THE NASRANI COMMUNITY OF KERALA : PRIVILEGES AND MARRIAGE CUSTOMS
The Syrian Christians led by St.Thomas,the apostle were known or called as the 'Nasranis' or 'Nasrani Mappilas'.The Nasrani Community are an ethnoreligious community.The community was an autonomous Judeo-Malabari community influenced by the Essenes, Rabbinic Judaism and the surrounding culture of Kerala.They settled in the Northern (Vadakku) side of Kodungallor,Thrissur and hence were known as 'Vadakkumbagakar'.
RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES GIVEN TO THE NASRANI COMMUNITY:
The Rulers gave the Nasranis various rights and privileges which were written on edicts and copper plates. These are also known as Cheppeds, Royal Grants or Sasanam The languages of these Copper plates are Tamil, Pahlavi and Vattezhuthu. Differences of opinion exist among the exact dating of each copper plates but there is a belief that some of these are dated from 9th century. It is possible that any other record preserved in any other languages in the first few centuries of Saint Thomas Syrian Christian history might have been on palm leaves as was the practice at that time. This could have been lost in the humid climate in Kerala.
⦁ The Tarisapalli Copper Plates:
Two of the three Copper plate sets were issued by the King of Venadu ,present day Kollam, Ayyanadikal Thiruvadikal, to the Nasrani community on the Malabar Coast in the 5th regnal year of the Chera ruler Sthanu Ravi Varma. These Copper plates brings to light the support extended by the local ruler to the Church at Kollam built by Mar Sabriso and to the Christians residing in the settlement there. They also shed considerable light on the position of the Christians. These plates are also known as Tarisapalli Copper plates.
The first set of the Copper plates were issued circa 880 by Ayyanadigal, the King of Venadu to the Church called Tarisa Church built at Kollam by Sabriso, a merchant who refounded the city of Kollam in 825.This is kept at Devalokam Aramana of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church at Kottayam.
King Ayyanadigal also granted another set of privileges through the Copper plates issued around 880 AD, slightly after than the first plate. This is kept at Poolatheen Aramana of Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church at Thiruvalla.
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| The Tarisappalli Copper Plates |
⦁ Thazhekad Sasanam- Edict
The King Rajasimha Perumal of Thazhekad Sasanam granted special rights and privileges to the Nazranies. It is one of the earliest surviving edicts granting special privileges to the Nasranies. The edict was written on a stone and mentions privileges granted to traders. The leaders of the traders were Chathan Padukan and Iravi Kothan. It mentions Cherupally and the traders were expected from paying tax, enabled them to fix the prices of commodities and retain the share of taxes until grievances are redressed. The edict is preserved in Thazhekad St Sebastian church, Syro Malabar Church under Irinjalukuda diocese.
⦁ Iravi Kortan Cranganore (Copper Plate)
Veera Raghava Chakravarti issued a copper plate to Iravi Kortan in 1320 AD at Kodungallor.This is a single copper plate of 14 inches by 4. He was given the office of Manigramam, most probably the headship of merchants of Cranganore. He obtained several social privileges, monopoly of overland and seaborne trade. He was given brokerage on all sorts of goods and also customs duty or toll. The King permitted his descendants to enjoy these privileges and rights as hereditary grants.It is preserved at the Malankara Orthodox Syriac Catholicosate, Kottayam.
MARRIAGE TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS:
It was instead of the 'thali' used by the Brahmins of Kerala that the Syrian Christians used the 'minnu'.The 21 beads forming a cross on the 'minnu' makes it different from the 'thali' used by the Brahmins.The 'minnu' proclaims the bride as a married woman. No married woman ever parted with 'minnu'. For the Thomas Christians it is a sacred symbol of the strong bond and intimate union between the spouses. Only if her husband dies shall a lady part with her minnu.
