My rendezvous with Sri Muthappan

 "എന്ടെ പറശ്ശിനികടവ് മുത്തപ്പാ കാതി രക്ഷികന്നെ"

Disclaimer: A small part of the post is deliberately written in Malayalam to keep up its originality. The translations for the same are just about adequate to give you an understanding of the entire picture.

For those of you, who are not acquainted with Muthappan, let me give you a short intro. Muthappan, a hunter and an incarnation of Lord Shiva, is the most popular local deity in the Northern Malabar region of Kerala (more predominantly in the Kannur district).

Unlike Sri Krishna, who used to devour pots filled with butter for a living, or Ganesha, who used to stuff his belly with modaks, Muthappan’s favourite food was boiled gram with coconut pieces and roasted dry fish, accompanied by kallu or toddy to wash it down. Muthappan worshipping is a typical example of the Non-Sattvic or Non-Brahmanical form of worship (due to the inclusion of fish and alcohol inside the temple premises).

He, among others, remains to be the coolest God I’ve ever come across.

Without digressing too much, I move on to the topic. The Muthappan I’m speaking about is a living person, dressed up like the God himself with the traditional costume and all the other paraphernalia, in order to perform a ceremony called Velattom (വെള്ളാട്ടം).  He is said to get possessed by the real Muthappan once the ritual begins, and this supposedly gives him incredible powers to predict people’s futures and give them some wise counselling and advice.

I’ve had a previous encounter with Muthappan way back in December 2006 while I was spending time with my cousins in Kannur. But, the meeting was too brief for me to comprehend anything from it. So when I got an opportunity to attend this sanctified ceremony while I was in Kerala this November (2009), I never had to think twice or coax myself.

To be honest, I hadn’t anticipated this meeting with Muthappan at all. I happened to go to my aunt’s house on a casual visit one evening when she told me about the event which was happening at the nearby temple or Kaavu (കാവ്). On further interrogation, I found out that the ceremony was being conducted by another relative of mine (by now you must’ve figured out that the place is filled with my relatives). My maternal uncle, who stays with us in Bangalore and was accompanying me that day, was also very keen on seeing the ritual. The only problem was that, I was wearing a pair of khaki shorts (you know the ones with a few hundred pockets) that evening and I very well knew that it was the most inapposite thing to do, especially while going to a temple. But like I said, I hadn’t anticipated it, and I didn’t have time to get back home and change my clothes.

So there I was, moments later, in the temple; rubbing shoulders with the other devotees in the waiting line, to get the exact prognostication of my life from the Venerable Muthappan. My uncle was standing before me in the queue and when his turn came, he whispered his problems into Muthappan’s ears. I couldn’t hear what Muthappan told him, but by the look of my uncle’s face I could tell that he was satisfied and was willing to take all remedial measures or pariharam to overcome his problems.  

                                                                                                                          
 Muthappan giving advice

 What follows this is the conversation between yours truly and ours truly

Muthappan (Holding my hands): Hmm… Parayu (tell me)

I (immediately putting on a woebegone expression): Paddipu kazhani… Jolli onum vijaaricha polle kittinilla. Videshatti povaan shramikugayaanu. (Actually I’ve finished my studies but I’m finding it difficult to go abroad)

Mu: Hmmm…

I: Videshatti Jolli kittumo? (Will I get the job abroad?)

Mu: Ippol thenney povanna? (Do you want to go now itself?)

I: Aan! ippol thenney povaan avasaram kittiyaal nalladaayirunnu.(Yes! It would be great if I can go now itself)

Mu: Koracchu samayam sanyasi aayi jeevikugga. Ambalavaasi aayi kshetrangal ellam onum karangugga. Muthappan ayhachi theram. Vishamikalle! ( Don’t worry, just live the life of an ascetic for a while, visit a few temples, and I’ll send you soon).

I: Sheri Muthappa (OK)

So there I was, swaggering around in elation, after my chat with Muthappan. The pariharam was to lead an ascetic life for a short while and visit as many temples as possible, until I found my job abroad. This was acceptable by me and I was thanking my stars for getting to listen to some positive answer from Muthappan (I was told later that not everyone got to listen to what he/she wanted to hear or found favourable. Sometimes, the opposite proved to be true). I was also happy because he didn't mention anything about the attire I was in.

There there there... Just when I thought it was over, Muthappan called me again to give me some kallu in a small kindi (water dispenser). After drinking the toddy, I returned the kindi to him so that he could fill it and pass it on to others but, this was not what he had in mind. He held my hands again to tell me some more things. The conversation is as follows: 

Mu: Vishamikalla, Muthappan vegam thenney ayyachi theram (Don’t worry, Muthappan will send you soon).

I: Sheri (OK)

Mu: Muthappan ayyachi thannal endu therrum Muthappani? (What will you give me if I send you there?)

I: hmmm……. Ariyilla. Endhi venam? ( Don’t know. Do you have anything in mind?)

Muthappan: Adatha pravisham verumbol, Muthappani kallu vattichi eduthu, arrack aaki konditheranam, ketto? Ipo thenne venda. Ni videshattilokke poyyitti vaa. Oru randu randarra varshangalki shesham thanna madhi, ketto? Engana ethikande ni orthu vishamikkanda. Muthappan vayyi kaanichi therum, ketto? (Ok I’ll tell you what. Distill some toddy, convert it to arrack*, bottle it and give it to me. I don’t need it right now. Go abroad, come back in two to two and a half years and then give it to me. Don’t break your head thinking about how you’re going to give it to me. I’ll show you the way to get to me once you're back.

I: Sheri Muthappa (OK)

Mu: Pinne, adhatha pravisham verumbol, vasthrangal onu maathi verugaa. Kaavi mundu uduthiti venam Muthappande mumbil veraan. (Wait a minute… The next time you visit me, you shouldn’t be wearing such clothing. Wear a saffron dhothi and present yourself well)

I: Sheri Muthappa. (OK)


Mu: *guffaws*

Phew! That was embarrassing. But all the same, it gave the others (who came with their problems) around me a reason to smile. So much for Muthappan’s sense of humour and his uniqueness. He surely has his way of getting things done. Doesn't he? :)

                                           

*Any distilled spirit (whisky, brandy, rum, etc.)  can be given  instead of arrack. Have you ever heard of hard liquor being offered to a temple before?

 നന്ദി! നമസ്കാരം !

PS: I've always wanted to go to Sabarimala; explore the beauty and faith attached to the place in my quest to find solace. Muthappan's advice of leading an ascetic life for a while gives me reason enough to go now. Expect a post on it very soon. Swamy Sharanam!