Abstract
Fr. St.
Kuriakose Elias Chavara storve hard to create an awakening in the minds of
those who were grouping in the dark, steped in ignorance and groaning under the
yoke of social discrimination and deprivation.
He wanted to include in their minds a sense of honour and self respect
and self confidence. There are eminent persons wh o have their indelible mark
in the field of social reformation. The
history of social reformers in our society is unlimited. In Kerala they fought against the
socio-religious inequalities that held at the time of 19th
century. The 19th century
witnessed social reformers like Sree Vaikunda Swamikal( 1809) Sri Narayana
Guru(1853) Sree Chattambi Swamikal(1853) Sree Vakkom Abdul Khadar Maulavi(1854)
and Kuriakose Elias Chavara(1805). By
social reformers we must mean those who raise their voice against the
prevailing anarchy and social disturbances of time and to eradicate them so
that vigilant, self-motivated and outstanding generation for the future can be
created.
S
INTRODUCTION
In Kerala Dalits
are considered as the depressed castes or the untouchables from the ancient
period to towards the end of 19th century. They considered as slaves and the major part
of their lives are dedicated for the wellbeing of their janmis or owners. As society changed there must be a need in
the development or the upliftment of backward castes in Kerala.
Like all other
areas of India caste system in Kerala to large degree involved the process of
splitting in to several groups narrowing the range of relationships, prevention
of interaction between the oppressed groups and so on, More over the caste
system also the Dalits from taking action against the discrimination practiced
towards them in society. However these
groups who were the victims of the caste system ; had found new outlet to
express their protests.
Theendal Palakas
or Untouchability sign boards were placed near all the road sides for bidding
the lower castes Dalits from travelling through the roads. The rulers of the princely states took
initiative in maintaining these Jati Maryadas was considered a severe crime and
would be punished through brasht or imposition of huge fines.
Various socio
reform movements were taken place mainly for the upliftment of the out caste or
the untouchables. The major aim or
objectives of those reform movements are the socio, economical, educational and
political upliftment of these depressed castes.
Among socio reformer Fr.St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara was considered as
the leader of depressed classes who devoted his life for the uoliftment of the
untouchables in the society. Kuriakose
Elias Chavara had played a major role for the over all developments of backward
castes in Kerala.
Kerala the birth
place of Kuriakose Elias Chavara is from the point of view of its geographical
position, the joint gift of the ever blue Arabian Sea on the west and the
evergreen western ghats on the east. Though very small in area among the states of
the Indian union, The picturesque variety of the landscape and the abundance of
plant and animal life, invest this region with a distinct personality. Kerala culture has been an integral part of
the mainstream Indian culture. At the
same time its special geographical position enabled Kerala to enjoy its own
outlook, way of life, culture and institutions peculiar to itself. From ancient times Kerala emerged as the
meeting ground of all Indian religions and philosophical systems well as the
most important world religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
On the Arabian
cost at Kainakary in Kuttanadu in the diocese of Changanaserry, Kerala, India
Kuriakose Elias Chavara was born on February 10, 1805 as the sixth child of
parents Kuriakose and Mariam. The
Chavara family is believed to be the descendant of the Pakalomatttam family,
one of the four that claim descent the time of St. Thomas at Palayur, central
Kerala. He was baptized and on 8th
September 1805 the child Kuriakose was dedicated to the blessed virgin mary the
marian shrine in vechoor.
At the age of
five he began his studies in the village school, called kalari under a village
master called Ashan. There he continued
his studies until he was ten years old.
Then Malpan Thomas Palackal invited him to his seminary at
Pallipuram. Subsequently as he was too
young he spent about two years in the parish rectory under the care of the
zealous and loving parish priest. Here
his parents also discerned his divine call.
In the year 1818 he joined the pallipuram seminary under the tutelage of
Malpan Thomas Palackal. Not long after
the tonsure he received, there was an epidemic in Kainakary and
surroundings. His loving father , his
good mother, and his only brother fell prey to the epidemic.
As there was no
heir in the family, relatives compelled him to discontinue seminary life and
comeback to the family. But he arranged
the family affairs in such way that he could continue his priestly studies. On 29 November 1829, at the age of 24 Bishop Maurelius
Stabilini, Vicar Apostolic of Verapoly ordained him priest at St. Andrews
Church Artungal.
NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study is
aimed at tracing out the contributions of Fr. St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara for
the upliftment of backward castes in Kerala.
The socio, cultural, educational, economic and political contributions
of Fr. St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara comes under the review of the significance
of the study. The findings of the study
will help to know about St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara as a social reformer of the
19th century and the role of St. Chavara in the history of Dalith
upliftment in Kerala. To realised the
truth about a religious congregation for women in Kerala
was a great desire of Chavara. It was a
long cherished desire of his and the result of several attempts, one at Alangad in 1857 and another at Puthanpally in
1859. In 1866 on February 13 with the
co-operatrion of Fr. Leopold Beccaro OCD, an Italian missionary, the first convent
of the sisters was inaugurated at Koonammavu, under the name Third order of the
Carmelites discalced. The motive of
starting such an institute of religious life was for the education, empowerment
of women folk and to take care of their spiritual needs.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1.
To bring out the personal life
of St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara
2.
To analyse the contribution of
St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara for the socio-cultural upliftment among the backward
castes
3.
To trace out the educational
contributions of St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara for the upliftment of the backward
casres in Kerala
4.
To analyse Fr. Chavara the
complete social worker
5.
Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara and
the C M I congregation
METHODOLOGY AND METHODS USED
IN THE STUDY
The following methodology has been adopted to carry out his
work. The study is mainly based on
primary and secondary data
Primary data is gathered from sources like interviews, questionnaire
method
Secondary data is gathered from sources like publications, internet,
newspapers
ANALYSIS OF THE OBJECTIVES
CHAPTER ONE
A
SHORT BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF ST. CHAVARA
There are
eminent persons wh o have their indelible mark in the field of social
reformation. The history of social
reformers in our society is unlimited.
In Kerala they fought against the socio-religious inequalities that held
at the time of 19th century.
The 19th century witnessed social reformers like Sree
Vaikunda Swamikal( 1809) Sri Narayana Guru(1853) Sree Chattambi Swamikal(1853)
Sree Vakkom Abdul Khadar Maulavi(1854) and Kuriakose Elias Chavara(1805). By social reformers we must mean those who
raise their voice against the prevailing anarchy and social disturbances of
time and to eradicate them so that vigilant, self-motivated and outstanding
generation for the future can be created.
The great soul
St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara was born on 19th February 1805 of
parents Kuriakose Chavara and Mariam Thopil in the village of Kainakary near
Alapuzha, Kerala in the same year on September 8, 1805 he was dedicated to the
blessed virgin Mary at the Mariam Shrine at Vechoor from the age 5 to 10, he
attended the village school(Kalari) to study languages , different dialects and
elementary science under the guidance of a hindu teacher. Inspired by the desire to become a priest, he began the studies under
the parish priest of the church of St. Joseph.
At the age of 13 in 1818, he entered the seminary at Pallipuram where
Malpan Thomas Palakkal was the rector.
He was ordained as priest on 29th November, 1829 at Arthunkal
and engaged for some time in pastoral ministery , however he soon returned to
the semnarty to teach and also to officiate for the Malpan Thomas palackal
during his absence. Thus he joined Malpan
Thomas Perurkara and Malpan Thomas Palackal when they were planning to find a
congregation.
He was ordained
as priest on November 29, 1829 at the age of 24 by vicar apostolic of Mar Elias
Stabilent at St. Andrews Church at Arthungal.
In 1830 he went to Mannanam to direct the construction of the first
house of the congregation of which foundation stone was laid 11th
May 1831. After the death of both the
Malpans, Chavara took up leadership on 8th December 1855 he made the
religious profession along with other two companions, under the name Kuriakose
Elias of Holy family.
He was the
general of the monasteries of the congregation from 1856 till his death in 1871
he become the first vicar general in the Syrian church. A schim thereatened the church of Kerala with
the arrival of Mar Thomas Rokos of without proper credentials from the pope,
Chavara was appointed the vicar general of the syro Malabar church by the
Arch-Bishop of Verapolly. Chavara is
greatfully remembered and acknowledged by the later leaders of church and by
the catholic community in general for his strenuous fight, strong stance and
effective leadership in the Thomas Rokos the author of the first Malayalam
narrative poem “Anasthasiayude rakthasakshyam” 1862, popularised the May, month
devotion of the blessed virgin mary with the help o f Bishop Bernadine OCD
1864. Implemented the idea of A school
for a church in the Syrian church when he was a vicar general in 1864, in
collaborartion with the Italian missionary.
