Overseeing the Ponmanai Dam Project
During the reign of Marthanda Varma, a major irrigation initiative was launched with the construction of a dam at Ponmanai, aimed at supporting paddy cultivation. In the absence of modern cement, the dam was built using a traditional mix of rock, limestone, brick powder, and sweet toddy. Devasahayam Pillai was entrusted with the complete oversight of this project—managing the logistics of material supply, coordinating the labor force, and ensuring timely payment of wages. His work was rigorous and demanding, often keeping him away from home for long periods.
Family Hardships and Spiritual Tensions
While Devasahayam was away, his family endured financial struggles. These hardships were attributed by his relatives to his conversion to Christianity, which they believed had invited misfortune upon the household. In an effort to bring him back to Hinduism, Namboodiri priests were called to perform rituals meant to reverse his baptism.
During one of his rare visits home, such a ritual was initiated. Sacred objects were placed on his body as part of the reconversion ceremony. However, Devasahayam, without confrontation or disrespect, quietly turned away from the proceedings, gently refusing to participate.
Debates with Pujaris and Public Dissent
His rejection of the ritual led to a series of confrontations with local Pujaris (Hindu priests), who attempted to refute his Christian faith. Devasahayam, well-versed in theology, engaged them in calm but pointed discussions. He challenged the caste-based exclusions and superstitions that prevailed in society and openly criticized the moral decay he witnessed in the king’s court and among high-ranking officials. This bold stance, taken in 1748, stirred significant unrest.
Tragedy and Blame
Not long after this, during a Kali puja held at his home, a chilling cry rang out from an inner room, halting the chants and drumbeats. When the family investigated, they discovered that Devasahayam’s uncle, Raman Pillai, had suddenly died. The Vaidikas (ritual priests) quickly placed blame on Devasahayam, claiming his Christian conversion had brought a curse upon the household. His relatives, swayed by grief and fear, began to harbor resentment toward him and voiced accusations.
Departure to Kalkulam
To avoid causing further pain to his family and weighed down by increasing hostility, Devasahayam made the painful decision to leave his ancestral home. He moved to Kalkulam, settling with his wife at Kunrikkadu, near the western side of the fort.
The Confrontation at Kunrikkadu
One day, a group of Brahmin priests (Purokithars) visited Devasahayam at his home in Kunrikkadu. He welcomed them graciously, and their initial conversation revolved around family matters. But the visit soon took a confrontational turn as the priests urged him to abandon Christianity and return to the faith of his ancestors.
Devasahayam remained composed and respectful. As a man of deep conviction and theological learning, he patiently explained his belief in Christ and the moral clarity that had led him to conversion. Despite being viewed as a traitor by some, he never responded with anger.
As the discussion grew tense, one priest, unable to counter Devasahayam’s arguments, became enraged and shouted, “You show no reverence for the gods worshipped by the king and the people. You insult the priests who invoke the deities. Until you renounce this faith of the lower castes and until Christianity is eradicated from this land, I renounce my Brahminhood and discard this sacred thread!”
With that, the priest dramatically tore off his poonool—the sacred thread that symbolized his caste identity and religious authority.
Devasahayam, unfazed, replied with humility and quiet courage, “If that is so, this poonool is no different from the waistband (araignankodi) I wear.”
Priestly Outrage and Growing Danger
Later, Devasahayam recounted this incident to Father Giovanni Buttari, the Jesuit missionary who had baptized him. Fr. Buttari recognized the gravity of the event, sensing that the confrontation had crossed a threshold. The priests, deeply insulted by the exchange, now saw Devasahayam as a direct threat to their authority and traditions. Their anger boiled into vengeful resolve. From that moment, they began to conspire against him, seeking ways to silence him—permanently.
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