"Every family has a history... This is ours."
The Mannamplackal family is an ancient and prestigious Syrian Catholic family with its branches extending throughout Kerala, especially the Chirakkadavu and Kanjirappally regions of Kottayam District.
"According to legend, Parasurama is said to have donated 64 villages to Kerala Brahmins. One of them was Palayur and historical records show that St. Thomas, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ, visited this place in 53 A.D. to preach the gospel."
Four Brahmin families (Illams) named Kalli, Kalikavu, Sankarapuri and Pakalomattom were converted to Christianity. The descendants of these new converts migrated to Kuravilangad and other neighbouring places.
Kocheepen, scion of Kalikavu, was appointed as minister by the Raja at Changanacherry. He established a church there, still existing behind the Archbishop's house. The Raja gave him the honourable title 'Tharakan' and he stayed in a house behind the church near the cemetery (Kallara), known as 'Kallarackal Tharakan'. This was the origin of the Kallarackal family.
Thomman, of the Kallarackal family, came to Nedumkunnam. The Raja gave him lands, tax exempted, and the title Tharakan. His land complex was called 'Mukkattu Cherickal', later the Mukkattu family. Mukkattu Tharakan had four sons and one daughter; the daughter married into the Anathanam family. One son, Mathai, stayed in the ancestral home; Kuruvilla established Nedumudi Panakkedathu family. Another son, Kunjuthomman, is the progenitor of the present Mannamplackal family.
"There was a jackfruit tree in the property, called 'Mannamplavu'. From the time Kunjuthommen started inhabiting there, the family name became 'Mannamplackal' (c. 1770-1780)."
In 1816, Kuruvilla, son of Kunjuthommen, recorded a Kanjirappally parish council meeting in his own handwriting (see annals of Kanjirappally, p.81). Over time, the Mannamplackal family became widely recognized. The junction where roads from Manimala, Ponkunnam, and Kanjirappally meet is still called 'Mannamplavu Junction' due to its proximity to the family.
Kunjuthomman and Kunjumariamma had five sons and seven daughters. One son became a priest; another, Kuruvilla, had no progeny. The descendants of other sons settled as branch families in various parts, assuming names such as Manakunnil, Purayidathil, Elampurayidathil, Kangazhaparambil, and many more.
"My name is Deepak from the Karottumanakunnil branch and I am the 8th generation from Kunjuthommen. My grandfather, Mr. M.D. Mathew, wrote down our family history for the first time. It was published in 1994 on his 75th birthday. He died on September 15th, 1999."