My aunt Annakutty

On the eve of canonisation, the nephew Kurian C. Muttathupadam recalls the remarkable life of his aunt, who died 62 years ago

I need to prove my right to address Annakutty as my aunt. I remember reading through a manuscript that was in the possession of my father, Cherian Vaidyan. He had inherited this historical record from his grand uncle Fr. Joseph Muttathupadam. According to the facts in that parchment, the first Raja of Chembakassery, Mahipalarajendran, had brought from outside his kingdom four Christian families — Chakkumkal, Mukkumkal, Karimbali and Muttathupadam. These families were to conduct religious service in the newly constructed Catholic Church, which he had built in Kudamalloor village, within the jurisdiction of his kingdom, in the first half of 12th century.

These four families were permitted to settle down among the non-Christians in the Chembakassery kingdom. Avira Chacko headed the Muttathupadam family. He was given the duty of supervising the religious services in the church.

Aymanam village, a few kilometres from the palace and within the jurisdiction of the Chembakassery kingdom, was the place where Avira Chacko initially settled down with his family. Since members of the Muttathupadam family were accomplished in martial arts and expert in Ayurveda, the king frequently used their services. As the proximity of the physicians to the palace became a recurring need, in the first half of the 18th century, one of the descendants of Avira Chacko, Eppan Vaidyan, a physician proficient in the treatment of the eyes, was allowed to settle down on the northern bank of the tributary of the Meenachil river that flowed in front of the Chembakassery Palace. Eppan’s sons were Cherian (Kochukunju Vaidyan) and Joseph. Joseph became a priest, an ardent missionary of his time, an able administrator, a voracious reader and a prolific speaker among his contemporaries.

The other son, Kochukunju Vaidyan, had three sons — Kuttan Vaidyan, Kunjikuttan and Chacko Vaidyan. Kuttan Vaidyan or Joseph, married Mary of Puthukari in Muttuchira, had three daughters, Elizabeth, Thresia and Annakutty (Alphonsa) and a son, Eppachan. Eppachan died when he was 10.

Kunjikuttan, younger brother of Kuttan Vaidyan, died in his 30s. The youngest brother of Kuttan Vaidyan, Chako Vaidyan, had only one son, Cherian and one daughter, Elizabeth. If Annakutty were to call someone from her father’s line her brother that was only her cousin Cherian. He was one year younger to Annakutty. As one of the seven children of Cherian Vaidyan Muttathupadam, you can now guess my right to call Annakutty my aunt. She being one year senior to my father and in accordance with the prevalent custom in our place, I call her "Peramma"; so I am her nephew.