This is the story of Evangelist K C Sunny

 

The musical group, Boney M, has a very popular song ‘El Lute’. It begins, ‘This is the story of El Lute.’

Somehow when I heard Thengakal, my mind travelled to El Lute.

I shirked it off and look where it has taken me.

Here it is, ‘This is the story of Evangelist K C Sunny’.

Evangelist KC Sunny is the Catechist at the CSI Church, Thengakal. When I first heard the name Thengakal I had thought it was a God forsaken land at infinity. But it is not. It is a Tea Estate owned by the RBT Company.

RBT Company was one of the plantation companies operating in the Peermade area, that includes Vandiperiyar. 

The RBT Company was associated with plantations in the Peermade region of Kerala, including Vandiperiyar. But it appears to have been taken over by groups like POABS and has experienced issues such as workers' wages not being paid. The specific "rbtcompany plantation.vandiperiyar" refers to the estates previously managed by RBT, such as those in the POABS group, that were involved in tea production.

 The RBT Company in Peermade was a subsidiary of a British company, Travancore Estate (UK) Ltd, that owned the tea estates before Indian Independence. The estates were eventually taken over by other groups, including CBS Group and MMS Group, in the context of a land dispute with the original British owner. 

The original owner of the 6,127 acres of tea estates in Peermade, including properties like Kozhikkanam, Pambanar, and Manjumala, was the British firm Travancore Estate (UK) Ltd.

After the British left, RBT Company's land was taken over by either the CBS Group or the MMS Group, according to a joint workers' union.

In 2017, the special officer appointed by the government issued a notice to both the RBT Company (CBS Group) and RBT Company (MMS Group) to vacate these lands, indicating a complex transfer of ownership in the post-independence era.

In May 2025, The Hindu reported that seven tea estates under the POABS group in Vandiperiyar, including former RBT estates, were facing a threat of closure due to the management failing to pay wages to workers for several months. 

Key Estates involved (previously RBT, now under POABS): were, Pambanar, Granby, Munjamullay, Nellikai, Thengakal, Injikadu, and Pasumallay (Pashumala).

The current status is that the RBT Company has abandoned the plantation since 2005.

 Now, let’s move back to Thengakal Tea Estate.

 

The workers there mostly are Tamils. Many among them were CSI Christians. They had no Church for their Sunday Worship. However some among the managerial and the supervisory staff had influenced the management to donate 30 cents of land to the CSI in order to build a Church and conduct worships on Sundays for the workers.

  The Thengakal Church is now a part of the CSI East Kerala Diocese. The Thengakal CSI Church and the parsonage stand on 30 cents of land donated by the RBT Company

 Evangelist, Mr.  K C Sunny serves the Church as the Catechist at the current juncture. He dons the white cassock with a white rope like cord known as Cincture or Girdle tied around the waist.

.As life was difficult for them at Pallom where they belonged, Sunny's father and his three brothers, Syrian Christians, had left Pallom for Upputhara. They were among the initial settlers at Upputhara where they took over a good area of forest. The CSI Church at Upputhara stands on the land donated by his family.   The family’s property at Pallom had bordered the property of Bishop Rt.Rev.C K Jacob, the first Moderator of the Church of South India and the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Travancore and Cochin.

 K C Sunny has two sons.  Both are married.

 They are:-

 1.   Rev Shijo K Sunny who has an MA in Sociology from the CMS College, Kottayam and BD from Guntur. He is a Pastor in the CSI East Kerala Diocese. He is married to the daughter – an MLT - of a Church Worker – Upadeshi – of the CSI, hailing from Ayroor, Kozhencherry. 

While Sunny had been posted at Melukavu, Shijo was commuting everyday by bus from Melukavu to Kottayam and back for his studies at the CMS College. It was quite tough. He had to catch the 6am bus in his pursuit of higher education.

