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Malayattoor Pilgrimage

Pilgrims on the way


Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus, is believed to have come personally to India to propagate his master’s religion. An early 3rd-century text titled Acts of Thomas narrates the story of Jesus sending Thomas, a carpenter by profession, to India. Thomas was supposed to help build the palace of Gondophares, founder of the Indo-Parthian kingdom and ruler from 19 to 46 CE. One of the traders from Gondophares’s kingdom brought Thomas with him to India. According to the text, King Gondophares gave a huge sum of money to Thomas for constructing the palace. Instead of constructing the palace, Thomas distributed the money among the poor people. Infuriated, the King imprisoned Thomas. Soon the King’s brother died. This brother made an apparition to the King and revealed to him that Thomas had constructed a palace for the King in heaven. Pleased with that, the King released Thomas from prison. The King and his subjects all accepted the religion of Thomas.

The authenticity of this story is disputable though King Gondophares was real. It is also true that there were trade relations between the Roman Empire and many Eastern countries like India. There is evidence that Rome started trade relations with South India during the period of Augustus Caesar [c BCE 40]. Egypt had already become part of the Roman Empire and Alexandria was the centre of these trade connections. Pepper was the most precious commodity that the Romans took from South India. The Malabar coast had pepper in abundance.

It is quite possible that Thomas reached Kerala in one of the many ships that came from Rome in those days in search of pepper and other spices. In The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Edward Gibbon writes that every year, just before the end of summer, about 120 ships set sail to the Malabar coasts and Ceylon from the Egyptian port of Mios Hormis. There is ample evidence that Kodungalloor in Kerala was one of the ports that the Romans frequented. The prominent tradition among Kerala’s Christians is that Thomas, Jesus’ disciple, landed in Kodungalloor. Possible.

One of the many places that Thomas is believed to have prayed at is Malayattoor, a hill near Kochi. That hill is a forest even now though not densely wooded. One of the information boards on top of the hill says that the hill was an impenetrable forest in the olden days. Why on earth would Thomas climb that forest to pray is a mystery. Now there is a trekking path well-trodden by thousands of pilgrims over the years. It took about two hours for Maggie and me to reach the pilgrimage centre on top though we took the traditional track. I think it would be a grave understatement to say that Thomas was very adventurous.

The pilgrimage season has only just started. So the place was not too crowded. In a week’s time the tracks will be full of pilgrims. May Saint Thomas bless them with a lot of goodness! 

On top of the hill

The saint's footprint on the rock
The oldest chapel on the hill was built in 1595

A pillar of the chapel
The lake at the foot of the hill


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Comments

  1. Yamini MacLeanMarch 26, 2023 at 6:30 PM

    Hari Om
    It has not been uncommon for all early ascetics (of all philosophical backgrounds) to seek out solitary and often difficult places for meditation/prayer/contemplation and whatever other 'ation' applies to the practice of their faith. Even all around the place I live are settlements named KIL-something, Kilmun, Kilmartin, Kilmalcom and so forth. Kil is the gaelic word for cell. Early monks travelling to spread the word would find little caves, or build very small, single-room shelters (cells) in which to sit with themselves. Which is all to say, that I think it entirely possible and likley that Thomas would have made that forest trek in service of his own "sadhana". What he would make of all those folk and those constructions growing up around his 'footprints' though, might be worth contemplating on! YAM xx

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    1. Tomichan MatheikalMarch 26, 2023 at 6:52 PM

      I can accept that. Once I visited Badrinath and saw the cave of a sage who lived in that place throughout the year. That's quite a feat given the severity of the winter in that place. I saw similar ascetics in other places too - Kedarnath, etc.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousMarch 28, 2023 at 11:19 AM

    Interesting to learn about the potential connection between Saint Thomas and India, and how trade relations between Rome and South India could have facilitated his arrival. The story of Thomas distributing money to the poor and constructing a palace in heaven is thought-provoking. It's also fascinating to hear about the pilgrimage to Malayattoor and how it has evolved over time. Thanks for sharing this informative post, Matheikal!

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    1. Tomichan MatheikalMarch 28, 2023 at 12:57 PM

      Welcome.
      That story about the palace is apocryphal. Thomas reaching Kerala is more probable.

      Delete
  3. vanderloostMarch 31, 2023 at 6:37 PM

    There is another very intriguing theory about Jesus coming to India through the Kashmir route and staying incognito for a while there. I don't know how historically correct that data is. But I believe he interacted with other yogis aand monks there and exchanged spiritual notes which seems possible because Spiritual Leaders do interact with sadhaks of other religions.

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