Fr. Leopold Beccaro OCD, the first indigenous congregation for women was
started 1866. And also started 40 hour
adoration first in monastery chapels in
the Syrian church 1866, started the first boarding house and school for girls
at koonanmavu 1868. He founded a charity
house Upavishala of St. Joseph for the sick, old and destitute in any society
1869, in 1871 on January 3rd Kuraiakose Elias Chavara with a painful
illness, died at Koonanmavu monastery in kochi, preserving his baptismal
innocence. His mortal remains were later
transferred from Koonanmavu to Mannanam in 1889 and piously kept in the St.
Joseph monastery church.
He spent his
last days with Koonanmavu it seemed that blessed Chavara and an insight about
his death much before he was laid to his death bed. In October 1870 he become very sick. He was totally blind for about three
months. During this period he fixed a
small note on the door requesting visitors to speak with him only spiritual
matters. On 3rd January 1871
at 7.30 in the morning he calmly slept in the lord and was buried there. His moral remains were later transferred from
Koonanmavu to the mother house at Mannanam 1889 and re interred the St. Joseph
monastery chapel.
Fr. Chavara
canonization process bwas began only 1935.
In 1957 in the Arch Bishop of Changanasherry officially started the
process. In 1984 April 7 Fr. Chavara was
declared venerable and on 8th February 1986 pope John Paul II, On
his pastoral visit to india declared him blessed at Kottayam, Kerala. In 1987 gov. of india released postal stamps
in honour of blessed Chavara for his humanitarian service to the country. In 2006 Kerala gov. honoured him by erecting
his portrait painting in the hall of Kerala sahithya academy portrait gallery
at Thrissur, considering him as one of the literary genius in Malayalam of the
19th century. In 3rd
April 2014 Popo Francis authorized at congregation for the causes of saints to
promulgate the decrease in concerning the Fr. Kuriakose intercession. This conformed pope’s approval of Fr.
Kuriakose cononisation. On 23 November
2014 he was cononized at St. Peter’s square by Pooe Francis along with
Euphrasia Eluvathingal.
CHAPTER TWO
SAINT
CHAVARA A SOCIAL VISIONARY
In the 19th
century society was immersed in social anarchy. The society was under the dominance of
Brahmins by whom the lower castes suffered a lot.
In the period
there existed child marriage. The lower
caste women were not allowed to wear upper clothes. They were not allowed to walk on the
road. They were prohibited from entering
temples.
The untouchables
were treated like animals. In this
period Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara came to the society with his novel motives against
the brutality of Brahmins. He also
annihilated the social malice and tried toemancipate the untouchables.
NEW EPOCH IN MALAYALAM LITERATURE
Among the
writings of Chavara there are several types f Malayalam literary work like
great epic, narrative poems. Published
his writings at the proper time during the early second half of the 19th
century. He would have been known today
as the pioneer of the several branches of the Malayalam literature.
We may pass
through four phases of his life, namely the spiritual, the literary, the social
reformer and the historian from his writings.
It seems that
Chavara wrote the Martyrdom of Anastacia with the intention of instilling in
the minds of people courage and faith to stand against the enemies of the
church.
A CONGREGATION FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
As far the St.
Thomas womenfolk were concerned, till
the second half of the 19th century, there was no organized
group of social workers or religious community among them, Who came forward
with humanitarian services. So there was
no indigenous religious house for women when Chavara and others planned to
start one to suit the needs of the church at Koonanmavu in 1866.
The motive of
starting such an institute of religious life, as early mentioned, was not only
for the self sanctification but also to help others in both spiritual and
material matters.
The congregation
which began with four candidates is divided today into two independent
communities, CMC having about 6500 members and CTC, With 1500 members. Bt these institutes the Kerala women who were
for life confined to the kitchen at home, were brought to the limelight for the
service of womenfolk. They do involve
today in education, pastoral and social work.
They conduct schools, university colleges, boarding houses and hostels
for girls and have started professional job oriented courses and special
schools for the handicapped. Thus they
run about thousand institutions in india and abroad.
