Image: Anil Babu, 2023

The Meenam Bharani festival at Sree Kurumba Bhagavati Temple is a controversial yet culturally significant event in Kerala. Drawing worshippers predominantly from lower castes, it features raucous devotional practices, including provocative songs and ritual acts that challenge brahmanical norms. The festival is often seen as an expression of Dalit resistance and celebration, critiquing societal attitudes towards caste and gender through its carnivalesque rituals.

Kodungallur: The Port City

Kodungallur, an ancient Indian city with a rich historical and cultural heritage, has deep roots. The city’s name, Kodungallur, has various interpretations, one suggesting it originated from ‘kotum-kall-ur,’ meaning ‘place of the grand stone,’ associated with a shrine established by the Chera king, Cheran Chenguttuvan. Known historically as ‘Muziris,’ it was a bustling port city and a gateway to ancient India. It played a pivotal role in the spread of religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam in India. St. Thomas is believed to have landed here, establishing India’s first Christian church. Similarly, the Cheraman Juma Masjid, the first mosque in India, was also established in Kodungallur.

Over the centuries, Kodungallur flourished as a hub for trade and cultural exchange with civilisations like Rome, Babylonia, Egypt, and China. It was ruled by various dynasties, including the Cheras, and faced invasions from Portuguese, Dutch, and British powers starting in the 15th century. Kodungallur stands as a testament to India’s ancient maritime history and its role as a melting pot of cultures and religions.

The Sri Kurumba Temple

The Kodungallur Bhagavathi Temple, also known as the Sri Kurumba Temple, holds religious and cultural importance in Kerala, particularly in the Malabar region. Dedicated to the goddess in her fierce form, it is considered the primary temple among the 64 Bhagavathi temples in the area. The deity is depicted with eight hands, each holding symbolic objects, including the head of the demon king Daruka, a sickle-shaped sword, an anklet, and a bell.

Legend traces the origins of the temple to Parashurama, who prayed to Lord Shiva for help in vanquishing the demon Daruka. After Kali’s intervention led to Daruka’s demise, Parashurama established a shrine at Kodungallur to placate her fierce nature, naming the goddess Bhagavathi. The temple complex includes Srichakras believed to imbue the deity with spiritual power, and rituals like Therippatt are performed to calm her. The history of Kodungallur Temple, sometimes mentioned by scholars as an earlier Buddhist centre, is recounted in Sahodaran Ayyappan’s poem, “Diva swapnam” (Day Dream). In the poem, a Buddhist monk approaches the poet and relates the ancient tale of the Kodungallur shrine. There was an educational institution known as Vanchi University there. The saint speaks about a later invasion by Brahmanical priests and their militia.

The Bharani festival

The Bharani festival at the temple is a significant event, celebrated during the Malayalam month of Meenam. It combines various rituals and practices that reflect both cultural richness and controversy.

Therippatt Songs: Central to the festival are the Therippatt songs, known for their explicit sexual references and dedication to the goddess. These songs have faced criticism and calls for censorship due to their perceived vulgarity.

Kozhikkallu Moodal: This ritual involves the slaughtering of hens on stones near the temple, symbolising offerings to the goddess. It is a tradition associated with specific families.

Komaram (Oracles): Known as velichappadu, these oracles play a crucial role in the festival, dressed in distinct attire and carrying traditional weapons. They perform rituals to eliminate evil spirits and demons from the area.

Kavu Theendal: This ritual involves oracles gathering in large numbers, running around the temple, and throwing sticks inside to purify it. It has been criticised for perpetuating notions of purity and impurity.

Pulappadam: A separate space for the Pulaya community, it has rituals parallel to those of the main temple, reflecting cultural diversity within the festival.
The festival has faced criticism for its explicit content in the Therippatt songs and for rituals that some perceive as reinforcing caste divisions and untouchability.

