Thadikkaran tharavad is considered to be very ancient - consisting of agriculturists, businessmen and artisans. Due to natural calamities like floods, warfare between petty kings(Naduvazhies), invasion of Tipu Sultan of Mysore and other extraneous reasons, families of this tharavad were scattered during different periods of history.
Besides these, some of the kings of Kerala, particularly Sakthan Thampuran of the erstwhile Cochin kingdom, had a special liking for enterprising Syrian Christians. He, therefore, patronized them and persuaded them to settle down at some selected strategic centres of his kingdom to develop trade and commerce for which purpose he had provided free land and other facilities. In view of this, like several other prominent Syrian Christian families, Thadikkaran families also had responded positively to the request of the sovereign and settled down in different places of his kingdom. Consequently, Thadikkaran families got distributed all over Kerala.
Today there are clusters of Thadikkaran families at Valapad, Edathuruthy, Moozhikulam, Kuthiathode, Vathuruthy, Ezhikara, North Parur and surroundings, Mattoor, Pirarur and at various places in Trichur and Ernakulam districts, details of which are available in the book `Thadikkaran Family’ published in both Malayalam and English by the Thadikkaran Family Association, Edathuruthy.
It is now known that a branch of the Thadikkarans has been flourishing in the Fiji islands since the early twentieth century. They are the descendants of the Kuthiathode line(thaivazhy). A few details received about them are included in the above mentioned book. Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, reliable evidences are not available to ascertain the exact origin of the Thadikkaran tharavad. No evidence is forthcoming about the first Karanavar(forefather) of Thadikkaran tharavad, nor is information available about the exact relationships of some of its branches(thaivazhies). However, some historical events in Kerala indicate that the Thadikkaran tharavad is quite ancient.
Koonan Kurissu Satyam The famous Synod of Diamper held at Udayamperur near Ernakulam in 1599 under the initiative of Archbishop Alexis de Menezes of Goa, had created widespread unrest and disappointment among the traditional Marthoma Christian community. (The traditional Christians are called Marthoma Christians or St.Thomas Christians since their ancestors are believed to have been converted by St. Thomas the Apostle). The unrest was mainly due to the banning of some of the customs and beliefs of the traditional Christians under the threat of excommunication and also the prevention of native priests from occupying important ecclesiastical offices by Archbishop Menezes with the connivance and support of the Portuguese rulers. The displeasure of the community could not be expressed publicly as the Portuguese were influential and militarily strong at that time. But on January 3, 1653, there took place an epoch making event in the history of Marthoma Christians of Kerala. It was on that day that a section of Marthoma Christians assembled at the Mattanchery Church, tied a big rope on the cross of the church and touching that rope, took the now famous oath known as ‘Koonan Kurissu Satyam’.
It was a protest against the prejudicial and partisan attitude of the Portuguese authorities against the Marthoma Christians and their blatant interference in the liturgy, customs and culture of these ancient Christians to subjugate them and to latinize them. That protest turned against the Church of Rome also which appeared to be in league with the Portuguese. Those Christians who vowed not to have any truck with the Church of Rome, later decided to join the Jacobite Church which was not under the Pope nor under the Portuguese influence. Thus, for the first time, the Jacobite Church came into existence in Kerala and several members of various prominent Christian families joined the new Jacobite Church. As a result, some members of reputed families like Pynadath, Payyapilly, Kakkassery, Thottungal, Maliyekal, Areekal, Arakkal, Mechery, Menachery, and Manjaly, besides some members of the Thadikkaran family, were separated and hence these families are today represented in both the Catholic and the Jacobite Churches.
Thadikkaran families of Pirarur and Mattoor near Kalady belong to the Jacobite Church. This is enough evidence to show that the Thadikkaran tharavad was in existence much before 1653 and was a part of native Marthoma Christian community. Similarly there was a split in the Catholic community of Trichur Diocese in the recent past, as a result of which a section of Catholics including some members of the Thadikkaran family joined the Chaldean Syrian Church.Thadikkaran families of Anchery(Valarkavu) belong to this Church.