BonnieKoontz at 13:55, 2 March 2026

2026-03-02T13:55:09Z

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{{Short description|Indian karhanar}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2019}}
[[File:Kadamattom St. George Church.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kadamattom Church]] in [[Ernakulam district]], [[Kerala]]]]

'''Kadamattathu Kathanar''' was a ''[[kathanar]]'' (priest) who, according to legends, possessed [[Magician (fantasy)|magical]] powers. He was an ordained [[deacon]] of [[Kadamattom Church]] in the 9th century, in Kadamattam near [[Kolenchery]] in [[Ernakulam]] district, [[Kerala]]. According to legends, his real name was Poulose and he was the disciple of bishop [[Mar Sabor and Mar Proth|Mar Abo]]. The church's history is undocumented, surviving solely through local legends. The tales surrounding Kathanar encapsulate the experiences of the local populace, conveyed through elements of magic and sorcery. These tales portray him as a priest with supernatural powers, employed for the common good.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2005/02/18/stories/2005021802230300.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050406100329/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2005/02/18/stories/2005021802230300.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=6 April 2005 |title=Kathanar's Kadamattam |work=The Hindu |date=2005-02-18 |accessdate=2011-05-11}}</ref>

==Historicity==
In medieval legends, history and fables were combined inextricably.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/lf/2004/08/01/stories/2004080100490200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109105759/http://www.hindu.com/lf/2004/08/01/stories/2004080100490200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-11-09 |title=A symbol of amity |date=2004-08-01 |work=[[The Hindu]] |accessdate=2011-05-17}}</ref> The story of Kadamattathu Kathanar might be a mixture of history and fables. Currently there is no certain proof that he really existed, but the fact that a real priest lived in that area in the ninth century cannot be denied.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kerala.cc/keralahistory/index20.htm |title=Chera times of the Kulasekharas |publisher=kerala.cc |date= |accessdate=2011-05-17 |archive-date=13 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813143323/http://www.kerala.cc/keralahistory/index20.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> History points out the existence of Christians in the area from around 2nd or 3rd century of the Christian Era.<ref>Kottoor_kulangattil Family Magazine 2012 (Kottoor Church History)</ref>{{sfnmp|1a1=Eusebius|1loc=Book V Chapter 10 ''"Pantaenus the Philosopher"''|Frykenberg|2008|2p=103|3a1=Baum|3a2=Winkler|3y=2003|3p=52|4a1=Medlycott|4y=1912|Whitehouse|1873|5pp=12–20}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.indianchristianity.com/html/chap4/chapter4g.htm|title = Indian Christianity}}</ref>

==Legends==
{{More citations needed section|date=September 2023}}
Poulose, later known as Kathanar, was born to a poor family in Kadamattom, a small village in North [[Travancore]] (now part of [[Kerala]]). People fondly called him ''Kochu Poulose''. He had no siblings and his parents died when he was a child. He was taken care of by his mother for a short period before her death, after which he came under the patronage of the [[Persians|Persian]] priest [[Mar Sabor and Mar Proth|Mar Abo]] (also known as Mar Sabor).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/28/stories/2011012859820300.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109105622/http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/28/stories/2011012859820300.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-11-09 |title=St. Mar Abo festival |date=2011-01-28 |work=[[The Hindu]] |accessdate=2011-05-17}}</ref>

Poulose was given a good education under Abo. The priest taught him [[Syriac language|Syriac]] and [[Mass (liturgy)|Liturgy of the Mass]]. In due course he was ordained as a [[deacon]] and people began to call him deacon Poulose.

