മുതുകുളം എന്‍റെ ഗ്രാമം ( Muthukulam )

മുതുകുളം എന്‍റെ ഗ്രാമം



Muthukulam is a village in Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala.

Muthukulam is a small backwater village in Central Kerala. It is bordered by the Kanyakumari-Srinagar National Highway No.47 on the east and the backwaters to the west. A narrow strip of land comprising Aratupuzha village beyond the backwaters separates Muthukulam from the Arabian sea in the West. The nearest major towns are Kayamkulam and Haripad.

Muthukulam is a small backwater village in Central Kerala. It is bordered by the Kanyakumari-Srinagar National Highway No.47 on the east and the backwaters to the west. A narrow strip of land comprising Aratupuzha village beyond the backwaters separates Muthukulam from the Arabian sea in the West. The nearest major towns are Kayamkulam and Haripad.

The Malayalam film artist of yesteryear Shri Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai and late film director Padma Rajan were born in Muthukulam. The noted mural artist Suresh muthukulam is born in muthukulam. Important Congress Leader and Freedom fighter late .Mr. Ambazhavelil Velayudhan Pillai, Drama Artist. Akabar Shankarapillai of Srivilasm were also born in Muthuklulam,Muthukulam PARVATHI AMMA, Born in Muthuklulam

As of 2001[update] India census, Muthukulam had a population of 21,181 with 9,762 males and 11,419 females.


Places to Visit

1.Pandavar Kavu Temple
2. Major karunamuttam Shiva Temple
3.Kollakel Temple
4.Erel Temple
5.Illangom Temple
6.Kanakakunnu Kayal (lake)

മദര്‍തെരേസ 26 August 1910 – 5 September 1997

Mother Teresa born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was a Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India in 1950. For over 45 years she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying, while guiding the Missionaries of Charity's expansion, first throughout India and then in other countries. Following her death she was beatified by Pope John Paul II and given the title Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.

By the 1970s, she was internationally famed as a humanitarian and advocate for the poor and helpless, due in part to a documentary and book Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1980 for her humanitarian work. Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity continued to expand, and at the time of her death it was operating 610 missions in 123 countries, including hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis, soup kitchens, children's and family counselling programs, orphanages, and schools.

She has been praised by many individuals, governments and organizations; however, she has also faced a diverse range of criticism. These include objections by various individuals and groups, including Christopher Hitchens, Michael Parenti, Aroup Chatterjee, Vishva Hindu Parishad, against the proselytizing focus of her work including a strong stance against contraception and abortion, a belief in the spiritual goodness of poverty and alleged baptisms of the dying. Medical journals also criticised the standard of medical care in her hospices and concerns were raised about the opaque nature in which donated money was spent. In 2010 on the 100th anniversary of her birth, she was honoured around the world, and her work praised by Indian President, Pratibha Patil.

Early life

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu ) was born on 26 August 1910, in Üsküb, Ottoman Empire (now Skopje, capital of the Republic of Macedonia). Although she was born on 26 August, she considered 27 August, the day she was baptized, to be her "true birthday." She was the youngest of the children of a family from Shkodër, Albania, born to Nikollë and Drana Bojaxhiu. Her father, who was involved in Albanian politics, died in 1919 when she was eight years old. After her father's death, her mother raised her as a Roman Catholic. Her father's origin was possibly from Prizren, Kosovo while her mother's origin was possibly from a village near Gjakova, Kosovo.

According to a biography by Joan Graff Clucas, in her early years Agnes was fascinated by stories of the lives of missionaries and their service, and by age 12 was convinced that she should commit herself to a religious life. She left home at age 18 to join the Sisters of Loreto as a missionary. She never again saw her mother or sister.

Agnes initially went to the Loreto Abbey in Rathfarnham, Ireland to learn English, the language the Sisters of Loreto used to teach school children in India. She arrived in India in 1929, and began her novitiate in Darjeeling, near the Himalayan mountains. She took her first religious vows as a nun on 24 May 1931. At that time she chose the name Teresa after Thérèse de Lisieux, the patron saint of missionaries. She took her solemn vows on 14 May 1937, while serving as a teacher at the Loreto convent school in eastern Calcutta.

Although Teresa enjoyed teaching at the school, she was increasingly disturbed by the poverty surrounding her in Calcutta. The Bengal famine of 1943 brought misery and death to the city; and the outbreak of Hindu/Muslim violence in August 1946 plunged the city into despair and horror.

Missionaries of Charity

On 10 September 1946, Teresa experienced what she later described as "the call within the call" while traveling to the Loreto convent in Darjeeling from Calcutta for her annual retreat. "I was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them. It was an order. To fail would have been to break the faith." She began her missionary work with the poor in 1948, replacing her traditional Loreto habit with a simple white cotton sari decorated with a blue border, adopted Indian citizenship, and ventured out into the slums. Initially she started a school in Motijhil; soon she started tending to the needs of the destitute and starving. Her efforts quickly caught the attention of Indian officials, including the prime minister, who expressed his appreciation.

Teresa wrote in her diary that her first year was fraught with difficulties. She had no income and had to resort to begging for food and supplies. Teresa experienced doubt, loneliness and the temptation to return to the comfort of convent life during these early months. She wrote in her diary:

"Our Lord wants me to be a free nun covered with the poverty of the cross. Today I learned a good lesson. The poverty of the poor must be so hard for them. While looking for a home I walked and walked till my arms and legs ached. I thought how much they must ache in body and soul, looking for a home, food and health. Then the comfort of Loreto [her former order] came to tempt me. 'You have only to say the word and all that will be yours again,' the Tempter kept on saying ... Of free choice, my God, and out of love for you, I desire to remain and do whatever be your Holy will in my regard. I did not let a single tear come. "

Teresa received Vatican permission on 7 October 1950 to start the diocesan congregation that would become the Missionaries of Charity. Its mission was to care for, in her own words, "the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone." It began as a small order with 13 members in Calcutta; today it has more than 4,000 nuns running orphanages, AIDS hospices and charity centers worldwide, and caring for refugees, the blind, disabled, aged, alcoholics, the poor and homeless, and victims of floods, epidemics, and famine.

In 1952 Mother Teresa opened the first Home for the Dying in space made available by the city of Calcutta. With the help of Indian officials she converted an abandoned Hindu temple into the Kalighat Home for the Dying, a free hospice for the poor. She renamed it Kalighat, the Home of the Pure Heart (Nirmal Hriday). Those brought to the home received medical attention and were afforded the opportunity to die with dignity, according to the rituals of their faith; Muslims were read the Quran, Hindus received water from the Ganges, and Catholics received the Last Rites. "A beautiful death," she said, "is for people who lived like animals to die like angels—loved and wanted." Mother Teresa soon opened a home for those suffering from Hansen's disease, commonly known as leprosy, and called the hospice Shanti Nagar (City of Peace). The Missionaries of Charity also established several leprosy outreach clinics throughout Calcutta, providing medication, bandages and food.

As the Missionaries of Charity took in increasing numbers of lost children, Mother Teresa felt the need to create a home for them. In 1955 she opened the Nirmala Shishu Bhavan, the Children's Home of the Immaculate Heart, as a haven for orphans and homeless youth.

The order soon began to attract both recruits and charitable donations, and by the 1960s had opened hospices, orphanages and leper houses all over India. Mother Teresa then expanded the order throughout the globe. Its first house outside India opened in Venezuela in 1965 with five sisters. Others followed in Rome, Tanzania, and Austria in 1968; during the 1970s the order opened houses and foundations in dozens of countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the United States.

Her philosophy and implementation have faced some criticism. David Scott wrote that Mother Teresa limited herself to keeping people alive rather than tackling poverty itself. She has also been criticized for her view on suffering: according to an article in the Alberta Report, she felt that suffering would bring people closer to Jesus. The quality of care offered to terminally ill patients in the Homes for the Dying has been criticised in the medical press, notably The Lancet and the British Medical Journal, which reported the reuse of hypodermic needles, poor living conditions, including the use of cold baths for all patients, and an approach to illness and suffering that precluded the use of many elements of modern medical care, such as systematic diagnosis. Dr. Robin Fox, editor of The Lancet, described the medical care as "haphazard", as volunteers without medical knowledge had to take decisions about patient care, because of the lack of doctors. He observed that her order did not distinguish between curable and incurable patients, so that people who could otherwise survive would be at risk of dying from infections and lack of treatment.

The Missionaries of Charity Brothers was founded in 1963, and a contemplative branch of the Sisters followed in 1976. Lay Catholics and non-Catholics were enrolled in the Co-Workers of Mother Teresa, the Sick and Suffering Co-Workers, and the Lay Missionaries of Charity. In answer to the requests of many priests, in 1981 Mother Teresa also began the Corpus Christi Movement for Priests, and in 1984 founded with Fr. Joseph Langford the Missionaries of Charity Fathers to combine the vocational aims of the Missionaries of Charity with the resources of the ministerial priesthood. By 2007 the Missionaries of Charity numbered approximately 450 brothers and 5,000 nuns worldwide, operating 600 missions, schools and shelters in 120 countries.

International charity

1982, at the height of the Siege of Beirut, Mother Teresa rescued 37 children trapped in a front line hospital by brokering a temporary cease-fire between the Israeli army and Palestinian guerrillas. Accompanied by Red Cross workers, she traveled through the war zone to the devastated hospital to evacuate the young patients.

When Eastern Europe experienced increased openness in the late 1980s, she expanded her efforts to Communist countries that had previously rejected the Missionaries of Charity, embarking on dozens of projects. She was undeterred by criticism about her firm stand against abortion and divorce stating, "No matter who says what, you should accept it with a smile and do your own work."

Mother Teresa traveled to assist and minister to the hungry in Ethiopia, radiation victims at Chernobyl, and earthquake victims in Armenia. In 1991, Mother Teresa returned for the first time to her homeland and opened a Missionaries of Charity Brothers home in Tirana, Albania.

By 1996, she was operating 517 missions in more than 100 countries. Over the years, Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity grew from twelve to thousands serving the "poorest of the poor" in 450 centers around the world. The first Missionaries of Charity home in the United States was established in the South Bronx, New York; by 1984 the order operated 19 establishments throughout the country.

The spending of the charity money received has been criticized by some. Christopher Hitchens and the German magazine Stern have said Mother Teresa did not focus donated money on alleviating poverty or improving the conditions of her hospices, but on opening new convents and increasing missionary work.

Additionally, the sources of some donations accepted have been criticized. Mother Teresa accepted donations from the autocratic and corrupt Duvalier family in Haiti and openly praised them. She also accepted 1.4 million dollars from Charles Keating, involved in the fraud and corruption scheme known as the Keating Five scandal and supported him before and after his arrest. The Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles, Paul Turley, wrote to Mother Teresa asking her to return the donated money to the people Keating had stolen from, one of whom was "a poor carpenter". The donated money was not accounted for, and Turley did not receive a reply.

Colette Livermore, a former Missionary of Charity, describes her reasons for leaving the order in her book Hope Endures: Leaving Mother Teresa, Losing Faith, and Searching for Meaning. Livermore found what she called Mother Teresa's "theology of suffering" to be flawed, despite being a good and courageous person. Though Mother Teresa instructed her followers on the importance of spreading the Gospel through actions rather than theological lessons, Livermore could not reconcile this with some of the practices of the organization. Examples she gives include unnecessarily refusing to help the needy when they approached the nuns at the wrong time according to the prescribed schedule, discouraging nuns from seeking medical training to deal with the illnesses they encountered (with the justification that God empowers the weak and ignorant), and imposition of "unjust" punishments, such as being transferred away from friends. Livermore says that the Missionaries of Charity "infantilized" its nuns by prohibiting the reading of secular books and newspapers, and emphasizing obedience over independent thinking and problem-solving.

Declining health and death

Mother Teresa suffered a heart attack in Rome in 1983, while visiting Pope John Paul II. After a second attack in 1989, she received an artificial pacemaker. In 1991, after a battle with pneumonia while in Mexico, she suffered further heart problems. She offered to resign her position as head of the Missionaries of Charity. But the nuns of the order, in a secret ballot, voted for her to stay. Mother Teresa agreed to continue her work as head of the order.

In April 1996, Mother Teresa fell and broke her collar bone. In August she suffered from malaria and failure of the left heart ventricle. She had heart surgery but it was clear that her health was declining. When she fell ill, she made the controversial decision to be treated at a well-equipped hospital in California instead of one of her own clinics. The Archbishop of Calcutta, Henry Sebastian D'Souza, said he ordered a priest to perform an exorcism on Mother Teresa with her permission when she was first hospitalized with cardiac problems because he thought she may be under attack by the devil.

On 13 March 1997, she stepped down from the head of Missionaries of Charity. She died on 5 September 1997.

At the time of her death, Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity had over 4,000 sisters, and an associated brotherhood of 300 members, operating 610 missions in 123 countries.[citation needed] These included hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis, soup kitchens, children's and family counseling programs, personal helpers, orphanages, and schools. The Missionaries of Charity were also aided by Co-Workers, who numbered over 1 million by the 1990s.

Mother Teresa lay in state in St Thomas, Kolkata for one week prior to her funeral, in September 1997. She was granted a state funeral by the Indian Government in gratitude for her services to the poor of all religions in India.

Recognition and reception

Reception in India

Mother Teresa had first been recognised by the Indian government more than a third of a century earlier when she was awarded the Padma Shri in 1962. She continued to receive major Indian rewards in successive decades including, in 1972, the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding and, in 1980, India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.

Her official biography was authored by an Indian civil servant, Navin Chawla, and published in 1992.

Indian views on Mother Teresa were not uniformly favourable. Her critic Aroup Chatterjee, who was born and raised in Calcutta but lived in London, reports that "she was not a significant entity in Calcutta in her lifetime". Chatterjee blames Mother Teresa for promoting a negative image of his home city. Her presence and profile grated in parts of the Indian political world, as she often opposed the Hindu Right. The Bharatiya Janata Party clashed with her over the Christian Dalits, but praised her in death, sending a representative to her funeral. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, on the other hand, opposed the Government's decision to grant her a state funeral. Its secretary Giriraj Kishore said that "her first duty was to the Church and social service was incidental" and accused her of favouring Christians and conducting "secret baptisms" of the dying. But, in its front page tribute, the Indian fortnightly Frontline dismissed these charges as "patently false" and said that they had "made no impact on the public perception of her work, especially in Calcutta". Although praising her "selfless caring", energy and bravery, the author of the tribute was critical of Mother Teresa's public campaigning against abortion and that she claimed to be non-political when doing so. More recently, the Indian daily The Telegraph mentioned that "Rome has been asked to investigate if she did anything to alleviate the condition of the poor or just took care of the sick and dying and needed them to further a sentimentally moral cause." On 28 Aug 2010, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of her birth, the Government of India issued a special 5 Rupee coin, being the sum she first arrived in India with. President Pratibha Patil said of Mother Teresa, "Clad in a white sari with a blue border, she and the sisters of Missionaries of Charity became a symbol of hope to many - the aged, the destitute, the unemployed, the diseased, the terminally ill, and those abandoned by their families."

