Tharisapalli plates
Encyclopedia
Tharisapalli plates or Tarsishapalli sasanangal (ചേപ്പേടുകള്) are a set of copper-plate grant
s that were given to the Assyrian
Monk Marwan S(abo)r Easho or Iso
by Venad
ruler Ayyanadikal Thiruvadikal (a feudatory ) in 849 AD. The plates document a land grant
of "Tarsishapalli", near "Korukenikollam" to the Nestorian (Assyrian) saints who had taken the then famous Red Sea
route to Kerala
on invitation of king of Kollam
.
even before 1000 BC (psalms 48) and other countries in Southeast Asia
, mainly China
. The plates give information about the arrival of Monks from Persia, led by Marwan S(abo)r Easho or Iso iso in AD 825, together with Mar Prodh. The Nestorians had improved religious relation in Kollam
, raising it to a major place in South India
.
(Mar Sabor and Mar Proth
)
In 800 AD Quilon was part of Venadu. It is believed that around 825 AD, Maruvan Sapir Eso a successful merchant from Persia crossed the seas to reach Quilon. Along with him came Mar Aproth and Mar Sapor, two bishops representing the Persian Catholicos. The then ruling monarch Iyyanadikal Thiruvadikal (849AD) welcomed the Persians and showered them with special privileges and honours and gifted Maruvan Sapir Eso with land to build a church. This is mentioned in ‘Tharisa Pally cheppedu’(QLN, Copper plates, Trav: Arch, Vol, 11, PP 60– 85)
Members of the Muthalaly family are the descendents of Maruvan Sapir Eso and for generations the family members enjoyed the privileges bestowed upon their forefather by the king.
Muthalaly family continued to remain a strong and powerful family. Mention of the family and their business is found in the travel descriptions of John D Marringolli, who visited Kerala in 1348 as an emissary of the Pope. It is mentioned that he stayed with the Pepper merchants of Quilon, the descendents of Maruvan Sapir Eso. (Cathy & the way thither. Vol 111.p. 257
languages. The original Nestorian were eastern Syriac and included present Persia, including Babylon and Israel and complete sway over the Red Sea ports. The plates have been translated into English.
Copper-plate grant
One of the most important sources of history in the Indian subcontinent are the royal records of grants engraved on copper-plates...
s that were given to the Assyrian
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
Monk Marwan S(abo)r Easho or Iso
Mar Sabor and Mar Proth
Mar Sabor and Mar Proth were two Assyrian Monks who build and ruled many churches in tranvancore and malabar south India....
by Venad
Venad
Venad Swarupam was one of the three prominent late medieval Hindu feudal kingdoms on Malabar Coast, south India, along with Kingdom of Calicut and Kingdom of Cannanore. In the early 14th century, Venad ruler Ravi Varma Kulasekhara had established a short-lived supremacy over southern India...
ruler Ayyanadikal Thiruvadikal (a feudatory ) in 849 AD. The plates document a land grant
Land grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate – land or its privileges – made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service...
of "Tarsishapalli", near "Korukenikollam" to the Nestorian (Assyrian) saints who had taken the then famous Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
route to Kerala
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....
on invitation of king of 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...
.
History
The Nestorians were accomplished merchants and had trade links with KeralaKerala
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....
even before 1000 BC (psalms 48) and other countries in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, mainly China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The plates give information about the arrival of Monks from Persia, led by Marwan S(abo)r Easho or Iso iso in AD 825, together with Mar Prodh. The Nestorians had improved religious relation in 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...
, raising it to a major place in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
.
(Mar Sabor and Mar Proth
Mar Sabor and Mar Proth
Mar Sabor and Mar Proth were two Assyrian Monks who build and ruled many churches in tranvancore and malabar south India....
)
In 800 AD Quilon was part of Venadu. It is believed that around 825 AD, Maruvan Sapir Eso a successful merchant from Persia crossed the seas to reach Quilon. Along with him came Mar Aproth and Mar Sapor, two bishops representing the Persian Catholicos. The then ruling monarch Iyyanadikal Thiruvadikal (849AD) welcomed the Persians and showered them with special privileges and honours and gifted Maruvan Sapir Eso with land to build a church. This is mentioned in ‘Tharisa Pally cheppedu’(QLN, Copper plates, Trav: Arch, Vol, 11, PP 60– 85)
Members of the Muthalaly family are the descendents of Maruvan Sapir Eso and for generations the family members enjoyed the privileges bestowed upon their forefather by the king.
Muthalaly family continued to remain a strong and powerful family. Mention of the family and their business is found in the travel descriptions of John D Marringolli, who visited Kerala in 1348 as an emissary of the Pope. It is mentioned that he stayed with the Pepper merchants of Quilon, the descendents of Maruvan Sapir Eso. (Cathy & the way thither. Vol 111.p. 257
The plates
There were two sets of plates as part of this document, and both were incomplete. The first set documented the land while second set documented the conditions. The signatories signed the document in Hebrew, Pahlavi, and KuficKufic
Kufic is the oldest calligraphic form of the various Arabic scripts and consists of a modified form of the old Nabataean script. Its name is derived from the city of Kufa, Iraq, although it was known in Mesopotamia at least 100 years before the foundation of Kufa. At the time of the emergence of...
languages. The original Nestorian were eastern Syriac and included present Persia, including Babylon and Israel and complete sway over the Red Sea ports. The plates have been translated into English.
Further reading
- Sivasankaran Nair, K ,Venadinte parinamam (വേണാടിന്റെ പരിണാമം), D C Books, 2005.