FROM KERALA WITH LOVE

[padmanabha]

Thiruvonam:
Nature is in her gayest attire. The violence of monsoon has abated. The incessant rain ceased. Trees and shrubs are in full bloom. The days are pleasant and colorful. Nights are starry and delightful. The farmers are happy, because harvesting has begun. They are celebrating Illam Nira and Putthari (see box) two festivals which herald the onset of Thiruvonam, the great national festival.
Illam Nira and Putthari:_ Illam Nira is filling the granary with freshly harvested paddy and the Putthari is consuming new rice. Kerala was once an agricultural country. Hence harvesting paddy was an occasion of rejoice.
Before the completion of harvest, when the ears of the corn are ripe the Nira was performed. At the threshold of the house, a basket full of harvested paddy is kept on the decorated ground. A member of the family after ritualistic bath brings the basket inside rendering “Illam Nira” (fill the house), “Kollam Nira”( fill the whole year), “Paththayam Nira”(fill the granary), “Vatti Nira Kotta Nira” (fill the basket), “Nira nira nira…”.
Certain pujas are performed and payasam already prepared from the freshly harvested rice is distributed among the participants.
Illam Nira and Putthari are performed on auspicious days before Thiruvonam.
Thiruvonam:- According to the legend, Onam is celebrated in commemoration of the reign of Mahabali an Asura King. He propitiated Brahma and held unlimited sway over Bharathavarsha. It was a period of peace, prosperity and plenty. Theft, robbery and other crimes were unknown. There was no bad season even.
Devas nurtured hatred, and jealousy towards Mahabali. They requested Vishnu and HE acceded to the request. He appeared as Vamana, in all glory. The King welcomed Vamana. He asked him what he wanted. The boy replied “just three feet of land”. Mahabali conceded the demand at once. The boy grew unassumingly huge and the whole of the land measured slightly less than three feet. For the rest, Vamana trod upon the head of Mahabali and pushed him to the infernal regions. Consequently, his subjects pleaded Vishnu. The Lord allowed the ex ruler to visit his subjects once a year. It was fixed as for Malayalam month Chingam on the asterism of Thiruvonam.
During the ten-day long festival, people decorate their houses to receive Mahabali. In the courtyard, they make floral carpets. They put on new clothes. It commences on the asterism Atham that falls ten days before Thiruvonam.
The children at dawn go in groups to collect flowers. On this pleasant errand, they sing songs, bring their colorful spoils, and decorate the floral carpet. Shoe flower, marigold, the yellow aster, scarlet button flower, common thakara (wild cassia), and oleander of all shades. The quickly perishable carpet is protected from direct Sun, by erecting a temporary roof, decorated with festoons.
The important part of the festival however begins on the eve of Uthradam. The houses are spruced up. They make all arrangements for the sumptuous feast. Even the poorest of the poor celebrate Onam. The tenants of family holding the land present before the Karanavar the fruits of their labor-called Thirumulkaazhcha.

On the day of Thiruvonam, after the ritualistic bath a conical figure of Thrukkakkara Appan is made from clay. The belief is that the festival began at Thrukkakkara. In those days of splendour, the festival lasted for 28 days.
Flowers are decorated around the idol of Thrukkakkarappan. They visit the temples near by. The head of the family distribute new clothes to the family members, dependents and others.
What follows next is the feast. In front of an oil lit lamp, a fresh plantain leaf is spread and all dishes are served. This is for Lord Ganesa, to partake. The family members relish the sumptuous feast. There will be several varieties of curries, pickles, sweets, payasams.
Post lunch sessions are meant for fun and frolic. The sedate ones prefer cards or dice. The younger and the robust indulge in merry making. They swing mad. Some engage in Thalapandu (head ball). An extensive open space forms the playground. Equality in strength and not in number is the rule. Hence, there will be a difference in the number of members. Kayyankali or combats and archery are other games.
Mirth and hilarity mark the life of the female members. The younger ones decked in their gayest and finest attire, wearing jewels spend the days in dancing and singing. It continues until the shades of evening fall and the festivals conclude. On the Chathayam day, at the auspicious hour the image of Thrukkakkarayappan is removed.
Recently, with the breaking up of the joint family system and the onslaught of Visual media, the celebration has attained different color. Children no more enjoy the thrill of gathering flowers. The market is flooded with flowers from Thovaalai and Madurai. Women no more labor in the kitchen. Ready-made mixes are available. In some places, people depend on catering services. After the feast, it is time for a siesta. People celebrate Onam along with the TV Channels.

[Lambretta]

People celebrate Onam along with the TV Channels. [/tscii]

I guess this is supposed to be a note of irony...?

[padmanabha]

today i read it in a malayalam daily-that all the members of KANNATTUA FAMILY in Alappuzha have a rare heriditary feature. Yes All of them have either their middle and index fingers/or middle and ring fingers are joined together-in extreme cases it resembled the hood of a snake!!

[Shakthiprabha.]

