THEYYAMS OF MALABAR – MY EXPERIENCES -8

 

 

Puli Maranja Thondachan (Kari Gurikkal)

 

This is one of the most important Theyyams of North Malabar on two counts. First, it tells the story of Thondachan, i.e, the great grandfather who is a Master in his own right. Secondly, Thondachan is a Dalit. However, irrespective of the cast aspect, the story is universal and relevant in all times! Comparable to “Waiting for Godot” if you take out an example from theatre, though the themes are different.

Human history is replete with the lives of heroes who wanted to change the world for greater common good. Naturally, they have to face the ire of the ruling elite and get tortured or killed in most heinous ways. However, the rebels never say die. They are quite selfless and find a meaning to life by cultivating love. Courage is their password. The tragedy is that such lionhearted people, more often than not, emerge defeated. Their dreams come crushing!

Why?

The theyyam depicting the life of Kari Gurikkal provides a possible answer.

I have not seen a live performance to be frank, though I’m familiar with it’s theatre and movie versions. Even the clips of Kari Guikkal available in YouTube are far from satisfying. They are disappointing in many ways! The experience might be different if you ‘decipher’ the lengthy ‘thottam’ to get the first-hand grasp of the life and times of Kari Gurikkal.

Puli maranja Thondachan (Kari Gurikkal)

Well, here you go!

A landlord named Kunjambu of Chenicherry was on the look-out of farm-hands to take care of his fields and found the couple, Karimban & Virunthi at the temple-festival at Thiruvarkad. A deal was struck and they followed the landlord! A son, Kari was born to them in due course who was brilliant and a forerunner among children. He wanted to learn Martial Arts, but couldn’t secure admission to any Kalari, being a Dalit. His ‘owner’ cum mentor, Kunjambu advised him to change his identity including name and address and retry his luck. Needless to say, he got admitted to all the eighteen kalaries, each one specialising in one of the esoteric subjects. He got mastery over impersonation from Chotian Kalary. After undergoing studies in Madayi Kalary, he was bestowed the status of Gurikkal, the highest distinction of the Kalari system of learning. Normally the Kalaris don’t teach occult for obvious reasons of misuse. Only students with earnest intentions are taught the mysterious practices. Kari Gurikkal was the chosen one.

Kari Gurikkal turned a celebrity and there were summons even from far-away Alladam Nadu to treat the lunacy of the ruler. A special messenger was sent six times and Kunjambu denied permission in a row. At the seventh time an assurance was given by the Alladam Thampuran on a copper plate that half his wealth would be given away as fee for successful treatment. The offer was quite tempting as the ultimate beneficiary would be none other than Chenicherru Kunjambu. He gave the nod to Kari Gurikkal so that he set out to Alladam with his disciples. The occult-treatment started and the evil-spirits which had got into the ruler were asked to leave! Gurikkal prepared an intoxicating potion and gave it to the patient. He was cured!

When the ruler was back to normal, however, there was some wavering regarding the fee ! The word was not kept. The ruling elite felt that the disease could recur anytime in future and people in the palace were really tense. So, Gurikkal should bring leopard’s milk and its flock to ward off the two possibilities. The ruler was supposed to drink the leopard’s milk while his entire body was being brushed with the tuft.  It was a trap to eliminate the magic-healer. To their surprise, Kari Gurikkal agreed to bring both. It was not a big deal for him as he knew impersonation inside out. His wife, Vellachi was a virtuous woman. Gurikkal wanted to apprise his wife about the happenings and to give her detailed instructions what to do when he came back in the form of a leopard. She was supposed to throw gruel (water from cleaning rice) on his face and beat him with a broom dipped in liquid cow-dung! On his way home, he encountered so many other theyyams, Pottan, Kurathi, Gulikan etc. of which some were his

benefactors while some others were detractors. ( In fact this is a representation of Gurikkal's own mental state.)

Other theyyams blocking Gurikkal's way

Vellachi half-heartedly agreed to obey her husband’s instructions. Off went Kari Gurikkal to forest, taking the form of a leopard, entrapped another, got fresh milk and collected its flock. He returned to the countryside in the night itself and placed the items at the palace gate.

He was in a hurry to get back home before daybreak and he did reach there in time and called out for his wife. Sadly enough, Vellachi got immensely scared seeing the leopard and forgot everything that her husband had instructed.

She didn’t open the door.

Kari Gurikkal was stuck forever. Unless he regained his human-form, he was absolutely helpless and would become the butt of ridicule and injury. He disappeared into a fathomless abyss.

After some time, Alladam Thampuran suffered from yet another bout of lunacy and everybody knew the reason. Karma was settling its accounts.

Half the wealth as promised was immediately given away. A statue of Kari Gurikkal

in gold was installed and he was elevated to the theyyam status.

Puli Maranja Thondachan came into being.

The story of Kari Gurikkal ends at this point.

The theyyam starts working on you after the performance is over. We are too familiar with Gurikkal like characters in real life.

I just cite one example from cinema.

Think of the last scene of Andrzej Wajda’s polish film “Ashes and Diamonds” (1958).

The protagonist gets killed and his body lies in a garbage dump. The camera pans the sky. Birds flying unhindered. Too many of them.

“Experiencing freedom from one wingtip to another”.

 

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