Reception in the rest of the world

President Ronald Reagan presents Mother Teresa with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony, 1985

In 1962, Mother Teresa received the Philippines-based Ramon Magsaysay Award for International Understanding, given for work in South or East Asia. The citation said that "the Board of Trustees recognizes her merciful cognizance of the abject poor of a foreign land, in whose service she has led a new congregation". By the early 1970s, Mother Teresa had become an international celebrity. Her fame can be in large part attributed to the 1969 documentary Something Beautiful for God, which was filmed by Malcolm Muggeridge and his 1971 book of the same title. Muggeridge was undergoing a spiritual journey of his own at the time. During the filming of the documentary, footage taken in poor lighting conditions, particularly the Home for the Dying, was thought unlikely to be of usable quality by the crew. After returning from India, however, the footage was found to be extremely well lit. Muggeridge claimed this was a miracle of "divine light" from Mother Teresa herself. Others in the crew thought it was due to a new type of ultra-sensitive Kodak film. Muggeridge later converted to Catholicism.

Around this time, the Catholic world began to honor Mother Teresa publicly. In 1971, Paul VI awarded her the first Pope John XXIII Peace Prize, commending her for her work with the poor, display of Christian charity and efforts for peace. She later received the Pacem in Terris Award (1976). Since her death, Mother Teresa has progressed rapidly along the steps towards sainthood, currently having reached the stage of having been beatified.

Mother Teresa was honoured by both governments and civilian organizations. She was appointed an honorary Companion of the Order of Australia in 1982, "for service to the community of Australia and humanity at large". The United Kingdom and the United States each repeatedly granted awards, culminating in the Order of Merit in 1983, and honorary citizenship of the United States received on 16 November 1996. Mother Teresa's Albanian homeland granted her the Golden Honour of the Nation in 1994. Her acceptance of this and another honour granted by the Haitian government proved controversial. Mother Teresa attracted criticism from a number of people for implicitly giving support to the Duvaliers and to corrupt businessmen such as Charles Keating and Robert Maxwell. In Keating's case she wrote to the judge of his trial asking for clemency to be shown.

Universities in both the West and in India granted her honorary degrees. Other civilian awards include the Balzan Prize for promoting humanity, peace and brotherhood among peoples (1978), and the Albert Schweitzer International Prize (1975).

In 1979, Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, "for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitutes a threat to peace." She refused the conventional ceremonial banquet given to laureates, and asked that the $192,000 funds be given to the poor in India, stating that earthly rewards were important only if they helped her help the world's needy. When Mother Teresa received the prize, she was asked, "What can we do to promote world peace?" She answered "Go home and love your family." Building on this theme in her Nobel Lecture, she said: "Around the world, not only in the poor countries, but I found the poverty of the West so much more difficult to remove. When I pick up a person from the street, hungry, I give him a plate of rice, a piece of bread, I have satisfied. I have removed that hunger. But a person that is shut out, that feels unwanted, unloved, terrified, the person that has been thrown out from society—that poverty is so hurtable [sic] and so much, and I find that very difficult." She also singled out abortion as 'the greatest destroyer of peace in the world'.

Towards the end of her life, Mother Teresa attracted some negative attention in the Western media. The journalist Christopher Hitchens has been one of her most active critics. He was commissioned to co-write and narrate the documentary Hell's Angel about her for the British Channel 4 after Aroup Chatterjee encouraged the making of such a program, although Chatterjee was unhappy with the "sensationalist approach" of the final product. Hitchens expanded his criticism in a 1995 book, The Missionary Position.

Chatterjee writes that while she was alive Mother Teresa and her official biographers refused to collaborate with his own investigations and that she failed to defend herself against critical coverage in the Western press. He gives as examples a report in The Guardian in Britain whose "stringent (and quite detailed) attack on conditions in her orphanages ... [include] charges of gross neglect and physical and emotional abuse", and another documentary Mother Teresa: Time for Change? broadcast in several European countries.

The German magazine Stern published a critical article on the first anniversary of Mother Teresa's death. This concerned allegations regarding financial matters and the spending of donations. The medical press has also published criticism of her, arising from very different outlooks and priorities on patients' needs. Other critics include prominent marxist, Tariq Ali, a member of the editorial committee of the New Left Review, and the Irish investigative journalist Donal MacIntyre.

Her death was mourned in both secular and religious communities. In tribute, Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan said that she was "a rare and unique individual who lived long for higher purposes. Her life-long devotion to the care of the poor, the sick, and the disadvantaged was one of the highest examples of service to our humanity." The former U.N. Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar said: "She is the United Nations. She is peace in the world." During her lifetime and after her death, Mother Teresa was consistently found by Gallup to be the single most widely admired person in the US, and in 1999 was ranked as the "most admired person of the 20th century" by a poll in the US. She out-polled all other volunteered answers by a wide margin, and was in first place in all major demographic categories except the very young.

Spiritual life

Analyzing her deeds and achievements, John Paul II asked: "Where did Mother Teresa find the strength and perseverance to place herself completely at the service of others? She found it in prayer and in the silent contemplation of Jesus Christ, his Holy Face, his Sacred Heart." Privately, Mother Teresa experienced doubts and struggles over her religious beliefs which lasted nearly fifty years until the end of her life, during which "she felt no presence of God whatsoever", "neither in her heart or in the eucharist" as put by her postulator Rev. Brian Kolodiejchuk. Mother Teresa expressed grave doubts about God's existence and pain over her lack of faith:

Where is my faith? Even deep down ... there is nothing but emptiness and darkness ... If there be God—please forgive me. When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven, there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives and hurt my very soul ... How painful is this unknown pain—I have no Faith. Repulsed, empty, no faith, no love, no zeal, ... What do I labor for? If there be no God, there can be no soul. If there be no soul then, Jesus, You also are not true.

Memorial plaque dedicated to Mother Teresa at a building in Wenceslas Square in Olomouc, Czech Republic.


With reference to the above words, the Rev. Brian Kolodiejchuk, her postulator (the official responsible for gathering the evidence for her sanctification) indicated there was a risk that some might misinterpret her meaning, but her faith that God was working through her remained undiminished, and that while she pined for the lost sentiment of closeness with God, she did not question his existence. Many other saints had similar experiences of spiritual dryness, or what Catholics believe to be spiritual tests ("passive purifications"), such as Mother Teresa's namesake, St. Therese of Lisieux, who called it a "night of nothingness." Contrary to the mistaken belief by some that the doubts she expressed would be an impediment to canonization, just the opposite is true; it is very consistent with the experience of canonized mystics.

Mother Teresa described, after ten years of doubt, a short period of renewed faith. At the time of the death of Pope Pius XII in the fall of 1958, praying for him at a requiem mass, she said she had been relieved of "the long darkness: that strange suffering." However, five weeks later, she described returning to her difficulties in believing.

statue of mother teresa in pristina

Mother Teresa wrote many letters to her confessors and superiors over a 66-year period. She had asked that her letters be destroyed, concerned that "people will think more of me—less of Jesus." However, despite this request, the correspondences have been compiled in Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light (Doubleday). In one publicly released letter to a spiritual confidant, the Rev. Michael van der Peet, she wrote, "Jesus has a very special love for you. [But] as for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great, that I look and do not see,—Listen and do not hear—the tongue moves [in prayer] but does not speak ... I want you to pray for me—that I let Him have free hand."

Many news outlets have referred to Mother Teresa's writings as an indication of a "crisis of faith." Some critics of Mother Teresa, such as Christopher Hitchens, view her writings as evidence that her public image was created primarily for publicity despite her personal beliefs and actions. Hitchens writes, "So, which is the more striking: that the faithful should bravely confront the fact that one of their heroines all but lost her own faith, or that the Church should have gone on deploying, as an icon of favorable publicity, a confused old lady who it knew had for all practical purposes ceased to believe?" However, others such as Brian Kolodiejchuk, Come Be My Light's editor, draw comparisons to the 16th century mystic St. John of the Cross, who coined the term the "dark night of the soul" to describe a particular stage in the growth of some spiritual masters. The Vatican has indicated that the letters would not affect her path to sainthood. In fact, the book is edited by the Rev. Brian Kolodiejchuk, her postulator.

In his first encyclical Deus Caritas Est, Benedict XVI mentioned Teresa of Calcutta three times and he also used her life to clarify one of his main points of the encyclical. "In the example of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta we have a clear illustration of the fact that time devoted to God in prayer not only does not detract from effective and loving service to our neighbour but is in fact the inexhaustible source of that service." Mother Teresa specified that "It is only by mental prayer and spiritual reading that we can cultivate the gift of prayer."

Although there was no direct connection between Mother Teresa's order and the Franciscan orders, she was known as a great admirer of St. Francis of Assisi. Accordingly, her influence and life show influences of Franciscan spirituality. The Sisters of Charity recite the peace prayer of St. Francis every morning during thanksgiving after Communion and many of the vows and emphasis of her ministry are similar. St. Francis emphasized poverty, chastity, obedience and submission to Christ. He also devoted much of his own life to service of the poor, especially lepers in the area where he lived.

Miracle and beatification

After Mother Teresa's death in 1997, the Holy See began the process of beatification, the third step toward possible canonization. This process requires the documentation of a miracle performed from the intercession of Mother Teresa.

In 2002, the Vatican recognized as a miracle the healing of a tumor in the abdomen of an Indian woman, Monica Besra, after the application of a locket containing Mother Teresa's picture. Besra said that a beam of light emanated from the picture, curing the cancerous tumor. Critics—including some of Besra's medical staff and, initially, Besra's husband—insisted that conventional medical treatment had eradicated the tumor. Dr. Ranjan Mustafi, who told The New York Times he had treated Besra, said that the cyst was not cancer at all but a cyst caused by tuberculosis. He insisted, "It was not a miracle.... She took medicines for nine months to one year."

An opposing perspective of the claim is that Besra's medical records contain sonograms, prescriptions, and physicians' notes that could prove whether the cure was a miracle or not. Besra has claimed that Sister Betta of the Missionaries of Charity is holding them. The publication has received a "no comments" statement from Sister Betta. The officials at the Balurghat Hospital where Besra was seeking medical treatment have claimed that they are being pressured by the Catholic order to declare the cure a miracle.

Christopher Hitchens was the only witness called by the Vatican to give evidence against Mother Teresa's beatification and canonization process, because the Vatican had abolished the traditional "devil's advocate" role, which fulfilled a similar purpose. Hitchens has argued that "her intention was not to help people," and he alleged that she lied to donors about the use of their contributions. “It was by talking to her that I discovered, and she assured me, that she wasn't working to alleviate poverty,” says Hitchens. “She was working to expand the number of Catholics. She said, ‘I'm not a social worker. I don't do it for this reason. I do it for Christ. I do it for the church.’”

In the process of examining Teresa's suitability for beatification and canonization, the Roman Curia (the Vatican) pored over a great deal of documentation of published and unpublished criticism of her life and work. Vatican officials say Hitchens's allegations have been investigated by the agency charged with such matters, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and they found no obstacle to Mother Teresa's beatification. Because of the attacks she has received, some Catholic writers have called her a sign of contradiction. The beatification of Mother Teresa took place on 19 October 2003, thereby bestowing on her the title "Blessed."

A second miracle is required for her to proceed to canonization.






Appearance of the memorial house







Monument of Mother Teresa next to the memorial house

പറയിപെറ്റ പന്തിരുകുലം

പറയിപെറ്റ പന്തിരുകുലം

ഐതിഹ്യപ്രകാരം വിക്രമാദിത്യന്റെ സദസ്സിലെ മുഖ്യപണ്ഡിതനായിരുന്ന വരരുചി എന്ന ബ്രാഹ്മണനു് പറയ സമുദായത്തില്‍പ്പെട്ട ഭാര്യയിലുണ്ടായ പന്ത്രണ്ടു് മക്കളാണു് പറയിപെറ്റ പന്തിരുകുലം എന്നറിയപ്പെടുന്നതു്. സമൂഹത്തിലെ വിവിധ ജാതിമതസ്ഥര്‍ എടുത്തുവളര്‍ത്തിയ പന്ത്രണ്ടുകുട്ടികളും അവരവരുടെ കര്‍മ മണ്ഡലങ്ങളില്‍ അതിവിദഗ്ദ്ധരും ദൈവജ്ഞരുമായിരുന്നുവെന്നും ഐതിഹ്യകഥകള്‍ പറയുന്നു. എല്ലാവരും തുല്യരാണെന്നും സകല ജാതിമതസ്ഥരും ഒരേ മാതാപിതാക്കളുടെ മക്കളാണെന്നുമുള്ള മഹത്തായ സന്ദേശമാണ് ഈ ഐതിഹ്യം നല്കുന്നത്.

കൊട്ടാരത്തില്‍ ശങ്കുണ്ണി രചിച്ച ഐതിഹ്യമാല എന്ന ഗ്രന്ഥത്തിലാണ് ഇതേക്കുറിച്ച് രേഖപ്പെടുത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നത്
കൊട്ടാരത്തില്‍ ശങ്കുണ്ണി ജനനം : 1855 മാര്‍ച്ച് 23 മരണം : 1937 ജൂലൈ 22




കഥ

ഉജ്ജയിനിയിലെ (മധ്യപ്രദേശ്‌) രാജാവായിരുന്ന വിക്രമാദിത്യന്റെ സദസ്സിലെ പണ്ഡിതശ്രേഷ്ഠനായിരുന്നു വരരുചി എന്ന ബ്രാഹ്മണന്‍ . എ.ഡി. മൂന്നാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിലാണ് വരരുചി ജീവിച്ചിരുന്നത് എന്നാണ് വിശ്വാസം. ഒരികല്‍ വിക്രമാദിത്യമഹാരാജാവ്‌ തന്റെ സദസ്സിലെ പണ്ഡിതരോടായി "രാമായണത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും ശ്രേഷ്ഠമായ ശ്ലോകം ഏതാണ്‌?" എന്ന ചോദ്യം ചോദിച്ചു. പണ്ഡിതശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ വരരുചിക്കും അതിനുള്ള ഉത്തരം കണ്ടെത്താനായില്ല. അദ്ദേഹം കൂടുതല്‍ സമയം ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ട്‌, ഉത്തരം കണ്ടെത്താനായി യാത്രതുടങ്ങി. വിക്രമാദിത്യന്‍ വരരുചിക്ക് ഉത്തരം കണ്ടെത്താനായി 41 ദിവസത്തെ അവധി നല്‍കി.

