SEVEN&HALF

SEVEN AND A HALF CHURCHES OF ST.THOMAS : PROF, M.M.NINAN
There were syncretism of all different religions, including other tribal faiths, magic and witchcraft as
well. It is the Brahmins of Dravidian Abrahamic people who were attracted to the new way. As
the Vedic religion died out by that time, the Aryans took up Brahminic faith. But the Aryans
(Indo-European or Japhethic race ) were rare and an extreme minority. Thus we should assume
that Dravidian Brahmins were monotheists like the Jews which eventually were syncretized with
magic, witchcraft, tantrism, tribal religions and animism
We can see that Thomas concentrated on the Brahmins simply because they were the only
educated people in the community who were teachers. The way could be established only
through teaching the disciplines in the fundamentals of the way and its doctrines and rituals.
Some principal families of Brahmins that were baptized by St. Thomas, were those of
Kalli, Kallarakal, Kalliankal, Manki, Madathalan(Madathilan), Plavunkal (Pattmukkan), Mattamuk,
Manavasri, Pakalomattom, Sankarapuri, and Thayil(Thayyilan).
Thomas is further said to have ordained presbyters for the churches from four Brahmin families
called Sankarapuri, Pakalomattam, Kalli and Kaliankal (see Firth, 2001: 3). Of these, two families
were ordained and set apart by him for sacred orders as Priests and Teachers. The higher order of
Priesthood remained almost hereditary in the two families of Sankarapuri and Pakalomattam for
several centuries…." ( C.M.Agur, 'Church history of Travancore; II / 9-10 ).
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