Kunnathoor Padi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kunnathur Padi is the Aaroodam of Sree Muthappan. It is 3,000 feet above sea level atop Udumbamala of the Sahyadri mountain. It is in Kannur District of Kerala state, south India.
This is the place where the famous Kunnathur Padi festival is conducted. You can read more about Muthappan stories here: Sree Muthappan
There is no temple for Sree Muthappan in Kunnathur Padi. The festival is conducted in a natural setting. This is because Sri Muthappan frequently reminds that "fallen leaves, a spring, a large mountain, a round stone, forest and palm trees are enough, for me".
Contents |
[edit] Kunnathur Padi festival
There is an open place and a cave amid the forest. During the festival season a temporary madappura is erected here. This is the considered as Sreekovil. You can see a stone, a rock stand and a mud platform at the west side of this madapura. You also can see two palm trees, one on each side of the cave. There is a spring called Thiruvankadavu at the north side. Beyond that is Aadipadi.
Festival at Padi begins from the month of Dhanu 2 and ends on Makaram 2 (Mid of December to Mid of January).
[edit] Festival in brief
Thanthries do the purifying rituals (Sudhi, pasudanam, punyaham, Ganapati homam and Bhagavathiseva]. Malayirakkal (invoking) of Sri Muthappan is done from Puralimala. In all other madappuras, this is done from Kunnathurpadi.
Thiruvappana and Vellattam do not appear simultaneously in the padi as in many other Sri Muthappan centres.
[edit] How Kunnathur Padi became Aaroodam for Sree Muthappan
| The Naduvazhi (landlord) Ayyankara Illath Vazhunnavar was unhappy as he had no child. His wife Padikutty Antharjanam was a devotee of Lord Shiva. She offered several things as sacrifice to the God Shiva. One day in her dream she saw the Lord. The very next day while she was returning after a bath from a near by river saw a pretty child lying in a flower bed. She took the child home and brought him up as her own son.
The boy used to visit the jungle near by the Mana (The house where Brahman's leave) for hunting with his bow and arrows. He would take food with the poor and with the backward communities. This acts were against Namboothiri (Another term for Brahman) way of life, so his father and mother earnestly requested him to stop this practicing. But the boy turned a deaf ear to their warnings. Due to the unfavourable actions of his son,with shattered hopes Ayyankara Vazhunavar became very disappointed. One day as if knowing everything the boy went in front of his parents and to their surprise appeared a divine form (visvaroopam) with bow and arrow, and with fire sparkling eyes. Parents understood that the boy was not an ordinary child but a God. They prostrated at the God's feet and 'He' blessed them. |
| The God started journey from Ayyankara. The natural beauty of the Kunnathoor stopped him from his journey. He was attracted by the toddy of palm trees.
Chandhan (name of a toddy tapper who was illiterate and uncivilized knew of his toddy being stolen from his palm trees every day. So he taught of guarding his palm trees. While he was keeping guard at night, an old man was found stealing toddy from his palms. He got very angry and tried to shoot the old man using his bow and arrow. While he was about to aim an arrow at him, he fell unconscious. Chandan's wife who came there seeking for her husband saw him lying unconscious. She cried broken heartedly. When shee looked up sh saw old man at the top of the palm tree, she called "MUTHAPPA " (as if addressed to a grandfather, Muthappan means grand father in Malayalam language). She earnestly prayed to God to save her husband. Before long chandhan regained consciousness. She offered boiled grams, slices of coconut, burnt fish and toddy to the Muthappan (Even today in Sree Muthappan temples the divotees are being offered boiled grams and slices of coconut). She sought benediction from him. Muthappa choose Kunnathoor as his residence at the request of Chandhan, this is the famous Kunnathoor padi. After spending some years at Kunnathoor Sree Muhtappa decided to get more favorable place as his residence so that he could fulfill his aim of reincarnation. He shot an arrow up ward from Kunnathoor. The shaft reached at Parassini where the famous Parassini Temple resides now. The arrow which was emitting glow from the Theertha (sacred water ) near the temple was received with evotion and placed on the altar of the temple. Since then lord Muthappan is considered as residing at Parassinikkadavu. |
[edit] See also
This article related to a location in Kerala is a stub. See the WikiProject India for article coordination. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
This article about a Hindu place of worship is a stub. See the WikiProject Hinduism for article coordination. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
