Kalakat Illam

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Kalakat Illam is the house name of a family of Brahmins in northern Kerala. This family of Brahmins are allegedly gifted with powers of Manthravaadamand Thanthram, or Tantra. The term Tantra here, refers to the method of practices carried over based on certain beliefs on divine energy and its link to the human microcosm. The tantriks (one who practices tantra) or the Tantri of Kalakat Illam practice only the Dakshina Maarg of the Tantra sastra (sastra meaning science which gives teaching, instruction, or command). Apart from doing Manthravaadam they are also Tantriks of various temples in Northern Malabar. They hold the Thantrik rights of temples like Devaprathishta, Kalasham, Sreebhoothabali and other important rituals and poojas in a Hindu Temple. The Tantriks are accorded as guardian(pitru sthaanam) of the deity. Kalakat Illam is situated at Purakkunnu Panchayat in Kannur District reachable from Payyannur in Purakkunnu Bus.

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[edit] Kalakat Illam History

There are six known generations of Kalakat Illam. It is reported to be one of the seven Illams created by Parasurama, members of whom are delegated to perform the divine rituals. They have the power of healing the mental and physical ailments through the power of mantras and poojas. People from various parts of the world go there for their prayers and well conduct in their lives. The deity, Bhagavathy or kali worshipped by people, is said to be very powerful and can bring goodness to all the people who worships. Hence it can be lined that Namboothiris of this illam are the mediators between the god and common people. The tantrik practices are made based on a science which was scripted on thaali-ola or palm leaves by the ancestors of this Illam. These ancient, scripted leaves are still preserved at Kalakat Illam. There was an age, when they used to practice Ayurveda and treat illness with potions, ghee, honey, Tulsi, Vibhoodhi and other medicines made of natural sources. The manuscript on palm leaves which gives the make of these medicines are also kept safe at Illam.

[edit] Kaliyattam

There is a practice of conducting a three day "Utsavm" (Malayalam name for Festival), known as "Kaliyattam" in Kalakat Illam. This is conducted during January on the dates of 10th, 11th, and 12th of every year. People from different parts of Southern India rush in to see the Theyyam, an ancient traditional dance form of Northern Kerala, where people of selected caste (vannaan, malayan etc) put costumes and face paintings to depict the God's bhoothaganangal or gods themselves. During Kaliyattam, the Illam is painted new, many brahmins come for different poojas. There will be different types of "Daanam"(Givings). Gurussi(Guruthi) is also offered to the deity in the first night of the start of Kaliyattam. This ritual along with traditional lamps, pandams(fire at tip of a long stick) and chenda-melam is a beautiful as well as horrifying sight. Devotees from Kodagu(Coorg) District of Karnataka are frequent visitors to the Illam. Because of the powers of Mantras and Poojas at the time of Gurussi people begin to lose their consciousness and start thullal(uranju thullal). These uncommon sights are solely part of the Kalakat Illam Aura.

[edit] Kaliyattam in northern Kerala and its significance

After a kshethram (temple) has been built and the "prathishta" has been done, in the presence of kshethra ooraalanmaar (owner of the temple), bhaaravaahikal (Committee), and gramawasi (local population), kshethra aacharyan (thanthri of the temple) will do Nithya-Nidaanam (daily worship like pooja, special pooja). In case of kalakat illam or similar illams the ooralanmaar and the aacharyan will be the same. Later to commemorate the "prathishta" day every year, thanthri along with the temple committee, with the support of gramawasis will celebrate Utsavam, or Kaliyattam in Northern Kerala or North Malabar. This can be planned to organise on the star of the prathishta day on subsequent years. Or any day which is acceptable to all the people in the village. In Kalakat illam, the prathishta was done years back that no one living now does know when did the kaliyattam start. But its sure that, it is happening from the last 150 years. Kalakat Illam is not recognised as a temple, but as another illam where there is a sanctum sanctorum. Now lets map the kalakat illam to a temple for a general overview on a festival or utsavam. An utsavam or kaliyattam is celebrated to increase the "deva-chaithanyam" (a glow of eternal peace) of the temple. In Kaliyattam as earlier mentioned the vannans or malayans would do artistic paintings on their body and face. Also they wear ornamental costumes. With these costumes they perform a peculiar dance, which is accompanied by the "pakka-melam" (explanation down the lane). Hence in North Malabar in Illams like Kalakat Illam or any other "Kavu" (also known as Bhoothaalayam), synonym of temple, Kaliyattam is the main festival.

