Misplaced Pages

Knanaya

Article snapshot taken from[REDACTED] with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 117.248.62.156 (talk) at 13:35, 25 August 2015 (→Modern era). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Revision as of 13:35, 25 August 2015 by 117.248.62.156 (talk) (→Modern era)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources.
Find sources: "Knanaya" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2015)
(Learn how and when to remove this message)
Ethnic group
Knanaya
Regions with significant populations
c. 300,000 (Kerala, India; Chicago; elsewhere)
Languages
Malayalam; local languages
Religion
Predominantly Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
Related ethnic groups
Saint Thomas Christians, Malayalis

The Knanaya, are christian sect that claims to be the followers of a Syrian Christian merchant Thomas of Cana tradition. They are an endogamous group in the Syrian Christian community of Kerala, India. Today there are about 300,000 Knanaya in India and elsewhere.

Today the majority of Knanaya members are of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and the Malankara Churches. They became increasingly prominent in Kerala in the late 19th century. Many Knanayas migrated away in 20th and 21st centuries, largely to Australasia, Middle East and Western World, forming communities in Non-Malayalam speaking areas, with a large expatriate community especially in Chicago.

Today the majority of Knanaya are members of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and the Malankara Churches. They became increasingly prominent in Kerala in the late 19th century. Many Knanaya migrated away in 20th and 21st centuries, largely westward, forming communities in non-Malayalam speaking areas, with a large expatriate community forming in Chicago.

St. Marys Knanaya Jacobite Church in Kottayam,Kerala containing ancient Nasrani symbols and Sassanid Pahlavi inscriptions

Names

The term Knanaya derives from the name of Thomas of Cana, an important figure of Saint Thomas Christian tradition. The ultimate derivation of Thomas' epithet Cana is not clear: it may refer to the town of Cana, mentioned in the Bible, or to the land of Canaan. It is also considered as a misinterpretation of the Syriac term for merchant (Knāyil in Malayalam). But, scholar Richard M. Swiderski states that none of these etymologies have any historical basis. In the modern ecumenical era earlier discrimination terms that were used is shunned. Now the community is generally assigned as Christians.

Origins and traditions

The earlier version of Knanaya Christian tradition traces a central figure, Thomas of Cana, a Syrian merchant who led a group of 72 immigrant families from the Middle East to settle in India in the 4th century (some sources place these events in the 8th century). This story may reflect a historical migration of East Syrian Christians to India around this time, which established the region's relationship with the Church of the East.

In the Knanaya tradition, the Knanayas are direct descendants of Thomas of Cana and his followers. In many variants, Thomas of Cana had two wives or partners, one who came along with Thomas of Cana, and the other whom he took as his wife from an indigenous higher class Nair family. In other variants a women from the family of Thomas of Cana eloped and married a lower-caste Maaran boy and to serve them Thomas of Cana let some Syrian servants from his group to join them, wherein they also married other low caste Keralites. Latin Catholics, who are also attributed with lower-caste descendant, also maintain a version which traces Knanaya descent from an inter-caste relationship.

In 1939, Knanaya politician and author Joseph Chazhikaden published a book on the community, Tekkumbhagasamudayam Charitram, in which he argued that the Knanaya were the descendants of ancient Jews. According to Chazhikaden, they originated in Judea, and later converted to Christianity, though they maintained their distinct culture and identity. They moved to Cranganore, where they were welcomed by the ruler Cheraman Perumal and lived near, but maintained their separateness from, the indigenous Saint Thomas Christians. Many of the Knanaya community and religious-organizations today accept this to be the factual and conventional account, to counter-balance the existing traditions.

However, Swiderski believes the legend was "conceived and promulgated" by Chazhikaden himself and it as impossible to show the continuity between such scattered groups. As like other origin traditions, there is no direct evidence to support these suggestions and are considered to be fain articulations of undoubted historical reality and geographical indications woven into a web of fictional story that lacks historical credibility in itself. But existence of such Syrian christian faction also shows the credibility of the parts in the story, were Christian merchants settled in India from Persia and Mesopotamia in an age were trade was prominent and India's share of the world economy was above 20 percent, without any skepticism.