There are many interesting ceremonies related to the tāli. On the eve of the marriage the twine with which the tāli is tied is prepared in the house of the bridegroom. Usually threads are taken from the wedding garment, the manthrakoodi. This was common among the Syrian Christians and the Hindus of Kerala.Three threads were twisted into one and out of seven such composite strands the final cord was prepared. The tāli or minnu is made in gold, has 21 minute balls embossed on it in the form of a tiny cross. The 21 balls are calculated to be 3 persons in Holy Trinity and 7 sacraments (3x7=21).
In the case of matrimony there could not be separation, except at the death of man or the wife, otherwise they must live together for better or worse. When she died, the tāli was deposited in the treasury box of the parish church.
Those days the manthrakoodi was carefully kept to wear it on special occasions like First Holy Communion etc.If a lady dies her body was wrapped in her manthrakoodi.If a lady dies,her minnu and thali was either buried with her or given to the church.
Losing one's minnu was considered as a bad sign amongst both the Hindus as well as the Syrian Christians of Kerala.It was said that it showed the death of the husband.
Child marriage was both prominent among the Syrian Christians as well as the Hindus of Kerala. The groom was 14 at the time of marriage and the bride was 12.
a.Marriage Preparation and Dowry:
Usually,it was the groom's family that took the initiative to arrange the marriage.If the groom's family liked the bride and her family,the groom along with his uncle goes to see the bride known as 'pennukannal'.Followed by both the families meet and takes a decision.The final decision will be by the eldest male member of the family.
The practice of having an official engagement was not present those times.It was Leonardo Melano who brought the law of the engagement being officially done in the parish of the bride.
The bride bringing dowry in the form of gold and money was firstly existing amongst the Brahmins. There was a rule passed by Leonardo Melano that the amount of dowry should be brought in the presence of 2 witnesses and a document should be signed by the family of the groom to avoid future confusions.According Mar Makil's instructions they parish priest also had to sign this document.
The dowry was given on the day when the final decision was taken at the house of the bride.An astrologer was consulted to choose a right day for the final decision but the synod of Diamper had put an end to that practice.On this day,there will be feast for friends and family at the bride's house.After the feast,the bride's mother gives the bag containing cash and gold to her husband,after which the mother of the bride lights a lamp which signifies a good sign and the father of the bride gives the bag to the eldest male member of the family and that eldest male member gives to a male member in the groom's family.The dowry was not to be given to a widower,a divorcee or to a person who doesn't have children .The giver should be facing the east side and the receiver should be facing the west side while doing this.
In certain places,the dowry was given after the birth of the 1st child.
b.The Wedding Eve:
⦁ At the Groom's House:
In olden times the wedding celebration of Syrian Christians were
set for at least four days.The groom used to grow his hair and facial hair 1 year prior to his marriage.This was a specialty of the Syrian Christians of Malabar.Nowadays,the marriage is done on any day during the week mostly Mondays and Thursdays but traditionally Sunday was the day for marriage.There were many ceremonies related to the marriage.
Each stage of these ceremonies there are different types of songs and dances performed by the people in the either side. The first song before the make up ceremony is an invocation to St. Thomas, known as‘Marthoman’: “The invocation requests to the Saint to be a part of the function and bring it to the notice of Jesus Christ: let you come and visit this beautifully decorated marriage hall and let you look at the girl who has grown into a complete woman with a beautiful face, shoulders, legs,
breast and the grace that is a gift of you. Even when I praise my girl, my mind is filled with sadness of loosing her but when I think about her fortunes-she acquire after marriage- my sadness melts away. Look at this girl of mine she is like the chrysanthemum flower that is born out of your grace ‘Oh Lord’! Everyone praises the girl as the incomparable beauty. I wish you Lord and everyone who assembled here should bring their blessing to this daughter who shines like a lamp.”
