INTERVIEW AT PAZHYANNUR TEMPLE WITH T. VASUDEVAN

CLick here to watch the musicians perform

Regarding the orchestra, the number of instruments will vary which will depend on the gravity of the function that we are doing. Say the timmara for example, commonly 5 timmaras are used in all festivals. and that can be increased depending on the quantity of money we have invested. There can be 7, 11, 13 and so on. and for these five timmalas, there will be three mandalams minimum. Today, here we have engaged in 9 timmalas and 5 mandalams. The other insturments are edaekkal, which is a must in this because it tunes and it is actually the background from which the other vadyams are developed. Now we are having here two edaekkals. and one is a very famous musician, Pavalapum Marar who is leading, and there is also Thiruthira Hari who is also joining in edaekkal. The timmala is led by Kunyakutun of Palechena and madalam led by Cherupanchari Shivan.

Can you explain the formation of the musicians?
Number one, there is one line of timmalas. People watch the players in front of them to know how and when they must begin, end, what tune to play etc. That can be grasped only by looking at each other, because as you can see the man who is leading he will just give a look to the leader of the other insturments. And they, with their eyes, agree that we need to have this thallam (tempo), that thallam, how to develop etc. This gives motivation to all the other players. Their is a specified convention that the other instruments like the kumbam, can be lined only behind the mandalams. And in one line you can see only timmalla. This is the conventional structure, maintained from time memorial. The two eddaekkels here, on both sides, provide the foundation, choosing the necessary thallams. They also want to be seeing each other, that is the criteria. All of them should be able to see each other.

Are there any stories about how this formation came about or why?
No, there is no myth about them, I don't know, whether ancient people know. But we don't have anything like them nowadays. Panchavadyum you see is the embodiment of so many vadyas, which is quite common in Kerala. And of course there is said to be divinity in that form. Perhaps now we use it for some other purposes also.

Are there any differences in caste?
Absolutely. In former days these insturments were handled by upper caste people, for example Marars, Brahmin, Nairs etc. But nowadays it is common that any caste or any community can practice this, produce it or depict it in front of anybody. But here, naturally being a Hindu temple in Payhzannor we don't allow people from any other religion to handle the insturments. Particularly no Muslims or Christians or such will function here. That is the restriction in this particular temple.

What is your role with this temple?
I am secretary of the Kshatryia Samhidi. There are a 101 members here and our society is a registered office, bearing a registration number, as according to law. We take up the developmental affairs with the donors of the temple, which is the Cochin Devaswom Board, to deal with whatever problems or work we have, whatever facilities are needed for the devotees coming here etc. Its really because of the peoples cooperation and contributions that so many developments have been done here. This was a very small temple previously but because of these people activities it has grown. Our role is to maintain and lead the cultural and social programs. All external affairs are held by the Kshatyria Samhidi. Once in three years the body meets, a total of 21 executive members are there and these members elect the officials. I have been here for the last 6 or 7 years.

Are there any myths about temple?
In ancient times, there were some Namboodri families here. They installed a palipatartan, Sree Krishna, who is the original god here. This place at the time was under the Cochin dynasty. Once the king of this dynasty went to Benares, Kashi. He was having trouble with enemies or something and he believed that if he went to Benares and praised God, he would receive freedom from attack of his enemy. With that aim he went there.

The king returned from Kashi, bringing along with him the Goddess. It was evening time, and they came and sat in front of a road where a tree was. The king all of a sudden received a message from the Cochin dynasty that somebody was planning to attack. Immediately the king left the place forgotting that the goddess had come there with him. Lost, she walked about in search of food. She came upon a temple where Shree Krishna had been installed and saw two Namboodri's performing pooja. One of them, who belonged to the Palanamboodris, received the goddess, asked her to sit and asked the other Namboodri, Kunathanamboodri to provide her with food. She sat there while he provided her with food, and it is believed that the temple is the spot where she sat and eventually revealed herself to the priests. This place is known as Shree Govil, and whatever is done here is done with the consent of the Pathanlanamboodri and the Kunanthanamboodri who decide what to do and give so that the Goddess is happy.

Subsequently the temple administration afterward came under the Cochin Devaswom board. Now the board has about 390 temples in Cochin state and of these there are 14 or 15 temples which are Maha (great) temples, this one being listed as one of them. Even devotees from Tirupaturi come here. They come, perform poojas and return home.

The Goddess here is known as Hanapushari Bhagawati. We have a festival known as Ankindamandam where we celebrate the birthday of the Baghwati. This festival, celebrated today, is known as Asthanpunami and is done for Shree Krishna; it is an anniversary done every year.

There are 7 temples and sub temples under this one, this one being the chief. They are all within the vicinity. The closest temple here is Vetaguran Kavu, which is supposed to be the son, somtimes considered the body, of the goddess. Anyway it is a very powerful god as far as we are concerned. So whatever we do here for the goddess, the next day we will naturally go to him, perform poojas and celebrate there also. They are connected. This has been for time immemorial. Lower castes were known to kill chickens here in the past, but no longer.

For the festival 5 elephants are bathed and decorated. The deity is placed on the elephant and taken around in a procession, all the way to the tree in front of the temple. Parasols (umbrellaÕs) are also raised so as to offer protection to the god. Music is played for the deity by the drummers and others. The conch is played first and is representative of the chunga, the primordial sound of the Universe. Vishnu is believed to have given the conch to the Marars. We were told that at some point the drummers change the rhythm, known as Òtalavatam which means a tightening of the rhythm. When this happens they say the atmosphere changes and emotions are stirred. It is a great thing.Ó

When elephant turns back, a different tala is played known as malam. The deity is then taken back, pooja is performed and ritual is done.