The origin and growth of this annual get-together for one week at a stretch can be traced to the great revival movement which gathered momentum during the reformation period in the Syrian Churches of Kerala under the pioneering leadership of Abraham Malpan in the latter part of the 19th century.

This brought about the transformation in resurgence of the ancient apostolic Churches in Kerala founded by St. Thomas the Apostle[1] approximately in AD 52.

St. Ephraem, a Christian deacon and scholar, in AD 363 composed a poem that honors St. Thomas in that era's understanding:[3][4] "Blessed art thou, like a solar ray, India’s darkness doth dispel.

Thou the great lamp, one among the Twelve, with oil from the cross replenished India’s night flooded with light.

In this turbulent period, on 5 September 1888, 12 members of the Bishop faction formed a missionary group called "Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association".

This was a venue for dimensional spiritual edification that is applicable, biblically sound, ideal and value based[9] for striving with the realities of the world and never a place for signs, wonders and miracles.

[10] During the 19th century, people began to occupy hilly places which resulted in felling of forests in and around the catchment area of Pampa river and started intensive cultivation of annual crops like tapioca, yams ...

[citation needed] Deep river with mud was filled with white sand, which turned to be congenial place to assemble for a gathering of masses.

No need for any seating arrangement as people can sit on the neat white sand bed under roofs made by knitted coconut leaves.

Today the changing habitat and lesser focus on agriculture with rise of rubber plantation, the surfaced roads minimised soil erosion and a large scale sand mining for construction activities decreased the size of the sand bed to a great extent.

There are usually no empty spaces inside the Panthal (tent) so people stand outside and group around the shade to listen to the songs and messages.

In the morning there will be separate Bible study classes for Men, women, youth and children conducted by specially invited leaders.

The Revd Thomas Walker, England (1900–1912), Sadhu Sunder Singh, Punjab (1918), Dr. G. Sherwood Eddy (1919), Dr. E. Stanley Jones, USA (1920–1968), Dr. Toyohiko Kagawa, Japan (1938), John R. Mott, Nobel Peace Prize winner (1946) and President of World Alliance of YMCAs, Dr. Bob Pierce, founder and president of World Vision (1964 & 66), Astronaut Colonel James Irwin, who spent a few hours on the moon (1985), Dr. John Haggai,[12] founder president of Haggai Institute (1973), Bishop Donald Jacobs, Mennonite church (1974), the Most Revd Dr. Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury (1986), the Most Revd Dr. George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury (1995), Mrs. Ann Lotts ( D/o Late Billy Graham), Rev.

Dr. Theodore Williams, Dr. Samuel Kobia, WCC General Secretary (2007), Dr. Paul S. Rees (Ministry statesman),[13] Revd Dr. A.

Prof. Valson Thampu (author, preacher, and educationist) The head of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, The Most Rev Dr Theodosius Mar Thomas Metropolitan spoke against the government for their handling of the cost-of-living crisis and failure to look after the citizens of Kerala.

The convention took a stance against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Population Register; this was due to a belief that such laws would lead to religious and caste divide.

[20] In the same year, the evening conventions were to be moved from Pampa river sand bed to the Mar Thoma Church Kozhenchery.

Heads of various Churches will address in the ecumenical sessions and various personalities attached to social welfare and empowerment like P. J. Kurien, D. Babu Paul...etc.

Vyani Naibola (South Africa) The 118th Maramon Convention was from 10 to 17 February on the vast sand bed of the Pampa River.

Andile Madodomzi Mbete (South Africa) The 117th Maramon Convention was held from 12 to 19 February on the vast sand-bed of the Pampa River next to the Kozhencherry Bridge.

Roger Herft, Anglican Archbishop of Perth; Australia; Prof. Nyameko Barney Pityana, a human rights lawyer, theologian in South Africa and an exponent of Black theology; Dr. R. Rajkumar; Rev.

Bishop Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom, Metropolitan of the Marthandom Diocese of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church addressed the Ecumenical Meeting and Bishop Sebastian Thekethecheril of the Latin Catholic Diocese of Vijayapuram addressed the Social Evils Awareness Meeting.

The MTEA attaches greater importance to a crusade against social evils like violence and domestic abuse, inequality and awareness of equity, displaced morale, extreme consumerism, frantic celebrity culture, chronic alcoholism and substance abuse with an Indo-centric perspective and globalist outlook.

Besides there are special sessions and programs for focus groups in ecumenical concerns, and promotion of organic and sustainable farming zest, dalit integration activities, transgender empowerment,[32] women and children upliftment.

The Church is constantly stepping up through these conventions to fulfill the missionary responsibilities and It has spread as service activities from Tibetan Border and in the northern end of Uttar Pradesh, to Kanya Kumari (Cape Comerin) in the South.

Destitute homes, Ashrams, mission centres, hospitals, leprosy clinics, schools, and colleges have been started in and outside Kerala.

The messages of the Maramon Convention provides a revived ideological and experiential faith in accordance to the need of the laity and period of time.

[34] All those who come to the convention area experience peace, the spiritual liveliness that is spread around the panthal (tent) & the mobility of the masses with the sense of equality.