Kumbanad

Andreas hajiloukas
കുമ്പനാട്
Region in Tiruvalla

Kumbanad Junction
Andreas hajiloukas

Location in Kerala, India

Coordinates: 9°21′07″N 76°39′40″E / 9.352°N 76.661°E / 9.352; 76.661Coordinates: 9°21′07″N 76°39′40″E / 9.352°N 76.661°E / 9.352; 76.661
Country  India
State Kerala
District Pathanamthitta
Taluk Tiruvalla
Languages
 • Official Malayalam, English
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 689547
Telephone code 469
Vehicle registration KL-27
Nearest city Tiruvalla
Lok Sabha constituency Pathanamthitta
Climate Tropical (Köppen)

PROFESIONAL ANIMATOR GIA TON P....TSO

Etymology

Kumbanad is derived from two words in Sanskrit malayalam, Kumbhi ( Sanskrit word for 'elephant') and Nadu ('land') which together mean "the land of elephants". It is believed that many wild animals and elephants roamed about this place a hundred years ago.[1][2]

History[3]

Refer Tiruvalla for ancient history of the Tiruvalla region.

Modern History of Kumbanad

The documented history of Kumbanad started from AD 1758. It is believed that Kumbanad was a prosperous village for several centuries before that. Namboothiri Brahmins of 41 Illoms (houses) occupied this village. The many fresh water tanks found in and around Kumbanad are attributed to that period. How that community perished, perhaps in a short time, remains a mystery. It is said that marauding tribesmen plundered and killed the inhabitants. In the absence of human habitation, forest covered the region and wild animals abounded. The name Kumbanad itself is said to be derived from Kumbhi Nad - the land of Elephants.

The first family to be settled here is Kumbanad family (Kumbanattu kudumbam as known in Malayalam).The founding father of the Kumbanad family is Easaw Panicker, who lived in the latter half of the 18th century. The beginning of the family can be traced to the arrival of Yohannan Sanyasi who was originally a Hindu named Krishnaswamy, belonging to the Vellala Brahmincaste, who became a Christian. He left a comfortable State Government job and traveled north in search of Christian Fellowship. He reached Eraviperoor, just a couple of miles west of Kumbanad, in AD 1758. This was 18 years before the Declaration of Independence in America and before the British got a firm foothold in India. The Portuguese were firmly entrenched in Goa and Cochin. The Syrian Christian Church in Kerala [known as the Malankara Church] was under Mar Thoma V, fifth in line from Arch Deacon Thomas, who became Mar Thoma I after the Pledge of the Leaning Cross [Coonan Kurisu Satyam] in AD 1653. It was through this spontaneous act that the Malankara Church broke off the Roman Yoke imposed on it by the Portuguese Bishop Menezes at the Council of Diampur [Udayamperoor Sunahdos] held in AD 1599. In outlining the history of the Kumbanad Family, references to the Malankara Church are inevitable, as the histories of the two are interconnected.

On reaching Eraviperoor, Yohannan Sanyasi went to the house of Easaw Panicker Sr., who was a prosperous Syrian Christian of that area. In the absence of the Senior Easaw Panicker and his elder children, the Sanyasi was received by the lady of the house with the help of their youngest son, Easaw Panicker Jr. Let us digress a little to consider how this Panicker family happened to be at this place.

It is believed that St. Thomas, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, landed in Kodungalloor in AD 52 and established a Church there. Some Christians from Kodungalloor migrated to Kuravilangad. Their descendants joined military service under the King of Idapalli. The King stationed some of these at Eraviperoor. Easaw Panicker was a leader of this group. The honorific 'Panicker' itself suggests that he was recognised for his military leadership. He was involved in battles against Tippu Sultan, when the latter invaded Travancore and Cochin. A devout Christian, Easaw Panicker was also known for his generosity and kindheartedness. It may be noted that Kerala of that period was fragmented into small Kingdoms. The rulers of these kingdoms could not maintain permanent armies. The armies were raised, as and when necessary, by people like Easaw Panicker, who maintained ‘kalaries’ or training schools for martial arts.

Yohannan Sanyasi sought the help of Easaw Panicker Sr. to build a Dayara [Monastery] where he could spend his time in prayer and meditation. With the latter's assistance, a Dayara was built at Kumbanad and the Sanyasi moved there in 1760. This is the location where Kumbanad Mar Thoma Valiapally stands. In fact, the Dayara also became a Church for the region. Mar Thoma V, who was then the Malankara Methran, deputed the vicar of the Syrian Church of Kallooppara to conduct the dedication service.

Yohannan Sanyasi became very fond of Easaw Panicker Jr. and got him to stay at the Dayara. It is perhaps the training at the Dayara that prepared this young man, who was only 12 years old when he first met the Sanyasi, to grow up to become the founding father of the Kumbanad Family.

The Dayara attracted a lot of worshippers on Sundays, mainly from the surrounding villages. This included the Senior Easaw Panicker and his elder sons. Easaw Panicker Jr., with the support of the Sanyasi, cleared the area around the Dayara Church and built a house on the North side of the Church. This is the Valiaveetil house.

Yohannan Sanyasi found a suitable bride for his young companion. The girl was called Mariamma and hailed from the Kutticat family of Thattackad, a place only a couple of miles north of Kumbanad. The marriage was solemnised in the Dayara Church.

