Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar

Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar (1736–1799) is the author of Varthamanappusthakam, the first ever travelogue in an Indian language. Also known as Roma Yatraa Varthamanapusthakam, it postulates that the foundation of Indian nationalism rests on the basic principle that India should achieve civic self-rule. Long before the debates on nationalism shaking the intellectual circles of Europe, Asia, and Africa, Thoma Kathanar offers a distinctive positionality as a minority Syriac Christian priest and subsequent administrator of the Archdiocese of Cranganore with transnational ties to Portuguese ecclesiology who nevertheless argues in favor of autonomous civic Indian governance. and handed over the cross, chain and ring, the tokens of his power, which had been presented to him by the Portuguese queen.

Although the headquarters of Archdiocese of Kodungallur was at Pookkaatt, Aripalam muri of Mukundapuram taluk before their journey, the new Governador administered the affairs of the church establishing his headquarters at Angamaly. Paremmakkal was organised and led an assembly of the Catholic Saint Thomas Christians (Palazhayakūttukār) in Angamāly Saint George's Great Church, that enacted the Angamāly Padiyōla on 1 February 1787. This assembly protested against the colonial subjugation of the native Christians and strongly urged for the consecration of native bishop among them.

Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar remained the Governador for thirteen years. He died on 20 March 1799.

Vathamanapusthakam was first published in the 18th century but was forgotten for centuries, being re-discovered in 1935 and first printed in Malayalam in 1936 by Luka Mathai Plathottam at Athirampuzha St Marys Press. The manuscript of the book is kept at the St Thomas Christian Museum in Kochi.