In Loving Memory

Adv. John Panikulam & Elizabeth Parambi

A tribute to their cherished memories, and the love they shared with family, friends, and connections.

1922 - 2011

Children: 8 • Grandchildren: 18 • Great Grandchildren: 28

About

Elizabeth John

Ammama / Elikutty

Elizabeth John was the heart of hospitality, always welcoming guests and making everyone feel at home. She was the family's sole driver and planner, and the daily logistics that kept the things running.

John Panikulam

Appappen / Johnny Chettan

Adv. John Panikulam balanced fierce integrity with humour. The beloved lawyer guided land rights cases by day and mentored every grandchild by night.

Family Albums

Tap any photo to open the lightbox and relive each gathering across Kattoor, Parambi, and Paliyam homes.

Short Stories & Anecdotes

The Honest Man Appappen

Appappan received some money from the government which he felt was not actually due to him. Returning the amount would have resulted in audit objections and enquiries. The best course would have been to just do nothing about it and keep the money. But John Panikulam, being the man he was, decided to return the money without creating any undue investigations. He bought revenue stamps costing the same amount which he received and burnt all the stamps. He slept well that night.

The Toothbrush Thief of Trichy

In Appappan's college days at St. Joseph's, Trichy - yes, the same alma mater as APJ Abdul Kalam - Appappan discovered that his roommate had been secretly using his toothbrush. "Every morning, it was wet before I woke up," he'd say with a chuckle, "so either it had magical dew or my roommate had very clean teeth." Instead of starting a fight, he quietly bought a second toothbrush, labeled it with red ink, and left it out like bait. The next morning, it was wet too. "That day," he'd grin, "I decided to stick to prayer and mouthwash."

The Engineer Who Never Was

Appappan once got admission into Banaras Hindu University for engineering, a prestigious feat in those days. But his father - Dr. Joseph Panikulam - put his foot down: too far, too unknown, too dangerous. So, with a resigned sigh and characteristic humility, Appappan became a lawyer. Years later, when his grandchildren became engineers, he'd say with a mock-serious face, "Tipu Sultan didn't cross the river to capture Kattoor. That's why you all have to become engineers for me."

White Shirt, Quiet Greatness, Iron Spine

You would never catch Appappan in anything other than a spotless white shirt and mundu (traditional dhoti). But the whiteness was not just in the cloth - it was in his life. He lived by principle, spoke little, and walked with the quiet dignity of someone who did not need to raise his voice to be heard. "White is not just a color," he once said, "it's a responsibility. Try wearing it while eating sambar and you will learn discipline."

100 Pull-ups and One Epic Tale

Ask any grandchild, and they would tell you about the time Appappan claimed he could do 100 pull-ups with one hand. Whether it was myth or memory, he would retell it with such earnestness and straight-faced flair that you would believe him. "Not at once," he'd clarify, "I took water breaks after every ten."

The Mango Mountains of Kattoor

Come summer, one side of the nalukettu would be stacked with priyor neelam mangoes and ripe jackfruits. At tea time, servants cut open the jackfruits with surgical precision while kids waited like sugar-starved hawks. "This is not a fruit," Appappan would whisper, handing over a seedless slice, "this is diplomacy."

Achappams and the Musical Lock

The teakwood palaharam petti (snack chest) was sacred. Guarded by a musical lock and Ammama's pillow, it housed the golden treasures: achappams, kuzhalappams, vattayappams (white and jaggery-brown), and jam rolls. One day, a cousin tried sneaking the keys through the window. The lock sang, Ammama caught him mid-heist, and he skipped lunch in fear. Appappan only smiled: "Criminal law starts in the kitchen."

Family Tree

Open the family tree modal to explore • Tap any member to learn more

Panikulam • Parambi • Paliyam Heritage

This memorial preserves the intertwined journeys of the Panikulam, Parambi, and Paliyam Panikulam families of Kerala. From the ancestral homes of Kattoor church to the Muziris-era Paliyam estate, every story celebrates kinship, compassion, and cultural stewardship handed down by Adv. John Panikulam and Elizabeth Parambi.

Generations of Panikulam elders stewarded parish registers, civil case files, and Malayalam correspondence that show how the Paliyam Panikulam branch collaborated with Parambi matriarchs and neighbouring Kuttanad families. Diaries reveal pilgrimages between Kattoor, Irinjalakuda, Puthenpurackal, and the Paliyam Kovilakom, while diaspora letters map new homes in Kochi, Bengaluru, the Gulf, and Seattle.

Explore curated archives via the Panikulam Family History timeline, the Parambi Legacy album, and the Paliyam Heritage field guide. Each page preserves oral histories, recipes, and digitised souvenirs so that searches for "John Panikulam", "Paliyam Panikulam genealogy", or "Parambi heritage" surface verified family narratives.

Researchers will also find contextual essays on the revival of the Paliyam Palace, the Muziris Heritage museums, and archival entries about Archbishop George Panikulam to give the memorial broader historical context.

Panikulam Family History

Generations of teachers, lawyers, and caregivers trace their roots to the Panikulam household. Letters, legal briefs, and treasured photographs reveal how Adv. John Panikulam balanced professional excellence with mentorship for every cousin and grandchild.

Parambi Legacy

Elizabeth John (Ammama) Parambi embodied the Parambi tradition of hospitality. Her pantry, filled with achappam and kuzhalappam, welcomed relatives from Parambi, Paliyam, Puthenpurackal, and beyond, weaving strong community ties across Kerala.

Paliyam Connections

The Paliyam branch contributed music, architecture, and public service to the broader Panikulam family tree. Gatherings at Paliyam House recorded rites of passage, mango harvest celebrations, and alliances with Parambi relatives who carried the family forward.

Explore Further

Trusted Panikulam Resources

Continue exploring the Panikulam story through verified archives and community-maintained resources.

#	Title	Link	Description
1	Family History – Panikulam Family Association	www.panikulam.org	Overview of the family's Christian conversion, Kattoor origins, and early civic leadership.
2	George Panikulam – Wikipedia	en.wikipedia.org	Biography of Archbishop George Panikulam, a Syro-Malabar diplomat representing the Vatican worldwide.
3	Panikulam Association – Official Site	www.panikulam.org	News and programmes maintained by the Panikulam Family Association.
4	Catholic Hierarchy – Bishop Panikulam	www.catholic-hierarchy.org	Canonical record of ordinations and appointments relating to the Panikulam clergy.
5	GCatholic Registry – Archbishop George Panikulam	www.gcatholic.org	Global Catholic registry entry outlining diplomatic appointments and milestones.
6	Panikulam Association – Diaspora Chapters	www.panikulam.org	Information on Panikulam family welfare projects, scholarships, and international meetups.
7	Panikulam Genealogy Search	panikulam.org	Digitised tree maintained by the association for cross-referencing parish and civic records.
8	Ancestry – Global Panikulam Matches	www.ancestry.com	Global Ancestry.com search results that reference Panikulam descendants.
9	Revival of the Paliyam Palace	www.bennykuriakose.com	Conservation study of the Paliyam Kovilakom and its cultural significance.
10	Muziris Heritage Project – Kerala Tourism	www.keralatourism.org	Visitor guide to the Paliyam Palace museum within the Muziris Heritage circuit.
11	Paliyam Satyagraha – Wikipedia	en.wikipedia.org	Historical account of the Paliyam Satyagraha, a pivotal anti-caste movement that shaped modern Kerala.