Pampady is a beautiful village in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. Majority of the people there belonged to Orthodox Syrian Christian Denomination. "Karinganamattom" Family is one such old time, famous Orthodox Syrian Christian Family, a branch of which is the "Moolakara" Family into which Our Thirumeni was born.
Parents of Thirumeni:
"Avira", Thirumeni's paternal grandfather had two sons - Kuruvilla and Chacko. Chacko married Ilachi from the Velukottu family from Veloor. They had four sons and six daughters. Thirumeni was the fifth child among the nine of them. He was born on 1060 Meenam, 24th according to the Malayalam System or on April 5th, 1885 (Sunday) according to the English Calendar.
Thirumeni's baptismal name is "Kuriakose". Though our Thirumeni's parents were not very rich, it never hindered their prayerful life. Thirumeni's father used to teach the young Kuriakose prayers by making him sit on the father's lap. Thirumeni's mother taught him Psalms from his childhood days. All these instilled Thirumeni to lead a prayerful life from the very young days.
House Of Thirumeni:
Thirumeni's father Chacko, built a house in the "Pezhamattathu Plot". This was at the place called "Patham Mile" (10th Mile), North Of K. K. Road (Kottayam - Kumily Road) around 20 km away from Kottayam town. This house was later donated to the Church to built a "Kurishum Thotty" (Cross) by the family members after the Heavenly Abode of Thirumeni. Now a big cross in the name of Pampady Thirumeni stands in the place where initially the house of Thirumeni was situated.
Education:
As per the usual custom that prevailed during those times, it was at the age of 5 (1890) that Thirumeni first started his official education. There was at that time, a small school at Karakuzha on the side of K K Road. Later this was moved near to the small church at Pampady. Hence from then on it came to be known as "Pallivathulkal School" (School near the Church Gate). At