Mulamoottil

The Mulamoottil family is one of the oldest families in Kozhencherry, Kerala, India. The origin of the family dates back to 52 AD, when St. Thomas came to the region landing in the port of Cranganore near Kochi. He visited different parts of Kerala and converted local inhabitants from the upper sect known as Namboodiri Brahmins.
Before the government formed the panchayat, a panchayat known as Mulamootil Panchayat was in existence right from the period of Mulamootil Avarachan. Later when panchayat was formed, C. I. Eapen of the Mulamoottil family was the first panchayat president of Kozhencherry.
History
During the Aryanization of India, the Hindu Brahmins migrated to Kerala, replacing the traditional per-Hindu religions there. Traditionally the introduction of Christianity in Kerala is attributed to apostle Thomas. Thomas on his mission to spread the gospel visited Nillakal, a densely populated trade center in Kerala where there resided a large number of Brahmin communities. Among the early converts was Vishnu Namboothiri of Padippura Illam.
The Mulamootil family traces its ancestry to the family of Vishnu Namboothiri. Regular invasions of the Cholas (known as parapattas) and various climatic calamities forced the people to leave their hometown in search for safer lands and few of the ancestors settled in Kadambanad. The prominent families in that region were Padipurakkal, Kalluvettamkuzhy and Theruvathu.
About 700 years, a descendant the family, Cherian along with his younger brother Kuruvilla moved to Kozhencherry, where they bought the entire land called Perangattumala and its surroundings and established their trade business. Kuruvilla later shifted base to Chengooth, Ellanthoor. Perangattu Cherian had two sons Perengattu Mathen and Perangattu Itticheriya (who later settled in Teyillapuram).
Perangattu Mathen married Mariamma of Padipura Kadambanad and had 8 sons. His eldest son was Mulamootil Mathen. He was a prominent businessman and landlord. He had 3 sons and 2 daughters through two marriages. He married Aliyamma following the death of his first wife Kandamma. His eldest son Kallukulam Thomman was honoured with the title Panicker. Kallukulam Thomman Panicker was the head of the Christian army of the ruler of Chembekacherry. He has also fought against Marthanda Varma Maharaja. His second son Mathen continued his fathers trade business. His third son Idiculla Mulamoottil was a scholar who learned English, Tamil and Syrian. He was a close associate of Mathews Mar Athenasius, the first bishop of the Marthoma Church.

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