[padmanabha]

dear readers,
i am suppose to post this on 17th of August -on the malayalam new year day. i am 10 days late and it is better late than never. read on
Every day All India Radio commences its morning broadcast by announcing the day’s dates with years!
Many Dates and Years for a single day? Yes, of course because we follow different calendars set in different Eras introduced over a period. Each one had an event associated with it. Thus, Eras is in fact are the commemoration of such events.
Saka Era introduced in 78AD by King Saalivaahana, named this Era after his Saka subjects, for instance.
Keralites follow Kollam Aandu/Kollavarsham/Kollam Era-the New Year (1183) of which falls on 17 August this year.
As every era started in commemoration of some great event in history, it is natural that we desire to know the event behind the Kollam Era, introduced in 825 AD. There are plenty of myths and stories related to this.

Shungoonny Menon the author of “History of Travancore” says, “In the Kali year 3926 (825AD) when Udaya Marthanda Varma was residing in Kollam, he convened a special meeting of all learned men of Kerala, with the object of introducing a new Era. After making some astronomical researches, and calculating the solar movements, throughout the 12 zodiacs and counting scientifically the number of days occupied in this revolution every month, it was resolved to adopt the new Era from the first of Chingam of that year (15 August 825) as Kollam year one, and to call it the solar calendar.” The new Era christened Kollam Aandu/Kollavarsham/Kollam Era as the venue of the summit was at Kollam.


There are two Kollams. One near Thiruvananthapuram, which was once a great seaport and the other, was a township in Malabar. It was the Kollam in Travancore, which lent its name to the new Era. Port Kollam was a flourishing city and an international centre of trade and commerce while its northern counterpart was obscure.

Records available in the Padmanabha Swami Temple show that, the installation of the idol of Sri Krishna (Thiruvambadi) was held on the fifth day of the new Era (05-01-01 KE), in the presence of all the royal family members of Venad. This day also marked the introduction of the rescheduled Temple Calendar. Since then, this revised calendar is basis of reckoning time to structure the system feasts and fasts and other religious ceremonies.

According to one theory, in 822 AD, invading sea destroyed Kollam. It took three years to rebuild the city. This re founding of Kollam resulted in the starting of an Era called Kollam Era.

The Kollam summit chose Chingam as the first month in preference to Mesha (Medam) because of the vernal equinox –Vishu-which had by that time (1 kollam era) already moved to Meena rasi(the constellation Pisces) by the slow process of precession of the equinoxes. Simha is the Suns own house-and hence it is considered appropriate to begin Solar Year-in which the days, the months, the two ayanas and the whole year are related to the Sun’s apparent movements in the sky.

However, the people of north Kerala observed New Year in the month of Kanni. The belief is that the news of the birth of Kollam Era took one month to reach north Kerala.
(only one month to travel from kollam to malabar in 825 AD)
The Chera, the Pandya and the Chola inscriptions reveal that this Era was prevalent in the regions of Kerala Tiruneveli and Madurai.

‘The promulgations by Sankaracharya the great Vedantist of the 64 rules known as Anaacharams, is reason for commencing Kollam Era’ is another reason attributed to it. One of the Anaacharams forbids the performance of Sati, which might well have proved revolutionary and epoch-making commandment worthy of commemorating an Era. However, some researchers say he died before 825 AD.

Yet another belief is that as the Nampoothiris of Kerala were migrants from Kashmir. They adapted the Saptarshi Era (the calendar of which began with Mesha) of Kashmir Calendar. It is on the Saptarshi year 3900 the Kollam summit convened.

Thus August 17, 2007 corresponds to Kollam Aandu 1183, Chingam1; Saka Varsham 1929, Sravanam 1; and Hijara 1427 Shahaban 3. It is this variety that makes India a unique place.
(i would like to hear other stories related to the birth of any era-)

[padmanabha]

today in the evening a boat race is arranged near my house. There is a temple and a pond. people say this pond is the second largest in kerala. The race is arranged here. It is called Sree Varaham Vallum Kali. the residents of this area have arranged a pookkalam competition(floral carpet) and rangoli competition tomorrow.
There is a fairly large mandapam in the middle of the pond. Today flute recital will be held on this mandapam. Annaul music concerts are also held. People sit on the flight of steps on all the four sides of the well illuminated pond. unique ambience!
Regarding this temple and the pond, it is one of the oldest temples. The main idol is Lakshmi Varahamurthy.

