Bali Tharpanam – Uru Punyakaavu

Uru Punya kaavu

Hindus believe in afterlife and rebirth, it is believed that our karmas in this life define our rebirth. The Karmas good and bad are both addressed in your afterlife, the sum total of a soul’s moral actions through its life decide its passage into afterlife, the smooth crossing of your soul through the river Vaitirini to the Pitru loka is decided based on your Karma. The movement into higher realms are decided after your meeting with Yama the God of death. It is believed that apart from your Karmas the prayers and offerings of your relatives during their lifetime aid the passage of the soul to higher realms.

The Soul or Atma is considered imperishable therefore it becomes the dharma of the descendants of the departed souls to remember them on a daily basis and on specific days poojas are conducted for them like on New moon day – Amavasya, Eclipse Days – Grihanam, Uttarayana – Dakshinayana, on their specific day of their passing –Thithi or while visiting any Theertha Sthalas. There are specific temples for Bali Tharpanam, one such temple is Uru Punya Kaavu. It is believed to be one of 108 temples built by Parasurama for the Brahmanas he relocated to the land reclaimed from the sea(Kerala).

Goddess Jaladurga is the main deity and Ayyappa and Ganapathi are other deities worshipped here. Similar to Tiruneli, this temple is also one of the places for Bali Tharpanam.

Hindus have high regard for their ancestors, the Pitras. It is believed that we are obligated to our ancestors to continue their legacy by imparting it to our children, this is our debt to the ancestors Pitra-rin. By begetting children we are enabling the Pitras to be reborn. The immortal soul is enclosed in three shells, the first is the flesh or the body that we can touch and feel, the second is the energy that the body encloses and the third is the Soul or the Atma that which is the true self or the spirit. The atma accumulates the karmic debts and assets acquired through many lives. The soul or atma is obligated to return to earth until it is free of the debts attained from Karma in past lives. Moksha is attained only then. Belief in rebirth puts the responsibility of our Karma squarely on our shoulders, our previous Karma has got us where we are today. We may not remember our past Karmas from past lives but are nevertheless responsible for it. The Bali actually means sacrifice, or daanam. The Daanam done in the name of the ancestors people in the form of food, clothes, money, land is the punya karmam. The poojas conducted are a token to the Gods to accept the daana karmam in the name of the relative concerned, and consider it for their progression into higher realms.

Fear of the unknown is perhaps the reason for religion and rituals. Fear of Death, fear of afterlife, fear of loosing your loved ones, fear of being unsuccessful, fear of performance. The endless fears of the Human mind are addressed in religion. Sense of protection is imparted by believing in the higher power and acknowledging it. Many of the Hindu rituals and poojas address our fears. Different religions address these fears differently some explain heaven and hell, Jannat and Jahannum, The Karmic cycle of life and death and the ultimate Moksha or Nirvana. Eventually the learning should be that as YOU this is the only life you have, you live in a fraction of time, time is eternal with no beginning and no end. Life goes on with or without you, so in the little time you have Live to have no regrets, Forgive, do not forget for learning come from mistakes. Life is What you make of it!

Murud Janjira - A Tale of the Invincible

Murud Janjira

No obvious entry point is visible

Murud-Janjira Fort is situated on an oval-shaped rock off the Arabian Sea coast near the port town of Murud, 165 km south of Mumbai in Raigad district of Maharastra. Janjira is considered one of the strongest marine forts in India. It remained impregnable, unconquered,  by the rulers of that time Portugese, British and the Marathas remained unsuccessful in their attempts to conquer this fort. This fort was originally a wooden structure build on the rock by local fisherman of Rajpuri, It was captured by Pir Khan, a general of Nizamshah of Ahmednagar. Later, the fort was strengthened by Malik Ambar, the Abyssinian-origin Siddi regent of Ahmednagar kings. From then onward, Siddis became independent, owing allegiance to Adilshah and the Mughals.