Therippatt and the Role of Profanity in Dalit Resistance

Chelanad Achutha Menon notes that rituals similar to Bharanippatt can be found in other regions of India. For example, during a festival at Thirunelveli Sankaranayanar Kovil, men and women hurl insults at the deity, and similar practices occur at the Cherthala temple and Kottiyur Shiva temple, known as ‘Poorappatt.’ Anthropologists view these as part of Urvara (fertility) worship practiced by tribes.

They challenge conventional notions of ‘sacredness’ by humanising elite spaces and deities. In a public sphere where discussions of sex remain taboo, the concept of a goddess, particularly a female deity who embraces erotica and her devotees without remorse, is revolutionary. By pushing beyond socially accepted boundaries, these rituals liberate the repressed anger and desires of the devotees, defying both religious and historical constraints.

Therippatt is most often referred to as pachappatt. Historian Adarsh C.S. in his work Kodungallurinte Vyaavaharika Bhoomishasthram observes that pacha has many meanings—colour, pure, and original. Usages such as pacha vellam, pacha meen, pachayaya jeevitham, pachakallam, pachapaavam, pachakutty (always innocent and fresh), pacha Malayalam, and pacha chaya are all meant to be pure and original. An element of rawness can be found in all of these. Gundert uses the term pachabhasha for inartificial, simple language.

Should these words have condemned? The body part referred to is primarily female. Therippatt has evolved into a form of Dalit resistance, particularly through the use of profanity near sacred spaces that were traditionally inaccessible to lower castes. By incorporating such language, Therippatt challenges and disrupts the sanctified norms of upper-caste society. Unlike rigid, unchanging nature of Brahmanical cultural frameworks Therippatt is adaptable and embraces modernity. It incorporates contemporary language and practices, similar to Theyyam, a significant ritual in North Malabar.

Theri refers to words that are ‘excluded’ from mainstream language, essentially those that are deemed unacceptable within accepted linguistic norms. Terms like therichaval and therichavan describe individuals who are marginalised or excluded from society. This highlights the political dynamics behind swearing and the association of sex and sexuality with insult and vulgarity. Swear words often serve as a means for expressing deep-seated frustration and anger.

Therippatt represents a raw form of erotica that is implicitly present in Hindu worship but is often presented in a more refined manner. This practice reveals the double standards within communities regarding their different attitudes towards Sanskrit hymns that describe sexual imagery of deities versus similar expressions in the vernacular. While the former is praised for its poetic quality, the latter is dismissed as uncivilised.

In a way, Bharanippatt addresses the frustration and suppressed desires of marginalised individuals. It allows for the bypassing of societal ethical and moral boundaries with religious and historical justification.

The Bharani festival at Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple in Kerala represents a complex blend of cultural and religious significance, closely linked to Dalit assertion and resistance against Brahmanical dominance. Over time, Brahmins in Kerala gained influence, imposing their rituals and sidelining indigenous practices. The Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple, once influenced by Jain and Buddhist traditions, adapted to Brahmanical norms, which marginalized lower castes. The Bharani festival, celebrated mainly by lower castes such as Pulayas, Arayas, and Kudumbis, symbolizes a stand against the Aryanization of native temples, affirming their cultural heritage and right to worship. The ritual of Kaavu Theendal, where oracles throw sticks into the temple, embodies Dalit defiance and the reclamation of sacred spaces from Brahmanical control.

Conclusion

The Kodungallur Bharani festival in Kerala is a dynamic cultural space that has evolved significantly amidst socio-political and religious shifts. Historically, it was notable for being one of the few temples that allowed lower castes to enter, establishing it as a momentous event for these communities. Over time, the festival has integrated modern elements like references to police, vehicles, and celebrities within traditional rituals, reflecting broader societal changes. The unique Bharani Pattu, which documents these transformations through its lyrics, blends praise for the goddess with contemporary themes. It serves as a platform for non-Brahmin communities to assert their cultural identity and challenge dominant social structures. The significance of preserving such traditions is emphasised, not only for their cultural richness but also for their role in providing inclusive spaces for all sections of society. The festival’s ability to evolve while maintaining its core rituals highlights its enduring relevance and complexity in contemporary India.