Kumarakom Religion and Caste

The most important religious communities of Kumarakom are the Hindu and the Christian. Even though 5 percent of the total population in Kottayam district are Muslims, here there is only one Muslim family in Kumarakom. The Hindu community as elsewhere in the state is organised on the basis of the caste system. The Brahmins who are at the apex of the caste hierarchy form only a very small minority in Kumarakom, only six families. Brahmins in Kerala come under two broad divisions, Indigenous and Non-indigenous Brahmins. Indigenous Brahmins are Namboodiries and in Kumarakom all the six families are Namboodiries. The Ambalavasis, the Varriers who are concerned with the performance of some function or the other connected with the temples also form a small portion of the Hindu population.The Nairs and Ezhavas form the most influential and numerous of Hindu castes in Kumarakom. The Nairs were originally a martial race but with the British conquest and occupation of the country, they gave up their traditional occupation of fighting and took to agriculture, government services and the learned professions and callings.

Ezhavas in Kumarakom were largely engaged in the cultivation of coconut palms and the industries connected with its products eg: toddy-tapping, manufacture of coir etc. Many among them were farmers and agricultural workers, while a few earned their livelihood by other forms of manual labor such as rowing of country boats and fishing. The Ezhavas have distinguished themselves in the field of Ayurveda and Astrology. In recent years many of them have given up the traditional occupation of toddy tapping and have taken to new pursuits.

Next to Nairs and Ezhavas, the Kammalas (Artisan) form another important section in the Hindu community in Kumarakom. There are various sub-divisions among them such as Asaris (mainly carpenters) Musaris (brazier, belleter), Kollan (Blacksmiths), Thattans (goldsmiths) Kallasaries (masons) and Ganakas (astrolegers). But they are a small section among Hindus. Dheevara community whose main occupation is fishing forms a small segment of Hindus. The male members fish from the lake and the females do door to door selling of fishes.

The most backward among Hindu community is categorized as per constitutional law as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Their population in this village is very small. A majority from among the scheduled castes were converted to Christianity and therefore are not considered as scheduled castes. They are considered as Backward Christians.

The most important sects among scheduled castes are Parayas (sambavar) and the Pulayas (cheramar) Velans whose traditional work is white washing and lime making are also included among scheduled castes. The Pulayas in Kumarakom were hard working agricultural labourers. There are Hindu Pulayas and Christian Pulayas.

The only scheduled tribe in Kumarakom is Ulladan. This race is almost extinct in many parts of Kerala. A few of them however are seen in Kumarakom. They catch and eat tortoise and are non-vegetarians. They make plates using arecnut palm. Foods are collected in such plates and sometimes they use them as hats also. Their main job is fishing and canoe making.

Hindu Religious Beliefs and Practices

The religious beliefs and practices of the Hindus here represent a fusion of Aryan and Dravidian ideas. There are a number of Non-Aryan religious beliefs and practices, which have become part of the Hindu religious faith. Serpent worship and ancestor worship are admittedly non-Aryan practices.

The origin of snake worship goes back to remote antiquity. But in no part of the world is snake worship still prevalent as in Kerala. In almost every house the south-west corner of the compound is set apart for a snake shrine called Sarppakavu. The proposition of the serpent god is considered essential to the well being and prospirity of the family.

According to the tradition the first Aryan colonists brought by Parasurama found Kerala uninhabitable. So they left. Then the Naagas (Snakes) of the lower world came and occupied the land. When the Aryans came again they found the land occupied and waged war against the Nagas. Parasurama decided to favour the early colonists and ordered that they should set apart a corner of their compound as an abode for the serpent god. This grove which is found in some houses for snake worship is an evidence of the connection between the Nagas and the Dravidian peoples.There are some such groves still in Kumarakom.

The Naaga shrines at Mannarassala is the most important serpent worship centre in Kerala. It is a small beautifull village about 3 kms North-west of Sri Subrahmonya Temple at Haripad in Alleppey District.

Ancestor worship has also been an age-old practice. The deceased ancestors are looked upon as benefactors of the taravad and special pujas are performed on New Moon days to propitiate them. There are certain important shrines in this District, such as the one at Vedagiri near Ettumanur, which are visited by people for performance of Vavu Bali on Amavasi or New Moon days. It may be mentioned that Vavu Bali is an important ritual connected with ancestor worship.In Kumarakom also hundreds of people gather together at SKM Temple for Vavu Bali every year.

Apart from practising serpent worship and ancestor worship, the Hindus also venerate animals and birds like the cow, bull, garuda, peacock and the monkey. There are also certain plants, which are considered by them as especially sacred. The Aswatha, the Bilva and the Tulsi may be particularly mentioned in this connection. Pradakshinams round the Aswatha (peepul) tree are believed to bring religious merit. The Bilva is sacred to Siva and is largely used in his worship. The Tulasi is likewise sacred to Vishnu but it is also used in all temples for pujas, irrespective of the deity.

