Thachil Mathoo Tharakan
Encyclopedia
Thachil Matthoo Tharakan (1741–1814) played a key role in the history of Kerala
/Travancore
/Cochin in India
towards the latter part of the 18th century and early 19th century. He was Commerce Minister to Dharma Raja and Balarama Varma, Maharajahs of Travancore. He was a prominent trader and was also a notable Syrian Christian leader of that era.
, near North Kuthiathode, in the present Paravur Taluk
of Ernakulam
District. He was born into a prosperous Syro-Malabar Christian family. His father was a "Karyasthan" (minister) of the King of Alangad (Alangad Karthavu), a native state which was later annexed by Travancore
, another native state. Matthoo had a comfortable childhood. However, when his father died early, the fortune that he inherited made him a spend-thrift, and he squandered everything that he got. Taking to good ways later, he did business successfully, prospered again, and the friends that he made during that period later took him to great heights. His powerful friends included Captain Eustachius De Lannoy
, the Dutch
commander who became head of the Travancore Army. Through such friends, he got introduced to the Kings of Travancore
and Cochin.
Matthoo Tharakan thus became a leading trader and influential Christian leader, from among the Syrian Christians
of Kerala, India. The title 'tharakan' was granted by the King Dharma Raja of Travancore to indicate 'a noble trader'. Matthoo Tharakan was a merchant with monopoly of timber, spices, salt, and tobacco, and was reportedly the first timber exporter from Southern India. He helped Dewan Raja Kesavadas
to built up the Alappuzha
port. He controlled the exports from Alappuzha
and Cochin ports.
and Maharajah Balarama Varma
of Travancore
. This was the highest post held by a native Indian Christian in the Indian Princely States. His best years were during the reign of Dharma Raja
, when Raja Kesavadas
was the Dewan. He loaned a large sum of money to the Kingdom to help fight its wars against Tipu Sultan
.
Soon after Balarama Varma
(who was then sixteen years old) was enthroned as Maharaja of Travancore
, Raja Kesavadas
was removed and Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri
took charge as Dewan. Sankara Narayanan was the Finance minister and Matthoo Tharakan the Commerce Minister. They decided to collect large sums of money from the people for the treasury. This resulted in a revolt engineered by Velu Thampi. Maharaja Balarama Varma
dismissed his Ministers and appointed Ayappan Chempaka Raman pillai as Dewan and Velu Thampi as commerce minister.
Later Velu Thampi was appointed as Dewan. Velu Thampi wreaked his vengeance on Mathoo Tharakan. Tharakan was arrested at Anchuthengu near Kollam
and taken to Trivandrum, where his two ears were cut off. He was scourged and was put in prison.. The other ministers also were severely punished. Velu Thampi ordered confiscation of Matthoo Tharakan's landholdings and assets alleging that he had to pay huge revenue arrears to the Government of Travancore. This order was later canceled by the British Resident Macaulay. Balarama Varma
later repented the indiscriminate actions of Velu Thampi and symbolically gave Tharakan a golden ear. Velu Thampi's subsequent revolt against the British (without the sanction of the Maharaja) led to his defeat and suicide in 1809 in Mannadi Temple
, Adoor.
. His efforts had the support of Mar Joseph Kariattil
of the Syrian Catholics. He was actively involved in organizing the historic journey of Mar Joseph Kariattil
and Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar
to Rome in 1782 for representing before the Pope the grievances of the Syrian Catholics.
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
/Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
/Cochin in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
towards the latter part of the 18th century and early 19th century. He was Commerce Minister to Dharma Raja and Balarama Varma, Maharajahs of Travancore. He was a prominent trader and was also a notable Syrian Christian leader of that era.
Trader and exporter
Matthoo belonged to AlangadAlengad
Alangad is a census town and panchayat in Paravur Taluk of Ernakulam District, Kerala, India.-Location:Alangadu is located just 7 km away from North Paravur and 8 km away from Aluva. The State Highway connecting North Paravur with Aluva passess through this village. It contains...
