Mar Thoma

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This question is particularly addressed to any Mar Thoma Christians, and anyone familiar with their traditions.

I know that the Mar Thoma Christians have many traditions regarding missions and acts of Saint Thomas. I believe the principle tradition is contained in the song “Rambaan Paattu” (also known as “Thomma Parvom”). In addition, there are many other songs, dramas, and stories. So, I was wondering if anyone could provide me with information on:
  1. Any English translation of the Rambaan Paattu and other literature about local Mar Thoma traditions about the saint.
  2. Any traditions about Saint Thomas that you happen to know by memory, or can find out about.
Thank you for your help and time. 🙂
 
Mar Thoma Church
The Mar Thoma Church is a Christian denomination based in Kerala, the south-western state of India. The denomination is part of the Saint Thomas Christian tradition, and is consequently part of Oriental Orthodoxy, in terms of its heritage. The denomination began as a Protestant-style reformation of the Malankara Syrian Church, from which it split in 1845, but it is not actually Protestant. The Church developed under the influence, but not leadership, of low church Anglican missionaries, and is currently in communion with the Anglican Church. It also remains in communion with the Malabar Independent Syrian Church.

The Mar Thoma Church defines it self as “Apostolic in origin Universal in nature, Biblical in faith, Evangelical in principle, Ecumenical in outlook, Oriental in worship, Democratic in function, and Episcopal in character.”[2]. It is independent and indigenous. Its regular work as well as special projects are almost entirely financed by contributions from its members at home and abroad.

It claims that the church is the continuation of the original church of the Saint Thomas Christians and still follows the ancient customs and traditions. According to the church, the arrival of the Knanaites in 345 and 825, Roman Catholics in 1500, bishops from Antioch in 1665 and 1875, English Missionaries in 1806 did not have any influence on their customs and traditions. However, the church is similar in liturgy and theology to Anglicanism, and differs greatly from the practices of the other Saint Thomas Christian groups.

The Church currently has around one million members. The membership of the Church is centred in the southern Indian state of Kerala but it has spread with the 20th-century Indian diaspora to North America, Europe, the Middle East, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, this in addition to a sizeable population in the rest of India. Their mother tongue is Malayalam the language of Kerala.​

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I actually wasn’t referring to the Mar Thoma Church (a specific denomination), but the Mar Thoma Christians (which are an ethno-religious community of Christians, originating in southern India, and including various denominations, such as the Indian Orthodox, Jacobite Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East, Syro-Malankara Catholic, Syro-Malabar Catholic, and Mar Thomite).

Also, I was inquiring about the indigenous traditions regarding Saint Thomas, not general information about denominations, but thank you for your assistance nonetheless.
rangaraj1987 said:
Mar Thoma Church
The Mar Thoma Church is a Christian denomination based in Kerala, the south-western state of India. The denomination is part of the Saint Thomas Christian tradition, and is consequently part of Oriental Orthodoxy, in terms of its heritage. The denomination began as a Protestant-style reformation of the Malankara Syrian Church, from which it split in 1845, but it is not actually Protestant. The Church developed under the influence, but not leadership, of low church Anglican missionaries, and is currently in communion with the Anglican Church. It also remains in communion with the Malabar Independent Syrian Church.

The Mar Thoma Church defines it self as “Apostolic in origin Universal in nature, Biblical in faith, Evangelical in principle, Ecumenical in outlook, Oriental in worship, Democratic in function, and Episcopal in character.”[2]. It is independent and indigenous. Its regular work as well as special projects are almost entirely financed by contributions from its members at home and abroad.

It claims that the church is the continuation of the original church of the Saint Thomas Christians and still follows the ancient customs and traditions. According to the church, the arrival of the Knanaites in 345 and 825, Roman Catholics in 1500, bishops from Antioch in 1665 and 1875, English Missionaries in 1806 did not have any influence on their customs and traditions. However, the church is similar in liturgy and theology to Anglicanism, and differs greatly from the practices of the other Saint Thomas Christian groups.

The Church currently has around one million members. The membership of the Church is centred in the southern Indian state of Kerala but it has spread with the 20th-century Indian diaspora to North America, Europe, the Middle East, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, this in addition to a sizeable population in the rest of India. Their mother tongue is Malayalam the language of Kerala.​

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Click to expand...
 
Hi,

I’m a St. Thomas Christian, from the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. However, I am american-raised so I don’t know much of the cultural traditions except the ones we practice in the US.

I wish I could help you with your request, but my knowledge is more ecclesical and historical. But I can help answer some general questions regarding the Mar Thoma Churches.
 
gthever said:
Hi,

I’m a St. Thomas Christian, from the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. However, I am american-raised so I don’t know much of the cultural traditions except the ones we practice in the US.

I wish I could help you with your request, but my knowledge is more ecclesical and historical. But I can help answer some general questions regarding the Mar Thoma Churches.
Click to expand...
Well, I don’t want to get off topic on this thread. However, could you perhaps start a thread that explains how exactly there ended up being two Syro-Catholic traditions in India, and what differences exist between the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara traditions. Thanks in advance.
  • Athanasios
 
Malankara catholic or reet syo malankara

Is a christian domain who broken away from indian orthodox and marthoma syrian and joined with catholic.

