Kodungallur Bharani Pattu History
Venice
Thanks,
Yeah lots of connections there, most people forget that the whole region was without borders and I guess traveling to the other end was an exercise - the farthest corner of the dakshina lokam..
Very interesting read. Only that you seem to be following a particular historical school of argumentation. References to 'fair-skinned Brahmins' displacing Buddhists and Jains,' or Brahminism as coming from the North echo the Colonial-Marxist narrative on Ancient history of South India. I am sure you are aware of these things. Just sharing a thought.
Thanks, unknown..
Well, yes. I did study Veluthat's and MGS's articles on these matters and found they made a good amount of sense. I do not if those subscribe to a Colonial Marxist narrative, nor do I follow any of those lines. I do read a number of source material on a subject before zooming in on what I think is potential. Nor am I saying that I subscribe to the Aryan/Vedic takeover of the Dravidian south, but surely there was an influx of Brahmins from the Northern borders in the early medieval. But yes, I may be wrong, and I will gladly correct anything incorrect..
This was similar to the question about the Moplah rebellion - if it is agrarian or racial. My studies clarified that it was all of it coupled with a few other causes not hitherto studied in detail. So narrow segmentation is not right.
Raj.M,
Thank you very much Raj, it is an intriguing question. Whether the Pattini Cult originated before or after Kannagi is still debated, but it is true that this mythical character had a huge impact. I have not read the large study - OBEYESEKERE, Gananath, The Cult of the Goddess Pattini, but can suggest that you give it a try, to get to it. How a mythical character crystalized into worship, or if Kannagi was a character created after an age-old real-life event, is a question I do not have an answer to.
I have similarly wondered how an epic character Rama has attained a godly status. I wonder if it is sort of the Indian culture to make people who are portrayed as great individuals either thru an epic or in real life, a deity of sorts. A real-life example is Sai Baba who has gained a godly status in many families.
Mr. Maddy my name is Abhinav chekavar Athikkal, my family owns one of the thara among 64 theeyar thandan families who has right over kodungallur temple.these 64 families have 64 bagavati temples with kodungallur devi in essence. They all come together for barani Festival.these 64 families formed cheraman army of Chekavars.chekavar were commander in chief of chera army. After consistent conflict with pandyas and cholas,chekavars who protected cheranadu for centuries I mean 3000 years minimum, who invented kalaripayattu began to decline or died in conflicts. Then during brahmanical invasion of Kerala,the chekavars being loyal to cheras refused to fight for the local kings and thus became outcast. During the chera time a theeyar thandan was equivalent to a zamindar and there were no caste system under chekavar rule.remember one day the whole world will understand that chekavars where the most fierce army in whole of Asia like Samurai. Because truth cannot be hidden for long .
You article is half right and half fake
The people of Kodungallur believe that this temple was, in the olden days, a Shiva shrine and it was Parasurama who installed the murti of Bhadrakali close to one of Shiva. The pujas are conducted; it is said, under direct instructions from the goddess herself. Five 'Sri Chakras', said to have been installed by Adi Shankaracharya, are believed to be the main source of the powers of this deity. The priests are Namboodiris and Adikas (Madhu Brahmins) who have a right to perform 'Pushpanjalis' to the Goddess.
It is said that the temple was constructed by Cheraman Perumal. The first Shakteya Pooja in kodungallur temple was performed by a Thiyyar from Malabar. Even present day , The Thiyya thandans (An administrative position) of 64 tharas meet at Nilapaduthara at Kodungaloor in the presence of kodungallur raja. The kodungaloor meena bharani is conducted under these Thiyya thandans.
In Tantric terms, the divinity is installed in what is called the "Rurujit Vidhaana" pattern, a form of installation with Shiva in one end, Ganesha in the other, with the Sapta Matrika goddesses in between.
Thottam pattu (Thottampattu) is yet another important ritual held in Attukal Bhagavathy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The festival begins with the kudiyiruthu of bhagavathy to a temporary shed made of thatched coconut leaves in the temple premises. The ritual of Thottampattu begins after the diety is invited to the thatched shed.
The Thottampattu, devotional song which tells the story of Kannaki in Tamil text Chilappatikaram. The ritual song continues for ten days, and the story told on each day is also related to the rituals in the temple.
