One who does not take pride in a noble ancestry  is a rarity.  So too, one is eager to trace the origin of his family.  Verily this very inherent instinct to trace one’s fore fathers led us to the place ‘Alangad’ near North Paravoor, Ernakulam District where the AREEKAL  Tharavad flourished.
After the erection of the church at Kotakkavil in the ancient Mussiris (now Kodungallur) town precincts, the members of the Areekal family set out with St.Thomas, the Apostle, to settle down at the foothills of Malayatoor hill, on the banks of river Periyar.
They were staunch catholics .  They had to struggle against well-nigh insurmountable odds, like impenetrable  forests and jungles, swirling rivulets and ferocious wild animals.

By and by, and up to now, coherent Areekal community began to break up into tiny groups seeking more productive agricultural lands and more clement living conditions.  Even so they held fast to their catholic faith.
Their house names too got intertwined with the names of places they settled down, like Areekal to Aricatil, Aricatil to Arikaden , Arikkat, Arikkatt, Aricatt etc.  Even to this day there are about fifty Areekal families in Alanghad.
The first Kerala Catholics were spiritually cared for by native priests, preceptors, catechists and the like.  However as an upshot of the trade relation with the Arab merchants and foreign spiritualists, catholic beliefs and convictions got a jolt.  During the 15th century the royal family of Villarwattathu Swaroopam did so till it faded out!

In the 16th century, with the advent of Portuguese missionaries, influence of foreign missionaries increased by leaps and bounds.  This foreign interference and their level best attempt of the Portuguese to usher in the Kerala Catholics under their sole influence, indeed created misunderstanding and friction.  What is more, the Synod in 1599 at Udayamperoor led only to increase foreign hegemony on kerala faithful!  Suffice to say that the 1653 “Koonankurissu Satyam” was no less than a revolt against such alien interference.
The resultant adherence to conflicting Christian ideologies also cast its malinfluence on members of the Aricatt fraternity.  One of the offshoots  was the migration of a few from the Aricatt community to transplant themselves  from the banks of periyar-  namely Manikyamangalam to the shores of the Chalakudy river.

Manikyamangalam was within old Arch Diocese of Angamaly.  Pyloth Ittiachan (Arikaden) assumed the leadership to settle down in Aloor in 1686.  He had four sons.  The members of Arikaden household at Aloor are the descendants of these four.
Within three and half centuries Arikaden family tree branched and sub-branched forth to have as of now nearly 650 families.  From the lucrative agriculture and farming they profitably ventured into trade and commerce and of course education.  All these verily rendered a boost to alround development of the land.  Their forefathers were enthusiastic members of the then co-operative movement.

The present Rajershi Memorial High School ( RMHSS),the primary school, the Primary Health Centre, Veterinary hospital, CLP school, the Service Co-operative Society etc are the brain children of our elders.  The formidable and in-depth catholic faith and devotion is the nerve centre of this community.  The undaunted endeavours of our elders to upgrade the Aloor church to a parish is no mean achievement of that time.  Priests and nuns galore bear testimony to the community’s piety. We reverently and fondly remember and pray for our deceased.  We gratefully, prayerfully bend our knees in prayer for those who reletlessly  endeavour for our spiritual, social, economic and educative uplift.

In addition to Aloor, Vellanchira, Karoor, Thazhekad, Potta, Chalakudy, Mupliyam, Annamanada, Varantharappilly, Irinjalakuda, Thrissur, Pattikkad, Nandipulam, Nadavaranba and in several parts of India and in far-flung countries of USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Germany, Italy and so on Arikadens do work in various capacities – employees,  boss, doctors, teachers,  professionals, social workers, priests and nuns and volunteers.

As time wheel rolls on its perpectual  journey, the number of Arikadens swell…so much so that it is next to impossible to know each other, let alone contacting each other!  It is however an  irresistible human urge and instinct for relatives to meet and chat- just as the Jews from the world over (as many as could make it)  met at Jerusalem, not merely to celebrate the Passover but also to meet friends and relatives!
So too Arikadens meet once in two years in the month of May to meet and greet.