Mar Sabor the [[bishop]] who ordained him as a priest left from Kadamattom after the arrival of Paulose. The Bishop built many churches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sor.cua.edu/ChMon/Ankamaly/AkaparambuMSaborAphroth.html|title=Mor Sabor-Mor Aphroth, Akaparambu|first=Thomas|last=Joseph|website=sor.cua.edu}}</ref> Sabor settled at Thevalakkara.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.marthamariamorthodoxsyrianchurch-thevalakara.in/ml/marabo.php |title=മര്‍ത്തമറിയം ഓര്‍ത്തോഡോക്സ് സിറിയന്‍ ചര്‍ച്ച്‌, തേവലക്കര - Mar Abo |access-date=23 October 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130218023800/http://www.marthamariamorthodoxsyrianchurch-thevalakara.in/ml/marabo.php |archive-date=18 February 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Some stories of Kathanar are presented in the collection of legends, ''[[Aithihyamala]]''.<ref>{{citation|title=Stories from Ithihyamala: fables of Kerala|author=A. K. Shrikumar|publisher=Children's Book Trust |year=2001|isbn= 9788170119036|pages=79–94}}</ref><ref>Kottarathil Sankunni. ''EithihyamaalaIythiha Maala'' (legends of [[Kerala]]). Chapter 72. pp 380-391.</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed-hover">
Nasrani cross.jpg| Famous Persian Cross- front view
Persian Cross Kadamatam church.jpg|Persian Cross-side view
കടമറ്റം‍പള്ളി-അൾത്താര.jpg|Altar of the church
Kadamattomchurch.jpg|External view of the church
Tomb of Marthoma IX.jpg|Tomb of Marthoma IX
Malika.jpg|Bishops rest room built in the late 1940s or earlier
Writingonthewall.jpg|Unknown inscription on the wall of the church
</gallery>

==In popular culture==
* In the 1966 film ''Kadamattathachan'', [[Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair]] played the lead role.
* In the 1984 film ''Kadamattathachan'', [[Prem Nazir]] played the lead role.
* A TV series ''[[Kadamattathu Kathanar (TV series)|Kadamattathu Kathanar]]'' was telecast on [[Asianet (TV channel)|Asianet]] in which Prakash Paul played Kathanar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2004/04/30/stories/2004043001280801.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040917132746/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2004/04/30/stories/2004043001280801.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2004-09-17 |title=Kadamattathu Kathanar |date=2004-04-30 |work=[[The Hindu]] |accessdate=2011-05-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2004/04/30/stories/2004043001280801.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040917132746/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2004/04/30/stories/2004043001280801.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2004-09-17 |title=Bhavan's Adarsh Vidyalaya emerges winner |date=2004-10-03 |work=[[The Hindu]] |accessdate=2011-05-17}}</ref>
* A TV series was produced by [[JaiHind TV|Jai Hind]] and [[Surya TV]] titled ''Kadamattathachan''. Prakash Paul played the title role in both.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tvlistings.zap2it.com/tvlistings/ZCSGrid.do?sgridType=list&fromTimeInMillis=1250049600000&stnNum=35757 |title=TV Listings- Surya TV |publisher=tvlistings |date= |accessdate=2011-05-17 |archive-date=9 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009011301/http://tvlistings.zap2it.com/tvlistings/ZCSGrid.do?sgridType=list&fromTimeInMillis=1250049600000&stnNum=35757 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/02/08/stories/2008020850170400.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212073913/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/02/08/stories/2008020850170400.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-02-12 |title=Jai Hind- Serials |date=2008-02-08 |work=[[The Hindu]] |accessdate=2011-05-17}}</ref>
* In the film ''[[Meghasandesam (2001 film)|Meghasandesam]]'', [[Napoleon (actor)|Napoleon]] plays the role of a descendant of Kadamattathu Kathanar.
* In the 2025 superhero film ''[[Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra]]'', [[Sunny Wayne]] portrays Kathanar.
* In the upcoming film ''[[Kathanar – The Wild Sorcerer]]'', [[Jayasurya]] portrays Kathanar.

==See also==
*[[Kottarathil Sankunni]]
*[[Yakshi]]
*[[Kalliyankattu Neeli]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Kottarathil Sankunni, ''Aithihyamaala'' (legends of [[Kerala]] in Malayalam). Current Books. 1909. {{ISBN|81-240-0010-7}}.
*Mathew, N.M. ''Malankara Marthoma Sabha Charitram'', (History of the Marthoma Church), Volume 1. Tiruvalla. 2006.

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Kerala folklore]]
[[Category:Legendary Indian people]]
[[Category:Saint Thomas Christians]]

Kadamattathu Kathanar - Revision history

BonnieKoontz at 13:55, 2 March 2026