Alapatt KakkappanMoothar Family History
Introduction
One of the prominent props of the Syrian Catholic community around Trichur, ‘Alapatt’ family has made its mark in the spiritual, social and economic fields of erstwhile Malabar and Cochin State. Formerly, its members lived at Ambakad and Ayyanthole, which belonged in those days to the Enammavu parish, all with in Trichur District. Kakkappan, a member of the family, who lived in the middle of the 18th centuary, begot sons in his two marriages one of whom, named after him, is the progenitor of the Alapatt Family that first took its roots in Kattoor.
Tippu Sultan entered Cochin State in November 1789 in the course of his conquest of the South and according to K. P. Padmanabhan Pillai’s ‘History of the Cochin State’, Tippu’s army reached Trichur on 14th December 1789. The invasion led to great unrest among the people, resulting in the movement of great many people from the existing locations. Thus, the aforesaid father with son both called Kakkappan, fled southwards to Travancore and were reportedly living for some time in Trivandrum**. It was in Trivandrum that the father died and son. Kakkappan made his return journey northwards, taking him to Kattoor where he married Thandamma, daughter of Sri. Palathingal Kunjipaloo, Anthony a prominent person in the village. The couple raised their family in a new house constructed at ‘Thekkumoola’ in Kattoor. Hardworking and entreprenous by nature, Kakkappan prospered soon and before long, with the grace of God, succeeded in becoming rich and well known in and around Kattoor. Consequently, he came to be known as ‘MOOTHAR’, a traditional title of honour given in those days, to very outstanding and prominent figures in the society.
It is noteworthy that the obsequies and memorial masses set u p in the names of Kakkappan Moothar and his father are still evident in the mural writings preserved at the present Enammavu Church, which itself is believed to be nearly 1500 years old.
Kakkappan Moothar, subsequently, severed his ties with the Enammavu Church and joined the Edathiruthy parish (The Edathiruthy Church dates back to, at least, three hundred years). In the meantime, he brought to Kattoor from Ambakkatt two of his half-brothers (sons of his father in his first marriage) and set them at a place called ‘Munayam’ in Karanchira. Their descendants, therefore, came to be known as the 'Munayath Alapatt’, the second branch of the Alapatt family.(Part B)
Kakkappan Moothar had three sons, Ouseph, Anthony and Porinchunny of whom Anthony remained in the ancestral house at ‘Thekkummoola’ while Ouseph shifted to ‘Kattoor’ (Near High School, Kattoor) and Porinchunny moved to Karanchira (Sri. A. A. Lonappan’s present house), all under the supervisions of their father.
Ouseph’s (code no. 11) house, constructed in the extensive compound to the west of Kattoor High School was inherited by his second son, Kunjipalu (No. 112) while first son, Kakkappan had gone to live with is issuless uncle, Porinchunni at Karanchira, Kunjipaloo’s only son, Kuriya gave his house to his second son, Ittoop, as his first son, Thoma shifted to a new house on the western part of the same compound. Ittoop’s house later passed on to his youngest son Dr. A. I. George (No. 112129A) who demolished the tharavad building and on its site built a new house in 1989. Thomas’s house is at present occupied by his grand son, Sri. A. K. Tony (1121111)
Alapatt Thoppil
Porinchunni who, originally, moved to Karanchira, had no issue and therefore, on his demise, his properties were shared between his two brothers, Ouseph and Anthony, of whom Ouseph, his eldest brother got the coconut estate ‘Thoppuparambu’, where his son, Kakkappan was put up. His descendants came to be known as ‘Alapatt Thoppil’ Of the six sons of Kappan (111) Porinchu became a priest who later grew top to become the vicar general of Trichur Diocese, and other lived together. The youngest son, Lonappan had no children and the house was inherited by Anthony’s son,. Lonappan through whom it passed into the possession of his only son, Anthony (111612) and afterwards, to his only son Sri. A. A. Lonappan, who at present, lives there. Kakkappan’s eldest son, Ouseph (1111) had only one daughter (Thandama), while his second son Ittiachan had only one son, Kakkappan, who constructed a house close to present Karanchira Bridge over the Karuvannur river in the compound called ‘ Kadavile Valappu’. His son Sri .A .K Ittiachan, now occupies the house. ‘Kakkapan’s (111) third son Kochuvareed had two son’s, Ouseph and Chaku who, constructed two separate houses on the eastern bank of the river, to the south of – ‘Kadavila Valappu’ Ouseph had two sons- Kochuvareed and Kakkappan of whom Kakkappan dies young and Kochuvareed (111411) had only one daught Mariamma. The house is now occupied by his only grand son, Sri. Joseph Alapatt. Since Chaku’s only son, Ittiachan prematurely died, his house passed in to one of his two daughters, Thresia, where her son, Anthony Thopil lives.
