
work to be done regarding studying the ancient trade with Muziris and other ports of
Kerala.
Besides this expedition, we travelled together again the following weekend to meet Mr.
Benny Kuriakose and also during the Onam break to visit the Athirappally water falls
and the Sholayar forest from where the spices could have been transported to Muziris
via the Chalakkudy river. We stayed at Hotel Brunton Boatyard this time which is based
on a historical theme of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British influence in Fort
Kochi. We look forward to explore the possibility of having regular cruises from this hotel
to Kodungallur to relive the ancient trade between Fort Kochi and Kodungallur which
was engaged by the Syrian Christians until they migrated southward to Kottayam and
Kallissery. We also studied the varies events which influenced the spice trade from the
1st Century BC to the 4th Century AD. We read the evidence regarding the presence of
Christianity in Kerala in the 5th Century which I quote below from Cosmas Indicopleustes
in Greek original
ÆEn Taprobavnh/ nhvsw/ ejn th'/ ejswtevra/ ÆIndiva/, e[nqa to;
ÆIndiko;n pevlagov" ejsti, kai; ÆEkklhsiva cristianw'n ejstin ejkei'
kai; klhrikoi; kai; pistoiv, oujk oi\da de; eij kai; peraitevrw.
ïOmoivw" kai; eij" th;n legomevnhn Malev, e[nqa to; pevperi givnetai,
kai; ejn th'/ Kalliavna/ de; th'/ kaloumevnh/, kai; ejpivskopov" ejstin
ajpo; Persivdo" ceirotonouvmeno".

[There are Christian priests and believers in Taprobane (ancient Sri lanka) and India,
There is a Christian Bishop at Male (ancient name of Kerala which became Malabar
during Arab times) where the pepper grows and the Bishop who is elected and sent
from Persia has jurisdiction over Kalliana (Kalyan), interior India or mainland India and
Taprobane (ancient Sri lanka).]
We also read the works of Zosimus, Socrates as well as Codex Theodosiani where the
circumstances during the reign of Constantinople, the Roman Emperor in the early part
of the 4th century is explained and which narrates events which would have borne a
strong influence on the Knanaya ancestors during the period that influenced their
migration to Kerala. Many a hypothesis is possible regarding the Knanaya origins. The
fact that Cana was the port from where the ships sailed for Muziris, there was a very
strong Jewish and Christian settlement in the towns of Cana from the 1st century AD till
the time of Muhammad and their subsequent conversion into Islam, there was a tribe in
that region known as Kinaidokolpitas (or people of the Gulf of Kinai), there is the
possibility of a Zealot migration to Cana of Yemen from Cana of Galilee during the
period of Herod the Great and Augustus Caesar. The Ethiopian King conquered this
place towards the end of the 3rd century or early 4th century, there was a major
recession during this period and the Roman economy was revived in the 1st quarter of
the 4th century by Emperor Constantine, there was a very high inflation and the prices of
pepper reached phenomenal levels during this period making it extremely profitable for
those merchants who could secure an assured quantity of pepper per year so as to reap
the benefits of the revival in Roman economy. These circumstances and many more
and their related hypothesis have to be explored in the future.
After a three day stay at Cochin, we returned back to Kallissery and he returned to
Thiruvananthapuram from where he flew back to Italy. During my course at KCHR, I
also met Dr. Shinu Abraham, an Anthropologist from the University of St. Lawrence in
New York who was here to study the glass beads discovered at the site of the dig. She
is specialising on the society that habitated at Muziris and also their interactions with
other cultures by way of trade in commodities of that period and influences of these
interactions. Her parents were originally from Kollakadavu near Chengannur and
migrated to the US in the 1970s. They are good family friends of Dr. A C Thomas and
Mariamma, Elamkulam currently settled at Long Island. She had come to Kallissery and
we spent a day in discussion regarding the Knanaya and Syrian Christian culture and
ancient society. I am hoping that during her next visit to Kerala we could explore the
possibility of enlarging the study of ancient society to the gatherers of pepper from the
ghats, the intermediaries who conveyed the pepper from the ghats to the plains through
the river channels as well as the influence of the Western traders in Muziris during theirfour month stay in Muziris from September to January. But these matters are to be
decided by Dr. Cherian who is coordinating the activities of the scholars associated with
the Muziris Archaeological research.
I intend to study the ancient records and also study semitic languages such as Hebrew,
Aramaic and Syriac over the next one year so that I can go as deep as possible while
exploring the evidences that seem to be propping up at various archaeological sites at
Cana, Berenike and Muziris. I also hope to be involved in discovering the elusive ports
of Bacare, Nelkynda and the ancient pepper growing region of Kottonara. I also want to
involve as many Knanaya youth from all parts of the globe who are interested in joining
me in this historical study and also those who will be interested to learn Archaeology
under Dr. P J Cherian.


