The Kottakkavu Mar Thoma Syro-Malabar Pilgrim Church, which was founded by St. Thomas the Apostle in early first century. Photo: Wikimedia CommonsLegend has it that in 52 AD, when St Thomas the Apostle landed on the shores of Kerala, the first person he encountered was a flute-playing Jewish girl. The Christians of Kerala, however, looked to the Patriarch of Antioch in modern-day Turkey as their leader. St Thomas, for instance, is supposed to have parleyed with the goddess Bhagavathy at the harbour in Pallippuram. And so it is, as Kerala celebrates its state festival—Hindus, Christians, Muslims all together, as always—that we must recall how its past was shaped, and where its future is going.

Source: Mint September 02, 2017 03:11 UTC