Muchilot Bhagavathi: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 21:36, 19 May 2022

Muchilot Bhagavathi

Muchilot Bhagavathi is the tutelary deity of the Vaniyas^[1] of North Malabar. Muchilot Bhagavathi is also worshipped by Nambūdiris of the Pulimpi Illam as Vīzhala Bhagavati^[2] and as Maññaḷamma by some Adiyodis..

Legends[edit]

The various legends on the origin of Muchilot Bhagavati seem to begin from the point that she was a Brahmin woman born in the mana called Maniyottu in the village of Peringellur, near Taliparamba.^[3] They subsequently diverge.

The dominant story goes that following the end of her studies and before her betrothal, the "Peringellur Mootha Gurukkal" (a Brahmin, 'the Elder Teacher of Peringellur') and his disciples challenged the authority of the girl on Vedic matters. Rendered jealous by her wisdom, they asked the girl what the greatest pain and greatest pleasure were, she replied that they were, respectively, giving birth and love-making.^[4] The Gurukkal argued that one who had never indulged in love-making or given birth could not know so and thus challenged her virginity. After being expelled from her house, she took refuge in Shiva at the temple in Karivellur and promptly resolved to meet him through suicide. Standing on a bed of burning coal, she asked a vāṇiya to pour coconut oil over her. She then returned to the world as a goddess by the blessing of lord shiva.While travelling in the earth she reseted at the padippura of Muchilot padanair who was a vāṇiya belonging to Muchilot clan and a soldier of kolathiri king ^[5]

Wife of muchilot padanair had an apparition of Sree Muchilot Bhagavathi as she was drawing water from the well. Afterwards, the pot that held the oil that burned the girl began to levitate.Next day the Muchilot padanayar saw the palm tree infront of his house dried. It is believed that the Devi made her presence visible to the Muchilodan Padanayar when he decided to cut the tree. The Karanavar then also had a vision that the soul of the virgin had been sent back by Lord Shiva to abide in him. They placed the goddess in a silver chest in the western chamber of the house.^[6]This is how the Muchilottu Bhaghavathy associated with the vāṇiya community. Muchilottu Vaniyan and others in his community started worshipping the goddess as their family deity. Thus the goddess came to be known as ‘Muchilottu Bhagavathi’.

References[edit]

↑ "Dutch in Kerala - Glimpses of World History through Kerala and Dutch". dutchinkerala.com.
↑ "Travel Agency, Best of Homestay, Temple & Theyyam Tour Packages". old.travelkannur.com. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
↑ History of Muchilotu Bhagavathi http://www.thekeralatemples.com/templeinfo/bhagavathy/karivellur_muchilottukavu.htm
↑ "Muchilottu Bhagavathi - ॐ-Narath Shree Muchilottu Bhagavathi Kshethram-ॐ". sites.google.com.

External links[edit]

Shree Perne Muchilot Bhagavathi Kshetra, Official Website
Vengara, the Land of Theyyam.
Kaliyattam: Theyyam Images, History, Kaav.
Theyyam calendar, including images.

[1] "Dutch in Kerala - Glimpses of World History through Kerala and Dutch". dutchinkerala.com.

[2] "Travel Agency, Best of Homestay, Temple & Theyyam Tour Packages". old.travelkannur.com. Retrieved 16 March 2022.

[3] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[4] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[History_of_muchilot_Bhagavathi-5] History of Muchilotu Bhagavathi http://www.thekeralatemples.com/templeinfo/bhagavathy/karivellur_muchilottukavu.htm

[6] "Muchilottu Bhagavathi - ॐ-Narath Shree Muchilottu Bhagavathi Kshethram-ॐ". sites.google.com.