:

Professor MGS Narayanan Vehemently Criticize Pattanam Excavations and Muziris Heritage Project

Professor MGS Narayanan  eminent historian and former Chairman of Indian Council  for Historical Research  has vehemently criticized Pattanam excavations and Muziris Heritage Project. In an article written by Professor Narayanan in leading journal -MALAYALAM - published  on October 28-2011,  he has pointed out  that the incompetency , lack of knowledge and selfish motives of KCHR and the excavation panel has led to the blacklisting of Pattanam archaeological excavations. Professor Narayanan has requested the Government of Kerala to hand over Pattanam to the Archaeological Survey of India

Indian Orthodox Diaspora Secretariat Publishes Malankara Orthodox Claim For Pattanam as ST' Thomas Site

 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/29244
Accession Date and Time-27-10-2011;3.05PM

*Keynote Address by Fr Dr K.M. George at the Public meeting �Malankara
Orthodox Church in the New Millennium�, and Reception for HH Catholicos
Marthoma Paulose II, Tyaga Raja Stadium, March 13, 2011, New Delhi*

* *Today, as we gather together in the national capital of our nation, in
the presence of some of the distinguished leaders of our country, let us in
all humility give thanks to God Almighty and bless his holy name. For
marvellous are the ways in which the ancient Orthodox Church of Malankara
has been guided by divine providence for the last two millennia. From a
rather small community, in the south west Malabar coast, of faithful and
hardworking Christians, loyal to the country and friendly to the neighbours,
the Church has now spread her wings far and wide over the face of the earth
by this third millennium.

The recent archaeological findings of the remains of an ancient city
called *Pattanam* near the ancient port of Kodungalloor in Kerala where the
Apostle Thomas is believed to have arrived are sensational. It has begun to
unveil for us the great confluence of cultures- Roman and Greek, Aramaic
and Arab, Chinese and Persian- that took place in the spice country. The
Indian Church was founded in this setting of the dynamic interplay of
diverse cultures.

Five hundred and thirteen years ago, precisely in 1498, when Vasco da Gama,
the adventurous Portuguese navigator landed near Calicut in Kerala, the face
of Asia began to change. That momentous event inaugurated the massive
colonial era for India and the rest of Asia. The Christian community in
Kerala founded by St. Thomas, the apostle of Christ, thousand five hundred
years before that event, was the first in Asian history to bear the brunt of
the colonial invasion. The Indian church was deprived of her language and
liturgy, her indigenous social customs, and her eastern spiritual ethos and
autonomy for over half a century of direct Portuguese-Roman Catholic rule.
But the indomitable Indian church rose in a historic revolt against the
foreign yoke, in the celebrated pledge of Coonen Cross in Kochi in 1653.
This culminating event, after a long struggle with foreign domination,
anticipated the beginning of India�s political movement for liberation and
independence some two hundred years later.

Today, as we receive in the national capital the new head of the Orthodox
Church of India, H.H. Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II, we celebrate the
freedom of the church and of the nation in humility and hope.

Let me very briefly indicate some aspects of the hope that we cherish for
the new millennium.

First, the Church has no model to follow except that of Christ who loved the
world and who gave himself up for the world. So the Church�s involvement in
any human field be it social, educational, or healthcare, is to transform
the world to its pristine harmony and integrity, to redeem it. The strength
of the Christian Church is to be perceived, as many do, not in the power of
its institutions, nor its political clout, but in its capacity for
compassionate and self-giving love to all humanity. Metropolitan Paulos Mar
Gregorios of blessed memory, the renowned theologian, philosopher and
spiritual leader, the first Orthodox bishop of Delhi, wrote on the occasion
of the 50th year celebration of the Orthodox presence in Delhi: �For the
Orthodox, the true worship of God with genuine compassionate love for all is
more important than dogma or creed. When there is a failure of love, there
is the failure of the Church, for the Church�s main task is to manifest that
love� Divisions and wars, oppression and exploitation, corruption and
injustice � these are basic failures of love, whether in the Church or the
lives of nations.�

It is in this spirit that his successor, the present Metropolitan of Delhi,
H.G. Job Mar Philexenos leads the social and charitable activities of the
Diocese. In spite of his health problems, he dreams great dreams and ably
brings together a team of competent lay people and clergy to implement his
dreams. His new coadjutor bishop HG Dr Yuhanon Mar Demetrius, well known
biblical scholar, teacher and ecumenist, is God�s gift to the Diocese to
continue the great work.