They use the liturgy of marthoma(marthoma syrian+indian orthodox+jacobite) christians.
 
It should be noted that there is an ancient dance form practiced by the entire Thomas Christian community called “Magam Kali” which is translated to “The Way”. This dance is meant to narrate the life of Mar Thoma Sleeha and the acts which he accomplished. The songs that accompany the dances are also very archaic in nature. Margam Kali was originally only performed by men but in the later centuries women were allowed to take part as well. Today it is mainly performed by women at Christian events like weddings, baptisms, and church related activities. It requires a dozen dancers and among them one sings while holding palm sized symbols which help to keep the beat and speed the tune. Usually only symbols are used but sometimes there will be a drummer aside from the dancers who plays along to the dance.

"Margam Kali" Track List
youtube.com/watch?v=I7ZZZf2pNbU&list=PLEmB2PkGA7FTG1cbbWwauP2P1h5D9BFUZ

Knanaya Christians who lived along side the Thomas Christians, have many age old songs and folk lore about Mar Thoma or St. Thomas. The link I have provided will take you to a list of our old ballads but unfortunately I cannot translate them for you because many of them are sung in an archaic form of Malayalam. It is interesting to know though that some that were translated by linguists show a wonderful mix of Syrian Christian and Hindu influence. An example is the ballad “Maran Arul” or “By the Lords Command” which is a song that explains the creation of Adam. This particular ballad is dated back to some time between the 12th-14th century. I am subscribed to our community newspaper and it would publish translations of many of these songs. I recall that it had many of the old songs of Mar Thoma translated, sadly I misplaced the paper but if I can find it I’ll post those translations here.

Link to Mar Thoma Songs of Knanaya Christians
kottayamad.org/traditional-knanaya-songs-2/

Link to the Ballad "Maran Arul"
devaragam.com/vbscript/WimpyPlayer_ext.aspx?ord=t&var=2735

**Malayalam **
  1. māŕānarul ceytīlōkēyannu nìravēri
  2. ḕrrinalguṇaṅṅalellāṁ bhramimēlorēṭaṁ
  3. orumayuṭayōǹ pērumakoṇḍu karuti maṇpiṭičču
  4. piṭičča karuvilaṭakkam nēṭi pùrattu tukal potińńu
  5. tukalakmē cōranīrum elluṁ māṁsadhatukkal
  6. bhratikaḷkku vātilańǰum navadvāraṅṅaḷāyattu
  7. raṇḍāṭu nālum nāluviralkku čuvappunakhaṇḍal pattu
  8. pattuṭayoǹèrayakattuṭayōnāya koṭuttuṇarttyōrātmāvum
  9. ātmāvum koṭuttu perumiṭṭōrābhamennu
  10. enašēšaminniččāllāmunniniṇḍaḷ kēḷppin
English
1.By the command of the Lord, man (world-dweller) was made
2,endowed with all qualities out of chaos
3.came unity. To prepare for the birth He grasped mud
4.and with a tool shaped it into a mass.
5.Within it the blood flowed and the muscles were arrayed.
6.For prosperity God’s place was housed amid the nine apertures.
7.Two hands, ten fingers with nails all red
8.the ten all afire, and the dancing soul was granted.
9.The soul bestowed, powerful Adam
10.without hesitation made heard the very first words.
 
I was flipping through our Knanaya newpaper and I found an article in the historical section that defined the “Ramban Pattu”.

Other Ancient Songs On St. Thomas
Code: 
   Another ancient song on St. Tomas Called Ramban Song
presumably rewritten in 1601 AD by Maliekal Thomas Ramban
of Niranam, the successor of the first Thomas Ramban of the
family. This song, (448 lines) to which a dance is not seemingly
attached, has practically much of the content of margamkali.
The text has more Sanskrit words and it gives many miracles,
and conversions in thousands (17,550). According to this St.
Thomas died on the third of the month of Karkadakam in AD
72. Ramban Pattu wants to be very meticulous when it states
that Thomas stayed four and a half months in Mylapore and
four and a half months in China. It refers to Thiruvanchikulam
and Malayattoor, which is not in Margamkali Pattu. It is inter-
esting to note that 2 lines of margamkali songs are seen as
such in the “Ramban Pattu”, which suggests that the Ramban
pattu is posterior to Margamkali pattu.

Mar Thoma Parvam this text is different from Ramban
Pattu. It is unpublished. Dr. Jacob Kollaparambil has discov-
ered the text in a palm leaf manuscript of purathanapattukal. It
is number into 17 folios of which folio 14 is missing.The liter-
ary style highly manipravala (mixing of Sanskrit words in
Malayalam) suggests that this is definitely posterior in com-
position to margamkali songs.

Citation

Knanaya Media (2013.) Issue 32. Retrieved From knanayamedia.com/Issue-32-2013-08-30.pdf
 
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