Vallarpadam: camaraderie of the gods

The Vallarpadam Basilica

The history of Christianity in Kerala goes back to the first century CE. It is believed that Saint Thomas, disciple of Jesus, arrived at Kodungallur (Muziris) in CE 52. That is credible since we have historical evidence of the trade relations between Rome and Muziris in those days. It is possible that one of those trade-ships carried Thomas too.

The Christianity that existed in Kerala in those days was not quite different from the Hinduism in the state, according to many historians. There were many rituals and practices common to both. That is natural since no people will cut off their religious roots altogether when they convert from one religion to another.

Saint George of Puthuppally and the goddess Kali of the same place were believed to be brother and sister in the olden Kerala. It was believed that Kali drank the blood of the sacrificial animals and gave the flesh to George. Kali wanted only the blood. George, being from the West, relished the flesh.

Manarcadu is a place near Puthuppally. Kannaki is the presiding goddess of the temple there and Mary, mother of Jesus, is the patroness of the church. The old legends in Kerala have it that Kannaki and Mary were sisters. When processions were taken out from the temple and the church on festival days, people of Manarcadu revered both Kannaki and Mary irrespective of their religious affiliations.

Those were days when people in Kerala believed that Saint George and God Vishnu were brothers (Kerala Christian Sainthood by Corinne G Dempsey). Anthropologist Ananthakrishna Iyer wrote in his book, Cochin Tribes and Castes, about the legend of a furious debate between the goddess of Kodungallur and Saint Thomas.

What I’m trying to say is that Christianity and Hinduism coexisted happily in Kerala for a very long period. There were many things in common to both. Even the divine entities got along merrily with each other.

Until the Portuguese came in 1498. The Portuguese were sent by the Pope with the mission of bringing “genuine” Christianity to India. They did not like the Hindu gods sharing space with Christian god and saints. They drove a fierce wedge between the two religions.

One of the many churches built by the Portuguese is on the island of Vallarpadam in Kochi (Cochin). Maggie and I visited the church today. The church has a lot of Hindu connections. “Who knows when the BJP will bring the bulldozer of its quintessential hatred to Vallarpadam?” I said to Maggie in the morning. I was in a mood for a long drive. “Let us visit that historical Basilica before the vengeance of the indigenous gods will bring it down.”

Maggie doesn’t share my cynicism. But her religious inclination was too strong to refuse my offer. Thus we landed in the parking space of St Mary’s Basilica just in time for Maggie to attend the 11 o’clock Mass. I had an hour to amble around while she prayed in the church.

I recalled reading in a Malayalam history book titled Christians: A handbook on Christianity by Bobby Thomas which argues that St Mary of Vallarpadam and the goddess of Kodungallur are manifestations of the human quest for a female deity. Male gods tend to be ferocious. Females have a benign aspect that is far more appealing.

The Portuguese built the original Vallarpadam church in 1524 dedicated to the Holy Spirit and installed an image of Mary, mother of Jesus. That church was destroyed by a flood in 1676. But the image of Mary (which was in the church) was found floating in the backwaters by Paliath Raman Menon, the Divan of Kochi kingdom. He retrieved the image and donated the land for the reconstruction of a church. That church is today’s Basilica. Menon also donated the sanctuary lamp (kedavilakku) and regularly provided the oil for keeping that lamp burning perpetually.

In 1752, Palliveettil Meenakshiamma and her child were miraculously saved three days after they drowned in the backwaters. It is believed that Saint Mary saved her and the child. The painting of Mary in the Basilica has Meenakshiamma and the child too today.

In 1951, the Government of India declared the Vallarpadam church as a ‘major pilgrimage centre’ of the country. In 2004, Pope John Paul II elevated the church to the status of a Basilica.

When will the history of this church, as well as that of many others, be rewritten? I don’t know. I wish people learnt better lessons from history like the camaraderie that existed in those good old days between the divine entities up there and the believers down here. Vallarpadam is one of the many lessons in that camaraderie.

Here are some pictures Maggie and I took today.

 

Pilgrims (and tourists) come by boats too

A part of the old flagstaff which has a lot of history to tell 

The confessional is air-conditioned - cool off your sins!

A copy of a painting believed to be done by St Luke in 1st century CE