Lak Alaha - The Journey

Lak Alaha- The Journey of a
Gregorian chant through Syriac

to the court of Travancore
Dr. Amel Antony MD DNB MA MNAMS

Introduction
• Syriac Heritage of the Syro Malabar Church
• Pastoral letter of Mar Louis Pazheparambil 3rd August , 1910
• Mar Louis Pazheparambil
• Princely state of Travancore
• Sri Moolam Thirunal- the Maharajah of Travancore
• Syriac Chant for a Hindu King
• Statistical indicators
• Te Deum Laudamus
• Lak Alaha
• Latin Chants in Syriac
Syriac Heritage of the Syro Malabar
Church
• The Indian church of St Thomas Christians ( ‘Nazranees’)➜ Assyrian
Church ➜Chaldean Church
• Council of Diamper 1599- brought under Latin domination
• The Oath of Cross 1653 - 2 factions
• Majority faction under Latin hegemony ➾ Syro Malabar Church
• SMC Eastern Catholic ( among 23 )
➜communion with Rome Liturgy in East Syriac until 1960
Liturgy of Mar Addai & Mar Mari Syro
➜ Syriac roots from 1st Century AD
Syriac Heritage of the Syro Malabar
Church
• Through nearly 300 yrs (1599-1887 )of Latin domination , Syro
Malabareans Resisted attempts to
replace Syriac by Latin Fought for the lost autonomy
Zealously cherished & preserved Syriac Heritage
Jubilee of Maharajah’s Ascension to the Throne
• To the priests and the faithful of this Vicariate belonging to the State of
Travancore ,
• The silver jubilee ( 25th year ) celebrations of the Maharajah’s (of
Travancore ) ascension to the throne is being held on the 19th of this
month
•
• To praise and glorify the Almighty for the immense blessings and
countless favours bestowed on the State & all its citizens and Catholics
in particular during the golden rule of Maharajah,
• To commemorate Maharajah’s goodwill and benovelent governance for

the Catholics
• To invoke God’s perpetual grace on the Maharajah and the State in
abundance, for years to come .
• For these intentions, we shall pray on the evening of Thursday the 18th and
the morning & noon of the 19th In all our churches
of the State of Travancore By ringing the Church bell and
bursting the ceremonious fire cracker By singing Lak Alaha – the hymn of
praise & thanksgiving on the 19th
• From Ernakulam Bishop’s House on the 3rd of August,1910 Vicar

Apostolic of Ernakulam, Bp Louis Pazheparambil
Mar Louis Pazheparampil
• First native Bishop of Ernakulam Vicariat ( 1896-1919)
• Monastic from TOCD – the first Syro Malabar Congregation co founded
by Fr Thomas Palackal, Fr.Thomas Porukara and Fr. Kuriakose Elias
Chavara
• Expelled from the religious order in 1875 Wrote to
the Pope requesting native Bishops for SMC
• Scholar , linguist and Historian
• Devoted to the interests of his rite
The Apostolic Constitution Quae rei sacrae of 28 July 1896 in Leonis XIII Pontificis Maximi Acta,Vol.XVI,1897,229-
232
State of Travancore
• Princely state founded by MarthandaVarma in 1729 After
defeating several feudal chieftains
• Travancore consisted of southern part of Kerala & Tamil Nadu
• Marthanda Varma was the first Asian King to defeat a European power
Battle of Colachel in 1741 against the Dutch
• Declared Hindu State, with the ruler denoted as ’Padmanabha Dasa’
Servant of God
• Christians in general faced no discrimination
• Missionaries fought for abolition of slavery
freedom for lower cast women to cover their upper body
Sri Moolam Thirunal Rama
Varmaof Travancore from 1885 to 1924
• Maharajah
• During his reign Syro Malabareans

were seperated from the Latins 1887 Syro Malabareans got
three native Bishops 1896
• Credited with initiating public participation in governance

