Manichaeans in Kerala

Were there Manichaeans in Kerala?

A few references/facts seems to suggest this:

1. Lingerings of Light in a Dark Land by Whitehouse (1873) (available online via Google books). Refers to a community in Kayamkulam that existed alongside the more orthodox Christians of the area. The author doesn't call them Manichaeans, but from his description it is clear they are not "orthodox" Christians.
   
2. an 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article (available online) which references W. Germann report of a community of Manichaeans living alongside the orthodox Christians as of the 15th century.
3. Burnell (one of the archeologists translating the Persian Cross inscriptions; generally regarded as one of the better ones). Burnell seemed convinced there were Manichaean artifacts waiting to be found in Kerala (he admits the Persian Cross inscriptions were not Manichaean, though).
4. The fact that Syrian Christianity (especially the East Syriac kind that was the main form of Christianity in the Zoroastrian Persian Empire) and Buddhism both seemed to have had a foothold in Kerala from ancient times (Manichaeanism being a Gnostic blend of Syriac Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, etc.).
   

Some miscellaneous facts that might be explained by a Manichaean connection to the Nasranis:

1. The Nasrani's heavy interest in astrology in ancient times.
2. The stories surrounding Mar Abo and Kadamattom Kathanar.
3. Astrological signs (moon signs) and peacocks decorating some old Churches.
4. Outlier Churches such as the one in Thiruvithamcode.
   

Introduction

The history of the Nasrani people of Kerala, i.e., the members of:

1. the Church of the East in Kerala (known as the Chaldean Church in Kerala, and as the Assyrian/Ancient Church of the East elsewhere)
2. the Orthodox Churches of Kerala---the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Malankara Orthodox Church, and the Malabar Independent Syrian Church
3. the Eastern-rite Catholic Churches of Kerala---the Syro-Malabar Church and the recent Syro-Malankara Church

seems to have been poorly treated by historians---if it's been treated at all.

Actually that's the point: historians often have not addressed the history of the Nasranis, leaving their story to be told by various partisan groups (belonging to the above or other denominations). And for each group that decides to tell the story, a different story has often emerged, often to color that group's history more favorably.

Or, sometimes even worse, one finds histories with too little scholarship and too much myth.

I've decided to create this blog to:

1. present various interesting facts I've discovered
2. pose various questions that I've not found suitable/sufficient answers to

and solicit debate from whomever is interested, in the hope that I may learn new information to help me piece together a better history of the Nasranis.

Full disclosure: I must note that I am a member of the Orthodox Church of Kerala. I hope very little bias due to this position seeps through in this blog, as I am interested in a scholarly history as opposed to a partisan history.