Only approach through water

The fort is approached by sailboats from Rajapuri jetty. The main gate of the fort faces Rajapuri on the shore and can be seen only when one is quite close to it. It has a small postern gate towards the open sea for escape. The Arabian Sea crashes relentlessly all around the fort, which lies 2 km into the ocean at Murud. The Walls of the the Murud Janjira fort stand tall at 40ft even in high tide. Remains of a once affluent city inside the fort, are a mute witness to the grandeur and the eminent ruin. Access and watch towers are an integral part of any fort and this one is no less, however because it is surrounded by water, the approach of any enemy was clearly visible and this was the added advantage.

Cannon

 The Huge cannons installed atop the fort walls are aimed at intruders. This fort also houses one of the three biggest cannons in the history of India all these put together added to the reason why they were secure from the enemies. Considered to be the only impregnable fort, the entrance and exits to this fort were always well guarded and camouflaged, restricting any enemy advances. The Fort is said to be well equipped in case of a hold up, it is also believed that there was a tunnel under water to the village, which could be used if the sea route could not be accessed. Since the fort is surrounded by the sea, fresh water was arranged for in two separate ponds. The remains of this structure speak of the bygone era beauty of the fort is unparalleled in spite of it being in a state of ruin now.

View from the Watch towers

The Ruined fresh water pools

The ruined city inside

Access to the watch towers

The ruins lie a silent witness to a glorious past, time brings to dust the glory of the fort. All that is created must be destroyed. What remains as memories of a glorious time and ruins that remind us of a time that was. However affluent, however secure, and however self sufficient with time everything changes, so did the inhabitants of this fort, who were believed to be of Abyssinian origin. 

Symbol of the power of Siddis

 With the advent of the 19^th century and the declaration of independence the Siddis are believed to have used parts of the fort until 1972 and then as the fort began to crumble moved to another fort in Murud. The Murud Janjira Fort today is in ruins, expressing the silent testimony of a grandeur lost to time. 

The unsung Heroes of Mahabharata - Hadimba Ghatotkach and Barbarika

India is a land where Mythology meets fantasy and folklore and interweaves to form the most fascinating tales that blend  myth, belief and magic into curious tales that generate a sense of awe. One such place is Kullu-Manali. Woven into the beautiful surroundings are the tales of the Mahabharata  where the characters that played an important role are said to have walked the land. Hadimba, a Rakshasa Princess, who finds only mention in passing was the First Queen of clan, married to Bhima . Although Pandavas and Draupadi are central characters of the plot and the epic is based on their story. Draupadi the Chief wife of the Pandavas is known universally, however the Pandavas each had many other wifes, who were daughters of powerful kings who would make strong allies.  The Strongest Pandava Bhima had a Rakshasa Princess Hadimba, who had a cruel brother who ruled over the Kulllu region and was a terror to his people.

Hadimba Temple

The Pandavas having escaped the House of Wax were passing through this region When Bhima fell in love with this Rakshasa Princess and on request from the people of this region did away with Hidambaswar. He married Hadimba with approval from his mother Kunti, Kunti was a far sighted stateswoman, by approving of the marriage Kunti in fugitive status attained safety and comfort from the Rakshasa clan. In addition to this the fruit of this Union was Ghatotkacha, within a year of his birth, the Pandavas left there in pursuit of their Kingdom. Hadimba, single handed brings up Ghatotkacha. very much in modern style Single Parenthood. It is much later during the war at Kurukshetra that Bhima’s powerful Rakshasa son is sought for battle with the Kauravas he proved to be very useful in the Mahabharata war, Ghatotkacha gave up his life to save Arjuna from Karna’s infallible weapon.