A decorated pavilion or 'pandal' would be erected and elegantly decorated in front of the house. There would be also elaborate designs inside made by sprinkling rice flour (kalamezhuttu).On the eve of the wedding,at the 'pandal' at the groom's house all his friends and relatives join together.The first function is the groom offering his Guru/the master who first taught him to read and write.The husband of the groom's sister,the brother-in-law of the groom was the one who use to bring the groom to the pandal.After this,the village barber comes to the 'pandal' ,takes the permission of the people assembled and then shaves the beard of the groom and cuts his hair.This was known as 'anthamcharthu'.After the 'anthamcharthu'.the groom puts oil on his body and takes a bath.The groom was accompanied by his brother-in-law and the barber.During this time,songs which tell about the evolution and rights of the Marthoma nasranis are sung by the people assembled.The groom then arrives after rinsing his mouth and having a bath.A gold chain and cross is then put on him.The 'anthamcharthu' is done in front of the public to show that the fasting that is being done by the groom for last 1 year is being put to an end now.
The groom after all this stands in the pandal facing the east side.The groom's sister then comes to the 'pandal' holding a lighted lamp known as the 'kolvilaku'.A plate containing grains of rice known as 'nellu' and a bowl containing water will be kept near the groom.
The groom's sister then dips her index finger in the bowl and then joining the index finger along with her thumb touches the groom's forehead 3 times.Followed by which another lady member of the family comes with a sweet rice pudding known as 'paachor' with a cross formed on top of it by the previous palm sunday's palm leaf or the 'kuruthola'.Then after taking permission from the public feeds him with the 'palchor'.If any elderly person or a priest is present at the place,then he/she washes the right hand of the groom and dips his/her finger in the 'paachor' and then touches the lips of the groom 3 times.This brings an end to the wedding eve celebrations at the groom's house.
⦁ At the Bride's House:
At the Bride's house,similar functions take place.The bride along with the help a few female members takes a bath.After this,henna or 'mylanchi' is applied on her hands and nails.This ornamentise the bride and increases her beauty.During this,songs about the evolution of humans and first sin by Adam and Eve are being sung. Brahmin brides applies saffron or 'kumkumam'.After this the bride is being fed 'paachor' by her eldest uncle after taking permission from the people assembled in her house.
c.The wedding day:
On the day of the marriage the goldsmith arrives at the bride's house with the 'minnu' .The eldest male member who like said before is not widower,a divorcee or to a person who doesn't have children waits at the front of the house with a lighted lamp.
Then,the bride leaves the house to to the church before which there is a small prayer and the 'stuthikudupu' or 'peace giving' by the elder members to the bride.This is done in houses of both the bride and the groom.
Another beautiful tradition is the Teacher/Master known as the 'ashan' blessing the bride and the groom at their homes.The bride and the groom gifts their 'ashan' new clothes and some money after which the 'ashan' keeps his right hand on the head of the groom/bride , closes his eyes and bless them wishing them a beautiful and prosperous life ahead.Usually the 'ashan' was a Hindu.They used to do this for the Syrian Christian community.
The bride always arrived after the groom arrived at the Church.Both of them entered through the west door of the church.If the bride/groom was from a different parish,on the behalf of the members of that parish,the parish priest of that Church as well as 2 other representatives had to sign a document and give to the priest of the church in which the marriage was to be held.Before this,both the bride and the groom go for a confession or 'kumbasaram'.
Boniface who was a Syrian Christian missionary says that the Syrian Christians of Malabar believed that confession was required only before one's marriage and death.
After the confession,the parish priest takes the bride and groom to a separate room and feeds them with a sweet food item known as 'churutu'.It was usually the groom's sister or a near relative who brought the 'churutu' to the Church.21 big sized 'churutu' was brought to the Church.It was for the priests and other clergyman.Then,the priests are given gifts by the groom and the bride.
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| Churutu - a sweet item made of Rice Flour |
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| The Crowning Ceremony |
The wedding processions from the church were royal and a very important part of the marriage ceremony. For this occasion, the Thomas Christians made use of the high privileges of using palanquin , elephants to ride on , royal silk umbrellas (muthukuta), day lamps (pakalvilakku), band (panjavadyam), people for shouting and many others.
