Kamanayakkanpatti

As of 2001 India census,[2] Kamanayakkanpatti had a population of 2426. Males constitute 50.05% of the population and females 49.05%. Kamanayakkanpatti has an average literacy rate of 73.3%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. In Kamanayakkanpatti, 15% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Kamanayakkanpatti is located at 9.07°N 77.93°E / 9.07; 77.93. It is a fast-growing small village located 14 kilometres to the south-east of Kovilpatti.

Kamanayakkanpatti is now a Gram panchayat, which includes one more nearby village, Ettunayakkanpatti.

Paranki Muni (also called Youvana Muni and Thoma Muni) (St.Thomas) preached the Trinity concept (Moovoru Thathuvam) and his Master’s Trinity Yoga (Yeshuva Oham (Jesus Yoga) in the Chera Kingdom.

In AD63 Thoma Muni came to the Pandiya Kingdom and has been presenting Yeshuva Oham in various Aaseevahams.

Ezhasa Naadu, a Pandiya Kingdom had more than 1000 Aasivahams, where scholars and Sidhars were seeking Life-Next (Veeduperu). They were convinced of the Trinity Concept and had adopted Yeshuva Oham as the supreme mode of attaining eternal life. They have also accepted Miriyam (Mother Mary) as their Mother Teacher and Spiritual Guide.

When Nayak brought Vedic Brahminic Religion in Madurai, the Kingmen of Izhasa Naadu didn’t accept the caste based Vedic Religion, which resulted in various fights.

The kingmen of Izhasa Naadu had resettled in Kamanayakkanpatti, after their capital and most of the country was plucked out by the Nayak kings of Madhurai and was given to Ettappa Nayak.

In 1544, the Apostolic Nuncio to the East and the first Jesuit to India, St. Francis Xavier visited Izhasa Naadu in search of the St. Thomas Christians enroute from Kottar to Mayilaapoor to visit the tomb of Thoma Muni. He wrote to St. Ignatius that he has found Thoma Christians, but are following different method of worship. Because the THoma Christians were not aware of the Roman Christianity.

Following St. Xavier, in 1610, the தத்துவ போதகர் Roberto De Nobili found a stone cross with Hebrew inscription on Trinity near Kamanayakkanpatti. He explained the Roman Catholic form of worship and strengthened the leaders of the kingdom into the Catholic faith, and a Chappal was built on the Thoma Cross Crotto.

In 1679, the entire town redefined themselves as Roman Catholics in front of Arul Aanandhar (St. John De Brito), and the first church was built.

After several renovations, it gained its modern chapel façade.[3]

Our Lady of Assumption Church on Feast Night (14 August)

In 1710, Italian Jesuit Priest Veeramaamunivar (Constantine Joseph Beschi) came to Kamanayakkanpatti as the Parish Priest, and he brought back the left-out St. Thomas Christians of neighboring kingdoms. Veeramaamunivar wrote the Paramartha Guru Stories among much more Tamil literature, including Thembavani. He also built two large teak wood cars in the church.

The church is in the parish of RC Diocese, Palayamkottai.[4] The parish includes nearby villages Ettunayakkanpatti, Kuruvinatham, and Sevalpatti.

Ezhasa Naadu is famous for its trade of Pearls and Palmera products and predominantly dominated by the citizens of Trading, Agriculture and Fishing&PearlHarvesting. It had a very good trade connect with Arabian and European countries. Portugal was the close trade partner.

Ezhasa Naadu and Thoothukkudy The Arabian traders were hunting down Thoothukudi Fishermen after a misunderstanding. The Madurai Nayaks didn’t offer help citing the fishermen not accepting their faith and were Thomas Christians and of Assevagam . Ezhasa Naadu with the help of Portuguese could help the Pattam Kattiyaar of Thoothukudi and fight out the Arabs. 35,000 fishermen entered in to Catholic Christianity thanks to the efforts of Ezhasa Naadu and the Portugal King.