Entrance to temple

Ghatotkacha’s son was Barbarika,  Barbarika was a powerful and brave warrior, he was given three infallible arrows by the Gods and he came to be known as the “Bearer of Three Arrows” Barbarika Baliyadev. He expressed his desire to watch the Mahabharata war to his mother, his mother was apprehensive so Barbari evaluates the situation : The Kauravas have the invincible Bhishma, The Acharya Dronacharya, Suryaputra Karna who is an able archer and poses many an Infallible arrows, the Narayani – the Army of Narayana (Krishna) and seems to be the powerful side. On Pandava side is the Pancha pandavas, Krishna himself and the Army of Drupada and seems the weaker side. Therefore Barbari promises his mother that he will side with the losing side only in the war.Krishna disguised as a Brahmin, stopped Barbarika to examine his strength. When asked how many days he would take to finish the war alone, Barbarika answered that he could finish it in one minute, with just three arrows.

He demonstrates the power of his arrows to Krishna, they decide to use the leaves of a peepal tree under which they are having the conversation, Krishna quietly plucks a leaf and hides it under his foot, with his first arrow he marks all the leaves of the Peepal tree, with his second arrow he destroys all that is marked and with his third arrow he can destroy all that is not marked but is a part of the tree, the last arrow pierces Krishna’s foot. When Krishna is injured he tells Barbarika that the promise to his mother will be difficult for him to keep because the battle could not end without destroying everything as with each day the winning sides would change and Barbarika would be forced to side with the losing side and thus bring about total destruction. The Only way to avert this situation and keep his word is for him to give away his head. Krishna reveals his Vishwaroopam to Barbarika  and gives him a boon that he can watch the head can watch the battle of Mahabharata from atop a hill. Thus Barbarika sacrifices his head and the grandson of Rakshasa Princess Hidamba also sacrifices himself for the cause of the Pandava war for Dharma. Barbarika is worshipped as Khatu Shyamji. His other name is God Kamrunaag and is treated as the Biggest and main god in District Mandi, in Himachal Pradesh. A pond and a temple are situated in Kamru hill in Sundernagar, District Mandi.  He witnessed the entire battle of Kurukshetra from the hill which is now known as Khatu Shyamji, located in Khatu village in Sikar District, Rajasthan.

War, love and Peace - Kurukshetra II

Peaceful Village at Kurukshetra

As Leo Tolstoy writes in “War and peace”  The strongest of all warriors are these two — Time and Patience. All violent reforms deserve censure, because they can never do away with evil as long as men are what they are; and therefore, it is a part of wisdom not to employ violence.  It's not given to people to judge what's right or wrong. People have eternally been mistaken and will be mistaken, and in nothing more than in what they consider right and wrong.

Monument near Jyothisar

Mythology is filled with examples of the results of war be it the Mahabharata and Ramayana. Whether it is personal war or war for dharma, War for land or riches the violent results of war are never good for the winning side as well. Cause and effect of the war is always unfavourable. Be it God or ordinary mortals. In the Mahabharata the Victors of the war of kurukshetra, the Pandavas lost their immediate descendants the sons of Draupadi  - Prativindhya, Shatanika, Sutasoma, Shrutasena and Shrutakarma who were killed by Ashwathama at the end of the war. In the War Ambhimanyu and Ghatothkach  were killed. Even Krishna cursed by Gandhari met his end by the arrow of an ordinary hunter. Finally after 36 years of ruling their kingdom, when the Pandavas opted for Exile and decided to walk their way to heaven, one by one they fell down exhausted and died, the first to fall among them was Draupadi and Yudishitira since he had renounced all decides not to look back or wait and advices all to continue. Draupadi preferred Arjuna among the Pandavas, (Desire was her sin).The next to fall was Sehadeva, he was proud of his knowledge (Pride is his sin). Then came the turn of  Nakula, he was really proud of his beauty (Vanity is his sin) Then came the turn of Arjuna, he was envious of all archers (Envy is his sin) then to fall was the strongest of them all  Bhima, he used to eat like crazy without serving others (Strength and Gluttony is his sin). 