  2.  Lijo, who has an MSc in Physics from the MES College at Nedumkandam. After completion of his studies he was on the verge of securing a job at Italy. But the onset of Covid had prevented his departure from India. He now carries on with his own business venture  at Pampakuda.  He is married. They are blessed with a child.

  The Thengakal CSI Church has 40 families as its members. Almost all of them are the workers of the defunct Thengakal Tea Estate. They are at present unemployed with no steady income. They survive carrying on odd jobs wherever available. They work at the Weekly Market as well. In order to help them secure work at the Market that functions from 9.30 am, the Worship at the Church is invariably concluded at 9.30 am.

 The  Evangelist,  KCSunny serves them as the Catechist at the Church looking after their Pastoral needs.  Sunny at times, from his own limited resources, is forced to lend his members a helping hand whenever they are in financial exigencies.

 The Catechist has no mandate to conduct baptisms or weddings. These are done by ordained Pastors from nearby CSI Churches.  But the Catechist has the mandate to conduct the burial services at the Church.

 Sunny conducts the Worship at the church on all Sundays. However, the Holy Eucharist is performed only once in a month at the Thengakal Church by the visiting Pastor from the CSI Church at Haileyburia Tea Estate.

 Recently, the CSI Church at Madurai had extended financial assistance of Rs.75000.00 to the Thngakal CSI Church towards the construction of its altar. However, the Madurai Church was unhappy when no one turned up at Madurai  from Thengakal  to express gratitude for the magnificent gesture.

 Sunny says expressing gratitude is a feature quite alien to the Malayali.

 He, however, made it to Madurai along with a senior member from his Church. He was happy the Madurai Church had provided him an opportunity to join the conduct of the worship along with the Pastor and the four Catechists. The latter assist the Pastor in the Holy Eucharist where they serve the wine after the wafers are served by the Pastor.

He was quite impressed by the Worship at the Madurai Church that was attended by 2500 worshippers and where the Offertory was very substantial on a Sunday.

 Sunny, 65, who is set to retire in 2027/2028, is at a disadvantage. He is homeless, except for the Parsonage provided by the Church he serves.

 He did have his own property. But he had to sell that off when his wife who hails from Pala was afflicted with breast cancer. He said he did it as they loved each other very much. Her treatment was at the Medical College Hospital, Kottayam where she had to undergo mastectomy. She was put through 8 Chemos as well.  They had to buy all the medicines and meet the entire expenses of the tests at the MCH. True, costly treatment in time had saved her life. It is six years now. There still are reviews every six months.

 According to Sunny, his wife does have health issues. She can’t travel much. Both her legs are weak. She can’t stand for long either. A Cancer survivor, she does all the cooking at home and shoulders the housekeeping functions with élan.

 Sunny serves his Lord with all his might. He knows, though he has no house of his own to stay after his retirement – he is due to retire in two years – Jesus is sufficient for him. He knows he has nothing to fear. He knows for certain the God in whom he believes and puts his trust on will not forsake him. He knows for certain God will lead him to his own house when he retires from the service with the CSI East Kerala Diocese.

Faith does wonders. Absolute faith harbingers miracles.

                                                                                                                     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Evangelist KCSunny His wife had Breast Cancer. Treatment at MCH Kottayam. Mastectomy of a breast. He has to buy all medicuines meet costs of tests. It is six yeras She has to go for review every 6 months had surgery and 8 chemos. She has health issues. both legs are weak. can't travel much.Can't stand much Can't take too much strain

does all the cooking including food for guests

he had to sell his property  for treastment.

no house. no place to go after retirement

Wife is from Pala. Catholic origin. Her father married from CSI and joined CSI

Their family house is next to the famous mental facility at Pala

65 two years left to retire in 2028. He has no property as he had to sell off his property for his wife,s treatment. He had to do it as they loved each other. He doesn't have a house to stay after retirement in 2028. But he is certain the good god would provide.

