Time seems to stand still here… An ancestor named Chacko Yohannan Tharakan is the first tangible figure to emerge from collective memory.
The Elanjikal family is supposed to have settled in this home about 400 years back. The design of the mansion is influenced by vernacular Kerala architecture, in many aspects adapted to the demands of a joint family. Stout laterite pillars line the verandahs on three sides, one side looking out at the family chapel.
An earlier tharavad that existed on the site was renovated by E.J. John in 1916.The family home today is more than a 100 years old since it was last renovated. It has seen the advent of electricity, telephones, automobiles, piped water, sewage systems and television.
On the intricately carved wooden panel below the joint of the roof, carved indelibly into the wood are the legends ‘Shankaran 1916’, the signature of the artisan who supervised the team of carpenters and workers , the year the project was completed and ‘A J’ for Annamma John, E.J. John’s wife.