Geetha updesh

Finally the one left to reach the doors of heaven was Yudhistira and a Dog that accompanied the pandavas right from the palace of Indraprastha. When the two of them reach the are stopped at the door and Yudhistira is told that only he may enter, but Yudhistira refuses to enter without the Dog. Yudhistira says that the dog was his faithful companion and he cannot abandon it, It sought his help and gave him unconditional love. The pleasures of heaven will mean nothing to him in comparison to its grief. It has done nothing to deserve abandonment and had none of the weaknesses of his wife and brothers. If it does not deserve to go to heaven, then neither do he. Indra and Gods in heaven welcome Yudhistira to heaven with his dog. The dog in mythology is a companion of Rudra, Shiva himself! Once in heaven Yudhistira sees all the Kauravas in heaven is amazed about their presence there, while his wife and brothers for their little sins are not in heaven. He questions how it is possible and is told that whoever commits sins and virtues will attain both hell and heaven. If the Sins outweigh the virtues he enjoys heaven for a brief period and lives in hell for the a longer period. If the Virtues outweigh the sins then he spends a brief period in hell and is elevated to the heavens for a larger period. So the cycle of Karma will eventually catch up. There fore the deeds of love and violence of war will not go unaccounted. We must be responsible for the pain we cause while being applauded for the love we share.

When we argue about Rama and Krishna, about righteousness and wrongness, What we forget is that what our scriptures teach us is that – there is good and evil in the world, one is not independent of the other, and they are but two sides of the same coin. Every person has a mix of both good and evil in us. Our persona is exhibited based on the part of us predominates the other. This makes us the Hero or the Villian. To be elevated to the status of God does not absolve us of our persona. The Avatars are human beings who are elevated to a Godly status to make us understand the rules of nature. Ultimately to win one must loose and to have lost is not the end. Time knows no beginning and time knows no end. 

Dharmashetrae Kurukshetrae - Pitamaha Bhishma

Bhishma Pitamaha, A life that is adorned with such glory is naturally supposed to age gracefully, however Life is a path and every decision we make brings us to a turn in our journey of life. Lets imagine our life as a straight road from birth to death. Life is this path. The ultimate destination is death or in colourful terms moksha. Along this path whatever decisions we make are the turns, which will detour you from the path, perhaps making the journey to your destination a little longer of maybe a little shorter. Whatever our decision the consequences will be faced by us, this is what we call karma.

Ganga Putra Bhishma Pitamah Mandir

The Mahabharata is one such epic that describes the cause and effect beautifully and the place this epic enfolds is Kurukshetra. Here tucked away in a little village of Narakatari is a little pond and temple dedicated to Pitamaha Bhishma and his mother the mighty river Ganga. The Legend has it that it is here during the epic battle of Kurukshetra, Pitamaha Bhishma lay on a bed of Arrows and asked Arjuna for some water, Arjuna Shot an arrow into the ground and out came a stream of water right into pitamaha’s mouth. The Tank here is named as Banganga and referred to a Bhishma Kund.

BaanGanga

This is the place where Pitamaha lay on a bed of Arrows, on the threshold of life and death, watching his life unfold before him in the last moments of his life. He would have wondered why he sought to protect a Lineage, which had none worthy of his Ancestors. Born to Ganga and named Devavrata, and Titled Bhishma for the Vow of Celibacy he took the first decision of celibacy changed his path, denying the people a capable heir to the throne and protecting the undeserving. The next major turn he took was when he abducted the Princesses of Kashi, amba, Ambika and Ambalika to marry his undeserving brother and in the process ruined the prospects of Amba, who became the reason for the defeat of Pitamaha in battle. Bhishma in his true dedication to the throne had to bear witness to injustice to Draupadi, To the pandava clan, to Karna.

Pandavas standing beside Pitamah

Pitamaha Bhishma is considered a great example of devotion and sacrifice. His name itself is an honour to him. Bhishma was one of the greatest Bramhacharis of all time, the accumulation of Ojas due to his Bramhacharyam made him the strongest warrior of the era. It is but his decisions in life that brought forth a life full of loneliness, frusturation and sadness.  Perhaps, this is how Vasishta’s curse was supposed to unfold, Bhishma’s human life was destined to be marked with suffering. True to his name he never shied away from his duties and was a character as strong as steel, nothing in life broke him, he bravely faced the war and stood by the decisions he made. He understood the role life had for him and chose his time to end. 