CHAVARA AND HOME FOR THE SICK, AGED AND DYING
Another area of
life , at the time of Chavara, also has to be thought of in this context,
namely, the area of the care of the aged and dying. In the history of the life of the church in
Kerala, before the time of Chavara, there was no charitable institute as such,
where the aged persons or orphans were cared for and protected; there was no
pious association to help the dying in a spiritual way.
The home for the
sick and aged which Chavara started in 1869 at Kainakary was the first of its
kind in Kerala. This was an institution
to give refuge to the sick and old who had no one to look after them, and to
prepare the dying to face a happy death.
UPAVISHALA
Saint
Chavara social concern and his attitude towards society is well impressed in
the upavishala that he started in Kainakary.
It was the first old age home in Kerala.
The weak , the old other destitute were granted access to this place and
were looked very well.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A CONVENT
AND THE RENEWALL OF THE FAMILY
A women is the
light of family. She has unique role to
play giving a good formation to her children.
With these convictions Fr. Chavara attempted to uplift women by founding
a convent for them. These efforts, he
believed , would ultimately resulf in the betterment of the Christian family as
a whole. In the Chronicle of the CMC
convent at Koonanmavu the foundation statement regarding the aim of the convent
is given as followers : to clear the debts and then to have the remaining plot
enclosed and to put up a house where the two could be together. They could take care of their spiritual life,
teach girls prayers and train them in certain handicrafts. They are three elements in this foundation
statement.
1.
Meet one’s spiritual need
effectively
2.
Achieve Christian formation
through Christian instruction and studies
3.
Learn and give training in a
trade or craft to teach to pray means to bring up children in the fear of God.
St. Chavara knew that when women become capable of leading family prayer,
children would get good character formation.
4.
When influence in the
family. Thus when the convert was
furnished, there were not only the facilities for leading a spiritual life but
also other tools for crafts like nippers, thin wire, scissors, needles, thread,
apenknife, inkopt, quill, nails, hammer, fork, knife pitcher and goblet. The aim was to enbles them to integrate
prayer and manual labour and thus acgieve the integral development of the whole
person. The learning of the craft was
meant not merely for the sisters, rather the sisters, having learnt them, were
supposed to teach them to other children.
This wider concept of the integration of spiritual life and some useful
trade was very much in the mind of the founding fathers of the CMC convent
right from the time of the founding of the bamboo-mat convent. Later, when they made plants to build a new,
solid building for their convent they also had plans to start with it a school
and boarding house. That the convent is
to be built in two stories and the boarding house and the school building must
enclosed by a compound wall. With these
objectives the foundation of the western and eastern walls of the convent were
dug up again and broadened and strengthened so that the foundation may be
strong enough for a two story building.
CHAPTER THREE
SAINT CHAVARA A FAR SIGHTED EDUCATIONIST
Education was based on the social hierarchy especially caste
hierarchy in the society until 19th century. The upper caste enjoyed the privilege of
education especially Sanskrit and Vedas.
The educational institutions were mostly ran by temple trust which
provide opportunities only for upper class of the society.
India, a country of saints who preached the gospel of universal
brotherhood segregated a large portion of the population as untouchables. They were denied education and
socio-political roles. Educational
institutions were under the control and dominance of “elite savarnas” avarnas
were considered as untouchables and they were treated as savage. They were not only denied education but also
they were forced to do menial labour in the name of karma.
In Kerala renaissance played at major role in social
reformation. Many reformers such as Sri
Narayana Guru, Ayyankali, and Sahodharan Ayyappan etc. Realised the fact that the real cause of the
backwardness of lower caste was lack of
education. So their primary concern was
tight for the education of backward caste and Dalits. As a result, today education is access to all
people irrespective of their caste, creed, race, rtc, however caste continues to be a living reality in
India but education is open to all.
In Kerala there prevailed’ Kudipallykoodam’ and learning centers
under single teacher known as ‘Ashankalari’ though the state was earlier formed
into over twenty principalities Travancore, Cochin and Malabar there was no
noticeable change in the educational system followed by the people in the
different region. In the credit of
slight change in the educational system today, goes to the missionaries from
the west.
The Sanskrit education that in the case prevalent in Kerala from the
early days, did not give sufficient exposure to the Keralaties to the outside
world. Sanskrit salasis considered only
as medium of religious teaching and caste superiority. The 1818 order of her highness Gowriparvathy
Bhai of Travancore, led to the setting up of vernacular school. Such schools could have brought about radical
changes in the education.
