Maravankudieruppu is a Nadar village in the jurisdiction of Nagercoil Corporation, located three kilometres (2 miles) south of Nagercoil Centre, the capital of Kanyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. The Village settlement was created by Swamy Adiyaar Thirupaappu and his descendants. The younger brother of Chaeran Chenguttuvan settled his family with five sons in Thirupappur near Kaanthaloor Chaalai(15 km en route to Kollam from Thiruvananthapuram) and ruling the south Chaera Kingdom from the Panagaattu Palace in Kollam. The kingdom was later named Vaenaadu, and had control from Nanjil Nadu in the South and just below Kodum Kalloor in the North. Thirupaappu or Thiruvadi is the suffix used by the five Royal clans of the Venad Kings. Thirupaappu is the Royal clan of Venad Kingdom, Eraniel Fort represents the history of Thirupaappu royal clan ( sub-caste of Nadar, Tamil people).
From Sangam period, Kottaru (Kottar)(The bended(Kottam) Palayaaru) harbour was a busy trade centre as the entire trade commodities from Chaera Kingdom and Paandiya Kingdom had to be traded in the harbour. There were large storage locations sprawled around the harbour. Much to the threats of the Bandits, south of Kottar, a Pattaalam (United Army of Chaeras and Paandiyas) was settled for the safety of the traders. There was a Chaalai (In 1705 named as Anthoniyaar Chaalai) which was a popular University of Martial Arts and Medicine specially for the Army(Pattaalam) situated in Pattaala Vizhai(Now the name is distorted as Pattasalian Vilai). In later days, after the 1850s the Army base was migrated to Thiruvananthapuram and the Anthoniyaar Chaalai stopped functioning. Years passed on and the public mistook the name Anthoniyaar Chaalai as the Anthoniyaar Road, and now named as Armed Reserve Camp Road.
Vaaniga Vizhai (now in Maravankudieruppu) was a Trade Centre connected to the Kottar Harbour and the Pattaalam was strategically located adjascent to Vaaniga Vizhai for political and Social reasons. South of Vaaniga Vizhai was Thurai Thattu (or Kings Plateau) and on it was a Thomas Cross Kurusady with fame and flavour, and Christians from Paandiya and Chaera kingdoms thronged it. The Pandiya Traders from Ezhasa Naadu, which was a Christian Kingdom following St. Thomas had constructed a roof and facilities for the worshippers.
Vaenaadu with the support of the Thirupappur family member kings in Paandiya Kingdom had reestablished the geographical area of the past and protected the young king Marthanda Varma (the last ever Pure Nadar King) from the Ettu Veettu Nayars (Who had made many attempts to kill the Nadar King). After Victory over Nayars Marthanda Varma has renamed the Kingdom as Thirvancore Kingdom (derived from his family house at Thiruvithamcode after the migration from Thirupappur ). Maara Veera Paandiyan Thirupappur the son of Ezha Marthaandan Thirupappur, the king of Ezhasa Naadu( One of the five Paandiya Kingdoms) was a Cousin of Maarthaanda Varma, had very good relationship with the Portugul Kingdom and many Indian and Lanka Kingdoms was instrumental for mobilising the Pandiya and Chozha Kings belonging to the Thirupappur Royal Clans. Maara Veera Paandiyan's son Ezha Veera Paandiyan Thirupappur was the chieftain of the Army base at Pattaazha Vizhai as well as of the trading convoy from Ezhasa Naadu to Kottar. Ezha Veera Paandian Thirupappur inherited the Leadership of Maathaa Sabai from his Grand Father Ezha Maarthaandan Thurupapput who got it from his Great Grand Father Veera Maarthaandan. Exsel Veera Paandiyan has denounced worldly life, rechristened himself as Swamy Adiyaan and became a Thuravi for continuing the mission of his forefathers left to him to establish Catholic Faith in India. His Soldiers and people fondly were calling him as Swamy Adiyaar Thirupappur and as Veera Thuravi. Ezha Veera Paandian Thirupappur became Veera Thuravi Swamy Adiyaar Thirupappu.
Swamy Adiyaar was also the in charge for the Security of the Revenue collected from Nanjil Naadu as well as the entry tax collected from the Aralvaymozhi National Check Post. In particular, he had to take personal care in the transit storage Mandabam (where the tax money in Gold, Silver and Copper coins were kept in Copper Kalasams) in the northern part of Vaaniga Vizhai(Later called as Kalasamirakkai Kudieruppu after the Soldiers settled in the location) The Kingdom has given him Vaaniga Vizhai and around 7 sq.km of land around it for his family and another 20 sq. km of land for his soldier friends to get settled in. He has established a settlement (Kudieruppu) for his family members adjascent to the Vaaniga Vizhai, and names as Maravan Kudieruppu. He made Maravankudieruppu as his Base for his Maathaa Sabai activities, Anthonyaar Chalai University & the Army Base in Paattazha Vizhai and Security for the National Revenue. He also established his Soldier friends in and around Maravankudieruppu and created many villages both following Christian and Aaseevagam (Ayyanaar) faiths.
