Acts of Apostle Thomas

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XVII MAHABALI CONNECTION : M. M. NINAN ____________________________________________________________________ religion of the Chera Kings? The only alternative is that they were Christians. It points to the possibility that Mahabali whom the fifth avatar of Vishnu defeated by cheating was none other than the Christian Dravidian King “The Great Sacrifice”. This name evidently fits only Christ and Christians. His Kingdom evidently extended over three regions of India (the three worlds). Most probably the name is a generic name for Christian Kings. (The Chera King Kuru Varman-1 also known as Vyakrasenan who ruled Kerala from 40 AD to 55 AD was a Christian.) It is interesting to note that Mahabali was the grandson of Prahalada who was a staunch Vaishnavite (Brahmin?). Prahalada was the son of King Hiranyakashipu a Dravidian. Hiranyakashipu was killed by the fourth incarnation of Vishnu the Lion- Man. His brother Hiranyaksha was killed by the earlier incarnation of Vishnu, the Boar. Vishnu threw both these brothers out of the heavens where they were the gate keepers of Heaven. We know for certain that Mahabalipuram was Mahabali’s resort since every other attempt to explain the name fails. Mahabalikkara – Mavelikkara is traditionally associated with Mahabali. Incidentally Onam is the only festival, which is celebrated both by the Christians and the Hindus. If the Onam songs handed down to us from the 8 th century are true, there was an egalitarian society – virtual Kingdom of God - fashioned out of the early Christian Fellowship Community experiment Jerusalem. The Jerusalem experiment failed with the deceit of Aninias and Saphira and the Kerala experiment with the deceit of Vamana. With the long period of innocence Mahabali could not discern the deceit of Vamana. Kerala, during the Tamil Sangam Age (1-500 AD) was a very egalitarian society. (48) Untouchability was unknown, manual labor was respected and women held in high esteem. The first Brahmin missionaries moved into Kerala through Tulunaadu (Mangalore area). Thus Chera Kingdom continued as a Christian Kigdom from the first century onwards until the sixth century. Gradually the influence of the Hinduism from Chola and Pandya dislocated the Christian dynasties of Chera. With the cunningness of the Brahmin dominated Vaishnava advisors of other Kingdoms, Chera Kingdom was taken over by the Vaishnava cult finally. However one Christian Dynasty continued till the 15 th century – the Villar Vattom Pana. Even today Christians are respectfully addressed as "Nazarani mappilas", "sons of kings who follow the Nazarene" or "of the first Christian kings" It is actually a direct translation of the word “Israel”. If this is the intent, it means the idea of Kingdom of Priests was introduced most probably by St.Thomas himself. Alternately, such a position came into existence because Christians were Kings in early period. The special position of Nazrani in relation to Hindu temples itself speak of the origins. Even today as a tradition, some old temples cannot open their gates, or open the holy of holies or raise the flag to start a festival without the physical presence of a Nazrani in the temple ground. The Mahabali myth had created sensation even in the West, during the Middle Ages, as the myth of the Prestor John – a Priest King who ruled a powerful vast kingdom in India.- ruling over 72 countries in three Indias. This legend says that St. Thomas travelled to India and there established a Christian community that retained many of the ideals of the original church, and which blossomed into an almost perfect Christian kingdom, ruled over by this legendary king, Prester John. A second century Peutinger Map indicates a temple not far from Muziris as “Temple Augusti” or “Temple of the Great King”. Around the middle of the 12th century, a series of letters (forged?) found their way to the court of Pope Alexander III. These letters were from the Prester himself. Apparently an emissary was sent to the King Prestor John, but he was never seen again. This mythical (mystical?) figure certainly came from Chera Kingdom as Meir Bar-Ilan points out. India is mentioned several times in these letters and the city of Kalicut is mentioned in one of the letters specifically. It specifies that he was in the land of India where the body of St. Thomas the Apostle was buried and they celebrated the memorial of Thomas on July 3 rd . The letter also mentions that it is the land of the pepper and elephants. 253
XVII MAHABALI CONNECTION : M. M. NINAN ____________________________________________________________________ When history finally opens, it was with Kulasekara Alwar who ruled Kerala in the 8th century. He became a devotional Vaishnavite poet. The earliest document, which tells us about the Onam festival, comes from this period. A last Perumal, Cheraman Perumal abdicated his throne in 825 AD, (some documents give it as 642- 643 AD) converted to Islam and went to Mecca and died in Yemen. He divided the kingdom and gave it to his Nephews. THE FIRST VAISHNAVA CONQUEST OF KERALA You can deliberately obliterate all evidences, but the collective memory of the community could not be suppressed. They are handed down from generation to generation and still exist as myths and legends and festivals of Kerala. The Politics of Rewriting History in India. K.N. PANIKKAR Although elements which constitute myth are not verifiable like historical facts, myths do represent reality even if symbolically and metaphorically. Myths are essentially illusory representations of phenomena and as such do not help discover the historicity of events and by the very nature of representation they tend to mask the reality. Yet, there are no myths in which reality is not embedded in some form, be they origin, explanatory or legitimatory myths. This integral connection between myth and history facilitates the transmutation of the latter into the former and through that change, the existing historical consciousness in society. http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1801/18010730.htm The biggest festival of Kerala is “Onam” which is associated with the myth of Vamana. It tell the story of how Vishnu (the god of Vaishanavites) defeated the Asura King Mahabali and pushed him down to the lower most part of the World – Kerala. This. I believe tells the root story of how the Chola and Pandya areas of the Christian Kingdom of Mahabali was ripped off and taken over my the Pallavas.. The Story Behind the Onam Festival A long long time ago, an Asura (demon) king called Mahabali ruled Kerala. He was a wise, benevolent and judicious ruler and beloved of his subjects. Soon he conquered all the three worlds. Aditi, the mother of Devas went to Vishnu for help. Vishnu incarnated in the form of a dwarf called Vamana and approached Mahabali while he was performing a sacrifice (yajn) and asked for alms Mahabali granted him a wish. 254
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ACTS OF THE APOSTLE THOMAS THE STOR
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Foreword "This Thomas preached the
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Dedicated to My Father & Mother Who
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THE ACTS OF APOSTLE THOMAS : M. M.
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II AD 30 - 40 PARTHIAN MISSION APOS
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III AD 40 ARRIVAL OF APOSTLE THOMAS
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IV DORMITION OF MARY : M. M. NINAN
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V AD 51 SOCOTRA MISSION : M. M. NIN
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VI KERALA TRADITION : M. M. NINAN T
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VI KERALA TRADITION : M. M. NINAN T
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VI KERALA TRADITION : M. M. NINAN 6
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VII CHINA EVANGELIZATON : M. M. NIN
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VIII CHINA EVANGELIZATON : M. M. NI
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THE DREAM OF EMPEROR MINGDI Kong Wa
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X 72 AD APOSTLE ST. THOMAS 99 MARTY
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X 72 AD APOSTLE ST. THOMAS 101 MART
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X REFERENCES TO THOMAS CHRISTIAN TR
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9. Ambrose of Milan: 339-397 AD X R
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XI BARTHOLOMEW 125 MISSION : M. M.
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XII KALABHRA INTER-REGNUM : M. M. N
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XIII THE THOMAS WAY: SAIVISM AND NA
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XIV SIGNIFICANCE OF SANSKRIT: M. M.
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XIX SYNCRETIZATION : M. M. NINAN __
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XX RECENT HISTORY : M. M. NINAN ___
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HISTORY OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANITY I
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Acts of Apostle Thomas

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