Banyan Tree - Jyothisar

However big the Stature, however big the glory, however magnificient the era all must come to an end. Thus began the beginning of the end the War at Kurukshetra. Here just off the battlefield of Kurukshetra at Jyothisar is where Krishna delivered to Arjuna the sermon of the Bhagwad Gita, the doctrine of Karma and Dharma.It is Believed that all the Kauravas attained Swargawas as they died on the soil of Kurushetra in delivering their duties (Karma) as the Khastriyas. Today there exists a Banyan Tree believed to be an off shoot of the original banyan tree the only witness to Gita Updesh.

Bramha Sarovar

Kurukshetra is also believed to be the cradle of civilization, here is where Lord Brahma created civilization. This huge water tank is called the Bramha Sarovar 3600 ft long and 1500ft broad and is a perfect rectangle in shape. This tank is especially crowded during solar eclipse as it it believed that a dip during solar eclipse absolves one of all his sins.

Present day Kurukshetra is a Laid back small village, that takes pride of its significance in mythology but is modernized and its here near Jyothisar is a planetarium in memory of Kalpana Chawla, The first woman of Indian Origin in Space. 

Vamana Vs Parasurama

If Vamana the Fifth avatar of Vishnu, sent Mahabali the ruler of kerala to patala loka then could it be that Kerala along with mahabali was pushed down below the seas to the Netherlands and then Parasurama the 6^th avatar created kerala, and reclaimed the lands from the sea. The people of kerala are also not the same as Parasurama is believed to have relocated Brahmans by giving them Land as a gift. Though the people may not be the same, the reclaimed land from the sea could be the same. So Mahabali who we believe visits us every year during our harvest festival is not visiting the descendants of his subjects, but a whole new race of people who relocated from far off territories. Today Kerala is called 'Gods own Country'  which is globally famous for its serene and scenic beauty enclosed in the lap of Mother Nature. This beautiful place is adorned with the sheer wonderments of nature and is beautifully nestled in the south western part of India. It is endowed with the exceptional natural beauty that allures tourists from the nook and corner of the globe making wonderful carnivals to be cherished forever. Kerala is the wonderful place which fascinates a beautiful chance to explore its astounding attractions. Popularly Known as “Gods Own Country”Kerala lures tourists from all over the world. The Origin of the Myth of being Gods own country perhaps lies here, in the Story of Parasurama.

A number of myths and legends exist concerning the origin of Kerala. One such myth is the creation of Kerala by Parasuram, a warrior sage. Parasuram was the incarnation of Maha Vishnu. He was the sixth of the ten avatars (incarnation) of Vishnu. The word Parasu means 'axe' in Sanskrit and therefore the name Parasuram means 'Ram with Axe'. The aim of his birth was to deliver the world from the arrogant oppression of the ruling caste, the Kshatriyas. To atone the sin of having killed the erring Kshatriyas. He sat in meditation at Gokarnam. There, he was blessed by Varuna - the God of the Oceans and Bhumidevi - Goddess of Earth. From Gokarnam he reached Kanyakumari and threw his axe northward across the ocean. The place where the axe landed was Kerala. It was 160 katam (an old measure) of land lying between Gokarnam and Kanyakumari. Kerala is also known as Parasurama Kshetram, ie., 'The Land of Parasurama',as the land was reclaimed from sea by him.