In the meantime, the Namboothiries could influence Marthanda Varma and Nairs entered again in to the palace by submitting their women to get him married. They crookedly killed the King's chieftain Anantha Padmanaban Thirupappoor Nadar inside the palace itself, and held the king under their influence. The king, to protect the kingdom from the Nairs had to surrender the entire kingdom to the Padmanabasamy Temple Pandaaram(Store House).
The Thirupappoor Royal Nadar family had drifts with the King when the king was helpless and Namboothiries and Nairs acting against Nadars in the Country. Severe taxes were levied and Nadars were alienated from the Royal Service and Army. Nadars were announced as untouchables and passed many rules to ill treat the Nadar Community. When Nairs did them as the vengeance for the killing of the Ettu veettu Pillaimars by Nadars to save the young King, the Brahmins did it to establish the Four Layer Caste System in Vaenaad as Vaenaadu(Travancore) was the last kingdom fighting against Brahminism in India.
The Week successors of Marthanda Varma Thirupappur Nadar because of the Polluted successions, Nair and Brahmin dominance in Travancore, Non Cooperation of Nadars, dissatisfaction of Thirupappur Royal Family, natural famines, world wars, and the forceful take over of the Travancore Kingdom by the Indian Union had shattered the lives of Vaenaadu Nadars. While Thoma Catholic Nadar villages which were converted to Catholic Faith by Maathaa Sabai led by Swamy Adiyaar Thirupappur could hold their social respect because of their decent Education and international relations.
Now in the 21st century, Maravankdieruppu is predominantly a Nadar caste village, mostly centered on the church of Our Lady of Snows. The shrine refers to the basilica of Saint Mary Major on the Esquiline Hill in Rome, where snow fell in the summertime.
In 1850 is bordered on the west by Vattakarai(Odakkarai), Pattasalian Vilai and Kalasamirakki Kudieruppu to the north, Keela Maravankudieruppu to the east and on the south by a water canal, which flows from Pechiparai Dam. The literacy rate of Maravankudieruppu is 100%. Major employment is in Govt Administration. The prominent businesses are Bulluck Cart Building and repairing and manufacturing and trading of timber. Agriculture is also equally maintained.
Demography and Church
The first ever St.Thomas Cross was venerated in the south east end of the Kurusady Thattu on the banks of the Channel(Southern part of Thurai Thattu was called as Kurusady Thattu because of the St. Thomas Cross platform) The Ezhasa Naadu Traders have built roof and amenities in the 1600s and it was the first church built.
The second church was built on the western bank of the Water Channel flowing from the Maathaa Puthumai Kuzham (Maatha Pond). A large flood overflew the Channels destroyed the first Church. So the Thomas Cross was installed above the Tomb of Veera Thuravi Swamiyadiyaar Thirupappur.And the Second Church was constructed adjuscent to the Tomb. The remains of the five nephews of Swamy Adiyaar and their children were also buried adjuscent to the Church as was the practice in Portugul. Now the church cambus became the Cemetery for the entire Village residents and the Parish members.
The third church was a very short lived church. It was built on the eastern bank of the Maatha Canal just South East of the Maatha Puthumai Kuzham.
The fourth church was designed by the Architects of the Travancore Kingdom and was built in the late 1950s when Travancore was taken over by the indian Union. The economy hit very low due to the Indian Union's forceful take over famines and by the world wars. But the people of Maravankudieruppu with the community effort, including women and children completed the construction. It was built on the Centre of the Kurusadi Thattu. The whole structure of the church is supported by seven concrete arches, without any pillars. The door frames were made of stone. The church was solely built only by the contributions of the Villagers. A bus full of Civil Engineering Students from Chennai Engineering College ( Now Anna University) had visited to understand how a 40 feet span construction was made without any pillars.
The fifth church is getting built on the Kurusady Thattu (The Plateau of the Cross) in the same place where the fourth church was demolished by anti social elements. It is constructed as the highest Church in India with two floors.
Cuisine
The Angelus bell (Thirikala Mani) rings at noon, and women converge on the fish market. No Sunday lunch is complete without red meat such as mutton, beef, chicken and pork. Consuming alcohol inside the house or at the dining table is a big taboo, even though drinking in a bar is acceptable. Food has a blend of Paandiya and Chera taste. Some of the commonly made dishes/snacks at home are Ittili, Dosai (rice pan cake),Puttu (steamed rice cake), Aappam and Edi-Aappam (rice noodles). Variety of porridge finds their place in the kitchen like Pazhaya kanji, Ulundam kanchi, Chiru Payiru Kanji, Perum Payiru Kanji and with grated Coconut, Thuvayal and Pappadam.
