Aralvaymozhi, located 16 km from Nagercoil on Tirunelveli Road near Kanavai village, nestles in the foothills of the Western Ghats. A stone fort, built in 1745, stood as a border defense against potential invasions by Madurai kings. Under Devasahayam Pillai’s supervision and De Lannoy’s guidance, 2,000 trained soldiers fortified this stronghold, which housed medical facilities and barracks in an uninhabited wilderness. Local tales recall trade routes and a bustling merchant-exclusive trading post.
Adjacent to the fort’s wall was a prison where Devasahayam, once an officer, found himself confined on November 16, 1752. By day, he was tied to a Portia tree near the customs post, exposed to the blazing sun and relentless rain, with only the sky as shelter. Without proper sustenance, his body wasted away, resembling a tree stripped of its springtime vitality, his health fading in this desolate place. Though offered treatment at the fort’s medical facility, he declined, comparing himself to a goat bound before slaughter. Buttari reports that he bore thirty-two severe injuries by this time.
The renown of Devasahayam’s miraculous deeds in the name of the Lord spread widely, drawing crowds to Aralvaymozhi despite the guards’ efforts to restrict access. Their voices advocating for his cause echoed across the land. Even a close friend of the king voiced dissent, cautioning that shedding Devasahayam’s pure blood would bring disgrace upon the state’s mercy and justice. Travancore was thrown into turmoil, grappling with foreign invasions and the Devasahayam affair, as some authorities pressed the king to execute him and resolve the issue.
Buttari, who had periodically visited to comfort Devasahayam, was relocated to Auvoor in 1751. Devasahayam’s physical condition worsened without solace, his body ravaged by prolonged incarceration and torture, sustained only by prayer and hope. Within the palace, Lieutenant Ramaiyan led discussions to bring Devasahayam’s saga to a close, sensing the unfolding events.
In the midst of intense suffering, Devasahayam prayed fervently, much like Jesus sweating blood. At that moment, a shepherd approached with his only deceased lamb, pleading for its revival. Through Devasahayam’s intervention, the lamb was miraculously brought back to life. As his final moments neared, two more miracles occurred: through prayer, he enabled a mute woman to speak and granted a child to a woman long persecuted by her mother-in-law for her childlessness. Overwhelmed with gratitude, those who witnessed these miracles took to the streets, their joy uncontainable.
Devasahayam longed to see De Lannoy’s family and his wife, a wish soon fulfilled. De Lannoy arrived with his wife Margaret, their son Johannes, Gnanappu Ammaiyar, her mother, and her brother. Though typically vibrant in his teachings, Devasahayam remained silent this time. Gnanappu, seeing his faltering steps, burst into tears, gazing at him as if watching the sun fade. Like a patriot returning home after a journey’s end, he looked at his wife, his face radiant with the joy of possessing heaven, having foreseen his death eight days earlier.
Gnanappu clasped her hands, her eyes like those of a child yearning for its mother. Tenderly, Devasahayam whispered to her, acknowledging the hardships she had endured since their marriage. He spoke of his imminent departure to the Lord, assuring her they would reunite in His presence.
Soon after, Fr. Francis Clement, the new priest of Vadakkankulam, and Gnanaprakash, Devasahayam’s godfather, arrived. Seeing his condition, they spoke through tears, marveling at his mental resilience and fearlessness in the face of death. Fr. Francis administered Holy Communion, symbolizing the Lord’s presence.
Devasahayam then made a heartfelt request. Knowing Gnanappu might face unrest after his passing, he urged them to take her with them. Foreseeing potential persecution, he advised Gnanappu to seek refuge in Vadakkankulam, trusting that the same guidance that led him there would protect her. With these words, he made the sign of the Cross over her, reminiscent of Jesus entrusting His mother to a disciple, thus entrusting his wife to the people of Vadakkankulam.
.jpeg){kind=small}