Three sons and three daughters were born to Mariamma and Easaw Panickar Jr. Daughters Mariamma, Achyamma and Aleyamma were given away in marriage. The sons too got married. The eldest, Kocheasaw, after marriage, continued to live in the same Valiaveetil house. The youngest son, Yohannan (John) put up a house in the compound on the southern side of the church and settled there with his wife. This was the second house in Kumbanad and was known as Theckethil. The second son Mammen married a girl from Edanad, and settled there. His only son, also named Mammen, married from Niranam, and made that his home. Later he was persuaded to come back and settle down at Kumbanad.

These twelve descendents of the third generation cleared the forests of Kumbanad and cultivated the land. They lived as a joint family and the land was divided among them only much later. These twelve, along with Kochuparampil Mammen, became the originators of the 13 'gothrams' [basic families] of Kumbanad, in analogy with the 'gothrams' or tribes of Israel.

As the land under cultivation increased, so did the prosperity of the family. Side by side, the church building was also renewed and expanded. However, regular service of a priest was not available. The Metropolitan, Mathews Mar Athanasius, was persuaded to ordain Valiaveethil Easaw Abraham, the youngest member of the family, as a priest. He was ordained a deacon in 1856 at the age of twelve and a full Priest in 1864 at the young age of twenty. Abraham Kathanar or Valiaveethil Achen, as he was commonly called, become the first vicar of the Kumbanad Mar Thoma Church and served the parish for more than 54 years until his death in 1911.

Economy

Remittance from NRIs is the primary source of income. The large number of ATMs and high bank density are also attributed to large bank deposits. As of 2009, the bank deposits for the Kumbanad-Pullad-Thiruvalla belt are estimated to be 5,400 Crore.[4]

There are other small business and services that depend on the foreign remittance. Since most of the emigrants are young and middle aged, most of the settled population is old-aged. There are services and health care units that cater to their needs.[5][6] 90% of the emigrants are from America,& Middle East. The major hospital is the Fellowship Mission Hospital.[7]

Politics

Kumbanad is part of Aranmula assembly segment and Adv. K. Sivadasan Nair -UDF/INC is the current MLA. In Lok sabha, Kumbanad is represented by the sitting MP from Pathanamthitta, Mr. Anto Antony (Indian National Congress). Ajitha Kumari (United Democratic Front) is the current Koipuram panchayat president.

Govt Departments

Climate

Kumbanad, Tiruvalla has a tropical climate. The region receives most of the rain from the South-West monsoon from June to August and the North-East monsoon during October and November. Although the summer is from March to May, it receives locally developed thundershowers in April and May.

Demographics

The famous Pentecostal Hebronpuram convention and Brethren Convention held here in the month January of every year.

Pentecost's includes Indian Pentecostal Church of God, Assemblies of God, Church of God, The Pentecostal Mission, Born again (Christianity), Presbyterianism, Nondenominational Christianity, Baptists, Pentecostal Maranatha Gospel Church, various Independent Pentecostal's and Apostolic.

There are also Catholic and Syrian Orthodox communities in Kumbanad.

Places to see at Kumbanad

Transport

Kumbanad area is connected to Pathanamthitta, Kozhencherry, Chengannur, Sabarimala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Guruvayoor, Tuticorin, Coimbatore, Salem, Velankanni, Hosur and Bangalore by private and government operated KSRTC buses. Kumbanad has been included in one of the new stations in the draft plan for the Tiruvalla - Sabarimala railway line.

T.K.Road ( Tiruvalla-Pathanamthitta-Kumbazha Road / SH - 07 ) connects Kumbanad to main points in Thiruvalla, Manjadi, Kattode, Thottabhagom, Vallamkulam, Nellad, Eraviperoor, Pullad, Chettimukku, Maramon, Kozhencherry, Thekkemala, Nelikala, Elanthoor and Pathanamthitta. The Main Central Road from Thiruvalla connects to major towns/cities in Kerala. Muttumon connects Kumbanad to Kurianur, Mallapally, Vennikulam and towns in Kottayam district. The road from Kumbanad Junction connects to Arrattupuzha via Kareelamukku, Othera, etc. and further on to Chengannur. Valathukara Canal can be seen on this route

Train Stations:

Airports:

Bus Stations :

Nearby Places in Tiruvalla

See also

Educational institutions

Hospitals

Churches

References

  1. ↑ "Family history". Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  2. ↑ "Kumbanad". Independent Media Center. Retrieved 18 October 2010. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  3. ↑ "Kumbanad Family, Kerala, India.". www.kumbanadfamily.org. Retrieved 2016-02-01.
  4. ↑ Tapash Talukdar; Anirvan Ghosh (15 December 2009). "Recession a rude wake-up call for NRI-rich villages". The Economic Times. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  5. ↑ T V R, Shenoy (13 Feb 2004). "Without regard for caste, creed or politics". Rediff News. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  6. ↑ Mary, John. "All Morbid Mansions". Outlook India. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  7. ↑ "Healthcare in Kumbanad, Kerala - Page 1 | Quickerala.com". www.quickerala.com. Retrieved 2016-03-13.

External links

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