നാല്‍പ്പതാം ദിവസം വനത്തിലൂടെയുള്ള യാത്രാമദ്ധ്യേ, അദ്ദേഹം ഒരു ആല്‍മരച്ചുവട്ടിലിരിക്കേ ഉറങ്ങിപ്പോയി. ഉറങ്ങുന്നതിനു മുന്ന് വനദേവതമാരോട് പ്രാര്‍ത്ഥിച്ചാണ്‌ കിടന്നത്. വരരുചിയുടെ ഭാഗ്യത്തിന്‌ ആ ആല്‍മരം വനദേവതമാരുടെ വിടായിരുന്നു. അവര്‍ കൂട്ടുകാര്‍ അടുത്തുള്ള പറയി വീട്ടില്‍ പ്രസവത്തിനു പോകാനായി കൂട്ടുകാരായ ദേവതമാര്‍ വിളിച്ചിട്ടും പോവാതെ വരരുചിക്ക് കൂട്ട് ഇരുന്നു. വരരുചി ഉണര്‍ന്നപ്പോഴേക്കും പ്രസവത്തിനു പോയിരുന്നവര്‍ വന്നിരുന്നു വനദേവതമാരോട് സംസാരിക്കുന്നത് കേക്കാനിടയായി. ആ പറയിക്കുണ്ടായ പെന്ന്‍ കുഞ്ഞിന്റെ ഭാവി ഭര്‍ത്താവാരായിരിക്കും എന്ന കൂട്ടുകാരുടെ ചോദ്യത്തിന്‌ “മാം വിദ്ധി” എന്നത് പോലും അറിയാത്ത ഈ വരരുചിയായിരിക്കും എന്നായിരുന്നു വനദേവതമാര്‍ പറഞ്ഞത്‌.
“മാം വിദ്ധി”
“ രാമം ദശരഥം വിദ്ധി, മാം വിദ്ധി ജനകാത്മജാം
അയോദ്ധ്യാമടവീം വിദ്ധി, ഗച്ഛ തഥാ യഥാ സുഖം ”

രാമായണം, അയോദ്ധ്യാകാണ്ഡത്തിലെ എന്ന ശ്ലോകത്തെപ്പറ്റിയായിരുന്നു വനദേവതമാര്‍ പറഞ്ഞത്. ഇതു കേട്ട് സന്തോഷിച്ച വരരുചി വിക്രമാദിത്യ സദസ്സില്‍ എത്തുകയും ഈ ശ്ലോകം എട്ടു വിധത്തില്‍ വ്യാഖ്യനിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു. സുമിത്ര വനവാസത്തിനു മു൯പ് ലക്ഷ്മണനെ ഉപദേശിക്കുന്നതാണ് ഈ ശ്ലോകം. രാമനെ ദശരഥനായും, സീതയെ അമ്മയായും അടവിയെ (വനത്തെ) അയോദ്ധ്യ ആയും കരുതുക എന്നതാണ് ഈ വരികളുടെ അ൪ത്ഥം. ഇതില്‍ ഏറ്റവും ശ്രേഷ്ഠമായത് സീതയെ അമ്മയായി കരുതുക എന്ന “മാം വിദ്ധി ജനകാത്മജാം” എന്ന വരിയാണ്. തന്റെ പ്രശ്നത്തിനു പരിഹാരം ലഭിച്ചെങ്കിലും, വനദേവതമാരുടെ ഭാവി പ്രവചനം കേട്ട്‌ പരിഭ്രാന്തനായ വരരുചി ആ പെണ്‍കുഞ്ഞിനെ നശിപ്പിക്കാ൯ തീരുമാനിച്ചു. ഈ പെണ്‍കുഞ്ഞ്‌ ജീവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്‌ രാജ്യത്തിന്‌ ആപത്താണ്‌ എന്ന് അദ്ദേഹം വിക്രമാദിത്യ മഹാരാജാവിനെ ധരിപ്പിച്ചു. ഈ ദുരവസ്ഥ ഒഴിവാക്കാനായി ആ പെണ്‍കുഞ്ഞിനെ നെറ്റിയില്‍ തീപന്തം തറച്ച്‌ വാഴത്തട(വാഴപ്പിണ്ടി) കൊണ്ടുണ്ടാക്കിയ ചങ്ങാടത്തില്‍ നദിയിലൊഴുക്കിയാല്‍ മതി എന്ന് നി൪ദ്ദേശിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു. രാജകല്‍പനപ്രകാരം ഭടന്മാ൪ വരരുചിയുടെ ഇംഗിതം നടപ്പാക്കി.

അന്യജാതിയില്‍ പെട്ട ഒരു പെണ്‍കുട്ടിയെ വിവാഹം കഴിക്കുന്നത് ഒഴിവാക്കാ൯ വരരുചി തെക്കോട്ട് സഞ്ചരിച്ച് കേരളത്തില്‍ എത്തി. വ൪ഷങ്ങള്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞ്‌ തന്റെ യാത്രക്കിടയില്‍ വരരുചി ഒരു ബ്രാഹ്മണഗൃഹത്തിലെത്തി.ആതിഥേയ൪ അദ്ദേഹത്തെ പ്രാതലിനു ക്ഷണിക്കുകയും പ്രാതല്‍ കഴിക്കാ൯ തീരുമാനിച്ച വരരുചി സ്നാനത്തിനായി പുറപ്പെടുകയും ചെയ്തു. കുളിക്കാ൯ പോകുന്നതിനു മു൯പായി ആ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്റെ ബുദ്ധിശക്തി ഒന്നു പരീക്ഷിക്കാ൯ തീരുമാനിച്ച വരരുചി കുറേ ആവശ്യങ്ങള്‍ മുന്നോട്ടുവച്ചു. കുളികഴിഞ്ഞെത്തുമ്പോള്‍ തനിക്കു വീരാളിപ്പട്ടു വേണം എന്നതായിരുന്നു ഒന്നാമത്തെ ആവശ്യം. അതിനുപുറമേ താ൯ കഴിക്കുന്നതിനു മു൯പായി നൂറു പേ൪ക്ക്‌ ഭക്ഷണം നല്‍കണമെന്നും, ഭക്ഷണത്തിന്‌ നൂറ്റൊന്നു കറിയുണ്ടാവണമെന്നും, ഭക്ഷണം കഴിഞ്ഞാല്‍ തനിക്കു മൂന്നു പേരെ തിന്നണമെന്നും, അതുകഴിഞ്ഞാല്‍ നാലുപേ൪ തന്നെ ചുമക്കണമെന്നും വരരുചി ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു. വ്യവസ്ഥകള്‍ കേട്ട്‌ സ്തബ്ധനായി നിന്ന ബ്രാഹ്മണനോട്‌ വ്യവസ്ഥകള്‍ അംഗീകരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നുവെന്നും കുളികഴിഞ്ഞെത്തുമ്പോഴേക്കും എല്ലാം തയ്യാറാക്കാം എന്നും പറയാനായി ഇതു കേട്ടു ഉള്ളില്‍ നിന്നിരുന്ന അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ പുത്രി ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു.

വളരെ ബുദ്ധിമതിയായ ആ യുവതിക്ക്‌ വരരുചിയുടെ ആവശ്യങ്ങളുടെ പൊരുള്‍ മനസ്സിലായിരുന്നു. വീരാളിപ്പട്ട്‌ വേണം എന്ന ആവശ്യം ഊണിനു ശേഷം തനിക്കൊന്നു കിടക്കണം എന്നതാണെന്നും, നൂറുപേ൪ക്ക്‌ ഭക്ഷണം നല്‍കണമെന്ന ആവശ്യം അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്‌ ത൪പ്പണം ചെയ്യണം (പിതൃ ത൪പ്പണത്തിലൂടെ പിതാമഹന്മാരുടെ നൂറുകണക്കിന്‌ ആത്മാക്കള്‍ തൃപ്തരാവും എന്നാണ്‌ ഹൈന്ദവ വിശ്വാസം) എന്നാണെന്നും ആ യുവതി അച്ഛനു വിവരിച്ചുകൊടുത്തു. കൂടാതെ നൂറ്റൊന്നു കറി വേണം എന്ന ആവശ്യം ഇഞ്ചിക്കറിയെപ്പറ്റിയാണെന്നും, മൂന്നുപേരെ തിന്നണം എന്നത്‌ വെറ്റില, അടയ്ക്ക, ചുണ്ണാമ്പ്‌ എന്നിവ കൂട്ടി മുറുക്കണം എന്നാണെന്നും, നാലു പേ൪ ചുമക്കണം എന്നത്‌ പറഞ്ഞത്‌ കിടക്കാ൯ കട്ടില്‍ വേണം എന്നാണെന്നും ആ യുവതി മനസ്സിലാക്കിയിരുന്നു.

യുവതിയുടെ ബുദ്ധിസാമ൪ത്ഥ്യത്തില്‍ ആകൃഷ്ടനായ വരരുചി അവളെ വിവാഹം കഴിക്കാനാഗ്രഹിക്കുകയും യുവതിയുടെ പിതാവ്‌ ആ ആഗ്രഹം നടത്തിക്കൊടുക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു.നാളുകള്‍ക്കു ശേഷം വരരുചി തന്റെ ഭാര്യയുടെ നെറ്റിയില്‍ ഒരു മുറിവിന്റെ പാട്‌ കാണാനിടയായി. അതിന്റെ പിന്നിലെ കഥയെപ്പറ്റി ചോദിച്ച വരരുചിക്ക്‌, ആ യുവതി ആ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്റെ സ്വന്തം പുത്രിയല്ലെന്നും അവളെ അദ്ദേഹം എടുത്തുവളർത്തിയതാണെന്നും മനസ്സിലായി. അപ്പോള്‍ വരരുചി പഴയ കഥകള്‍ ഓ൪മ്മിക്കുകയും വനദേവതമാരുടെ പ്രവചനം ശരിയായി എന്ന് മനസ്സിലാക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു. സ്വന്തമായി സമുദാ‍യത്തില്‍ നിന്ന് ഭ്രഷ്ട് കല്‍പ്പിച്ച വരരുചി താ൯ ചെയ്ത പാപങ്ങള്‍ക്കു പ്രായ്ശ്ചിത്തമായി പത്നിയോടൊത്ത്‌ തീ൪ഥയാത്രയ്ക്കൂ പോകാ൯ തീരുമാനിച്ചു.

ഈ യാത്രയ്ക്കിടയില്‍ വരരുചിയുടെ ഭാര്യ ഗ൪ഭിണിയാകുകയും ഒരു കുട്ടിയെ പ്രസവിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു. ഈ വിവരം അറിഞ്ഞ വരരുചി കുട്ടിക്കു വായ ഉണ്ടോ എന്നു ചോദിക്കുകയും ഭാര്യ ഉണ്ട്‌ എന്നു മറുപടി നല്‍കുകയും ചെയ്തു. എന്നാല്‍ കുട്ടിയെ അവിടെ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച്‌ പോകാം എന്നായിരുന്നു വരരുചിയുടെ നി൪ദ്ദേശം. തന്റെ ആദ്യ ശിശുവിനെ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കാ൯ മടിച്ചുനിന്ന ഭാര്യയോട്‌, വായ കീറിയ ഈശ്വരൻ൯ വായ്ക്ക് ഇരയും കല്‍പിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടെന്നായിരുന്നു അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ പ്രതികരണം.

യാത്രയില്‍ വരരുചിക്കും പത്നിക്കുമായി വീണ്ടും കുട്ടികള്‍ ജനിച്ചു. ഇതേ പ്രവൃത്തി അവരുടെ പതിനൊന്നാമത്തെ കുട്ടിയുടെ കാര്യത്തില്‍ വരെ ആവ൪ത്തിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. അതിനാല്‍ ഇനിയുള്ള കുട്ടിയെ നഷ്ടപ്പെടരുത്‌ എന്ന ആഗ്രഹത്തില്‍, കുട്ടിക്കു വായുണ്ടോ എന്ന ചോദ്യത്തിന്‌ ആ അമ്മ ഇല്ല എന്നു മറുപടി നൽകി. എന്നാല്‍ കുട്ടിയെ എടുത്തോളൂ എന്ന് വരരുചി നി൪ദ്ദേശിച്ചു. വരരുചിയുടെ പത്നിയുടെ പാതിവൃത്യത്തിന്റെ ശക്തിയാല്‍ അത്ഭുതകരമായി ആ കുട്ടിയുടെ വായ അപ്രത്യക്ഷമായി. ആ ശിശുവിനെ വരരുചി ഒരു മലയുടെ മുകളില്‍ പ്രതിഷ്ഠിക്കുകയും അവ൯ പിന്നീടു "വായില്ലാക്കുന്നിലപ്പ൯" എന്ന് അറിയപ്പെടുകയും ചെയ്തു.

ഈ സന്തതിപരമ്പരയിലെ ബാക്കി പതിനൊന്നു കുട്ടികളേയും സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ പല തട്ടുകളിലുള്ള വ്യക്തികള്‍ എടുത്തുവള൪ത്തി. ബ്രാഹ്മണനായ വരരുചിക്കും പറയ സമുദായത്തില്‍ ജനിച്ച അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ഭാര്യയ്ക്കും ജനിച്ച സന്തതിപരമ്പരയാണ്‌ പറയിപെറ്റ പന്തിരുകുലം എന്ന് അറിയപ്പെടുന്നത്‌.

മേഴത്തോള്‍ അഗ്നിഹോത്രി

പറയി പെറ്റ പന്തിരുകുലത്തിലെ പ്രഥമ പുത്രനാണ്‌ മേഴത്തോള്‍ അഗ്നിഹോത്രി.ബ്രഹ്മദത്ത൯ എന്നായിരുന്നു അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ യഥാ൪ത്ഥ നാമധേയം. കലി വര്‍ഷം 3444 (AD342) മീനമാസം രണ്ടാം തിയ്യതി വ്യാഴാഴ്ച്ചയാണ്‌ അഗ്നിഹോത്രി ജനിച്ചത്‌ എന്ന് ചരിത്രം. വരരുചിയും പത്നിയും ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച നവജാത ശിശുവിനെ നിളാതീരത്തു നിന്നും,വേമഞ്ചേരി മനയിലെ അന്ത൪ജ്ജനം കണ്ടെടുത്ത്‌ വള൪ത്തി. വളരെ കുഞ്ഞുനാളിലേ കുട്ടിയില്‍ ഒരു ദിവ്യ ചേതസ്സ്‌ കാണപ്പെട്ടു. ഒരു ദിവസം അന്ത൪ജ്ജനം കുളിയ്ക്കാനായി പുഴയിലേയ്ക്ക്‌ പോയപ്പോള്‍ കൂടെ ചെന്ന കുട്ടി,അവരുടെ താളിക്കിണ്ണത്തില്‍,പുഴമണ്‍ കൊണ്ടുണ്ടാക്കിയ ശിവലിംഗം പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ചുവെന്നും, വരന്തുട്ടിക്കടവില്‍ വെച്ച്‌ പുഴയുടെ ഗതി മാറ്റി ഒഴുക്കി എന്നും ഐതിഹ്യം. പുഴമണ്‍ കൊണ്ടുണ്ടാക്കിയ ശിവലിംഗം തിരുത്താലത്തില്‍(താളിക്കിണ്ണത്തില്‍) പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ചതു കൊണ്ട്‌ അത്‌ തിരുത്താല അപ്പനും പിന്നീട്‌ തൃത്താല അപ്പനും ആയി മാറി എന്ന് വിശ്വാസം. ഈ ക്ഷേത്രം നില്‍ക്കുന്നതിനു ചുറ്റും ഉള്ള നാട്‌ തൃത്താല എന്ന പേരില്‍ അറിയപ്പെടുകയുണ്ടായി.

ബുദ്ധ,ജൈന സംസ്കാരങ്ങളുടെ വ്യാപനം മൂലം,യജ്ഞ സംസ്കാരം ഇല്ലാതായി മാറിയ കാലമായിരുന്നു അത്‌. അഗ്നിഹോത്രി,യജ്ഞ സംസ്കാരത്തെ പുനരുത്ഥരിയ്ക്കാനായി 100 സോമയാഗങ്ങള്‍ നടത്തി. നൂറു സോമയാഗങ്ങള്‍ നടത്തുന്ന പുരുഷ൯ ഇന്ദ്രപദത്തിന്‌ പ്രാപ്തനാണ്‌ എന്നാണ്‌ വിശ്വാസം. തൊണ്ണൂറ്റി ഒ൯പതാമത്തെ യാഗം അവസാനിയ്ക്കുന്ന ദിവസം ഇന്ദ്രന്‍ നേരിട്ട്‌ യാഗശാലയില്‍ എത്തുകയും നൂറാമത്തെ യാഗം നടത്തുന്നതില്‍ നിന്നും പിന്തിരിയണമെന്ന് അഗ്നിഹോത്രിയോട്‌ അഭ്യ൪ത്ഥിയ്ക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു. എന്നാല്‍,അഗ്നിഹോത്രി, താ൯ യാഗം നടത്തുന്നത്‌ ഇന്ദ്രപദവിയ്ക്കു വേണ്ടിയല്ല എന്നും,യജ്ഞസംസ്കാരത്തിന്റെ പുനരുത്ഥാരണം മാത്രമാണ്‌ തന്റെ ലക്ഷ്യം എന്നും അതു കൊണ്ട്‌ യാഗം നടത്താതിരിക്കാ൯ പറ്റില്ല എന്നും ഇന്ദ്രനോട്‌ പറഞ്ഞു.