Secondly, it is a privilege for the Christian Church to be closely
associated with the life of our great nation. The richness of our country�s
cultural traditions, the diversity of its religious beliefs and practices,
are unique in the world. Look at the nations of the world, travel across
the globe, criss-cross the cultures of the earth; you see that India is
truly incredible. Yes, the Incredible India, as they say, the *Atulya
Bharat* !

It is now that the mono-cultural western world begins to speak about
religious pluralism as if it is a new discovery, but our country has lived,
and lived well, that reality for ages. The Orthodox Church rejoices in this
great diversity and subscribes fully to the ancient principle of *�sarva
dharma samabhavana.�* As our prophetic Orthodox bishop Metropolitan
Geevarghese Mar Osthathios continues to teach, we believe in the conversion
of minds, and not of religion � in *manasantharam *and not in *mathantharam.
* The millennium policies of the Church are to be governed by these
principles.

* *Thirdly, what is the mission and the task of the Church in this unique
setting? Is it simply to bargain for the bits and pieces of the political
pie? Is it to seek exclusive privileges on the basis of some numerical
minority status? The answer is an emphatic no from the Christian
perspective. The Church has to exercise its critical prophetic ministry
towards governments and authority structures whenever any citizen in this
country is deprived of his or her constitutional rights and not simply when
Christians are in trouble. The Church, by its very nature, is called upon to
work together with all people of goodwill to improve the quality of freedom
and democracy that we enjoy today, to give voice to the voiceless, and to
listen to the cry of the poor, so that every man and woman in this country
should enjoy equal rights, freedom and dignity gifted by God. This is
nothing but what Jesus announced at the beginning of his earthly ministry.
(Luke 4:18).

Fourthly, India and China are generally perceived by others to be emerging
superpowers. Some of the richest of the world, according to the Forbes
Magazine�s latest count, are from our country. But we Indians, we know the
other side � the inside story: the incredible poverty and misery of millions
of own our brothers and sisters. St. John Chrysostom, 4th century father of
the Church and the fiery prophet of social justice, spoke about the two
altars of the Church: the one on which we offer the holy sacrifice of
praise and thanksgiving, the holy Qurbana, and the other, the altar is
that of the poor, the homeless, the disabled, all those who are oppressed
and marginalised of our society. It is with them and for them that the
Church worships the living God. These two altars need to be set up side by
side, even to be constantly exchanged with each other.

Fifth, according to recent statistical surveys, our country of over one
billion people have the largest number of youth nationwise. While rich
nations of the world are now desperately aging, it is certainly a boon for
our country to have young adults constituting the significant chunk of the
population. The Church�s future priority, therefore, is to give adequate
care for the youth- both boys and girls, their proper education and
employment, their training in human values, and the channeling of their
creative energy for the common good.

Our new Catholicos, H.H. Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II, himself coming from
a solid background of pastoral work among the youth and students of the Mar
Gregorios Orthodox Students Movement, raises high hopes for the Church�s
policies favouring the emerging young generation.

Sixth, the Orthodox Church�s care for Mother Earth through various
environmental policies and programmes is already mapped out by the Church�s
Ecological Commission. Nature, long enduring the injuries inflicted on her
by our industrial- technological- consumerist culture, has now begun to
strike back. We have a great Indian tradition of respecting nature, since
every trace of it can manifest the *chaitanya* of the divine. This goes
very well with the Indian Orthodox Church�s sacramental understanding of
God�s creation.

Here is a major question for our nation as well for Indian religious
communities regarding the dialectic of environment and development:

India and China together, with their 2.2 billion people, constitute one
third of present day humanity. If these huge populations simply imitate the
greedy, competitive and consumerist culture of the west in the name of
progress we will end up in terrible catastrophe simply because that model is
not a sustainable one for over two billion human beings, let alone the rest
of Asian population.

