Palakunnel Valiyachan

Palakunnel Valiyachan (പാലാകുന്നെൽ മത്തായി മരിയം കത്തനാർ) ܡܲܬܝܼ ܡܲܪܝܼܝܲܡ ܟܲܫܝܼܫܲ was a social and religious leader among the St. Thomas Christians in Kerala. His full name was Palakunnel Mathai Mariyam. He was born in the small village of Koothrapally in Kottayam district. His father Etticheriya belonged to the aristocratic family of Pakalomattom. His mother Mariyam, from another aristocratic Pallikaavil family from Niranam. He was born on 20 February 1831. He was mammodiza (baptised) at Mar Yohannan Mamdana Church, Nedumkunnam. At the age of 13, he went to Mannanam Monastery to begin his seminary education under the guidance of Chavara Mar Quriakose Ealias. He became a priest on 2 July 1855. He had his own view regarding the independence of St. Thomas Christians. He erected many parishes, he worked for evanchalization of the downtriden and the community then considered as untouchables. He was a prominent advocate of the reunion movement between the puthenkoor and pazhay koor fractions of the Nasrani Church. Valiyachan died on 20 April 1900. His body is buried in Marth Mariyam Church in Koothrapally.

Social reform

Valiyachan fought for un-touchability among Kerala society in the middle of the 18th century. He gave mammodiza to many Shudras and enriched them spiritually and physically. He started primary education in the hilly areas of Koothrapally and Kangirapally. He promoted women's education. He was the first person who promoted road development in the hilly area of Koothrapally.

Literature

He was multilingual. He was called the Golden Tongue of the Church of Mar Thoma Shleeha, therefore he was called the John Chrysostom of India. He was the author of the Nalagamam of Palakunnel Valiyachan. He could easily handle Malayalam, English, Syriac and Tamil.His Diary also known as NALAGAMAM is considered as a reference text for the historians. It narrates almost all socio political developments in his language and view. earth quake, construction of KK Road, Great flood of 1891 and other developments in the travancore State is marked specially in the diary in detail.