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I have several reasons for giving the purely native name Parangodi Parinayam6 for my book, rather than more sophisticated names such as Janaki Parinayam or Rugmini Swayambaram. If I be remiss enough not to give my readers a prior knowledge of these facts, they would just take it casually and may never come to know of my extreme cleverness in using few words with a wealth of hidden meaning to meet all needs with the greatest ease. In the fear that my intelligence would then go unappreciated like the lotus that blooms in the midst of a forest, I take the freedom to elaborate on this and humbly request my readers not to presume that I am underestimating their powers of comprehension.
According to prevailing native legends on the nairs of Kerala they were the offspring of the celestial belles called the devastrees, brought down to earth by Sree Parasuraman7 long back for satisfying the carnal desires of the Kerala brahmins who were nambootiris. The deva strees accepted and gave sensual pleasure to all the people who died on earth and reached heaven to be bestowed with heavenly joys in acknowledgement of their good deeds, without discriminating them on the basis of caste or creed. They continued this tradition on earth too, granting favors to lovers of all class, like a kamadhenu8. So the children born to these descendants of deva strees were unable to say who exactly the father was; they only knew that it was a man. But because of the divine quality of the mothers the continuing generations suffered no loss of purity and are still considered godly. This ancient theory on the origin of our land does give us some consolation. But the theories of the modern scientists have given cause for others to laugh at this divine quality and the pride of self-propagation. The present consensus is that the nairs of Kerala were the original inhabitants of India and when the Aryans came to settle down in Kerala, they accompanied them as servants. The feminine names such as Indumathy, Kundalatha, Indulekha and the masculine names like Madhavan, Kesavan, Krishnan, Damodaran are those prevalent among the Aryans and so should never be used by those who preserve their genetic purity from their very origin, without interaction with the Aryans.
There is a general view that the progeny of mixed castes turn out better and the example cited is the mule, the offspring of the horse and the donkey. It might be so in the case of animals at times but human beings lacking genetic purity are often seen to be petty minded and behave idly however exalted a status they attain. The archaic names Parangodi and Parangodan, so very different from the names popular among the Aryans, testify to the fact that the hero and heroine of this book were born in families that have kept intact their genetic characteristics of manliness from time immemorial. To prove the point, we can make use of the titles given to the chieftans of Kerala dynasties. In olden days names such as Chathan Kandan, Chathu Unnaman etc were used, but now, with the association of the nambootiris, they have lost the identity of class and becoming cross breeds like the mules, have taken on names such as Raman and Krishnan. However, some old men I know, who are acquainted with the history of such chieftans, say that these families still use their original names as titles of their status. Since my readers might be familiar with these facts, the moment they hear the names Parangodan and Parangodi, they shall realize that the hero and heroine of this book are of noble blood without any prompting from my part. Still, I have strived thus in the belief that this description shall benefit those who are ignorant of the family heritage and greatness of names propounded by the chieftans of Kerala.
I also wish to mention in particular that I wrote this book entirely in one night. Even in that I could not put my full concentration as I had some other things to see to and was unable to lose sleep because of my physical condition. I cannot really recall all I have written since I was unable to read it a second time. I hope that if at all my readers chance to find any errors when reading the book, they shall remember these facts and excuse me and I am sure they would not hesitate to shower me with praise if they found any part of it enjoyable.
Once upon a time, there was a state called Rajathamangalam somewhere in the long landline of India extending from the Himalayas to the ocean. And a king called Rajatheswaran. A minister called Thamranathan. A wife called Kanakamangala. When King Rajatheswara had conquered fifty six subject states and ruled as the unquestioned monarch of the time, people of all the different castes such as Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vysyas and Sudras1 carried out their respective religious rituals diligently so that the land prospered throughout. The Goddess Ganga, flowing through the enemy cities of Rajatheswara, gathered scattered gems taking them for burning embers, threw pieces of sandalwood over them and blew with half closed eyes, whereupon a swarm of bees followed her intoxicating breath resembling black smoke2. At the same time she made the world such a blinding white by the name and fame of this great emperor that Lord Vishnu had to hunt for his ocean of milk, Lord Siva for Kailasa, his abode of snow, Indra for his white elephant Iravata, Rahu for the moon and Brahma for his swan3. In the north south region of the capital of this kingdom that flourished so under the brilliant rule of King Rajatheswaran with the land and sea all aglow with virtue and impressive to behold, there was an eminent temple of Lord Vishnu. Panga Marar of Melkulangara House, who worked in this temple as kazhakakkaran4, had a nephew named Parangodan, a wife named Parikkampachilil MookkandiAmma and a daughter named Parangodi. When Parangodi and Parangodan were small children, they happened to see a harmless water snake while washing their faces at the unused pond in the northern part of the grounds one morning. Thereupon ensued such a conversation between them:
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