[padmanabha]

SMAARTHA VICHAARAM: -(S V)
Vichaaram = Caste trial
Smaarthan= Vedic Judge
SV was the court of enquiry into allegation for the transgression of the rules of chastity by the Nampoothiri women. I do not know exactly when the last SV was held.
Here is an account of the traditional age-old custom.
Chastity is accounted as the highest of all virtues and violation resulted in austerization from the family and the community.
Nampoothiri community was ranked high. They follow patrilineal system. There are four levels of caste council of Nampoothiris-namely 1. Village 2. Graamam 3. Territory and 4. State. They were presided espectively by Akakkoymma, graamam, vaidikans and meemamsa.
How is SV conducted?
Rajas of Chirakkal, Rajas of Kottayam, Zamorin of Calicut, Kochi Raja and Travancore Raja were the arbitrators of the Nampothiris of North Malabar, South Malabar, Calicut, Kochi and Travancore respectively. The council consisits of Smaarthan, Vaidikan, Meemamsakan, Akakkoyma and Purakkoyma.
Vaidikans uphold the caste rules. Atleast one Vaidikan should accompany the Smaarthan to the place of trial. The trial was held at the defendant¢s illam.
The Smaarthan select two Meemamkasakas from the Gramam as soon as royal sanction was obtained.
They interpret Vedas whenever required during trial. The Purakkoyma was the representative of the Raja.
PHASES OF SMAARTHA VICHAARAM
1. DAASI VICHARAM
When the chastity of a Nampoothiri women was suspectyed, the head of the family inform the village council. The Daasi-the maid servant- of the Nampoothiri woman was interrogated and this is called Daasi Vichaaram.
2. Anchaam pura vilakkal
When convinced with DAASI¢s version, the accused was lodged in the Anchaampura the fifth house. It is built away from the illam. It was a kind temporary ban.
The Akkkoyma would submit the report to the Smarthan. It is referred to the ruler to conduct the SV.
In Travancore Rs 9/- had to be creditied to the treasury (Ref-Edgar Thurston-Castes and tribes of south India 1908 page 221) to conduct SV. The permission was called Neettu or thittooram.
3. Vichaaram
The Smaarthan ask the Daasi whether the Nampoothiri woman was present at the Anchaam pura. She should stand at the door of the Anchaam pura. The Smaarthan riddles questions through the Daasi. He should not talk to her directly or see her during the trail. THE Smaarthan should not ask irrelevant questions as well. If asked the Akakkoyma who watches the proceedings interferes. He never speaks but draws his thorthu (a long white cloth) from his shoulders. The Smaarthan corrects himself and the thorthu is put back.


The moment whne she confirms her guilt, and discloses the name of person with whom she had relation she is brought out of Anchaam pura, and cross examined time place and circumstance and personal identification. If she was found innocent, the entire council solicits her pardon. She is readmitted to her family.
The person accused by the woman is never permited to disprove the charges. Every co-defendant except the one who was the first to lead her astray had a right to be admitted to the boiling oil ordeal.
4. SWAROOPAM CHOLLAL-VERDICT ANNOUNCEMENT
The Raja pronounces the order for excommunication of the defendant woman. The Judges fixes a day. She is taken to a pond sae apart for this. A temporary ceiling is erected. The verdict is read out to the woman.
The Smmarthan would inform
a. The reason for lodging the culprit in the Anchaam pura,
b. dates, evidences of Daasi vichaaram
c. ROYAL SANCTION
d. members participated and
e. The evidences in support. The Tamil Brahmin called Kutti Pattar would announce the seducers name. Soon the Tamil Brahmin jump into the Tank, followed by all Nampoothiri spectators.
The defendant conceals herself by the palm leaf umbrella. The Daasi grabs and destroys it. Nampoothiri woman henceforth becomes an outcaste. She is called SAADHANAM (THING) and not Antharjajam (Nampoothiri women). She is lodged in the outskirts of the locality.
5.UDAKA VICHCHEDAM
Through this act, the right of the kin of the woman to perform obsequies is severed. Last right of the Nampoothiri woman is performed. It is performed at night.
6. Suddha bhojanam
A feast is conduct after the Nampoothiri woman is austerized.
7. Kaala vichaaram
If children were born to her by her legal husband, after she had committed adultery the children of her paramours wives had to undergo expensive expiratory rite. They are not re admitted but degraded to lower castes like Chaakyar and Nambiars. Even today many Chaakyars and Nambiars trace their descent from Nampoothiris.

[padmanabha]

Ullatan is a tribe of South Kerala. It is interesting to know how the bride selects her husband.
She seats in a small round hut made of coconut frond specially erected for the purpose. All the eligible men armed with bamboo poles dance round the hut. Occasionally they thrust the poles through the fronds. The father of the bride sits at a little distance, beating tom-tom. The girl seizes one of the poles and the man holding the pole is chosen as the groom!

[Lambretta]

Ullatan is a tribe of South Kerala. It is interesting to know how the bride selects her husband.
She seats in a small round hut made of coconut frond specially erected for the purpose. All the eligible men armed with bamboo poles dance round the hut. Occasionally they thrust the poles through the fronds. The father of the bride sits at a little distance, beating tom-tom. The girl seizes one of the poles and the man holding the pole is chosen as the groom!

HMm.....interesting altho I guess this method wudnt really be helpful for a man who's keen to marry a particular girl as he may not be the one with the 'lucky' pole!

[Lambretta]

Last right of the Nampoothiri woman is performed. It is performed at night.[/tscii]

Last rites.......surely tat does not mean she is killed??!