, near North Kuthiathode, in the present Paravur Taluk
Paravur Taluk
North Paravur is the capital of Paravur Taluk in Ernakulam District. Paravur Taluk lies in the north western part of Ernakulam district bordering to Thrissur district. The surrounding taluks are Kochi to the west consisting of Vypin Island, Kodungallore to the north, Aluva to the east consisting...
of Ernakulam
Ernakulam
Ernakulam refers to the downtown area or the western part of the mainland of Kochi city in Kerala, India. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial capital of the state of Kerala and is a main nerve of business in...
District. He was born into a prosperous Syro-Malabar Christian family. His father was a "Karyasthan" (minister) of the King of Alangad (Alangad Karthavu), a native state which was later annexed by Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
, another native state. Matthoo had a comfortable childhood. However, when his father died early, the fortune that he inherited made him a spend-thrift, and he squandered everything that he got. Taking to good ways later, he did business successfully, prospered again, and the friends that he made during that period later took him to great heights. His powerful friends included Captain Eustachius De Lannoy
Eustachius De Lannoy
Eustachius Benedictus de Lannoy was a Flemish naval commander of the Dutch East India Company, who was sent by the company to help establish a trading post at Colachel, Southern India, but was defeated at the Battle of Colachel by...
, the Dutch
Dutch Empire
The Dutch Empire consisted of the overseas territories controlled by the Dutch Republic and later, the modern Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century. The Dutch followed Portugal and Spain in establishing an overseas colonial empire, but based on military conquest of already-existing...
commander who became head of the Travancore Army. Through such friends, he got introduced to the Kings of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
and Cochin.
Matthoo Tharakan thus became a leading trader and influential Christian leader, from among the Syrian Christians
Syrian Christians
Syrian Christians may refer to*the Christian minority in Syria*in older publications, the Syriac Christians*in a South Asian context, the Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala....
of Kerala, India. The title 'tharakan' was granted by the King Dharma Raja of Travancore to indicate 'a noble trader'. Matthoo Tharakan was a merchant with monopoly of timber, spices, salt, and tobacco, and was reportedly the first timber exporter from Southern India. He helped Dewan Raja Kesavadas
Raja Kesavadas
Raja Kesavadas was the Dewan of Travancore during the reign of Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma .-Early years:...
to built up the Alappuzha
Alappuzha
Alappuzha , also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. As per 2001 census Alleppey is the sixth largest city in Kerala with an urban population of 177,029. Alleppey is situated to the south of Kochi and north of Trivandrum...
port. He controlled the exports from Alappuzha
Alappuzha
Alappuzha , also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. As per 2001 census Alleppey is the sixth largest city in Kerala with an urban population of 177,029. Alleppey is situated to the south of Kochi and north of Trivandrum...
and Cochin ports.
Minister of Travancore
Matthoo Tharakan was Commerce Minister to Dharma RajaDharma Raja
Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharajah of Travancore from 1758 until his death in 1798. He succeeded his uncle Marthanda Varma, who is credited with the title of "maker of modern Travancore"...
and Maharajah Balarama Varma
Balarama Varma
Avittom Thirunal Balarama Varma was a ruler of the Indian princely state of Travancore from 1798 to 1810, succeeding Maharajah Dharma Raja. His rule of Travancore was full of disturbances and internal and external problems...
of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
. This was the highest post held by a native Indian Christian in the Indian Princely States. His best years were during the reign of Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharajah of Travancore from 1758 until his death in 1798. He succeeded his uncle Marthanda Varma, who is credited with the title of "maker of modern Travancore"...
, when Raja Kesavadas
Raja Kesavadas
Raja Kesavadas was the Dewan of Travancore during the reign of Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma .-Early years:...
was the Dewan. He loaned a large sum of money to the Kingdom to help fight its wars against Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
.
Soon after Balarama Varma
Balarama Varma
Avittom Thirunal Balarama Varma was a ruler of the Indian princely state of Travancore from 1798 to 1810, succeeding Maharajah Dharma Raja. His rule of Travancore was full of disturbances and internal and external problems...