Historical evidences & trends

Early mentions

The first known written evidence of Knanaya Christian community in the Saint Thomas Christian community dates to the 16th century, when Portuguese colonial officials took notice of it. A 1518 letter by a Jesuit missionary mentions a conflict between the children of Thomas of Cana. In 1579 another Jesuit named Monserrate wrote on the tradition of Thomas of Cana's two wives for the first time, but gives no details about either side. A 1603 letter by Portuguese official J. M. Campori further discusses the conflict, which had by that point become intermittently violent; Campori likewise traces its origin to the story of Thomas' two wives. None of these sources explicitly name the two sides as factions.

Following the Coonan Cross Oath of 1653, there was a split among Syrian Christians internally into Catholic and Malankara Church; this rift based on religious affinity overshadowed the conflict for a period. Later, both Saint Thomas Christians and Europeans tried to assuage the animosity and downplay the division.

Modern era

In the late 19th century social changes in British India led to increased wealth and social power for the Saint Thomas Christians. In this period of social change the Knanaya promoted their own uniqueness and independent identity to push for further opportunities for their community. They sought the establishment of Knanaya-centred parishes of both the Malankara and Catholic churches, which were founded in 1910 and 1911, respectively.

Like other Saint Thomas Christians, many Knanaya have migrated away from Kerala and India since the 20th century. The largest Knanaya diaspora community is in Chicago. The community originated in the 1950s when a small number of Knanaya and other Kerala natives emigrated to the area as nurses, care-givers and university students; they were followed by more substantial immigration after 1965. The immigrants met up periodically for social events, and in the 1970s the organizations for Catholics, members of other Christian churches, and Hindus were formed. In the 1980s the various Indian Catholic particular churches sent chaplains to Chicago; in 1983 the Bishop of Kottayam sent a chaplain to minister specifically to the Knanaya Catholics.

According to recent DNA research by Dr. Mini Kariappa, a significant number of Syrian Christians and Knanaya's share their ancestral roots with the West Eurasian gene pool of Jews.

Religious traditions

An unveiled tabernacle of a Knanaya Catholic Church

Traditionally the Knanaya have followed the religious traditions and practices of the wider Saint Thomas Christian community. In the 17th century, when the Saint Thomas Christians were split into Catholic and Malankara Church factions following the Coonan Cross Oath. The Malankara faction became affiliated with the Syriac Orthodox Church, an Oriental Orthodox church based in Syria, while the Catholic faction is now known as the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. Beginning in the late 19th century, both Malankara and Catholic Knanaya lobbied for their own dioceses within their respective denominations. In 1910, the Syriac Orthodox Church established a distinct Knanaya-oriented diocese in Chingavanam reporting directly to the Patriarch of Antioch. The following year, the Catholic Church established a Knanaya Catholic eparchy (diocese) in Kottayam, known as the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Kottayam.

Wedding customs

Marriage customs among Syrian Christians is formed from a unique blend of Old Testament rituals and New Testament teachings with traditional customs of Kerala. Engagement or "Blessing of Rings" is a ceremony that happens before any Syrian Christian marriage. It recalls the act of Issac adoring Rebecca with gold ornaments and Bridal dress as it is written in the Old Testament. In this ceremony Clasping of hands and hugging takes place. Moreover, representatives of both the family asks thrice for the permission from the assembled before they start the ceremony with introductions.

In the wedding Blessing of Crowns takes place with the reading of epistles and gospels. Differing from other syrian Christians, Knanites like in Jewish customs place Venthanmudy (Royal crown) as a symbolic representation on the heads of the couple. Tying of the Minnu(Thali) is the next important ritual which is common among syrian christians. It is absorbed hindu tradition with syrian christian ritual. The minnu is a small golden pendant in the form of a banyan leaf on which a cross is embossed with 21 minute buds, The thali is made by threading seven strands taken from the bridal veil(Manthrakodi). The Minnu is tied around the Bride's neck and the Manthrakodi is draped over her head. This is symbolic of Groom's acceptance to care for and cherish the Bride. Then with certain chants the celebrant or the priest unites them by placing the Bride's right hand in the Groom's right hand, entrusting each to the other in the name of God.

Later in the reception the wedding procession is done with joyous Nadavili or shouting at he nata. Bothe Groom and the Bride is recieved into the family, making sign of the cross on their foreheads with blessed palm leaf piece of Palm Sunday dipped in a bowl with grains of paddy and water, a symbolic representation of blessing them in abundance.

