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Why
History ? Why Cochin royal family history ?
History is continuous record of important events. A study of
past events is history. Account of research into past event
is history, It is a curious thing for us, self important human
beings to see one’s continuity in future as well as in
the past. What do I mean by that? I look at my son or daughter
and try to see something of ME in them. As I have grown older,
I look at myself in the mirror and I try to see something of
my parents, my uncles and I wonder whether they did the same.
Whether we like it or not we live in a continuum. The past merges
with the present and the present soon becomes history. Does
future care for history? Who knows? I don’t know. But
knowing about the past is important for the present. Recording
about the present is also important. That is why we keep diaries,
photograph, tape-record and videotape. We certainly do that
to keep a nuclear family history. If we extend it to a particular
Kovilakam it becomes the Kovilakam history. Why not a Thavazhi
history. Why not the history of all the Thavazhis of Cochin
Royal Family. The Thavazhi resulted from one single woman –
Chittamma Thampuran’s grandmother adopted from Chazhur
in 1715 at the time of Rama Varma Maharaja. From 1715 onwards,
the continuum has continued. What an evolution! An adopted ancestor
after 12 to 13 generations, evolving to thousands who belonged
to the Cochin Royal Family Heritage. Today, we are over a thousand
independent, self important, totally dissimilar individuals;
all with a different story to tell – is the story to be
told, to be recorded! We got glimpses of what happened during
the last 200 years or so from written records, which are available.
The pattern of life style that was being continued until about
60 years ago tells us a whole lot. Impressions and myths transmitted
by oral history adds flavor to the story. But, we have yet to
compile a compendium of our Family story. We have an accurate
genealogy which can be traced to 1715. Because of the matrilineal
nature of the family structure the heritage ought to be infallible
and verifiable by mitochondrial DNA if only we had a hair left
behind from the Casher ancestor! Circumstances were such that
being a ruling Family the family was under close supervision
and scrutiny and records were being kept. While, the whole world
is clamoring for genealogical introspection, we are provided
with a built-in genealogy of 13 generations. Joan’s Dutch
Royal Genealogy traces the genealogy of the Royal Family of
Netherlands, from 1100 onwards. There are 2603 articles about
genealogy that can be accessed through internet. In 1976, Alex
Haley published his “Roots” which started a genealogy
craze in the U.S.A. We can now see the uniqueness of the Cochin
Royal Family Heritage. Its humble solitary beginning, its relatively
privileged position, its proliferation and progress in its own
inimitable style – modest, elegant, simple yet dignified
and with Honor. An ordinary woman who was adopted to continue
the continuum after several generations resulted in over a thousand
of ordinary men and women of present day Cochin Royal Family.
Today, we embark on a history making odyssey. We try to tell
our story to ourselves and our younger generation and probably
to the world. |
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