My Place...

I'm from Kerala, `God's own country'.The National Geographic described Kerala as "Paradise found" in their list of "world's 50 best places" to visit in ones' life-time. And it's really true; if you love traveling, you should visit Kerala.

My place, Pullut, is a small village in Kodungallur Taluk, Thrissur (District). Kodungallur (I have heard that its name came from the word `Kodi linga puram' which implies the existence of one crore sivalinga's at this place), historically known as `Musris', was a port town. Being a port city, Kodungallur must have sensed the presence of many a diverse people in her glorious days. It is believed that St.Thomas came here during AD-52. It seems that Musris welcomed everyone with out bothering much about their cast, religion, culture etc., manifestation of which is the presence of St.Thomas church and India's first Juma Musjid along with Kodungallur Bhagavati Temple. (Some controversies still exist regarding the exact location of Musris and also about the origin Christanity in Kerala.). It is believed that the natural port at Musris shifted to Cochin due to a flood in the river Periyar. Anyway, now that place where once existed a port, is a quiet sea shore-a nice place to spend ones evenings...

My village, pullut, itself is a scenic one; backwaters crowning the glory of it. My house face these backwaters. I remember that during my childhood we could really see the beauty of it form the house itself. But now the view is obstructed by many a houses in its way. A ferry service is still there, although seldom used nowadays, as the remnants of the past, connecting Kodungallur and Pullut.

Temples and temple festivals become an integral part of life here. Our upper primary school itself is having a temple at the center of its campus. So whenever temple festivals are there, there used to be no schooling...Since it was a `subramanya temple' there used to be `Kavadi aatams'(a dance with decorated kaavadies on ones shoulders) and most of the times these kaavadies will be made in one of our class rooms...High school is just near to backwaters. During monsoon, most of the fishermen of Pullut will be thrown out of their houses due to flood and our high school used to be the refugee camp for many of them. Being not matured enough to realize, we used to enjoy those days. School ground used to be covered with water, my fellow friends used to bring boats (made of banana trunks) and we used to enjoy the flood.

Kodungallur is famous for its temple which is situated at the heart of the town. The idol is `Bhagavati'. There are many many tales associated with the temple. Some people believe that the idol represents `Kannaki', heroine of Tamil epic `Chilappathikaaram'. Kannaki is the embodiment of woman power who burned the city of Madurai to ashes with her power, when her husband was assassinated by the king, mistaking him as the robber of his wife's jewelry, a chilampu(a golden ankle ornament with precious stones inside). It is also believed that the temple was a Buddhist madh. It seems, to drive Buddhist monks out of the city, people killed fowls and put it inside the temple; a ritual which is still prevailing (even though they will be putting alive ones nowadays). But the temple is most famous (rather notorious!)for the festival `Bharani', during which people from all over Kerala will be coming to the temple, singing songs(most of them having enough `adults only part' in it :-); very famous as ``Bharanippattu''), along with some strange rituals such as `kaavu theendal'; a violent pradakshinam(rather a run) around the temple during which they will be throwing fowls to the inside of the temple. One can still have the glimpse of a Raja era, when Kodungallur thampuran (Raja of Kodungallur) comes there to give his consent to do these rituals. I do not know whether these are mere superstitions or something else, but ones' life is highly entangled with all these once you are born there and live there. Now most of these things look very strange...

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