The Hindus worship all the Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu pantheon such as Siva, Vishnu, Bhagavathi, Sastha, and Subramonian etc. Kottayam is famous for its great temples or Mahakshetrams dedicated to Siva. The Siva temples of Vaikom, Kaduthuruthi, Ettumanur, Tirunakkara, Thazhathangadi, Kadapattur, Lalom, Mariapally and Vazhapally are among the most famous of their kind in the District.

In Kumarakom also there are two Siva temples. The existence of such a large number of famous Siva temples in the same area perhaps shows the predominant influence exerted by the Saiva cult in this District in the ancient past. It is also significant that compared to the neighboring District of Alleppey; there are only a few Vishnu temples of repute in Kottayam. The more important among them are those of Trikkodithanam, Tiruvarpu, Kudamalur, and Bharananganam etc. At Aymanam, near Kumarakom there is an ancient temple dedicated to Vishnu in the form of Narasimha. There is also another Narasimha temple at Manganam to the east of Kottayam. In this District there are two famous temples dedicated to Sri Rama. They are located at Tirumanivenkitapuram (Vaikom, taluk) and Ramapuram (Meenachil Taluk). Within a radius of 3 k.m. from the latter temple are situated the temples of Kudappalam, Amanakara and Methiri dedicated to Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna respectively. The Tirumuzhikulam temple (Mulakkulam village) is dedicated to Lakshmana while the Vennimala temple is dedicated to both Sri Rama and Lakshmana. The existence of two separate flagstaffs side by side is a special feature of the latter temple. One of the famous Bhagavati temples of Kerala is located at Kumaranallur in this District. There are important Bhagavati temples at Peruvantanam, Perunnai and Cheruvalli. There are temples dedicated to Subramonian at Udayanapuram, Kidangur, Edappadi, Perunnai and Munnar. The District is particularly famous for the Sastha cult. Sabarimala, the most celebrated of the Sastha shrines in the country, is situated in the Peermade Taluk of Idukki District. There are also Sastha temples at Erumeli, Punjar, Devikulam, Kumarakom, and Vedavyasagiri. Ganapathi is accommodated as a minor deity in many temples. In the Siva temple in Vazhapally the worship of Ganapathi is more popular than that of the main deity, Siva. At Adityapuram near Kaduthuruthi there is a temple dedicated to Aditya, the Sun God. Panachikkadu in Kottayam Taluk has a famous shrine dedicated to Saraswathy, the Goddess of Learning. As temples dedicated to the Sun God and Saraswathi are rare, the Adityapuram and Panachikkad shrines assume special significance. At Olassa there is a temple dedicated to Dhanwantari Deva (Physician of the gods)

Temple Rites:

The worship in the temples of the District is open to all irrespective of sex. To an average Hindu, the day bigins with a bath in the temple tank. He makes a dash to the temple with the mundu still wet and circumambulates the deity, chanting the Lord’s name.With his forehead, chest and arms smeared with holy ashes and sandal paste he emerges into the work a day world with the feeling that the day has begun well for him.Hindu life is intimately associated with temples.

The rituals are of a very elaborate nature prescribed in the Tantras (rituals). The priest performs the Puja or worship after he has purified himself by the performance of such external acts like dhyanam (meditation) and japam (prayer). This is followed by the offerings of water, flower, sandal, incense, camphor etc. The number of daily Pujas varies in different temples as per the importance of each. The maximum is five and the minimum one. The daily Pujas are called Nityanidanam. Under this head comes the abhishekam, puja, nivedyam, namaskaram, sribeli etc. The devotees offer vazhipadu, which consist of nivedyams, archanas, lighting etc. The kanikka or the depositing of coins is a common practice in most temples. Devotees also offer ornaments and other valuables to the deity. Each temple has its distinctive vazhipadu.

In the temple in Ettumanoor it is the payment of money, in Vaikom it is the feeding of Brahmins. In Vazhapally the main vazhipdu is the Appam offered to Ganapathi and in Thiruvarppu it is the Uzhapayasam. In Subramonia temples like Udayanapuram, Kidangoor etc. the main offering is the Kavadi. It consists of an offering of sandal, rose water etc. to Lord Subramonia carried in posts over the shoulders of the devotees, the posts being suspended from the ends of a pole well decorated with tapestry and feathers of the peacock. At Sabarimala, the pilgrims make lavish offering of rupees and images in gold and silver. Appam and aravana payasam are also popular vazhipadu here, Muzhukappu or the artistic coating of the idol with sandal paste is an important vazhipadu in many temples. In most of the major temples there is an annual utsavam. The function consists of special services and processions. Exhibitions of various arts like Kathakali, Ottam Tullal, patakam etc., are conducted for the benefit of the devotees. During the processions the idol of the deity is taken round in pradakshinam inside the temple on the back of an caparisaned elephant to the accompaniment of nagaswaram and other forms of music. Some of the major temples have their own elephants and teams of artists for the purpose.