32 മനകളില്‍ 7 മനകള്‍ മാത്രമായിരുന്നു അഗ്നിഹോത്രിയൊട്‌ യാഗങ്ങളില്‍ സഹകരിച്ചിരുന്നത്‌. ദേവേന്ദ്ര൯,ആ ഏഴ്‌ ഋത്വിക്കുകള്‍ക്കും അഗ്നിഹോത്രിയോടൊപ്പം,തനിയ്ക്ക്‌ തുല്യമായ പദവി നല്‍കുകയും നൂറാമത്തെ യാഗത്തിന്‌ ആശംസകള്‍ നേരുകയും ചെയ്തു എന്നും ഐതിഹ്യം.

അഗ്നിഹോത്രി യാഗങ്ങള്‍ നടത്തിയ സ്ഥലം പിന്നീട്‌ യജ്ഞേശ്വരം എന്നറിയപ്പെട്ടു. യാഗത്തിന്‌ അഗ്നി ജ്വലിപ്പിയ്ക്കാനായി യജ്ഞശാലയ്ക്ക്‌ തെക്കായുള്ള അരയാലിന്റെ വടക്കോട്ടുള്ള കൊമ്പായിരുന്നു ഉപയോഗിച്ചിരുന്നത്‌. ഇപ്പോഴും സോമയാഗങ്ങള്‍ക്ക്‌ അരണിയായി ഈ മരത്തിന്റെ കൊമ്പാണ്‌ കൊണ്ടു പോകുന്നത്‌.യാഗം നടക്കുന്ന സമയത്ത്‌ ഋത്വിക്കുകള്‍ക്കും,യജമാനനും,പത്തനാടിയ്ക്കും( യജമാന പത്നി) എന്തെങ്കിലും അസ്വാസ്ഥ്യങ്ങള്‍ ഉണ്ടായാല്‍ അവരെ ചികില്‍സിക്കനായി വൈദ്യമഠം എന്ന മനയിലെ വൈദ്യന്മാരെയാണ്‌ നിയോഗിച്ചിരുന്നത്‌. ഇവരെ ശാലാവൈദ്യ൪ എന്ന പേരു കൊടുത്ത്‌ ആദരിയ്ക്കുകയും പിന്നീട്‌ ഈ കുടുംബത്തില്‍പിറന്ന പുരുഷന്മാരെല്ലാം അഷ്ഠവൈദ്യന്മാരായി തീരുകയും ചെയ്തു.

അഗ്നിഹോത്രി,മന്ദനമിശ്ര എന്ന പേരില്‍ ഭാവനാവിവേകം,സ്ഫോടസിദ്ധി,ബ്രഹ്‌മസിദ്ധി എന്നീ ഗ്രന്ഥങ്ങള്‍ രചിച്ചു.

അഗ്നിഹോത്രി തന്റെ നൂറാമത്തെ യാഗം അവസാനിപ്പിച്ചത്‌ കലിവ൪ഷം 3479ആമാണ്ട്‌(AD378),കുംഭമാസം 28-ം‌ തിയ്യതി ചൊവ്വാഴ്ച്ച ആയിരുന്നുവെന്നും,അന്ന് അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്‌ 34 വ൪ഷം,പതിനൊന്ന് മാസം 26 ദിവസം പ്രായമായിരുന്നുവെന്നും ചരിത്രം.

പിതാവായ വരരുചിയുടെ ശ്രാദ്ധത്തിന്‌,വായില്ലാക്കുന്നിലപ്പ൯ ഒഴികെ ഉള്ള പതിനൊന്ന് പേരും അഗ്നിഹോത്രിയുടെ ഇല്ലത്തില്‍ ഒത്തു ചേരാറുണ്ടായിരുന്നതായി പറയപ്പെടുന്നു.



പാക്കനാ൪

പറയിപെറ്റ പന്തിരു കുലത്തിലെ രണ്ടാമനാണ്‌ പാക്കനാ൪. പാക്കനാരെ പറയ സമുദായത്തില്‍പെട്ട മാതാപിതാക്കളാണ്‌ എടുത്തുവള൪ത്തിയതെന്ന് വിശ്വസിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.

തൃത്താലയിലെ മേഴത്തോള്‍ അഗ്നിഹോത്രിയുടെ തറവാടായ വേമഞ്ചേരി മനയില്‍ നിന്ന് ഒരു വിളിപ്പാട് അകലെയാണ് പാക്കനാ൪ കോളനി അഥവാ ഈരാറ്റിങ്കല്‍ പറയ കോളനി. പാക്കനാരുടെ സന്തതി പരമ്പരയില്‍ പെട്ടവ൪ 18 വീടുകളിലായി ഈ കോളനിയില്‍ താമസിക്കുന്നു.

ഈ പ്രദേശത്തെ നമ്പൂതിരിമാരുടെ തലവ൯ ആയ ആഴ്വാഞ്ചേരി തമ്പ്രാക്കളെ തമ്പ്രാക്കള്‍ ആയി വാഴിച്ചത് പാക്കനാ൪ ആണെന്നു കരുതപ്പെടുന്നു.

രജക൯
പറയിപെറ്റ പന്തിരു കുലത്തിലെ മൂന്നാമനാണ്‌ രജക൯ . വരരുചിയാല്‍ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കപ്പെട്ട ശിശുവിനെ നിളാതീരത്ത്‌ താമസിച്ചിരുന്ന ഒരു അലക്കുകാരനാണ്‌ എടുത്തുവള൪ത്തിയതെന്ന് കരുതപ്പെടുന്നു. അഞ്ച് പെണ്മക്കള്‍ മാത്രമുണ്ടായിരുന്ന ആ അലക്കുകാര൯ തനിക്കു ലഭിച്ച ആണ്‍കുട്ടിയെ സന്തോഷത്തോടെ സ്വീകരിച്ച്‌ രജക൯ എന്ന് നാമകരണവും ചെയ്ത്‌ വള൪ത്തി എന്നാണ്‌ ഐതിഹ്യം.

വൈദിക വിദ്യാലയം എന്ന വേദപാഠശാല രജക൯ സ്ഥാപിച്ചു. കടവല്ലൂരിലെ ഈ സ്ഥാപനമാണ് പിന്നീട് വേദപഠനത്തിന്റെ മാറ്റു നോക്കുന്ന പ്രധാന കേന്ദ്രമായ കടവല്ലൂ൪ അന്യോന്യത്തിന്റെ കേന്ദ്രമായി മാറിയത്.

രജകനും അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ഗുരുവായ കുമാരിലഭട്ടനും തമ്മിലുള്ള അഭിപ്രായ വ്യത്യാസങ്ങള്‍ കാരണം പൂ൪വ്വമീമാംസ രണ്ട് ശാഖകളായി പിരിഞ്ഞ് രജകന്റെ പ്രഭാകര ചിന്താധാരയും കുമാരിലഭട്ടന്റെ ഭട്ട ചിന്താധാരയും ആയി മാറി. ഭട്ട-ചിന്താധാരയായിരുന്നു കേരളത്തില്‍ കൂടുതല്‍ പ്രചാരത്തിലായത്. കാലക്രമേണ രജകന്റെ വിദ്യാലയം നാമാവശേഷമാവുകവും തൃശ്ശൂ൪, തിരുനാവായ വിദ്യാപീഠങ്ങള്‍ കടവല്ലൂ൪ അന്യോന്യം ഏറ്റെടുക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു.

നാറാണത്ത്‌ ഭ്രാന്ത൯

കേരളത്തില്‍ കാലാകാലങ്ങളായി പ്രചരിച്ചു പോരുന്ന ഐതിഹ്യങ്ങളിലൊന്നായ പറയി പെറ്റ പന്തിരുകുലത്തിലെ അംഗമാണ്‌ നാറാണത്ത്‌ ഭ്രാന്ത൯. കേവലം ഒരു ഭ്രാന്ത൯ എന്നതിലുപരി ഒരു അവതാരമായാണ്‌ അദ്ദേഹത്തെ സങ്കല്‍പിച്ചുപോരുന്നത്‌.മലയുടെ മുകളിലേക്ക് ഒരു വലിയ കരിങ്കല്ലുരുട്ടിക്കയറ്റി അതിനെ താഴോട്ടു തള്ളിയിട്ട് കൈകൊട്ടിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന നാറാണത്തുഭ്രാന്തന് ഗ്രീക്ക് പുരാണത്തിലെ ‘സിസിഫസ്‘ എന്ന ദേവനുമായി സാമ്യമുണ്ട്. സിസിഫസ് സ്യൂസ് ദേവന്റെ ശിക്ഷയായിയാണ് ആയുഷ്കാലം മുഴുവ൯ മലമുകളിലേക്ക് കല്ലുരുട്ടിക്കയറ്റുന്നതും തള്ളി താഴേക്കിടുന്നതെങ്കില്‍ നാറാണത്തുഭ്രാന്ത൯ സ്വയേഛയാലാണ് ഈ പ്രവൃത്തി ചെയ്യുന്നത് എന്ന വ്യത്യാസമേയുള്ളൂ. എപ്പോഴും യാത്രയിലായിരിക്കുന്ന നാറാണത്ത് ഭ്രാന്ത൯ രാത്രി എവിടെയാണോ എത്തുന്നതു അവിടെ വെള്ളവും തീയും ഉള്ള സ്ഥലമാണെങ്കില്‍ അവിടെത്തന്നെ അടുപ്പു കൂട്ടുകയും അന്നന്നു ഭിക്ഷ യാചിച്ചു കിട്ടുന്ന അരി വേവിച്ചു കഴിച്ചു അവിടെത്തന്നെ കിടന്ന് ഉറങ്ങുകയും ചെയ്യും.അപ്രകാരം ഒരു ദിവസം നാറാണത്തു ഭ്രാന്ത൯ എത്തിച്ചേ൪ന്നതു ഒരു ചുടുകാട്ടിലായിരുന്നു.അവിടെ അന്നു ഒരു ശവം ദഹിപ്പിക്ക൯ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നതിനാല്‍ ധാരാളം തീക്കനല്‍ കിട്ടാനുണ്ടായിരുന്നു.ഇന്നത്തെ വിശ്രമം ഇവിടെത്തന്നെ എന്നു നിശ്ചയിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു.ഭക്ഷണം കഴിച്ചശേഷം തന്റെ മന്തുകാല്‍ അടുപ്പുകല്ലില്‍ കയറ്റിവച്ചു ഭ്രാന്ത൯ വിശ്രമിക്കുന്ന സമയത്താണു ചുടലയക്ഷിയും പരിവാരങ്ങളും അവിടെ എത്തിച്ചേ൪ന്നതു.അസമയത്തു ചുടലപ്പറമ്പിലിരിക്കുന്ന ആളെ ഒന്നു ഭയപ്പെടുത്തുകതന്നെ എന്നു കരുതി അവ൪ ഭീകരശബ്ദങ്ങള്‍ പുറപ്പെടുവിക്കുകയും മറ്റും ചെയ്തു ചുടലപ്പറമ്പില്‍ കാളിയുടെയും ഭൂതഗണങ്ങളുടെയും ഭയാനകനൃത്തം കണ്ട് ഭയക്കാതിരുന്ന നാറാണത്തുഭ്രാന്തനോട് കാളി എന്തുവരവും ചോദിക്കുവാ൯ പറഞ്ഞപ്പോള്‍ തന്റെ വലതുകാലിലെ മന്ത് ഇടതുകാലിലേക്കു മാറ്റിത്തരുവാനാണ് നാറാണത്തുഭ്രാന്ത൯ ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടത്. ഇഹലോകജീവിതത്തിന്റെ നിര൪ത്ഥകതയെ കണ്ടറിഞ്ഞവനായിരുന്നു നാറാണത്തുഭ്രാന്ത൯ എന്നുപറയാം.
കാരയ്ക്കലമ്മ

പറയിപെറ്റ പന്തിരു കുലത്തിലെ ഏകസ്ത്രീ ജന്മമാണ്‌ കാരയ്ക്കലമ്മ. കവളപ്പാറ സ്വരൂപമെന്ന രാജവംശജരാണ് പറയി പെറ്റ പന്തിരു കുലത്തിലെ ഏക സ്ത്രീ ജന്മമായ കാരയ്ക്കലമ്മയുടെ പിന്മുറക്കാരെന്ന് കരുതിവരുന്നു. മേഴത്തോള്‍ മനയുമായി ഈ രാജവംശം പുല ആചരിയ്ക്കാറുണ്ട് എന്നത് ഇതിനൊരു തെളിവാണ് .


അകവൂ൪ ചാത്ത൯

പറയി പെറ്റ പന്തിരുകുലത്തെപ്പറ്റിയുള്ള ഐതീഹ്യപ്രകാരം വരരുചി എന്ന ബ്രാഹ്മണന് പറയിയിൽ ജനിച്ച പന്ത്രണ്ടു സന്താനങ്ങളില്‍ ഒരാളാണ് അകവൂ൪ ചാത്ത൯. ഐതിഹ്യപ്രകാരം ചാത്ത൯ ചൊവ്വരയ്ക്കടുത്തുള്ള അകവൂ൪ മനയ്ക്കലെ ഭൃത്യനായി കാലയാപനം ചെയ്തിരുന്നു. അന്നത്തെ അച്ഛ൯ നമ്പൂതിരിപ്പാട്, അഗമ്യയായ ഒരു സ്ത്രീയെ പ്രാപിച്ചതിന്റെ പാപം പരിഹരിക്കാ൯ തീ൪ഥസ്നാനത്തിനു പുറപ്പെട്ടു. നമ്പൂതിരി ആടിയ തീ൪ഥങ്ങളിലൊന്നിലും ചാത്ത൯ കുളിക്കാ൯ കൂട്ടാക്കാതെ താ൯ കയ്യിലെടുത്തിരുന്ന ഒരു കയ്പ൯ചുരയ്ക്ക വെള്ളത്തില്‍ മുക്കിയെടുക്കുകമാത്രം ചെയ്തു. പാപം പരിഹൃതമായെന്ന വിശ്വാസത്തോടെ മടങ്ങിയെത്തിയ നമ്പൂതിരി ഒരു ദിവസം ചാത്തന്റെ ചുരയ്ക്ക നുറുക്കിയിട്ടുണ്ടാക്കിയ കറി കൂട്ടിയിട്ട് കയ്ക്കുന്നെന്നു പരാതിപ്പെട്ടു. കറിക്കു ചേ൪ത്തത് തീ൪ഥങ്ങളില്‍ മുക്കിയെടുത്ത ചുരയ്ക്കയുടെ കഷണങ്ങളാണെന്നും അത് കയ്ക്കുന്നെങ്കില്‍ 'തിരുമനസ്സി'ലെ പാപങ്ങള്‍ തീ൪ഥസ്നാനംകൊണ്ടു തീ൪ന്നിട്ടില്ലെന്നും ചാത്ത൯ സമാധാനം പറഞ്ഞു. നമ്പൂതിരിപ്പാട് ലജ്ജിതനായി. പാപമോചനത്തിന് പശ്ചാത്താപവും മനശ്ശുദ്ധിയുമാണ് വേണ്ടതെന്നും അവ കൂടാതെയുള്ള തീ൪ഥസ്നാനാദികള്‍ കൊണ്ട് ഫലമില്ലെന്നും അദ്ദേഹം ചാത്തനില്‍നിന്നു പഠിച്ചു.