Catechist at CSI Thengakal Pastorate since two years. Thngakal is 16 kms from Periyar -Vandiperiyar

Thenkal is a closed Tea Estate. You can reach the place catching a bus from Vandiperiyar. The first bus starts at 7 am. If you wish to traverse the distance earlier to that it's rs.500 for autoriksha. Part of High Range the weather is cold. Heavy rains. It belonged RBT company. They have abandoned the plantation. Workers have no jobs.Tamilians who know malayalam well They do odd jobs

Sunday worship starts at 8am closes at 9.30 am 80 families . They are happy to contibute in the offertory. but the means are limited The closure of tehworship  cannot be delayed because the members have to go to the market for their livelihood

The Thengakal CSI Church and the parsonage stands on 30 cents of land donated by RBT Company. through the influence of CSI officials in the company

Son of migrants from Pallom to Upputhara Syrian. Their family property at Pallom borders the property of Bishop Rt.Rev.CKJacob, the first Moderator of CSI Church of South India and the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Travancore and Cochin

 Sunny's father and three brothers left Pallom. Migrated. They took over a good area of forest. They were among the initial settlers at Upputhara. The CSI Church at Upputhara stands on the land donated by his family

two sons both married

1.Rev Shijo K Sunny MA Sociaology CMS Kottayam BD from guntur Pastor EKD married to a the daughter MLT of a retd upadeshi from Airoor 

Travelled from Melukavu to Kottayam everyday by bus for MA. Leaving at 6am Bus Sunny was at melukavu

2. Lijo MSc Physics MES Nedumkandam Tried to go to Italy. Covid prevented it Doing business at Pampakuda Married with a child

 

CSI madurai helped the church for construction 75000. They expressed displeasure at no one going from there to Madurai to express thanks. Sunny says expressing gratitude is alien to malyali

 

He says the worship at the Church at Madurai

 is attended by 2500 people. Offertory is 2.5 lacs a Sunday. they have 4 catechists who assist the achen in holy commeunion achen gives wafers they wine

 

sunny can do burial

no baptism or wedding

the church service he conducts. once in a month the Achen from Hekebria estate church conduct holy communion

He is robbed white cassock with white rope like cord known as Cincture or Girdle tied around the waist

 

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

The RBT Company was associated with plantations in the Peermade region of Kerala, including Vandiperiyar, but it appears to have been taken over by groups like POABS and has experienced issues such as workers' wages not being paid. The specific "rbtcompany plantation.vandiperiyar" refers to the estates previously managed by RBT, such as those in the POABS group, which were involved in tea production. 

Details about the RBT Company connection:

·         Historical Association: RBT Company was one of the plantation companies operating in the Peermade area, which includes Vandiperiyar. 

·         Takeover by POABS: The RBT Company's estates were taken over by the POABS group. 

·         Recent Crisis: In May 2025, The Hindu reported that seven tea estates under the POABS group in Vandiperiyar, including former RBT estates, were facing a threat of closure due to the management failing to pay wages to workers for several months. 

Key Estates involved (previously RBT, now under POABS): 

Pambanar, Granby, Munjamullay, Nellikai, Thengakal, Injikadu, and Pasumallay (Pashumala).

The RBT Company in Peermade was a subsidiary of a British company, Travancore Estate (UK) Ltd, which owned the tea estates before Indian Independence. The estates were eventually taken over by other groups, including CBS Group and MMS Group, in the context of a land dispute with the original British owner. 

Key details about the ownership of the RBT Company estates: 

·         Pre-Independence Ownership:

The original owner of the 6,127 acres of tea estates in Peermade, including properties like Kozhikknam, Pambanar, and Manjumala, was the British firm Travancore Estate (UK) Ltd.

·         Post-Independence Status:

After the British left, the RBT Company's land was taken over by either the CBS Group or the MMS Group, according to a joint workers' union.

·         Land Dispute:

In 2017, the special officer appointed by the government issued a notice to both the RBT Company (CBS Group) and RBT Company (MMS Group) to vacate these lands, indicating a complex transfer of ownership in the post-independence era.

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