[edit] Theyyam

The word meaning of theyyam is "Daivam" (a regional term for god). The name Theyyam had been derived from the improper pronunciation of "Daivam" over a period of years. The Theyyam or Daivam is actually believed to be the "Swaroopam" (image or embodiment) of the god that is being worshipped in that temple or Illam. According to Hindu Mythology, a particular god can take different forms, and there are stories related to each of these forms. Hence in places like Kalakat Illam, Kaliyattam is celebrated for three days, which is stuffed different forms of the "Bhagavathy" (the regional name for goddess) of the illam and different stories associated with Illam and Bhagavathi. Theyyam in some parts of south Malabar are known as "Kaulam" or "kolam". If the person who dressed up as Theyyam or kolam, the devotees see the thayyams as the reincanated form of their Ishta-devatha.Theyyam is not only a believed to be a form of god, but in certain places it's also a form of a human being who lived in the past. The human beings in certain places one who possessed some kind of supernatural powers are called as a "veeran" or a stuff of legend. Later when they die their stories of fame are sung and forms are costumed as theyyam and remembered. Later down the lane of years this becomes a worship. Hence for example in Kerala, people know about legendary heroes like Thacholi Othenan, Kadam kottu Maakkam, Kathivannoor veeran (worshipped as Theyyam). This mode of worship is known as "Veera-Araadhana".

[edit] Instruments used

The main instruments used are the chenda, most importantly and the kuzhal (like Kurum Kuzhal), a small elathaalam. No other main instruments are used.

[edit] The practice of Theyyam at Kalakat Illam

Kaliyattam is a three day long festival where each day different theyyams perform a rare combination of dance and music. The start of a Theyyam is known as its "Purapaadu". Before the purapaadu of any theyyam, there will be "Thottam" and "Vellattam". The Thottam is a song which is sung accompanied by a "Chenda" and an "Elathaalam" (both are different type of instruments) by any of the members who puts up Theyyam. The language is not purely Malayalam, Tamil is also mixed up here and there. A Thottam will have the evolution story of the particular deity or a hero as mentioned earlier, which includes "Daivika Amsham" it is from, its birth, its legends and fame. It'll be like boasting a supreme hero, who showed some supernatural deeds. If we carefully understand the lines of the 'thottam pattu (Malayalam word for song)', we can know from which "Devatha roopam" it is. The major theyyams in Kalakat Illam are Ucha-kutti shaasthan (1st day daytime), bhairavan, karivaal, kakra-bhagavathy, raktha chaamundi (throughout 1st day night), uchitta (manthra moorthi), karin-kuttishaasthan, bhootham, (2nd day), pottan, gulikan, oorpazhasshi, vettakorumakan (also known as vettekkaran in some parts of kerala), prardhna kuttishaasthan, kurathi, vishnu moorthi, vellya mudi (bhagavathi incarnation - The most important theyyam in the neighbouring villages except in Kalakat Illam, where kuttishaasthan is the most important and sacred). There are certain weopons seen at the sanctum sanctorum of the Illam, which are used by the theyyam during their part of kaliyattam. Rest of the time its worshipped and its powers are increased.

The kudakar(people from the "Coorg"(kodagu) dist of Karnataka)plays an important role during the Kaliyattam at Kalakat Illam. They have a practice of worshipping the Manthramoorthi of Illam from so many years. They worship certain weopons also at their temples which are believed to be the weopons used by the goddess Bhadra-kaali. If they have a temple at their place and the root of that temple is in this Illam, they come here during kaliyattam every year and do komara darshanam of the manthramoorthi, pooja, increase the power of their weopons, seek blessings from the thanthris at Kalakat Illam and go back satisfied. The komara darshanam of the kodakar is done during the purapaadu of kuttishaasthan, and other manthramoorthi theyyams. So they bring their weopons during the kaliyattam, perform pooja and takes it back after the 3 day festival.

[edit] Importance of Kuttishaasthan at Kalakat Illam

As from the words in "thottam paattu": Years long back, when there was no child births at kalakat Illam, the eldest member (karnavar - Malayalam word for the eldest male member) of the Kalakat Illam, performed a homa or a yaga. Amidst the Yaga a child appeared, and later this child showed lot of supernatural powers. Later this child was known as "Kalakatu karinkutti shaasthan". Here in the Illam, Karin-kutti shaasthan is depicted as the vaishnava and the ucha-kutti shaasthan as the shaiva amsham. There are other stories also related to the birth and forms of the kutti shaasthan. But the former story is formally accepted.

[edit] References

Theyyam Anustanangalum Samoohikaprasakthiyum: Nandakumar Koroth

[edit] External links