Ramamangalam St.Jacobs Knanaya Syrian Valiya Pally is
located just two furlongs south of Ramamangalam junction in
Ernakulam –Koothattukulam road and it stands on a serener and
spacious hillock, as the source of spirituality of thousands
faithful.
St.Jacobs Knanaya Syrian church is situated at three acres of land
in Ramamangalam distinguished for its scenic beauty near the bank of
river Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district. The church was constructed
on kanni 25th, 1035 (in Malayalam era) in the name of St.Jacobs in
addition to St.Mary and St.Joseph by 70 families.The church stands
a pioneer in Knanaya community.
There are about 359 parishioners, who hails from Ramamangalam,
Pambakkuda, Manied and Poothrika. Many parishioners have left
incredible mark of there contributations in religious, political and
social realms. The church which is the realization of laudable and
magnificent sacrifice has3 chapels and 6 kurushuadi under its wings.
It is believed that in A.D 52, St. Thomas reached the shores of
India to spread the gospel of Christ and converted many people into
christanity. Since the Christianity in Malankara had no Shepherd to
lead and give them who where wriggling under the throe of ill
treatment and misery which was conveyed to the Catholics of baghdad
and the metropolitans of Uraha Mar Youseph by knai Thommen, then the
patriarch of Anthioka his holiness Mar Osthatheos conducted a
meeting and decided to dispatch a group to India.
Mar Youseph was elected as the head of the congregation and Knai
Thoma was the captain of emigrant travelers with all the tidal of
authority and fiat of permission and they set out to India, at the
time of departure his holiness called upon the adventures of new
letters to have a honors unity and keep un unbreakable attachment to
each other. The new settlers were comprised of 72 families and they
landed the shore of Kodungalloor at A.D 345, with a total of 400
peoples. They where given a princely welcome by the ruler of
Malankara his highness Cheraman Perumaal, the emperor Cheraman
Perumal sent his brother Ramavarma and his minister Vettathu Mannan
to receive Knai Thoma and his people. The emperor Cheraman Perumal
was gifted with invaluable presents by the emigrations along with
the title of authorization.
The king who was pleased allowed them to enjoy many privileges and
imparted them with 72 princely privileges engraved in copper plates.
This proclamation was made on a saturday in March (kumbham 29 -
Malayalam era). They where provided with all the facilities to have
a peaceful life and gifted them with the city of Mahadever. The
Knanaya community after getting full freedom from the king led a
happy life in Kerala for so many generations. They where controlling
all walk of life with the aid of the king, till A.D500. After that
they built church at different places where they migrated for better
pasturage.
When we trace the history of Knanaya community at Ramamangalam we
come to the fact that, they have reached here from Punnathura and
some peoples have migrated to here from Uzhavoor, Kuruppunthura.
There is an interesting incident connected with the permission of
constructing the church. One day, there the minister of erstwhile
Kingdom of Travencore on his way back from Muvattupuzha to Piravom
via Ramamangalam, a bevy of ladies blocked his ‘Pallackku’ in which
he was traveling and convinced him about the necessity of the church
to pray and worship. So the minister immediately appointed some
officials to inspect the land and submitted a report to the king. At
the time of the inspection of the land a ‘Nair’ belong to Memana
family who was named Chennan offered a selfless service and even now
at the time of church festival the family is owned with a special
privilege every year.
The ‘Thaksa Vazhipadu’ at the time of church festival in the name of
St. Jacob. It is very popular and people from all religion offered
there prayers for the fulfillment of the needs and redressed of
there grievance.
St.Jacob's Knanaya Syrian Valiya Pally remains as the beckon
shedding the light of peace and prosperity to the land of
Ramamangalam.