The land that was recovered from the seas was not suitable for human habitation as it was filled with poisonous snakes and other wild animals. Later, the great Parasurama invoked the Snake King Vasuki, and  told him that as the snakes are roaming all over the place people are afraid to live there and the water was also contaminated with minerals so nobody can drink water. He requested Vasuki to help him to solve these problems so that the people whom he had given the land as BHOO DANAM can live there happily. Vasuki promised him that he will direct all the snakes to live in the forest where Parasurama sat for worshipping Vasuki said that if some snakes are living outside this forest, they will always be inside the holes and will come out for food only. They will not attack anybody unless and until someone tries to attack them. Moreover he will draw all minerals from the water and put it in the ocean and nearby lakes and except for this water the entire water in the land will become sweet. In turn Vasuki told Parasurama to instruct his people to designate some particular areas in their compound for snakes and start worshipping them as their family god. Vasuki who converted their land into fertile land, and later was appointed as protector and custodian of the new land. People of Kerala have a dedicated place of worship for Vasuki which is Mannarshala. Some Communities dedicated the South West (kanni Moola)Corner of their land to Sarpa Kaavu.

 It is believed that Parasuram planted the 64 Brahmin families in Kerala whom he brought down from the north in order to expiate his slaughter of the Kshatriyas by giving them Bhoo Danam. Thus was born a fertile land with pure minded people. Parusurama was their guiding light, mentor and protector. Soon, when the time was ripe to leave them on their own and return to rumination, he gave them a boon.

What Parasurama said was, whenever the land he had created, and the people inhabiting it, needed him in times of necessity, all of them should get together, and pray. He would immediately be present before them and do all to rid them of their troubles and predicament. Time passed. The people of the land were covered in prosperity and opulence. There was nothing that was petite or diminutive for them all. But as is human nature doubt developed in the minds of the people– if Parasurama sincerely would be there for them, when they needed him? To settle their doubts they decided to invoke Parasurama, they gathered and prayed to him. As promised Parasurama appeared and asked them what the trouble was. They told him that they had prayed for attendance, just to check if the promise that he had given to them was true or not.

Parasurama who is also known for his temper when affronted with this attitude was enraged and cursed the people – “Now, let there be so much infighting and squabbling between you all that even when you need me, all of you cannot sit together and pray, and make my presence obligatory here” Insulted, offended and slighted, Parasurama had left the people behind with never ending battles for land, power, culture and ego. To this day We can never agree on any issue, it holds true for all. Parasurama, being the Chiranjeevi avatar of Vishnu is roaming the earth waiting for the people of his land to call him in unison to rid them of all their tribulations.

We can never conclude in unison and the questions remain. Vishnu avatars are in different Yugas. The Yugantaras are reason for change. Only Change is Constant, Time is the variant and the result is progress. Nothing is eternal.  

The Living Gods

Muthappan is worshiped as a single deity, but he actually represents an integrated or unified form of two Gods, namely Vishnu (with a snake on the crown) and Shiva (with a crescent-shape on the crown). Theyyam of northern Kerala mirrors the entire traits of the folk in their conception of the divine. Though communities give their own aesthetic embodiment in terms of attire, pattern etc, the form remains one and the same internally in its expression of the geo-ethnic sensibilities of a community. A magnificent blend of vocal instrumental music, dance, painting and of course, colors that spell visual harmony with every perceptive of folk life.

Vishnuroopam

Shivaroopam

 A striking peculiarity of the Theyyam system is that there are no temples dedicated for year-round worship. In wooded groves scattered in the village, within nondescript wooden or thatched sheds, a solitary stone or a sword, or a wooden stool remains as a symbolic presence of the divine, which does not insist on the elaborate rituals of a temple or the regular offerings from the devout. The exceptions are the deities at Parassinikadavu, who descend daily to bless the devotees and receive offerings.

As the monsoon ends and the landscape glistens in restful shades of emerald and sapphire, there bursts forth in the North Malabar region in Southern India, fiery forms of supernatural Beings. Sporting extraordinarily ornate headdresses that sometimes rise several feet in the air and carrying flaming torches, these Beings appear, move, leap, speak, and dance in front of shrines, altars and village homes. 

