Thomas visited and preached Christianity in Kerala. When St.Thomas began to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, large number of prominent families or groups of people with powerful chieftains, have adopted Christianity as their religion. Nilakkal Church was the most prominent Church which was instituted by St.Thomas. It is believed that the original Church at Aruvithura was instituted by St.Thoma
s. Till 14th Century, Nilakkal (also known as Chayal) was one of the biggest trade centre in Kerala in spices and timber having business relations with Romans, Jews, Parsis, Portuguese etc. During the 14th Century, the Church of Nilakkal was destroyed by Para –Pattam and Vikram- Puli- Thevar and that resulted in a massive migration of Syrian Christians from Nilakkal to other places, especially to Chengannur, Mallappally, Vaipore, Kanjirappally, Puthuppaly and Aruvithura. Valiyaveettil Family was a very prominent Syrian Christian family at Nilakkal when the migration started. Valiyaveettil Thomman, who was the head of the family then, and his family members had started towards Aruvithura carrying the holy idol of St.George along with a large number of other Syrian Christians and settled at Aruvithura which was also known as Erappoli then. It is believed that the holy idol of St. George is the one and only holy idol which is crafted in a typical Persian style and still remains so without any additional preservation or painting. This holy statue is believed to have been made in the 13th Century. Erappoli was one of the most sought after business centers in those days. Valiyaveettil Thomman and his family members had managed to settle near the Church which was then known as ‘St.Mary’s Church’ acquiring a large stretch of land on the western part of the Church and took up agriculture and business as their main occupation. Still a large number of our family members are living at the western part of the Church. Ever since the advent of the holy idol, the people began to have unflinching faith in the Saint and he has been particularly beneficial in bestowing favors on his disciples. Because of the numerous favors obtained through the intercession of the Saint, while reconstructing the Church in 16th Century, the Church was dedicated to him and his holy idol was placed in the central niche above the main alter. In this way St.Mary’s church Erappoli became known as St.George’s Church, Erappoli (Later Aruvithura). The old traditional families of Kerala were inclined to adopt family names which had a direct bearing on the surroundings around their dwellings. During the course of time Valiyaveettil Family at Aruvithura became known in different family names like Vallikappil, Kittiyanickal, Incheril, Mukkaladiyil and Kochukandathinkara. From these main family branches, new sub-branches were evolved viz. Ponnamparampil, Vayampothanal, Cherumattom, Karimpanackal, Mundaplakkal, Anakkuzhiyil, Valiyaveettil Puthenpura, Madathil, Vattavayalil, Purappanthanam, Vazhepparampil, Veedon, Thoonganparampil and Machukunnel. Presently the members in Valiyaveettil family are known in these 19 different branch names and this family has more than 800 house units spread across various countries. Since our settlement in Aruvithura, then known as Erappoli, this family is playing a very prominent role in the social, cultural, religious and political spheres of the society. All our ancestors have lived in perfect peace and harmony with other families and members of the society irrespective of their religion and faith. Through the course of time, almost all of the prominent Hindu as well as Muslim families of this area had befriended with the members of our family and this social scenario can be taken as a classic example of peaceful co-existence and religious harmony. Because of the cordial, aristocratic and behavioral legacy of the members of our family in all the spectrums of the society, it had direct relations with most of the aristocratic and ancient Roman Catholic Syrian Christian families in Kerala, especially with those in the Central Travancore.
