striking a c(h)ord

Cheerful devotees’ throng the Padmanabha Swami Temple premises to witness the solemn, imposing and spectacular ceremony of hoisting the temple flag by the Chief Priest, on 24th March heralding the commencement of the ten days long bi annual festival in the temple of Padmanabha.

The red satin flags with figures of Garuda fluttered, saveri raga filled the air. But how many of us knew that the “kodikayar” or the cords for hoisting the flags at the temple of Sree Padmanabha are weaved by the convicts at the Poojappura central Jail?

This 120 years old custom is still followed. For the ongoing festival also the kodikayar was supplied from the jail only!!

When it all does began?
It is related to the Jail reforms introduced by Sree Moolam Tirunal, in 1062 M E. The present central jail at Poojappura was constructed in 1062, at an expense of Rs. 2, 04,039/-.(The older central jail was behind the Fort Govt. hospital. It houses central archives now). In 1057 intramural labor were introduced in the jail. The chief handicrafts practiced being weaving, coir matting, carving carpentry, printing, basket making, blacksmith work, woolen carpet making, and tinker’s work. These products had won prices at the Erode Exhibition and were supplied to all consuming public departments. It kept the prisoners engaged, and provided a source of income.

The Maharaja ruled the country on behalf of the presiding deity Sree Padmanabha. All the requirements for this temple were supplied from the jail only. In those days oottupuras were functioning efficiently. The baskets and containers for storing various commodities were designed by the convicts only. They were also entrusted to make the cord for hoisting the flag and the tassels for the ona villu. Now ootupuras cease to exist today, and the honor of supplying the kodikayar and the tassels for the ona villu is still vested with the Poojappura jail.

“In 1060, the expenditure per prisoner was Rs 87 per annum and in 1091, it was 133/- The receipts for the labor in 1089 amounted to 72, 668/- the highest on records. It dwindled due to short supply of materials due to war. The work done in jail was for the consuming public departments and the work exacted was purely penal and industrial nature” says Mahakavi Ulloor in his work Progress of Travancore under H H Sree Moolam Tirunal.

“We need two sets of the cord one for the silver flag pole near Tiruvambadi and the other for the golden flag pole near the eastern corridor. We place the order three months in advance, and the products would be ready a fortnight ahead of the commencement of the festival” says Parameswaran Nair, Administrator, Sree Padmanabha Temple Trust.

“As soon as we receive information from the Jail superintend the cords are collected after remitting an amount of Rs 1400/-. It varies from year to year. The cords are of the length 36 mts and 33mts” informed Janardhana Iyer, Secretary, Sree Padmanabha Temple of the Palace.

The flags in red satin are also made new for each festival. The bigger one has a garuda in the standing posture with folded hands and the smaller one represents garuda in the kneeling posture. These two are for Sree Padmanabha and Sree Krishna respectively. Pooja to the flags are performed before hoisting. The flag poles are covered for some thickness and width with the leaves of mango and arasu and dharba grass. While hoisting the flags by the priest Krishna parunthu encircles high above the mast.

good info :)

:)

Very Interesting...........who would have thought that the C(h)ord had such a lengthy history!!!.... :wink: ...thank you for sharing it with us!!! What instigated your research / query?.............Regards.....Suvai :)