The festival sweets like Acchi murukku, Athirasam, Panniyaaram, and mundiri kotthu find prominence during the Christmas season.
Some regular dishes served are:
Fish curry of more than 25 flavours 13 vegetable Aviyal 13 Vegetable Saambaar
Traditions
Sports: Football is the most popular game in the village. Many people in the village know a lot about the sport.
Thukka Pattu (துக்க பாட்டு) is a tradition by which the parishioners visit every Catholic house singing requiems in an around 8 km2, knocking the doors to collect rice, coconuts, grams and money to prepare gruel. In Church premises, the parish people cook porridge/gruel (கஞ்சி) and all the people take it after the Palm Sunday Holy Mass.
கூட்டான் சோற ு: A tradition by which all the children gather and share all the rice/grams/spices shared from home, and find a commonplace mostly under the tamarind tree and cook their meal themselves, replicating what their mom does daily in her kitchen. Its mostly organised by the eldest unmarried woman of that locale.
Oor Koodi Asanam On the last week of May, Maravankudieruppu people have been celebrating the feast day of its founder Swamy Adiyaar. Garlands used to be adorned on his Tomb. Thamizh veera tradition of remembering a King or a Veeran is to erect a pillar in the name of the King or the Veeran and garlanding it sacrificing goats and presenting padyal and eating together while some leader recalls the Kings good things. Similarly in Maravankudieruppu, in olden days a flag pole used to be erected, and then the permanently built flag post was used as the remembering pillar of Swamy Adiyaar. Special Holy Mass used to be celebrated in Swamy Adiyaar's name. Garlands used to be thronged the flagpost, people showered flowers and Asanam used to be conducted near the flagpost. Now a days Asanam is Packed for each family and are shared in the Maatha Mahhal
Chutru Vaanam
Kallara Vasippu
Mulaippaari and Kummiyadi
kazhari and Chilambam
Festivals
Thamizhar Aruvadai Thiruvizha, Eucharistic Procession, Good Friday & Easter, 31 days of May Month for Mother Mary, Community Dining on Swamy Adiyaar feast day (Asanam), 10 Day Village Festival and Christmas, are the most celebrated festivals.
Social Contributions
This parish is well known for its contributions to social welfare. The below listed self made establishments support this:
St. Mary's Primary School (Est. 1909 CE) (Centenary Celebration) and was the first school to cater to the people of the southern part of the town, extending till the shores of the Indian Ocean.
Bishop Arockyasamy Hr. Sec. School,
Matha Mahal, Mini Mandapam - Community Hall
Vincent De Paul Society.
Ozanam free Clinic run by Vincent De Paul Society
Tailoring and Play school run by St. Annes Convent
In 2004 tsunami, the parishioners not only contributed money but also shared their houses to accommodate in their homes, the displaced tsunami victims
Civil & Govt Organizations
Kannyakumari District Armed Reserve Police Headquarters
Kannyakumari Dt. Fair Price Shop, Co-Op Bank Society
Women's welfare dept office
District Regional Transport Office
Controversy
The Church Building was an Engineering Marvel and was built by the sweat of the Village People. The Church has the Parish Council to manage and administer the Spiritual Activities of the Church. Without the wish of the Village People, the church parish council had proposed to demolish the existing church. Those who oppose this are of the contention that this the existing structure is an engineering marvel, with no pillars, and also of the view to protect the heritage. Their claim to leave them as such, and build the new one nearby. In November 2011, the civil patrons of the church got a stay order from the district court, to stop demolishing the church building, citing its architectural values.
The plan was further dropped, when the Parish Priest, who promised the parish council to bring in a major share of donations from Germany, announced bluntly in a Sunday Mass, about his in inability to find any donors during his visit abroad.
Demolished Church 17 February 2012 is observed as a 'Black Day', as, on that day of 2012, few vandals and hooligans demolished the altar and removed the statues & shut the church doors permanently, in spite of the court stay order. Now the whole issue is pending before the High Court of Madurai Bench.
On 23 August 2012, 2:00 AM, the entire Southern wall & the arch pillars of the church were demolished by a gang of masked hooligans armed with axes/knives by a bulldozer. FIR was registered against 20 persons, all belonging to the parish, mainly consisting of Parish Council members.
On Sept 13, the Bishop of Kottar condemned this activity.
While the court battle is still on, the parishioners started building a new massive church, with the similar architecture but bigger in size and as of now, it has reached the completion of the roof.
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