Kashmiri Tantric worship in Kerala?

There is a sacred room called “the machu” in most Kerala Hindu ancestral homes (nalu kettu); a room with no windows and door opening towards the central courtyard (nadu mittom). The goddess Bhagavathy – the presiding deity of most of these homes is consecrated in a Sri Chakra yantra in some homes and installed in the ground in the middle of the room. The evening ritual of lighting the lamp (nila vilakku) involved taking the lit lamp first to the machu before placing it in the front verandah.

Lighting the lamp is a chore for the older girls or women of the house.

From the time I was a little child, I have witnessed an interesting ceremony that takes place in this room every summer under the able guidance of a priest from the Moosad clan, who performed a ceremonial puja. 

The offering among other items included chicken masala and toddy – a brew from the coconut tree which was served following the puja as prasad. However, we kids were not allowed to partake in the prasad, especially the toddy. So different than anything I have ever known.

The only place where such items were served as prasad. So, I thought.

I became more interested in this ritual after my ancestral house was sold and the yantra was excavated and re-installed with ceremonial pujas in a small Valayanadu Bhagavathy temple in Kottakkal where the senior Moosad’s son now does the Puja.

Every year the family meet at the temple to offer our obeisance to Bhagavathy at this temple and conduct the Machu Puja (as it is called). During one such Pujas, my aunt suggested that I visit the main Valayanadu temple in Kozhikode, the moolasthanam (Moolasthanam refers to the main Garbhagriha/Sreekovil/Sanctum Santorium where the original idol of the deity is preserved, though in South India particularly in Kerala, it refers to the original place, not the current place.).

I was fortunate enough to visit the temple in Kozhikode a few days ago with my siblings and was I glad that I went! It is a must-see temple for many reasons and has a very interesting story.

Sri Valayanad Temple in Kozhikode

Here the puja is done in the Kashmiri tantric style (Rurujit Vidhana), one of the few temples in Kerala where this form of worship is practiced.

Further research brought about a lot of valuable information which is unique to this temple.

History

Valayanad Bhagavathi is the family deity of the Samoothiris (Zamorin Kings) who ruled Malabar from 1124 CE–1806 CE. Legends say that Valluva Konaathiri (the king of Valluvanad) was the Zamorin’s arch enemy and in a battle between them, the Zamorin was defeated in spite of a better military and financial might. The Zamorin dejected from his defeat concluded that the Bhagavathy's blessings were with Valluvakonathiri and the reason for his win. The Zamorin undertook severe austerities in disguise, at Thirumanthamkunnu temple, the family temple of Valluvakonathiri, until Devi manifested before him.

The Zamorin pleaded with Bhagavathy to come to his kingdom. Devi agreed on one condition. She instructed Zamorin never to turn back and if he ever did so, she will return back immediately. As they were going, when the jingling of her anklets could not be heard, the Zamorin looked back. Immediately Devi told him that she wouldn't come any further, but as a reward for the Zamorin's devotion, she would throw her bangle, and the spot where it fell would have her presence. This bangle rotated for a week and landed at the place where the temple now stands. The place where the bangle rotated for a week came to be known as Azhchavattom and the place where the bangle fell became Thiruvalayanad. (Vala means bangle. The exact meaning is the land of the Sacred bangle.)

 

Type of worship

The Devi temple at Valayanad has its own distinct identity,  different in several respects from other Devi temples in India. It is one of the Saktheya temples where pujas are performed in accordance with the practice of Rurujit worship. The presiding deity of this temple is goddess Chandika (predominantly worshipped in Kashmir), also called Mahartham and Kaala sarppini.

Saktheya prathishtta or consecration is considered to be formulated in Rurujit-Vidhana which is a Kashmiri Tantra style based worship. Surprisingly enough we also find that the Prathishta model and idol installation do not seem to have much connection with the Kerala Tantra style.