Prince EzhaVeera Pandian of Ezhasa Naadu has denounced marriage life and self declared as Sage and rechristened as Swamy Adiyaar. People of Ezhasa Naadu had fondly called him as Veera Thuravi.

Veera Thuravi Swamy Adiyaar has published many manuscripts and translations of Spiritual Messages. He led the Maathaa Sabai in Thamizh Naadu. He with his selected army has taken the legacy of Mother Mary wherever they went and traced the Thoma Stone Crosses and had built Churches for Mother Mary.

His major services were to search for the St. Thomas followers and strengthen them in Jesus and in Catholic Worships.

In the then Kollam diocese, Swamy Adiyaar has traced St. Thomas Christians and re established more than 100 villages in to Roman Christianity. The important ones and where records are very clear are the Church for Our Lady of Assumption in Maravan Kudieruppu or Maravankudieruppu (is later converted as the Church of Our Lady of Snows). Keeping Maravankudieruppu as the base, he has developed Aralvaimazhy, Asaripallam, Panchavankaadu Kurusady, Thalavaipuram, Odakkarai(Vattakarai)Vethakkaran Kudieruppu and hamlets between Kurusady and the north end of Kazhuvanthattu( Christu Nagar), Nullivilai, Kaarankaadu, Maathira Vizhai, Puthukkadai etc

Similar information are available about Swamiyadiyaar in Vaavarai and the hamlets around it. Most of the Nadar Villages of Today’s Catholic Origin were traced back to St. Thomas and were reestablished in to the current form by Swamyadiyaar and his Army of Servicemen in the 17th/18th Century.

Our Lady of Assumption

The miraculous statue of Our Lady of Assumption in the car on the feast day

The miraculous statue of Our Lady of Assumption at the throne over the main altar of the Church is the specialty here. The faith and love of the villagers for Mother Mary (Tamil: அன்னை மரியாள்) is really amazing. However, their faith and love have their own reason that is the grace and mercy of Mother Mary for the villagers.

Our Lady of Assumption Festival

The car procession on the feast day

The feast day recognizing Mary's passage into Heaven is celebrated as the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary every year on 15 August there. The feast is preceded by hoisting of the flag on 6 August and ends with a Eucharistic procession around the village on 15 August evening. During these ten days of the feast, about 2 to 4 lakhs of pilgrims visit the church. The traditional Car Procession around the village with the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Assumption is the highlight of the feast. The car procession starts with a special Holy Mass on 14 August midnight and ends with a public procession of the Eucharist on 15 August evening.There is a ancestors acceptance that the statue is from Manila and which is brought by st.xavierand it was travelled through sea by Italian sisters.

1. Swamyadiyar Thirupappu(Veera Thuravi), the Crown Prince of Ezhasa Naadu, led Maravan Regiment from Pandiyas to the Travancore Kingdom(then Vaenaadu). Had converted St.Thomas Christians to Roman Catholic Rite as well as had created many new Roman Catholic Villages, keeping Maravankudieruppu as his base.
2. Bishop Manuel Visuvasam†[5] - Born on 18 Jun 1916, Ordained as Priest on 22 Dec 1941, ordained as Bishop of Coimbatore, India on 3 May 1972, Deceased on 2 Jun 1979
3. Prof. M J XAVIER director Indian Institute of Management , Ranchi and Fellow (IIM, Calcutta)

Schools

1. Govt Higher Secondary School
2. St. Aloysius Higher Secondary School
3. Mother Terasa Primary school

Banks

1. Bank of India[6]
2. Co-operative Society Bank
3. Maravankudieruppu.com[7]

Kamanayakkanpatti lies on Kovilpatti to Puthukottai road. Kamanayakkanpatti is well connected with Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchendur, Pulliampatti, Eppothum Vendran, Pasuvanthanai, Puthiyampuththur, Kayaththar and nearer villages through buses. Nearest Railway station is Kovilpatti. Nearest Domestic airport is Tuticorin Airport and nearest International airport is Tuticorin International Airport. There are many vans and cars for tourists.