Velichappadu

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Dear Bharathan, Iam surprised that being a Keralite you did not understand the term "Velicchachapad" which comes in Amarananda Bhairavan's books.I will also answer your specific query regarding Namboodiri and Thanthri. I owe strong ties to this small state in Southern India not just through my wife but also because it is a region where "Amba inundates"(thats how I put it). The Tantric practices of the Keralites have no parrallel anywhere else in the world. ------ Before answering your query, let me give you soem background information. Kannyar Kali is a

festival usually celebrated in March or April in many of the Kurumba Bhagavathy temples in the Palakkad district of Kerala, India. Some prominent ones are in Pallassena,Vadavannur,Tathamangalam,Kozhalmannam and Kannanore Puthucode. Coyalmannam and Puthucode are two neighboring villages nearly 10 and 7 kilometers from Palakkad on the Palakkad-Thrissur road. (Tattamangalam-Nightvision) Legend has it that the Kannyar Kali in these two places used to be celebrated in Coyalmannam originally but at some point, the Coyalmannam celebrations did not wait for the arrival of the Puthucode participants and the Puthucode villagers brought the Pandal along with the pillars and stuff and established the stage for the celebrations in Puthucode village itself.

Though this festival is essentially that of the Nair community, there are contributions and participations of all other communities also in these celebrations. The celebrations last for a fortnight, the final three days are the full night celebrations which consist of pooja, vela, caparisoned elephant accompanied processions and fire works and a number of staged dramatic events in which the life of various communities in the villages are depicted. These dramatic presentations are enlivened by rustic humour some times embellished with sexual innuendos. The local men both young

and old all participate in these celebrations. The women are mostly kept out of these activities except as devotees engaged in worship or as spectators of these dramatic presentations. DIV> Velichchapad or oracle is an important entity in these celebrations and it is not unusual for the velichchappad to express the happiness or otherwise of the gods with the villagers. When the vellichchappad expresses his unhappiness or anger with the villagers for their lack of worship activities, additional poojas are conducted on the advise of the

oracles pronunciations. It is presumed that the Bhagavathy or the Goddess enters the bodies of the vellichchappad and the pronouncements are those of the Bhagavathy and great reverence is given to fulfill the "kalpana" or the desires of the Bhagavathy. You must have heard of Thullal(or more specifically Velichhappaddu Thullal).This is a ritual dance common with bhadrakalipattu, ayyappanpattu and Vritaykorumakanpattu. Since it deals with trances and evil spirits only a few are allowed to perform it. Usually the members of the Kallattukuruppanmar enjoy this right. In the first stage of the dance there is Kalamezhuthu, in which the form of the deity is drawn on the floor

with the aid of five types of coloured powders. Then devotional songs are sung to the accompaniment of nanthuni, a musical instrument. After this the dancer known as Velichappadu enters, with red flowery clothes, red scarfs, a girdle of bells at the waist, and a sword in hand. Slowly he gets into a trance and executes vigorous movements which is technically called Idum koorum Chavittal. In this context, I remember seeing an old Malayalam film which graphically depicts the 'reality' behind Velichappadus. Nirmalyam narrates the story of a temple 'Valichappadu' (Oracle- the 'Velichappadu' is supposed to be the personification of God. He speaks on behalf of God to the gathering) and his family, passing through extreme poverty.But the story was portrayed in a very negative manner with the Velichhappad finally spitting on Divine Mother's idol. A true Vellichappad will never do such things. ---------- Your next query: The daily rituals in Kerala temples are traditionally performed by Namboothiri-Brahmins, and often by Embranthiri migrants from the

neighbouring Karnataka, but not by Tamil Braahmanans. Even among Namboothiris, only certain designated families deserve to become "Thanthris". Thanthris have to perform the incredible task of transferring ("Aavaahanam") the aura ("Chaithanyam") of God and energizing the idol. There have been numerous books on this topics, written by Namboothiris. The treatises may be divided into three categories - Aagamams (Saivam), Samhithas (Vaishnavam) and Thanthrams (Saaktheyam). Aagamams include Nigamam versions too. The former are Lord Siva's advice to Mother Parvathy, while Nigamams are spoken by Mother Parvathy to Lord Siva. Other classifications are regional, like Vishnukraanthaa, Rathhakraanthaa and Aswaakraanthaa, and also like Yaamalams and Daamarams. Usually, all branches of knowledge are dealt with in Tanthra Granthams(Tantric texts). Yours Yogically, Shreeram Balijepalli

 

 

 

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