The temples of the District are now open to all the Hindus irrespective of caste. However till a quarter of a century ago, the so-called Avarnas or backward classes were prevented from entering the temples. They could offer worship only from allotted places of prescribed distance. In course of time a feeling of self-respect asserted itself among the backward classes and the demand for temple entry took shape. The new movement secured the sympathetic support of large numbers of people belonging to the Savarnas or Higher Castes. The Vaikom Satyagraha that was conducted in 1924 under the auspices of the Indian National Congress to secure admission for the backward classes to the approach roads adjacent to the famous Vaikom temple was a turning point in the history of this movement. On November 2, 1936, His Highness Sri Chitra Thirunal issued the famous Temple Entry Proclamation throwing open the temples of Travancore to all Hindus irrespective of caste.

Fasts and Festivals

The Hindus observe several fasts or Vrithams with a view to propitiating various Gods and Goddesses and acquiring spiritual benefits. The important fasts are those undertaken on the Shashti, Ekadasi, Pradosham and Full Moon days. In addition, the Hindus also observe a number of religious festivals. In Chingam (August-September) the Ashtami Rohini the sacred day on which Lord Krishna was born, is celebrated. The Vinayaka Chaturthi which falls on the fourth day of the bright fortnight in Chingam (August-September) is sacred to Ganapati. People are prohibited to see the Moon on this day as it is supposed to bring miseries and misfortunes of all kinds. The Navaratri festival falls in Kanni (September-October). It is a nine-day festival and is a favorable period for the worship of Sakthi. The last three days are set apart for the worship of Saraswathi. Throughout the Durgashtami, Mahanavami and Vijaya Dasami days the worshippers are prohibited from doing their customary work. The Vijayadasami or Puja Eduppu day is regarded as auspicious for the beginning of children’s education – vidyarambha. It is customary in this District for the parents to take their children to such places as Vedavyasagiri and Panachikkad Sarswathi shrine in order to initiate them formally into the study of the letters (Vidyarambha). Narakachaturdasi or Deepavali falls in the month of Tulam (October-November). It is also known as the festival of lights. Trikkarthika is another festival, which falls in the month of Vrichigam (November-December). Its main feature is the illumination of Hindu houses in the night. The Thypuyam festival that falls in

Makaram (January-February) is sacred to Subramonia and special offerings are made to the Lord on this day. Thy pongal and Mattu pongal which fall on the first and second days respectively in the month of Makaram (January-February) are also important festivals. The former is the harvest feast of South India. On the occasion of the latter festival the cows and bulls which have been of service to the people in the previous agricultural seasons are bathed, decorated and fed. The animals are not made to work on that day. Maha Sivaratri the day on which Lord Siva danced the Thandava dance is celebrated in Kumbham (February-March). The Sri Rama Navami is a nine-day festival that falls in the month of Medam (April-May). The Navami or the ninth day is the anniversary of the birth of Sri Rama.

Onam

The most important national festival of Kerala is Onam and people regardless of caste or creed observe it. It is the harvest festival of Kerala and falls in the month of Chingam (August-September). The festival lasts for ten days of which the last four are more important than the rest. According to tradition it is celebrated in memory of Mahabali, the mythological king of Kerala whose reign was one of undisturbed peace and prosperity and who is supposed to revisit the land once a year. A portion of the front yard of every Hindu house is cleared and decorated with flowers on these days. On the last four days pyramid-shaped images of Trikkakara Appan (the deity of Trikkakkara), made of wood or clay, are set up at the place and pujas offered. The senior members of the family present clothes (Onapudava) to the juniors and servants. A sumptuous feast is held on Tiru Onam day. The people make themselves merry by participating in various sports and field games.

Vishu

The festival of Vishu, which falls on the first day of Medam (April-May), the Malayalee New Year Day, is equally important. It coincides with the Tamil New Year Day (Chithira Vishu). The main ceremony connected with Vishu is Kani Kanal (literally having the first sight): On the night previous to the Vishu day the Kani is arranged. It consists of a number of things believed to be auspicious. Palmyra leaf-book, gold ornaments, new white cloth, a measure of rice or paddy, bell-metal mirror, halved jack fruit, flowers of Konna tree, halved coconut, yellow cu-cumber and two standing oil lamps with coconut oil emitting sparkling light are placed in a convenient room. On the morning of the Vishu day every member of the family gets up early and sees the Kani. The Malayalee believes that if he sees these auspicious things on the first day of the New Year, the whole of the year will be lucky for him. The Sastha Shrine at Sabarimala is visited by Hindus in their thousands on Vishu day. Children and poor people get gifts of money from elders on the occasion of the Vishu. This is called Vishu Kaineettam.