Though a large number of schools were established after his
education, many of them were closed down in a short span of time for various
reasons. It was Swathi Thirunal Maharaja
who began English education in Travancore.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SANSKRIT SCHOOL
An isolated stand from the material welfare of the fellow will
weaken any religious organisation. Fr.
Chavara wanted to overcome such an unplatable situation. On the 15th year of the
commencement of the monastery at Mannanam, in the year 1846, he established a
Sanskrit was made the medium of education here for the fear that English
education might spread the protestant ideology.
This severe attitude of the administrate had the backing of the synod of
diamper. The status that Sanskrit had
among the people in the upper layer of the society might also have influenced
him in adopting Sanskrit as the medium of education in this school. Fr. Parapurath Varky, one of the
contemporaries of Fr. Chavara, recoded about the establishment of this school
like this: along this time a Sanskrit school was establishment as part of the
Mannanam monastery. The priestly inmates
and children from the neighbourhood were studying here. A
tutor belonging to the varyar community was brought from Thrissur, to
run this school. He was well versed both
in Malayalam and Sanskrit.
SCHOOLS AT ARPOOKARA AND MANNANAM
The success of
Sanskrit school made Fr. Chavara more enthusiastic. He began to focus on the downtrodden in the
society. He realised that the lamentable
condition of the backward and depressed class could not be changed merely by
financial support the Mannanam an Arpookara schools are living examples of his
attempts to revive the very humanity of the poor communities that was thrashed
down by the unjust social system, through literacy and civilization.
PIDIYARI, MIDDAY MEALS
Saint Chavara started schools at Mannanam and
Arpookara and he gave admission to dalit students. The poor students who came to the school were
given books and midday meals.
He had the idea
of giving midday meals to the children.
This tradition of giving midday meals is still fillowed in many school
related to this he started the pidiyari foundation. This was started together rice for the midday
meals. They formed are alliance or
organization called “Unnimishihayude Dharma Sabha”
THE AUTHOR OF MANY
SPIRITUAL AND LITURGICAL WORKS
Admist his
diverse and manifold activities, he found time and leisure to write a few
books, both in prose and in verse like Atmanuthapan(The lamentation of a
repentant soul a poem) Maranaveetil padunnathinulla pana(A poem to sing in the bereaved house)
Anasthaciayude Rakthasakshyam(The martyrdom of anasthacia) Dhyanasallapangal(colloguies
in meditation) Naalagamangal(Historical notes as chronicles) He took initiative
in codifying the liturgical rubrics called Thukkasa, lithurgical calendar;
solemn sung mass, little office of blessed virgin mary and office for the
dead. His eclogues are 10 shephered
plays related to the birth of Christ.
His counsels to the Christian families in 1866 in form of the Testament
of a loving father are universally applicable and are relevant to this
day. As an instruction manual for
families, already its lakhs of copies in 32 editions were circulated to the
Christian families.
CHAVARA’S INITIATIVE IN
THE FIELD OF PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS
As regards the
printing press, there were only two printing establishments in Kerala at the
time of Chavara: the government press at Trivandrum and the CMC protestant at
Kottayam, and there was no press for the catholics. It is very clear from the biography of Fr.
Thomas Palackal , Chavaras rector, that what a great struggle and even humiliation
on the Malpan had endured in collecting books from different sources and
copying some of them for his seminary.
Chavara has
proved his interest in printing press and publications. Then the existing two printing presses in
Malabar, one owned by the government of Travancore, the other owned by the CMS
missionaries were not available to propagate catholic literature. Greatly pained at the situation, collecting
technical informations, he established a handmade printing press at Mannanam in
1846, which was the first printing press of the catholics in Malabar. He was also the firs Indian to start a
printing press in the private ownership.
This served to propagate catholic news and literature among the people
at large. This has also helped to create
many literary men and women among the Catholics in Kerala.
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAVARA THE SOCIAL WORKER
Society is a
changing pattern of social relationships.
It exists only where social beings behave towards one another in ways
determined by their awareness and consciousness of one another. A majority of social relationships involves a
principle: a sense of community or belonging together. The realization and recognition of this
togetherness is the natural basis of all social work.
