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The Knanaya, are an endogamous group in the Saint Thomas Christian community of Kerala, India. Today there are about 300,000 Knanaya in India and elsewhere. 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.

Names

The term Knanaya derives from the name of Thomas of Cana, an important figure of Saint Thomas Christian tradition. It is also understood to be a misinterpretation of a Syriac term for merchant (Knāyil in Malayalam). Others speculate the background for Knanaya to be Kynai a town near Seleucia-Ctesiphon. Now the community is generally assigned as Knanite christians.

Origins

The earlier version traces the divide to the figure of Thomas of Cana, an Armenian merchant who led a group of 72 immigrant families from the Edessa in 345 CE(Diogo fe Cuoto estimate it to be 811 AD) to settle in India in the 4th century (some sources place these events in the 8th century) with 400 East Syrian Christians of 7 clans. This tradition may reflect a historical migration of East Syrian Christians to India around this time, which establishes the region's relationship with the Church of the East. In 1939, Knanaya politician and author Joseph Chazhikaden published a book on the community, Tekkumbhagasamudayam Charitram, in which he calls the Knanaya community as Tekkumbhagar to denote their descendancy from Jews of southern state of Judah.

History

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 decided to have 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.

The Jews of Cochin are considered as precursors of Christianity in Kerala from 10 BC. "Ophir" the Land of Gold mentioned in 1 Kings 9:28, was the capital of an Aparanta kingdom, which stretched all the way from Mumbai to Kerala along the west coast. "Tharshish" mentioned in 1 Kings 10:22 is a city of Tharisa in Kollam, Kerala. The words used like goph and tukkiyyim are identified as Dravidian loan words meaning apes and peacock.

Traditions and customs

Like other Saint Thomas Christians, Knanaya culture is largely derived from Syriac Christian culture mixed with local Indian customs, with later elements derived from Indian and European contacts. Most of the traditions and rituals among syrian christian's are considered attempts of the community to seek actualization with old testament narrative. According to a 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.. Many traditions have stood the test of time, and some in the verge of fading away. E.g., Margamkali

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. The betrothal (Othu-kalyanam) is a binding ceremony as it is in Jewsih traditions. They are considered similar to 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 the nada. Both the Groom and the Bride is received 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 for prosperity.

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 yellowish 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, the elevation is a privilege given for the new couples they offered fresh milk and fruits, the new couple shares it from the same cup and the same bowl signifying they are one. They processed into the canopy with koluvilakku, an elongated lamp used in traditional keralite culture and traditional songs for the marriage (Kettu-kalyanam).

In certain geographical areas and based on socio-economic status a strict tradition of endogamy is maintained. Knanaya's from Chicago claim to be such a group. Though this practice is increasingly unpopular and considered as ill forms of casteism. The wedding customs are also modified as different geographical traditions.E.g., Best-man and maid of honor are selected and short speeches wishing the couple best is practiced in Americas.

References

Citations

1. Fahlbusch, p. 286.
2. Neill, p. 42.
3. Donald Eugene Smith, South Asian Politics and Religion, Princeton University Press, 1996, ISBN:9781400879083, pp. 184
4. Robert Eisenman, Essays on Works of Hippolytus (9.9,10.25)
5. Baum
6. Neill, pp. 42–43.
7. Roshen Dalal, The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths, Penguin Books India, 2010, ISBN: 9780143415176
8. Vahan Hovhanessian, The Old Testament as Authoritative Scripture in the Early Churches of the East, 2010, ISBN:9781433107351
9. http://www.nazraney.com/journal37.htm
10. http://kottayamad.org/knanaya-tradition/
11. Vahan Hovhanessian, The Old Testament as Authoritative Scripture in the Early Churches of the East, 2010, ISBN:9781433107351, pp. 99
12. Abraham Mukalel, The Existence of the Knanaya Community and the Knanaya Cathlic Community. Pontifical Institute of Theology and Philosophy, Alwaye.(Vellian and Vembeni para. no. 93-98)
13. Jacobsen & Raj 2008, pp. 202–207.

Bibliography

• Baum, Wilhelm; Dietmar W. Winkler (2003). The Church of the East: A Concise History. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-29770-2. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
• Fahlbusch, Ernst (2008). The Encyclopedia of Christianity: Volume 5. Eerdmans. p. 286. ISBN 9780802824172. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
• Jacobsen, Knut A.; Raj, Selva J. (2008). South Asian Christian Diaspora: Invisible Diaspora in Europe and North America. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 0754662616. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
• Neill, Stephen (2004). A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-54885-3. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
• Weil, S. (1982) "Symmetry between Christians and Jews in India: The Cananite Christians and Cochin Jews in Kerala" in Contributions to Indian Sociology, 16.

External links

• Knanaya Jacobite Annual Convention
• Jews of Kerala
• Christians of Kerala
• Indian Christianity
• Archdiocese of Kottayam
• Official website of the Knanaya Catholic Congress of North America

• Use dmy dates from February 2011
• Christian communities of India
• History of Christianity in Asia
• Crypto-Judaism
• Kerala society
• Knanaya Community
• Malayali people