A brief History of Ambat Family

 St. Thomas the disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ traveled far and wide to preach the gospel in the first century A.D. As he traveled he along with a Jew named Habain, reached a port at Kodungallor in North Kerala then Malabar. There were some Jews at Kodungallor doing business through sea. He preached among them and as a result some Jews were baptized and became Christians. While on one of St.Thomas’ journey, he saw a temple and a pond within its compound. Some people were taking a bath in the pond and he noticed them throwing water upwards. He enquired what they were doing? They said they are doing this to please the sun god. He asked them why their god was not accepting it and added that if their god had in-fact accepted it, the water should remain in the air and the place from where they drew the water should remain a pit. During the ensuing discussion, the group accepted the challenge set. They argued that it was impossible for anybody to do it and if any one did it they would start worshiping that God. St.Thomas proclaimed that his God is Almighty and is capable of doing this. Saying so he drew some water and threw it upwards. To everybody’s astonishment the water remained there and the place from where the water was drawn remained a pit. The people believed in this God and they become Christians. Those people were the scholars of  “Palayur” St.Thomas converted the temple into a Church and this “ Palayur Church ” is one among the churches that St.Thomas himself made.

 Other Brahmins of Palayur were against them. Finally the converted Brahmins moved from there. Of them, one  family settled at “Kuravilangad”. During the mid 4^th century they moved on to central Travancore, some people from “ Kuravilangadu “ came and settled at Kaviyoor and near by places. One of those families is the “Angadiyil Family”

 During those days the kings and their Viceroy used to visit the village. At that time the known families of that village would give a measure of gold or silver to them. Accordingly the King would grant titles to the family. In this way the Angadiyil family received the title of “Tharakan”.

 Slowly the Angadiyil  family started declining. One young man from Angadiyil family  moved to “ Padingatumcherry “ in Kaviyoor Village. He was Cherian Tharakan. He bought one property known as “ Thayyil Purayidom”. His son Varkey lived for a long time in Thayyil Purayidom. So he was known as Thyyil Varkey. Thayyil Varkey had two sons and four daughters. The eldest was Varkey Cherian and the youngest was Varkey Ninan. Varkey Cherian stayed at Thayyil Purayidom itself. Varkey Ninan was a teacher (Aasan). He bought a plot (Nearly 400 Mts east of Kaviyoor Temple) known as Ambat Purayidom. Ambat Ninan Aasan is the oldest traceable member of the Ambat family. The Ambat Family Tree starts from here ….