MANNARSALA FESTIVAL

We heard that there was supposed to be a festival known as Ayilum sometime during the Malayalam month ofTulam (October-September) so we were grateful when we discovered that it was on October 20th, only a few days away. So on that day we returned to the temple. Our previous visit was a quite and solemn affair, but on this day the small town of Haripad exploded, and thousands of devotees, arrived from every direction. Before entering the temple grounds devotees would head to the communal bath to wash their feet, although some washed their entire bodies.

Offerings of turmeric, rice, salt, copper, etc. are given to all the serpent idols, from the 4,000 smaller ones which lined the temple, to the larger ones in the jungle grounds, and finally to Nagaraj and the other deities. picts 1-4 There were so many were given to Nagaraj that a wall of offerings was created. 5. This carried on throughout the entire day and night, until the procession began the next day.

Throughout the night priests were busy doing poojas, while specialized musicians, some belonging to the Marar and Poduval castes, were playing Panchavadyum for the serpent deities. The devotees were not allowed to step inside the sanctorum where the offerings by the priests and musicians were being made. The music in this form (Panchavadyum) is believed to manifest divinity.

Amma was performing her own duties in preperation for the rituals that were being and were going to be performed. During the day she sat in a room where she was giving blessings to her devotees. Hundreds of people were lined up, waiting for hours in the hot sun, just to catch a glimpse and blessing from the holy priestess. 6.

Music and dance functions were held during the night, set up by the temple administration. Classical dances and performances like Bharatnatyam 7. and Kathakali were performed.

PODUVAL DRUMMERS

One of the performances was done by a group that consisted predominantly of a caste of drummers known as Poduvals. They played on their traditional drum known as edaekkel. 8. The Poduvals are traditionally a low caste and are described by Thurston as one of the Ambalavasi castes meaning they are members of the temple servants caste. Poduval derives from potuval meaning common person. For some of these men, drumming is their livelihood, and they are employed all over Kerala by temples for rituals such as this. There style is intense, with fast, tight beats and rhythms. The drums are beaten with one stick, although when heard it sounds like many. The beats are repetitve, often syncronized, while at other times the drummers play off each other in what sounds like chaos. The tones are ever changing. They change them by squeezing the drum with their free hand. Watch the video of the Poduval drummers here.

PULLUVANS

On the eastern side of the temple, magical songs were recited to please the serpents, and were played by members of the Pulluvans caste, traditionally known as serpent worshippers and musicians. 9. According to caste tradition they are ranked as one of the lowest castes, and so were not allowed to perform directly in the main temple. A wooden fence seperated them from the temple. In earlier times they were not even allowed inside Brahmin temples, but since they were ardent serpent worshippers and believed to have an intimate connection with the serpent deities, they have been allowed to play here. They played music with their own traditional instruments known as the nagaveena 10. and the kudum 11. Devotees would lay some money down and tell the Pulluvans their names and sometimes date of birth whenever the ritualists deemed it neccessary. They would then sing a song set to a specific rhythms and tune, using the devotees name and birth in the song. This magical song is supposed to bring benefit and good fortune from the serpent gods to those who hear it. To learn more about the Pulluvans click here to see them at the Trichur page.

PROCESSION

Thousands of people slept on the temple grounds till the morning. People were coming in at all times. It was interesting to see the many types of devotees who came to Mannarsala. Many sadhus and ascetics were present. What was interesting was the large amount of female ascetics who came. Picts 12-14.

The proper time had arrived, which was the late afternoon, and the procession was about to begin. The musicians played their last melodies to the idols while a huge crowd of people gathered around the temple doorways to catch a glimpse of Nagaraj. The priests stepped out of the sanctum with their parasols to cover Amma who emerged from the door with the idol in her hands. People began chanting and screaming, while many of the women let out eerie howls, something like a banshee would make. This tone and method is, according to some, a call which is supposed to represent pure devotion.

Watch a clip of the procession here.

Amma, followed by the priests, and then the musicians, began to circle the temple. The policemen held back the immense crowd, and headed toward the Thevaram chamber where Amma would perform her poojas.

It took about 30 minutes for the procession to arrive their, pushing through thousands of devotees who stood on the side lines. 15. The orchestra remained outside while Amma began her poojas for the rest of the night. 16

Inside a kallam, powdered floor design, was made of a large red snake, who is supposed to represent the serpent deities. Many different offerings were placed inside the kallam such as flowers, and rice, and in the middle was a coconut. The idols were given their respective places and Amma sat down and began her rituals of offerings and prayers. Watch her perform pooja here.

This went on throughout the rest of the night as people again stood in line to catch a few seconds of Amma performing her poojas, and to give and receive blessings from the gods. Musicians played on both sides for her. picts 17+

After she had finished her poojas, the kallam was destroyed. The powder, considered sacred, along with the other ritual offerings were passed around to the people as prasad.