Akaparambu

Akaparambu
village
Akaparambu

Location in Kerala, India

Coordinates: 10°09′40″N 76°22′26″E / 10.161111°N 76.373889°E / 10.161111; 76.373889Coordinates: 10°09′40″N 76°22′26″E / 10.161111°N 76.373889°E / 10.161111; 76.373889
Country  India
State Kerala
District Ernakulam
Elevation 0 m (0 ft)
Languages
 • Official Malayalam, English
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)

Akaparambu, or Akapparambuis a village in the Ernakulam district of Kerala, India near the Cochin International Airport and south of the town of Angamaly. The people are mostly Saint Thomas Christians, but there are many Hindus and other religions who all live together in peace and mutual respect. Recent thuggish attacks on two of the Christian churches by mentally challenged outsiders are being dealt with seriously by the authorities.[1]

Economy

In the past, people of Akaparambu worked on the land .These region had vast paddy fields and people here were engaged in rice cultivation. Now many of the people work at the airport, which is less than 1 km away. From being quiet rural location about 15 years ago, before the airport was proposed, land has become hot property in this region. Akaparambu and other communities in the area such as Nayathodu, Vapalassery, Avanamkodu, Thuruthussery, Athani and Chengamanad are seeing a huge rise in the price of land. Akaparambu may find itself in the heart of a full-fledged airport city ten years from now.[2]

Churches

Christianity has a long history in the region, coming here long before the religion reached Europe and other places. Tradition is that Saint Thomas the Apostle established the Syrian Church in AD 52.

Akaparambu Mor Sabor Mor Aphroth Church

This is one of the ancient churches of the Ankamaly diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Church. In the title deed of the church and in ancient revenue and tax records the church is referred to as the Akaparambu Valiyapally.[3] Mar Sabor and Mar Proth are said to have been two saintly men who came to Malankara to preach the Gospel with a group of Syrian Christian immigrants led by a merchant named Sapor Esho. They are said to have disembarked at Quilon (Kollam) in c. 822. The church at Akaparambu is believed to have been established in A.D. 825.

All the Patriarchs of Antioch who visited India have visited Mor Sabor and Afroth Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Cathedral.

The church is noted for its murals,[4] which are of great antiquity.[5] The Malankara Metropolitan bishop St.Mor Athanasius Paulose Pynadath(1918–1953)[6] was christened in this church. The Jacobite Bishop and educationalist Mor Gregorios Vayaliparambil Pynadath(1899–1966) belonged to this parish church.For centuries the Church at Ankamaly and the Mor Sabor and Mor Afroth chapel at Akaparambu were a united parish and was administered by one council as is evident in the record of a general body meeting of 16-8-1069 (Malayalam Calendar).[7]

Girvasis & Prothasis Syro-Malabar Catholic Church

This is an ancient Syro-Malabar Catholic Church located at Akapparambu. It was initially named after the saints Mar Sabor and Mar Proth.[8]

Kalari

The Akapparambu Kalari has a kalary temple without roof and main prathishta is headed by Lord Virabhadran. The other prathishtas in the temple are Lord Ganesha, Saraswati Bhagawati, Rekteswari and Bhuvaneswari. Astrology, mantra-tandra and Ayurveda (treatment) were the main profession of the members, who did have very deep knowledge in Sanskrit and Ayurveda. It is difficult to recruit members of the new generation to this profession.[9]

Eravikulangara Bhagavathi Temple

The Eravikulangara temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Bhagavan Shiva and Bhagavan Ayyappan. Vilwamangalam Swamiyar had 'The Darshan of Devi' (the sight of the divine) at this place, hence the hillock where the temple is situated is also called Thiruviluam Kunnu.[10]

References

Check-in counters at Cochin Airport
  1. ↑ 'No compromise on communal activities'
  2. ↑ The Hindu 21 April 2007: Soaring on the back of an airport-led boom
  3. ↑ Mor Sabor-Mor Aphroth Church Home Page
  4. ↑ Evolution, execution and colour system of traditional mural paintings of Kerala
  5. ↑ Indiavideo.org: Murals- Akaparambu Church
  6. ↑ St. Athanasius Paulose, January 25
  7. ↑ Morth Mariam Church
  8. ↑ Wikimapia: Sts.Girvasis & Prothasis Catholic Church
  9. ↑ Akapparambu Kalar
  10. ↑ Eravikulangara Bhagavathi Temple home page
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