A family stands as remainder of the arrival of the Portuguese in Kerala: the Anthrappers. One must look into the history of this family to know more about the arrival of Vasco da Gama, the ups and downs of the Portuguese in Kerala and their intervention in the affairs of the state.





Chevalier A C M Anthrapper

The members belonging to present generation of Anthrappers family, in front of Arangamparambu house / Photo: P Jayeesh

Kochi dynasty, Arthunkal Church and Pathiramanal Island are few of the territories that had associations with the Anthrappers. The current members belong to 14th generation of Anthrappers and over the years this family had underwent transition from its traditional Portuguese culture to that of Kerala.Under the family names Arangumparambil, Maliyekkal and Nedumpally, the Anthrappers now live in Cherthala, Thuravoor and Vayalar, located in Cherthala taluk. From these villages in Kerala, the Anthrappers have let know Kerala as well as the world of their existence.The current generation of Anthrappers have begun attempts to put together a book, which records the history of their prestigious family. Led by Sunny Anthrapper, the Anthrapper Family Association has taken the initiative to bring out this book. Thelma Anthrapper, wife of Mattathil Raju Anthrapper, has taken up the role of scripting the family history. Let us glance at some of the facts she has collected.After his first visit to Kerala, Vasco da Gama returned to Portugal and made another visit to the region with a massive fleet. Andrew Pereira, who was a general in the force, was the one responsible for the inception of the Anthrapper family.Things had then fallen out between the Zamorin of Kozhikode and the Portuguese. The latter further approached Kochi Maharaja, who granted them asylum. The Portuguese eventually became forerunners in trade and even intervened in the administration of Kochi.Andrew Pereira was appointed as a treasurer who kept records of accounts, documents and bills regarding the trade. Upon gaining trust and appreciation of the Maharaja, he was appointed as chief trainer of the army. Pereira died on January 9, 1520. As a mark of respect, the Maharaja bestowed on Diego, the only son of Pereira, the charge of all the positions his father had held. Diego served the Maharaja of Kochi for over 30 years.As an appreciation of the earnest services of Diego, he was bestowed the title of 'Madambi' by the Maharaja. Diego was handed over citation in this regard and also a sword as a mark of recognition. This apart 10,000 gold coins were given to Diego for constructing a bungalow at Karappuram. And thus began the construction of his residence at the spot, where the Arthunkal Saint George Church is now located. On August 1, 1546, Diego moved to his new bungalow along with his family. Historians say Diego was the first foreigner to settle in India.During the time of John Anthrapper, who belonged to the 5th generation of the family, a battle took place between the Portuguese and the Dutch. The victorious Dutch routed the Portuguese. In that process, the Dutch had taken away many valuables belonging to the Anthrappers and they also locked the Arthunkal and Thankey churches. Anthrapper approached the king and shared his plight with him.Following this, the king contacted the Dutch Governor and held a discussion to resolve the issue. Many clauses were drawn up for the Anthrappers _ they were told to adapt the rituals and outfits according to the culture of Kerala and also to distant themselves from the Portuguese.These conditions put the Anthrappers, who used to enter into marital relationships with persons of Portuguese descent, in a tight spot. Kochandy, son of Mathayi Anthrapper belonging to the fifth generation of Anthrappers, find it difficult to get a suitable bride. His father sought counsel from their spiritual guide Kuncheria Kathanar.As per his advice, Kochandy tied knot with Anna, a member of the Syrian Christian family of Kerala, the first-of-its-kind marriage in the history of Anthrapper family. The current generation is their successors. Now, there are about 150 Anthrappers families in existence.The Anthrapper family has been credited for its assistance in the construction and renovation of the Arthunkal Church, as per the details collected by the family historian.In the interest of the Maharaja of Kochi, Diego Pereira, the Portuguese, settled in Arthunkal. During the time of his stay at the Arangumparambil house, there were no churches in the nearby area. Accordingly, a room of the house was used as a cupola. Diego further converted that room into a church and it was named after Saint Andrews in memory of his father. The idol of the saint was brought from Portugal. The Anthrappers claim that the church eventually became the Arthunkal St. Andrew's Basilica.Later, the Anthrappers are said to have contributed land and cash for the construction of the Saint George Church. Recently, a new parish hall and a Sunday school for the church have been constructed by the Anthrappers as well.In Thankey, there lies a church and cemetery in the name of Christ the Lord, exclusively for the Anthrapper family. In recognition of the contributions made by the Anthrappers, A C M Anthrapper was conferred the title of the Chevalier.(Translated by Arjun Subhash)