The question is: are we able to propose a new paradigm, a new model of
development, a more sustainable human lifestyle, more in common with our own
Gandhian model than with the exploitative, profit-oriented, globalised
market model. This question is crucial for the future of our nation and of
all the peoples of Asia. Ultimately the test is: can we all share the gifts
of God, the resources of Mother Earth in justice and peace, with gratitude
and mutual respect, with care and love for our future generations.

Seventh, the Church is called to be a peacemaker in the world. Our society
is becoming increasingly violent and insecure, especially for women and
children, for the less powerful and the older generation. No measure of
high-tech and high-cost security systems can counter the surging spectre of
violence that is endemic to globalized societies. Pope Benedict XVI in his
brand new book on the life of Jesus says �Violence does not build up the
Kingdom of God, nor the kingdom of humanity.� We can unequivocally say that
the Church�s urgent task is to collaborate with all people of goodwill, and
with appropriate government agencies to uphold the rule of law, rights of
every citizen, especially women and children, and human dignity and welfare
of all. This sets an important millennium goal for the Orthodox Church.

To conclude, it is generally perceived that the great overarching western
civilization of the last millennium is fast declining. People all over the
world look up to Asia for leadership. Here again is the challenge for the
Asian church, numerically small as it may be, and particularly for the
Indian Orthodox Church with its positive experience of centuries of living
with the tolerant and benevolent Indian religious traditions.

The biblical vision of �new heavens and a new earth where justice dwells�
and our unshakeable faith in the One who �makes everything new� are the
driving force for the Church to outline the contours of a new civilization-
a civilization of love and human dignity, of peace, justice and care for
God�s creation.

God bless our nation. Namaste. Jai Hind.

Rino Rachel Joy
E -Volunteer
Indian Orthodox Diaspora Secretariat.

Syrian Malabar Christian and Pattanam -From Wikipedia

 http://dictionary.sensagent.com/syrian+malabar+nasrani/en-en/

Accession Date and Time-27-10-2011;2.55PM

Syrian Malabar Nasrani

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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For other uses, see Nasrani (disambiguation).

Syrian Malabar Nasrani people

Varghese Palakkappillil · K.M Mani · Asin Joseph Augusty · Nayantara · A. K. Antony Kunchako Boban · Sheela · Anna Chandy
Total population
Kerala: 6,000,000 (18% of Pop.)[1]
Regions with significant populations
India
Languages
Malayalam
Religion
Roman Catholicism, Oriental Orthodoxy, Reformed Orthodox, Protestantism (minority)
Related ethnic groups
Cochin Jews, Paradesi Jews, Knanaya, Malayalis

The Syrian Malabar Nasrani people, also known as Saint Thomas Christians and Nasranis are an ethnoreligious group from Kerala, India, adhering to the various churches of the Saint Thomas Christian tradition.They are also known as Syrian-Malabar Christians, Suriyani Christiaanikal, Mar Thoma Nasrani, or more popularly as Syrian Christians in view that they use Syriac liturgy since the early days of Christianity in India.
The Syrian Malabar Nasranis are the descendants of the natives and those of the Jewish diaspora in Kerala ^{[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]} who became Christians in the Malabar Coast in the earliest days of Christianity.^{[2][3][4][5][6][7]} The community also comprises several ancient Christian settlements in Kerala. It has been suggested that the term Nasrani derives from the name Nazarenes used by ancient Jewish Christians in the Near-East who believed in the divinity of Jesus but clung to many of the Mosaic ceremonies.^{[11][citation needed]} They follow a unique Hebrew-Syriac Christian tradition which includes several Jewish elements although they have absorbed some Hindu customs^{[citation needed]}. Their heritage is Syriac-Keralite, their culture South Indian with semitic and local influences, their faith St. Thomas Christian, and their language Malayalam.^{[2][3][4][5][6][7]} Much of their Jewish tradition has been forgotten, especially after the Portuguese invasion of Kerala in the early 1500s.^{[2][3][4][5][6][7]}

Contents 1 Terminology 1.1 Portuguese period 1.2 Nasrani Mapilla 2 History 2.1 Origins 2.2 Epigraphy 2.3 Christian Jewish tradition 2.4 Persecution by Portuguese 2.5 Division and defiance 2.5.1 Further divisions 3 Nasrani people today 3.1 Demographics 4 Nasrani symbol 5 Traditions, rituals and social life among Syrian Christians 6 Caste status 7 Notables 8 See also 9 Notes 10 External references 10.1 Hardcopy 10.2 External links

Terminology

Portuguese period

During the Dutch power in Malabar (1679-1728) there were four distinctive sections of Christians in Kerala.^[12][13]

1. Roman Catholic Syrian Christians.
2. Jacobite Syrian Christians.
3. The non-Syrian Roman Catholics Known as Inland Christians by the Van Rheede ^[14] and New Christians by Moens.^[15].They were grouped into seven parish churches under the bishop of Cochin.
4. Topass Christians. (Thuppai). They were the descendents of Indian mothers or fathers belonging to the diverse European nations.