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@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 {{verbosity|date=January 2020}}[[File:Muchilot Bhagavathy.jpg|thumb|]]
 [[File:Muchilottu Bhagavathi.jpg|thumb|270px|Muchilot Bhagavathi]]
-'''Muchilot Bhagavathi''' is the [[tutelary deity]] of Vaniya Nair/[[Vaniyan]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dutchinkerala.com/article19.php?id=06|title=Dutch in Kerala - Glimpses of World History through Kerala and Dutch|website=dutchinkerala.com}}</ref> community of North Malabar.
+'''Muchilot Bhagavathi''' is the [[tutelary deity]] of the [[Vaishya|Vaniyas]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dutchinkerala.com/article19.php?id=06|title=Dutch in Kerala - Glimpses of World History through Kerala and Dutch|website=dutchinkerala.com}}</ref> of North Malabar. Muchilot Bhagavathi is also worshipped by [[namboodiri|Nambūdiri]]s of the Pulimpi [[Illam]] as ''Vīzhala Bhagavati<ref>{{Cite web |title=Travel Agency, Best of Homestay, Temple & Theyyam Tour Packages |url=http://old.travelkannur.com/ |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=old.travelkannur.com |language=en-US}}</ref>'' and as ''Maññaḷamma'' by some Adiyodis..
 ==Legends==
-Most scholars are of the unanimous opinion that she was a Brahmin virgin born in '"Rayaramangalath Mana'" in the village of Peringellur, near [[Taliparamba]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theyyamcalendar.com/history/muchilot-bhagavathi |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2013-10-30 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101042637/http://www.theyyamcalendar.com/history/muchilot-bhagavathi |archivedate=2013-11-01 |df= }}</ref> Those were the days after the betrothal of the virgin renowned for her unfathomable Vedic knowledge. It so happened that "Peringellur Mootha Gurukkal" (a Brahmin) and his disciples challenged the "Naduvazhi", on the request of the "Naduvazhi" the Brahmin virgin took part in the "Naduvazhi". The mesmerizing arguments and counter arguments darted by the virgin against "Mootha Gurukal" and his disciples stunned them and so they were envious of her. Being very shrewd and deceptive, they meditated to trap her somehow.
+The various legends on the origin of Muchilot Bhagavati seem to begin from the point that she was a Brahmin woman born in the [[Illam|''mana'']] called ''Maniyottu'' in the village of Peringellur, near [[Taliparamba]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theyyamcalendar.com/history/muchilot-bhagavathi |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2013-10-30 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101042637/http://www.theyyamcalendar.com/history/muchilot-bhagavathi |archivedate=2013-11-01 |df= }}</ref> They subsequently diverge.
-So they asked her two questions: "Which is the most excruciating pain?" "What is the most ecstatic pleasure?". To which she innocently answered, "Pain of a mother in labour is the most excruciating pain; and the pleasure of [[love-making]] is the most ecstatic pleasure".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.karipodymuchilot.com/muchilotBhagavathi.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=30 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061801/http://www.karipodymuchilot.com/muchilotBhagavathi.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> They distorted her answers stating that woman having no such mundane experiences could never answer those questions and so she was not virgin. The issue ended up in her excommunication. The innocent and fragile virgin being struck by the arrows of deception from the Brahmins took asylum at the scared feet of "[[Payyanur]] Perumal", "Karivellurappan" and "Rayaramangalath Bhagavathi", with a heart full of woes. She adored them and offered all the despairs and throes of her heart before their divine presence and resolved to immolate herself.
+The dominant story goes that following the end of her studies and before her betrothal, the "Peringellur Mootha Gurukkal" (a Brahmin, 'the Elder Teacher of Peringellur') and his disciples challenged the authority of the girl on Vedic matters. Rendered jealous by her wisdom, they asked the girl what the greatest pain and greatest pleasure were, she replied that they were, respectively, giving birth and love-making.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.karipodymuchilot.com/muchilotBhagavathi.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=30 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061801/http://www.karipodymuchilot.com/muchilotBhagavathi.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Gurukkal argued that one who had never indulged in love-making or given birth could not know so and thus challenged her virginity. After being expelled from her house, she took refuge in [[Shiva]] at the temple in [[Karivellur]] and promptly resolved to meet him through suicide. Standing on a bed of burning coal, she asked a [[Vaishya|vāṇiya]] to pour coconut oil over her. She then returned to the world as a goddess by the blessing of lord [[shiva]].While travelling in the earth she reseted at the [[padippura]] of  Muchilot padanair who was a [[Vaishya|vāṇiya]] belonging to Muchilot clan and a soldier of [[kolathiri]] king <ref name="History of muchilot Bhagavathi">History of Muchilotu Bhagavathi http://www.thekeralatemples.com/templeinfo/bhagavathy/karivellur_muchilottukavu.htm</ref>
-As she was preparing her pyre, a "Muchilot Padanayar"<ref name="History of muchilot Bhagavathi">History of Muchilotu Bhagavathi http://www.thekeralatemples.com/templeinfo/bhagavathy/karivellur_muchilottukavu.htm</ref> happened to reach there. On her request, he poured oil from a pot into the fire with much reluctance.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://priyeshmb.hpage.co.in/muchilottu-bhagavathi_44491007.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=30 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304082807/http://priyeshmb.hpage.co.in/muchilottu-bhagavathi_44491007.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Thus she immolated herself and her soul departed to [[Lord Shiva]]. With a fraternal love, [[Lord Shiva]] sent her back to the earth with some boons, a golden fan, jewelry and various weapons to redeem the world. The Padanayar having seen the immolation of the virgin was full of grief and kept "Thuthika"(the empty pot) in the "Padinjattakam"(Pooja room), Padanayar's wife had an apparition vision of Sree Muchilot Bhagavathi, as she was drawing water from the well. Meanwhile "Thuthika"(the empty pot) kept in the "Padinjattakam"(Pooja room) started tossing in the air. In an astrological speculation the Karnavar had an apocalypse that the soul of the virgin had been sent back by [[Lord Shiva]] to abide in him. The goddess whom the Padanayar places in a silver tabernacle in the "Padinjattakam", to worship began to be known as Sree Muchilot Bhagavathi.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/site/narathsreemuchilottubhagavathi/muchilottu-bhagavathi|title=Muchilottu Bhagavathi - ॐ-Narath Shree Muchilottu Bhagavathi Kshethram-ॐ|website=sites.google.com}}</ref>
+Wife of muchilot padanair had an apparition of Sree Muchilot Bhagavathi as she was drawing water from the well. Afterwards, the pot that held the oil that burned the girl began to levitate.Next day the Muchilot padanayar saw the palm tree infront of his house dried. It is believed that the Devi made her presence visible to the Muchilodan Padanayar when he decided to cut the tree. The Karanavar then also had a vision that the soul of the virgin had been sent back by [[Lord Shiva]] to abide in him. They placed the goddess in a silver chest in the western chamber of the house.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/site/narathsreemuchilottubhagavathi/muchilottu-bhagavathi|title=Muchilottu Bhagavathi - ॐ-Narath Shree Muchilottu Bhagavathi Kshethram-ॐ|website=sites.google.com}}</ref>This is how the Muchilottu Bhaghavathy associated with the [[Vaishya|vāṇiya]] community. Muchilottu Vaniyan and others in his community started worshipping the goddess as their family deity. Thus the goddess came to be known as ‘Muchilottu Bhagavathi’.
-Some of her devotees believe that the goddess bloomed from the sweat of [[Lord Shiva]] shed at the time of his stupendous dance on the Mount Kailasa. Whereas some others believe her to be a deity incarnated on the earth with a "prasadam" to purgate the world of all kinds of incurable diseases, or a goddess sent to earth in the form of flame to annihilate all the evils on the earth.
 ==References==