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Paper by Prof. George MENACHERY
Mt. St. Thomas, November 2001
Ecumenical Seminar on
The Cultural Heritage
of the St. Thomas Christians -
Our Efforts to Preserve It :
The Syro-Malabar Church
1.1
One might justly feel frightened standing before such an august assembly
of the most distinguished ecclesiastical dignitaries and scholars of
this calibre; but for discussing the particular topic of this seminar
Kerala cannot offer any forum more appropriate than this one.
Especially, to discuss the topic of this specific paper viz. The
Cultural Heritage of the Syro-Malabar Church and Our Efforts to Preserve
It there could be no group of people anywhere else, more competent or
more earnest, than is present here.
1.2
The topic of this seminar, one feels, has been wisely chosen since on
the one hand there can be no two opinions about the invaluable nature of
the cultural wealth of the St. Thomas Christians, and on the other hand
such another topic does not exist with practically no scope for
controversy or mutual suspicion or petty jealousy . There is to be found
today considerable unanimity of opinion among all the Churches of the
St. Thomas Christians and among the sub-groups thereof, both among
scholars and the People of God in general, regarding the need to study,
research, preserve, and propagate this unique heritage - everyone
expressing the strongest desire to earnestly cooperate, actively
collaborate, and determinedly work together towards that end without any
reservations. As was discovered in the course of more than one seminar
held here1 the cultural heritage of the community could be an effective
binding force and one of the strongest rallying points - perhaps the
chief one at the moment - that could unite all the groups and all the
Churches that adhere to the St. Thomas tradition in a meaningful spirit
of ecumenism.
1.3
What is Kerala culture? Who are the true inheritors of Kerala culture?
When one looks at the near consensus among scholars2 that the Brahmins (Nampoothiris)
arrive in Kerala only much later than the third century C.E., their
dominance decernible only after the 9th-10th centuries, and that the
Nairs appear on the scene only after the twelfth century and even then
only as Sudras as they are till this date, one might reasonably surmise
that Mar Thoma Nazranies were the most influencial community in Kerala
in the first centuries. Perhaps upto the year 849 (24 M.E.) when
Ayyanadikal confers3 once again the seventytwo aristocratic / royal
privileges on the Palli (church) and the Palliyars (Christians) these
Christians combined in
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themselves all the attributes of the Brahmins (Purohitas), the
Kshatriyas (soldiers and rulers), and the Vysyas (traders and
entrepreuners)4.
2.1
Before proceeding any further let us take another look at this oft-used
but much abused term culture. One uses the word culture in different
contexts: When we say in English, Shes a very cultured woman, what we
generally mean is Shes had a good education and knows a lot about art,
music, painting etc. Similarly Shes a person of culture would mean She
likes and knows a lot about literature, art, music, etc. But there is
much more to culture than all this.
2.2
Other phrases come to mind: phrases like Culture Shock, Culture Gap,
Cultural Stereotype, Cultural Cringe, and Culture Vulture.5 Culture has
been defined in various ways, but the truth is, so far a universally
accepted definiton of culture has not yet been found. Kroeber and
Kluckhohn list in their book Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and
Definitions6 about 250 definitions and even this list is not complete.
Not to become too involved philosophically attention may simply be
directed to the excellent article Culture at the Service of
Evangelisation in India by Stephen Fuchs.7
2.3
In order to emphasise the point that in the phrase Cultural Heritage
Culture means much more than art, architecture, sculpture, literature,
music &c. a few more quotations one may be kindly permitted to be
reproduce.
Culture is that complex whole which indudes knowledge, belief, art,
morals, laws, customs and other capabilities and habits acquired by man
as a member of society.8
Culture is everything. Culture is the way we dress, the way we carry our
heads, the way we walk, the way we tie our ties it is not only the fact
of writing books or building houses.9
2.4
The Nature of Culture: Culture is based on the uniquely human capacity
to classify experiences, encode such classifications symbolically, and
teach such abstractions to others. It is usually acquired through
enculturation, the process through which an older generation induces and
compels a younger generation to reproduce the established lifestyle;
consequently, culture is embedded in a persons way of life. Culture is
difficult to quantify, because it frequently exists at an unconscious
level, or at least tends to be so pervasive that it escapes everyday
thought.
