Multiformity of Syrian Christian Culture in Kerala

Abstract

Like all other states in India, religions haveplayed an important role in the Cultural formationofKerala. It is a land of various religious cultures. It has been showing toleration towards all culturesirrespective of native or foreign and absorbing all these without any discrimination. Consequently thesecultures had merged into the existing culture and there was a cultural evolution. The Syrian Christians inKerala generally believe that they can trace back their origin from the beginning of the religion itself.The Syrian Christians themselves claim that that they are the descendants of native upper castes and tryingto imitate their life styles inorder to keep their social status in a caste-ridden society like Kerala.Though the Malankara Syrian Christians kept strong relations with different foreign churches they had kepttheir identity and remained within the fold of the Indian culture. We can see the influence of native culturein almost all their ways of life. Gradually they became the part and parcel of the Kerala Culture. It containsthe streams of various cultures and reflects a rich culture of plurality.So this study aims to find out themultiformity of Syrian Christian culture in Kerala. The paper intends to study about salient features of thisculture and to trace out how the social settings of Kerala have influenced it