Travancore Legislative council in 1888
Syriac Chant for a Hindu king -Possible
intentions & thought process
• Emphasize loyalty of Syro Malabareans
• Affirm that the Maharajah has been kind and generous
• Ringing of the Church bell and bursting of ceremonious fire cracker
Reserved for Christmas , Easter& festival of Patron Saint
Denotes the High esteem and honour accorded to Maharajah
• Prayer for continued grace and blessings To ensure
that Church – State relations remain cordial
• 13 year old Vicariate in the process of creating Institutions
• Syriac Chant of thanks giving – solemnity and importance
Te Deum Laudamus- ‘Thee O God we
praise’
• Latin Christian Hymn attributed to St Ambrose and St Augustin
• Its in regular use in: Roman Catholic Church
Anglican Church
Lutheran Church Methodist Church
• Thanksgiving for special blessings Election of a Pope
Consecration of a Bishop
Canonisation of a Saint Religious Profession
Publication of a Treaty of Peace
Te Deum in Indian Church History
• Brought to India by the Portuguese Missionaries
• The first documented singing of the hymn By
Archbishop Dom Menezes June 26, 1599
On the concluding day of Synod of Diamper
• ‘After the decrees were signed , the Archbishop got up taking off the
Mitre he fell on his knees and started the hymn Te Deum Laudamus
with which with great joy of all was started a procession’
Jornada of Dom
Alexis Menezes – Ed .Pius Malekandathil
Te Deum Laudamus – Audio
Lak Alaha
• Syriac translation of the Latin Chant – Te Deum Laudamus
• Believed to have been translated by Bishop Ros SJ with the help of local
priests
• Essential part of Priestly ordinations
Jubilee celebration.
• Translated into Malayalam by mid 20th Century
• As part of the benediction of the Holy Eucharist Syro Malabar
& Roman Catholic
Palackal, Joseph J. "The Role of Music in the Struggle for Religious Identity." In Syriac Chant Traditions in South India. Ph. D.
dissertation. City University of New York. 2005, pp. 93-129
Lak Alaha – Video
Lak Alaha – Video
Lak Alaha – The Malayalam
Version
Latin Chants in
Syriac
• Syro Malabareans refused to accept Latin chants for para liturgical
services
• Hence they were translated and set to Syriac tunes:- Veni

Creator Spiritus( Come O Spirit Creator ) Ta Lak Ruha Te Deum
Laudamus ( Praise to Thee God ) Lak Alaha Salve Regina (Hail
Queen ) Slam Lek Mariyam Pange Lingua ( Praise my Tongue
) Kollan Dasne Ecce Lignum Crucis ( Behold the Wood of the
Cross ) Litany of Blessed Virgin Mary
Conclusion
• Reciting Lak Alaha to celebrate the Maharajah’s ascension to the throne
is rare and unique Syro Malabareans thanking
Alaha for their Hindu King Through a Syriac Chant which is
effectively Gregorian Selecting Lak Alaha – Solemnity, prestige ,
honour and edification Syriac Chant as a political instrument -welfare
of the Church
• Prayers started the day before evening and continued to next day
morning & afternoon Eastern tradition
• Appropriate example of the role of East Syriac in Para Liturgical prayers
of SMC in the first half of 20th century
Acknowledgements
• Jarly Thoma Thalikasthanam – Syriac Scholar & Liturgist
• Rev. Dr Ignatius Payyappilly – Archivist Ekm – Angamaly Archdiocese
• Rev. Joseph J Palackal – Exponent of Liturgical Music & Founder of

Aramaic Project
• Josekutty Abraham – Syriac Scholar
• Christian Musicological Society of India

References

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Lak Alaha- The Journey of a

Gregorian chant through Syriac

Dr. Amel Antony MD DNB MA MNAMS

• To commemorate Maharajah’s goodwill and benovelent governance for

• From Ernakulam Bishop’s House on the 3rd of August,1910 Vicar

• During his reign Syro Malabareans

• Credited with initiating public participation in governance

• Hence they were translated and set to Syriac tunes:- Veni

• Rev. Dr Ignatius Payyappilly – Archivist Ekm – Angamaly Archdiocese

• Rev. Joseph J Palackal – Exponent of Liturgical Music & Founder of

• Josekutty Abraham – Syriac Scholar

• Christian Musicological Society of India

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