Thus the existence and use of culture depends upon an ability possessed
by humans alone. It refers to behaviour peculiar to Homo sapiens,
together with material objects used as an integral part of this
behaviour. Hence culture includes language, ideas, beliefs, customs,
codes, institutions, tools, techniques, works of art, rituals, and
ceremonies, among other elements.10
3.1
The rock edicts11 and copperplate grants12, various Granthavaries, the
Ramban Song13, the Margam Kali Pattukal 14, the Pallippattukal 15, and
other such songs, the letters and reports of the Portuguese and the
Dutch, the Acts and Decrees of the Synod of Diamper16 contain much
information for the various aspects of the culture of the St. Thomas
Christians. But the most .....3
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important source is the collective memory of the people, and the
existing customs and traditions, in addition to the extant works of art,
architecture etc.17 Works by Ferroli, Schurhammer, and Placid, and the
efforts of the three Hs :Heras, Hosten, and Hambye have contributed
greatly to our knowledge and understanding of the Thomas Christian
cultual heritage.
To understand, appreciate, and conserve the cultural heritage of the
Syro-Malabar Church one must study all the aspects mentioned above in
detail vis-a-vis the cultural heritage of all the other Thomas
Christians and the cultural heritage of Kerala.. These streams are
generally quite similar and often identical with each other. In a short
paper of this length justice cannot be done to even a single aspect of
this heritage. However let us deal with some items at random, knowing
full well that the selection is bound to be arbitrary, and the treatment
haphazard.
3.2
As the documentary video film screened earlier showed a number of
examples of the various works of art in the Syro-Malabar churches it is
not necessary to go into all that again here. Suffice it to say the
works of art and architecture in wood, metal, ivory, stone, colours,
plaster, shells, cloth, etc. in Thomas Christian churches and households
form a considerable proportion of art objects in Kerala and their
position qualitatively and quantitatively in the heirarchy of Keralas
art tradition cannot be questioned. Among the objects in these churches
which contribute much to the artistic superiority of Kerala may be
counted the huge pillarless roofs and roof decorations, the belfrys, the
altarpieces, the ceilings, the wooden rostra (Pushpakkoodu), the
processional RoopaKkoodu, the wooden candlesticks, the open-air granite
crosses, the copper-sheathed flagstaffs, the rock lampstands and the
array of rock (chuttuvilakku) lamps on the huge Aanamathil, facades and
their plaster images, baptismal fonts, bronze bells and vessels, wood
and ivory statues, wooden boxes, gold and silver crosses, colourful
processional umbrellas, multicoloured mural paintings, wooden panels,
goldcoated woodcarvings, and a thousand and one other items. True some
of these are of post-Portuguese origin. But typologically and from the
point of view of the techniques used most of these are typically
Keralite and often typically christian in origin and use.
3.3
One of Indias most celebrated festivals is the Pooram festival of
Thrissur. This festival was planned, organised and established by
Shaktan Tamburan of Cochin just two hundred years ago. Perhaps the most
attractive item of this festival is the celebrated Thekkottirakkam with
the heavenly sight of the changing of the colourful umbrellas. It is
this changing of the umbrellas that brings to the Thekkinkad Maidan
large numbers of visitors from India and abroad every year. Although
even the smallest Syro-Malabar church has a dozen colourful Muthukkudas
in its possession from the time of its establishment, it being an item
of the 1500 years old 72 privileges of Kerala christians. These churches
or their festivals are not very famous compared to the two centuries old
Pooram. It is not having these art objects that matters, but using ones
cultural wealth to the best advantage for the greater glory of God and
man.
4.1
Adi Sankaracharya in his 64 so-called anacharams made white cloth
compulsory for Brahmin men and women. He made nasal ornaments taboo for
Kerala Brahmin womenfolk (i.e.the Antharjanams). Today the njori forms
part of the costume of aristocratic Nampoothiri women. Brahmin women
everywhere else use dark-coloured dresses. Elsewhere they always use
nasal ornaments. In Kerala only Mar Thoma Nazraney women have these two
customs. Did
.....4
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Sankaracharya who lived in Kalady at the centre of christian communities
in the 8th/9th century borrow these customs from the aristocratic
Nazranies to promote Brahmin acceptability? In any case white dress has
always been a part of christian culture in Kerala as also the taboo
concerning the use of nasal ornaments. Here one might also make mention
of the large number of similarities found between nampoothiri and
nazraney customs regarding ornaments, marriage, birth, and death related
ceremonies and observances, costumes, daily utensils and food items etc.
