Venmani Nampoothiri and Yakshi Long long agoin the Venmani illam there was a Nampoothiri boy who was slightly muff. After upanayanam and basic education, in order to givehim better education he was admitted to study in the Brahmaswam matam in Trichur. The boy wasalways ridiculed by other co- students. Boy became adolescent.
(Note-Duringthose days Venmani was a village. Now it is a very small town. Venmani is about12 KMs from Pandalam, the nearest town and my native) Some artistat that time drew the picture of a Yakshi in the northern wall of TrichurMahadeva temple. People feltthe yakshi was so lively. One gentlemansecretly asked one day whether she could join him in the night. What a wonder- The Yakshi appearedbefore him and they had a pleasant night and she left in the early morning.Comparing to other Yakshies she was very good in nature and no wild characters. The news spread among youngsters.Whoever male members asked the Yakshi to join him in night, obediently shejoined and returned to her place in the early morning. The youngboys of the matam secretly took this Nampoothiri boy and forced him to ask whether she could join him in the night.Innocently he asked the Yakshi to join him in the night. In the brahmaswammatam all students had separate rooms. Yakshi appeared in night in the boy’sroom. Both had a pleasant night and yakshi found something morecomfortable and special with the young Nampoothiri. Withhesitation Nampoothiri asked whether she could join next day also. Yakshianswered, she will join in all nights and leave early morning till theNampoothiri desire the Yakshi's company any more required. Months passed. Nampoothiri’s father came to take back him aftercompletion of education. Young nampoothiri came back toVenmani illam. However he enjoyed days with Yakshi in the nights. Years passed.At the appropriate time, young Nampoothiri’s father desired Veli (marriage ) for him.Nampoothiri showed no interest and expressed unwillingness to his father.However he told Yakshi about the veli proposed in the night. Yakshi toldthe young Nampoothiri –“Don’tdisappoint father in his old age. Agree for marriage. Spent one day withher and next day don’t enter her room. Sleep in another place. I will join youon alternative days.” YoungNampoothiri next day expressed his willingness for Veli and within months veliwas conducted. IN due course male child was born. The father nampoothiri had a peaceful andhappy end in due course. My note- Venmani Nampoothiri is Janmi (Land lord) by hereditaryand own hectors of paddy fields. Years passedand it was time for Upanayanam of his son. He told of it to the Yakshi. Yakshitold. I am your first wifeand during upananyanam, first Bhiksha will be from me. Nampoothiripleasingly agreed. Yakshi told she will appear as a young Nampoothiri lady and she should bepermitted to give first bhiksha, before boy’s own mother. During theupananayanam during Bhiksha the young lady came forward. Though the Nampoothiri pleaded she is elder motherand she should be permitted to offer Bhiksha, the othikkan (priest) did notagree. Nampoothiri could not give details of the first marriage anddetails of illam. Nmapoothiri’swife was adamant shemust offer first Bhiksha, and the nampoothiri lady’s (family details not known)bhiksha will not be permitted to give bhiksha at all. Yakshi wasforced to leave; though the nampoothiri pleaded her bhiksha must be acceptedand went behind her. After gettingout from the illam the yakshi said- I am pained my bhiksha is not permitted. I curse fromthe next generation onwards no male child will be born for next threegenerations. In due coursehaving no male children born, illam gradually became without Lord. However some relatives became land lord in later period. Somehowbecause of curse birth of male children is less and adoption is followed evennow. In the placewhere the yakshi cursed there is a DEVI temple now, probably because Yakshi never showed her cruelnature. This temple is on the banks of river Achhan kovil. Devi has no form. A bigbanyan tree is by the side, and a lot of monkeys reside. The place is alsocalled Chamakkavu. A very big feastis arranged along with temple festival day for ALL. It is conducted as for pardoning by Yakshi. My note- Thislegend is in the Eithihya mala by Kottarathil Sankunni varier. Recently thelegend appeared IN WHATS APP in Malayalam. During myschooldays once my father was in charge of the feast, and I have tookpart inthe feast, going by bus during the feast time. At that time also theNampoothiri was childless and diabetic and always with a female cat. It was apractice to meet him after feast before leaving on those days. Very late,when I was in Trivandrum as Lecturer I was in native on leave, my elder brother was supervisingthe feast. His eldest son wanted to take part in feast and he desired mycompany for going for feast. I went with him and took part in the feast. The feast isso big, many combine together fromNampoothiri, variar, Nair families join together with different works. Thenampoothiri select one Brahmin for supervising the jobs. Mostly from my native. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1911326278.1759176.1705500484839%40mail.yahoo.com.