These temples are devoted to Rurujit and follow a pattern of installation of the deities mentioned in the text Sesasamuccaya (Chennas Sankaran Namboothiri, son and disciple of Chennas Narayanan Namboothiri (Author of Tantra samucaya) is the author of Sesha Samucaya. Tantra Samucaya describes rituals of only 7 Deities. The text Sesha Samucchayam covers the rituals of many other deities worshipped in Kerala. The text contains 10 chapters and these explain in detail the rituals related to Bhadrakali, Brahma, Krishna, Saraswati, Sun, Rurujith etc) 

In this text, it is clearly written that Bhadra kali in the form of Rurujit is the principal deity. In such temples we can witness, Siva installed facing the eastern side while on the southern side facing north or east direction is the Rurujit kali and on the eastern side of the Rurujit facing the north is Sapta matrukas (seven mothers), Veerabhadra and Ganesha and on the north eastern corner is Kshetrapala .

Saptamatruka (Seven Mothers) present in Rurujit Vidhana:

 Saptamatruka, (Sanskrit: “Seven Mothers”) is a group of seven mother-goddesses, each of whom is the Shakti’s, the female form of the gods. These are the 7 idols in the sanctum sanctorum

They are

1.                  Brahmani (Shakti of Brahma)

2.                  Maheshvari (Shakti of Shiva)

3.                  Kaumari (Shakti of Kumara)

4.                  Vaishnavi (Shakti of Vishnu)

5.                  Varahi (Shakti of Varaha, or boar, an avatar of Vishnu)

6.                  Indrani (Shakti of Indra)

7.                  Chamunda, or Yami (Shakti of Yama).

The expression of the Bhadrakali the Bhagavathi Prathishtta is Rowdram (fierce) with eight hands holding swords and other weapons. The deity faces toward the north side of the temple.

The Sreechakra, designed by the great Sivayogi Thayyavur Sivasankar, remains in the sanctum sanctorum, where the goddess is believed to be ever-present. 

Uthama Puja and Madhyama Puja

Unlike other Devi temples in Kerala which conduct Uthama Puja, the worship here is Madhyama Puja. That is, the daily pujas are conducted by Moosads also known as Pidarar Brahmins. These priests perform pooja according to Saktheya injunctions in this temple. Meat and alcohol are a core feature of worship, and the priests are by necessity non-vegetarian.

There are five Moosad families residing around the Sri Valayanad Kavu. They have the traditional rights to do observances in the temple. The five illams (brahmin houses) are Vattoli-illam, Vadakke-illam, Kozhiparambillam, Naduvilakandi, and Kozhikodanparambu. The chief poojaris are Vattoli-illam and Vadakke-illam, as an inherited right.

 

However, during the annual festival, there is no Madhyama ( saktheya ) Pooja. Priests were brought to the temple to perform the Uthama Pooja.

Chennas Namboodiri the hereditary tantris of the Guruvayoor temple conducts the pujas during the festival.

 

Annual Festival

The annual festival commences every year on the day of Karthika of Makaram and continues for seven days. Devi's 'utavall” (sacred sword) is kept in Tali Mahadeva Temple. Few days before the 'Uthsavam'( festival) it is taken to Valayanad temple. The 'Arat'( the holy dipping of the idol after the 'Pallivetta') is conducted in Trissaala kulam in Mankavu. 

 

Interesting Fact:

Like Sri Vilayanad Kavu there are 12 other temples in Kerala that follow Kashmiri Tantric worship (Rurujit Kali).

 

They are:

1.                  Mannampurathu Kavu, Kasaragod

2.                  Madayi Kavu, Kannur.

3.                   Mamanikunnu Kavu, Kannur.

4.                  Thiruvancheri Kavu, kannur.

5.                  Kalarivathukkal Kavu, Kannur.

6.                  Pisharikavu, Kozhikode

7.                  Kaliyamvelli Kavu, Kozhikode.

8.                  SreeValayanadu Kavu, Kozhikode.

9.                  Thirumandhamkunnu Kavu, Malappuram.

10.           Kodikunnu Kavu, Palakkad.

11.           Kodungallur Devi Temple, Thrissur

12.           Panayannar Kavu Devi Temple, Pathanamthitta.

13.           Muthoot Devi Temple, Pathanamthitta

Sources: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valayanad_Devi_Temple

https://templesinindiainfo.com/sree-valayanad-devi-temple-timings-history/

https://www.hindu-blog.com/2021/01/valayanad-devi-temple-festival-in-kerala.html

https://www.indica.today/research/tracing-legacy-kashmiri-tantra-kerala-rurujit-kali/