(who was then sixteen years old) was enthroned as Maharaja of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
, Raja Kesavadas
Raja Kesavadas
Raja Kesavadas was the Dewan of Travancore during the reign of Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma .-Early years:...
was removed and Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri
Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri
Odieiry Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri was an 18th century Dalawa of the Travancore kingdom. Originally from the Zamorin kingdom, he earned the respect of Balarama Varma who became king at the age of 16. Sankaran Nampoothiri was able to become Dalawa of Travancore for a brief period, and ordered...
took charge as Dewan. Sankara Narayanan was the Finance minister and Matthoo Tharakan the Commerce Minister. They decided to collect large sums of money from the people for the treasury. This resulted in a revolt engineered by Velu Thampi. Maharaja Balarama Varma
Balarama Varma
Avittom Thirunal Balarama Varma was a ruler of the Indian princely state of Travancore from 1798 to 1810, succeeding Maharajah Dharma Raja. His rule of Travancore was full of disturbances and internal and external problems...
dismissed his Ministers and appointed Ayappan Chempaka Raman pillai as Dewan and Velu Thampi as commerce minister.
Later Velu Thampi was appointed as Dewan. Velu Thampi wreaked his vengeance on Mathoo Tharakan. Tharakan was arrested at Anchuthengu near Kollam
Kollam
Kollam , often anglicized as ', is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. The city lies on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake on the Arabian sea coast and is situated about north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram...
and taken to Trivandrum, where his two ears were cut off. He was scourged and was put in prison.. The other ministers also were severely punished. Velu Thampi ordered confiscation of Matthoo Tharakan's landholdings and assets alleging that he had to pay huge revenue arrears to the Government of Travancore. This order was later canceled by the British Resident Macaulay. Balarama Varma
Balarama Varma
Avittom Thirunal Balarama Varma was a ruler of the Indian princely state of Travancore from 1798 to 1810, succeeding Maharajah Dharma Raja. His rule of Travancore was full of disturbances and internal and external problems...
later repented the indiscriminate actions of Velu Thampi and symbolically gave Tharakan a golden ear. Velu Thampi's subsequent revolt against the British (without the sanction of the Maharaja) led to his defeat and suicide in 1809 in Mannadi Temple
Mannadi
-Location:Mannadi is 45 km from Kollam and 13 km from Adoor.Nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.-History:Velu Thampi Dalawa, the former Diwan of the Travancore Province, had committed suicide at Mannadi Temple, to avoid capture by the British....
, Adoor.
Social and religious leader
Thachil Matthoo Tharakan made failed attempts to unify the Malankara Nazranis and Syrian Catholic factions to bring them under the umbrella of CatholicismCatholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
. His efforts had the support of Mar Joseph Kariattil
Mar Joseph Kariattil
Mar Joseph Kariattil [Mar Ouseph Kariattil ] was the first native Indian to be appointed as Archbishop of the Syrian Catholics in the territory now comprising Kerala, India....
of the Syrian Catholics. He was actively involved in organizing the historic journey of Mar Joseph Kariattil
Mar Joseph Kariattil
Mar Joseph Kariattil [Mar Ouseph Kariattil ] was the first native Indian to be appointed as Archbishop of the Syrian Catholics in the territory now comprising Kerala, India....
and Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar
Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar
Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar is the author of Varthamanapusthakam , the first ever travelogue in an Indian language . He was Administrator of the Archdiocese of Cranganore from 1786 till his death....
to Rome in 1782 for representing before the Pope the grievances of the Syrian Catholics.
Further reading
- M. O. Joseph, Nedumkunnam: Thachil Matthoo Tharakan, (Malayalam) Kottayam, NBS, 1962.
- Thachil Matthoo Tharakante Thankakompan (Malayalam) by K M Varghese, Manorama, Kottayam (1927)
- Thachil Matthoo Tharakante Suvarna Kamalam (Malayalam) by John Peter Thottam, Kalavilasini, Trivandrum (1933)
- Thachil Matthoo Tharakan by C. C. Lonappan Ookken (1966)
- Niranam Granthawari, (Record of History written during 1770-1830).
- P. Sankunny Menon. ‘’History of TravancoreTravancoreKingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
’’ (Malayalam). 1878. Ed. N.P. Ummerkutty. 1988. - Angamaly charithravum Thachil Kudumbavum(1995) Dr. J.Joseph