On arriving at the pandal,the couple stands at the entrance facing the east side.Then the groom's mother comes to the the entrance with a lighted lamp,a bowl containing grains of rice known as 'nellu' and water known as 'neeru' and the previous Palm Sunday's palm leaves.Then after taking the permission of the people assembled draws a cross on the foreheads of the bride and the groom with the palm leaf.'Nelum neerum' are signs of light and prosperity.Then the are escorted to specially decorated seats.
The seat was covered with soft cloth and it was covered with a white cloth.The soft cloth signified the problems in life and the white cloth signified the life in heaven one attains when the couple face their problems in the right manner.
Later,the couple is fed with the 'paachor' for the second time by the eldest male member in the family.He asks the permission of the people assembled there 3 times.
After this,the 'pannan' comes to the pandal and thanks all the people present and later sings songs about St.Thomas or 'Thomasleeha' his acts and the Marthoma Nasrani community.
While entering the groom's house for the first time,both the bride and groom were supposed to enter by keeping their right leg first.This was considered extremely important for the bride.After this,the groom is given a sweet milk to drink,the groom after tasting it gives it to the bride.
In the evening,A wedding reception / feast was held at the groom's house.During this the groom goes to the pandal outside his house standing facing the east.All the male member comes and congratulates him.Similarly,all the female members congratulates the bride inside the house.During this function too there will songs sung by the people assembled.
During the feast,the groom will be seated in a much more elevated seat than all the other elder members of the family.He has this right for the next 41 days.
The following Wednesday,there will be a feast at the bride's house.The groom is lead to the bridal chamber known as the 'manavara' in the presence of many lighted lamps.During this,many songs are sung.Then the door of the manavara, gets closed. Then,the mother of the bride comes at the door holding a lighted lamp and a bowl of water and then calls the the groom calling him "my son,my son" and promises to give him new utensils,a cow and a calf.Then requests him to open the door.People inside the manavara makes her to repeat this several times creating an element of fun and entertainment.Later the door is opened.
The following Saturday,there is lot of fun dancing and singing being held.After this,the bride and the groom comes in new clothes.Then the groom and other male members stand in a circle around a lighted lamp.On the top of the lamp,a ring is kept.They then sing a song of St.Thomas and go around the lamp 3 times.Then they touch the lamp and draw a cross on their foreheads.They then take the ring and move aside.Then the bride and her party does the same ritual.Then the couple stands together and gifts the bride's uncle a new cloth.The uncle in turn gives the groom a new ring.All the other relatives of bride too were given a new cloth.
The first 4 days after the wedding,the couple never used to step out of the house.Even if there was a 'thirunnal' the couple never used to got to the Church.But,the Synod of Diamper stopped this practice.
The next Thursday,the couple visits the bride's house.There will be a lighted lamp kept at the front of the house.The grooms goes first,touches the lamp and bows before the lamp before the bride.The mother of the the bride welcomes them with 'Nelum neerum'.
The couple stayed in the house till the following Monday.Sunday,the mother of the bride puts a ring on the finger of the groom.He says thank you by addressing her as "my mother".
Thursday,in the evening,the couple go together to take a bath in a nearby lake/river.Before they take the bath,the father of the bride takes a sword and divides the water into 2 parts by cutting it from the middle.The couple then take a bath and then then the father of the bride gives her hand to the groom.This was done to show that she is now no more under the protection of the god of virginity and now is given to a man as his wife.The god of virginity was believed to live in the water which was a sign of purity. But,somewhere near 1750 in a document given to propaganda (a committee),this practice was mentioned as a punishable act and hence it was prohibited.Again,in 1764,Cardilodi Corodo points out this act as a superstitious belief among the Syrian Christians of Malabar.
