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I have heard many "nadanpattukal" ( folk songs ) about the culture of Kerala from school and surroundings. One of them is about Attummanammel Unniyarcha. Even my mother would recite one or two lines of Unniyarcha many times. Unniyarcha came from Puthooramveedu, as the sister of Aromal Chekavar & Unni kannan, both of them great warriors. She was trained in matial arts and an expert in wieding urumi, a flexible sword used in kalarippayattu. She saved the women of her village from enemies. Unniyarcha spurned Chandu Chekavar's love for her, which led to the murder of her brother Aromal Chekavar by Chanthu. Later, Aromalunni, the son of Unniyarcha, took revenge against Chanthu. Unniyarcha is considered as a heroine and symbol of brave woman of Kerala. Hearing these stories, I imagined myself as Unniyarcha. Then, what would happen ? I would have to escape from my enemies because I didn't know martial arts or how to use urumi.
Another story I heard from my childhood was that of "kadamattathu kathanar". Kadamattam is a place near Kolenchery. From Kolenchery, after three or four busstops, one can reach the Church in Kadamattam. "Kathanar" means "a priest". It is said that in his childhood his name was Paulose. He lived alone and a priest in the Church looked after him and at last he became a deacon. There are different stories related to kadamattathu kathanar. One story says that he went in search of cattle, but he didnot return. He had lost his way in the deep forest, which eventually led him to a group of ancient tribals. It is believed that he mastered his magical powers from the tribes known as Mala Arayas. I have heard the stories about kadamattathu kathanar in the conversation between my father & some of his friends passing through the road once in a year or twice.
Another thing I want to mention here is Romanticism in Malayalam Literature. I don't want to make a critical analysis. Changampuzha Krishnapillai wrote a romantic elegy, "Ramanan". But I was interested in "Vazhakkula", written in 1937. "Vazhakkula" means "a bunch of plantain fruit". The story is like this. A person called 'Malayappulayan' was a tenant of landlord. The name itself attracted me because my ancestors were Pulayas. He didn't have any property of his own. He lived in a hut on one end of landlord's land. Malayappulayan planted a tender njalippoovan ( a kind of plantain tree) in front of his hut. It is the tastiest of all plantain fruits. His wife Azhaki watered the plant daily, imagining the day on which her children taking the fruits happily. Their children eagerly waited for the day on which the njalippoovan fruit becomes mature. At last the day arrived. But the landlord's men came and carried the bunch of njalippoovan fruit to landlord's home. The children wept aloud. The grief of Azhaki was indescribable. How could they do such injustice to the poor ? It was because of feudalism & caste system.
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I have heard many "nadanpattukal" ( folk songs ) about the culture of Kerala from school and surroundings. One of them is about Attummanammel Unniyarcha. Even my mother would recite one or two lines of Unniyarcha many times. Unniyarcha came from Puthooramveedu, as the sister of Aromal Chekavar & Unni kannan, both of them great warriors. She was trained in matial arts and an expert in wieding urumi, a flexible sword used in kalarippayattu. She saved the women of her village from enemies. Unniyarcha spurned Chandu Chekavar's love for her, which led to the murder of her brother Aromal Chekavar by Chanthu. Later, Aromalunni, the son of Unniyarcha, took revenge against Chanthu. Unniyarcha is considered as a heroine and symbol of brave woman of Kerala. Hearing these stories, I imagined myself as Unniyarcha. Then, what would happen ? I would have to escape from my enemies because I didn't know martial arts or how to use urumi.
Another story I heard from my childhood was that of "kadamattathu kathanar". Kadamattam is a place near Kolenchery. From Kolenchery, after three or four busstops, one can reach the Church in Kadamattam. "Kathanar" means "a priest". It is said that in his childhood his name was Paulose. He lived alone and a priest in the Church looked after him and at last he became a deacon. There are different stories related to kadamattathu kathanar. One story says that he went in search of cattle, but he didnot return. He had lost his way in the deep forest, which eventually led him to a group of ancient tribals. It is believed that he mastered his magical powers from the tribes known as Mala Arayas. I have heard the stories about kadamattathu kathanar in the conversation between my father & some of his friends passing through the road once in a year or twice.
Another thing I want to mention here is Romanticism in Malayalam Literature. I don't want to make a critical analysis. Changampuzha Krishnapillai wrote a romantic elegy, "Ramanan". But I was interested in "Vazhakkula", written in 1937. "Vazhakkula" means "a bunch of plantain fruit". The story is like this. A person called 'Malayappulayan' was a tenant of landlord. The name itself attracted me because my ancestors were Pulayas. He didn't have any property of his own. He lived in a hut on one end of landlord's land. Malayappulayan planted a tender njalippoovan ( a kind of plantain tree) in front of his hut. It is the tastiest of all plantain fruits. His wife Azhaki watered the plant daily, imagining the day on which her children taking the fruits happily. Their children eagerly waited for the day on which the njalippoovan fruit becomes mature. At last the day arrived. But the landlord's men came and carried the bunch of njalippoovan fruit to landlord's home. The children wept aloud. The grief of Azhaki was indescribable. How could they do such injustice to the poor ? It was because of feudalism & caste system.
"Malayappulayan " is a symbol. How many Malayappulayans were there ! When I sit in the rubber plantation alone, I would think about the poem and tears would roll down my cheeks ! How many Azhakis were there ! They had no right to cover the upper part of their body ! I would imagine myself cleaning the courtyard of the landlord without wearing anything on the upper part of my body ! When I think about it, I couldn't see anything because tears would fill my eyes. How many 'kidathanmar' (children) lived here without knowing the taste of njalippoovan fruit. Whenever I take njalippoovan fruit, I would remember those children. Seeing this kind of odd caste system, feudalism & untouchability, Swami Vivekanandan once called Kerala "a lunatic asylum". Today, the atmosphere has changed. But I doubt whether a whole change has taken place or not.
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