Only the first two are Syrian Malabar Nasranis. Others are not. So, all Christians in Kerala are not included in this article.

Nasrani Mapilla

Syrian Malabar Nasranis are also called Nasrani Mapillas.^[16] According to Hermann Gundert (who wrote the first Malayalam dictionary), the term 'mapilla' was a title used to denote semitic immigrants from West Asia.^[16] Thus the term Mapilla was used to denote both Arab and Christian-Jewish descendants and followers in Kerala.^[16] The descendants of Arabs are called Muslim Mappila the descendants of Syrian-Jewish Christians are called Nasrani Mappilas.^[16] and the descendants of the Cochin Jews who have traditionally followed Halakhic Judaism are known as Juda Mappila^[17]

History

Main article: History of the Saint Thomas Christian tradition

Origins

Muziris, near the tip of India, in the Peutinger Table.

On the south western side of the Indian peninsula; between the mountains and the Erythraean Sea (now Arabian Sea); stretching from Kannoor to Kanyakumari was the land called Cherarajyam, which was ruled by local chieftains. Later this land came to be known as Malabar and (now) Kerala. Muziris (now known as Pattanam near Cochin) was the important entry port. After the discovery of Hippalus, every year 100 ships arrived there from various parts of the then known world, including Red Sea ports ^[18].

During the time of Moses and King Solomon, the Malabar coast traded spices and luxury articles with Israel.^[19] Excavations carried out at Pattanam in 2008 provided evidence that the maritime trade between Kerala and the Mediterranean ports existed back in 500 BC or earlier ^[20]. It is possible that some of those traders who arrived from the west, including Jews, remained in Kerala.^[21]

While Augustus Caesar (31 BC- 14 AD) was the Emperor of Rome and Herod the Great (37-4 BC) was King of Judea, ambassadors from Malabar visited the Emperor Augustus. ^[22][23] Nasranis believe that these ambassadors were The Wise Men From the East, of the Bible.^[24][25] Thus the Malabar Nasranis are some of the earliest people who joined Christianity in India.
In the first century map Tabula Peutingeriana (see the map) a temple of Augustus is clearly visible near Muziris shows the close relation between Rome and Malabar in the first century BC.

File:Italy to India Route.PNG

The ancient navigation route from the Judeo-Roman world to the Malabar coast

The community also comprises several ancient Aramaic Christian settlements in Kerala. The Knanaya Nasranis claim to be the descendants of one such group of 4th century immigrants.^{[2][3][4][6][26][27]} while Christianity in India originated in the first century AD, after St Thomas landed in Kerala in 52 AD^[28].Thus the community consists of people from many ethnic groups of Kerala including different trading diaspora of Jews and Christian settlers of successive centuries like Knanaya people.^{[2][4][6][7][26][29][27]}
Thus the community consists of people from many ethnic groups of Kerala including the pre-Christian era, different trading diaspora of Jews ^{[2][4][6][7][26][29][27]}

Why P.J.Cherian Imports Oxford Experts for Pattanam Excavations?

BAR 33:02, Mar/Apr 2007

Biblical Archaeology Dying at Oxford University

 

Will the archaeology of ancient Israel no longer survive as a field of academic study at Oxford University?

Oxford has a long and distinguished history in the study of the ancient past in the Holy Land. Dame Kathleen Kenyon conducted pioneering excavations at Jericho and Jerusalem in the 1950s and 1960s. Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum accumulated important study collections of artifacts from the area. Kenyon’s successor at Oxford, Roger Moorey, was involved in the work of a number of major research institutions in the ancient Near East. Oxford’s Levantine Archaeology Laboratory continued after Moorey’s retirement and subsequent death in 2005. Unfortunately, the only remaining faculty member in this field, Professor Andrew Sherratt, moved to another university and then passed away in 2006.