Elaborate face paint

 These are the Theyyam gods and goddesses – incarnating in fantastic forms that seem to transcend human imagination.For the more active warrior gods, a vellattam, or energetic ritual dance incorporating martial arts, is required. After this the performer will retire to a temporary structure to be made up and costumed as the actual deities Theyyam, is the actual manifestation of the divine spirit. Here the dancer reappears in proper make up and costumes. 

Head dress

The spirit of that Theyyam migrates into the artist who has assumed that spirit and it is a belief that the god or goddess comes in the midst of the gathering through the medium of the possessed dancer. The dancer throws rice on the audience and distributes turmeric powder as symbols of blessings. It is believed that the Theyyam has curative powers. Theyyam artistes are male. It is not a profession or calling that can be adopted. The artist's shrine rights are always inherited from the mother's family and when he marries, he also acquires the shrine rights of his wife's family. The artistes share a common training and tradition in which the process of becoming the deity is achieved after intense mental, physical and spiritual preparation. The kolam performs various types dancing and it is believed that the spirit of the god, goddess, hero or heroine migrates into the person. The dance may take slow or fast pace depending upon his character. Sometimes even weapons are used. it encompasses a complex universe centered on the belief that a man can - after suitable mental, physical and spiritual preliminaries - don the costume of a particular deity and then become that deity.

Face painting

 In this elevated state, he assumes superhuman and divine powers”. This pantheon of the Divine is extensive, includes not only gods and goddesses, but warrior heroes, ancestors, animals, ghosts and spirits as well. These deified forms are welcomed with great respect and reverence by the villagers for they are believed to be unpredictable in nature and endowed with the supreme power to either bless or curse, to protect or destroy, to nurture or nullify.

The costumes of Theyyam are made out of cutting and painting coconut sheaths in black, white and red patterns, fresh coconut fronds form skirts, fashioning breasts out of dry coconut shells and tying a red cloth around the waist. The facial decorations are intricately designed with enriched symbolism. Muthappan speaks symbolically and the interpretation is left to you. They hold your hand and ask you to believe in them and intimidate you with the essence of a higher power. The entire atmosphere brings in awe and mysticism.

Coconut frond skirt

  Toddy plays a very significant role in the proceedings, it is an offering to the gods and almost all the performers dance under the influence. This helps in creating the feeling of "possessed". The performers belong to the "Malayan" caste of tribals, who are given prime importance in Thirra and Theyyam. Therefore in Kerala, both upper caste Brahmins, and lower caste tribals have an important place in worship. 

Theyyam Festival served as sort of a social equalizer, bringing together people of all classes and tribes through religious participation. Today, even though the social degradation associated with belonging to the low caste has been eliminated, the art form itself has remained under the sole custodianship of these traditional families and it is through descendants of those communities that this ritual performance is practiced and kept alive.

A look at the Divine

 Toddy plays a very significant role in the proceedings, it is an offering to the gods and almost all the performers dance under the influence. This helps in creating the feeling of "possessed". The performers belong to the "Malayan" caste of tribals, who are given prime importance in Thirra and Theyyam. Therefore in Kerala, both upper caste Brahmins, and lower caste tribals have an important place in worship. Theyyam Festival served as sort of a social equalizer, bringing together people of all classes and tribes through religious participation. Today, even though the social degradation associated with belonging to the low caste has been eliminated, the art form itself has remained under the sole custodianship of these traditional families and it is through descendants of those communities that this ritual performance is practiced and kept alive.

Ritualistic dance

After having been painted and suitably attired to represent the God, the Artist is Shown a mirror to invoke the divine spirit into himself, a sight to behold he then looks into the Mirror and sees the divine form, he admires the divine and invokes his power, the transformation from devotee to Divine is often accompanied by grunts and screams and can be scary at times. Some of the forms of Theyyam are loud and scary, the drums and the dusk invoke a feeling of mysticism which is unparalleled. The predictions and blessings of the living Gods are considered a boon and many in the Malabar area have regular vellatam on auspicious occasions. Muthappan is the God of the Common people and is omnipresent.

