A. Christians and Nilakandan before Conversion :
It is conceivable that a few of his trainers in the South Indian martial art and varmasastra were followers of the Catholic faith, and it is plausible that he may have encountered aspects of the Catholic faith through his interactions with them. Being well-educated, he might have also perused Christian literature in Malayalam and Tamil, languages in which he was highly proficient.
B. Friendship with De Lannoy :
Following his enlistment in the Travancore army, De Lannoy served under General Duijvenschot during the initial months. In addition to his military duties, De Lannoy also took on the role of instructing others in the use of flintlocks. Towards the end of 1742, De Lannoy successfully restructured the palace guards, ensuring their comprehensive training within a mere three months. The guards were so well-prepared that they adopted European-style armament and attire. Marthanda Varma, the ruler of Travancore, was highly impressed by this achievement and subsequently appointed De Lannoy as the commander of the palace guards. Thanks to De Lannoy's exceptional training, Marthanda Varma was able to send back the Madurai troops, resulting in substantial monthly savings of 60,000 Rupees for the king.
The king's satisfaction with De Lannoy's accomplishments led to his promotion as the successor to Duijvenschot, assuming the position of Venattu Kapittan (Captain of Venad). This appointment marked the beginning of a comprehensive reorganization of the entire army. De Lannoy, along with other European soldiers, played a pivotal role in modernizing the Travancore army through the establishment of "military academies," one of which was situated in Udayagiri. Furthermore, De Lannoy took the initiative to construct firearms and establish gunpowder factories near Udayagiri. As part of his efforts to fortify the Udayagiri Fort, De Lannoy replaced the existing mud walls with sturdy brick structures. Additionally, after being appointed as the Commander of Udayagiri, De Lannoy entered into matrimony with Margaret, the daughter of a Syrian Christian who served as an interpreter for both the Travancore kings and the English at Anjengo.
De Lannoy's path crossed with Nilakandan Pillai once again, thanks to the latter's work. Frequent interactions at a high level brought the two individuals closer, resulting in the blossoming of an intimate friendship between them. They often engaged in personal conversations, further strengthening their bond of camaraderie.
C. Crisis in the Life of the Servant of God and the Consultation with De Lannoy :
In 1744, by divine intervention, he faced significant challenges. At that time, he was unable to comprehend the true nature of his recovery. One day, De Lannoy noticed that Nilakandan Pillai was deeply saddened and, being a friend, he inquired about the cause of his overwhelming melancholy. Nilakandan Pillai then confided in De Lannoy about the numerous losses he had suffered. After enduring many setbacks, the loss of his best bullocks seemed to be the final blow. Nilakandan Pillai questioned whether the gods were displeased with him, despite faithfully fulfilling his religious obligations. He also feared that someone may have harbored ill intentions towards him and resorted to black magic, even though he had no known enemies. Consequently, Nilakandan Pillai found himself plagued by a multitude of doubts and fears.
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