ദിവസവും ഏഴരനാഴിക വെളുപ്പുള്ളപ്പോള്‍ എഴുന്നേറ്റു കുളിച്ച് ഉച്ചവരെ തേവാരം കഴിച്ച് പരബ്രഹ്മധ്യാനനിരതനായി വ൪ത്തിച്ച നമ്പൂതിരിയോട് പരബ്രഹ്മം എങ്ങനെയിരിക്കുമെന്നു ചാത്ത൯ ചോദിച്ചതിന് "നമ്മുടെ മാട൯പോത്തിനെപ്പോലിരിക്കും എന്നു നമ്പൂതിരി പരിഹാസമായി മറുപടി പറഞ്ഞുവെന്നും ചാത്ത൯ അതുകേട്ട് 41 ദിവസം ധ്യാനിച്ചതിന്റെ ഫലമായി പരബ്രഹ്മം മാട൯പോത്തിന്റെ രൂപത്തില്‍ പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ടു എന്നും മറ്റൊരു കഥയുണ്ട്. അവസാനകാലത്ത് ചാത്ത൯ ഓച്ചിറപ്പടനിലത്ത് പരബ്രഹ്മത്തെ ധ്യാനിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് ഭജനമിരിക്കയും അവിടെ ആണ്ടുതോറും നടന്നുവന്നിരുന്ന പടയിലൊന്നില്‍ ചേ൪ന്നു മരിച്ചു സായുജ്യം പ്രാപിക്കയും ചെയ്തുവെന്നാണ് ഐതിഹ്യം.

വടുതല നായ൪

പറയിപെറ്റ പന്തിരു കുലത്തിലെ ഒരംഗമാണ്‌ വടുതല നായ൪. വടുതല നായ൪ ആയോധനകലകളില്‍ പ്രാവീണ്യമുള്ളയാളായിരുന്നുവെന്നും ഇപ്പോഴത്തെ തൃത്താലയിലുള്ള, കുണ്ടൂലി നായ൪ കുടുംബത്തില്‍ പെട്ടവരാണ്‌ അദ്ദേഹത്തെ എടുത്തുവളർത്തിയതെന്നുമാണ്‌ പരക്കേയുള്ള വിശ്വാസം

വള്ളോ൯

പറയിപെറ്റ പന്തിരു കുലത്തിലെ നാ‍ലാമത്തെ അംഗമായിരുന്നു 'വള്ളോ൯‍'. വള്ളോനെ വള൪ത്തിയത് വള്ളക്കാരനായ കാട്ടുമാടനായിരുന്നു എന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു. പക്ഷെ വള്ളുവന് അസാധാ‍രണ പാണ്ഡിത്യം ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു.

തമിഴ് ഭാഷയിലെ സാഹിത്യ ശ്രേഷ്ഠനും ദ്രാവിഡ വേദത്തിന്റെ ക൪ത്താവുമായ തിരുവള്ളുവ൪ പന്തിരുകുലത്തിലെ വള്ളോ൯ ആണെന്നു വിശ്വസിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. പരമ്പര്യമായി വള്ളുവ൪ എഴുതുവാനും വായിക്കുവാനും പഠിപ്പിക്കുന്ന അദ്ധ്യാപകരും ജ്യോതിശാസ്ത്ര വിശാരദരും മന്ത്രവാദികളും വൈദ്യരുമാണ്.

ഉപ്പുകൂറ്റ൯.

പറയിപെറ്റ പന്തിരു കുലത്തിലെ ഒരംഗമാണ്‌ ഉപ്പുകൂറ്റ൯. വരരുചിയുടെ തീർത്ഥയാത്രക്കിടയില്‍ പൊന്നാനിയില്‍ വച്ചാണ്‌ ഉപ്പുകൂറ്റ൯ ജനിച്ചതെന്നു കരുതപ്പെടുന്നു. അദ്ദേഹത്തെ എടുത്തുവള൪ത്തിയത്‌ മുസ്ലിം സമുദായത്തില്‍ പെട്ട മാതാപിതാക്കളാണെന്നാണ്‌ കരുതപ്പെടുന്നത്‌.

അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ഭ്രാന്തമായ കച്ചവട രീതികളാണ് അദ്ദേഹത്തെ വ്യത്യസ്തനാക്കുന്നത്. പാലക്കാട്ടുനിന്നും പൊന്നാനിയിലേയ്ക്ക്, പൊന്നാനിയില്‍ വളരെയേറെ സുലഭമായ ഉപ്പ്‌ കൊണ്ടുവരികയും പകരം പൊന്നാനിയില്‍ നിന്നു പാലക്കാട്ടേയ്ക്ക് അവിടെ സുലഭമായിരുന്ന പരുത്തി കൊണ്ടുപോകുകയും ചെയ്ത് ഉപ്പുകൂറ്റ൯ വ്യാപാരം ചെയ്തിരുന്നു എന്ന് പറയെപ്പെടുന്നു. മറ്റു പന്തിരുകുല അംഗങ്ങളുടെ ചെയ്തികളെപ്പോലെ വളരെയേറെ താത്വികമായ അ൪ത്ഥങ്ങള്‍ ഈ വ്യാപാരത്തില്‍ കാണാനാകും.

പാണനാ൪

പറയിപെറ്റ പന്തിരു കുലത്തിലെ എട്ടാമത്തെ ആള്‍ ആ‍ണ് പാണനാ൪. പാണനാരെ ഒരു ദരിദ്രനായ പാണനാണ് എടുത്തുവള൪ത്തിയത്. പാണനാ൪ക്ക് ശിവ-പാ൪വതിമാരുടെ അനുഗ്രഹം കിട്ടിയിട്ടുണ്ട് എന്നാണ് പറപ്പെടുന്നത്.

തുകിലുണ൪ത്തി പാടുന്നത് പാണന്മാരാണ്. തമിഴ് വ്യാകരണ ഗ്രന്ഥമായ തൊല്‍ക്കാപ്പിയം, ശങ്കര കാലഘട്ടത്തിലെ കൃതികളായ അകത്തുനൂറ്, പുറത്തുനൂറ് എന്നിവയില്‍ പാണനാരെ കുറിച്ചുള്ള പരാമർശങ്ങളുണ്ട്. കേരളത്തിലെ വടക്ക൯ പാട്ടുകളിലും പാണനാരെ കുറിച്ച് പരാമർശിക്കുന്നു.

പെരുന്തച്ച൯

കേരളത്തില്‍ കാലാകാലങ്ങളായി പ്രചരിച്ചു പോരുന്ന ഐതിഹ്യങ്ങളിലൊന്നായ പറയി പെറ്റ പന്തിരുകുലത്തിലെ ഒരു അംഗമാണ്‌ പെരുന്തച്ച൯‍. വരരുചിയാല്‍ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കപ്പെട്ട ശിശുവിനെ ഉളിയന്നൂരിലെ ഒരു തച്ചനാണു ‍(മരപ്പണിക്കാര൯) എടുത്തുവള൪ത്തിയതെന്നും ഇദ്ദേഹമാണു തച്ചുശാസ്ത്രത്തില്‍ അതിവിദഗ്ദ്ധനായിരുന്ന ഉളിയന്നൂ൪ പെരുന്തച്ചല്‍ എന്നുമാണു്‌ ഐതിഹ്യം.കേരളത്തിലെ പല പ്രമുഖ ക്ഷേത്രങ്ങളും അദ്ദേഹം നി൪മ്മിച്ചതാണെന്നാണ് വിശ്വാസം.കൊട്ടാരക്കര ഗണപതി ക്ഷേത്രം ഉദാഹരണമാണ്.

വായില്ലാക്കുന്നിലപ്പ൯

പറയിപെറ്റ പന്തിരു കുലത്തിലെ അവസാനത്തെ അംഗമാണ്‌ വായില്ലാക്കുന്നിലപ്പ൯. വായില്ലാത്തവനായിത്തീ൪ന്ന ഈ പുത്രനെ വരരുചി ഒരു മലമുകളില്‍ പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ചു എന്നാണ്‌ വിശ്വാസം.

വായില്ലാക്കുന്നിലപ്പ൯ എന്നറിയപ്പെടുന്ന ഈ അംഗത്തെ ശബ്ദത്തിന്റെയും സംസാരശേഷിയുടേയും ദേവനായും കരുതപ്പെടുന്നു. പന്തിരുകുലത്തില്‍ പിന്മുറക്കാ൪ ഇല്ലാത്തത് വായില്ലാക്കുന്നിലപ്പനു മാത്രമാണ്. പാലക്കാട് ജില്ലയിലെ കടമ്പഴിപ്പുറം എന്ന ഗ്രാമത്തിലെ വായില്യാംകുന്നു് ക്ഷേത്രത്തിലാണു് വായില്ലാക്കുന്നിലപ്പനെ(വായില്യാംകുന്നപ്പനെ) പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നതു്

ശ്രീനാരായണ ഗുരു ( 1855-1928)

ശ്രീനാരായണ ഗുരു ( 1855-1928)



Sri Nārāyana Guru also known as Sree Nārāyana Guru Swami, was a Hindu saint, സാധു, and social reformer of India. The Guru was born into an Ezhava family, in an era when people from backward communities like the Ezhavas faced much social injustices in the caste-ridden Kerala society. Gurudevan, as he was fondly known to his followers, revolted against casteism and worked on propagating new values of freedom in spirituality and of social equality, thereby transforming the Kerala society and as such he is adored as a prophet.

Nārāyana Guru is revered for his Vedic knowledge, poetic proficiency, openness to the views of others, non-violent philosophy and his unrelenting resolve to set aright social wrongs. Nārāyana Guru was instrumental in setting the spiritual foundations for social reform in today's Kerala and was one of the most successful social reformers who tackled caste in India. He demonstrated a path to social emancipation without invoking the dualism of the oppressed and the oppressor.

Guru stressed the need for the spiritual and social upliftment of the downtrodden by their own efforts through the establishment of temples and educational institutions. In the process he brushed aside the Hindu religious conventions based upon Chaturvarna.

Biography

Nārāyana Guru was born in August 20, 1856, in the village of Chempazhanthi near Thiruvananthapuram, the son of Madan Asan, a farmer, and Kutti Amma. The boy was dotingly called Nānu. Madan was also a teacher ("Asān") who was learned in Sanskrit and proficient in Astrology and Ayurveda.He had three sisters. As a boy, Nānu would listen to his father with keen interest when he narrated stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata to the simple folks of his village. Nānu was initiated into the traditional formal education Ezhuthinirithal by Chempazhanthi Pillai, a local schoolmaster and a village officer. Besides schooling, young Nānu continued to be educated at home, under the guidance of both his father and uncle Krishnan Vaidyan who was a reputed Ayurvedic physician and a Sanskrit scholar, where he was taught the basics of the Tamil and Sanskrit languages and traditional subjects such as Siddharūpam, Bālaprobhodhanam and Amarakośam.

As a child, Nanu was very reticent and was intensely drawn to worship at the local temple. He would criticise his own relatives for social discrimination and the apartheid-like practice of segregating children from, supposedly, lower castes. He preferred solitude and would be found immersed in meditation for hours on end. He showed strong affinity for poetics and reasoning, composing hymns and singing them in praise of God. He lost his mother when he was 15. Nānu spent the most part of his early youth assisting his father in tutoring, and his uncle in the practice of Ayurveda, while devoting the rest of his time for devotional practices at the temples nearby

Transformation as master, yogi and seeker of truth

The young Nanu had a keen mind and was sent to a famous scholar, Kummampilli Rāman Pillai Āśān at Karunagapally, a village fifty miles away from his home, at the age of 21. Living as a guest in a family house Varanapally near Kayamkulam, Nānu, along with other students, was taught Sanskrit language and poetry, drama and literary criticism, and logical rhetoric. He studied the Vedas and the Upanishads. He also began teaching in a near-by school. His knowledge earned him the respect of many and he came to be known as "Nanu Asan".

Nanu returned home to spend some time with his father, who was on the death bed. For a short period he ran a village school for the children of his neighbourhood. While continuing his quest for "the ultimate truth", Nānu would often spend time in the confines of temples, writing poems and hymns and lecturing to villagers on philosophy and moral values.

Married life

Under pressure from his family, Nanu married Kaliamma, the daughter of a traditional village doctor. The marriage was a simple affair with the groom's sisters themselves investing the bride with the 'Thaali' (wedding knot) on his behalf. The bride remained with her parents, since Nanu asan became a wanderer not long after.

'Parivrajaka' (A Spiritual Wanderer)

After the demise of his father and wife, Nanu Asan continued his life of a wandering Sanyasi. He became a 'Parivrajaka' (one who wanders from place to place in quest of Truth). It was during one of these days that Nanu met Kunjan Pillai, who later came to be known as Chattampi Swamikal. Kunjan Pillai, who discovered and appreciated Nānu Āśān’s philosophical genius and passion for Yoga, introduced him to Thycattu Ayyaavu, a Hatha yogi. Under the Yogi, Nānu Āśān mastered various Yogic practices including Hatha Yoga. The exposure gained from this scholastic experiences had a lasting impact on the later life and philosophy of Nārāyana Guru.

Enlightenment and its poetic expression

Nānu moved to his hermitage deep inside the hilly forests of Maruthwāmala, where he led an austere life immersed in meditative thought and yoga and subjected himself to extreme sustenance rituals. This phase of solitude lasted for 8 long years. After an unpretentious life of over thirty years abounding in knowledge and harsh experiences, this epoch is considered the culmination of the meditative recluse; the point at which Nārāyana Guru is believed to have attained a state of Enlightenment.

Nārāyana Guru’s later literary and philosophical masterpiece Atmopadeśa Śatakam (one hundred verses of self-instruction, written in Malayalam circa 1897) is considered a fertile poetic expression, encapsulating the Guru’s philosophy of egalitarianism, emanating from the author’s attainment of an experienced state of primordial knowledge and quintessence of the Universe; and his ensuing ability to view the human race, from a dignified and elevated perspective, as nothing but one of a genus, in unqualified equality and without any racial, religious, caste or other discriminations whatsoever.

