365bet娱乐

[Full title: Influence of legends on the customs and traditions of Sucindram temple (1) Suchindram Pratyayam]

Legends pays a dominant role in the traditions and customs of Sucindram temple. Many customs of yester years are associated with these legends. Today also daily Pujas have the influence of legends 161

Sucindram Pratyayam or Kaimukku, Ardhayama Puja and ratholsava have come into existence by the influence of the Indra legend. 1. Sucindram Pratyayam Kaimukku or pratyayam is associated with Indra's purification in this sacred temple. In order to redeem himself from the curse of Gautama, Indra underwent the process of submerging himself in boiling ghee at Sucindram. This mythical background of Indra's purification in the temple is evidently, served as the cause for the institution of the ordeal at Sucindram. Sucindrum temple acquired great importance by the pratyayam or Kaimukku ordeal. This was a practical mode of testing, the innocence of a suspected offender. The accused was to dip his hand in boiling ghee at the temple, and if his hand was left unburnt, his innocence was established. This custom was stopped by the famous Travancore king Swati Thirunal in 1834 A.D. As this custom was a rare one, a brief description of the same is given here. Kaimukku ordeal is mainly related to sexual offences. In some instances it is used for testing of crimes such as murder. This ordeal was related to the Namboothiri brahmins of Kerala. If a Namboothiri was outcasted after conducting an ordeal namely Smartavichara for seducing a Namboothiri woman, his only refuge was Sucindram Kaimukku. With the letter from his village headman, Bhattathiri, he approaches the Travancore king. Then the Maharaja orders, the committee of Sucindram 162

temple conduct the Kaimukku. The committee consists of certain brahmin families related to managers of Sucindram temple [puttillam, Kuttampalli, Mullamangalam, Veliyara, Arasila, Soma simangelam and matham]. Senior member of each family will be the member of the committee. The Srikaryam Namboothiri, Vattappalli Vattappalli Sthanikar, and Valiya Srikaryakar who is the representative of the Travancore government. It also members of the committee. The pompane Bhattathiri was the officiating chairman of the yogam or committee. As the loyal Nitt or royal order reaches the yogam, the accused reaches the Vattappalli madom, the house of the Vattappalli Sthanikar, with his servants and the representatives the village administrator, and acquaints him the object of the mission. The Vattappalli Sthanikar immediately proceeds along with them to the temple. There the yogam would have already started at the time of sunset. According to the custom no light other than the lamp inside the temple is used. The accused submits 7 panas 9 a (coin of ancient Travancore) 6 hundred betel leaves and 60 arecanuts as the fee. With the permission of all the members of yogam the poppane Bhattathir, ie the chairman fixes the ordeals to the next day. Then he asks the accused to solemly swear thrice to the affect that he was innocent and rings the bell once at the termination of the swearing. The accused is ordered to completely abstain from any kind of cooked food on the day of the test only tender coconuts and fruits are allowed; the usual food can be taken only after the Kaimukku is over. 163

i The next day the accused arrives at the temple with his relatives and friends. The sabha assembles in Kazhakkadom, a rectangular space to the east of the Vadakkedam Dhvajastambe. This is the spot were the ordeal takes place. Next day morning when the yogam assembles the Vattappalli Sthanikar brings the necessary things for pratyeyam, viz.. a big vessel for boiling ghee, a silver lamp, a gold pitcher, two pots with spout (kindis) one of gold and another of silver, a silver pot for holding flowers, another silver vessel containing sandol paste and a pujapatram and other materials like ghee, gingelly oil and coconut oil. The assistant spreads river-bed sand under the oven. When all the things are ready the accused is called upon to produce before the yogam 21 bundles of betal leaves, 310 arecanuts, 26 panams and two Kash, as also one kindi a pot with a spout, for pouring water. Bhattathiri reads the Pampu (letter from the lead man of the villose of accused) and the Vattappalli Sthaniker breaks a coconut infront of Indrivatapam pilleyar (Saksi Ganapati) and just prior to the image of Ganapati. The space is unique. On the ceiling, there is a small opening of about 3 square inches, in order to allow the sun's rays to fall on the spot below, so that the ordeal could be held with the celestial surya himself as holy witness. The pillar immediately to south of the place presents the engraved image of Ganapati, described as saksi- Ganapati. This deity was propitiated as the witness of Kaimukku ordeal. The same test was conducted under his auspices, it was believed. The sun, Ganapati and the Lord Siva (Sucindranatha) witness the Kaimukku. It was the tradition of sounding the conch continuously. The poppane Bhattathiri asks the accused to take bath in the spring near to the idol od Sakhi Ganapati. Bhattathiri then writes on a palm-leaf 164

the deed of oath and the time-honoured verse employed on the occasion of the pratyayam, It runs as follows: adityacandravanilanalau ca | dyaurbhumirapo hrdayam yamasca | | ahasca ratrisya ubhe ca sandhye | dharmasca janati narasya vrttam || The vattappalli Sthanikar fastens the palm-leaf into the cloth worn around the waist of the accused so that the palm-leaf touches his navel. Meanwhile the ghee and gingelly oil are boiled to a high pitch. Then, the leaves of the 'mahisa'- Plant, and the bark of Jianjitrte (mimusops Elengi) are thrown in, to test whether the boiling has reached the required stage as specified. When the leaf and bark make a cracking sound as an indication that the boiling has reached the required stage, the defendent is called upon to dip his hand into the boiling liquid and take out the Nandi seal. On doing this, he is led by the 'Sribalippura' one round and thence to Tekkedam. Where either the Bhattathiri or any of his representatives ties up his hand containing the Nandi seal with a freshly washed cloth. Thereafter the accused is taken to the residence of the chairman of the yogam and made to stay there. On the next day, after the Sribali processions are over at noon. the members of the yogam assemble at Thekkedam in front of the shrine. The accused reaches the same place. Chanting mantras, the Bhattadiri unites 165

the cloth covering his hand. If the hand is found free from any wounds blister, the bhattadiri announces it. In that case the accused is to bow to Sthanunathaswamy and proceed to that ghat in the tank where he has taken his bath before. Bathing there and wearing newly washed clothes, he reaches the cuttumandapa where the Suddhapatram or exonerating document is executed with the permission of the yogom by the Bharttathiri. And the accountant of the temple signs the sudhapathram and gives it to the accused. He is also given prasadam and tirtha of the temple and he will be a free man. But if the hand of the accused is found blistered or burnt, the Bhattadiri announces that fault and guilt is confirmed. The victim is then led by the southern doorway of Sribalippura and thence to eastern street and left there. His fate is doomed: he becomes a social out-caste, and has thereafter to lead only a despicable existence. The Kaimukku records be kept with vattappalli sthanikar and Thekkuman Potti. It is interesting to note that among those who were subjected to the kaimukku at Sucindram temple, some were found guilty and others 'non guilty'.