4.2
Kerala christians have their own customs and traditions regarding many
other matters, as f.i. in the names chosen for their children or in the
type of Palaharams they make for Holy days and festivals. There are even
some Curries and side dishes which are peculiar to the christians of
Kerala.
5.1
Institutions like Palliyogam and Pallikkoodam prospered under christian
aegis.
5.2
Liturgy, liturgical art and architecture, music, musical instruments,
vestments, gestures and celebrations all formed another important part
of the cultural richness of the Syro-Malabar Church.
5.3
Down from the first century we find Kerala christians almost invariably
open to all the sections of world christianity and willing to give a
warm welcome to fellowchristians irrespective of their nationality or
allegiance. For the Kerala christian Christianity was always the same
whether it was of one brand or other. It was only much later that lack
of unity and divisions become permanent features of Kerala Christianity.
6.1
Kerala perhaps is the part of India which has come into contact with the
maximum number of different cultures from all parts of the world at
least from the first centuries B.C.E. Kerala also came into contact with
almost all world religions at an early stage. This exposure to world
religions, and world cultures was maximum in the case of the christians
of Kerala as they were having a monopoly of sea trade from time
immemorial. Hence Kerala christians became world citizens before other
parts of India became even aware of the existence of other cultures and
other religions. This had had its positive and negative effects on the
character and conduct of Keralites in general and Kerala christians in
particular. This is well reflected in the cultural heritage of the
Kerala christians. While this has helped the Thomas Christian to absorb
some of the best things from all cultures, it has also led to their
changing too fast and discarding the ways of their forefathers without
much hesitation. This is best seen in their attitude to their cultural
heritage.
6.2
In spite of Rome setting up various commissions and other bodies for
promoting the .....5
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protection and preservation of the cultural wealth of individual
Churches and for the promotion of better methods in the preservation of
old records very little progress has been made by the Syro-Malabar
church in these matters. The writings and speeches of the Holy Father
regarding these matters appears to have had little impact on the this
Church. This negligence is visible in the attitude to all aspects of
culture, although here and there one could see some solitary efforts
being made to remedy matters. The leadership being given by the
ecclesiastical dignitaries it may be hoped will bear fruit in the not
too distant future.
6.4
Perhaps this is the place to sound a much needed warning to our own
people to preserve their cultural and historical heritage. Anyone who
has worked in the field knows the neglect and even vandalism of Kerala
Christians towards their cultural heritage. Old churches and monuments
are demolished and replaced with ugly concrete structures, ancient
paintings are rubbed off, and copperplate grants are sold for metal
value; valuable records perish without being copied. And the general
outrage to history and antiquity borders on the criminal. And it is high
time this is stopped.
We may conclude with Goethe:
Men are so inclined to content themselves with what is commonest; the
spirit and the senses so easily grow dead to the impressions of the
beautiful and perfect, that every one should study, by all methods, to
nourish in his mind the faculty of feeling these things. ...For this
reason, one ought every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good
poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few
reasonable words.
Goethe, Wilhelm Meisters Apprenticeship. Bk. v, ch.1 (Carlyle, tr.)
[source: Stevenson]
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Notes:
1. Cf., f. i., Questions 2 and 3 (p.226) on universally / commonly
acceptable artistic / architectural features in the St. Thomas tradition
and such features of the Palliyogam along with the answers (pp.226, 227)
given during the Group Discussions and the general recommendations
(p.229 et.sq.) of the seminar on The Life and Nature of the St. Thomas
Christian Church in the Pre-Diamper Period, in Bosco Puthur (Ed.), LRC
Publication No.1, LRC, Kochi, 2000. The different papers reproduced and
responses thereto also may throw considerable light on this aspect.
2. The views of Dr. M. G. S. Narayanan and Dr. Veluthattu Kesavan who
have exhaustively studied the question of the arrival of Nampoothiri
Brahmins in Kerala and their early settlements in Kerala may be read in
their papers for the LRC Seminar on some of the Historical Questions
related to 1.the Nampoothiris, 2.the Jews, and 3. the Samgham Literature
held here in September 2000. Prof. Rajan Gurukkal and Prof. Scaria
Zacharia gave prepared responses to the paper on the Early History of
Nampoodiris in Kerala.