Consecration of Siva Lingam at Aruvippuram

Learning from the sacred books and the practice of Yoga did not quench the thirst of Nanu. He continued his wanderings in quest of Truth. By and by, he came to a beautiful place called Aruvippuram. It was a forest area. There were hills around. A gurgling rivulet (of river Neyyar) also flowed there. As more people sought him out for healing or advice, he and his disciples felt the need for a regular temple for worshipping Shiva. At a beautiful spot near the river, he had his followers build a small canopy of coconut leaves and mango leaves over an altar on a rock jutting out in the water. The year was 1888. They improvised lamps with shells and arranged them in rows. They were lighted at dusk and a piper began to play devotional tunes. The whole place was soon filled with pious village folk. Gurudevan, who had been sitting apart and meditating all night, stood at midnight and walked into the river. As thousands watched silently (If silence had music, the atmosphere was filled with it, wrote one correspondent) he descended into the river and then reemerged, holding an idol of Shiva. He stood beneath the canopy with it in his arms for three hours, totally lost in meditation, tears flowing down his cheeks. Finally, at three in the morning, he installed the idol on the pedestal. His action was equivalent of overturning the tables of the money changers, or refusing to give up a seat on the bus. From the beginning of time, so far as anyone knew, only Brahmins had ever installed an idol. Yet when Gurudevan performed the sacred rite it appeared so natural for him to pick up a small rock and install it. When brahmins challenged his right to consecrate, he replied in his famous quote:This is not a Brahmin Siva, but an Ezhava Siva.To those who questioned the timing of the consecration saying it was not an astrologically auspicious time, he replied: Horoscope is to be cast after the birth of a child, not before. He instructed to place a plaque containing a motto on the temple wall which read as:

Devoid of dividing walls of Caste
Or hatred of rival faith,
We all live here
In Brotherhood,
Such, know this place to be!
This Model Foundation!
A new phase began in the Guru's life in 1904. He decided to give up his wandering life and settle down in a place to continue his Sadhana (spiritual practice). He chose Sivagiri, twenty miles north of Thiruvananthapuram. Goddess 'Amba' became his deity of worship.

Next, he started a Sanskrit school in Varkala. Poor boys and orphans were taken under his care. They were given education regardless of caste distinctions. Temples were built at different places - Thrissur, Kannur, Anjuthengu, Tellicherry, Calicut, Mangalore. A temple was built for Sharada Devi in 1912, at Sivagiri. Worship at such temples helped reduce to a large extent superstitious beliefs and practices.

One of the temples built in Thrissur is the Sri Narayana Temple at Koorkenchery. The temple has a school in its compound named Sri Narayana School. The School encourages students' talents by organising talent competitions. These competitions, regularly held every year, have been a platform for youngsters to stand up and recognise their talents.

In 1913, he founded the Advaita Ashram at Aluva. This was an important event in his spiritual quest. This Ashram was dedicated to a great principle - Om Sahodaryam Sarvatra (all men are equal in the eyes of God). This became the motto of the new Ashram.

When Nārāyana Guru attained the age of sixty, his birth day was observed throughout the west-coast from Mangalore to Sri Lanka. Between 1918 and 1923 he visited Sri Lanka many times. In 1921, a Conference of Universal Brotherhood was held at Aluva. Again in 1924, a conference of all religions was held there. Guru stressed the need for a Brahma Vidyalaya for a comparative study of different religious faiths.

Sree Nārāyana Guru had many followers and disciples. Nataraja Guru, a notable disciple of Sree Nārāyana Guru, introduced Guru's visions and ideals to the western world. He established Narayana Gurukulam in 1923 in the Nilgiri Hills with the blessings of Nārāyana Guru.

Om Sahodaryam Sarvatra (The Brotherhood of All)

In 1913, the Guru founded an Ashram at Aluva. It was called the Advaita Ashram. This was an important event in the life of the Guru. The Ashram was dedicated to a great principle - Om Sahodaryam Sarvatra (all human beings are equal in the eyes of God). In 1921, a Conference of Universal Brotherhood was held at Alwaye. Again in 1924, a conference of all religions was held there. The Guru stressed the need for a Brahma Vidyalayam for the comparative study of various religious faiths. An institution called Narayana Gurukulam was established in the Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu by Bodhananda Swamikal and later handed over to Nataraja Guru.

Final Ceylon Journey

Gurudevan visited Ceylon again in 1926. He had some moving experiences while travelling in Tamil Nadu in connection with his journey to Ceylon. While he was in Sree Ganapathi temple in heavy rain he said, "If there is anyone writing my biography, these experiences should not be missed, they should be recorded."After that journey to Ceylon, Gurudevan did not want to return. He went back only after repeated requests of his disciples and devotees.

Message to Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam

In a message to the SNDP Yogam in 1926 Gurudevan declared, No community can make progress except through organization. He further said in that message, The name Ezhava does not denote a caste or a religion and he made temple rights to everyone. Therefore people can be admitted to this organization without paying heed to differences of caste.

On June 14, 1927 Sree Narayana Guru consecrated a mirror - with the message "Om shanti" written on the surface - in a temple in Kalavankode. The prathishta of the mirror is symbolic in that Advaita philosophers interpret the mirror as the visible symbol of the unity of the Finite and the Infinite. That was the last prathishta that the Guru would do. Schools rather than temples are to be preferred, he exhorted in a dramatic shift of focus. Gurudevan participated in the anniversary of the SNDP Yogam held at Palluruthi in 1927. It was a splendid meeting which demonstrated the sincere, devout faith of the people in Gurudevan. T. K. Madhavan was one of the chief architects of this meeting. In 1928 Gurudevan took part in the special meeting of the SNDP Yogam at Kottayam and gave away registration certificates to the branch organizations.

Even though Guru started SNDP as a forum to lead the activities for social equality and caste less society, eventually SNDP turned out to be a forum of Ezhava caste, which is a contradiction to Guru's vision. Various factions in the SNDP Yogam accuse others of financial irregularities and corruption [5][6]. There are allegations that liquor barons are controlling the SNDP Yogam [7].It is an irony that today SNDP Yogam represents exactly those things/ideas which Guru opposed.

Sivagiri pilgrimage

Sivagiri pilgrimage was conceived by Vallabhasseri Govindan Vaidyar and T K Kittan Writer. It was duly approved by Gurudevan on January, 1928. The setting was SNDP's Nagambadam Shiva temple. It was 3 pm and Gurudevan was resting under a mango tree when the two presented the concept of Sivagiri pilgrimage. Before giving its his blessings he set out the goals of such a pilgrimage. He said: "Let the pilgrims congregate at the beginning of the European New Year. It should be Dhanu 16-17 in Malayalam calendar. Let the pilgrims observe 10 days'self-purification according to Sri Buddha's principles of five purities (pancha dharma) - body, food, mind, word, deed.

He ruled that pilgrims could wear yellow clothes - the colour of the garments Sri Buddha wore. Let no one purchase yellow silk because we have recommended yellow garments. Not even new clothes are required on the pilgrimage. A pilgrim can dip a white garment in turmeric water and wear after drying. The pilgrimage should be conducted with simplicity and preferably be accompanied by the chanting of hymns. There should be no shouting and pilgrims should scrupulously avoid trappings of ostentation.

To Govindan Vaidyar and Kitten Writer, Gurudevan counted on his fingers the goals of the pilgrimage, explaining how to achieve them. The goals were the promotion of

1. Education
2. Cleanliness
3. Devotion to God
4. Organisation
5. Agriculture
6. Trade
7. Handicrafts
8. Technical training
He advised them to organise a series of lectures on the themes with experts conducting them. The lectures should be listened to attentively. More important, the principles should be put into practice. Success must accompany efforts. Only then will the country and the people benefit. this must be the core purpose of Sivagiri pilgrimage.

Finally, it was decided to start the first pilgrimage from the village of Elavumthitta in Pathanamthitta District. The S N D P unit No.76 of Elavumthitta selected 5 youngsters for the pilgrimage, namely, P.K.Divakara Panicker, P.K.Kesavan, P.V.Raghavan, M.K.Raghavan, S.Sankunni. All the 5 pilgrims wore bright yellow dress, as suggested by Sree narayana Guru. All the way to Sivagiri, they were reciting 'Swaathanthrya gadha' – written by the great poet Kumaranaasan. They were teased with the words 'Manjakkilikal' –meaning yellow birds. They never got provoked, with a smile they moved on. The dominant thought in their mind was the mission to fulfil, will have to reach Sivagiri, a great responsibility bestowed on their shoulders by the Sreenarayana devotees. Their mission was a great success. Today thousands are following the way they have shown.

The Palluruthi event in 1927 was the last anniversary of the Yogam which Gurudevan attended. It was also the last public function Gurudevan attended.

Gurudevan went to Vellur Mutt at Vaikom to rest. There he was taken ill. He went to Alwaye and later to Trichur for treatment. Dr. Krishnan took Gurudevan to Palghat. From there Gurudevan travelled to Madras for treatment.

Death

Guru became seriously ill in September 1928. He remained bedridden for some time. Devotees came in large numbers to have a glimpse. The same year, Gurudevan's birthday was celebrated in many places, mostly in Kerala, Madras, Mangalore, Srilanka and Europe. On 20 September, Guru died


Nārāyana Guru’s philosophy

Hailing from the land of Adi Shankara, Sree Nārāyana Guru was a great proponent and re-evaluator of Advaita Vedanta. Guru’s philosophy, which is fundamentally of Advaitic and non-dual wisdom in principles, further extended Advaitic concepts into practical modes of self-realisation through spiritual education, compassion and peaceful co-existence of humanity, whilst promoting social equality and universal brotherhood. His philosophy strongly denounced discrimination in the name of caste or religion, and emphasised focusing on education and private enterprise for the ongoing upliftment of the quality of life. Guru’s philosophy emphasised the consistency between true existence of the "common reality" on Earth and one Divine behind the creation and sustenance of the Universe.

Guru’s philosophy is exemplified in his mystical writings that are truly interchanging warps and wefts of ethics, logic, aesthetics and metaphysics woven into masterpieces of silken rich poetry. Guru’s literary works in Malayalam, Sanskrit and Tamil are of a conceptual and aesthetic quality at par with the Upanishads.

At the time of its conception, Nārāyana Guru’s philosophy was in many respects ahead of its time and focused on a futuristic world order that could be shaped from his philosophical connotations that are underlain with transcendental aesthetics and logic embodied in knowledge and pure reason. Most of the serious scholars of Nārāyana Guru’s philosophy have been from generations beyond his lifetime; and this list keeps growing.

Tolerance toward others

A message sent by Nārāyana Guru to Sahodarasangham during their annual conference - May 15, 1921Guru had followers from all walks of life. Some of these were atheists. An Advaithin to the core, he did not differentiate people on the basis of their relegion, caste, colour or beliefs. He was tolerant toward all philosophies that stood for the progress of mankind.

To avoid the attempts made by a section of his followers to identify him with the community he was born into, Nārāyana Guru was forced to state explicitly that he did not belong to any particular caste or religion. Through a message he sent in the year 1916, he proclaimed : It is years since I left castes and religions. Yet some people think that I belong to their caste. That is not correct. I do not belong to any particular caste or religion

The Guru's influence on other social thinkers

Concerning the caste system, Gandhi said the following to Nārāyana Guru: "The caste-Hindus and the low caste-Hindus are both the sons of Hinduism. The caste-Hindu is the elder brother who shoulders responsibility, and he therefore exercises certain privileges. The low caste-Hindu is his younger brother who is to be cared for. If the elder brother turns out to be somewhat rough and aggressive that should not make the younger brother a runaway from his mother Hinduism." Nārāyana Guru, however, disagreed, and voiced his tolerance for those who converted to other religions, with the argument that one should follow what one truly believes in. He also questioned the logic of Gandhi's argument, arguing that caste in India was a socio-economic issue.

Guru's Famous Teachings

1. One Jati(Caste) One Religion, One God for Man
2. All are of one Self-fraternity Such being the dictum to avow,In such a light how can we take life And devoid of least pity go on to eat
3. Ask not, Say not Think not caste. Think only Gods.
4. Acts that one performs For one's own sake Should also aim for the good Of other men
5. Love of others is my happiness, Love that is mine is happiness for others. And so, truly, deeds that benefit a man Must be a cause for other's happiness too.

6. Grace, Love, Mercy -all the three - Stand for one same reality- Life's Star. He who loves is who really lives.
7. Whatever may be the difference in men's creed, dress, language etc. because they all belong to the same kind of creation, there is no harm at all in their dining together or having marital relation with one another.
8. Liquor is poison Make it not Sell it not Drink it not.
9. Devoid of dividing walls Of caste or race Or hatred, We all live here In Brotherhood
10. Progress through education. Strengthen through organization.

Public acceptance, honours and veneration

Since his lifetime Nārāyana Guru has been conferred formal recognitions and honours by the State, intelligentsia and society. In 1901 the State Census Manual of Travancore recorded Sree Nārāyana as a revered "Guru" and an erudite Sanskrit scholar. A sharp drop in the statistics of the commission of crime was also attributed to the correcting and moralizing influence of Nārāyana Guru on the society. In 1904 the then Maharajah of Travancore exempted Nārāyana Guru from personal appearances in court, an honour recognizing the Guru as a distinguished living personality.


first statue of the Guru was conceived by Moorkoth Kumaran and sculpted by an Italian sculptor Prof. Tavaroli whilst the Guru was still alive. The bronze statue, which took 14 months to complete, was installed at the Jaggannaatha temple at Thalassery and unveiled on 13 March 1927, after the consecration of the statue by Bodhananda Swamikal, the disciple and then spiritual successor-designate to Nārāyana Guru.

On the Guru's Mahasamadhi (passing away), the famed Jnanapith award winner poet Mahakavi G. Sankara Kurup paid tribute to Nārāyana Guru by writing a Malayalam verse venerating the Guru as The Second Buddha. Sree Nārāyana Guru's legacy continues to be revered at esteemed levels within social, intellectual and spiritually organised communities worldwide.


The Stamp published by Sri Lankan GovernmentAll across the State of Kerala, and outside of the State, hundreds of small chapel-like Guru Mandirams are devoted to the reverence and worship of Sree Nārāyana Guru. Most recently, a distinctively styled iconographic statue of Nārāyana Guru named the Jnana Vigraham was conceived and created by a team of artists, as a suggestive model for the future, to improve the aesthetic quality of statues of Nārāyana Guru kept in homes and placed in Guru Mandirams worldwide.

At the turn of the 21st Century, Sree Nārāyana Guru was named as The Malayalee of the Century by Kerala's leading daily Malayala Manorama. The full cover-page spread of the newspaper was dedicated to Nārāyana Guru in its last issue of the Century on 31 December 1999. So also Nārāyana Guru was featured first among the "100 great lives" nominated by Malayala Manorama on the occasion of Malayala Manorama's centenary celebrations in the year 1988.

കേരളം -ദൈവത്തിന്‍റെ സ്വന്തം നാട്.

The name 'Keralam' or 'Kerala', as it was adopted by the English language, comes from the Malayalam words 'Keram' meaning Coconut Palm and 'Alam' meaning Land or Place. Keralam is therefore 'The Land of Coconut Palm'.

Kerala - Basic Information

Capital of Kerala : Thiruvananthapuram
Language : Malayalam
Area : 38,863 sq. km (15,005 square mile)
Number of Districts in Kerala : 14
Population : Males-15,468,614,Females-16,372,760,Total-31,841,374
Population Growth Rate : + 9.42% (Decadal)
Density of Population : 819 persons per sq.km
Sex Ratio (Females per 1000 Males) : 1058
Infant Mortality rate : 16 per 1000 live births
Life Expectancy : 71.3
Literacy in Kerala : Males-94.2 , Females-87.7 , Total - 90.90%
Taluks : 63
Villages : 1452
Corporations : 5
Municipalities : 52
Assembly Constituencies : 140
Lok Sabha Constituencies : 20
Rajya Sabha seats 9
Major Religions : Hinduism, Christianity, ഇസ്ലാം
Location of Kerala : 8° 18' & 12° 48' north latitude and 74° 52' & 77° 24' east longitude.Kerala is located in the south west corner of India.
Rivers of Kerala : 44 - (41 west-flowing and 3 east-flowing)
Forest Area : 11,125.59 sq.km
Kerala Economy : Agricultural
Major Agricultural Produce :Spices, Rubber, Coconut, beverages like coffee, tea
Official Animal : Elephant
Official Bird Hornbill :(Vezhambal)
Official Flower : The Indian laburnum(Kanikkonna)
Official Tree :Coconut palm

Kerala Climate

Southwest Monsoons ( June - September )
North east Monsoons ( October, November )
Winter ( December - February )
Summer ( March - May )


Tourist Attractions

Natural Beauty, Ayurveda Treatment and Ayurvedic Massage, Backwater cruises, Cultural diversity, Art forms, Snake-boat races etc...