At the close of
the last world war, all social life was disrupted; man became lonely and
frustrated. As extended uit were groping
in the dark. Still he longed for
freedom. But in his search after it, he
forgot all about possible, his conscience whispered, unless the individual set
himself free of his ego. But to do
it, man had to acknowledge and accept
the existence of the other and serve the other.
Christianity
from its very beginning has acknowledged the importance of social service and
has made it an indispensable part of her religion. It is Christ that first heralded the
revolutionary, precept of universal love: ‘Love thy neighbour as theyself’,
Love of the neighbour is the characteristic note and duty of Christian
individually and collectively. In regard
to the church, the decree on the Apostolate of the laity has it. The church claims the work of charity as her
own inalienable duty and right.
This precept of
charity towards the other is an extension of the love of god. In other words, a Christian has to find and
serve Christ in the poor and the needy.
Taken in this sense it is an act of workship, the ultimate end of religion
itself. Hence every Christian has of
necessity to enter the field of social work whether it be charity action ,
relief activity, social service, social action or social revolution.
Really it is in
this ulterior motive that persuaded the servant of God, kuriakose elias chavara
to give a twist to the nature of the congregation of which he was one of the
founders. It was primarily owing ti his
efforts that this congregation became an active service oriented centre. If this is a service oriented institution,
then,”as a matter of fact, when time and circumstances create the need, she can
and should initiative activities designed for the needy, such as works of mercy
and similar undertakings.
Fr. Kuriakose
Elias Chavara was a man of god; he was a saint in the true sense of the
word. His love of god gushed out of his
pure and innocent heart in the form of the love of his neighbour. He was friend of all, high and low, rich and
poor, learned and ignorant. He tried to
study all their existential problems, and extended unto them his generous
helping hand. This knowledge of the
situation coupled with his high sense of the times and of the social changes,
did make of him a great social worker and reformer.
He believed in
the basic equality of all. He was
convinced of the fact that although rightful differences exist between men, the
equal dignity of persons demands that a more human and just condition of life
be brought about. The excessive social
and economic differences cause great scandal, and are detrimental to the
dignity of the human person and to mutual peace and concord among men. Hence he preached and practised charity which
he said is a commandment from god.
He went around
contacting and persuading the rich to contribute regularly their share for the
uplift of the poor and the needy. He
reminded them of the fact that they would be deprived of their wealth if they
amassed it at the cost of their less fortunate neighbour, if they withheld the
just wages from the poor coolies and labourers or if they did not give them
their just dues. He did regularly, from
the alms he collected, feed and clothe the poor, regularly, did he go his round
of tours visiting and consoling the sick and the bed-ridden. His charity did go so far as to urg him found
an Asylum for the poor destitute at Kainakary at a time when such a venture was
quite unheard of unfortunately such a well meant and far-sighted enterprize was
slowly ignored after the dseath of Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara as the
congregation especially its early members got trained by the introvert
missionaries from euope. Even today the
institution in its dilapidated condition stands as a monument to our culpable disloyalty
to the spirit and scope envisaged by our founder. However hundreds of such institutions have
sprung up in our land in its wake, thanks to the good will of other agencies.
In order to
better the condition of the illiterate scheduled caste, the Harijans or Pulayas
he started two schools in close vicinity to his Ashram at Mannanam. It was indeed a very bold venture at that
time when they were looked down upon by the high caste Hindus of the land. When his followers started more schools, the
Harijans people of god in Mahatma Gandhi’s words were welcomed in and educated
in these institutions. If most of the
credit of it goes to father Chavara. The
protestant missionaries have, after him, done a lot for their betterment.
As vicar general
of the Syrian section of the venapoli diocese, he chalked out ways and means to
collect funds to help the poor and the needy the most famous among such being
nootuk achu 5% and the pidiyari. Every
day when mothers take rice to prepare the lunch, they set aside a pinch or a
handful of rice and keep it in a special box or pot to hand it over, at the end
of the month to the parish church authorities who gave them as alms to poor.
Thus father Chavara
has bequeathed to us very brilliant example of social activities to be
followed. In this era of social,
cultural, and economic disruption and urest, social works and activities have
become a must for his followers.
Consequent up on floods, epidemics and draughts, the poor of our country
had to suffer much or more recently evacuations such as of Keerithodu, Churuli,
Kottiyoor,etc. Created newer social crises.
At all these times it was occurs, it was all men of good will to reach
them help. The ramakrishne mission
people and the communists even were on the spot with their mites.