The Tharavadu of Kakkappan Moothar and “Thekkumoola” went to his second son, Anthony from whom his youngest son Pyloth inherited it. As he had only daughters Sri. Abraham Panikulam of North Parur who married his daughter, Kunjethi settled there. Thus, one of the two branches of Panikulam family came to be established in Kattoor, with the house becoming the ‘Tharavad’ of the Panikulam branch.
Karottu family
Lona (121), the eldest son of Anthony settled in the raised laterite area (near the present Karanchira High School) which, therefore, came to be known as ‘Karottuparambu’. The compound was the share that Anthony got, when his issueless brother Porinchunny’s properties were divided among the other two brothers. Lona’s sons, Porinchu (1211), Ouseph (1213) and Anthony (1215) lived together in the ‘Karottu Tharavad’. Of, Ouseph had only one daughter (Rosa) and Anthony had no children. Therefore, the house went to Poricnhu’s eldest son Lona (12111) afterwards, to second son, Ouseph (121112) from whom it passed into his eldest son, Anthony (121131), the present occupant- Porinchu’s second son went for priesthood (Rev Fr. Samstroke of St joseph) and his next son Vareed (121114) constructed a house not too far from ‘Kadavila Valappu’ and South of ‘Karanchira Thope’ where he lived for some years; but subsequently, shifted to ‘Kandoraparambu’ at Karottu (His original house was bought by Sri. Palathingal Porinchunny Vareed (father of Sri P.V. Francis, master now demolished) Anthony, (121116), the youngest son of Porinchu (1211) built a house in the southern part of ‘Karottu Parambu’ close to the Tharavad. The house is now occupied by his son Augusty.
Karanchira Thope
Lona’s (121) youngest son, Devassy (1211) constructed a house in the extensive compound called ‘Karanchira Thope’, on the river bank opposite to ‘Kadayila Valappu’, which, subsequently, passed on to his eldest son, Porinchu where his son, Sri. A.P. Mathew, presently resides. Devassy’s second son became a priest (Rev. Fr. Leophold C.M.I), while the remaining four sons, Anthony, Kakkappan, Lonappan, and Paul (Professor A. D. Paul) built houses in the four corners of the compound, Those houses are occupied respectively by Francis (Anthony’s youngest son) Devassy (Kakkappan’s eldest son), Ouseph (Lonappan’s eldest son) and Dr. A.P. Sebastian (Paul’s eldest son)
Anthony’s (12) second son Chakku (124) constructed a house to the south of the ancestoral house at ‘Thekkummoola’. His only son Anthony (1244) and after him, his youngest son Iyppunny (12444) lived in the house while the eldest brother Chakku (12443) moved to the compound west of ‘Thekkummoola’ (on the road to the present Rose College). Iyppunni, who was in the Tharavad died young leaving only two daughters who for some years lived with their mother in their maternal grand father’s house in Mundoor and Chakku, his eldest brother, came back to live at the Tharavad and to look after the properties of his brother when daughter of Iypunni became of marriageable age and returned to their ancestoral house in Kattoor and the properties were restored to them by Chakku. In the meantime, Chakku moved to Illikad area close to Vadachira where he built a new house.
************************
** Prof. A. D. Paul—Notes on Rev. Fr. Samsonstroke of St. Joseph, Karanchira: 1955