Universities in Kerala

1.University of Calicut
2.Cochin University of Science and Technology
3.Kannur University
4.University of Kerala
5.Kerala Agricultural University
6.Mahatma Gandhi University
7.Sree Shankarachaarya University of Sanskrit
8.Shree Chitra Thirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology

Kerala History

History is, "a story or record of important events that happened to a person or nation, usually with an explanation of causes and effects".

There is limited information available about the ancient period of Kerala history. This is because there is hardly any written record left from the time nor is there enough evidence to prove them. There are many myths and speculations about the creation of Kerala and its early periods. According to Hindu mythology, Kerala was created by Parasuram, one of the avathars (incarnation) of MahaVishnu. Geologists believe that Kerala was formed by some seismic activity, gradually or suddenly.

Based on the available details, the history of Kerala can be conveniently divided into various periods.


1.Ancient Period
2.Sangham Period
3.Kulashekara Period ( Quilon Year begins )
4.Period of Provincial Rulers
5.European Arrival
6.British Rule
7.Freedom struggle and Independence

History of Kerala - Ancient Period

Ancient Period refers to the time before the Christian era. As mentioned earlier, history of Kerala can be traced back to 4000 B.C., when Proto Australoid and Negrito race inhabited the land. Microlithic artifacts dating back to 4000 B.C. have been recovered from near Calicut. Megalithic monuments like various kinds of burial stones and urns and some man-made underground chambers have also been found. By around 3000 B.C., Kerala had trade relation with Sindhu Valley Civilization and its spices and commodities like Sandalwood, Ivory, Teakwood etc. were exported to many countries of the west. Kerala held a considerable position in the commercial map of the ancient world. It is believed that the Peacocks, Monkeys, Ivory and spices which King Solomon received, were imported from Kerala . It was by 700 B.C. that the Dravidians migrated to south India from the Mediterranean region. The Aryans entered Kerala from north India by 300 B.C.

270 B.C. to 240 B.C. saw the spread of Buddhism in Kerala. The oldest record about Kerala is found in one of the rock edict by emperor Asoka dating back to B.C. 257.

Sangham Period in Kerala History

This period can be dated from the beginning of the Christian era to the middle of the 7th century. 'Sanghams' were assemblies or groups of poets which were in existence in various parts of the Pandiyan Empire. The aim of these Sanghams was to encourage poetic arts. Three Sanghams are known to have existed during the period.

Heppalus, a Roman-Greek sailor reached Musiris (Kodungalloore) in A.D. 45 and this enabled direct trade with Roman empire. The distance of sea voyages were reduced by the discovery of new routes. Many mariners like Heppalus, Panthenus, Huan Tsang, Cosmos Indicopleustes etc., landed at the coasts of Kerala during this period.

By around 50 - 125 A.D., the Chera kings captured parts of northern Kerala. During this period also, Kerala had strong trade with the West. In A.D. 52, St. Thomas reached Kerala and Christianity began to flourish. With the demolition of Jerusalem church by the Romans, the Jews fled from Israel and some of them reached Kerala. As per the book Keralolpathy, the period up to 216 A.D. is known as 'Parasurama period' and the period 216 A.D. to 428 A.D. is known as age of 'Perumals'. The Brahmin families which migrated to Kerala were settled to 64 villages. In 644 A.D., Malikben Dinar reached Kerala and he constructed Mosques and propagated Islam. Cheran Chenguttuvan (125-180) was one of the famous rulers of this era.

The period ranging from the middle of 7th century to the early part of the 9th century is known as the Post - Sangham period. This was the period when Buddhism began to decline. The main rulers of this period were Cheraman Perumal and Kulasekara Alwar. Both these kings later abdicated their thrones. Kulasekara Alwar later became a Vaishnavite poet and Cheraman Perumal accepted Islam and went to Mecca. Adi Shankara (Sankaracharya, 788 - 820 A.D.) lived and propagated the Advaida philosophy during this period. Each king during the period was enthroned for a period of 12 years. After his term, a new king was selected following a festival or cultural event known as ' Mamankam '. These type of events are unique to Kerala

Kulasekara Periods - Kerala History

The next period in Kerala history is the period of rule of the Kulasekara Kings. Kulasekara empire lasted for about 3 centuries beginning from 800 AD. This period is also known as the Period of 'Second Chera' empire. These kings were known after their family name as Kulasekaras. Kolla Varsha or the Quilon Calendar (Malayalam Calendar system) was introduced during this period. It came into existence on the 25th of July , 825 A.D. Quilon city was reconstructed by Maruvan Sabareso. The Pandyas retreated from Kerala occupation.Sthanu Ravi Varma, Bhaskara Ravi I, Bhaskara Ravi II were main rulers of this period. Between 1000 and 1019, Raja Raja Chola and Rajendra Chola attacked Kerala. Rajendra Chola seized vizhinjam. In 1070 Kerala was liberated from Chola control.

Kerala History - Period of the Provincial rulers

Frequent wars with the Chola and Pandya kingdoms weakened the Chera empire and finally lead to their breakdown. With the breakdown of Chera empire the next phase of Kerala history began. This was the period of the provincial rulers. Provincial rulers were those who took control of a small province rather than a large empire. These provinces were once part of the Chera empire. The provincial rulers were confined to small areas but they frequently fought each other for domination. The kings of Venad and Kochi and Zamorins of Kozhikode were the prominent rulers.

European Arrival in Kerala

Arrival of the Europeans marked the beginning of another era in the history of Kerala. In 1498, Vasco da Gama reached Kappad, near Kozhikode. This was followed by the arrival of a number of Europeans. Though the main aim of their visit was trade and discovery of a shorter sea route to the Malabar coast, the prevailing political instability paved way for their entry into the administration. Making use of the rivalry between the provincial rulers, they started by providing military assistance to one ruler against the other. By and by, their influence increased to such an extend that they began running the administration with the rulers acting as puppets in their hands. Wars and skirmishes still continued between various native rulers and this provided the Europeans more and more opportunities to interfere into the administration. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to establish a stronghold in Kerala. This was later followed by the Dutch and the British. A number of battles were fought between the provincial rulers against each other and against the Portuguese. In 1524 Vasco da Gama was appointed the Portuguese Viceroy of Kerala. Kochi and Kozhikode were the main provinces of the time. Zamorins, the rulers of Kozhikode, fought a number of battles against the Portuguese.

Following the Portuguese, the Dutch reached Kerala. They began by the establishment of the Dutch East India Company in the year 1592. In 1604, the Dutch army arrived at the Malabar coast. They entered the arena of Kerala politics by making use of the rivalry between Kochi and Kozhikode. Their arrival marked the beginning of another phase of European domination. The Portuguese slowly began to loose control over to the Dutch. Dutch established their base at various parts of Kerala and made a number of treaties with local rulers. These treaties bestowed them with more powers. The Dutch supremacy lasted only for a short period before the British entry into Kerala. In 1725, the French established their base at Mahe. But unlike in the African continent, they were unable to make a move in on. Even while the Europeans emerged as great powers, war continued between the provinces. Marthanda Varma (1706 - 1761),the ruler of Travancore, was one of the strongest rulers of the time. With the arrival of the British begins another chapter of Kerala history.

British Rule in Kerala

Like any other Europeans, British also had great interest in Kerala. They too were attracted by the spices and other natural treasures of the land. British supremacy in Kerala started by the mid seventeenth century and lasted for the next 200 years until independence. Though a number of wars and revolts were made against them, the British were able to suppress them quickly. This was mainly because of the lack of unity among the provinces. Kochi and Travancore were the prominent kingdoms. The rule of the British saw many changes in the social and cultural life of Kerala. Slavery was slowly abolished. English missionaries played an important role in improving the living standard of the people. During this period a number of educational institutions and hospitals were opened. Many railway lines , roads and bridges were constructed by the British. In a way, Kerala is indebted to the British for its modernization.

This period also saw the emergence of a number of social reformation movements. Many reformers like Chattambi Swamikal, Sree Narayana Guru and Ayyankali played a vital role in the upliftment of the downtrodden and the emancipation of the women folks.

Freedom Struggle and Independence

Though there were a number uprisings against the foreign rule right from the beginning, its intensity and frequency increased by the early 1900's. The early revolts and battles against the rule like the Pazhassi and Mappilai revolts were suppressed with iron fist by the British. The World Wars weakened the colonial powers and this gave a boost to the nationalist movements in the colonies. In India, nationalist movements gained momentum under the strong leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. These movements had their effect on Kerala as well. Kerala division of Indian National Congress was launched. The Khilafat Movement, organized under the leadership of Indian National Congress had a huge influence over the muslim community of the Malabar region. Following the Khilafat Movement was the Malabar mutiny (1921). The movement lasted for quite some time before it was suppressed. The lower castes were denied permission to use the temple roads. Against this, in 1924 started the Vaikom Satyagraha. This was totally a social movement. This movement was successfully ended by the intervention of Mahatma Gandhi in 1925. In 1930, British levied tax on salt and they imposed restrictions on production of salt. This aroused nation wide agitation. In Kerala, under the leadership of K. Kelappan, this law was defied and salt was produced. A number of big and small movements arouse until 1947, when finally the land was free from the clutches of colonialism.

On July 1, 1949, the princely states of Travancore and Cochin were integrated to form Travancore - Cochin (Thiru-Cochi) state. But it was on November 1, 1956, that Kerala as a state came into existence. This was by the consolidation of Malabar province, which was a part of the Madras Presidency and the Travancore - Cochin state.

Districts of Kerala

Kerala, as a state, came into existance on November 1, 1956. It then consisted of only 5 districts. The number of districts later increased to 14. Kasargod was the last district to be created. The districts are divided into Taluks which are subdivided into villages. At present there are 63 Taluks and 1452 villages. With total area of 4476 sq km, Idukki is the largest district in Kerala and Alappuzha with an area of 1414 sq km, is the smallest and is the only district in Kerala without any area under forest cover.

In February 1990, the Government of Kerala passed an order changing the names of 6 districts and some other places. The old names from its pronunciation in English accent was changed to Malayalam. The table give below give the old and new names of Kerala districts.
For more information about the districts of Kerala

# New Name Old Name
1 Alappuzha : Alleppey
2 Ernakulam : Ernakulam
3 Idukki : Idukki
4 Kannur : Cannanore
5 Kasargod : Kasargod
6 Kollam :Quilon
7 Kottayam : Kottayam
8 Kozhikode : Calicut
9 Malappuram :Malappuram
10 Palakkad :Palghat
11 Pathanamthitta :Pathanamthitta
12 Thiruvananthapuram : Trivandrum
13 Thrissur : Trichur
14 Wayanad : Wayanad

All the districts of Kerala have their own unique tourist attraction. Coastal districts of Kerala are ideal tourist destination as they have some of the finest beaches in the world. Also coastal districts of Kerala, especially Alleppey, Kottayam (Kumarakom) and Ernakulam are famous for backwater tourism. District like Idukki and Wayanad of Kerala offers excellent destinations for adventure tourism. Wildlife safaris and trekking are some of the major tourism attractions of Kerala's mountainous districts

Rivers of Kerala

Kerala is a land abundant in water resources which include rivers, lakes, backwaters, big and small ponds etc... Lion's share of the states water needs is supplied by the rivers. Kerala has 44 rivers of which 41 are west flowing and 3 east flowing. The west flowing rivers flow down the land and join the Arabian sea or the backwater lakes which opens into the sea.

Most of these rivers originate from the Western Ghats. The main rivers which start from the Western Ghats are the Bharatapuzha, the Periyar, the Meenachil, the Pampa, the Manimala etc... Of these rivers the Bharatapuzha flows into the Arabian sea, and the others drain into the Vembanadu or Ashtamudi lakes . All these rivers begin as small stream or rivulets and in its course of running is joined by other big and small streams to finally flow together as a single large rivers. The east flowing rivers flow only short distances through Kerala. Of them, Paambaar and Bhavani flow into Tamilnadu and Kabani to Karnataka.

With a total length of 244 km*, the longest river in Kerala is the Periyar. Second and third are the Bharathapuzha (Nila) (209 km*) and Pampa (176 km*) respectively. Puraparamba and Kalnadu with a length of just below 10 km, are the shortest rivers. The Pampa which originates from Peermedu near Sabrimala is considered a holy river by the Hindus. These large and small rivers, along with their tributaries, distributaries and an innumerable number of streams and rivulets criss-cross the land making it green, attractive and fertile. Many of these rivers serves as inland waterways in many part of the state. Water from these rivers is used for irrigational purposes, drinking, hydro electric power production etc... They also serves as grounds for inland fishing.

Unlike the rivers of north India, which arise from the Himalayas and are both rain-fed and snow-fed, rivers of the south cannot be treated as a perennial source of water supply. This is because all these rivers are comparatively small and are entirely rain-fed with the result that many of them shrink into rivulets or dry up completely during hot seasons.

West Flowing Rivers of Kerala

1 Anjarakkandi
2 Achenkovil
3 Baikal
4 Bharathapuzha (Nila)
5 Chalakkudy
6 Chaliyar
7 Chandragiri
8 Chittar
9 Itthikkara
10 Kaariyankode
11 Kadalundi
12 Kallada
13 Kallai
14 Kalnadu
15 Karamana
16 Karuvannoor
17 Kavvai
18 Keecheri
19 Korappuzha
20 Kumbala
21 Kuppam
22 Kuttyadi
23 Maahi
24 Manjeshwaram
25 Manimala
26 Maugral
27 Meenachil
28 Muvattupuzha
29 Neeleshwaram
30 Neiyyar
31 Pampa
32 Periyar
33 Perumpa
34 Purapparamba
35 Ramapurampuzha
36 Shiriya
37 Thalasseri
38 Tiroor
39 Uppala
40 Valapattanam
41 Vamanapuram

East Flowing Rivers

1 Paampar
2 Bhavani
3 Kabani

Lakes and Backwaters of Kerala

'Backwaters' or 'Lagoons' are shallow bodies of water separated from the open sea by land. Because of this separation from the sea, Backwaters are free from the pounding action of waves. Backwaters are one of the most alluring and economically valuable features of Kerala. These include lakes and ocean inlets which stretch irregularly along the coast.. The biggest backwater is the Vembanad lake with an area of 260 sq.km. Second comes the Ashtamudi which covers an area of 55 sq.km. Sastamkota lake is the largest natural fresh water lake of the state. It extends over an area of 4sq.km. Other important backwaters are Veli, Kadhinamkulam, Anjuthengu (Anjengo), Edava, Nadayara, Paravoor, Kayamkulam, Kodungallur (Cranganore) and Chetuva. The deltas of the rivers interlink the backwaters providing excellent inland waterways along the lower and costal areas of the state. Backwaters serves as hot spots of Kerala tourism. The picturesque lagoons and backwaters of the state, attracts a considerable number of tourists each year. Backwater tourism include cruises on luxury house-boats, boating, boat races etc... Nehru Trophy boat race, one of Kerala's most famous boat races is held each year on the Punnamada backwaters of Alappuzha district.