Historians, Writers and Cultural activists against Pattanam Excavations-

The Hindu 22-10-2011-Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi Editions

ASI Urged to Explore Pattanam

Suspecting a hidden agenda in the archaeological exploration at Pattanam by the KCHR,  agroup of historians , writers and cultural activists has urged the Chief Minister of Kerala, Oommen Chandy to ask the Archaeological Survey of India to take over the digs. A memorandum signed by Dr. M.G.Sasibhushan, Prof. N.M.Namboodiri, P.K.Gopi  and 18 others also wanted the current KCHR reconstituted and the Muziris Heritage Project  renamed as Kodungallur Heritage Project  and it be entrusted  to qualified and committed scholars.

Knanaya Church -Academy Claims Pattanam to Set Up Museum

http://www.google.co.in/search?q=knanaya+nazarene+academy+to+set+up+museum+at+kodungallur&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=
Accession Date and Time-26-10-2011; 2.20PM

KNANAYA   NAZARENE   ACADEMY in MUZIRIS

CENTRE FOR HERITAGE STUDIES

INTRODUCTION

The Knanaya Community of Kerala are stated to be descended from a group of West Asian merchants consisting of 72 families led by Mor Joseph of Uraha and Thomas of Cana who migrated to Kodungallur in the year 345 CE. The purpose of the migration is believed to be the resurrection of the Nazarene/Nasrani community of St. Thomas converts of the Chera kingdom. In order to study and substantiate the legend of the St. Thomas conversion and Knanaya migration, we propose to open a heritage museum/Study Center at Kodungallur which will be an institution devoted to the acquisition, conservation, study, exhibition, and educational interpretation of primary tangible evidences having scientific, historical, or artistic value.

The most famous museum in ancient times was that of Alexandria in Egypt, founded by Ptolemy I Soter (ruled 323–283 BC) possibly on the advice of the Athenian Demetrius of Phalerum. It was distinct from the Library, and housed scholars who were supported by the Ptolemies and, after Egypt came under Roman control, by the Roman emperors. There is no evidence that there was provision for formal teaching, but lectures were given and there were many discussions which even the kings might attend; Cleopatra, the last independent ruler of Egypt, is reputed to have done so. Dinners with clever conversation were a characteristic institution of the Museum; a poet of the third century BC described it as the ‘hen-coop of the Muses’. After the foundation of Constantinople in AD 324 many of the Museum scholars are said to have retreated there to avoid the theological controversies of Alexandria.

International Council of Museums defines Museum as "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment, for the purposes of education, study, and enjoyment". So far as archaeology goes there are three main roles or responsibilities that are fulfilled by museums today: the long-term management and conservation of archaeological materials and associated archives; the presentation of a selection of this material to a range of audiences through displays and other interpretative means; and the researching and investigation of both the archaeological dimensions of the material and also its cultural nature as one of the agents that help to create a contemporary picture of the past. Many museums offer programs and activities for a range of audiences, including adults, children, and families, as well as those for more specific professions. Programs for the public may consist of lectures or tutorials by the museum faculty or field experts, films, musical or dance performances, and technology demonstrations. Many times, museums concentrate on the host region's culture. There are governmental museums, non-governmental or non-profit museums, and privately owned or family museums. Museums can be a reputable and generally trusted source of information about cultures and history.  The museum is usually run by a director, who has a curatorial staff that cares for the objects and arranges their display. Large museums often will have a research division or institute, which are frequently involved with studies related to the museum's items, as well as an education department, in charge of providing interpretation of the materials to the general public. The director usually reports to a higher body, such as a governmental department or a board of trustees. Objects come to the collection through a variety of means. Either the museum itself or an associated institute may organize expeditions to acquire more items or documentation for the museum. More typically, however, museums will purchase or trade for artifacts or receive them as donations or bequests.

The design of museums has evolved throughout history. Museum creation begins with a museum plan, created through a museum planning process. Some of these experiences have very few or no artifacts and do not necessarily call themselves museums; the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, being notable examples where there are few artifacts, but strong, memorable stories are told or information is interpreted. In contrast, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. uses many artifacts in their memorable exhibitions. Notably, despite their varying styles, the latter two were designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates. Most mid-size and large museums employ design staff for graphic and environmental design projects, including exhibitions. In addition to traditional 2-D and 3-D designers and architects, these staff departments may include audio-visual specialists, software designers, audience research and evaluation specialists, writers, editors, and preparators or art handlers. These staff specialists may also be charged with supervising contract design or production services. The present project will combine the meaning of museum into an academy as an edifice of a living monument which is the ancient Knanaya community in Kerala.

