The First Branch of the Padathumappila Family Tree
From humble beginnings near Kangazha Siva temple to over 350 flourishing families across Kerala
The history of Padathu Mappila family would be incomplete without at least a brief description of how the family spread to various parts of the state over the centuries. To begin with, let us first examine how the family took roots at Kangazha and Kothala.
It was Thomman Tharakan, a grandson of Padathu Mappila, who first came to Kangazha and settled there about 400 years ago. It happened quite by chance. He had married from the old Anithottam family in the south of Kangazha.
On a dusky evening, he and his young pregnant wife were on their way to Anithottam. Sensing that the pregnant woman's journey along a narrow path through the woods in the evening was risky, an aged woman of the old 'Erat' Nair family near Kangazha Siva temple urged the couple to stay at their house for the night. They obliged.
This happened at a time when the Nair family was already looking for a Nazrani to help purify the oil for daily pooja at the Siva temple. This was a custom in those days probably because most Christians then had converted Brahmins and ate only vegetarian food.
The old woman requested him to settle near the temple for this specific purpose. To cut a long story short, eventually a piece of agricultural land near the temple had given to him, and he built his house there. He called it 'Kothappallil.'
Kothappally 'shakha' (branch) of Padathu Mappila Kudumbayogam has now more than 350 families living in Kangaha, Vazhoor, Meenadom, Mundakayam, Idukki and Malabar areas.