Tiruvathira, another characteristic festival, is observed in Dhanu (December-January). It is of special importance to women as it is supposed to commemorate the death of Kamadeva (God of Love) who was reduced to ashes by Lord Siva while attempting to wake him up from his penance.

Hindu Customs and Manners

Each caste and community among the Hindus has had its own typical customs and manners. The Talikettukalyanam, Tirandukuli, Puli Kudi etc., once formed the main customary ceremonies among the Nairs and the Ezhavas who followed the Marumakkathayam system. Talikettukalyanam was performed for all girls before they attained puberty. The essential part of the ceremony lay in the tying of the Tali (a small piece of gold attached to a string) round the neck of the girl by a male belonging to the same or higher caste. It may be mentioned that the Tali tier did not have any claim on the girls, as the Talikettukalyanam was not a real marriage. It was done only with a view to giving the girl a marriageable status. The ceremony of Tirandukuli was celebrated when a girl attained puberty. The girl was kept in a separate room for about four days. In the room a lamp was lit and a brass pot with a bunch of coconut flowers was kept. A Kurava proclaimed the event. Friends and relatives were invited and treated to a sumptuous feast. The girl used to get presents from the guests. Another ceremony viz., Pulikudi (tamarind juice drinking) was quite essential for pregnant women in the ninth month of pregnancy. The ceremonies described above have now become defunct as social reformers worked hard to rouse public opinion against them.

Among the ceremonies, which are still current among the Hindus, may be mentioned Namakaranam, Chorunu, Vidyarambham, Upanayanam, and Sardha etc. The Namakaranam or naming ceremony is generally celebrated within a month of the child’s birth. The father sits cross-legged before a lighted lamp, near which is placed a vessel containing the eight auspicious things ashtamangalyam. He then places the child on his lap and whispers the proposed name three times in its right ear. Annaprasanam or Chorunu takes place when the child is six months old. This is the first feeding of the child with rice. The child is placed on the lap of the father and is then given rice and curries. This ceremony is performed in temples also. Vidyarambham or initiation into the letters of the alphabet is gone through in the 3^rd or 5^th year of the child. Usually it takes place on the Vijayadasami day (Puja Eduppu Day). The father takes the child on his knees and writes the alphabets, the letters being traced in rice by the father holding the ring finger of the child. Upanayanam, which is common among the Brahmins, is the investiture of the boy with the sacred thread. It is generally performed in the 8^th year of the child. All Brahmins, both indigenous and non-indigenous, perform this ceremony. Srardha is the ceremony of making offerings to the departed spirits of forefathers. This is performed every year. Cooked rice, plantain fruits, coconuts, parched rice, etc., are served as offerings on plantain leaf and kept in a room with a lamp in front of it. After some time the room is opened and the offerings are distributed among the members of the family.

The Hindus generally cremate their dead bodies, while those of children under two or three years of age as well as those of persons who have died of small pox or cholera are buried. When a Hindu is at the point of death, the junior members pour a few drops of water or milk into his mouth from a small cup made of the Tulasai Plant. Relatives and others are immediately informed when the person dies. The body is placed at the central courtyard with the head to the south. It is then washed anointed and neatly clothed and marks of bhasma (sacred ash) and sandal pastes are made on the forehead and joints. The body is laid on a long plantain leaf after it is covered with new clothes. Then it is taken to the cremation ground on the shoulders by the nearest relatives, sons, nephews etc. Before the cremation blood relations put rice (vaikari) in the mouth of the dead body. While in some parts of the State cow dung is used for the purpose of cremation, it is seen that in various parts of this district the mango tree is felled and cut into pieces and used as fuel for cremation. The eldest son who is the chief mourner cuts a piece from the wrapped new cloth and wears it round the waist, tucking to his waist a piece of iron. This is done before setting fire to the pyre. The chief mourner with a pot of water goes round the pyre thrice letting the water out from a pierced hole. Then he allows the pot on the head to fall from his back. The sanchayanam or the ceremony of the disposal of the bones of the dead person is done on the 5^th or the 7^th day. The mourners collect unburnt bones and ash and these are put in a mud pot covered with another and is buried underneath a jack tree. On a later occasion they are carried to some holy place and consigned to the river or sea. On the death of a person the obsequies (making offering to the deceased) continues till the period of pollution is over which may be for 16 days or less. It is also the custom among certain castes to observe diksha (i.e. growing beard) for 41 days or a year following the death.

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