Asura Chakravarthi Mahabali

The Asuras were considered at par with the Devas. The King of the Devas Indra constantly felt threatened by Asuras. The samudramanthan and subsequent find of Amruth the Elixir and the complete monopoly over the Elixir did not settle the fear of the Gods  of the power of Asuras. There are very few Asuras who have an amicable place in the hearts of the Hindus. All Asuras find place in mythology as the Villans, Ravana, Mahishasura, Hiranyakashyapu, Bhasmaasura and many more.

The Strangest of the tales is this one of Mahabali, he was the grand son of Prahalad (Even in the story of Prahalad, being an Asura does not outweigh the popularity of Narasimha) and well loved and respected king. To this day he is perhaps the only Asura who is welcomed and honoured year after year and has a festival associated with him for him and somehow the Vamana Avatara related to this mythological story is somehow subdued. 

The fifth Avataar of Vishnu is considered to have been the one to send this Asura to Patala loka. Even this Vamana Avataar seemed dwarfned by the Love and respect commanded by this king. In fact it is believed that the bravery and strength of character earned him the title of "Mahabali Chakravathy" or Mahabali - the King of Kings. It was said Mahabali was very generous and charitable. Whenever anybody approached him for help or requested for anything he always granted their wish.

Mural Art Mahabali & Vamana

On the bequest of Aditi the mother of Indra, Lord Vishnu disguised himself as a dwarf and a poor Brahmin called Vamana. He came to the Kingdom of Mahabali, just when Mahabali is said to have been performing the 100th Ashwamedha Yagna that would proclaim him the king of all the lokas. Vishnu took the form of a poor Brahmin, Vamana, and asked for a piece of land. The generous King said, he could have as much land as he wanted. The Brahmin said that he just wanted as much land as could be covered by his three steps. The King was surprised to hear but agreed. A learned adviser of the  Asura King, Shukracharya sensed that Vamana was not an ordinary person and warned the King against making the promise. But, the generous King replied that it would be a sin for a King to go back on his words and asked the Brahmin to take the land. The King could not imagine that the dwarf Brahmin was Lord Vishnu himself. Just as King Mahabali agreed to grant the land, Vamana began to expand and eventually increased himself to the size of cosmic proportions. With his first step the Brahmin boy covered the whole of earth and with the other step he covered the whole of the skies. He then asked King Mahabali where is the space for him to keep his third foot. The King realised that he was no ordinary Brahmin and his third step will destroy the  earth. Mahabali with folded hands bowed before Vamana and asked him to place his last step on his head so that he could keep the promise. The Brahmin placed his foot on the head of the King, which pushed him to patala, the nether world. There the King requested the Brahmin to reveal his true identity. Lord Vishnu then appeared before the King in his person. The Lord told the King that he came to test him and the King won the test. King Mahabali was pleased to see his lord. Lord Vishnu also granted a boon to the King. The King was so much attached with his Kingdom and people that he requested that he be allowed to visit Kerala once in a year. Lord Vishnu was moved by the Kings nobility and was pleased to grant the wish. He also blessed the King and said even after losing all his worldly possessions, the King would always be loved by Lord Vishnu and his people. Lord Vishnu is also said to have granted Mahabali the boon to be the next Indra, until the time he is Proclaimed the King of the Devas he is to rule patala.

Many believe the nether land or Patala, is a weird and undesirable place. But if you Ponder about  the mythological stories, for example The Lanka of Ravana, was a beautiful place believed to be a city of gold. It did not matter where they lived they made it a beautiful place that even the Devas were envious of. Where the Devas had Vishwakarma to make heaven a beautiful place, the Asuras had Maya. The Myths are entertaining, its up to you to interpret it. We all have our own perspectives,our own thoughts and our own understanding. Onam is reliving the Golden Era of Mahabali. A period of harvest and festivities.