The First Protestant Christian of Travancore Kingdom : Part I :
Maharasan's pilgrimage to Chidambram : Maha Rasan was a visionary he was well versed
P.Babu Manoharan.:M.A, [Rights reserved . This Article will be enlarged modified and corrected later if needed ]. .
The First Protestant Christian of Travancore,the great Maha Rasan Vethamanickam Desikar : Mylaudy Maharasan Vethamanickam was a remarkable person, a multifaceted personality, social thinker , visionary , missionary and achiever. Definitely he was one of the pioneers of social ,cultural , intellectual, spiritual and educational renaissance and revolution of Travancore state
Maharasan's birth , Native Village and parentage: . Maha Rasan Vethamanickam was the man who was responsible to bring London Missionary Society into Travancore in 1806. C.M.Agur , the great Church historian,writes that , "The introduction of the Protestant religion into Travancore is associated in a most interesting manner with the personal history of the first convert Vethamanickam whose heathen name was Maha Rasan." .His forefathers were cultivators near Tanjore in the Chola Kingdom and due to great political prosecution and social cruelties his ancestors in bulk moved towards South and reached the lovely Mylaudy in Nanjilnad , Kanyakumari district via Vallanad in Ttirunelveli District, during the early part of 18th century. Maha Rasan's family settled at the vicinity of Mylaudy near the canal and turned the waste lands into paddy fields when "Puthanar Canal" of Nanjilnad was newly opened and became owners of extensive cultivable lands.
Maha Rasan was born at Mylaudy in Kanyakumari district [South Travancore] in 1763. Most of Maha Rasan's family members were well versed in Astrology , Medicine, Poetry etc. On account of their pursuits of learning and scholarship in Astrology and landed property both men and women of Maha Rasan's family were well respected by of all communities. They were pious and God fearing people generally, the women of the family were staunch Vishnuvites and men were Zealous Sivites and staunch worshipers of Subramanian and Annamalai .
The importance of Mylaudy : Due to various vibrating reasons Mylaudy occupies an unique and important place in the Church history of Travancore and India. The great Maha Rasan Vethamanickam , who was primarily responsible to bring the legendary LMS missionary Mr. Ringeltaube into Travancore , was born at Mylaudy. Incidentally Maha Rasan Vethamanickam was the first Protestant christian or fruit, in Travancore [1799]. The first Protestant Church in Travancore was built at Mylaudy in September,1809 ; the first English Primary School in Travancore was bulit at Mylaudy ; the great Christian poets , Mr. Devaram Munshi , Mr. John Palmer , Rev.. C. Masillamani [ Father of the great Church Historian and Author of the monumental book , "Church History of Travancore "1903, pages 1183, in English] were born at Mylaudy in the family of Maha Rasan Vethamanickam . Mylaudy was the Head- Quarters of the LMS in Travancore till Mr. Charles Mead moved the Head Quarters of Mylaudy LMS Mission from Mylaudy to Nagercoil in 1818 AD.
Maha Rasan's Education: At an early age Maha Rasan lost his father and he was brought up by his Mother and he was sent to School along with his brothers and cousins to a School at an idyllic Sudra village called Eraviputhur in Nanjilnadu. His teacher was an able Tamil Pundit and the teacher was well versed in Grammar, Astrology, Mathematics , etc, as Maha Rasan was a brilliant student he was very much liked by his Sudra caste teacher and naturally he surpassed and out stood his brothers in studies.
Maha Rasan's family :In the absence of his father his mother was bringing up Maha Rasan and his sisters and brothers. One Mr. Gnanamuthu [Perumal] the cousin of Maha Rasan Vethamanickam was the head of Maha Rasan's family at Mylaudy and Gnanamuthu's wife's name was Nallayi.. Maharasan's wife's christian name was Satthiayi. Maharasan's brother's name was Mr.Sivanan [ Gnanabranam] and Maha Rasan's daughters were , Pakkiayi and Anna Ammal . Maharasan's sons' names were: Chidambaram [Devasahayam], and Moses. Maha Rasan's brother's son who accompanied Maha Rasan to Chadambaram in 1799 AD , was Sivagurunathan [ Masillamani].
Maharasan's pilgrimage to Chidambram : Maha Rasan was a visionary he was well versed
in Tamil literature and Hindu Puranas. He was a natural seeker of God and truth . Maha Rasan was a careful reader of the Siva Puranas and tried to confirm his conduct as closely as possible to the rules put down by Sivite thinkers and writers . For his curious religious quest he could not find convincing answers and while he was at Tiruchendur during one of his usual trips , one Siddhar met Maha Rasan and told him to meditate upon the great Brahman . So Maha Rasan decided to go to Chidambaram to attain Chayuchya or the fourth or the highest degree of bliss of union with God , or the final beatitude of re-absorption into the divine essence. So in 1799 AD , Maha Rasan together with his brother's son Sivagurunathan started their historical pilgrimage to Chidambaram to attain Chaychya.