The teenage couples were not allowed to stay together after marriage.Since they were in their teenage,they were under the supervision of their parents.The couple used to meet very rarely.After the marriage celebrations,during the following 1 year,the groom was supposed to be in the bride's house on special occasions like Maundy Thursday known as 'Pesaha vazhyam',40th day of lent etc.It was believed that when the groom takes part in the 'Appam murikyal' at the bride's house,he becomes a member of the bride's house.
Declaring one's social status and rights after marriage publicly was one of the biggest marriage celebration according to the Marthoma Nasranis. They used this occasion to show their courtesy to their servants and honor them.Marriage was not only the union of two individuals,but also of two families.
This brings an end to the marriage festivities.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SYRIAN LITURGY,PRACTICES AND CUSTOMS OF THE NASRANI COMMUNITY OF KERALA ?
The Syrian Christian community in Kerala welcomed all the practises in the Hindu land of Kerala but as a Christian community they strongly followed their practice and their liturgy in Suriyani following their own rich heritage,culture and individuality as community .The Hindus too accepted this.
The Indian traditions of the Apostolate of Saint Thomas consist of a combined tradition of Kerala, Mylapore and the East-Syrian Church. Some details of this combined tradition may be found in a few songs which now exist in written records. These records in the present form cannot be traced farther back than the eighteenth or the seventeenth century. The people of Kerala undoubtedly possessed a rich oral tradition, which was reflected fully or partially in their folk songs and even in written records. And all these various vehicles of tradition were available in the sixteenth century to the inquisitive Portuguese. They made ample use of these sources to put down their accounts in the form of letters, depositions, and well-composed histories. Such accounts went on accumulating during the whole of the sixteenth and well into the seventeenth centuries
But the Portuguese and Latin missionaries were against the Syrian culture being followed in Kerala.According to their belief,a christian should not indulge in any cultural based practise,customs and celebrations.A Christian's belief should only be in Liturgy and religious practice.
It has not been much time since the rite of the Holy mass being followed now and the style of marriage has taken action.The 2nd Vatican council passed a law of making the mass language from Suriyani to Malayalam.All the marriage practice and customs which were practiced by the Marthoma Nasranis were also altered and made according to the Roman rite.From then many practice were stopped and not practiced.Marriages were seen and practiced in a more modern or foreign manner. Exchange of rings are a recent practice among the Syrian Christians along with the tying of the 'thali'.Usage of both the 'thali' and 'ring' during the marriage was prevalent only among the tribal community.
The Portuguese accounts are more comprehensive and they drew freely on the oral tradition, folk songs, accounts and Syriac books, which the community possessed at that time. Almost all the local accounts, especially the Syriac books and hand written documents were burnt by the Portuguese authorities during and after the Synod of Diamper.
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( PLEASE NOTE : This blog is not to create any misconceptions or enmity amongst the various Christian communities. All the information provided here are taken from different sources.No information mentioned above is written out of personal imagination and is not for any personal benefit. Peace,love and unity to and among all.Thank you !)
REFERENCES CITED:
1) Vivaham:Syro-Malabar Sabhayil acharanushtanangal By Charles Peggtarts.
2)The indigenous tradition of Syrian Christians of Kerala a perspective based on their folk songs: marriage, customs and history By Mathew Varghese.
3)Oral Text: A South Indian Instance by Richard M. Swiderski
4) FAMILY TRADITIONS AND IDENTITY OF ST. THOMAS CATHOLICS : Paper Prepared for the Eparchial Assembly, Kalyan By Dr. Francis Eluvathingal
5)MULTIFORMITY OF SYRIAN CHRISTIAN CULTURE IN KERALA By Koshy Mathai,Assistant Professor, Christian College, Chengannur, Kerala, India.
6)SAINT THOMAS CHRISTIANS OF INDIA: A PARADIGM OF CULTURAL IDENTITY IN THE EASTERN CHRISTIANITY By C.D Sebastian
7)Nadan Pattile Nasrani Peruma : program on Shalom Tv by Dr.M.A Leena.
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