Heritage tourism is a branch of tourism oriented towards the cultural heritage of the location where tourism is occurring. Culture has always been a major object of travel. Cultural attractions play an important role in tourism at all levels, from the global highlights of world culture to attractions that underpin local identities. According to the Weiler and Hall, culture, heritage and the arts have long contributed to appeal of tourist destination. However, in recent years ‘culture’ has been rediscovered as an important marketing tool to attract those travelers with special interests in heritage and arts. According to the Hollinshead, cultural heritage tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry because there is a trend toward an increase specialization among tourists. This trend is evident in the rise in the volume of tourists who seek adventure, culture, history, archaeology and interaction with local people. Cultural heritage tourism is important for various reasons; it has a positive economic and social impact, it establishes and reinforces identity, it helps preserve the cultural heritage, with culture as an instrument it facilitates harmony and understanding among people, it supports culture and helps renew tourism (Richards, 1996). The objectives which Cultural heritage tourism must meet within the context of sustainable development are - the conservation of cultural resources, accurate interpretation of resources, authentic visitors’ experience and the stimulation of the earned revenues of cultural resources. Cultural heritage tourism is not only concerned with identification, management and protection of the heritage values but it must also be involved in understanding the impact of tourism on communities and regions, achieving economic and social benefits, providing financial resources for protection, as well as marketing and promotion (J. M. Fladmark, 1994).  The overall purpose is to gain an appreciation of the past. It also refers to the marketing of a location to members of a Diaspora who have distant family roots there.

THEME OF THE KNANAYA NAZRENE HERITAGE TOURISM PROJECT

The project revolves around the theme of the Knanaya and Nasrani Sabha of Kerala. These communities have existed as the Thekkumbhagom and Vadakkumbhagom communities since ancient times. The core of the project is to trace the origins of these two communities prior to the 4^th century and also their activities from the 4^th Century till the 16^th Century.

While the Vadakkumbhagom origins could possibly be traced to the unconfirmed advent of St. Thomas to Muziris in about AD 52, the Thekkumbhagom community is believed to have migrated to Kodungallur from three different places in the Middle East – Cana/Jerusalem, Edessa and Mesopotamia. The 72 migrant families are believed to have belonged to 7 Tribes – Haddai, Belkuth, Mezboth, Thezvoth, Baji, Khoja and Kujalik (according to Sri. E M Philip). But both these communities show a strong influence of the Essene community that existed in the wilderness of the Dead Sea coast at Qumran near Masada upto the 1^st Century AD until they were resettled in the caves of Edessa and the marshlands of Iran, Iraq and Sabaa or Yemen. This community, also known as the Jamesian Community, was revered for their simplicity, piety, humility and perseverance in upholding their faith without succumbing to torture, humiliation or pressure.

 It is also believed that this Jamesian community is the remnant group which was preserved by God as the Holy community from the time of Noah. History claims that this community became extinct after the Synod of Nicea in 325 AD when all the Nazarene sects were forced to merge into the Universal Christian Church shedding their Jewish identity upon the threat of excommunication. But could this community have died out or did this community merge with the St. Thomas Christians of Kerala? Could a community chosen by God to be the remnant ones become extinct by the act of man? Is the Knanaya community a remnant community preserved thus far by God? What happened to the remaining members of the Knanaya community that did not take the ship to Kodungallur in AD 345? Did they perish in their identity or are they somewhere out there in the Middle East still holding on to their identity? Can this community come to an end because there is a talk that the membership of the community is dwindling rapidly? Are we seeing a weeding out process from the Holy Remnant Community? Or, is this community a mere creation of superstitions and caste identity adopted from the ancient Kerala caste system? This is the core matter which needs to be probed through this project and the answer should be found and published to the interested audience across the globe.  