CHAPTER FIVE
FATHER KURIAKOSE ELIAS
CHAVARA AND THE C M I COGREGATION
The servant of
god father kuriakose elias chavara. More
endearingly called in the native tongue Valia Priorachan which means the
eminent father prior, stands as in projectile, singularly prominent. He was an eminently imposing and
distinguished personality in the 19th century history of the Christian community of
Kerala. As the proverb has it, he seems
tom have been “Born with a silver spoon in his mouth” His straight, undeviating
course of life was asuccession of endeavours and achievements. The evangelical blessing seek ye first the kingdom of god and his justice;
and all else will be added unto you, seems to have been breathed on him at his
birth. The records of his life show that
from the time he attained the use of reason to the moment he breathed his last
he did keep his baptismal garb unsullied.
Inspite of his poor circumstances, of the number of his undertakings and
enterprises, too expensive to think of that time , he has never been, so to
say, in want. Provindence of god did
lovingly work out the means as he stood in need of them.
Tfe servant od
god resembles so very closely to the holy men of his cadreand to his
prototypes. He had in him the sterling
qualities of St. Benedict whose holy rule and the illustration of the sanctity
of labour made tremendous impact on all religious down the centuries. The servent og god followed the example of
St. Francis of Assissi in renewing the evangelical spirit and virtuous life in
the Christian community of Malabar. There emerged in father Kuriakose Elias a little St. Francis
of Assassi humble and simple. He was the
replica of the great St. Ignatius Loyola of his post monserat days. Like him he was the formulator, founder and
life long superior general of a religious community. The present congregation of the Carmelites of
Mary immaculate; he was a well esteemed ecclesiastic ; he was vicar general of
the Syrian Christian section of the Archdiocese of verapoly; he was the
originator of religious life for women in all Kerala and he started the first
convent in Kerala at Coonammavu as an indigenous Carmelite tertiary of which he
was also life long director, under the auspices of his religious association
according to the mode prevailing at the tie, there arose several local
seminaries preparing pupils and candidates for priesthood, strikingly enough
the name of father also went up to rome as a coadjutor bishop of verapoly to be
especially in charge of the Syrian Christian section of the archdiocese.
Frs. Thomas
Palackal and kuriakose elias chavara having the same motivation of starting a
religious community life, had several occasions to meet together at the
vicariate of verapoly or at the seminary of pallipuram to discuss the idea of a
religious institute. By the words of blessed
chavara, from the first page of his chronicle, we may allude to the request
father palackal and porukara placed before the bishop Maurelius Stabilini
seeing that a lot of good has not been done due to the absence of a Thapasu
Bhavanam in Kerala even for priests, we desire to start a Darsana Veed at least
for priests.
The vicar
Apostolic finally on 1st November 1829 granted permission to
establish a religious house. On May 11,
1831, the foundation stone for the proposed religious house was laid at
Mannanan near Kottayam in Kerala dedicating it to St. Joseph. This was the first indigenous religious
institute for men in the Indian church of modern times, known now as Carmelites
of Mary Immaculate. Forb it all there existed any religious institute before,
no one continued upto that time. Jacob
Kanianthara, who in 1865 became at first professed brother co-operation also
co-operated with those three founding fathers from the beginning.
CONCLUSION
Fr. St.
Kuriakose Elias Chavara storve hard to create an awakening in the minds of
those who were grouping in the dark, steped in ignorance and groaning under the
yoke of social discrimination and deprivation.
He wanted to include in their minds a sense of honour and self respect
and self confidence.
Fr. Chavara was
the source of inspiration for the millions of Dalits was a symbol of
institution for social equality. He was
the great son of india who dedicated his life for social virtue. He was so great that he could not be confined
within the limits of Kerala. Even today
his ideas and activities have much relevance than before. Untouchability is a black spot in the
profundity of India.
The struggle of
Fr.Chavara against caste dominance was one of the main factors which led Kerala
to the forefront of progressive thinking. Fr. Chavara was the first who raised
the voice against the Brahminical domination that prevailed in the walks of the
social life on Kerala, the voice of voiceless people like Dalits in Kerala,
through his revolutionary interventions in the society of Brahmins
dominantion. He was desperate at the
destiny of the people in which he belonged.
He worked for his immense to prossess the rights of Dalits through any
means as he was angry with the depressed condition of his community.