The distinct culture compared to Syrian Christians, among Knanya Christians are the customary rituals that takes place before the marriage. Before the marriage the Bride undergoes a beautification process (Mylanchi Idal) of by smearing of henna (a special yellow ointment called mylanchi) in her palms and feet. In this process many elderly women folk of the community come with gifts and blessings and the function ends with Margam Kali and prayers of the elders.

Similarly the Groom also undergoes a beautification process (Chantham Charthal) where the groom is given a ceremonial shaving by the barber and the function ends with Panan singing Biblical stories and about Knayi Thomas and by prayers of the elders to prepare the groom for marriage.

During the beautification process both the Bride and Groom in their individual families are offered with sweet pudding (Ichappad). The pudding is a mixture of white rice cooked in coconut milk. At the wedding banquet too a similar process is carried out where the Groom and Bride are seated on an elevated platform (Manarkolam) under a canopy, just like the Jewish huppa spreading on it a white linen and woolen sheet (Vellayum Karimpadavum) which is a privilege of royalty and is offered fresh milk and fruits, they share this from the same cup and the same bowl. They processed into the canopy with koluvilakku, a special lamp used in traditional keralite culture.

Culture

Like other Saint Thomas Christians, Southist culture is largely derived from Syriac Christian culture mixed with local Indian customs, with later elements derived from Indian and European contacts.

Traditional songs

The Knanaya Community has maintained numerous archaic songs that are used for several different occasions. The songs and ballads sing of many subject matters such as the arrival of the merchant Knai Thoma to India, traditions that take place during wedding ceremonies, biblical events of the Old Testament, and the erection of ancient churches.

Biblical songs are composed with the intention of teaching and transmitting Bible stories. Knanaya Bible songs show the age-old mixing of Hindu and Christian culture. An example of this can be seen in the Knanaya song "Maranarul" or "By the Lord's Command", a rendition of the creation of Adam in the biblical story of Adam and Eve.

Maranarul (English)

  • By the command of the Lord, man (world-dweller) was made
  • endowed with all qualities out of chaos
  • came unity. To prepare for the birth He grasped mud
  • and with a tool shaped it into a mass.
  • Within it the blood flowed and the muscles were arrayed.
  • For prosperity God’s place was housed amid the nine apertures.
  • Two hands, ten fingers with nails all red
  • the ten all afire, and the dancing soul was granted.
  • The soul bestowed, powerful Adam
  • without hesitation made heard the very first words.

(Malayalam)

  • Māŕānarul ceytīlōkēyannu nìravēri
  • ḕrrinalguṇaṅṅalellāṁ bhramimēlorēṭaṁ
  • orumayuṭayōǹ pērumakoṇḍu karuti maṇpiṭičču
  • piṭičča karuvilaṭakkam nēṭi pùrattu tukal potińńu
  • tukalakmē cōranīrum elluṁ māṁsadhatukkal
  • bhratikaḷkku vātilańǰum navadvāraṅṅaḷāyattu
  • raṇḍāṭu nālum nāluviralkku čuvappunakhaṇḍal pattu
  • pattuṭayoǹèrayakattuṭayōnāya koṭuttuṇarttyōrātmāvum
  • ātmāvum koṭuttu perumiṭṭōrābhamennu
  • enašēšaminniččāllāmunniniṇḍaḷ kēḷppin

References

Citations

  1. Fahlbusch, p. 286.
  2. Swiderski, "Blood Weddings", pp. 55–56.
  3. Neill, p. 42.
  4. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists"
  5. Baum
  6. Neill, pp. 42–43.
  7. Richard M. Swiderski, Northists and Southists
  8. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 88.
  9. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", p. 83.
  10. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists"
  11. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 83–84.
  12. Swiderski "Northists and Southists", p. 86.
  13. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists"
  14. Swiderski, Blood Weddings, p. 169.
  15. Jacobsen & Raj 2008, p. 186–187 and note.
  16. http://www.nazraney.com/journal37.htm
  17. Swidersky, "Northists and Southists", pp. 87–88.
  18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEN1UW86xdI
  19. http://kottayamad.org/knanaya-tradition/
  20. ^ Swiderski, "Oral Text: A South Indian Instance", pp.129-133

Bibliography

External links

Categories:
Knanaya Add topic