The odyssey of the remnant Knanaya community of Kerala is the subject matter of this project and thus this project has nothing to do with religious emotion or creation of a mythical story to justify any particular Church denomination. The study will be led by internationally acclaimed academicians involved in research into ancient Jewish, Nazarene, Christian, Muslim and Hindu communities besides the archaeologists, anthropologists and secular historians involved in studies regarding the ancient Spice trade of Muziris. A 50 cent property is being acquired at the northern river bank of the Periyar adjacent to the ancient Kottapuram market which once served as the major port for the loading of the European ships with spices and other products of trade. This site will serve as a study center cum museum with accommodation and other facilities. The Study Center will be the rallying point for research and will invite the above scholars to conduct seminars, help in translations as well as interpretation of ancient texts. There will be a resident history community who will be employed to study the ancient evidences which will be acquired from different parts of the world and which will consist of copies of source documents in ancient languages such as Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac, Portuguese and Dutch besides commentaries in French, German and English. The students will be involved in understanding these source documents from the perspective of the Knanaya and St. Thomas Christians and will translate these works based on these local perspectives for which they will involve internationally renowned scholars. The works will be published by the Research Center in the local vernacular as well as in English meant for the international audience. Hence there will be a book shop selling publications of other publishers as well as own publications. A good income will come in the form of residential accommodation and tutoring of heritage oriented tourists on an academic holidy where they could be given an insight into the findings of the research center. The hospitality part of this cultural heritage tourism will be handled very professionally by experts in the Hospitality industry. There will be ten rooms available at a rate of about Rs. 1500/- per day. An entry fee of about Rs. 50/- will be charged against each visitor to the Museum maintained by the academy. There will be a well researched ethnic Syrian Nazarene restaurant and bakery which will serve Nasrani cuisine and rice based food products to the residents and guests at a healthy price. 30% occupancy of the rooms will give an income of about Rs. 135,000/- per month. We expect about 200 visitors per week to the museum which will fetch an income of about Rs. 40,000/- per month. Hence, we anticipate an initial income of Rs. 175,000/- which will give a healthy operational profit to keep the operations functioning smoothly. Over course of time, with added interest in the project, the occupancy and museum visits will increase giving a much higher turnover of atleast Rs. 400,000/- per month or an annual turnover of Rs. 50 Lakhs. This income will be over and above the income earned from the ethnic restaurant and bakery as well as sale of publications. This centre can accommodate atleast 4000 Knanaya youth per annum so as to guide the interested community youth about the antiquity of the historic community.

According to the Tourism Industry experts, heritage tourism is tipped to be the emerging model for international travel and tourism, where tourists known as the Alert Informed Individuals belonging to respected global communities with high income, seek mental stimulation by learning and understanding various communities and activities in other parts of the world. The Kerala State Government has initiated a Muziris Heritage Tourism project at a cost of Rs. 140 Crores covering Pallipuram, Paravur, Chennamangalam and Kodungallur. The project is based on the recent excavations by the Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR) in 2007 & 2008 which unearthed the archaeological and historical evidence confirming the location of the ancient port of Muziris at Pattanam in Paravur. This excavation project proved to be a turning point as it provided a wealth of information on the surrounding areas covering the hinterland of the Muziris port and the whole Periyar basin. Muziris was an active port from the 1^st century BC onward, not only for Indo-Roman trade, but also trade with Jews, Nazarenes, Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese, British, and many other travellers. The project draws inspiration from all this evidence and is called the Muziris Heritage Site (MHS). The Muziris Heritage Project naturally lends itself to bringing back memories of the past and the project is not about tourism or recreation alone. It is about making a difference - a big difference to conservation, restoration, the study of history, environmental projects, research, development of craft and art forms, occupations and other community activities also.

The Knanaya Nazarene Academy in Muziris is intended to blend into the Muziris Heritage Project of the State Government and shall focus on the study, research and propagation of the antiquity of the community and its practices. The project will be based on the Essene community model. A special advisory Board will be set up to oversee and advise the Company in the project consisting of experts such as Mr. Jose Dominic, the Chairman and Managing Director of CGH Earth (formerly Casino Group) and distinguished scholars such as Dr. Robert Eisenman, Dr. Shalva Weil, Dr. Federico De Romanis and Dr. Shinu Abraham besides others who will be incorporated according to the need of the period to aid and advise the Company to fulfill its objective.  Mr. Jose Dominic has agreed to be the Chairman of this Board and is highly regarded as a man with the vision to make the Muziris Project an Internationally visible cultural center. He has played host to many of the international scholars who have toured Kerala regarding research in the subject matter and they have all been very appreciative of the hospitality at his various resorts such as Coconut Lagoon, Marari Beach Resort, Spice Village, Brunton Boatyard and Casino Hotel. His vast experience and expertise in the Hospitality industry combined with his interest in the subject matter of this project will ensure that the project is run at very high standards. The management Board of the Company shall implement the recommendations of the Advisory Board.