Mylaudy to Chidambaram : With a good sum of money in hand Maha Rasan and Sivagurunathan disguised themselves as Pandarams , and proceeded their journey towards Chidambaram, by visiting the Siva temples on their way to Chidambaram . At last they crossed 300 miles from Mylaudy to Chidambaram by walk and reached Chidambaram. But he was taken aback and he was displeased to see the night dances and abominations of all kinds in the Chidambaram Temple, Maharasan came to a clear conclusion that Chidambaram Temple could not be a favourable place for undisturbed meditation on the great Brahman. However due to fatigue he fell asleep by the side of a stone pillar inside the temple and saw a significant dream., in the dream Maha Rasan saw a venerable white man attired in bright white robes and holding a stick in his hand appeared and wanted Maha Rasan to correct his spiritual steps and convictions. [Church history of Travancore , C.M.Agur. Page .433.]. So Maha Rasan and his nephew Sivagurunathan on the next day morning left Chidambaram Temple with heavy heart and proceeded to his cousin sister's house at Tanjore.
Maha Rasan Vethmanickam at Tanjore: Some decades before the arrival of Maharasan Vethamanickam in Tanjore, the relatives of Maharasan who lived in Tanjore and surrounding area were converted to Lutheran Christianity due to the relentless effort of one remarkable man by name Raja Nicken and he was the chief means of introducing Protestantism into Tanjore and of forming the early Church at Tanjore. Maha Rasan and his nephew Sivagurunathan ,on arrival at Tanjore ,went to the residence of Maha Rasan's Christian cousin-sister and brother-in- law . Maha Rasan's meeting with his cousin sister made historical and significant impact and changes in the religious and spiritual life of Maha Rasan. It can be inferred that the relatives of Maharasan whom Maharasan met at Tanjore were the descendants of Raja Naicken.
Maha Rasan and Revd.J.C.Kohlhoff : On the invitation of his cousin sister's husband Maharsan and his nephew went to a Christian Church at Tanjore . Maha Rasan had never seen a Christian Assembly before that. It so happened that, that day Revd.Fr. John Caspar Kohlhoff , the President of Tanjore Mission [Revd.J.C. kohlhoff was the son of Revd. J. Balthasar Kohlhoff and also he was the adopted son of the famous missionary Revd.Fr. Schwartz] was delivering the sermon and the sermon touched Maha Rasan, as a sudden and unexpected star to one who had long wandered in thick spiritual darkness without a ray of light . After the church service Revd.J.C.Hohlhoff met Maha Rasan and interacted with him. Mr Kohlhoff gave Maharasan a tract called" Meygnannam" . Maharasan's interaction with Mr Kohlhoff and the message of Meygnanam spiritually converted Maha Rasan and his nephew , consequently Maha Rasan and Sivagurunathan accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and God. On hearing their personal conviction and confession , Revd. J.C. Kohlhoff baptized both of them and changed the name Maha Rasan into Vethamanickam and Sivagurunathan into Masillamani. Following the baptism Vethamanickam became a close friend of Revd. J.C. Kohlhoff in Christ and Vethamanickam frequently visited " Schwartz's Garden" where the Revd. J.C. Kohlhoff was residing at Tanjore. Vethamanickam was highly benefited by the graceful words of that venerable Missionary Revd. J.C. Kohlhoff.
Dr. John of Tranquebar Mission and Vethamanickam : After having acquired some basic knowledge of the important doctrines of the Bible ,Vethamanickam desired to visit the Tranquebar Misssion and see Dr. John , the head of the Tranquebar Mission, who was then residing at Poreiyar near Tranquebar . So Vethamanickam visited Dr . John and had the privilege to observe the working of the Tranquebar Mission Press and other Church establishments which consisted of a large Church, Schools, Printing Office and various Christian dwelling houses . Afterwards Vethamanickam returned to Tanjore.
Vethamanickam's return to Mylaudy: Almost six months had passed since Maha Rasan left his native village Mylaudy, and so Maha Rasan wanted to return to his native place with his new spiritual experience ; eventhough Revd J.C.Kohlhoff wanted Vethamanickam to stay some more months at Tanjore and undergo a Theological Course. Vethamanickam's trip to Tanjore via Chidambaram not only caused him to change his name Maha Rasan into Vethamanickam but also it changed the social , educational , intellectual and religious history of Travancore. Maha Rasan Vethamanockam and Masillamani started their southward journey with a copy of Holy Scriptures and few other Christan books. At last after a long pedestrian journey they reached the idyllic Mylaudy to the great excitement of their relatives . Instead of giving Chidambara Prasatham and Vibuthi , Maha Rasan Vethamanickam showed them the New Testament and briefly narrated the events of his journey including his conversion ; with great surprise and shock his relatives heard his experience.
P.Babu Manoharan.:M.A, [Rights reserved . This Article will be enlarged modified and corrected later if needed ]. .
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