3. It is especially stated [in the copper plates] that Vijayaragadeva
the kings representative, Ayyan Atikal the governor, Rama Thiruvatikal
the governors heir apparent, Prakriti (chief citizens), Adhikarar
(officers), Arunnurruvar (The Six Hundred), and the Patis (local chiefs)
of Punnaittalai and Polaikkuti were present on the occasion of this gift
and this in itself conveys its importance. - M. G. S. Narayanan,
Cultural Symbiosis in Kerala, Kerala Historical Society, Trivandrum,
1972, p.36.
4. Because the 72 privileges have more rights and freedoms and authority
incorporated into them than enjoyed even by Azhvancheri Thamprakkal,
both a ruler and top Nampoothiri. (Read the Tharisappalli plates along
with the Jewish plates for some eleven of these privileges or Viduperus:
Earth and water on elephant-back, day lamp, spreading cloth, palanquin,
umbrella, northern drum, bugle, locked gate, arch, arch-decoration, and
arrow.) Vide M. G. S. Narayanan, op. cit., ibid.
5. Cambridge International Dictionary of English, p.334.
6. A. L. Kroeber and C. Kluckhohn, Culture: A Critical Review of
Concepts and Definitions - Papers of the Peabody Museum of American
Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge, Mass., 1952, Vol.XLVII, No.1.
7. The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Vol.I, Ed.
G.Menachery, Trichur, 1982, pp.198 ff.
8. Sir E. B. Tylor
9. Aime Cesair .....7
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10. Encyclopaedia Brittanica
11. Like the Thazhekkat rock inscription and the later foundation stones
and tomb inscriptions of many churches.
12. Like the Tharisappalli plates and the Palayur plates.
13. An English translation of the Song of Thomas Ramban sent by
T.K.Joseph dated 6-7/3/1926 to Fr. Hosten s.j. may be seen in the Indian
Church History Classics, Vol.I - The Nazranies,Ed. G.Menachery, Ollur,
Jan. 1998, pp.520-525.
14. P.U.Lucas, Kottayam, 1910. A reprint, Ed. J. Vellian, is available
(1980). In his Anthropology of the Syrian Christians L. K. Anatha
Krishna Ayyar has given English translations of many songs (which is
available in the ICHC, Vol.I, The Nazranies, pp.500-506.
15. Vide supra f.n.14.
16. Gouvea, Antonio de, O.E.S.A, Jornada do Arcebispo de Goa Dom Freyn
Aleixo de Menezes, Coimbra,1606. In English: Geddes, Michael, The
History of the Church of Malabar...Together with the Synod od
Diamper...London: 1694 (fully reproduced in Hough II and in The
Nazranies). In Malayalam: Scaria Zacharia, Edamattam, 1998.
17. See the separate articles in the ecumenical St. Thomas Christian
Encyclopaedia of India, Ed. G. Menachery, Vol.II, Trichur, 1973. Vols.I
(1984), and II (1982) of the History of Christianity in India (CHAI -
Ed. A. M. Mundadan) and the Malayalam Kraisthava Vijnana Kosham
(Alleppy, 1976) also have much useful material. The STCEI and The
Nazranies together have nearly one thousand photographs dealing with the
cultural heritage of the Thomas Christians. A collection of articles by
this writer entitled Pallikkalakalum Mattum in Malayalam (Trichur, 1984)
has given as appendices a number of rather exhaustive lists of objects
of art of the St. Thomas Christians gathered from churches and
households for the various exhibitions organised by the STCEI from 1971
onwards and for the Christian Cultural Museum of Trichur (1980).
18. Yet when the local churches brought forth all their Muthukkudas in
1983 for the Holy Year cultual rally it was a wonderful sight indeed
that left the onlookers dumbfounded with joy. From that time onwards
more and more processions in the State and even abroad are displaying
the Muthukkudas and Historico-cultural floats to advantage.
What's New?
Here I might add an entry whenever I make an update to my web site.
Where appropriate, I'll include a link to the change. For example:
1/1/00 - Added new photos of my most recent vacation to Italy to the
"Vacation Photo Album" page.
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