Thachil Mar Matthoo Tharakan played a key role in the history of Kerala/Travancore/Cochin in India towards the latter part of the 18th century and early 19th century.
Trader and exporter
Matthoo belonged to Alangad, near North Kuthiathode, in the present Paravur Taluk of Ernakulam District. He was born into a prosperous Syro-Malabar Christian family in 1741 as the son of Thachil Thariath and Kelparambu Itti Anna. He did business successfully,with the help of his father's friends,Ranga Shenoy and Narayana Shenoy, prospered, and the friends that he made during that period later took him to great heights. His powerful friends included Captain Eustachius De Lannoy, the Dutch commander who became head of the Travancore Army and Raja Kesava Das. Through such friends, he got introduced to the Kings of Travancore and Cochin.It was on 943 M.E. that Mathoo Tharakan began his royal service. Matthoo Tharakan thus became a leading trader and influential Christian leader, from among the IndianSyriac-Rite Christians of Kerala. He awarded a 'Thankakompan' that earned the king's appreciation and the king then awarded him the title' Mathoo Tharakan Muthalali Avarkal'.The title Tharakan was granted by the KingDharma Raja of Travancore to indicate 'a noble trader'. Matthoo Tharakan was a merchant of timber, spices, salt, and tobacco, and was reportedly the first timber exporter from Southern India. Matthoo Tharakan and Dewan Raja Kesavadas built up the Alappuzha port. He controlled the exports from Alappuzha and Cochin ports.
Matthoo Tharakan was Commerce Minister to Maharaja Balarama Varma of Travancore. His best years were during the reign of Dharma Raja. He loaned a large sum of money to the Kingdom to help fight its wars against Tipu Sultan. However, during the following period of Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri's Dewanship, there was an uprising and revolt engineered by Velu Thampi. This led to Velu Thampi becoming the Dalawa in 1801. Velu Thampi persecuted Mathu Tharakan. He ordered confiscation of Matthoo Tharakan's landholdings and assets alleging that he had to pay huge revenue arrears to the Government of Travancore. This order was later cancelled by the British Resident Macaulay. Balarama Varma repented the indiscriminate actions of Velu Thampi and symbolically gave Tharakan a golden ear. Velu Thampi's subsequent revolt against the British led to his suicide in 1809 in Mannadi Temple, Adoor.
Thachil Matthoo Tharakan made attempts at reunion of the Christian communities separated by the Coonan Cross Oath. But his efforts were apparently thwarted by the Portuguese. His efforts had the support of Mar Joseph Kariattil of the Indian Syriac-Rite Catholics, and of Mar Dionysius I of the Indian Syriac-Rite Orthodox faction, known as the Jacobites. But Bishop Kariattil's death in Goa and Rome's silence, ultimately led to the Indian Jacobites remaining separate and the Indian Syriac Catholic accepting the jurisdiction of the Latin Bishops in India. He was actively involved in organising the historic journey of Mar Joseph Kariattil and Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar to Rome in 1782 for representing before the Pope the grievances of the Syriac Catholic.
