Vallarpadam festival: A celebration of inter-religious harmony & faith

Kochi: This year's annual festival at the Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom in Vallarpadam, marking 500 years since the installation of the iconic image of Mother Mary, will also serve as a symbol of communal harmony. On the main feast day, Sept 24, churchgoers will honour two prominent Hindu families with deep-rooted ties to the historic church.
A document published by the Vallarpadam Basilica traces the origins of the image of Mother Mary back to the Apostle Luke, who is believed to have painted it on a wooden piece that was once part of a table made by Jesus during her stay in Ephesus.Copies of this image were later installed around the world by missionaries, and it is said that one of these reached Vallarpadam.
According to the document, Portuguese missionaries installed the image at the Holy Spirit Church in Vallarpadam in 1524 after seeking protection from Mother Mary—referred to as Our Lady of Ransom—while facing challenges with Arab traders in Mattancherry. The image of Vallarpadathamma has since become iconic, particularly after a miraculous event believed to have occurred in 1752 through the intercession of Mother Mary.
According to the legend, a Nair woman Meenakshiamma of the Palliyil family was going to a temple in Mattancherry with her baby in 1752 when her boat capsized. "The church vicar had a vision that led to her miraculous rescue from the backwaters three days later. This event forged a deep bond between the family and the church," said Ajith Kumar, a descendant of the Palliyil family
Kumar also said in the mid-1970s, his father had a vision in which his family was instructed to host the church festival, which they did.
The descendants of the family are accorded a reception on the day of the festival and the buttermilk for distribution among the faithful on the day is from the family.
UT Paul, an art teacher and parishioner at the Basilica, notes that the current image of Vallarpadathamma reflects Indo-Portuguese art. "After the 1752 miracle, Indian artists added the image of a mother holding a baby in the corner of the original Portuguese portrait. It appears that this addition, representing Meenakshiamma, was done in oil paint. Since then, this depiction has become iconic, and all subsequent images of Vallarpadathamma have included the mother and child," he said.
Another legend linked to the church dates back to 1676 when the Holy Spirit Church was destroyed by a flood. The painting of Mother Mary was carried away by the waters but was later found by Raman Valiyachan of the Paliyam family. He returned it to the faithful and donated land for building the new church. The Paliyam family also vowed to supply oil for a perpetual lamp (Kedavilaku) in the church. To this day, a representative from the family is honoured during the festival, when they replenish the lamp before the holy mass.