VILVAMANGALAM SWMIGAL fwd from PATTARS Group Mail.

[Krishnan Vaidyanathan]

VILWAMANGALAM SWAMIYAR 

Dear friends 

I have wrote already through group postings about Vilwamangalam swamiyar seeing GURUVAYUR APPAN often, not seeing VAIKKATTHAPPAN inside sanctum and on search found him in the oottupura taking prathal with others, at ANANTHANKADU, for disturbing his pooja pushed Krishna ( child ) with left hand to go away, and child going away telling never he will come to him etc. 

KURURAMMA was his cousin sister. She sung about Guruvayurappa- 

Kanikanum Neram Kamala Nethraantae 
Niramekum manjal thukil charthi 
Kanakakingini Valakal mothiram 
Aninju kanenam Bhagavanae.. 

He was very much interested in marital relations at one time in his young days. Through the flooding river taking all risks of could be carried by river current crossing it, and not bothering of heavy rain he some how reached the young woman in a late night to have relation. 

On that day the young woman said- If this effort would have been diverted to SEE GOD how divine you could be. The words of the woman changed Vilvamangalam’s mind. There after he was only for search of God. Never for relations with any women. 

Based on the legends associated with Vilwamangalam swamiyar and their periods , there is a view MORE THAN ONE person could be there with the same name as Vilwamangalam swamiyar. Vilwamangalam swamiyar is a nampoothiri- Kerala Brahmin. 

My earlier postings through groups could be well before YEARS. A lot of water has flowed. 

So now keeping the writing about him in the EITHIHYA MALA BY KOTTARATHIL SANKUNNI VARIAR as Skeleton, this posting is made. 

I am thankful to the moderators for earliest publication of my postings and to my valuable friends responding with their appreciations. 

Sincerely 
Gopala Krishnan 11-10-2013. 

1. Vadakkum Nathan Theakke mathilil.. ( Vadakkunnathan sitting on southern wall. ) 

Vilwamangalam swamiyar was coming through TIRU-SIVA- PERUR or today’s TRICHUR. It was morning on a karthika day in the month of Vrichikam. He could not see the God in side sanctum. 

He came out side and tried to see any where near. He found him sitting in the southern compound wall. Vilwamangalam asked the God- Why he is present in the compound wall. 

The God replied- I am waiting to see my wife KUMARANALLUR KARTHYAYANI , who will come this way after bath ( aarattu) now . The coming is with very much pomp and celebration. And I want to see it. 

Though aarattu in most temples is in the night on the 10th day of festival, at Kunaranallur, THERE ARE TWO AARATTU, one in the morning and another in the night. 

Seeing this he told the priests.- God will be in the southern wall on this day every year. Then onwards, it is a practice to conduct pooja in the location told by swamiyar on the day for the deity on the southern wall. 

The big aanavathil is on this southern wall. On Trichur pooram day after Elanjithara melam on the western side , the elephants of paramekkavu and Tiruvampadi groups come through the aanavathil in the evening to Thekkin kattu maithanam. The coming of elephants is called THEKKOTTIRAKKAM. Then kudamattam and fire works are conducted. 

2. Vaikkatthappan vadakke chuttil. 

Similar to the above incident, Swamiyar was coming through Vaikkam in an Ashtami day. It was afternoon. He did not find deity inside the sanctum. On search and coming he found him sitting on north chuttambalam sitting and taking meals .God was appearing as an aged Brahmin sitting and taking meals supporting on a pillar with others. Vilwamangalam prayed to God and informed temple authorities about the incident. Then on wards on any day feast is there, a leaf is placed near the pillar in the Northern chuttu and all items served to deity. 

In fact there is a rush among Brahmins to sit in the Vadakke chuttu for meals. The sankalapm is God is there present along with them in the vvadakke chuttu. This place is told as MANYA STHANAM now. 

3. Amabalappuzha krishnan marar sadyayil vilambunnu( Lord is serving to marars in the feast). 

It was a festival time (ulsava kalam) in the Ambalappuzha temple. Swamiyar was coming that way. He could not find the lord inside the sanctum. On coming out he found lord is serving as a PATTAR ( Paradesi BRAHMIN ) in the drama hall to the marars ( people Playing drums and Nadaswaram during the festival) 

Swamiyar asked Lord identifying him - There are a lot to prepare and serve here . Why do you come here? 

The Lord replied- The marars do a lot of hard work to make the festival pomp. It is a pleasure for me to serve them. So on the feast day to marars I will be serving every year. Now you are seeing 

From that time the MARAR SADYA got prominence. It is the belief God is serving for them.

Friends- Kottarathil Sankunni has used the word Pattar to mention the paradesi Brahmin. We can never think he will use if the word is degrading in a book. That too in his period. The word Pattanmar was used with respect by royal members.I have wrote of it earlier. 

4. Cheru thala Bhagavathi karthyayani. 

Once Vilwamangalm was coming through the area, at present Cherthala. He found seven ladies taking bath in a pond. He observed they are divine ladies. He went near them. On seeing swamiyar they started running and jumping to near by ponds. Swamiyar did not leave them. He ran behind. He caught hold six of them and installed near the respective ponds. 

The seventh lady had jumped to a pond with full of clay. While the swamiyar go near the head will go down. Again after sometime the head will come up playing with him. Finally he caught hold of her in the head. Initially she resisted. Now swamiyar became angry asked her to sit with bad word punchali- Ivatae iri. This place later became later Cherthala. CHERU THALA became Cherthala. 

Since e Swamiyar used bad words while she was caught, during Bharani festival the Devi songs are with bad words. It is believed the Devi likes bad words. 

5. Other temples and contemporaries 

Vilwamangalam swamiyar is associated with temples like ETTUMANOOR, TIRUVARPPU, and THIRUVANTHAPURAM etc also. He is found mentioned in connection with EZHUTHACCHAN, TALAKUALTHU BHATTATHIRI also. More than 100 years difference is there between them. There is as such confusion whether more Vilwamangalm were there. Kottarathil Sankunni completes the write up asking some body knowing more should write in news paper. 

My note- 1) there is no mention of the lady incident in this writing. 2) My use of capitals is to show the prominence. Perhaps some could simply skip after seeing capital words. Long back a reader wrote to me- Your subtitles bring substance information.