Lt. Col Mathew Daniel has written about his own family and people. They were ( were but not are ) people linked to (born there, or had parents born there) Bolghatty.
These days, Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan, daughter of N S Madhavan is famous for her bloggings. This gentleman, Madhvan from the Indian Administrative Service ( IAS) has written a book based on the history of Bolghatty. Refers to gentlemen engaged in ship building. Did he know about the story of Portugese sailor who married a nair woman, sired children who later day carried title and surname like Veliath (nair) Ausuez ( Portuguese ) like a double barrel surname.
The family branch of Lt. Col. Mathew Danel Veliath, is said to have, dropped the assuez idenity and retained the Veliath part, when sarong worn by Anglo Indians because expensive. This story could be joke, because, the Current day Veliaths were land lords and affluent.
There are few families with the name Assuez and some with only Veliath.
The Asuez families are Anglo Indians the Veliaths are simply Latin Catholics. (they all go to the same church any way)
The Veliaths are mostly migrated and gone to far awaylands of the US and UK.
Col Mathew Veliath himself lives in Maradu.
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ReplyDeleteSo i just bumped into this blog today and i was surprised to see both my surname(Assuez) and my homeland(Bolghatty) mentioned here. In fact, my family still owns property in that island. I wonder if i'm in the same bloodline of the Portuguese you speak of here :)
ReplyDeleteRodney,
DeleteI think you could be. There are few Assuez, families still in Bolghatty, some very close to the Bolghatty palace. Only the Veliath family changed their surname, because, they wanted to join the bigger band of Christian community.
Why don't you search for details in the church records, of St. Sebastian Parish, Ponjikkara (that is the native name of Bolghatty ) to find out for sure.
As I know only two families are left in the island. One family (of late Thomas Veliyath) is in bolghatty. He was a teacher at St. Alberts Highschool. His son and wife (cicily teacher, she was a teacher at St. Sebastian UP School Ponjikkara) are there. Another family of late George Veliyath brother of Thomas veliyath are living in Ponnarimangalam. His son Mathew (Vinodh) Veliyath once told me about they having Assuez as their surname during their great great grandfathers time. I being an Assuez myself didnt quite believe him then. Later Mr. Basil Veliath who moved to Edakochi area too have told me once.
ReplyDeleteThis matter is confirmed by yet another Veliath, son of Daniel Veliath. Story of Velath family written by a member of family
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DeleteDoes anyone know if this book was ever published, if so, where it can be found please?
ReplyDelete