Kerala - People And Ancestry

The people of Kerala, known as 'Malayalees' (People speaking Malayalam), is polygenetic and belong to different ethnic groups and religions. Few, if any, can claim to belong to any particular stock. The Keralites of Kerala and elsewhere, are, in the view of anthropologists, "an ethnological museum.

Negritos: The earliest known inhabitants of Kerala were the Negritos (People of the Negroid race). Members of this race lived by hunting and by gathering plants and fruits. These people have dark skin and tightly curled brown hair and are less than 1.5 metres tall. Descendants of this race still inhabit the mountain regions of the state. They have a good knowledge of herbal medicine and were skilled in interpreting natural phenomena.

Australoids: After the Negritoes came the Proto-Australoids (Austrics), who spread over the whole of India. These belonged to the same race as the present-day Australian Aborigines. They represented a race of medium height, dark (in some cases black) complexion with long heads and flat noses. They laid the foundation of They introduced the cultivation of rice and vegetables and made sugar from sugarcane. They introduced snake-worship in Kerala.

Dravidians: By 700 B.C., the Dravidians (The Mediterranean People), who migrated from the Mediterranean region, spread to the whole of India especially in the south, supplanting the Austrics and Negritoes alike. The Dravidians are the ancestors of majority of the present day Malayalees. They absorbed many of the beliefs of the Negrito and Austric people, but they were strongly inclined to the worship of the Mother Goddess in all her myriad forms: Protector, Avenger, Bestower of wealth, wisdom and arts.

Aryans: After the Dravidians came the Aryans who had already settled over northern India from the Mesopotamian region. They migrated to south India during circa 300 B.C. The "white" or fair-skinned Brahmins belonged to this stock. By the advent of Aryans, caste system also formed in Kerala. The Aryans have made a deep impression on Kerala in late proto-historic times.

Today, Kerala population is the melting pot of various races, religions and ethnic groups. The vast majority of Keralites carry three racial strains in their genetic make-up; Munda, Dravidian, and Aryan. Of this, majority of today's Keralites have a Dravidian ancestry. Nevertheless, many of them pride themselves on their Aryan descent.
The major tribes who inhabit the mountains of Kerala are Kanis, Uralis, Kadar, Kanikkar, Paniyar etc.. They are considered to be the descendants of the Negrito race.

Dance Forms of Kerala - Information about Kerala Dances

Kerala boasts of centuries of tradition and cultural heritage. The rich repertoire of Kerala's dance-forms is one of the most cogent evidence of its myriad culture and tradition. Throughout history dance has been a part of ceremony, rituals, celebrations and entertainment in Kerala. Many dance forms of Kerala are among the most graceful and beautiful in the world. These dance forms are reflections of the diverse religious and cultural traditions of Kerala. The dance forms of Kerala can be divided into roughly three types - folk dances, dance dramas and semi-classical dances. Kathakali, the best known dance form of Kerala is one of the most fascinating dance-drama in the world.

Kathakali Dance of Kerala

Originated over 500 years ago, Kathakali is a spectacular classical dance form of Kerala. It is a combination of drama, dance, music and ritual. Kathakali is one of the oldest theatre forms in the world. The word 'Katha' in Malayalam means Story and 'kali' means Play. Thus Kathakali literally means 'Story-Play'.

Theyyam Kerala Dance Form

Theyyam other wise known as Kaliyattam or Thirayattam, is one of the most outstanding folk arts of Kerala. Just as the name Kaliyattam indicates, it is a sacred ritual dance performed to glorify the goddess Kaali. The term 'Theyyam' is supposed to be the corrupt form of the Malayalam word 'Daivam', meaning God.It earned the name Thirayattam as every thira or village performed this ritualistic art at the village temple known as kaavu.

Thullal

The word 'Thullal' means 'Caper' or 'to leap or jump about playfully'. This art form emerged in the eighteenth century. A solo performance combining both dance and recitation, thullal is the explication of a tale - normally drawn from the puranas, narrated in verse.

Koodiyattam Dance Form

Koodiyattam is the earliest classical dramatic art form of Kerala. Evidence show that this dance form was in vogue in all major temples from ninth century, and it became a full-fledged dramatic presentation before the fifteenth century. Koodiyattam literally means "acting together". Koodiyattam is a temple art and probably the only surviving form of the traditional presentation of Sanskrit drama.

Duffmuttu or Aravanmuttu

Duffmuttu (also known as Aravanmuttu or Arbanamuttu) is a dance form particular to the Muslim community of Kerala. The origin of Duffmutt can be traced back to the Arabs. It is still accompanied by Arabic music. The name Duffmuttu is attributed to the use of an instrument called duff or tap. Daff is a round percussion instrument with one side covered with hide and is used to produce rhythm.

Oppana Dance

Oppana is a dance form specific to the Muslim community of Kerala. Oppana is usually a bridal group dance performed the day before the wedding day. It is a dance form essential to the wedding entertainment and festivities of the Muslims especially in the Malabar region of Kerala. Oppana is generally presented by young female relatives of the bride, who sing and dance around the bride clapping their hands.

Kaikottikali or Thiruvathirakali

Kaikottikkali, also known as Thiruvathirakali, is a very popular group dance of Kerala. Thiruvathirakali is performed by the women of Hindu community, often during festive seasons like Onam and the Thiruvathira day in the Malayalam month of Dhanu (December- January).

Margamkali of Kerala

Margamkali is a very ancient and the most popular artistic performance prevalent among the Syrian Christians of Kerala. Margamkali is performed mainly by men on festive occasions, especially during the time of marriage.

Thitambu Nritham

North Kerala has many rich art traditions, of which "Thitambu Nritham" is one. It is mainly performed by Namboothiris of this part of Kerala, and rarely other Braahmanan communities, say for example, Embranthiris.

Kerala Festivals and Celebrations

Kerala is a land of colourful festivals. Kerala is a land of diverse cultures, religions and communities with a rich miscellany of social habits, festivals, and customs. This section gives an insight into various Kerala Festivals like Onam, Vishu, Thrissur Pooram, Boat Races etc...

Onam Festival of Kerala - Onam Celebration

Kerala, a state at the southern most tip of the Indian subcontinent is bordered by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the Arabian Sea giving a tamilian and karnataka cultural touch to its heritage.

Kerala is a land of colourful festivals. Onam is one of the most famous festivals of Kerala. It is celebrated by all keralites (Malayalis) through out the world, irrespective of their religion or caste. Onam is basically a harvest festival. As is the case with most of the Indian festivals, Onam is also associated with a mythological story.

The legend goes this way; King Mahabali ruled the southern dynasty those days and was very famous for his wise, just and benevolent nature. He was egoistic and proud of his popularity and richness. At the same time, Lord Vishnu is perturbed due to Mahabali’s fame. Thus, to deplete him off this popularity and to teach him a lesson, Vamana, the fifth avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu, disguised as a Brahmin, and requested him three steps of land. Two steps of Him covered whole earth and patal (lower world). King Mahabali offered his head for the third step to be placed and thus King Mahabali was pushed down to ‘patalam’.

Lord Vishnu was very pleased with the determination with which King Mahabali tried to fulfill his promise and allowed him to visit his country and people once in a year. Thus on the day of ‘Onam’ it is believed that the King Mahabali visits his country to see its prosperity and share the joy and spirit with the inhabitants.

We mark the festival from the day of ‘attam’. The idol of vamana is worshipped during these days. The people start decorating their houses with flowers designed in various patterns known as ‘pookalam’. They welcome their Lord with onnapattukal (songs meant for Onam), many games such as vallam kalli (boat race), kaduva kali (tiger dance) etc. Cultural dances like thiruvathira, mohiniyattam etc are organized by social organisation to grace the occasion.

The most important days of ‘Onam’ are Uthradam & Thiruvonam. Dressed in new traditional clothes, people goes to temple and await the come back of their Lord, followed by a grand feast including special delicacies like payasam, chips made up of bananas, achaars, pappadam, aviyal, many types of vegetable preparations etc. particularly served on banana leaves.

Onam is a kind of assembly at the ‘tharavad’ home, for the families who stay out of Kerala and long throughout the year to get back to their own land to be with their loved ones.

‘Onam’ is also marked as a tourist week in kerala. Tourist flock this state and participates in flower arrangements, boat race etc with great enthusiasm and carries with them an inexplicable memories of this festival.

Onam is a best example of religious harmony and unity among the people of all castes and religions.

Vishu - The Malayalam New Year

People celebrate official New Year on 1st of January but the beginning of the year is celebrated on different days in various states. Maharashtrians celebrate New year as ‘Gudi Padwa’, Punjabese as ‘Baisakhi’, Tamilians as ‘Puthandu’, Assamese as ‘Bihu’, Bengalis as ‘Naba varsha’, Malayalees as ‘Vishu’, people in Karnataka mark their new year as ‘Ugadi’ and so on. It’s almost celebrated in the month of March – April through out the country.

‘Vishu’, is the astrological New Year of Kerala which falls in the month of April (Malayalam month - Medam) whereas the official New Year falls in the month of August – September (Chingam).

Vishu means equal in Sanskrit. The day of ‘Vishu’ marks one of the two equinox days, when sun is exactly on the equator and the duration of day and night will be almost same.

Vishukani, literally the first sight on the day of Vishu is the important feature of this festival. This kani is arranged on the previous night of the Vishu. Vishukani consists of konna flowers (Cassia fistula) nellu/unnakallari (rice/paddy), kodi vastram (new linen), golden cucumber, betel leaves, vaal kannadi (hand mirror), coins, gold ornaments and a holy text preferably ‘Ramayanam’ in a ‘uruli’ (shallow panchloham vessel). Lord Krishna’s idol is kept with this kani with a mirror behind.

On the day of vishu, a ‘nilavilakku’ (Lamp) is lighted in the morning by the master of the house preferably ladies, who is the first to see the ‘kani’. She then wakes all other members at dawn and they all have a glimpse of vishukani. It is a marvelous sight seeing all the offerings and the rays of light in the mirror. The mirror signifies the pure and unadulterated devotion towards God.

The ‘Vishukkani’ is then taken around the house for all those who cannot come to the puja room and then out of the house for animals, birds, trees and for all of the nature.

It is believed that good things seen first on the New Year bring luck and prosperity through out the year. Few versus of Ramayanam are also chanted on this auspicious day. The people, wearing vishu kodi (new clothes meant for Vishu) visits temple and make offerings to their devotees on this day. Well-known temples like Sabarimala, Guruvayur etc also have "Vishukkani Kazhcha" on the early hours of this day.

‘Vishukaineetam’ is one of the rituals on the day of Vishu. Grand father and elders offer money to children, servants and down trodden to ensure prosperity. This custom inculcates a sharing nature among the younger generation.

The Vishu celebration is incomplete without crackers and Vishu Sadya. Vishu Sadya consists of ‘vishu katta’ / vishu kanji prepared with rice, milk and coconut and other delicacies made up of jack fruit, mango, kalan, erisherri, payasam etc. etc.

The essence of ‘Vishu’ is a vision that the joy and happiness which we grab from the festival must influence our thoughts and actions and inspires us to celebrate humanity.

Boat Races (Vallamkali) of Kerala - Nehru Trophy Boat Race

Boat Races are very popular in Kerala and attract team from all fronts of life including common man, fisherman to the sports personnel. The boat race is associated with the major festival of ‘Onam’ and is held during the period of August- September. The boat race is a major event with its competitive spirit and enthusiasm and is one of the largest team sport.

The colourfully designed and decorated boats with thousands of spectators and the overwhelming songs known as ‘vanchi pattukal’ in Malayalam make it a spectacular event.

The boat race is associated with the special snake boats or chundan, the length of which varies anywhere between 100 & 130 feet with more than 100 rowers. The participants start preparing for this race months before the event. They practices day and night and stays together to ensure proper coordination as a team on the day of the racing. The people flock to cheer the players as they glides through the waters to a spectacular finish. The speed of the boat depends entirely on the efficiency of handling the oar.

There are various boat races like , of which Nehru trophy boat race, Champakulam Moolam Boat Race, Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali and Payippad Jalotsavam are significant and dates to olden days.

Nehru Trophy Boat Race :

Nehru Trophy boat race is named after the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as he awarded a rolling trophy for this race as a token in appreciation of the grand reception he received on his way from Kottayam to Alapuzha in 1952. This race is held every year on the second Saturday of August at Punnamada Kayal in alapuzha. Nehru trophy is well-known for its snake shaped trophy.

On the day of race, these boats were polished and decorated and made ready to touch the waves. The team worships before they plunge into the water with full of enthusiasm and excitement to touch the deadline. The coordination among the team accompanied by the songs and the roaring of the spectators marks a great event.

Champakulam Moolam Boat Race
This race is held on the ‘champakulam lake’ to commemorate the installation of the deity at the Ambalapuzha Shree Krishna Temple. This event also organizes various competitions for different categories of boats.

Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali
This is a part of Aranmula temple festival on the river ‘Pamba’. Large number of snake parts take part in this race but they didn’t compete with each other. They row in a unison with songs and reach their destination.

Payippad Jalotsavam
This vallamkalli (boat race) is held in the memory of installation of ‘Haripad Subramanya Shetram’ on the payippad lake. It is organized for three days starting from the day of Onam. The snake boat processions are showcased for first two days and the competition takes place only on the third day.

This sport with definite coordination and spirit of competition with religious significance makes it an unforgettable and spectacular event.

Thrissur Pooram Festival of Kerala - The Pooram Festival

As the name suggests, ‘Thrissur Pooram’ is an annual festival celebrated on the pooram day in the month of Medam (mid-april to mid-may) in Thrissur, the cultural capital of Kerala.

Pooram is one of the 27 nakshatras (stars) and has got significance due to its auspiciousness. Thrissur Pooram is basically an elephant processions between huge assembly of people in rhythm with display of fireworks. This festival lasts for three days.

Earlier this festival was held at Arrattupuzha. All the other temples in and around Thrissur use to come with the Ezhunellapa ( procession of the god/goddess) and celebrate this pooram festival for a day as a tradition, for around 200 odd years. Eventually the festival lost it charms to the fights between the various temple boards.

The then ruler Sakthan Thampuran organized this event as a mass festival and created a venue near ‘Vadakkunnathan temple’, (Lord Shiva) to organize the procession from all the 10 nearby temples. The festival now is celebrated at the Thekkinkadu maidan, near the Vadakunnathan temple.

On the pooram day, processions of elephants from various temple come and gather around the vadakkunathan temple. Kanimangalam, Laloor, Ayyanthole, Nethilakkavu, Karamukku, Chembukavu, Choorakottukavu, Panamukkamppilly temples particpates in the procession, Thiruvambadi, Paramekkavu temple being the major ones. The images from all these temples are taken to the main temple. These elephants are decorated with different colours, bells and clothes with all types of ornaments and nettipattam (head bands) and being processed through the middle of the town before assembling at the thekkinkadu maidan. The big parasol is also a point of attraction to the people.

The procession is accompanied with panchavadyam, an association of trumpets, drum, pipe and cymbal. The continuous display of dazzling fire work during Thrissur Pooram festival is also a spectacular event.

The competition between the prominent temples to showcase the fireworks, the procession and other cultural activities offers an excellent experience to all the participants and the tourists around the world